Dixon to hand over GISD reins this week

GALVESTON — Ann Dixon will hand over the reins of Galveston Independent School District to Larry Nichols this week with more hope than fear for the island education system’s future and a smile on her face.

The interim superintendent, who took over in June after Lynne Cleveland left to take the superintendent’s job in Little Elm, has one regret about the experience but sees it as an opportunity for Nichols to make his mark on his new charge.

That regret is that, for the first time in her career, she has overseen the presentation of a deficit budget for a school year and that it will be Nichols’ first deficit budget, too.

“I’ve never worked before with Mr. Nichols, but I can tell that the school board has made an excellent choice in appointing him,” she said as she prepared to end her second tour of duty on the island.

“The list of applicants contained some extremely strong contenders, but there’s no learning curve here, so the board was wise to pick someone who could step in and carry on where I leave off because of his considerable experience.”

When she arrived in June, Dixon was expecting a comfortable summer after the board’s president, Andy Mytelka, told her, “There are no big issues here right now.” She has had anything but a life of lazy days beside the Gulf.

“I was last here in 2006, between Lynn Hale and Miss Cleveland,” she said.

“When I returned in June, I noticed immediately how the island had been changed by Hurricane Ike, but it wasn’t until a few weeks later that we learned of the difficulties we would face in setting the new school year’s budget.

“Originally, (the deficit) was estimated at $16.5 million, but, eventually, we were faced with cutting about $12 million to balance the budget,” she said. “We’ve managed $8 million, and that was hard, but it will be even harder to cut the final $4 million unless enrollment increases.”

Dixon said there already are indicators that could happen, with attendance on Monday, the first day of school, at 6,067, almost 300 more than last year.

“The district will have a better idea of numbers the first day after Labor Day, when many children return to school for the first time,” she said.

“Next, the district needs to increase its average daily attendance from 93 percent to at least 95 and possibly 96 percent.

“Each percentage point generates $200,000 in state funds, so, if the district can achieve that and gain 425 students, it would realize an extra $4 million in state aid. The big question, though, is how recapture would impact that.”

Recapture — also called “Robin Hood” payments — is based on property values that are 2 years old.

“So last year, the district paid $10.4 million based on a pre-Ike valuation of $52 billion,” Dixon said.

“This year’s calculation will be based on a valuation of $41 billion, reducing the payment to about $3.8 million.”

So what next for the veteran of interim-superintendent assignments across the state from Del Rio to Dallas?

“I’ve received several calls from districts that want me to help them out, but I’m going to take some time off,” she said.

“My husband and I will take a vacation in Nova Scotia, and then I’m getting back on our tractor and mowing the grass on our ranch near Boerne.

“Then I’ll probably be involved in some legal cases in which I act as an expert witness for defendant districts.”

So what image of Galveston and its school district will she have after her long, hot summer?

“Everyone in the district, from the board of trustees to the staff, has worked hard all summer to solve the district’s problems,” she said.

“We’ve had three issues to address — the financial constraints, the unacceptable rating, which we’re appealing, and a battle to get Central Middle and Scott Elementary schools ready in time for the fall semester.

“We attacked all three, and I think we won the battles. The only problem now seems to be the bus routes, but that’s only to be expected because the introduction of schools of choice has effectively made Galveston a completely new district, requiring creation of a brand new schedule from scratch instead of just tweaking last year’s.”

And her parting message?

She said: “I’ve enjoyed my time here, but it’s been hard work, and now I’d like to spend some time seeing my five grandchildren. Nevertheless, I arrived with a smile on my face and I’ll leave with a smile on my face. I wish success to Mr. Nichols and everyone throughout the district. They deserve it.”