WATT NOW ANALYSIS ON THE DROPOUTS OR MONEY GENERATED BY CCISD LEFT BEHIND FOR PROFIT WATCHING AND NOW WHO WAS PAID& WHO WAS LEFT BEHIND CCISD?

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URL: http://www.caller.com/ccct/local_news/article/0,1641,CCCT_811_4461453,00.html CCISD Superintendent
By Venessa Santos-Garza Caller-Times February 12, 2006
According to Corpus Christi Independent School District's board policy, a superintendent is considered the educational leader and chief executive officer of the school district.
The duties of the job include:
Administrative responsibility and leadership for the evaluation of education programs, services and facilities in the district.
The assignment and evaluation of all personnel and managing the day-to-day operations of the district.
Preparing and implementing district policy.
Helping to prepare the district budget.
The district is accepting proposals from firms to handle the search for a new superintendent. The school board will hear proposals from firms by the end of the month, and the board plans to choose a superintendent by the end of summer.
To be considered for a superintendent's job in Texas, an educator must complete a certification program that includes a one-year internship under a current superintendent. The following people are those within CCISD that the district has on record as having a superintendent certificate.
Alfredo Acevedo Jr.
Age: 55
Current position: School Director for Operations and Business
Background: Acevedo was born in Rio Grande City and has spent most of his 34-year career in education in Coastal Bend districts. He has served as teacher, counselor, principal and was an assistant superintendent for Alice Independent School District. He also worked two years for the Texas Education Agency in Austin before returning to South Texas. He's been with CCISD for three years.
If the Search Committee asked you to apply, would you consider it?
"I'm currently not interested."
John Bucey
Age: 45
Current position: Consultant, CCISD Athletic Office
Background: Bucey grew up in Corpus Christi and is a product of CCISD schools. He has been in education for nearly 20 years, most of which were spent working for CCISD. He served as coach at Carroll High School before moving into administration.
If the Search Committee asked you to apply, would you consider it?
"Yes, I'd consider it."
Katherine Conoly
Age: 47
Current position: Executive Director for Instructional Support for CCISD
Background: A native of Colombia, Conoly grew up in the Houston area before moving to Corpus Christi 23 years ago - the same amount of time she's worked for the school district. She served as a principal for 13 years before moving to the administration office and has for the past 13 years taught doctoral and master's level course work at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
If the Search Committee asked you to apply, would you consider it?
"I'm content serving the district in my current capacity and the district has allowed me wonderful opportunities to serve the children of this community."
James D. Davenport
Age: 42
Current position: Title I Instructional Teacher Adviser, Martin Middle School
Background: Davenport is a self-described Army brat who grew up several places before settling in Corpus Christi in his late teens. He's been in education for 17 years, all with CCISD. He has not made the leap to administration.
If the Search Committee asked you to apply, would you consider it?
"No. If they did, I'd wonder what was going on," Davenport said. "But seriously, it wouldn't be practical for someone in my position to suddenly jump to superintendent."
Conrado Garcia
Age: 52
Current position: Principal, Moody High School
Background: Garcia, who also is a product of CCISD schools, has spent his entire 31 years in education working for the district. He has served as a teacher, assistant principal and principal.
He also has served as an adjunct professor at the former Corpus Christi State University and Naval Air Station Corpus Christi.
If the Search Committee asked you to apply, would you consider it?
"Yes, I'd be honored."
Denise Hutchinson
Age: 47
Current position: Assistant Principal, Miller High School
Background: Hutchinson has been in education for 20 years, 13 of those in administration. She is from Corpus Christi originally and spent a majority of her career in the West Oso ISD, where she also filled in as assistant superintendent. She has been with CCISD for a year.
If the Search Committee asked you to apply, would you consider it?
"Yes, I would consider it."
Mark Hughes
Age: 49
Current position: Principal, Wilson Elementary School
Background: Hughes grew up Corpus Christi and has devoted his professional career to CCISD. During the past 28 years, he has served in many capacities, including assistant principal and principal. He also teaches graduate courses at A&M-CC.
If the Search Committee asked you to apply, would you consider it?
"Of course it would be flattering for someone to come and ask you to try, but no, I'm not interested in the job at this time."
