September/October 2024 Texas School Business

71

YEARS

The News Magazine for Public Education in Texas

Texas School Business

SEPT/OCT

2024

Through the

Support helps female superintendents shine

Also in this issue: TASA President Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora TEPSA President Cooper Hilton

Make resilient

With each new school year, Texas school districts are experiencing longer and more intense stretches of extreme heat.

Many schools still lack proper air conditioning.

One-third of U.S. school buildings need HVAC upgrades.

Districts spend approximately $8 billion annually on energy bills.

Take Action Get ahead of the extreme Texas heat by prioritizing energy resilience and upgrading facilities. Scan the QR code to explore steps your school district can take today to prepare your schools tomorrow.

Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

12 16

Through the glass ceiling

TASA President Profile Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora leads TASA into its 100th year

Support helps female superintendents shine

by Dacia Rivers

18 TEPSA President Profile Coppell ISD’s Cooper Hilton puts school leaders in the limelight

Departments 10 Who’s News 26 Calendar 35 Ad Index

Photo Features

15 Annual TEPSA summer conference 23 TASA’s txedFest in San Antonio 25 TASSP summer workshop

Columns

5 From the Editor

by Dacia Rivers 7 The Law Dawg— Unleashed

by Jim Walsh 9 The Digital Frontier

by Leann Kidd 20 The Arts

by Horacio Gomez 35 The Back Page

by Riney Jordan

The views expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher or Texas School Business advertisers.

The publisher also makes no endorsement of the advertisers or advertisements in this publication.

GET READY TO BE INSPIRED!

Introducing the txEDCON24 general session speakers!

Jose Hernandez Astronaut, CEO, engineer, scientist, and author

Nancy Giordano Exponential strategist, business futurist, and author

John Maxwell Author, speaker, coach, and leader

There’s still time to register.

Visit tasa.tasb.org for more information.

Ideas. Insights. Inspiration.

Shaping Public Education Together

Sept. 27–29 • San Antonio Henry B. González Convention Center

From the editor

I

n this issue of Texas School Business, we kick off a new school year with a feature on women in the superintendency. It’s nothing new to point out that women make up a small number of top office holders in school districts despite leading the overwhelming majority of classrooms in the state, and in this issue, we delve into why this is the case and what we all can do about it, with a little help from our friends from the Texas Council of Women School Executives (TCWSE).

We also feature two new association presidents: TASA’s Martha Salazar-Zamora (who is also the TCWSE president-elect) and TEPSA’s Cooper Hilton, along with photo features from recent TASA, TEPSA and TASSP events.

In The Arts, we’ve got a highlight from El Paso’s Ysleta ISD, detailing the collaborative nature of fine arts in the district. This issue’s Digital Frontier column is one you won’t want to miss, offering tips on how districts can navigate a device refresh, something a lot of districts are going through as they reach four or five years since going 1:1 (and we all know four or five years is a decade in tech years).

As always, if you have a story idea, or know of a student or arts educator in your district who might be interested in writing about their work for our magazine, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

I hope you enjoy and share this issue, and look forward to our November issue, where we’ll highlight the newest Texas Superintendent of the Year, and of course, our 18th annual Bragging Rights edition, due out in early December.

Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024 Volume LXXI, Issue 5 406 East 11th Street Austin, Texas 78701 Phone: 512-477-6361 www.texasschoolbusiness.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Dacia Rivers DESIGN

Phaedra Strecher COLUMNISTS

Riney Jordan Leann Kidd Jim Walsh

ADVERTISING SALES

Dacia Rivers Editorial Director

Jennifer Garrido

TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Kevin Brown

DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING

Amy Francisco

Texas School Business (ISSN 0563-2978) is published online bimonthly with a special edition, Bragging Rights, in December, by the Texas Association of School Administrators. © Copyright 2024 Texas Association of School Administrators

Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

5

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THE LAW DAWG – UNLEASHED

Phonics in the AI era

by Jim Walsh

H

ow can it be that a senior in high school has a 3.4 GPA … but can’t read? That’s the story behind the case of W.A. v. Clarksville-Montgomery County School System, decided by the federal court for the Middle District of Tennessee on May 24, 2024. Two teachers flat out said: This kid can’t read. The mom testified that he could not consistently spell his last name. A teacher asked him to read the assignment he had supposedly written.

He couldn’t do it.

How can this be?

