WFISD board holds special session to discuss Superintendent Kuhrt

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - For more than three hours, WFISD school board members remained behind closed doors Thursday in a special session.

They were discussing Superintendent Michael Kuhrt’s annual evaluation and contract. The agenda said they are also consulting with the district’s legal counsel about that contract and about a cut in personnel due to program changes.

The meeting started at 6 p.m. and after only three public comments from Wichita Falls community members, parents and even the principal from one of the WFISD elementary schools, board of trustees members and Kuhrt entered a closed session.

A meeting was meant to address possibly rescinding of the proposal to cut 50 jobs in WFISD curriculum programs at the campus level, including instructional coaches, curriculum directors, specialists and technology specialists.

Members and staff that spoke Thursday said those positions are vital to the district and its students.

“Restructuring coaches to serve in district level position will in fact only save two to three hundred thousand dollars in the overall six or so million dollar deficient,” Erica Adkins, Jefferson Elementary principal, said. “I ask you to ask yourself is that slight seemingly marginal saving worth the actual instructional costs of voting to implement this change.”

“They are vital, they hold our hand, they guide us, they are the most important people in the schools,” a WFISD teacher said.

No decision was made during the session. The board will meet again on Monday, April 4 to continue the discussion on both Kuhrt and the potential program changes.

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