To the HISD Community Members:
Due to the recent focused attention on the HISD School Board, it is important to clarify the role of a school board in Texas school districts. There are five responsibilities of all school boards in Texas. These are:
- To hire and evaluate the Superintendent
- To adopt policies and review for effectiveness
- To adopt goals and priorities and monitor their success
- To adopt a budget and set a tax rate
- To communicate with the community
All HISD Superintendents, both current and past superintendents, have worked diligently to carry out the policies, goals, and priorities as set out by the Board. Our current superintendent, Dr. Lamb, has assembled a strong administrative team who in turn has worked tirelessly to hire the best teachers to deliver a quality education to all our students.
Our current Board is made up of seven members who come from diverse backgrounds and bring a wide range of experience and viewpoints to the Board. It has never been the practice of this Board to “rubber stamp” agenda items presented by the administration. Rather, we ask lots of questions prior to and during a Board meeting to gain clarity and understanding. Once all questions have been answered to each member's satisfaction, the Board can make a decision on every proposed agenda item.
From time to time, community members have a question about our school district. All Trustees are available to either answer the question or contact the appropriate HISD personnel for the answer. All Trustees are available by email with email addresses easily accessible on the HISD website. Dr. Lamb is available to meet with individuals who have questions or concerns about the HISD. Additionally, Dr. Lamb welcomes the opportunity to speak to local civic groups interested in hearing about all the programs and successes taking place in HISD.
We hope all community members feel free to contact any Trustee or the HISD Administration should they have any questions or concerns. Together we can all work towards having the best school district possible where “All Students Are Empowered to Achieve Their Dreams.”
Sincerely,
HISD Board Members
Drew Butler
Harold Sentmore
Jean Williams
Jon Johnston
James Holmes
Vickie Martinez-Murillo
Dr. James Sugg
(Published in the September 26, 2021 edition of the Henderson News)