Region 10 Reach! Magazine - Spring 2023

DeSoto ISD teacher wins

If You Can't Stand the Heat

Reggie's Robots

Get ready to be blown away by one of the coolest things happening in education!

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A Note From Dr. Gordon Taylor

Celebrating Hidden Gems

In early March, I received an email from our staff in Teacher Certification about an outstanding teacher in a Region 10 school who received her certification through our alternative certification program. On the surface there was nothing unusual about the message. Regularly, teachers who trained with us are named “Teachers of the Year” for their campus or district, receive recognition from their local Rotary Club, the local TRTA chapter, or have a day named after them by the Mayor or City Council. All of those are richly deserved acknowledgements of their skill as a teacher and their love for students. But as I read the full details of the email, I realized this one was different.

Outstanding talent resides throughout the schools in Region 10 but rarely do those special people get recognized outside of our communities or outside of the education profession. When the Recording Academy of the United States hands out the Grammy Awards each year they are viewed as recognition for outstanding musical performances in categories like Rock, Pop, Country, and Classical. But hidden in the program is a special award dedicated to Music Educators — those stalwart directors of choirs, bands, and orchestras that work long hours with students who are learning to express themselves in the universal language of music.

This year’s Grammy for Music Education went to DeSoto High School Choral Director Pamela Dawson! Region 10 congratulates Pamela on this outstanding achievement, and we believe the Recording Academy recognized and appreciated what DeSoto already knew, that she is a special person making a difference in the lives of students. Region

10 doesn’t claim to be the reason she won, that was all her, but we are proud we could help her navigate the certification process many years ago and so we are going to claim this Grammy winner as one of ours. (See page 21 for the full story)

There are hidden gems throughout our profession and throughout our schools; I celebrate all those who make a difference in the lives of students.

Reach! magazine is published twice annually by Region 10 Education Service Center, whose mission is to be a trusted, student-focused partner that serves the learning community through responsive, innovative educational solutions. For more information about advertising, or to suggest a story idea, please contact Rachel Frost, Chief Communications Officer, at rachel.frost@region10.org. To learn more about the program of Region 10, visit www.region10.org.

SPANISH SPELLING BEE

IN March, Region 10 was buzzing with excitement as we celebrated the Spanish language during the Region 10 Spanish Spelling Bee! Congratulations to all the amazing spellers who participated in the event; we are proud of your hard work and dedication! As a result of winning their respective competitions, both Luis and Stella have earned the opportunity to travel to El Paso to compete at the National Spanish Spelling Bee later this year.

RESULTS

3RD GRADE

1st Place

SARAH

ESCOTO

Forney ISD

2nd Place

FABIAN VELEZ

Celina ISD

3rd Place

HAILEY CONTRERAS Red Oak ISD

Winning Word: arteria

4TH-5TH GRADE

1st Place

STELLA SHAHBABIAN Coppell ISD

2nd Place

ABRAHAM

HERRERA Red Oak ISD

3rd Place

IRENE

MARTINEZ DeSoto ISD

Winning Word: disfrutar

6TH-8TH GRADE

1st Place

LUIS ORTINEZ

Waxahachie ISD

2nd Place

DANIKA ESCAJEDA

Forney ISD

3rd Place

MARIA GONZALEZ Garland ISD

Winning Word: avaricia

Sarah Escoto

Stella Shahbabian Luis Ortinez

some elements available in Spanish *

EXTENDING THE REGION 10

Linguistic Reach

By Dr. Meredith Clark, Region 10 ESC Master Consultant Fine Arts / LOTE

IN THE ARTICLE, “Monolingualism is the Illiteracy of the Twenty-First Century,” Gregg Roberts, Jaime Leite, and Ofelia Wade argue that, while the main goal of education in the 20th century was ensure every citizen could read, a 21st century education seeks to provide every student with the skills to communicate in at least two languages. Region 10 couldn’t agree more, and we are committed to the vision that, in the near future, all students will graduate

with at least intermediate low proficiency in a second or a third language. The key word in achieving this vision is communicate. For some readers, the evocation of world language education likely draws memories of your high school Spanish, French, German, or Latin classes. Most of us took those courses; however, only a few of us learned to communicate in the language of study. Why? Is it because Americans aren’t smart? Is it because

As world language education evolves, Region 10 leads the way into the multilingual future.

our brains are wired differently than other people in the world? Absolutely not. The reason why many who took language courses in high school and college did not acquire the language wasn’t because of a lack of intellect. Our monolingualism resulted from the faulty notion that by learning about language, or that is, language parts (cue the grammar drills and vocabulary lists) that people would develop the ability to use the language with native speakers. To overcome the tide of monolingualism that holds Americans back from business opportunities, collaboration in the scientific world, and from fulfilling key roles in social services and national security (America’s Languages 2017), the field of world language education jumped into 21st century teaching by moving the goal post. The objective no longer remains to learn about language; rather the new linguistic end zone looks like students communicating in another language for the purposes of learning about the world and each other.

Often referred to as the “fifth core,” world language education includes many benefits such as, “stronger cognitive development, increased creativity, and divergent thinking” (LOTE TEKS). In addition, learning another language develops an awareness of “multiple perspectives and means of expression” and creates globally literate students who successfully participate in the world community (LOTE TEKS). Let that sink in for a minute. Essentially, learning to communicate in another language makes us smarter, more literate, and expands our access to the rest of the world. As a result of the increased awareness of the benefits of world language study, school administrators, parents, and students, express their support in fortifying world language programs and educator skills. Courses that once focused on teaching about language and culture are now turning the ship toward fulfilling the student expectations in the TEKS and teaching students to communicate using the target language about relevant topics that matter.

As world language education evolves, Region 10 leads the way into the multilingual future. How are we multiplying the linguistic landscape of Texas? Locally, we provide connected professional learning experiences to help educators learn the ins and outs of planning with backward design to achieve student communication at a desired performance level ranging from novice mid to advanced low. When it comes to supporting world language teachers, administrators, and programs, we’re also racking up some firsts. We’ve designed

For more information on how you can support world language education, please contact

Dr. Meredith Clark meredith.clark@region10.org

the first comprehensive skills cohort, a series of connected workshops with asynchronous tasks where teachers learn the entire T-TESS teaching cycle from planning, to instruction, to assessment, to data evaluation with redesign. We made learning accessible to all teachers in the state by developing the first Texas TEKS-aligned online professional learning for world language educators. To disseminate information, tackle problems of practice, and connect isolated educators, we created the first, statewide world language think tank, Texas Language Leaders, and an associated leadership cohort to prepare the current and the next generation of Texas world language leaders. And, to provide a solid pathway for teaching for communication, Region 10 is developing the first world language curriculum framework for LOTE levels one through three because we know that for students to develop proficiency in another language, there must be a guaranteed and viable, TEKS-aligned pathway for learning.

