Candidates Answer Questions about bid for BISD Board of Trustees
Four candidates are seeking two open seats on the Borger ISD Board of Trustees in the May 6 Election.
Seats currently held by Les Sharp and Cody Sessions will expire in May; neither is seeking re-election.
Borger ISD Board of Trustees candidates are Dr. Don Bates, Keegan Neill, Devon Thompson, and Ricky Garson (Borger News-Herald attempted to reach Garzon and was unsuccessful).
Don Bates has served the citizens of Borger for seven years as CEO of the Golden Plains Community Hospital. He holds a Doctorate in Education and had the honor of serving the country in the U.S. Army. Bates is an adopted father of eight sons.
Keegan Neill grew up in Canyon, TX, and graduated from WTAMU with a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering. He has been employed by Phillips 66 for 11 years and is currently the Capital Projects Team Lead. He met his wife, Blair, while at WT and has been married for 12 years. Together they have four children, ages 10, 8, 5, and 3.
Devon Thompson grew up in Fritch and graduated from Sanford-Fritch High School in 2003. He attended Oklahoma Baptist University, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Sports Medicine in 2007. After graduating, he moved back to Borger and has been employed with Phillips 66 since 2009. Devon has been married to Kara since 2008 and has three amazing children. Luke (10), Lane (8), and Lynlee (6).
Recently, Borger News-Herald had the opportunity to ask the candidates questions about their bid for election.
Borger News-Herald: How would you describe an effective school board member? Dr. Don Bates: “I believe an effective school board member knows how and when to engage in open dialogue versus open debate, understands that they should oversee without overreaching, is driven by interests and not individual positions, has a broad focus on student outcomes, appreciates the school’s unique and shifting needs, uses their voice to reach resolution and reconciliation, uses power to ensure all voices are heard, and solutions are reached through collaboration and serve because of altruistic rather personal motivations.”
Keegan Neill: “An effective board member is one that keeps the top priority in mind of setting out young adults at the end of their time at Borger ISD that are well equipped to be successful in their next endeavors. With that in mind, such a member must ensure that the Superintendent and district have clear, documented goals and expectations to support that and are held accountable against them. An effective board member fosters effective communication and collaboration within the Board as well as performs all duties and acts with full integrity, honesty, and appropriate transparency.”
Devon Thompson: “An effective school board member displays integrity and transparency. They will listen to the concerns of the community and make sure that they are addressed appropriately. Most importantly, they put the needs of the students and teachers above their own.”
Borger NewsHerald: What in your background leads you to believe that you would be an effective school board member?
Dr. Don Bates: “I am a seasoned healthcare professional with 33 years of experience adopting goals and priorities and monitoring success, adopting policies and reviewing for effectiveness, working with State and Federal regulatory agencies, hiring providers and executives, adopting budgets and setting tax rates, and communicating with the community. I am uniquely qualified because I am a former Christian school teacher and hold a doctorate in education. I serve on two government boards already and am familiar with Roberts Rules, and have previously held an elected office.”
Keegan Neill: “My wife and I have four children – 1 boy and three girls ages 10, 8, 5, and 3. We have had to learn how to be effective partners as parents to be able to communicate, lead and influence such a wide range of personalities, emotions, and developmental stages.
- I have been on several boards within the community, including leading or holding the role of President for three of those. My time on those boards has taught me how to
participate in and facilitate effective meetings, lead and positively influence a group of very different individuals, as well as be led and influenced by people with different ways of thinking than my own. This time has also exposed me to effective budget management, including the development and approval of budgets, monitoring progress against such budgets, as well as having to amend them in either direction when certain circumstances arise. - I lead a youth baseball organization in Borger, Boomtown Baseball, which is a part of a larger parent organization, the Borger Youth Sports Initiative.- I’ve been employed by Phillips 66 for 11 years and now lead the Capital Projects Team at the refinery. This group consists of several different individual roles that work together with different teams to develop, fund, and ultimately execute the capital projects for the refinery. The overall budget that myself and team are responsible for managing exceeds $100 million. This takes a high level of diligence and teamwork to successfully execute and manage over the course of a year. More importantly, though, is to ensure each day is carried out with a safety mindset as the top priority and that I’m able to develop and support my team in every way possible.”
