Extra Credit

Keller superintendent a finalist for Phoenix school chief's post

Keller Superintendent James Veitenheimer is one of three finalists for superintendent of the Deer Valley Unified School District in Phoenix, an Arizona newspaper reports. Veitenheimer attended a public reception on Thursday in Phoenix along with the other two finalists, according to the report. The other two finalists are from Arizona. In late January, the Keller school board voted to give Veitenheimer a three-year contract extension along with a pay raise commensurate with what other district employees will receive. No information was readily available on the salary for the Deer Valley superintendent. The Phoenix district has about 34,580 students, compared with Keller ISD's enrollment of about 33,000. But Deer Valley's enrollment has been shrinking, while Keller remains one of the fastest-growing districts in Texas. Deer Valley hopes to name a superintendent by late April. Veitenheimer has been superintendent in Keller since 2004. - Lois Norder

Birdville wins grant for lighting upgrades at Haltom High School

Birdville schools has been awarded a grant of $11,475 to help cover the costs of an upgraded lighting system in Haltom High School's two gyms, the district announced in a Monday news release.

The money comes from Oncor Electric Delivery's School Matching Grant Program, which provides funding for up to half the cost of installing energy efficiency projects.

Birdville superintendent Darrell G. Brown said in a statement: "While we're enjoying the energy savings, our students and faculty appreciate the increased lighting in the gym."

Jessamy Brown

Lawsuit between Carroll and Northwest schools dismissed, official says

An appeals court has dismissed a lawsuit between the Carroll and Northwest school districts over borders, a Northwest schools spokeswoman said Friday.

The move appears to end years of legal wrangling between administrators and their attorneys, who clashed over where the boundary should be set between Southlake-based Carroll schools and Northwest schools, based in far north Fort Worth.

The boundaries will remain unchanged, said Lesley Weaver, Northwest schools spokeswoman. She said district officials hope this ends the dispute.

“The appellate court dismissed it and the families who moved into Northwest ISD will remain in Northwest ISD,” Weaver said. “We are very pleased.”

Carroll school district spokeswoman Julie Thannum wrote in an email to the Star-Telegram that officials are waiting to review the ruling with their attorneys.

In a Thursday judgment from the Second District Court of Appeals in Fort Worth, Justice Lee Ann Dauphinot wrote:

"The court has considered the record on appeal in this case and holds that there was error in the trial court's judgment. We reverse the trial court's order denying Northwest Independent School District's plea to the jurisdiction and render judgment dismissing Carroll Independent School District's claims."

The court also ordered Carroll to pay the costs of the appeal.

The dispute centered on about 840 acres in Trophy Club and Southlake which includes commercial, undeveloped land and residential developments, including high-dollar homes in the Clariden Ranch development.

The disagreement stemmed from a separate boundary dispute between Tarrant and Denton counties. In 2004, state courts moved the county border north, and some 3,500 acres were added to Tarrant County.

Carroll school officials filed a lawsuit in 2005, asserting that their school district boundary should move, too, and be set at the new Tarrant-Denton line, adding the additional property and the students who live there to the district. Northwest officials argued that the disputed land was still their property.

While the matter was in court, students could attend school in either district. About 40 students who live in the disputed territory attend Carroll schools and officials will determine how to handle that matter, Thannum wrote.

Jessamy Brown

Details of Fort Worth superintendent contract released

Longtime Fort Worth educator Walter Dansby was officially hired as the new schools superintendent Tuesday night. Details of his contract were released this afternoon, spelling out his compensation and duties.

Dansby will make $328,950, the same amount as former superintendent Melody Johnson, who announced her resignation from the district in May after nearly six years here. He also receives the monthly $600 car and $60 cellphone allowances she had.

In her contract, Johnson had received an annual bonus that paid for credits in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, worth $45,185.40 a year. Though she had spent much of her career in Texas, she had also spent time elsewhere and was previously superintendent of the Providence, RI., schools.

Dansby, who has spent 38 years in the Fort Worth school district, does not have that same credit built in his contract as he did not need to buy retirement credits in the state system. Instead if his evaluation meets or exceeds expectations, Dansby will receive an annual retention bonus of $10,000 to go toward a life insurance policy, annuity policy, mutual fund or any combination of the three.

The contract also notes that to date, Dansby has 101 unused vacation and personal days, which may be accrued in full. However, any further unused vacation or personal leave days accrued as superintendent are limited to a maximum of 33 days.

Here are the top base salaries for Texas superintendents in the 2010-11 school year, which does not include other perks, such as retirement benefits, bonuses or car allowances.