As services develop, more schools are realizing that world language courses are a gust of wind in the sails of students’ academic achievement. Language learners do better academically across the board, so it makes sense to develop and promote our world language programs. At least 42 districts in Region 10 and Region 11 are already on board and collaborating with the ESC, an increase of over 30% since the 20172018 school year. Given these numbers, I’d say the future looks multilingual. Please join us on a linguistic journey that will feed students' minds, fill their hearts, and connect them to the cultural wonders of their communities, their state, and the world.

Counseling & Mental Health Class

“Project Therapy Toy”

By Susan Delarosa, Region 10 ESC Counseling Consultant

IN THE WORLD OF MAKERSPACE integration at Anna High School, Barbara Coleman’s Counseling & Mental Health classes recently came to the makerspace for an integration project to create play therapy toy prototypes to be used and tested at toy therapy rooms in Anna elementary schools.

AISD Director of Counseling Vince Sharp was chosen as community partner for this project. He kickstarted the project by explaining how play therapy toys are used for various behaviors and scenarios. Students were able to empathize with their users through the eyes of an expert working directly with the children with needs. After delivering the project objective, he worked with the groups of students during their ideation rotation process.

At the end of the project build, Anna ISD therapists and administrators were impressed when they visited the class for idea review. These professionals gave feedback as the students proudly demonstrated their toy prototypes during the hands-on presentations.

“The students’ empathy and excitement for their end-user shined through their thoughtful and unique toy creations,” said AISD Marketing & Event Specialist Melane Woodbury.

“It’s such a treat to see our students collaborate with and learn from professionals on such a meaningful project.”

Mrs. Coleman’s students look forward to getting feedback from play therapists after elementary students have tested the toys during their play therapy. Since the completion of the project, Mrs. Coleman has reported many of her students are begging to come back to the Anna High School Makerspace to create something to solve a real-world problem.

Students were able to empathize with their users through the eyes of an expert working directly with the children with needs.

Mrs. Coleman’s students look forward to getting feedback from play therapists after elementary students have tested the toys during their play therapy.

State-of-the-Art Safety Screening

with Evolv in Forney ISD

By Kristin Zastoupil, Forney ISD Executive Director of Marketing & Communications

EARLIER THIS YEAR, Forney ISD expanded their safety screening program as a part of the next phase of ongoing enhancements to the District’s safety and security plan.

The Forney ISD Safety Task Force, consisting of parents, community, and first responders, also made a recommendation to add additional metal and weapon detecting technology. After thorough research and planning, Forney ISD began the installation of the latest, state-of-the-art, weapons detection system called Evolv in their high school, middle, and intermediate campuses.

“Campus security and safety is a top priority and we take it very seriously,” said Forney ISD Superintendent Dr. Justin Terry. “We believe Evolv will allow us to continue to provide a safe environment for our students, teachers, and staff through an efficient, smooth screening process.”

Evolv is the first and only touchless security screening that is 10 times faster than traditional metal detectors, with a welcoming, free-flow experience. The system is able to spot weapons while ignoring harmless personal items all while visitors simply walk through at a natural pace. Students and event attendees walk through without stopping or handing over their bags. This creates a safe and secure space while ensuring that students feel comfortable.

“Forney ISD is using cutting edge technology to provide yet another layer of security for our students and staff,” said Forney ISD Police Chief Joseph Sanders. “We are proud of the partnership with Evolve and will continue to strive each and every day to provide our Forney Family a safe educational environment where students can learn and flourish.”

Evolv is an advanced and trusted security program used in the private business sector and for large events across the county. It was recently implemented at Baylor Scott and White Irving, and is used at places like the Anaheim Angels stadium, the Super Bowl at the SoFi stadium, and the Oakland International Airport. Forney ISD will be the 2nd school district in Texas to implement this latest advanced security screening technology.

The system is also portable, and can be moved for use at other facilities and at events. As part of the roll-out, Forney ISD also trained staff, and students were instructed on how to walk through naturally while wearing their backpacks.

Photos: Courtesy of Forney ISD

To see a demo of the Evolv System, visit bit.ly/Evolv-Demo

We are proud of the partnership with Evolve and will continue to strive each and every day to provide our Forney Family a safe educational environment where students can learn and flourish.”

The Most Important Game of His Life

Educator Profile

By Daniel Diaz-Alcaraz, Region 10 ESC Consultant

PRINCIPAL TITO SALAS arrives at a line outside his office of eager second and third graders wanting to help with morning announcements. The principal of John F. Peeler Elementary in the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) masterfully handles the group of young scholars, asking for three volunteers, and the rest of the small contingent of students are

sent to their first period class. The little girls who will not assist with announcements gladly comply as they hop away holding hands, their voices fading away as they skip down the hallway. Principal Salas gives his entourage of three excited volunteers final instructions before he begins morning announcements to the tune of Good Morning USA.

As soon as the announcements are over, a first grader stumbles into the

Photos: Courtesy of Principal Tito Salas

principal’s office drenched in milk. The young man proceeds to tell principal Salas it was just an accident. He is quickly sent to the nurse’s office to change clothes, but not before Principal Salas inspects the young man’s haircut and tells the young scholar he will give him a fresh haircut. Salas is not just an accomplished school leader — being a barber is just another skill in his repertoire.

Salas was born in the heart of Oak Cliff, off Hampton Road and Illinois Avenue near Kiest Park, a public park in the city of Dallas that has played an important role in Salas’s journey. Salas is the son of immigrants who arrived in Dallas searching for their own version of the American Dream. Both of his parents emigrated from Mexico as undocumented immigrants when they were both teenagers.

He is the oldest of four siblings, and has done such an exemplary job as older brother that two of his siblings have followed in his footsteps. Nancy and Luis Salas are also accomplished educators currently teaching and leading in DISD and

Irving ISD respectively. Nancy is a finalist for DISD’s 2024 Teacher of the Year. Salas was also a high school and collegiate soccer star, who won back-to-back national championships with the Richland College Thunderducks under coach Sean Worley. Consequently, Salas’s younger siblings have also contributed to the mountain of national championships, trophies, and accolades the Salas clan has won on the soccer pitch.

