Longview ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved a bid of $31,250,000 from WRL General Contractors for the construction of a new Montessori campus for Pre-K/Kindergarten students. Projected to open in fall 2017, the new facility will be located near U.S. 259 and U.S. 80 and will be funded out of the district's fund balance. This is great news for the LISD community but I do have some concerns. Director of Early Childhood and Montessori programs Dr. Jacqueline Burnett was principal of the former G.K. Foster Montessori Magnet School when first implemented by LISD in 2005. Burnett said the district currently staffs 50 Montessori teachers, but plans to hire more in spring 2017. How will we convince qualified teachers to work for the LISD district with the current staffing issues we have now? No teachers want to teach in our district due to the high rate of teachers leaving the district. We have had so many veteran teachers leave to take jobs in smaller districts, and even take pay cuts to teach at these schools. Even new teachers right out of college are using our schools as a stepping stone, then moving on. Why would a qualified teacher who does the research on our district Want to work for LISD? Building schools for children to learn in is not our problem, we have plenty of those, getting the staffing needed without rubber stamping their resumes in order to get the qualified teachers needed is one of our biggest issues, as well as taking care of the teachers and staff who work for the district. When qualified teachers and staff are treated the way they deserve by their district you would have a line out the doors of people wanting to work for our district. This is not the case. I have talked with veteran retired teachers from LISD, and they would not recommend working for this district due to the lack of support. We can fix this issue by facing one problem at a time until all issues are fixed. I’m not living a dream by thinking it can all be done with in a years’ time, but if we sit back study the problems, and spend time on each one we can accomplish this goal to make LISD the place that all teachers want to work. The administration will only tell you all of the great things we do for our children and teachers, but like I said before you may be able to stick your finger in a leaky dam, and tell the community nothing is wrong, but sooner than later the dam will bust and the problems will be seen. We look great on paper, but that’s not who we really are. Behind the grey curtain there are more problems than good. LISD board and Superintendent Wilcox stand with the community or step aside and let this blue-collar normal every day pay check to pay check living REAL member of the community show you how to make LISD become great.