South Belt Leader (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 10, No. 21, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 27, 1985 Page: 1 of 22
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June 27, 1985
£>mtth lelt Crofter
Vol 10 Number 21
“The Voice of Community-Minded People
Luty top candidate for PISD
Dr. Lon Luty, former superintendent of schools of Alamagordo, N.M., is
expected to be named the new superintendent of schools for the Pasadena Indepen-
dent School District Friday, June 28.
PISD Board of Trustees will meet in the board room of the Administration
Building in an executive session at 7 p.m. An open session is scheduled for 8 p.m.
and it is expected the board will release the name of the new superintendent at
that meeting.
Two representatives of the board and the interim superintendent, Eugene
Tegeler, flew to New Mexico this week in regards to hiring a superintendent. Luty
is the only candidate from New Mexico.
Two other candidates for the position have been named. Dr. Louis Christensen
of Mt. Prospect, 111. and Dr. Richard Slater of Klein were named last week.
Three other candidates for the position have asked their names not be released.
The executive session will be closed to the public. If a final decision is made
on the superintendent as expected, the meeting will be opened to the public.
Bands to compete at Memorial
Dobie High School’s Band Parents will host the fifth annual Lone Star Brass
Spectacular Friday, June 28, at 7:30 p.m. at Pasadena’s Memorial Stadium.
Seven drum and bugle corps from different parts of the country will be
featured in the competition.
Tickets are $7 at the gate, but may be reserved for $6 by calling 481-9709.
City trash holiday July 4
Thursday, July 4, will be marked by many as the Independence Day holiday.
It will be a trash holiday for the city of Houston. Those with normal Thursday
service will have their service on Friday. Those unincorporated area residents
serviced by Texas Sanitation will have trash service as usual.
There will be no summer school classes at San Jacinto College on July 4, and
there will be no mail delivery.
Dobie swim lessons open
There are 30 openings for swim lessons offered at Dobie High School on
weekdays from July 1-12. Sessions open are at 9, 10 and 11 a.m. Those wishing to
register may come by the pool any morning at 8:45, 9:45 or 10:45.
Barnes hearing postponed
A June 28 Texas Education Agency hearing between Pasadena Independent
School District officials and a district principal has been postponed due to a
scheduling conflict with a PISD attorney.
Pasadena High School associate principal Doris Barnes was scheduled to
have her denial of due process of the law claim with the district heard by the TEA
but the district’s attorney, Kelly Frels, has a previous engagement.
The original June 28 hearing was set in accordance to PISD legal
representative Stanley Baskin’s schedule. Frels, a specialist in education law,
has taken over personnel matters and will represent PISD at the Austin hearing.
Barnes’ question with the district concerns the bypassing of her as the
district’s assistant personnel director. She asked for a hearing with the board
when reasons were not given why her recommendation for the job was denied.
The board maintains that failure to be reassigned is not a grievable matter and
that it is not board policy to make public decisions made on recommendations.
The hearing has been rescheduled for July 26.
Burger King construction set
After several months of delays, representatives of Burger King and its
franchise said construction on the proposed Burger King on Scarsdale Boulevard
should begin in a matter of weeks.
Eugene Grammer, president of Gramdale Incorporated, a franchise of Burger
King said utility problems postponed construction in the spring. “We en-
countered more problems in arranging for utilities than we thought we would,”
Grammer said. “We’ve got things worked out now.” He said construction on the
site should begin in two to three weeks.
Burger King originally balked at building the Scarsdale site due to a MUD 13
restriction requiring signs be kept under a ceiling of 25 feet. Grammer said all
problems with the MUD 13 have been solved and they will build their sign “as
high as they let us but certainly not over what they say.”
Leader holiday schedule set
The office of the South Belt Leader will be closed the afternoon of July 3, and
all day Thursday, July 4, and Friday, July 5. Distribution of the July 4 paper will
be on July 3. Because of this, deadlines for the issue will be changed, with all
deadlines moving up one day. The ad deadline is noon Monday, news 3 p.m.
Thursday, sports 10 p.m. Saturday.
Sagemeadow club to meet
The Sagemeadow Civic Club will meet on Monday, July 1, at 7:30 p.m. in the
Sagemeadow Utility District Building, 10755 Hall Road. Deed restriction
violations and new current projects will be discussed. The meeting is open to the
public.
Winners of the subdivision’s Yard of the Month contest for June are: Section
I, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Orth, 11114 Sageyork; Section II, the Allen family, 11438
Sagewhite; Section III, Mr. and Mrs. V.G. Purdy, 10034 Sagedowne; Section IV,
Mr. and Mrs. Kenton Pehl, 9882 Sageroyal; Section V, the Weeks family, 9843
Sagequeen; Section VI, Mr. and Mrs. John Anderson, 9914 Sageaugust. Winners
receive a $25 gift certificate from the Kleckley Wolfe Nursery. Signs will be placed
in the winners’ yards.