Futbol is not just a sport for the Salas family, it is a lifestyle. It would be impossible to determine which Salas is the best soccer player. Even Salas’s cousins have developed the same passion and highlevel skill for soccer. Lalo Salas, one of Salas’s younger cousins also played college soccer and continues to terrorize opponents on the field in the amateur circuit. Salas’s sister Jessica was called up to play for Mexico’s women’s national team while at Skyline. Reece Wilson, Salas’s brother-in-law, played professional soccer in Costa Rica. Unsurprisingly, Salas met his wife Karina when they both played college soccer at Richland.

Soccer is a lifestyle for the Salas clan, but family will always come first. Salas’s younger brother Luis Salas was once invited to attend the U.S. Men’s National Team camp as a youngster, but he chose to travel to Mexico to attend his sister’s quinceañera instead. Their love for soccer, but especially their love for each other is on full display every Sunday when they get together as a family to cheer on Las Chivas Rayadas del Guadalajara, their beloved team in the Mexican professional soccer league.

Salas had the skills to have played professionally, like his good childhood friend, teammate, and U.S. Men’s National team player Omar Gonzales. Salas played so well himself that he spent considerable time practicing with professional Mexican soccer teams during his summers off while playing for Coach Danny Barentine at Skyline. In fact, Salas signed a professional contract with team Necaxa in Aguascalientes, Mexico immediately after graduating high school, but he would make the decision to return to Dallas. Salas’s freshman year at Richland College showed him a path he had not previously considered as a collegiate soccer player and aspiring educator. Unsurprisingly, Coach Barentine wanted Salas to join the Skyline high school staff as a Spanish teacher and assistant soccer coach once Salas graduated and as soon as there was a vacancy. Salas had recently married his college sweetheart Karina, and they were expecting their first child.

“I was under the pressure of needing to get a job… that Skyline gig was there, but it wasn’t available at that

time,” recalls Salas. Thus, he accepted a Spanish teaching position offered to him by Anita Hardwick, then principal at Benjamin Franklin Middle School in DISD. “I need a young man like you for my students here at Franklin,” Salas recalls Anita Hardwick telling him. Salas agreed but not before asking his new boss to allow him to assist Coach Barentine at Skyline, which she gladly accepted.

Salas’s dream of being a fullfledged coach finally came true when he was named athletic director at Franklin. Salas’s time was primarily spent in the gym as a PE teacher, but his effectiveness as a teacher became clear to his immediate supervisor Dr. Anthony Mays. Salas recounts Dr. Mays would record his lessons in the gym and show the tapes to other staff to highlight best practices. Salas would eventually follow their advice and he enrolled in a principal preparation program at Sam Houston State University. It would be another phone call that would take him to his first school leadership position as an assistant principal. Dr. Mays, now principal at Conrad High School called Salas before graduation and asked him to join his team as an assistant principal. Salas agreed and was interviewed for the role by Dr. Stephanie Elizalde, Dallas ISD Chief of School at the time. The meeting was brief and informal, and he got the job, but this would not be his last meeting with Dr. Elizalde.

Temesghen Asmerom became Conrad’s principal after Dr. Mays departed to pursue a new role. Salas loved his role as an AP at Conrad and had not

considered becoming a principal. All students gravitated towards Assistant Principal Salas because of his love of soccer and for the way he carried himself, or his “swagger”, as it is known colloquially. Students also loved Salas because he respected and celebrated

the richness of the most ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse school in DISD. Nevertheless, Mr. Asmeron recommended Salas to DISD’s aspiring principal’s program. The opportunity to lead his own school finally came at John F. Peeler Elementary School

near his old neighborhood in Oak Cliff. In his short tenure as school principal, he had a big impact there. The school went from a D to a B rating in the 20222023 school year. “I’ve spent and continue to spend a lot of time on people,” replied Salas when asked what contributes to his success in addition to his mentors and charismatic personality. It is perhaps this same investment in people that landed Salas another meeting with the now DISD superintendent Dr. Elizalde. Salas was offered to lead Dallas ISD’s Young Men’s Leadership Academy.

Salas’s accomplishments are incredible, especially when you realize he has continued to play soccer at a high level with the legendary NTX Rayados amateur soccer

team. In 2018, Salas led the team to the 4th round of the U.S. Open Cup and a chance to play against Houston Dynamo, a professional team. This game meant a lot more for Salas as Mr. Parker and Dr. Mays were his guest of honor at the Shell Energy Stadium in Houston. Salas’s dream is to one day become a school district superintendent. We will not be surprised when he finally gets to put on the captain’s armband to lead a school district in the most important game of his life.

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REGGIE’S ROBOTS

By Ashley Menefee, Region 10 ESC Consultant

Martha Hunt Elementary School in Plano ISD has recently welcomed a new student to its classroom - a robot!

GET READY to be blown away by one of the coolest things happening in education right now! We're talking about Reggie's Robots program, the ultimate gamechanger in the world of learning technology.

What exactly is Reggie's Robots, you ask? Well, it's a program that's designed for students who are not able to physically attend school due to health

reasons. Its unique feature is that it uses robots to give students a customized learning experience from the comfort of their own home or hospital room!

Take Arden Harris, for example. She's a seven-year-old attending Martha Hunt Elementary in Plano ISD. Arden's parents, Scott and Mary Harris, were concerned about their daughter missing out on special events and social interactions with her classmates due

to her health condition which made it unsafe for her to physically attend school. The homebound program was an option, but it did not solve the social isolation concern.

That's when Arden’s parents discovered Reggie's Robots - a four-foot tall robot that allows students to operate it remotely. Scott, who is a Virtual Care Director for Methodist Health Systems, is no stranger to the use of

medical robots. He was excited to discover the incredible educational benefits that robots like Reggie can provide.

The best part? The robot allows Arden to communicate with her classmates and teacher one-onone as if she were physically in the classroom. With an iPad or computer, she can drive the robot around the classroom, participate in small group stations, and even raise her hand to ask a questionall with the push of a button!

According to Mary, using the robot has been a gamechanger for Arden. Not only has it helped her stay engaged in the classroom

The robot allows Arden to communicate with her classmates and teacher one-on-one as if she were physically in the classroom.

with her teacher and friends, but it's also allowed her to keep up with her social life when she's at home. Even with the robot, Arden is still being her fun-loving, chatty self. Mary shared that sometimes Arden talks so much through the robot that she gets into trouble, just like in a regular classroom.

and special. Her classmates have been helpful by clearing a path for her to drive through or holding up things the teacher needs her to see.

Arden's teacher, Trish Alway, and Lisa Garner, the program coordinator, were both incredibly excited to build normalcy in Arden's classroom routine, and it all started with the morning meetings.Mrs. Alway is especially thrilled when Arden sings along with the class during these meetings. It's clear that Arden is always eager to participate.

Scott and Mary are beyond grateful that this program exists to support Arden through her medical needs and transitioning back into the classroom.