In part, the story gives us a glimpse into our future AI-driven world. The court explained: W.A. can speak the words of a topic such as “George Washington” into a Word document by using speech to text software. He can then paste that written word, “George Washington,” into an artificial intelligence bot such as “Chat GPT.” … The AI bot can create a paper about the subject matter, here George Washington, that W.A. can highlight and paste back into a Word document. W.A. can then run the Word document through another software program, “Grammarly,” which will create a demeanor or style (e.g., business, informal paper, graduate level, undergraduate level, or essay). Where words appear as underlined for being contextually inappropriate, W.A. would click and change them per the software’s suggestion, although he would not understand the changes being made by the software, or whether they were actually grammatically appropriate. W.A. will next use

read-aloud software to read him the newly fashioned Word document, and he then would change items that he was not satisfied with or that “didn’t sound right.” At that point, if Word notes grammatical errors, W.A. can click to make automatic changes that would be inserted by the software. Once the product is finished, W.A. cannot read it himself — he again would listen to the read-aloud software.

This kid must be one smart cookie, and I’m sure that some would say that he doesn’t need to know how to “read.” Perhaps this is a parallel development to the change in math education now that we have universal access to calculators. Do we really need to know the multiplication tables? How useful is the ability to do long division?

Maybe this is the future, but in 2024, schools are still expected to teach kids to … you know … READ. The problem here, according to the hearing officer and the federal court, is that the student’s IEPs focused on higher level skills such as fluency. This enabled everyone to ignore, or at least not notice, the more fundamental problem. This student lacked basic reading skills, and the school was not directly teaching those skills.

This case gives us a glimpse of our AI future, but also a reminder of lessons from the ancient past. Phonics matter.

The student’s IEP should have focused on “foundational reading skills.”

Instead, the IEPs provided “a system of accommodations so sweeping that it makes the severity of his disability hard to notice.”

Those high grades (3.4 GPA) “reflected W.A.’s work ethic and capacity for information retention.” But they “do not

This case gives us a glimpse of our AI future, but also a reminder of lessons from the ancient past.

Phonics matter.

establish that he received a FAPE with regard to the specific area of reading and writing skills.”

Indeed, all of the available evidence suggests that, for nearly the entirety of W.A.’s time at CMCSS, he was being treated like a student whose ill-defined learning disability compromised his fluency and expression — not as a student who lacked basic reading skills due to dyslexia.

It’s up to educators to spot a situation like this and get to work on building a strong foundation. In the Tennessee case the court ordered “888 hours of compensatory education of dyslexia-specific tutoring from a qualified provider trained to provide such tutoring through the Wilson Reading and Language System.” That kind of instruction should have been provided all along.

JIM WALSH is an attorney with Walsh Gallegos Treviño Russo & Kyle PC. He can be reached at jwalsh@wabsa.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: @jwalshtxlawdawg.

Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

7

Career Kickstart — a new program from College Board—aims to clear a path for students to own their future through career preparation.

Career Kickstart is a new career-focused program that leads to credentials and college credit for all students who want to prepare for a career, whether they are heading to two- or four-year colleges, technical schools, or the workforce.

TM

With a focus on high-demand fields like cybersecurity, Career Kickstart brings the best of Advanced Placement® to courses designed for career and technical education.

Courses are powered by the AP® features that educators value: robust teacher training, dedicated educator communities, free student resources, high-quality assessments, and the broadest national network of college credit policies.

Cybersecurity Pathway Cybersecurity is an in-demand, high-growth field with entry-level jobs that pay well and don’t require a fouryear degree. There are currently more than 500,000 open cybersecurity jobs across the country1, but less than 2% of high school students have access to cybersecurity pathways2. Career Kickstart is piloting the cybersecurity pathway with schools in 2024-25 and 2025-26 in preparation for national launch in 2026-27.

10th Grade

11th Grade

CK Course

CK Cyber 1: Networking Fundamentals

CK Cyber 2: Cybersecurity Fundamentals

CK Assessment

CK STUDENT EXPERIENCE

CK Networking Fundamentals credential + college credit

CK Cybersecurity Fundamentals credential + college credit

Career Kickstart courses prepare students through: Applied learning: Students will build the skills needed to solve problems in the job sector by doing authentic, work-based activities.

Career connections: Students learn about the career field and the required skills and knowledge.

Supportive instruction: Course content is designed to ensure students from all backgrounds can meaningfully engage and succeed.

Career Kickstart Cybersecurity pathway resources: § Course frameworks outline the essential knowledge and learning objectives for each course, and emphasize both technical and professional skills.

§ Sample lesson plans, aligned to the course frameworks, provide applied and career-connected pedagogy. § 5-day summer training on course content, lesson development, and delivery.

