FWISD Chief Wants One-Time Payment For Employees
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - First the head of the Fort Worth Independent School District, Walter Dansby, announced a big shake-up at district headquarters, then the district approved a $600 million budget for the coming school year, now Dansby is out to reward all school district employees.
As it stands, Dansby is re-organizing the administration and putting departments and responsibilities where he says they make the most sense. Changes will include new titles and responsibilities, as well as eliminating a number of central office positions, while increasing ones on school campuses.
"I think it's [the reorganization] gonna streamline, it's gonna bring more focus, [and] we're gonna have less divisions we have to deal with," Dansby said.
Tuesday night's school board meeting resulted in the budget approval but the proposal for a 1-percent pay increase for teachers was rejected.
While the idea of increasing pay was considered financially irresponsible, Dansby said he wants to and is looking for a way to reward employees.
Now the superintendent is asking his staff to look at the possibility of giving a one-time bonus to all FWISD employees.
"I, for one, feel like we should be giving them something but at this point we just have to determine how far we can go within the budget," Dansby said of some type of monetary compensation. "We're hopeful that we can find some way to at least show our teachers appreciation as we move forward, before we get into the new contract year."
All of the changes and proposals come as Dallas' new superintendent, Mike Miles, hires away two of Dansby's top administrators.
Of that move Dansby commented, "The reason we hired them is because they were very good people. So right now, Dallas with where it is with its budget and things, they can offer lucrative salaries that we can't offer right now."
Dansby said he got no 'heads up' from his Dallas counterpart before the move was made.
"No, but superintendents don't usually do that," he said. "They sort of do things in their own way. And I can appreciate the position he's in, in trying to get started up again."
Ultimate, Dansby said "change doesn't happen overnight" and he's taking the first steps to create an administrative and educational environment that yields "positive student results."
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