The program is available to all districts and charter schools in the Region 10 ESC geographic area, and it can benefit students from kindergarten to high school. If you know someone who could benefit from this innovative program, be sure to visit www.region10.org/ robots to learn more.

Who knew that technology could provide such amazing opportunities for students to access education, build confidence, and maintain social connections? It's just one more example of how technology is changing lives and shaping the future of education.

Using the robot has given Arden a huge boost in confidence. Before, she was a little apprehensive about wearing her pink helmet. Now, with the support of her classmates and her trusty “bot-buddy,” she's no longer afraid to wear her helmet! Ardens’ classmates were beyond thrilled to be a part of something so unique

If you know someone who could benefit from this innovative program, visit bit.ly/R10-Reggie

Scott and Mary are beyond grateful that this program exists to support Arden through her medical needs and transitioning back into the classroom.

Arden Harris wearing her pink helmet

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A Grammy Award Winning Educator

DeSoto High School Choral Director Brings Home Prestigious Award

By DeSoto ISD Communications Staff

IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED, THEN YOU MUST TRY AGAIN, goes the popular adage, and DHS Choral Director Pamela Dawson did just that! Today, DeSoto ISD and many across the nation are celebrating with her.

Teacher. Mom.

Grandmother. Musician. Vocalist.

She is everything everyone needs her to be.

But now, she is known as something else: a Grammy award winner.

Nominated for the second time in three years, Dawson received the 2023 Grammy Music Educator Award presented by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum.

This award recognizes current educators who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the music education field and demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in schools. Each year, one recipient is selected from 10 finalists and recognized for their remarkable impact on students' lives.

For the Detroit native, this accomplishment is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and mentorship she’s provided to countless DeSoto ISD students over the years.

“I believe that the Grammy Foundation did a thorough research of what we’ve provided as far as qualifications to be a finalist,” said Dawson about her nomination submission this go-round. “What I spoke about what I pour into my kids, especially this year dealing with mental health, was a deciding factor in me getting this award. I am so honored that the Grammy Museum and The Recording Academy found me worthy of this honor.”

During her 16-year tenure, Dawson has built the DeSoto

High School choir program into a national powerhouse, having traveled and won numerous competitions across the world.

Highlights include performing at Carnegie Hall and the Southwestern American Choral Directors Association (SWACDA) national honor choir. Locally, her choirs have been a regular feature of the Dallas Black Dance Theater's Dance Africa event for many years.

Even several former students are in high-level music programs and performing in venues such as Broadway theaters.

All in all, what does she hope her students can take away from her winning this award?

What I think my students really realize now is that what I’ve been doing has always been for them and not about me.”

Dawson’s Grammy award represents excellence and dedication in music and arts education—-a staple in the DeSoto ISD’s Triple-A experience centered on providing holistic and wellrounded K-12 education experiences founded on multi-faceted and multilayered academics, arts and athletics programs.

DeSoto ISD is one of the top-rated school systems in the Dallas/Fort Worth area according to recent Texas Education Agency accountability ratings. The district’s last three graduating classes have obtained roughly $15M in college scholarships on average—the result of expansive Career and Technical Education, STEM and early childhood education programs rooted in developing literacy and numeracy skills in young learners.

Voted the best community for music education more than six years in a row by the Music Educators Association, DeSoto ISD arts scholars compete and perform at the state, national and international levels annually and have experiences ranging from fine arts such as sketch and sculpture to performing arts like choir, dance, band, and theater.

“DeSoto ISD is proud to acknowledge the work of Ms. Pam Dawson in her attainment of this recent achievement,” said DeSoto ISD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Usamah Rodgers. “Her commitment to excellence and positive impact on students’ lives is demonstrative of what makes this such an amazing school community—the embodiment of the DeSoto difference.”

Her commitment to excellence and positive impact on students’ lives is demonstrative of what makes this such an amazing school community— the embodiment of the DeSoto difference.”

It is not about her.

“What I think my students really realize now is that what I’ve been doing has always been for them and not about me,” she said.

To see Ms. Dawson's impact on DeSoto ISD, visit bit.ly/Dawson-Grammy

Photos: Courtesy of DeSoto ISD

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Beyond the Classroom

Region 10 Supports ISD Outdoor Learning Centers

By Dr. Holly Bishop, Region 10 ESC Program Coordinator Instruction and Innovative Practices

THE PHILOSOPHY of Region 10’s Academics Outdoors program is that best instructional practices should always include outdoor learning. Region 10 wants to support all teachers and districts who embrace using the outdoors as an extension of the classroom and share a passion for learning in nature. One of the ways this is being accomplished is by connecting district-operated Outdoor Learning Centers (OLCs) through the new DFW OLC Leadership Network.

The first meeting of the DFW OLC Leadership Network was hosted by Plano ISD’s Holifield Science Learning Center, and the second was at Lewisville ISD’s Outdoor Learning Area known

as LISDOLA. Participants were able to network, collaborate, and problem solve among likeminded leaders who often feel isolated. Some of the OLCs in Region 10 have been operating for a long time. One of these is Richardson ISD’s Environmental Studies Center, the first in the state! Others are brand new or have only been in use for a couple of years. Each OLC operates differently with different spaces, budgets, levels of administrative support, and unique challenges. These meetings offer a place for participants with all levels of experience to ideate, share, and grow programs.

Each meeting has a topic of focus. The first meeting addressed changes to the TEKS and the impact on OLCs. R10 STEM/Science Consultant,

NORTH TEXAS TEACHERS DIG IN AND DISCUSS HOW TO IMPLEMENT EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AT PLANO ISD'S HOLIFIELD SCIENCE CENTER.

Photos: Dr. Holly Bishop, Region 10 ESC

Samantha Bradbury provided information from TEA on the new scienceTEKS and a timeframe for when OLCs should transition to address the changes. The topic of the second meeting was E-STEM ideas specifically for OLCs to support their schools in meeting the engineering component of the updated science TEKS.

In addition to the discussion topic, participants tour the host OLC and learn operational logistics. Some OLCs require the teachers to lead their students through the various activities, while others have OLC staff leading groups. Both methods are successful, but there are distinct logistical challenges to both. Being able to share operational procedures with each other helps the OLC leaders to streamline their processes, making the day go more smoothly for teachers and have a greater impact on students.

As OLC leaders are touring, there are opportunities for group members to ask questions. Examples of problems unique to OLCs include maintenance in floodplain areas, keeping a pond from drying out, and getting administrators to value the OLC for the important learning space it is. Posing these questions to peers who have navigated and solved these problems is helpful, especially to new OLC leaders.

