On Friday, Woodrow Wilson and several other high schools across Dallas found out DISD is eliminating all Program Specialist positions in the district, which means Kathy Scherler’s position at Woodrow is on the chopping block.
Scherler’s position currently consists of development and oversight responsibilities for all four Academies —Â the Academy of Business, Entrepreneurship, and Finance; The International Baccalaureate Academy; The Creative and Performing Arts Academy; and the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Academy.
She will keep her position until her contract ends at the end of the school year when the Program Specialist position is eliminated, according to Woodrow SBDM Chair Susan Schuerger. Starting at the beginning of the school year in August, a new position — an IB Coordinator position — will be created in order to meet IBO requirements, which mandates that there must be an IB Coordinator.
What the new IB Coordinator position will entail is still up in the air, but PTA president Randy Patterson says Principal Kyle Richardson assured Woodrow staff and parents that he has a game plan in the works.
“The IB Coordinator position isn’t going away,” Patterson stressed, “and it might be a better thing actually because he or she won’t have to do multiple tasks.”
Originally, Scherler’s focus was on the IB program at Woodrow, Patterson explains. Eventually her role expanded to include coordinating the other three academies as well. The new cut from DISD might force Woodrow to refocus that position, he says.
At this point, it is unsure who will fill the IB Coordinator position. Look for updates in the coming weeks.
