Waxahachie Daily Light
With superintendent Dr. Bonny Cain announcing her “re-retirement” earlier this month, the Waxahachie Independent School District board of trustees began the process of hiring her replacement during a special meeting that stretched well into Monday evening.
At the meeting, Cain officially tendered her resignation, effective July 20. The board accepted her resignation unanimously.
Following an executive session that lasted about an hour and 20 minutes, the board agreed to hire Walsh Gallegos Trevino Russo & Kyle P.C. as the superintendent search firm. This is the same firm that Red Oak ISD used in its superintendent search in 2019, and the firm that Midlothian ISD used this past winter.
Trustees discuss ways to achieve better communication with community
Waxahachie Daily Light
The failure of the Waxahachie Independent School District bond election at the polls on May 1 leaves the WISD board of trustees facing what to do next.
The proposed $127 million bond referendum was soundly rejected, with 3,861 votes against to 2,897 votes for. Monday night was the first regular monthly meeting since the balloting, and board members agreed that the district needs better communication with the community.
Newly-installed WISD board secretary Melissa Starnater said the district needs to survey the community and seek out best practices from other parts of the state in order to make the next bond issue work. One suggestion she made was to break future bond votes down into propositions, which she said seemed to fare better in other school districts.
By Patty Hullett
For the Daily Light
On a gorgeous spring day – May 6 – many of the citizens of Waxahachie gathered at noon to pay homage to America’s “National Day of Prayer” at the downtown Railyard Park. This annual occurrence celebrated its 70th year (1952-2021).
The 2021 festivities were titled “Lord – Pour Out Your Love, Life, and Liberty”.
Farley Street Baptist Church Pastor Richard W. Smith gave the welcome, followed with a reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance and “The Star Spangled Banner,” as sung by Jaime Feaster.
Ellis County Judge Todd Little led the prayer for government, while 378th District Judge William Wallace led the prayer for the military and police.
Daily Light report
At a meeting called by the Waxahachie ISD Board of Trustees on Monday evening, Superintendent Dr. Bonny Cain announced her plans to “re-retire” this June.
“I was so happy to be chosen to lead this district, as daily the staff met higher and higher expectations for student performance, while simultaneously being charged with preparing students for jobs that lay in an unknown future,” Cain said. “These past three years have been a wonderful professional and personal growth experience. I am grateful that for 43 years I have been able to practice a profession that I truly love. I am confident that Waxahachie ISD has nothing but a bright and successful future ahead of it.”
$127M referendum addresses projected massive growth in enrollment
Waxahachie Daily Light
Next Saturday, May 1, Waxahachie Independent School District voters will go to the polls to decide a referendum that, if approved, would begin to channel the expected tsunami of growth bearing down upon the district.
In February, the WISD board of trustees unanimously referred a $127 million bond issue to voters, as recommended by WISD chief financial officer Ryan Kahlden. Superintendent Dr. Bonny Cain said at the time that a voter-approved bond issue would not necessitate a property tax increase.
“Our student enrollment just continues to grow,” Cain said. “We’ve been told we will have 1,000 extra students next year … When you’re looking at the houses that are selling and the houses that are being proposed, we need to be ready.”