Here is what the District released on May 1, 2024, with my commentary below:
Twenty years is a long time at a school district the size of ICISD. I noticed a lilt in Ms. Chapman's step at a recent board meeting and thought that perhaps something was up. One barometer of whether an administrator is leaving their district is if they smile and appear more relaxed during school board meetings. (!) She did. Congratulations to her!
So, here is what the Matagorda ISD lone finalist letter said about her experience at ICISD: "Ms. Chapman has 20 years of dedicated service in education, notably at Irion County ISD, and has embraced multiple roles that span both campus and district levels. She’s served as secondary principal since 2015 but also has experience as federal programs director (since 2012), transportation administrative director (since 2018), elementary principal (2012-2015), district testing coordinator (since 2009), classroom teacher/coach (8 years), and more."
My coverage of the attrition at the District is an effort to create some accountability for its teachers, administrators and board members. Decisions in local government are made by individuals who are for the most part imperfect and cranky at times, generous and forgiving at others. But, if the public is not engaged in oversight of their governance and how they spend our tax dollars, then there is a tendency for things to go wrong and get covered up, and for the institutional values to get skewed.
Of the roughly 6 years of attending school board meetings where she has served as the secondary principal, I can say that Ms. Chapman has never had to address any public criticism of the high school's academic performance in a board meeting. That's not because the performance has been excellent, it is because the Board and prior superintendents have perpetuated an apathetic community of parents and citizens unwilling to publicly demand academic excellence.
One consequence of that apathy is that Ms. Chapman was part of the executive staff of the district who oversaw the expenditure of $18 million in 2019 bond funds, start to finish, without the construction of a single classroom. Indeed, roughly $15 million of that bond went to athletic facilities, with the largest chunk of that, about $9 million, spent on a new gym that was designed without any concern for stormwater runoff and that is a significant contributor to stormwater flooding in our community and at the District's football field. That flooding gives meaning and purpose to this website and energizes my goal for more sunlight over the District staff and board.
So, for a limited time of 6 years of her 20 years at ICISD, what I can say is that she was part of a cog in government that was worn to the point of being misaligned by over valuing athletics. (The lone finalist letter mentioned she was a coach.) No doubt she does not bear all the responsibility, as she shares the blame with several others in this blog who served concurrently with her. My criticism here is not about her personally, but about her role in an educational institution that for decades has failed in its purpose to create opportunity and community. That failure ultimately rests squarely on the backs of the school board members.
I wish her well. I look forward to meeting the new principal hired by Supt. Moore. With this still being the 4th year of 5 of Superintendent Moore's contract, this vacancy opens the door for her to truly shape the District with her vision.
Watch here to see when the job is posted.
Copyright 2024 G. Noelke