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How we take back our children's education: one person, one question, one school at a time. |
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| Copyright 1999-2007 Peyton Wolcott |
| Conservative Commentary |
| TAS/MUS SCRAPBOOK - PAGE 3 |
| THE BIG PICTURE |
| STORE 'EM IN ANOTHER BUILDING: Lengths to which one district will go to avoid producing documents (North East ISD - San Antonio, Texas) |
| Public Records |
| Sentencing |
| Bremond ISD |
| National School District Honor Roll How to ask your school district to post its checks online here Flyer here NEW! History here |
| Practical steps: How to Organize/Tips 95 Questions How to ask for public records |
| Request: Same-year expense reports for supe Rich. Middleton |
| TAS/MUS Scrapbook - Page 3 Texas supes playing golf on Friday of TAKS testing week --with vendors aplenty By Peyton Wolcott Tuesday, April 24, 2007/12:07 am |
| Texas superintendents at Tapatio Springs Resort (above) last Friday, another day in paradise for Texas' hard-working administrators, ESC employees, and edu-vendors, including Aledo ISD supe Don Daniel (below) |
| Texas Association of Suburban/Mid- Urban Schools The Texas Association of Suburban/Mid- Urban Schools (TAS/MUS) is an organization that serves as a net- work for superin- tendents of subur- ban and mid- urban school districts. TAS/MUS hosts a Fall and Spring Conference each year, held in November and April respectively, that feature promi- nent speakers. Authentic conversation regarding actual problems Participants find a valuable aspect of these conferences is the time for sup- erintendents to engage in authen- tic conversation regarding actual problems and challenges on topics of importance to superintendents. TASA provides administrative and operational support to TAS/MUS. For additional information on conference registration or membership, please contact Paul Whitton, 800-725-8272. The officers and directors of TAS/ MUS believe it is mutually beneficial to develop corpor- ate partnerships. TAS/MUS members want and need to keep abreast of the current education marketplace. TAS/MUS values corporate sponsor- ships as they enhance the quality of our programs and provide important information. (SOURCE--TASA) |
| Curious about TAS/MUS? By Peyton Wolcott Sat., Apr. 21, 2007 So was I. As TAS/MUS does not appear to have its own dedicated web-site, here's a description of this weekend's "Spring Conference" appearing on the Texas Ass'n of School Admini- strators (TASA) website: |
| NOTE: The question will arise from the superintendents, administrators, spouses and vendors depicted, "Should these photos be published?" Yes, for several reasons. Were this a private activity funded entirely by the superintendents out of their own pockets and occurring only on a Saturday/Sunday weekend, I would not have been anywhere near the Tapatio Springs golf course yesterday, a Friday. However, this three-day, Friday/Saturday/Sunday golf tournament is funded by Texas taxpayers in multiple ways, not the least of which is the superintendents' Friday salaries, plus there are fees and other costs such as travel associated with their attendance. Further, the Friday in question was the final day of Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) testing week, one of the most important weeks during all of the Texas academic year. More thoughts regarding the ramifications of superintendents' attending vendor-driven events here. |
| Golf appears to play at least a fair (or would that be a "fair-way") role in the life of Aledo ISD and its supe; below, Don Daniel at AISD's annual education foundation golf tournament |
| Wondering ...Why TASA is being so coy about TAS/MUS? ... Why are no officers with their contact inform- ation listed any- where on TASA's website? ...Why on the weekend of the TAS/MUS confer- ence is it not listed along with these other "Active Confer- ences/Seminars": o UT/TASA Summer Conference on Education o TCWSE Summer Conference Budget Boot Camp for Superintendents o 2007 Texas Assessment Conference Program Application |