Christine Marroquin
Age: 50
Current position: Principal and Chair, Early Childhood Development Center
Background: Marroquin, who originally is from Freer, has lived in the Corpus Christi area since 1982. Her entire 20-year career has been spent in CCISD, 12 of them at the administrative level. In her current job as principal and chair of ECDC she works closely with A&M-CC to provide hands-on training for future teachers.
If the Search Committee asked you to apply, would you consider it?
"I would probably consider it if I'd been asked. My future goals include a superintendency position."
Linda P. Moffett
Age: 53
Current position: Language Arts Teacher, seventh grade, Cullen Middle School
Background: Moffett was born in San Antonio, lived in Austin and spent her adolescence in Corpus Christi. She also is a product of CCISD schools. About 27 of her 31 years in education have been spent with the district. She is a master reading teacher for her campus and also serves as part-time principal.
If the Search Committee asked you to apply, would you consider it?
"I like to work from my strengths, and those strengths are in teaching students and in developing curriculum for my campus."
Toni Moynihan-McCoy
Age: 60
Current position: Executive Director, Department for School Improvement
Background: For the past several years, Moynihan-McCoy has helped CCISD analyze accountability data including dropout rates and test scores and has worked to help schools improve. She has been in education for more than 25 years, some of which was spent as a consultant for the Education Service Center Region II and for the Texas Education Agency. She has taught English at the K-12 through college level, and between 1980 to 1990, she had her own education reform organization called the Effective Schools Institute in Chicago.
If the Search Committee asked you to apply, would you consider it?
"Yes, of course I would."
Daniel G. Noyola
Age: 52
Current position: Principal, Miller High School
Background: Noyola, who grew up in Corpus Christi, has been in education for 32 years. A majority of his career was spent in the West Oso Independent School District, where he served as teacher, assistant principal, principal and later superintendent of schools. He joined CCISD six years ago as a government teacher at Moody High School before taking the reins at Miller earlier this year.
If the Search Committee asked you to apply, would you consider it?
"If they came to me, then of course I would."
Allen Parish Jr.
Age: 53
Current position: Assistant Principal, Carroll High School
Background: Parish, originally from Missouri, has spent 25 years in education and taught at the college and middle school levels. He's been with CCISD for 17 years, the past seven of which have been at Carroll High School. He teaches a special-education course for teachers at A&M-CC.
If the Search Committee asked you to apply, would you consider it?
"Sure. It's not going to happen," he said, "but sure."
Michael Torres
Age: 50
Current position: Principal, South Park Middle School
Background: Torres was born in Dallas and grew up in Los Angeles. He's been in education for 29 years, the past three of which have been spent with CCISD. He coached in Oklahoma before returning to Corpus Christi to join the West Oso Independent School District 10 years ago. While there, he taught science and served as the assistant football coach, head football coach, athletic director, assistant principal and principal.
If the Search Committee asked you to apply, would you consider it?
"I don't think it's the right time for me. I got into this business to make a difference in education and would love to do that on a district level, but I need to do what I can to a make a difference here first."
Delma Yzaguirre
Age: 45
Current position: Principal, Sanders Elementary
Background: Yzaguirre was born and raised in Premont and has been in education for 19 years. A good deal of her career was spent in the Calallen Independent School District, where she taught social studies, served as assistant principal of Calallen High school and was a curriculum specialist for the district. She joined CCISD as a principal two years ago.
If the Search Committee asked you to apply, would you consider it?
"Sure, I would consider it."
The following people could not be reached or did not wish to comment:
Rena B. Garcia
Special Education Teacher, King High School
Juan Huerta
Adviser for the English as a Second Language Program, Corpus Christi ISD
Gerald Robins
English Teacher, King High School
Copyright 2006, Caller.com. All Rights Reserved.
Wednesday, August 30, 2000
Spending, document questions at heart of W. Oso suspensionDPS report on issues of fund use, falsified papers involving principal due at District Attorney's Office on Friday
By Sara Lee FernandezCaller-Times
A West Oso elementary school principal was suspended with pay while police investigated how school funds were spent and whether the principal falsified documents, according to a memo released Tuesday. In a one-page memo dated May 8, Superintendent Minerva Salazar suspended Kennedy Elementary Principal Denise Hutchinson pending the outcome of the investigation by the Department of Public Safety Special Crimes Service. The completed investigation will be delivered Friday to the District Attorney's Office, where it will be considered for presentation to a grand jury, said Lt. Jim Kaelin of the DPS office in Corpus Christi. Tony Bonilla, who is Hutchinson's attorney, said his client did nothing wrong. According to the memo, the investigation focused on:
Hutchinson's "1990, 1993 and 2000 employment application with West Oso Independent School District regarding deliberate falsifications, misrepresentations or omissions of fact."
