Editor’s Note: This letter was originally sent to another media outlet; it is reprinted here with permission from the author.
I am writing this letter to set the record straight regarding the Terlingua Common School District and the former superintendent Kathy Killingsworth. John Waters, publisher of the Big Bend Gazette, has published numerous articles over the past several years personally attacking Kathy Killingsworth and our school district. He appears to be obsessed with her salary as superintendent.
Not once has Mr. Waters attended one of our public board meetings to complain about Ms. Killingsworth’s salary or the operation of the district. As a matter of fact, John Waters attended six board meetings in 2008, one in 2011, and our last meeting held on March 19, 2014.
Many of his articles indicate that students and staff have been deprived as result of Ms. Killingsworth’s compensation.
This is hardly the case. Ms. Killingsworth implemented additional benefits for all employees. These include: fully paid health insurance, social security benefits, and a Separation-Upon-Retirement benefit package for employees who retire from the district with a minimum of 10 years of service to the district.
She was instrumental in expanding educational opportunities for students at Big Bend High School by creating an Activity Fund as well as a Local Scholarship Fund. The Activity Fund has provided funds to take high school students to visit colleges, universities and technical schools. The Local Scholarship Fund was established in 2001. Eligible graduates have received local scholarships to assist with their post-secondary education. All of the monies for the two funds were raised through fundraising events organized by Ms. Killingsworth and other donations. There is currently $91,594 available for scholarships for BBHS graduates.
I have served as President of the Terlingua CSD Board of Trustees for almost 30 years. I have been involved in all of Kathy Killingsworth’s contracts.
She began as a teacher in 1987. At that time, we were a very small and very poor elementary school. High school students were riding the “longest bus ride” in the nation to attend high school in Alpine. We recognized her potential very quickly and started giving her additional duties with very little pay. She served as teacher/grant director for two years.
In 1992, she became the business manager/grant director. Before she started, the district had a negative fund balance and no financial records. She did a great job in straightening out the finances so the following year we added principal duties to her workload. She served as principal/business manager/grant director for three years. Her top salary for performing all of these duties was $41,675.
Ms. Killingsworth was selected as the superintendent in May 1996 and given the task of opening a high school in August of that same year. We had no facilities. Ms. Killingsworth and Shirley Coleman, superintendent of San Vicente ISD, brought in portable buildings, hired a staff, and had high school services ready in August. The district had very limited funds so Ms. Killingsworth had to serve as superintendent/principal, train a new business manager, and help write grants to build the new high school. The new Big Bend High School building was dedicated in August 1997. Her compensation for all of these duties was $55,000.
Ms. Killingsworth served as superintendent/principal for seven years. During that time, she continued with fund raising for the Big Bend Library. The library was completed in 2002.
Ms. Killingsworth led the charge in getting two bills passed in the Legislature. One bill provided additional compensatory education funding for schools in our area without cafeterias. The other one related to providing protection for districts regarding the Comptroller’s Property Value Study. She also assisted our law firm in the successful Property Value Study appeals that saved the district hundreds of thousands of dollars of state funding.
By 2003, the district’s fund balance reserves had reached more than $1.1 million. The Board of Trustees began rewarding Ms. Killingsworth for her performance and dedication to the district by increasing her salary.
We wanted to keep her working for us. How much turnover have we seen in other districts in the last 18 years?
Ms. Killingsworth served our district for 27 years, 18 as superintendent. We have BBHS, Big Bend Library, a track/field under construction, a debt-free district, a low tax rate of $1.04, and $1.8 million in reserves.
I would like to publicly express my appreciation of Ms. Killingsworth’s dedication and service to the Terlingua CSD.
Frederick Page,
President of TCSD Board of Trustees
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