Amy Hollenshead, Coordinator of Northwest ISD’s OLC, shared “This meeting was rejuvenating, and the energy generated by this network of instructional leaders is inspiring! It feels good to be around others who are designing, implementing, and evaluating programs and spaces in the ISD context versus museums or nature centers. It is exciting to know I have a new network to build my own outdoor learning efficacy with and the potential collective efficacy we will build together to uplift our programs and the impact we will have with student academic and personal success. I feel inspired to continue my work because now I know I’m not alone!”

THERESA PARISI FROM EAGLE MOUNTAIN-SAGINAW ISD LEARNS ABOUT ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS AT PLANO ISD’S HOLIFIELD SCIENCE CENTER.

It feels good to be around others who are designing, implementing, and evaluating programs and spaces in the ISD context versus museums or nature centers."

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By Deon Quinn, Region 10 ESC Digital Marketing Coordinator

FOR individuals who are blind or visually impaired, braille is an essential tool used to navigate on an everyday basis more independently. For students with visual impairments, using the tactile writing system, braille opens up a world of opportunities in the classroom, as it allows them to access the same educational materials as their sighted peers. Braille consists of six dots arranged in a 2x3 grid, with different combinations of dots representing different letters, numbers, and punctuation marks. Learning to recognize and differentiate

between these dots takes practice and patience. Still, with time and dedication, students can become proficient in reading and writing braille, thus allowing them to compete in the Braille Challenge held at Region 10.

Created 23 years ago by the Braille Institute, the Braille Challenge is the only academic competition of its kind held annually from January through March in North America, bringing students with visual impairments together to practice and hone their braille literacy skills. Region 10 Deafblind and Visually Impaired Consultant Elaine

BEYOND

HOW THE BRAILLE CHALLENGE

More than 1,000 students compete in over 50 regional competitions in the US, Canada, and the UK.

PARENTS AND STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN THE BRAILLE CHALLENGE HOSTED AT REGION 10 ESC.

Photos: Courtesy of Region 10 ESC

BEYOND SIGHT

CHALLENGE INSPIRES COMPETITION

Sveen, who organizes the regional Braille Challenge shared, “the purpose of the challenge is to promote braille and build all the confidence that goes into learning braille. The contest allows different aspects of braille reading to be tested, promoting all the different skills that a braille reader should have.”

The Braille Challenge is open to any student with visual impairments in first through twelfth grades who can read and write braille. The challenge is broken into five categories; reading comprehension, spelling, speed and accuracy, proofreading, and charts and graphs. “There’s a lot to learning braille, but learning it is the bottom line. It starts with developing concepts with young students which paves the way for growing their braille skills. And, there are no breaks as they are held to the same standards and expectations as their sighted classmates,” stated Sveen.

Over 1,000 students compete in over 50 regional competitions in the US, Canada, and the UK. The top 50 students with the highest scores are invited to compete in the finals taking place for an entire weekend in Los Angeles. The finals feature the brightest braille readers and writers in the entire world. The University of Southern California will host

the 2023 finals, consisting of an opening ceremony where students with visual impairments cheer and support one another before the competition starts.

Despite winter weather postponing the original date for Region 10’s Braille Challenge, the 2023 competition was rescheduled and went on without a hitch. A total of ten students representing districts throughout Region 10 competed for the chance to showcase their skills at the finals. One of the students scored a perfect score and will likely move on to represent their district during the 2023 finals. With the support of their teachers, peers, and communities, students using braille can foster their love for learning while gaining independence, self-reliance, and at times a competitive nature.

Cedar Hill ISD Math Teacher Makes a Difference

By Michael Sudhalter, Cedar Hill ISD Communications

BARIMAH AMOO-ASANTE feels like he’s won the lottery twice.

The first time was when he came to the United States through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, colloquially known as the “Green Card Lottery.”

The second time was when he joined the staff at Cedar Hill ISD's Permenter Middle School – where he has taught Seventh and Eighth Grade Pre-Algebra and Algebra since 2006; Amoo-Asante has worked at Permenter longer than any teacher on campus.

“My motto is ‘changing generations by making a difference in a child’s life,” Amoo-Asante said.

Amoo-Asante said many of his former scholars visit Permenter to thank him for impacting their lives: “Middle school is really where they’re making decisions that will impact their future, before they step into high school.”

“There were a couple of scholars who returned, and they’re now military officers,” Amoo-Asante said. “I also saw a former scholar who’s now working at Wells Fargo Bank.”

Amoo-Asante said he grew up struggling with Math until a teacher made it relatable for him. That changed his life, and he’s now able to make Math enjoyable for his scholars.

“I break it down for them and help them understand Math,” AmooAsante said.

Amoo-Asante was born and raised in Kumasi, Ghana – the second largest city in the West African nation.

He graduated from the University of Ghana with a Business Administration Degree. He’d set out for a career in Business, but those plans changed in one year.

Ghana has a one-year requirement for “National Service”, and AmooAsante spent that year teaching Math.

A career in Education wasn’t a major departure for Amoo-Asante, whose mother was an elementary school principal.

“I saw how she influenced children with a positive impact,” AmooAsante said.

Upon moving to the Dallas area, Amoo-Asante first worked as a Fiber Optic Technician, which gave him the opportunity to travel for work, to 20 different states, setting up networks.

He began substitute teaching in Mesquite ISD in 2002, and four years later, joined the Permenter Staff.

Along the way, he became a United States Citizen, got married and had two sons and earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Texas A&M UniversityCommerce.

He’s received several honors over the years, including Permenter Teacher of the Year, Honoring Our Outstanding Lead Educators, Paraprofessionals and Administrators (HOOPLA) and Star Teacher.

B arimah Amoo-Asante

Along the way, he became a United States Citizen, got married and had two sons and earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Texas A&M University-Commerce.

CHANGING THE GAME

By Deon Quinn, Region 10 ESC Digital Marketing Coordinator

HOW TEXAS READING ACADEMIES ARE IMPROVING LITERACY IN SCHOOLS

BEFORE the Covid-19 Pandemic took its toll on students’ academic achievement, the 86th (2019) Texas Legislature convened to address several important matters, including concerns surrounding how students are taught to read. In prior years, reading scores for Texas 4th graders were consistently below national standards, with only 30% reading at or above the NAEP (National Association of Educational Progress) Proficient level in 2019. In comparison, that’s a two-point increase from the 28% who were proficient more than two decades ago, in 1998. Texas was not the only state struggling to improve students' reading skills. However, the state's approach would give students a

better opportunity to learn to read, and more importantly, read to learn.