Activities planned for Bracewell
Bracewell Library will offer a variety of children’s activities this week.
At 2:30 today, docents from the Houston Symphony will present a
puppet show and film as part of the library’s music appreciation series.
The next several Wednesday mornings will be devoted to music appreciation
sessions at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. Story time will be at 2:30 p.m. Wednesdays for
preschoolers. All Wednesday activities are geared for preschoolers.
On Tuesday, July 2, movies “Hound Who Thought He Was a Raccoon” and
“Band Concert” (58 minutes) will be shown at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Bracewell is located in the Almeda Mall parking lot.
In this week’s issue
• A Calendar, page 2, includes classes to take and places to go.
• Trips, birthdays and anniversaries are featured in Over the Back Fence,
page 4.
• Wedding and engagement news can be found on page 5.
• Scout news can be read on page 12.
• Area youth baseball scores begin on page 15.
• Area woman gymnast performs in France, page 16.
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PISD employees
to be offered
HMO insurance
Congressman Brooks in area
Welcoming Congressman Jack Brooks [white-haired man at front left center]
to the South Belt area Monday night were members of the South Belt-Elling-
ton Chamber of Commerce and San Jacinto College South representatives.
Front row consists of Jean Jacobs, Cheryl Hickman, Dr. Loanne Boudreaux,
Brooks, Dr. Alex Shepko, Elba Olvera and Jackie Weiss. Back row, Rudy
Schubert, Bill Morgan, Chester Hale, Bob Duncan and B.B. Morgan. Brooks’
Monday night talk at San Jacinto College was the first time he had made a
public appearance in the South Belt area he has represented since the 1982
redistricting. [Related story on page 3.]
Photo by Marie Flickinger
MUD 13 will not annex
MUD 13 directors said Tuesday they
will not pursue a planned election calling
for the annexation of the proposed new
MUD 192 district.
MUD 13 president Chris Clark said
response to a questionnaire sent out to
the 2,200 homes in MUD 13 has not been
great enough to warrant another election.
A previous election on MUD 192 was
defeated by voters.
Clark said while the response so far
had been favorable to another election,
less than 10 percent of the questionnaires
have been returned.
“It isn’t economically wise to hold
another election when only about 10
percent have responded. Ten percent
does not constitute a mandate,” Clark
said. “We’re dropping plans now con-
cerning the annexation.”
No arrest yet
in arson case
No news is bad news for the residents
of the Sagemont Townhouses on Beamer.
Arson officials said this week there has
been no arrest made in connection with
two fires set in the townhomes.
Arson investigator Bruce Koger said
his department has two suspects under
surveillance but is unable to make any
arrest on the two.
“We had a witness last week (on the
first fire, set April 30), but he didn’t pan
out. It is pretty common knowledge
among the kids in that area who set the
first fire, but he refuses to talk with us
and now he has got a lawyer,” Koger
said. He hopes to talk with a suspect
concerning the second fire, set May 29,
this week.
“We’re working both cases daily. We
want them both to know that we know
about them.”
The proposed MUD 192 district will
border MUD 13 on Scarsdale Boulevard,
and directors had expressed interest in
attempting to gain control of the new
district by selling bonds to developers.
An election was held by MUD 13 on the
bond issue but was defeated by voters.
Several residents expressed concern
over the near-secrecy of the election,
pointing out only 179 voters in the district
participated. In an attempt to educate the
residents of MUD 13 on the annexation,
MUD 13 directors sent a questionnaire to
each homeowner explaining the district’s
intents. One question asked if the tax-
payers of the district would support
selling bonds to MUD 192 developers.
Though MUD 13 has absolved itself of
trying to gain some control of the new
district, a MUD 192 developer said he is
confident the two districts will peacefully
co-exist together and said he did not rule
out being able to work together on
matters of common ground.
The Pasadena Educators Association at
Thursday’s regular school board meeting
requested the Pasadena school board to
place all teachers who qualify on the
career ladder, but no action was taken.
Presented by PEA president-elect
Marilyn Gansky, the request was meant
by the association to be a formal appeal of
the district’s non-assignment to Level 2
of over 500 teachers who qualified; how-
ever, it was listed on the agenda as an
audience and therefore was not consid-
ered an appeal.
Being selected to Level 2 gives district
teachers an additional $2,000 per year.
The Pasadena district, unlike most
neighboring districts who placed all of
the teachers who qualified at Level 2,
placed only approximately 50 percent of
those who qualified on Level 2.
Board member Rudy Schubert said the
summer 1984 base pay salary raise of
$4,447 was intended to reward all district
teachers. It was the largest raise in the
area. But, district officials say, the career
ladder increments are intended to reward
those teachers who are exceptional.