"Expenditure of district funds, including but not limited to grant monies, fund-raising and campus activity account."
And "deliberate falsifications, misrepresentations or omissions of fact on district grant applications and district correspondence relating to the same." Bonilla said he believes the suspension and investigation are the result of Salazar's personal animosity toward Hutchinson. "It's common knowledge that the superintendent's husband at one time worked under Mrs. Hutchinson's office," Bonilla said. "It's also common knowledge that there were some difficulties on campus with him and eventually the matter was resolved. "It's also common knowledge that Mrs. Hutchinson filed an EEOC complaint against the district (three months ago). It was not until after the superintendent came on board that she found it convenient to retaliate by taking these actions." Salazar confirmed there was a grievance between Hutchinson and her husband in 1998, who is employed by the district as a coach. But she said the dispute did not cause problems between her and Hutchinson. "I think that I have had a positive professional relationship with her," Salazar said. "Mr. Bonilla is entitled to his opinions; however, his opinions have no bearing on the facts of this case." She said she has been advised by the district's attorney not to talk about the EEOC complaint filed against the district. Bonilla said his client is certified by the state and he is not aware of any problems with Hutchinson's applications with the district. "If there is some error or oversight, it was certainly unintended on her part because she had been hired or rehired with the district several times with the same application," he said. Officials at the State Board for Educator Certification confirmed that the agency investigated Hutchinson's application for certification, but that investigation closed in July without action taken against her, said Terry Acord, a legal assistant for the State Board for Educator Certification. Bonilla said he feels his client will be vindicated. "I'm optimistic that things will turn out well with her," Bonilla said.
Staff writer Sara Lee Fernandez can be reached at 886-3767 or by e-mail at _fernandezs@caller.com
May 5, 2005
*******MEDIA ALERT*******
West Oso Seniors Applying for College as Part of Graduation RequirementsArea ISDs partner with Del Mar College's New Program, College Connections, to provide campus services directly to high school seniors before graduationDel Mar College is taking steps to get high school seniors to complete the institution's admissions process before they graduate. A new program called College Connections takes DMC student services directly to high school campuses to ensure that seniors apply for college by completing applications for admissions and financial aid, testing, career counseling, and general advising.For seniors at three of the five pilot schools–including West Oso High School–completing the program is a graduation requirement.What does that mean for graduating seniors? Graduates will not only receive their high school diploma but also a Del Mar College letter of acceptance during commencement this year."Requiring graduating seniors to complete the enrollment process while in school will result in a higher number of students opting to continue their education in the immediate future," says Dr. Crawford Helms, Superintendent of West Oso Independent School District. "Because students will have completed the registration process, they will have no excuse to delay entering college courses or certification programs offered through Del Mar College."On Monday, May 9, West Oso Independent School District and Del Mar College representatives will discuss the program during a news conference set for 10 a.m. in the West Oso High School Library (5202 Bear Lane). Staff from the College's Counseling Office are scheduled to complete the second phase of the program throughout the day by providing West Oso students with testing evaluations, career counseling and general advising. Other DMC staff from Financial Aid Services will help about 10 seniors complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online during the news conference. Students will be available to talk about the program and their plans after graduating from West Oso High School.Del Mar College piloted the program at West Oso, Sinton, Robstown, Moody and Miller High Schools not just to get students to apply for college but also to remove any barriers they may face in completing the process. Del Mar patterned its program after the College Connections initiative that Austin Community College (ACC) implemented in 2004. The ACC program received coverage by The Washington Post and The Seattle Times as a model program for other colleges and independent school districts across the country to follow.Del Mar's program encompasses three phases, which incorporates services and staff from the College's Division of Workforce, Economic and Community Development and the Division of Student Development. Those phases include:Phase I• Students sit through orientations about admissions and financial aid as well as complete applications for both processes, including how to input financial aid information online.• Students take the Texas Higher Education Assessment Quick Test (or Quick THEA) to measure their skills in reading, writing and mathematics to determine course placement.Phase II• Students' testing is evaluated and College staff provide counseling and advising. Career counseling is also available.