The 86th Texas Legislature established the return of one of the most comprehensive and robust literacy achievement programs the state has ever seen. Now known as the Reading Academies, this high-quality professional development program provides all teachers instructing kindergarten through third-grade students with the resources and support to teach reading effectively. In addition, teachers participating in the program receive training in evidence-based instruction that help them implement best practices in their classrooms.

Region 10 Reading Academies Cohort participant Linda Walker, a Science Specialist at Universal Academy, shared that explicit and systematic instruction has benefited her students. “Systematic Instruction deals with planning my lessons and using the data to guide my instruction. Through this process, I break lessons and activities into sequential, manageable steps and progress from simple to more complex. As a result, my student's comprehension skills have increased.”

So why is it critical to address reading in kindergarten through third-grade? Research has proven that children are most receptive to learning and developing foundational skills during this period.

“Kids learn certain lessons at a certain age. Take rhyming, for instance; if a child doesn’t learn to rhyme early in life, they will likely struggle with reading. At a certain age, children can no longer hear the rhymes, which is why parents are encouraged to use nursery rhymes early in a child's life,” shared Angela

Modules within the Reading Academies provide teachers with identifiers to help modify strategies for students who may not be reading on grade level.

“As students miss critical components in the lower grades, they get to other grade levels and feel like they’re drowning. We then see behavior issues, bullying, and other cries for help due to missing out on foundational teaching that they didn’t realize was missing,” stated Dr. Sherry Wells, Region 10 Reading Academies Cohort Leader.

Region 10 district, Cedar Hill ISD, has implemented goals around the Reading Academies, including increasing the percentage of third-grade scholars reading at or above grade level. With so many of the teachers in CHISD having zero-to-three years of experience, the Reading Academies program is welcomed as reinforcement to help meet district goals.

“Our goals are simple; we plan to equip our educators with the knowledge and tools to successfully bridge achievement gaps and propel our scholars to new heights. In addition, we will provide an environment

where our new and tenured educators

facing the reading curriculum,” shared Kimberly Singleton, CHSID.

Since its implementation, more than 17,000 teachers throughout Region 10 have completed the Reading Academies. Many hours outside the regular school day are spent completing 12 modules covering topics such as the science of teaching reading, establishing a literacy community, and providing tiered support. Every step of the way, several Region 10 Reading Academies Cohort Leaders have been available to assist teachers with completing the training successfully.

“We have contacts at each of our schools that we constantly communicate with to ensure they understand the program expectations. We also have supports, such as monthly trackers, suggested pacing calendars, and campus visits offering face-to-face support,” shared Dr. Wells.

While it may be too early to determine how impactful the Reading Academies training is over time, its purpose is clear; closing achievement gaps and setting students up for success by improving reading skills and promoting equity in education. As such, it is an essential investment in the future of Texas and its citizens.

Research has proven that children are most receptive to learning and developing foundational skills during this period.

Photos: Courtesy of Region 10 ESC

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The Results Are In!

Why Teachers in Region 10 Stay the Course

By Dr. Kay Shurtleff, Region 10 ESC Research & Evaluation Analyst

In the last issue of Reach!, we looked at the results of previous research on what motivates teachers to stay in their jobs and in the profession. Since then, we have conducted our own exploratory sequential mixed methods research study, and we are excited to share our findings!

The Study Participants

Region 10 Education Service Center surveyed almost 700 PK-12 teachers in classrooms across the region to find out what motivates them to keep teaching and what qualities make a campus desirable to them. Based on those results, we convened ten separate focus groups of teachers in order to dig deeper into the data captured from the survey. The study participants included teachers from all grade levels, content areas, and experience levels, and included participation from public, private, and charter schools. Of the 676 survey respondents, 57 (8%) were first year teachers, and 33 (5%) had taught 30 years or longer. More than half (64%) earned their teaching credentials through a traditional college or university pathway, and 36% obtained alternative certification. A little more than half (55%) were PK-5 teachers, and 45% were secondary teachers.

With such a robust and diverse sample size, we feel confident that the findings can help districts better understand the types of working conditions that contribute to attracting and retaining great teachers.

While teachers strongly expressed frustration over pay and benefits, perceived lack of respect from society, and feeling overworked, our data suggested that there are four big factors that keep teachers going:

1. Sense of purpose in their work

2. Joy of working with kids

3. Connections to their colleagues and community

4. Professional growth and self efficacy

~ Region 10 Educator

When they ask why I became a teacher, I tell them, "Because this is the only job where you can change the world."

Photos: Andy Stauffer & Max Smith, Region 10 ESC

The single most important reason teachers gave for continuing to teach was that they believe their work makes a positive difference to their communities and to society as a whole, as well as to their own students. In the words of one survey respondent, “I teach because I love the fact that I can make a difference in a child’s life, even if it is just one child. You don’t have to necessarily understand how much you change that child’s life but just knowing I do and can, makes me continue to teach.”

Many of them described their decisions to become teachers as a calling. A high school English teacher in one of our focus groups said, “You can be a good teacher, but I always tell people there has to be a deep sense of purpose or calling. You’ve got to do it for more than just being off with your kids. You have to love working with young people first.”

Many teachers in our study were able to retain focus on their sense of purpose while at the same time acknowledging problems or drawbacks to teaching. A survey respondent put it this way: “The job to teach is not an easy one, and it is often not valued as an important job from the outside world. I teach because I feel like I can give my students a love for learning, and a person that they know each and every day cares about them, regardless of what happened the day before. I think students deserve that person every day. My students make me happy and remind me every day that they deserve my best. I didn't initially choose the path of education, but I am very happy….”

From another survey participant came these words: “I teach because it is my passion and what I love. I went into teaching knowing that the pay would not be adequate for the amount of work, pressure, and importance of the job, but I care about the wellbeing of society, so I do it.”

Joy of Working with Kids

Closely related to the idea of purpose, the joy of working with kids surfaced as a major reason teachers stay. In our survey, we asked teachers to indicate how much they agreed with the statement The relationships I build with my students make me want to continue teaching. Less than 2% of respondents disagreed with that statement. One survey respondent wrote, “My most important goal in teaching is to connect to students and build positive relationships with them. Obviously I would love for them to embrace the content more but at the end of the day if they are better human beings and can be more of a positive contribution to society by the time they leave high school then I will feel like I've done a good job.”

Teachers also talked about classroom “aha moments” and about being able to instill an excitement in their students about the subjects they teach. They described building a supportive classroom culture, sharing inside jokes with their classes, the ways students make them laugh, and the gratification that comes when students grasp a difficult concept. Even beyond that, they talked about the potential they see in their students and how much they value each of them as people. A high school teacher in one of our focus groups dismissed the idea that kids are not interested in learning. She stated that although they might act like they want to be “phone heads,” they are actually “smart and bright and able to think through problems.” In each focus group teachers spoke with optimism about the future that the kids currently in their classes will build. One middle school teacher cautioned, “Don’t sell kids short!”