District            Superintendent            Salary

Beaumont        Carrol A. Thomas            $347,834

Alief                Louis B. Stoerner            $345,943

Dallas               Michael Hinojosa            $332,832

Fort Worth        Melody Johnson            $328,950

Spring Branch    Duncan F. Klussmann    $309,400

Houston            Terry Grier                    $300,000

North East        Richard Middleton          $297,105

Cypress-Fairbanks    David Anthony        $292,736

Plano                Douglas Otto                $291,717

Austin            Meria Carstarphen         $283,412

Source: Texas Education Agency

-Eva-Marie Ayala

Principals, principals everywhere

JUSTIN — Northwest school principals have been toppling like dominoes the last few months as trustees name principals for new schools, replace them with other principals, leaving yet another vacancy. The latest appointment is Conrad Streeter, the former principal of Argyle Intermediate School, who was hired as principal of Gene Pike Middle School.

Streeter -- who has also worked in Lewisville, Coppell, Colorado and North Carolina -- will replace Mike Blankenship, who has been appointed to head up the new Truett Wilson Middle School, scheduled to open in August in far north Fort Worth Blankenship who worked in the Birdville and Keller school districts before coming to Northwest in 2006, where he served as assistant principal, then principal of Pike. Ron Myers, who has held leadership positions in Keller and Oklahome, was hired as principal of Northwest’s O.A. Peterson Elementary School. He succeeds Todd Rogers, who will become principal of Chisholm Trail Middle School

-Martha Deller

Walter Dansby officially hired as Fort Worth superintendent

FORT WORTH — Longtime Fort Worth educator Walter Dansby officially became superintendent of Fort
Worth schools tonight, the first minority to hold the post in the district.

"It doesn't stop here," Dansby said. "It only begins ... to ensure every single child receives the best education possible."

The board voted 7-0 to hire him after naming him the lone finalist last month. Trustee Judy Needham was absent. 

Dansby, 61, grew up in Stop Six and graduated from Dunbar High School. 

He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington and his master’s at Tarleton State University. He has worked in the district for 38 years, and was named interim superintendent after Melody Johnson resigned in May. 

Dansby joined the school district as a teacher and coach at Rosemont Middle School in 1974. He served as a coach at various schools including Paschal, where he later became an assistant principal. He was principal at O.D. Wyatt High School until he was promoted to an area dean of instruction and continued to rise through administration ranks overseeing various areas including instruction, athletics, student affairs, maintenance and, most recently, the 2007 bond program.

Various family members and colleagues were in attendance to celebrate his appointment tonight including two of his former teachers -- Dorothy Pinkard from elementary and coach S.R. Roberson from high school.

"This is a reminder to all educators that everyday, your leadership is shaping the future," vice president Juan Rangel said.

-Eva-Marie Ayala

 Photo: Star-Telegram/Max Faulkner

Kids are king in Northwest ISD

Sure, Northwest school trustees deal with finances, construction and educational matters like most other districts.

But they always begin their meetings by recognizing a student who is allowed to lead the adults in the Pledge of Allegiance.

They usually end meetings the same way.

"Our Byron Nelson girls and boys swim-dive teams won," Superintendent Karen Rue said Monday night. "Northwest High School qualified one wresler.

"And oh, yes, our (Byron Nelson)girls basketball playoffs are tonight."

Could that be why the board meeting lasted only 35 minutes?

 

Fort Worth has a Valentine's date with a new superintendent

Trustees are set to officially hire Walter Dansby on Tuesday night as the next Fort Worth school district superintendent.

Dansby grew up in Stop Six and spent the 38 years in the district as a coach, teacher, principal and administrator. He was named the lone finalist to take over Fort Worth schools last month.

Dansby said it's been a humbling experience since he's been named the top pick.

"I've never been one to want to have the spotlight or anything," Dansby said. "Everywhere I go, there's a lot of positive and a lot of people, but I've got to focus on what my responsibilities are -- like I always have -- which is providing the very best for our students, teachers and community."

The board meeting begins at 5:30 p.m.

At left is an archive Star-Telegram photo of Dansby when he head coach of the Paschal High School basketball team.

-Eva-Marie Ayala

Fort Worth mayor looking forward to working with new superintendent

Mayor Betsy Price and interim superintendent Walter Dansby met up last week to discuss various ways the two can increase partnerships between the city and Fort Worth school district, such as joint efforts for parks and recreational needs or training programs for students. 

Price told the Star-Telegram that she's excited Dansby was named the sole finalist to be the next schools superintendent. "He is great, and we have a lot in common," she said. "We were both born in Fort Worth and are products of the Fort Worth ISD, and we both have a great love for the city and school district." 

Here is picture of Price (second from the left) and Dansby (to her right) from an anti-bullying workshop on Friday. The school district held the event to talk with city officials and community agencies about stepped up efforts to combat bullying through the district's It's Not Okay program.

-Eva-Marie Ayala

Keller trustees extend superintendent's contract

Keller ISD trustees voted 5-1 in a special meeting Thursday night to extend Superintendent James Veitenheimer's contract through the 2014-15 school year and agreed to give him the same percentage raise next year that they give other employees.

A year ago, no employees were given contract extensions or raises as the district anticipated severe budget cuts and eliminated about 200 jobs. For 2012-13, officials have discussed giving raises as high as 3 percent but have made no definitive plans.

Veitenheimer was hired in 2004.

-- Sandra Engelland