“We pushed ourselves to the limit to
provide the increased base pay,” Schu-
bert said. “We’ve got some serious
problems, but I don’t think going out and
giving everybody money is the thing to
do.”
Rea Seely, a field representative of the
Texas State Teachers Association, also
represented the teachers at the meeting.
The complete text of Gansky’s 8-page
talk appears in this issue, but the high-
lights are:
• Teachers were not evaluated only on
the basis of the classroom teaching per-
formance, as specified in state guide-
lines, but also on extracurricular activi-
ties.
• There was no districtwide set of
criteria for administrators to follow to
rate “exceeds expectations” (highest rat-
ing) from the 1983-84 evaluation instru-
ment.
® The district has not established an
appeals process for teachers not selected.
• A variety of discrepancies and in-
stances of subjective selection were cited.
TABS Scores
In other action, Dick Mills, supervisor
Wanted: ‘hot’ air conditioner
Now that summer has officially ar-
rived, it’s a sure bet that most South
Belt area residents will turn to their air
conditioners to stay cool in the long,
hot summer months.
Roger Foerster was one such resi-
dent. In fact he bought a $1,300
Carrier air conditioner to keep his
family cool. But now Foerster is a little
hot under the collar.
When his wife, Bernice Foerster,
heard noises outside at 3 a.m. on
Saturday, she dismissed them as ani-
mals at play. When she woke again at.
eight and felt hot, she checked her
thermostat inside only to discover the
air conditioner did not come on and for
a very good reason. Someone had
stolen the 10-day-old unit!
Roger Foerster said two copper
wires leading from the unit had been
cut and wheel tracks in the grass show
the thieves may have used a two-
wheel dolly to carry the air conditioner
away. \
Foerster said a local air conditioning
shop said theft of the units are com-
mon but usually in newly constructed
areas when the homes are not occu-
pied.
Fortunately for Foerster, homeown-
ers insurance will defer the cost of a
replacement air conditioner.
of guidance and testing for the district,
reported on results of the final Texas
Assessment of Basic Skills tests. The
tests will be replaced next year with the
Texas Education Assessment of Mini-
mum Skills (TEAMS).
This year, students performed better
than they did when the tests were initi-
ated six years ago.
The tests are administered to all third,
fifth and ninth graders in the district.
Since a student must display mastery of
the learning objectives on the ninth grade
test before graduation, the test is admin-
istered each year to students who have
previously failed to demonstrate mastery
and to those students who may have
moved in from another state.
Math Scores
At the third grade level, five-year
highs were matched or surpassed on all
but two objectives. Scores ranged from a
low of 70 percent mastery on “Select
Units of Measurement” to a high of 98
percent “Multiply Whole Numbers”
and “Identify Fractional Parts.” State
averages were surpassed locally for all
objectives measures.
At Grade 5, scores varied from 70
percent showing mastery of “Identify
Equivalent Fractions” and 73 percent of
“Interpret Graphs” to 97 percent of
“Interpret Place Value.” A six-year high
was attained on four objectives while
scores in other areas varied slightly from
peak performances of the past.
In 1980, the three objectives “Identify
Geometric Terms and Figures,” “Identi-
fying Equivalent Fractions” and “Inter-
pret Place Value” had the lowest master
levels. By 1985, the mastery level for
these three had improved by 31, 26 and
28 points respectively. These areas now
have mastery levels in the 70s, but Mills
said are “still of concern and will con-
tinue to receive heavy attention from
instructional staff.”
Ninth graders displayed six-year highs
in three areas, matching the all-time
district high of 88 percent subtest mas-
tery for the math exam. The greatest
strength was exhibited by students on
reading and interpreting charts and
graphs and in adding and subtracting
whole numbers. Like those throughout
the state, the lowest scores are on per-
sonal finance (51 percent) and ratio/
proportion/percent (45 percent). Locally,
ninth graders surpassed the state figures
for subtest mastery, 84 percent, by 4
percent.
“Efforts are presently underway local-
ly to strengthen our curricula in a manner
which will provide students broader ex-
posure to these problem areas,” Mills
said.
Reading Scores
At the third grade level, only slight
changes were shown, and mastery levels
were high. “Recognizing Sight Words,”
“Follow Written Directions,” and
“Recognizing Words Through Phonic
Analysis” found students scoring at the
96, 99 and 94 percent master levels.
Mastery on three objectives was in the
mid to high 80s while levels for “Identify
Continued on page 6
Numerous activities set for July 4 holiday
By Cheryl Bolen
Flag waving, watermelon eating and
fireworks gazing will be the order of the
day July 4 as local residents can enjoy the
holiday either locally or at a variety of ac-
tivities throughout the Houston area.