Many teachers mentioned the joy they find in interacting with former students who return sometimes many years later or remain in contact with them. An elementary school teacher in one of our focus groups said it like this: “I get to see their preadult life. Former students still contact me and want advice. Some of them consider me as their teacher mom, want career advice or to talk about their courses. Those connections you can’t get anywhere else, and it shows that you’re there for a reason.”

Connections to Colleagues and Community Continuous Growth and Self Efficacy

Just as it did in previous studies, collegial relationships proved to be important to teachers in our study. In our survey, we asked how important colleagues and teammates were to teachers' decisions to stay in teaching. A majority of survey respondents (87%) indicated their coworkers were important, and survey comments reflected those sentiments as well. For example, one teacher said, “I teach because I can be part of a team of educators, working toward an honorable goal. I teach to make a difference in a child’s life.” Likewise, in focus groups, they said things, such as, “Good colleagues are everything. I’d rather have good colleagues than a good administration. If you don’t have someone to go through this with, it’s an island, and an island is very lonely.” Some of them mentioned both the formal and informal mentors they had as early career teachers and the importance of mentoring current early career teachers.

Although we did not specifically ask about it in the survey, teachers said in their open ended survey comments that they look for opportunities to learn and grow professionally. For some, that began with a love of their subject as a student themselves and grew into the desire to share their knowledge. One focus group participant, an elementary teacher who recently changed the subject she teaches because of a shortage of teachers in her district, reported that she simply enjoys the challenge of taking on something new which teaching affords. In a separate focus group, a high school teacher recounted some advice she had given to an unofficial mentee on her campus: “Teachers have to have a growth mindset and look for ways to learn and keep up with research. There has to be a willingness to change and a commitment to your own professionalism.”

Embedded within the desire for continuous growth was teachers’ belief in their own ability to teach effectively. They reported asking students for feedback, discussing problems of practice with their peers, and observing student behaviors as ways they gauge their effectiveness.

How Can We Keep Teachers?

Our data revealed other motivators for long term teachers, but none appeared to be as meaningful as those described above. When we synthesized all the discreet ideas from qualitative data from both the survey and the focus groups, we found that 77% of all the ideas expressed were related to conditions that can be cultivated without policy changes or staff changes. To be clear, teachers did absolutely express a desire for better pay and benefits, more respect, and better work/life balance. But our data showed that there are other drivers at work that districts may be able to address quickly.

I teach because I can be part of a team of educators, working toward an honorable goal. I teach to make a difference in a child’s life."

~ Region 10 Educator

Reasons for Leaving a Campus or District Implications of this Study

We also asked teachers which factors might contribute to their decisions to either stay at or leave a campus or district. Listed in their order of importance, those factors appear below.

1. Campus or district discipline procedures

2. Pay & benefits

3. Class size

4. School safety

5. Access to high quality professional learning

Most teachers in our study considered all five of the above conditions to be at least somewhat important; however, discipline procedures was most often cited as the most important consideration for teachers when deciding whether or not to remain in their current position.

77.3%

While all educators would welcome an increase in pay and benefits for teachers, that solution would require major budget and policy changes. There are other changes that districts might consider implementing in the short term.

• Help teachers reconnect with their sense of purpose.

• Celebrate teachers.

• Celebrate kids apart from their academic or athletic achievements.

• Provide unstructured time for teachers to be with their colleagues.

• Provide time for teachers to observe and learn with and from each other.

• Provide professional learning in the area of self-efficacy.

• Send teachers to conferences and other professional learning events.

Every day teachers defy the odds by motivating and inspiring themselves, each other, and their students. How do they do it? One of our survey respondents summed it up:

“There are some years that I have thought about leaving. I had a wonderful boss leave, not much parent support, and so much work from home. But there are days in the year and little moments that keep me coming back that I can’t really describe. Kids just give you an encouragement and have such an excitement when they accomplish hard things. You just can’t get any better than that.”

5.4% Imminent Retirements or Resignations

17.3% Factors that Require Staff or Policy Change

~ Region 10 Educator

I teach because I love the fact that I can make a difference in a child’s life, even if it is just one child. You don’t have to necessarily understand how much you change that child’s life but just knowing I do and can, makes me continue to teach."

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If You Can’t Stand the Heat

By David Hicks, Allen ISD Chief Communications Officer

WORKING in a MichelinStarred restaurant isn’t for the faint of heart.

The prestigious ranking system that identifies the best restaurants in the world can create a pressure cooker for the chefs and waitstaff to provide the best possible dining experience for their guests. Restaurants without a star are desperately seeking the distinction, while those with one or two stars are on a quest for the third and final star that would set them

atop the culinary world. All the while, each establishment fights to maintain its established excellence and avoid losing a coveted star.

Lucas Trahan, a 2011 graduate of Allen High School, knows exactly what it takes to work for one of the world’s best ranked restaurants. Trahan is the Executive Pastry Chef at Ever Restaurant, a Two-MichelinStar establishment in Chicago whose dishes could easily double as works of art. It’s an understatement to say

Photos: Courtesy of Allen ISD

that holding two Michelin Stars is a huge accomplishment –only 33 restaurants can claim that honor in the United States -- and Trahan knows full-well the exhilaration and stress that goes hand-in-hand while trying to earn a third star.

“There’s no doubt that this can be a demanding job that takes a lot out of you. I arrive at work at 8 a.m. and don’t leave until 8 at night,” Trahan explains. “At the same time, there is a rewarding experience in creating something bigger than you. All of us in the restaurant are pushing for the same goal of earning three Michelin Stars. I won’t lie, this job and this industry can be incredibly hard. At the same time, things that are too easy usually aren’t that rewarding.”

Despite the challenges, Trahan is exactly where he planned to land. He says he knew from the age of seven that he would either become a chef or an astronaut, and he eventually chose a cooking flame over rocket fuel. While he didn’t make it to space, perhaps it was a bit of serendipitous irony when he earned the Rising Stars Award in 2021 as one of the best up-and-coming chefs in Chicago.

Trahan honed his skills in the culinary program at Allen High School, even before Blú Bistro and the professional-grade kitchen were built inside the campus. Trahan studied cooking as a sophomore in Home Economics, and then utilized a temporary kitchen space during his time in the culinary program in his junior and senior years. It was in this space, under the tutelage of then-culinary teacher Jordan Swim, that Trahan could explore his creativity and learn to “fail safely.”

