New KISD superintendent speaks to Lions about his plans for KISD's future
By LESTER MURRAY news2@kilgorenewsherald.com

JODY CLEMENTS

Jody Clements spoke with the Kilgore Lions Club on Thursday, describing what he looks forward to for Kilgore school district.

Clements will succeed Jerry Roberts as superintendent when Roberts retires on June 1.

Clements graduated from Kilgore High School in 1983 and it was that education that prepared him to go on to college and receive a bachelors degree and masters degree. "I want every student to have the same opportunities I had," said Clements. "Whether it's going to college or straight into a technical field, I want each girl or boy to be prepared."

"I have goals for the district," he said. "I want to look at what direction we are going and one direction is to raise the academic standards for KISD."

The ethnic makeup of the school district will also decide the direction, said Clements. "Now the district's makeup ethnically is 60 percent caucasian, 20 percent African-American , 20 percent Hispanic and 10 percent 'other,' said Clements.

"The Hispanic population is growing every year and the district will need to meet those needs," said Clements. "A lot of our Hispanic students are first generation English speakers, which means their parents or grandparents don't speak English."

Clements said he wants KISD to get more Hispanic families involved with the district and their schools.

In other areas, Clements said curriculum is important - not just curriculum, but teaching the curriculum at the right time.

"We want each student progressing from one grade to the next on the same level as every other student. So we want each teacher covering the right material at the right time as the students progress through the TAKS testing."

Clements hopes to build on relationships with the community - businesses, civic groups, Kilgore College parents. "I want to know what they think about the school district, so KISD will be sending out a questionnaire," said Clements.

He said he wants the community to know that KISD will be open with the community, and by their input, there will be better communication. "I hope we will have members of the community step up to be mentors to students throughout all of our campuses and through this KISD will be able to form partnerships with the community," said Clements.

Clements also hopes to implement a KISD Foundation. "This foundation would provide money for grants for teachers that would supplement their classroom budgets," said Clements. "The Foundation would be a non-profit organization."

He also said the district appreciates volunteers. "If a person is interested in volunteering, just contact the campus in which you are interested in, volunteers are always welcome," said Clements.

Clements said his final long-range goal is to make KISD a "recognized" district based on standardized test scores. "We have campuses that have been recognized, but not the entire district, and once that is achieved, we will take the next step," said Clements.