St. Luke’s
What’s more American than hot dogs?
Well, St. Luke’s Catholic Church on Hall
Road will host a hot dog lunch after the 10
a.m. Mass July 4. The lunch will be
followed by a parade, with Uncle Sam
showing up as the grand marshal.
Children are invited to participate in the
parade and are encouraged to decorate
their bikes, wagons or anything that will
move. Trophies will be awarded for most
original decorations.
Friendswood
Flag waving can be expected in the 10
a.m. parade planned for Friendswood’s
90th Consecutive Independence Day
Celebration. The parade route follows
Friendswood Drive/518 from Heritage
Drive to Stevenson Park. At the park,
there wil be booths, food, games, enter-
tainment, fire department skills contests
and a flag ceremony. There will be a pre-
fireworks show at Friendswood High
School on Greenbriar at 8:30 p.m.,
followed by a fireworks display at 9 p.m.
Pasadena
The annual fireworks display held at
Pasadena’s Auxiliary Stadium will once
again be held, but this year it will be on
July 3 at approximately 9:30 p.m.
Sponsored by the city of Pasadena and
MBank of Pasadena, the event will
feature a performance by the Pasadena
Municipal Band from 9-9:30 p.m.
Speeches will be made by Mayor John
Ray Harrison and MBank chairman S.R.
“Buddy” Jones. Prior to the festivities at
the stadium, a concert will be held at the
adjacent Phillips Gym from 8-9. Parking
and admission are free to all events.
Miller Theatre
Sergiu Commissiona will conduct the
Houston Symphony’s annual “All
American Salute” July 4 at 8 p.m. in the
Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann
Park. Hours are from 8-10 p.m., and ad-
mission is free. It will also be televised on
Channel 26 and simulcast on KLEF radio.
La Porte
The city of La Porte and La Porte
Bayshore Neighborhood Centers are co-
sponsoring a community event for July 4
at Sylvan Beach Park, La Porte. Free ac-
tivities include live entertainment
featuring “Lotus,” a rock band,
“Southern Cooking,” a country and
western band, “Street Life,” a rhythm
and blues band, and “Whiskey Mountain
String Band.” Other events include a car-
nival, arts and crafts booths and com-
petitive fun events with prizes offered.
The grand finale will be a display of
fireworks over the water, scheduled to
begin at 9 p.m.
Good Old-Fashioned 4th
Grab the picnic basket and the kids and
head for Sam Houston Park for Foley’s
Good Old-Fashioned 4th of July
Continued on page 6
Asbestos being removed
from South Houston High
Work has begun at South Houston
High School to remove 160,000 square
feet of asbestos, according to a Pasadena
school district official.
South Houston is one of 19 schools in
the district to have traces of asbestos, a
fire-resistant material used in construc-
tion that has been found to cause various
types of lung disease.
Jack Donnell, assistant superintendent
of service operations, said the 160,000
square feet found in South Houston High
is the largest of any in the district and
thus will be removed first. Other schools
have an average of 30,000 to 40,000
square feet of asbestos. Donnell said area
elementaries Meador, Jessup and Genoa
along with Beverly Hills Intermediate are
the only South Belt area schools with
traces of asbestos.
South Houston is currently undergoing
renovations and Donnell said that also
figured into the removal of the asbestos.
“It’s best to go ahead and try to remove
all we can during renovations,” he said.
“Hopefully we will get all the work done
at one time and not have to disturb class
for either of the two (removal or renova-
tions).
Donnell does not believe the asbestos
presents a great health hazard and has
said before that attempts to remove it
may do more harm than good. “The stuff
gets irritating when you remove it be-
cause it gets in the air. With the renova-
tions going on, though, we figured this
was as good a time as any to get it
cleaned out.”
South Houston is the only school cur-
rently undergoing removal. Other schools
with asbestos will be worked into the
schedule in the coming years or as the
need is shown.
Tex-La Spray is removing the asbestos
for $4 per square foot, Donnell said. He
expects the entire bill for all schools
needing work to be approximately $3-4
million.
Removal at South Houston High is
scheduled to be finished by Aug. 17,
although, judging by work completed so
far, Donnell said the project could be
finished as early as Aug. 3.
South Houston High offices have been
moved to the Guidance Center building
on Lafferty for the summer and are open
for those needing assistance.
*
mi
Removing asbestos
Workers near completion of the scaffold-
ing built in the auditorium at South
Houston High School. It is to be used in
the removal of asbestos. The scaffolds
look like a giant maze and completely fill
the auditorium from floor to ceiling.
Photo by Barbara Cowart
t
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South Belt Leader (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 10, No. 21, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 27, 1985, newspaper, June 27, 1985; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1099297/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting San Jacinto College.