§ Monthly professional learning opportunities during the school year. § Online teacher community to share best practices.

12th Grade Local Apprenticeship or Internship

§ Career Kickstart Classroom will provide exam practice for teachers and students. § Exam that qualifies for college credit.

Apply by November 15, 2024, to be a Career Kickstart Pilot Teacher! careerkickstart.org

For more information on Pilot commitments and to apply, visit Careerkickstart.org Questions? Email careerkickstartpilots@ collegeboard.org

1. Cyberseek.org

2. cybersupply.org

© 2024 College Board.

APD-601

DIGITAL FRONTIER

Navigating device refresh strategies: ensuring technological success in Texas school districts

by Leann Kidd

W

hether a district operates as a one-to-one program, uses classroom carts, or offers device checkout at campuses, the need for a device refresh for students and staff is a top priority for technology departments across the state. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for technology to provide innovative lessons, targeted interventions and seamless submission of classroom work.

After encountering the need for devices to support distance learning, classroom teachers have since become reliant on the learning opportunities mobile devices provide in the classroom. Many districts were not one-to-one before the pandemic, so they are entering — or soon will be entertaining — a conversation about device refresh.

With the impending expiration of ESSER funding, technology departments are now confronted with the difficult task of maintaining the environment teachers have come to rely on while also balancing the budget for all technology projects across the district. The concept of a “device refresh” has always been a standard expectation for technology departments, but now the addition of more mobile devices requires even more meticulous consideration and strategic planning.

Someone outside of the technology department may ask, “Since the device still works, why can’t I keep it?” The answer lies in the rapid pace of technological advancements. Every day manufacturers release new hardware and software to enhance their operating systems and support innovations like artificial intelligence, STEM, VR, etc. Because technology is constantly evolving, the device on which you are reading this article, and the device sitting on a student’s desk, will both become not only obsolete, but also a security risk.

As a device ages, it eventually stops receiving updates. This means it misses

While ensuring that devices in students’ hands are secure and functional is a priority for many districts, that can’t be the only consideration in creating a refresh plan.

important security patches and bug fixes, and its apps eventually become incompatible with the outdated operating system. This hinders the device’s functionality and, more importantly, exposes the user to security threats.

District technology staff must determine when to retire a device to determine the long-term spending plan. For instance, if a district has iPads in its district, they are certainly keeping an eye out and talking to its resellers about the upcoming release of an iOS system in September, to consider whether its iPad fleet will need any upgrades. Technology staff must have a plan to refresh devices and communicate this to their stakeholders.

While ensuring that devices in students’ hands are secure and functional is a priority for many districts, that can’t be the only consideration in creating a refresh plan.

When thinking about the funding that districts must commit to maintaining a student device ecosystem, a variety of issues need to be discussed. For example, continuing to purchase the same devices

year after year without conversion can be detrimental to meeting curriculum standards. After establishing when a device will be retired, it’s important to hedge against operating system releases and have conversations before a device is purchased.

While the technology department has the experts in choosing a quality device, that device refresh decision can’t be made without their counterpart in the curriculum department.

A fresh start Getting to a device retirement age is a good opportunity for departments to determine what’s best for their district. When a device refresh is on the calendar, the technology and curriculum departments should have several conversations in order to make the best decisions for the district’s device refresh or device standard.

• Usage: Evaluate whether these devices are being used as intended.

Are they fostering innovation or intervention? Are they used for specific content areas, all day, or sporadically?

Program analytics can help determine these devices’ effectiveness and correct usage. While looking at data can inform decisions, gathering feedback from staff and students about their experiences with the devices is essential for making informed decisions.

• Features: Ensure the devices are compatible with the current curriculum and software. As technology and curriculum mandates change, the devices should not hinder instruction. Considerations may include adding accessories or opting for more robust devices.

• Quantity: Determine the appropriate number of devices needed. Questions to consider include: Do we need a ► See Digital Frontier, page 22 Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

9

Who’s News Abilene ISD A new associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction is in place for Abilene ISD. Patti Blue comes to the district from Gustine ISD, where she was superintendent. She previously worked at Abilene High School and as a curriculum consultant for ESC Region 14. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Baylor University and her master’s degree from Tarleton State University.

Jennifer Hinds has been

promoted from director of fiscal services to executive director of finance. She joined the district in 2020 as a senior accountant after spending three years as Stamford ISD’s federal programs director. She earned her bachelor’s degree from McMurry University and her master’s degree in business administration from Angelo State University.