Devon Thompson: “My time served on various BISD committees provides me with intimate knowledge of the needs within our schools. Serving as the chairman of the FBC finance committee has equipped me with the ability to develop and oversee an extensive budget. Finally, coaching youth sports shows that I have a passion for our youth and a desire to see them succeed. I believe that holding kids accountable, creating game plans, and communicating with parents directly translates to the responsibilities of a school board member.”
Borger News-Herald: What are your three overall education priorities that you would work to accomplish if elected to office?
Dr. Don Bates: “Although BISD deserves many accolades, I believe three core issues need to be addressed to truly be able to stand behind our BELIEF STATEMENT of “A physically and emotionally safe environment promotes student learning. “This means a school environment free of drugs and bullying. The same can be said regarding BELIEF STATEMENT “All students deserve a quality school and a quality education.” How is this accomplished if we don’t have enough teachers, can’t keep the teachers we have, and rely on non-certified/non-degreed staff to lead our classrooms? How will you go about achieving them? Regarding drugs and bullies - I would recommend forming a committee of teachers, PTO members, parents, and students to explore these issues and develop a plan (i.e., starting a D.A.R.E. program, linking students to mental health resources, requiring bullies and their parents to attend anger management training together, etc.). Teacher Certification - I also believe that students obtaining dual credit could easily be moved into the FPC Associate of Arts program in Teaching Education, which would place them on a path to certification and, ultimately, a teaching degree. This is what I was able to accomplish at the hospital as we mentor high school Career & Technical students through their healthcare practicums, link them to scholarships, and help facilitate a path into the FPC bridge LVN/RN program (RNEC). It’s about growing your own. Why are these the most important? Let me use an example - if a patient presents to the emergency room that has attempted to take their life, you first save the life, then you focus on getting them the mental health resources necessary to conquer the bigger issue. The core of addressing my concerns requires a greater level of parental involvement, adherence to following discipline policies (all students, all the time), holding the administration accountable, supporting teachers and providing them resources, and aligning more so with the local police.”
Keegan Neill: “1. All students have adequate access to the materials and resources they need to succeed.
2. Work for students and parents to work together on is routinely available and sent home with the students – explore bringing back a version of what homework used to be. Implement different solutions for students that don’t have that home support so they aren’t left behind.
3. Get teacher staffing levels back to where they need to be. Take advantage of DOI opportunities, search for opportunities for better teacher compensation, and truly appreciate what the teachers and staff do for Borger’s students.”
Devon Thompson: “Academics, arts, and athletics are the three legs of the education stool. Without one leg, the stool falls over. These three together give our students a well-rounded education and gives them the best chance to be successful when we hand them over to the world. To accomplish this, we must make sure that the budget reflects these priorities and that the students are provided with every opportunity possible.”
Borger News-Herald: What are your budget priorities for Borger ISD?
Dr. Don Bates: “Instruction – reading and math scores impact college readiness as evidenced by the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA) test scores. Likewise, SAT and ACT scores are also below the state average.”
Keegan Neill: “1. Perform a deep dive into the budget to simply understand what is being used where.
2. Look for inefficiencies in spending or where we have reached a level of diminishing or no returns. If we feel we should be getting more out of any of these categories, but money won’t solve the issue, we need to determine the true root issue of the problem within that category and take appropriate actions to improve.
3. We then need to connect the shortcomings within the district to budget categories and reallocate the dollars identified in the previous step to those shortcomings.