| Aledo ISD Testing Schedule the same day supe Don Daniel was atTapatio Springs Resort playing golf at TAS/MUS April conference: TAKS Social Studies - Grades 8, 10, 11 Exit; TAKS-I Social Studies – Grades 8, 10, 11 Exit; TAKS Exit Retest Social Studies |
| Wow! Looks like Aledo ISD can afford to send its supe to a golf resort: AISD's "Team of Eight" spends $18,804 per student Superintendent Donald Ray "Don" Daniel (right) celebrated the last day of Texas Assess- ment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) testing week not in his school district where teachers and children were toiling over their TAKS tests but by playing golf at Tapatio Springs Resort in the Texas Hill Country near Boerne. About the district According to the district's website, Don and his seven elected board members constitute a "Team of Eight"; more here about this concept whereby hired employees with the title "superintendents" are elevated to a par with elected board members. Aledo ISD, located near Weatherford, is halfway between Fort Worth and Mineral Wells, and most recently reported its total all funds numbers per the Texas Education Agency as $69,103,911; the district spent $18,804 to educate each of its 3,675 students. According to Don's most recently posted "Conflict of Interest Disclosures" form, "Affidavit Disclosing Interest in a Business Entity or Real Property" -- dated February 1, 2006 -- he has no interests in any businesses or properties as both boxes have been left blank. |
| Would you like a closer look at this past TAS/MUS weekend's schedule? Sorry, folks; you're going to have to find it elsewhere. I don't mean to tease; it's just that the schedule's not posted anywhere on the non-existent TAS/MUS site, or even on that of its parent organization, the Texas Association of School Administrators, either. Until I am able to obtain a copy of this year's schedule, we'll have to make do with one from two years ago; likely things have not changed much: |
| 11 a.m. (1st tee time) 6:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. |
| TAS/MUS 2005 Spring Conference April 15-17, 2005 |
| Coronado Builders, Ltd. - TAS/MUS Golf Tournament Johnson Controls, Inc. Reception UBS Financial Services Dinner |
| Friday, April 15 |
| The Palmer Course Emily's Rose Garden Courtyard Grey Moss Inn, Helotes |
| 8:30 a.m. 9 a.m. 10:40 a.m. Noon 1:30 p.m. 3 p.m. 3:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m. |
| Saturday, April 16 (all meetings will be held at The Westin La Cantera Resort) |
| Registration & Renaissance Learning, Inc.'s Continental Breakfast 2005 Legislative Issues - David Anderson Hillco Partners Superintendents' Round Table -Representative Bob Griggs Lunch on your own 2005 Legislative Issues - Amy Beneski, associate executive director, Governmental Relations, TASA Commissioner's Report - Shirley J. Neeley, commssioner of education, TEA Superintendents' Round Table (superintendents only) Pearson Scott Foresman Reception SHW Group, Inc. Dinner (buses leave at 7 p.m.) |
| Pavilion Pavilion Emily's Rose Garden Courtyard Mi Tierra Restaurant, San Antonio |
| Sunday, April 17 |
| 8:30 a.m. 9 a.m. 10:30 a.m. Noon |
| Coffee and juice TAS/MUS Business Meeting - Johnny Veselka, executive director, TASA Henslee, Fowler, Hepworth & Schwartz, L.L.P. Brunch Adjourn |
| Foyer - Ballroom C Ballroom C Steinheimer's Lounge |
| Yes, the venue for the TAS/MUS "April Conference" has changed from 2005 when it was held at Westin's La Cantera in San Antonio, to Tapatio Springs Resort, 45 minutes away in Boerne. But at least two vendors have remained constant--in one form or another. (1) Renaissance Learning, Inc. ("Make teaching exciting and learning fun") came again this year, listing TAS/MUS on its "Trade Show Schedule," here: www.renlearn.com/tradeshowschedule.htm (2) And last Friday school law attorneys Henslee, Fowler, Hepworth & Schwartz, L.L.P. sent the managing partner of its Fort Worth operation to attend the event with the best escort of all, her husband the supe. That's Rhonda "We're newlyweds" and Ray Crass (of Mineral Wells ISD) at right. |
