We invite all of the candidates for office to send us their thoughts and hope that our readers will share their thoughts with the candidates through the blog.
This from Dori Fenenbock:
EVERY STUDENT PREPARED for El Paso Speak Blog by Dori Fenenbock, April 26th 2015
EPISD could be on the cusp of an educational renaissance with new direction and new leadership. El Paso is experiencing a rebirth of optimism and opportunity. Our schools must not lag behind. We need leaders with energy and enthusiasm who will inspire change. Every student deserves to have the choice and ability to go to college, and will, if EPISD graduates every student prepared.
There are three priorities for EPISD: 1) Let Teachers Teach- attract, support, and retain great teachers, reduce testing, and allow our teachers creativity and time with our children; 2) Put the Money in the Classroom- the magic happens there and we need to maximize our resources where they have the greatest impact: teachers, programs and technology; 3) Trust and Transparency- engage all stakeholders and clearly communicate decisions.
Great teachers are one of our best assets in the education of our children. Studies show that a child’s exposure to just one great teacher results in higher college graduation, higher earnings, and less dependence on public assistance. They are valued partners and need to be a part of decisions we make for and by the district, particularly those we expect them to implement.
We need to downsize central office. We have budget shortfalls due to declining populations and aging facilities that need attention. Fewer students should lead to a reduction in non-essential staff. Our district should lead by example, cut overhead first, and find the most economical option for relocating our central office.
There are out-of-the-box solutions for our facilities. The Mesita / Vilas recommendation is a good example. City and county partnerships are other options to share operational costs and combine services such as schools, health clinics and immigration services. This could lessen the financial burden of underutilized schools important to local communities such as Zavala.
Our biggest challenge in EPISD is a legacy of distrust from the Garcia era. There has been a substantial lack of communication. We need specific and measurable goals for our district, a benchmark for our superintendent’s progress, and a process to clearly communicate this to our stakeholders.
Shifting the narrative about EPISD from negative to positive will take time. There is a small window when the public will give the elected Board of Trustees the benefit of the doubt that they are listening and committed to change. We must capture the momentum to regain public trust and pride in our schools, and build opportunities for our children.
[Dori Fenenbock is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Tulsa Law School. She are her husband, Mark, have four children, all of whom attended EPISD.
Dori served as a legal intern for the United States Court of Appeals and the Oklahoma Court of Appeals. Beginning in 1994, she started a business serving the packaging needs to nationwide clients including Dial, Einstein Bagels, and the U.S. Postal Service. For the last several years, she has stayed at home to raise her children.
Dori serves on the Coronado PTSA, the EPISD Master Facility Planning Committee, the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority, as President of the Jewish Federation of El Paso and is the past President of the El Paso Jewish Academy. She is involved with Leadership El Paso, the Junior League and the Boy Scouts of America.]
elpasospeak 
“We need to downsize central office.”
—————————————————————-
Yes. That is the one essential action toward restoring public confidence in EPISD that is perceived by many as self-serving and distant from the schools and teachers. She has my vote.
LikeLike
Disappointed that folks didn’t chime in, I figured many would find the education of our children in higher esteem.
LikeLike
Thanks for your comments. We will continue to work to raise awareness, concern and engagement of all citizens in the health of our school district and thus our community.
LikeLike
How are immigration services part of a local school system’s mandate? What immigration services are being provided by EPISD and at what cost?
LikeLike
I agree totally with Mrs. Fenenbock’s statements. Put resources in the classroom, reward good teachers and cut out top administrators. That’s a start. We all know there is more the question of “Why aren’t students learning?” The problem is the home environment — drugs or alcohol addiction, lack of parenting skills, and lack of support structures. El Paso is better off than many cities because of large, extended families that step in when parents cannot or will not do their job. Students learn best when there is someone at home who encourages them and teaches through example. Put school resources where they count most — in the classroom — but don’t expect the schools to perform miracles when families are what really make the difference.
LikeLike
Mrs. Fennenbock, you have wonderful ideas. Reducing central office expense, making children/students the top priority and regaining our trust are spot on and I am hopeful for the future. However, I must differ with you on this statement, “Our biggest challenge in EPISD is a legacy of distrust from the Garcia era.” Yes, the legacy of distrust is and will be your biggest challenge, but don’t place the burden entirely on Lorenzo Garcia and the prior elected Board. That’s the easy excuse and one that current Board of Managers President Dee Margo always throws out when anyone questions him and the other managers about drastic changes that affect staffing, taxpayers and most of all our children, without any community input (and if any is allowed, it is summarily dismissed). That’s exacerbated when our highly remunerated Superintendent that didn’t even have the full qualifications and experience for the position, outright refuses to meet with the community and seems to run from us. He further shatters confidence in the district you seek to lead. Yes, the community may be angry and not pleasant to deal with, but we have every reason to be. Enough is enough. In short, what Garcia shattered, Mr. Margo and the rest of the managers, along with their hired Super, finished the job. To repair that, you need to hold Cabrera accountable and tell him to put his big boy pants on and help you build that trust. Second, you need to closely look at all the recent drastic decisions and hold off on full implementation until you honestly seek community input and consider it (no shows, true outreach) and then explain to we the people what is feasible what is not and WHY you are making the decisions. If you and your future trustees don’t do that, you may as well hand over the district back to the State because it will be chaos.
LikeLike