4. If there is a resulting budget shortfall relative to what is needed to achieve the districts goals, then the board and Superintendent need to explore options to increase the budget. First, though, we need to look from within, as explained in steps 1-3.” Devon Thompson: “My budget priorities are firstly to make sure that we are being transparent and fiscally responsible with the taxpayers’ money. Secondly, that our spending directly reflects the goals that have been adopted by the school board.” Borger News-Herald: What are the educational gaps or weaknesses in the Borger ISD School District?
Dr. Don Bates: “As I mentioned in the previous question college readiness is an identified gap. Borger ISD has 5.9% of grades 11 and 12 taking at least one Advanced Placement (AP) exam, whereas the state average is 22%. Another weakness is the exorbitant chronic absenteeism rate of 11.8%, compared to the state average of 6.7%. Students who have frequent unexcused absences are subject to lower grades, loss of credit/possibility of not being promoted to the next grade, school service, and detention. Parents of students who have frequent unexcused absences are subject to fines and criminal prosecution. Absenteeism also impacts the basic allotment of state funding that schools receive to operate.”
Keegan Neill: “Primary education, particularly in the 3rd-4th grades, has historically struggled. I’m eager to learn what may be the issue in these grades and learn how we can improve and see measured success against the improvement plans that have already been set out. As I understand it from a subject standpoint, mathematics is one of the weaker points. Mathematics is critical to everyday life and application beyond high school, and students need to understand this. I don’t point to the teachers for this perceived gap, but instead to a lack of general interest and understanding of importance by the students.”
Devon Thompson: “The most glaring educational gap that I see is the lack of certified teachers throughout the district. The administration has pivoted with the DOI plan, which has allowed us to fill these vacancies, but I see this as a temporary fix. We must find a way to attract more certified teachers to our district and incentivize the current locally certified teachers to become state certified.”
Borger News-Herald: What do you see as the educational strengths of the district?
Dr. Don Bates: “As of the 2020-2021 school year, BHS had 773 students, and 49.5% of students were considered at risk of dropping out of school; however, 95% graduated compared to a state average of 90.3%. I attribute this success rate to the BHS administration and staff and have personally seen their level of commitment to each child.”
Keegan Neill: “One of the strengths I have observed is at the high school, with its partnership with FPC, to help accelerate students’ college or certificate courses, including dual credit courses. This partnership helps students with a wide array of interests and talents begin making progress toward their desired career or degree at an early age. Also, their tutoring program partnership with Phillips 66 has helped students improve their understanding of algebra and pass that portion of the STAAR test that may have otherwise not.”
Devon Thompson: “I think BISD’s greatest strength would have to be our academics. STAAR scores are above the state average in most areas and continue to trend up. Also, we have seen great success in multiple UIL events. This is a testament to the amazing teachers that we have. Imagine what we could accomplish if we could staff our teaching department adequately.”
Borger News-Herald: What guidelines do you think should be adopted by Borger ISD with regard to bullying?
Dr. Don Bates: “BISD’s current policy on bullying can be found starting on page 31 of the Student Handbook BISD. Like any other policy, its administration and execution need to be consistent and fair”
Keegan Neill: “There are three Belief Statements
below, with a fourth emphasizing responsibility for fulfillment, out of 11 Belief Statements that are directly from the Borger ISD Student Handbook:
A physically and emotionally safe environment promotes student learning.
Student welfare is the primary focus of all decisions.
Student success is enhanced by positive relationships and mutual respect.
All stakeholders (students, parents, district employees, board members, and community members) share the responsibility for fulfilling the district’s mission.
There is a full section dedicated to bullying alone within the Student Handbook as well that outlines what bullying is, how to report bullying, and what resulting actions shall be taken by multiple parties upon the reporting of bullying.
There is also an appendix in the Student Handbook that is the policy for bullying. Appendix: Freedom from Bullying Policy (Policy FFI)
The Code of Conduct also addresses bullying and the appropriate actions to be taken when it is determined to have taken place.