The next principal of Ortiz Elementary School, Kimberly McCutcheon, brings more than two decades of experience to her new role, most recently in Harlingen CISD. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Colorado Christian University.

Alice ISD The district’s newly appointed child nutrition director is Juan Salinas, who comes to Alice from Montgomery ISD, where he was assistant child nutrition director. He has over a decade of experience in the field in both the public and private sectors.

Alief ISD The following administrative appointments have been announced by the district: • Sarah Caldwell, director of elementary human resources; • Vinson Lewis, assistant superintendent of support services; • David Lopez, director of secondary human resources; • Fabiana Mattero, principal, Hicks Elementary School; • Matt Skiles, principal, Alief Early College High School.

10

Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

Beeville ISD Dave Holmgreen, former assistant coach in

Gregory-Portland ISD, is now Beeville ISD’s head football coach and assistant athletic director. He previously coached in Buda, Ector County, San Angelo and Alice ISDs. He is a graduate of Texas State University and is at work on his master’s degree at Texas Tech University.

Beeville ISD has announced that interim athletic director Richard Vasquez has been named to the position on a permanent basis.

He is a longtime Beeville ISD assistant coach and head baseball coach.

Bryan ISD Five new head coaching assignments have been announced by Bryan ISD. They are: • Jessica Fugleberg, swimming and water polo, Bryan High School; • Emily Hubacek, volleyball, Bryan High School; • Treasure Jackson, girls’ basketball, Bryan High School; • Stephen Maupin, tennis, Bryan High School; • Jared Whiles, gymnastics, Rudder High School.

Canutillo ISD (El Paso) Veteran music director Andres Rodriguez has been hired as Canutillo High School’s band director and district music administrator.

A music teacher and band director for 20 years, he most recently worked in El Paso’s Ysleta ISD. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas and his master’s degree from the University of Phoenix.

College Station ISD Former Creek View Elementary School assistant principal Amanda Allen now leads Pebble Creek Elementary. The 18-year educator has also served as a teacher, master teacher, instructional coach and math specialist. She is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a master’s degree in education administration from Lamar University.

Letty Roman has been named College

Station ISD’s executive director of elementary education. Now in her 20th year as an educator, she earned her bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and her master’s and doctoral degrees in educational leadership from Sam Houston State University. She joins College Station ISD from Tomball ISD, where she was principal of Wildwood Elementary.

Bianca Watkins has accepted the role of

assistant director of assessment and related services. She comes to College Station from Dickinson ISD, where she was a specialist in school psychology and assessment and a Child Find team lead. She holds a doctorate in school psychology from Texas A&M University.

Additionally, three assistant principal assignments have been announced. They are: • Karin Graser, College Station High School; • Curtisha Maye, College Station High School; • Shelby Wolken, Pecan Trail Intermediate School.

Coppell ISD Greg Axelson has accepted the position

of principal of the Coppell Ninth Grade Campus. He previously served as principal of Coppell Middle School and worked as an assistant principal.

The new principal of Coppell Middle School North is Chris Gollner, who has led Denton Creek Elementary School since 2022. He has spent most of his career in Coppell ISD, also working as a science teacher and assistant principal.

The following appointments have also been made: • Kylie Godinez, assistant principal, Canyon Ranch Elementary School; • Tiffany Lee, assistant principal, Town Center Elementary School; • Taylor Smith-Bothun, associate principal, Coppell High School.

Corpus Christi ISD Former chief officer of school improvement and innovation Sandra Clement has been promoted to deputy superintendent of curriculum and instruction. She previously spent 12 years as principal of Moody High School. She holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi.

Zonia Lopez, former director

of special programs, has been named principal of Zavala Elementary School.

Trent Wagner has accepted

the role of executive director of construction and project management. The former Christus Spohn Health Systems project manager has a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University at Kingsville and a master’s degree from Louisiana State University.

Now serving as director of special programs is Teresa Jo Wright, coming to her new job from Lanesville ISD, where she was superintendent for seven years.

She is a graduate of Southwest Texas State University with a master’s degree from Walden University.

Corsicana ISD Bowie Elementary School’s new principal, Dallas Horne, has been with the district for six years, the past three leading Houston Elementary.

An educator for 17 years, he is a graduate of Southwestern Assemblies of God University with a master’s degree from Dallas Baptist University. He is nearing completion of his doctorate at Tarleton State University.

Cypress-Fairbanks ISD Yeager Elementary School’s new principal, Kerri Dale, who was most recently assistant principal of Matzke Elementary, is a 24-year education veteran. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas Christian University and a master’s degree from Houston Baptist University.