• High schools can schedule a campus tour.• College representatives present an orientation covering student support services offered through the DMC Division of Student Development.Phase III• Seniors receive their letters of acceptance during their commencement ceremony.• Graduates register for credit courses either online or during arena-style registration.Of the 108 seniors at West Oso High School, 75 have completed Phase I of the College Connections program, including testing. The week of May 9, they will participate in Phase II."College Connections makes college entrance a lot easier for our students to understand and helps them work through the process," says Dr. Denise Hutchinson, principal of West Oso High School. "They're eager to apply for college and know what to expect."West Oso Independent School District is among the five ISDs within the College's taxing district, which qualifies their graduating seniors for DMC in-district tuition and fees. In 2003, West Oso High School graduated 85 students. However, only 28 students, or 33 percent, enrolled at a university or college immediately following graduation, according figures provided by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The other 67 percent, or 57 students, were listed as not enrolled in Texas higher education, either because they did not enroll at a college or university at all or enrolled out-of-state.Dr. Hutchinson adds, "The program's value for our students is an easy transition from high school to college. They'll walk out of our high school's doors and through Del Mar College's doors without any complications."The Texas Education Agency reported earlier this year that Del Mar College is the number one choice of high school graduates from Nueces, Aransas, San Patricio and Kleberg Counties who attend college. Additionally, U.S. Department of Labor statistics show that 70% of the fastest growing jobs in the nation will require more than just a high school diploma."College Connections allows the College and partner school districts to encourage students who traditionally have not pursued any type of skill training or thought about higher education to obtain skills that will make them valuable assets to employers in the Coastal Bend," says Bud Harris, Dean of the College's Division of Workforce, Economic and Community Development. "By getting these students to complete the admissions process and enroll at Del Mar College, the consensus is our area will have a more skilled workforce for the business community and an improved quality of life for the students upon completing their higher education."So how does College Connections fit in with West Oso graduates this year?"We want these seniors to know they're ready to enroll in Del Mar College courses upon graduation because they have completed the whole admissions process," adds Harris. "The College is open to every student who wants a higher education–no matter where they attend high school. College Connections is providing students with the resources to make that dream happen."Dr. Helms agrees. "Education and continuing education is a key factor in being independent and successful in the world that our students are entering into. A higher education will allow them to obtain their dreams."Contacts: Bud Harris, Dean of DMC's Division of Workforce, Economic and Community Development, at 361/698-1702 Dr. Crawford H. Helms, West Oso Independent School District Superintendent, at 361/806-5960Dr. Denise Hutchinson, Principal of West Oso High School, at 361/806-5960Melinda Eddleman or Claudia Jackson, DMC College Relations, at 361/698-1247
-DMC-mce
Return to CRO News Releases
Tuesday, December 12, 2000
No decision made about reinstating Denise HutchinsonWest Oso ISD did deny the assistant principal's second grievance asking for reprimand to be removed from record
By Venessa Santos-GarzaCaller-Times
After four hours of deliberating Monday, West Oso school board members decided not to take action on a grievance filed by Denise Hutchinson, assistant principal of West Oso Elementary, asking to return to her job as principal of John F. Kennedy Elementary. Hutchinson was suspended with pay from her job at Kennedy in May. In September the board voted to grant a grievance filed by Hutchinson against the district that stated she was suspended unfairly and allowed her to return to work. Hutchinson was assigned to West Oso Elementary as assistant principal in October but her lawyer, Daniel Ortiz said the assignment is not what his client requested in her original grievance. "The board granted her grievance unconditionally," Ortiz said. "But the superintendent refused to reinstate her to her former position. Instead she demoted her." Superintendent Minerva Salazar has said the assignment was not a demotion but a lateral move for Hutchinson, carrying the same benefits and salary. The board voted 4 to 3 to deny a second grievance filed by Hutchinson, alleging West Oso Elementary Principal Laura Quiroz had reprimanded her unfairly for her refusal to suspend a student. Hutchinson's grievance asked that the letter be removed from her file. Board President Liz Gutierrez, Vice President Frank Garcia and trustees Aida Lopez and Arturo Melve voted to deny the grievance while Trustees Guadalupe Casas, Irma Perez and Alma Ramirez voted to grant it.
Staff writer Sara Fernandez contributed to this report. Staff writer Venessa Santos-Garza can be reached at 886-3752 or by e-mail at santosv@caller.com







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