Borger ISD has a bullying report form that is on the Borger ISD website under the Parents and Students tab that can be filled out by anyone to report an instance, or instances, of bullying.
I list all of the items above to emphasize that there is not need for more guidelines or policies to address bullying. They clearly exist. If bullying exists, and I’m not doubting it does, and it’s not being addressed, then Borger ISD has an enforcement and accountability issue, not a guideline and policy issue. Accountability/enforcement is one of the main platforms I am running on, and my explanation above supports this.”
Devon Thompson: “This should be a zero-tolerance policy, bullying has no place in the school. How can we expect our students to reach their full potential if they don’t even feel safe when they walk in the building. I would also like to explore what recourse the district has (if any) concerning cyberbullying. Home used to be a safe place for students, but with the development of technology, they can now be bullied even while sitting in their own bedrooms. This is not acceptable and needs to be addressed in some form.”
Borger News-Herald: How can the school board be more accountable to the public on student achievement, school performance, and progress over time? Dr. Don Bates: “One of the key things trustees can do is to listen to their community. It’s one of the best ways for trustees to build trust between the district and the community. This involves keeping the community involved by informing them about district plans, actions, and accomplishments. I see board members as the link between the school system and the public. What is more, as advocates for public education, board members should help grow community support for public schools and report district progress by communicating with the community, students, staff, parents, and the media. Finally, once the board makes a decision, they should engage the community in ways that promote continued constructive discussion and generate positive community interest in the efforts of the public schools, thus, being accountable to the public.”
Keegan Neill: “To be brief, the board can dedicate themselves to be more transparent about the progress and achievements relative to stated goals and expectations for each school year for the district”
Devon Thompson: “I think the short answer is transparency. The more that the board engages with the public, the easier it is for them to be held accountable. This is accomplished by making yourself available to the public as well as making information from the board meeting as accessible as the law allows.”
Borger News-Herald: How do you feel about the current teacher/student ratio, and what options does Borger ISD have to change it if you feel that is necessary?
Dr. Don Bates: “The Texas Tribune reported the Borger ISD teacher/student ratio as 12.7, below the state average of 14.5, and legally it can’t be more than 20 in the state of Texas. I do not believe the issue is our teacher/student ratio, but the lack of teaching staff. First, the base average salary at Borger ISD is $54,124, and the statewide average is $57,641. This disparity needs to be examined. Secondly, the staffing of non-certified/ non-degreed staff as the primary educator in the classroom means we have instructional aides with no background in literacy assessment and instruction, no clinical experience, no internship experience, and no design and management of classroom experience leading classes. I’m certain it must be overwhelming, and I can’t help but wonder if that contributes to our low reading rates. Lastly, I have heard repeatedly that teachers at Borger ISD do not feel supported or appreciated and fear that speaking up will result in retaliation. A hostile
work environment in any company will destroy it. In contrast, a culture that cultivates collaboration empowers teachers to succeed, provides them with support, and creates better working conditions will help it flourish.”
Keegan Neill: “The school district needs more teachers, as do many districts within the region and state. As stated in an early question about budgets, we need to first look within to determine if there are opportunities to enhance teacher compensation. In parallel, we need to understand root problems in order to begin developing plans or solutions to remedy the problem. Throwing a plan out before we truly understand what is causing the problem locally will be a failed attempt to improve.”
Devon Thompson: “I think there are two separate ratios you have to look at. One is teacher/student ratio, and the other is certified teacher/student ratio. They are both too high. The only way to lower both is to higher more certified teachers. Since we are competing with bigger schools that have bigger budgets, we have to create a teaching environment that is unlike any other in the area. We may also have to get creative. I would like to see the community surround our teachers and show them their support. This can be done by offering them discounts at our local businesses or simply words of encouragement and gratitude when we see them out in public.”
Editor Note: Borger News-Herald attempted to reach candidate Ricky Garzon and was unsuccessful.