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Haskell superintendent takes new job
More Big Country Gilcrease to start in Hillsboro on July 1
By Kristi Hsu
Haskell Consolidated Independent School District Superintendent James "Buck" Gilcrease has accepted a job with the Hillsboro school district and will start as its superintendent July 1.
Trustees for the Haskell school district will discuss his replacement during a called board meeting next week.
"I think he was an excellent superintendent, and I hate to see him go," said Haskell board president Felix Rodriguez. "We'll find another one."
According to the posted board agenda for the June 23 meeting, the board may offer the interim superintendent position to Ted Bedwell, the district's interim superintendent during the last superintendent search. Bedwell served Ira and Eula school districts as superintendent before his retirement.
Gilcrease, who has been a controversial figure in the town, served as Haskell's superintendent since 2007 and came to the district as the Marble Falls High School principal. Rodriguez said the highlights of his time in the position include the construction of a new gym, some other new facilities, and starting Haskell University, an after-school tutoring service.
The tutoring service served an average of 97 students and brought up scores on the district's Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills substantially, a goal for all Texas school districts, Rodriguez said. The district used an agency during its last superintendent search, but the board does not know what method it will use in the next search.
The board of trustees for the Hillsboro Independent School District voted unanimously to offer the job to Gilcrease on Tuesday night, despite the complaints he faced in Haskell.
The board was pleased to welcome Gilcrease to the Hillsboro community, said board president Susan Mann. The board was well aware of the complaint against him in Haskell, she said.
In May, more than 80 people packed a Haskell school board meeting called to address grievances against Gilcrease. One teacher at the meeting complained that test scores were too important to the superintendent, while others said they appreciated the changes he made.
At another board meeting in January attended by more than 200 parents, teachers and residents, several people said they were upset about actions Gilcrease took, including the reassignment of the elementary school principal to the high school in the afternoons, leaving the elementary with no male on campus.
Mann said he was upfront with the issues facing him in Haskell.
"We investigated them, we confirmed everything he told us, and we feel very comfortable with our choice," she said. "We had more than 50 candidates, and we interviewed six. He just seemed to meet our needs."
The board has not yet set any goals for Gilcrease.
The Hillsboro district north of Waco has 1,800 students compared with 650 at Haskell.
Posted by Interesting on July 13, 2008 at 12:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Another superintendent leaving under a cloud of controversy. Seems like an epidemic these days. It can't be that the supes are all bad can it? Don't look now but I think the system is broken folks!
Posted by Observer on July 14, 2008 at 9:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
In this particular case the system worked. Buck deserved a “D-” for his debacle as Supt. It will take our community years, if ever, to recover from his destructive and divisive tactics.
Posted by clipfan on July 14, 2008 at 10:42 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by Observer on July 15, 2008 at 8:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The Elementary School has had consistently high test scores and has received a number of prestigious awards under J. Lisle's leadership during the past 20 years. That is the documented truth.
Posted by finnysister on July 19, 2008 at 8:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
clipfan,
Your level of maturity is quite evident by your name calling. (and, no, I don't live in Haskell)
Your putting yourself in a lower class by doing so...and is it really called for?
Remember the golden rule: treat others as you would have them treat you.
Posted by clipfan on July 20, 2008 at 10:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
gosh, thanks for bringing that to my attention finnysister. If you don't live in Haskell, then why do you care? As for your golden rule, You need to be directing that to the Observer and their group of village idiots. Oops, I did it again, I just can't seem to stop calling them that. As the old saying goes, if the shoe fits....Thanks for the advice!!
Posted by Observer on July 22, 2008 at 9:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
finnysister, you are exactly right in your assessment of clipfan's maturity level! That is why having any kind of logical, rational discussion with these few folks has been impossible.
Posted by Vigilent on July 23, 2008 at 12:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I share the same opinion of YOU, Observer. I believe that to be an effective observer, you must also be an effective listener. Your small group has been heard repeatedly.
Posted by finnysister on July 23, 2008 at 3:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Being in the school business, it has been my experience that you cannot have a rational, and yes, mature discussion with people who stoop to name calling (and yes, I've been called a few) no matter which side you are on.
I'm not taking sides, I'm just making an observation.
It would be in the best interest for all of Haskell to get over this quickly and focus on the future of your school and what's best for your kids.
Lead by example. Take the high road. And you cannot, and are not doing that by not acting like mature adults.
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