“I learned many foundational skills in my classes at Allen High School, and it provided me a leg up when I enrolled in culinary school. I still use those skills today in my current role,” Trahan said. “Being in Allen, we could explore creativity, try new things, and find our palate. This was cooking for the love it, and learning how to cook without any pressure. Working with my classmates and our teacher, Jordan Swim, was a time that fortified my love for cooking.”

High school culinary classes also provide, in Trahan’s opinion, the opportunity for students to determine if a particular career path is the right option.

“It’s a great opportunity to get in the kitchen and figure out if this is the right option, career-wise,” Trahan said. “Even if it doesn’t lead to a job as a chef, it’s still teaching kids a valuable lesson in how to cook for themselves. You may not need to cook for your job, but you need to know how to cook for your life in general.”

“It’s a great opportunity to get in the kitchen and figure out if this is the right option, career-wise”

For Trahan, the culinary classes did lead to a career in the restaurant business. Following graduation from Allen High School, he enrolled in the Art Institute of Dallas and studied Culinary Arts. He eventually made his way to Chicago and worked at Grace, at the time a Three-Michelin-Star restaurant, and one of only two in the Windy City to hold the coveted distinction at the time. Trahan got his foot in the door at the exclusive restaurant by running food from the kitchen for six months until a spot finally opened in the kitchen. He moved into a food-prepping role that he describes as extremely competitive. “If you didn’t catch on quickly, you were gone. There were plenty of people lined up to take your spot.”

Trahan learned from Grace’s Executive Chef Curtis Duffy for several years until the restaurant closed its doors in 2017. When Chef Duffy opened his new restaurant, Ever, in 2020, Trahan was ready to join the kitchen staff as the Executive Pastry Chef. He currently curates the pastry menu and produces all of the specialty bread items, ranging from a pretzel twist to a tomato focaccia. Trahan oversees a team of five people, and says his current role can prove to be more administrative than actual cooking or baking. Learning to delegate and trust a team to meet a high standard has been a difficult, but important, skill set he’s recently learned.

Despite the pressures of working for one of the highestrated restaurants in the United States, Trahan chooses not to settle on being good enough. Just like his days at Allen High School, he continues to look for new ways to push the envelope, even if success doesn’t come quickly.

“I may try a new dish and fail at it 15 times before I find one that works. Even then, it takes time to refine it and try to perfect it,” Trahan said. “I think about my teachers at Allen during those formative years – Jordan Swim, Lee Ferguson, and Heidi Hughes. All of them had safe classrooms and encouraged self-learning. If you didn’t succeed at something, they would always encourage you to learn and grow from it. That’s a mentality that I carry with me to this day, and I try to share it with my employees, too.”

When Catastrophe Strikes

Be Prepared with Region 10 ESC's Fiber 10 Consortium

By Jon Sheldon, Region 10 ESC Digital Media Producer

IT IS TWO WEEKS before the start of a new school year. Teachers and staff return to their campuses excited for the upcoming year. Then catastrophe strikes. One of the campuses burns down. A tornado hits the district’s data center destroying all of the network equipment. Hackers erase everything. What happens next? Does the district need

to delay the start of school? Is crucial data and equipment lost forever?

Unfortunately, these crises are not a matter of if but when That is why Region 10’s Technology and Data Services have developed a suite of capabilities to address crises like these.

THE FIBER 10 NETWORK PROVIDES INTERNET ACCESS THAT IS FAST, RELIABLE, AND PROTECTED FROM THREATS.

Fiber 10 is one of the largest educational networks in the country. Over 600,000 students and staff at nearly 75 districts across North Texas, rural and urban, rely on Fiber 10 to provide fast and reliable internet access. This resilient, 10 gigabit carrier class fiber infrastructure is available to all districts within Region 10.

Being a member of the consortium means that costs are no longer prohibitive. The larger the consortium, the more leverage districts have to keep costs low. Additionally, Fiber 10 includes DDoS mitigation, and direct access to Amazon, Microsoft, Google, state testing providers, and other statewide education networks. Fundamentally, Fiber 10 is a cost effective, future-proof, and scalable network capable of long-term growth.

Private Cloud

Built on the secure, high bandwidth backbone of Fiber 10, Region 10’s Private Cloud service is a turnkey solution to your district’s data center concerns. With Private Cloud, all of your enterprise workloads, physical or virtual, are hosted through Region 10. That means your district no longer has to be concerned about enterprise servers and storage performance, maintenance, and hardware or software upgrades.

Redundancy is built into Private Cloud. Your district’s data is hosted at two geographically separate data centers protected by large battery backups and diesel generators. When catastrophe strikes, your data is secure with minimal disruptions. Additionally, your data is inaccessible to hackers or other bad actors. You are guaranteed a secure, highly available, performance-tuned, and up-to-date data center without having to concern yourself with the many variables that go into building and maintaining a true enterprise environment.

The technology services provided by Region 10 allow me to spend more of my time focusing on the needs of my staff and students. We appreciate that our servers are secure and always available in Region 10’s Private Cloud. Concerns about backups and disaster recovery are a thing of the past. In addition, Region 10 staff offer their expertise that is much needed at our small district with just a few people who do all things IT."

~ Shelli Wendland - Technology Director, Bland ISD

Firewall as a Service

The Internet is filled with wolves looking for easy prey, and firewalls are expensive and costly to provision and maintain. Like Private Cloud, Region 10’s Firewall as a Service is a fast and secure service built on the reliable backbone of Fiber 10 featuring firewalls in a high-availability, multi-location cluster. Usage of this service frees your district from costly firewall hardware procurement as well as subscriptions going forward.

At its core, Firewall as a Service offers local control with regional support. Migrate your district’s current setup to Region 10 and enhance your network security. As a user of Firewall as a Service, your district will have access to Region 10’s expertise in configuring and troubleshooting your firewalls going forward with as light or heavy a touch as might be required.

Backup as a Service

With Backup as a Service, your district’s backup data is securely stored off-site, completely inaccessible to hackers or other bad actors. Available to all districts in the state, this service has a simple monthly pricing structure that provides a turnkey backup solution. It includes all necessary licensing to allow backups, as well as all components to store immutable primary or secondary copies of your backups in Region 10 Cloud repositories. Most importantly, you have visibility and control of all backup and restore operations.

Districts utilizing Region 10’s technology services do not worry about catastrophes.

They know their internet access is fast and reliable, their data is securely backed up, and their network is protected from threats. Region 10 ESC provides all of these services at an accessible cost to districts. Be prepared for when, not if a catastrophe strikes.