Former Birkes Elementary School assistant principal Megan Fernandez has been promoted to principal. An educator for 19 years, she began her career in Holbrook Elementary as a pre-K teacher.

She has a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree in education administration from Sam Houston State University.

Krystal Love-Hoyer is the

newly appointed principal of Labay Middle School, where she served as assistant principal for a year before being named Cypress Creek High School’s director of instruction in 2020. Her bachelor’s degree is from Texas A&M University and her master’s degree in educational leadership is from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Decatur ISD Karen Rue, a 40-year educator

who led Northwest ISD from 2005 until her retirement in 2016, has agreed to serve as Decatur ISD’s interim superintendent.

Denton ISD

Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD Susannah O’Bara, who

was the district’s deputy superintendent, now serves as superintendent. A native of Denton and a product of Denton ISD schools, she is the first female superintendent in the district’s 124-year history.

Former Strickland Middle School assistant principal Chukwumeziri Orabuchi has been named principal of the Davis School, Denton ISD’s DAEP (Disciplinary Alternative Education Program). He has also served the district as a behavior specialist, teacher and substitute principal. He previously worked in Frisco and Lewisville ISDs. The new principal of Myers Middle School is Ronald Sterling, a graduate of the University of North Texas who has 24 years of experience in public education. He began his career as a special education teacher in Arp ISD and was most recently Houston ISD’s executive director of student services. He holds a master’s degree in education administration from Grand Canyon University.

Superintendent Jamie Wilson has retired after leading the district for 12 years. He will serve as superintendent emeritus through January 2025.

Dew ISD Kent Reynolds has come out

of retirement to accept the position of superintendent of Dew ISD. He led Hallsburg ISD for 15 years.

Dripping Springs ISD Now leading Cypress Springs Elementary School is Amber Daige, who has been with the district for 15 years, most recently serving as assistant principal of Walnut Springs Elementary.

Dripping Springs Elementary School’s new principal, Kellie Raymond, comes to her new post from Cypress Springs Elementary, which she led since its opening three years ago. She initially was a teacher at Rooster Springs Elementary, going on to serve as assistant principal of Walnut Springs Elementary.

Superintendent Jim Chadwell has announced his upcoming retirement, effective the end of this fall semester, capping a 31-year career.

He has led the district for 14 years.

Eanes ISD (Austin) Brandon Baker has taken the

job of head choir director at Westlake High School. He has 10 years of experience as a teacher and music director, most recently working at Hendrickson High in Pflugerville ISD after stints in public schools in Atlanta and Memphis.

Westlake High School has welcomed a new assistant band director. Austin Byers has joined the Westlake team after serving the past four years as associate band director at Cypress Woods High in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. After spending six years as principal of West Ridge Middle School, Dianne Parks has returned to Westlake High School, where she previously was assistant principal and supervisor of fine arts, to serve as dean of arts and student life.

Thomas Turpin has stepped

into the role of head band director at Westlake High School after 15 years as director of bands at Westwood High School in Round Rock ISD. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from the University of Alabama.

El Paso ISD Michelle Casillas is the district’s new assistant

superintendent of elementary schools. She previously served as executive director of leadership and talent development.

The new director of special education is Domingo Jauregui, who joins the district from El Paso’s Clint ISD, where he was assistant special education director. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and of Northcentral University, which conferred his doctorate in special education.

Now serving as director of special education is Jorge Saenz, who comes to his new position from El Paso’s Socorro ISD, where was assistant director of special education.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at El Paso and ► See Who’s News, page 24 Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

11

Through the

S

ue Huffman was the first woman to serve as a school superintendent in Texas, holding the post in the Fort Worth area from 1880-81. The superintendent position was created in Texas 11 years earlier, making Huffman a pioneer. But while she might have been a trailblazer, the field has not been so fertile for her fellow women in education in the years since.

The numbers More than 100 years after Huffman’s rise to the superintendency, in 1998, a professor at Ohio State University crunched some numbers and determined that, at the time, the odds of a male teacher becoming a superintendent were one in 40, while the odds of a female teacher becoming a superintendent were one in 1,667.

12

Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

Here in the 21st century, things haven’t gotten a whole lot better for female superintendents in the country, or in the state. In fact, the percentage of women serving as superintendent in Texas has barely changed since 2018, a staggering fact when you consider the sheer amount of superintendent turnover experienced since COVID-19 shook the world. According to a 2023 report from the ILO Group, half of the 500 largest districts in the country have experienced a leadership change since March 2020. Of the 92 women who left the superintendency since then, 66% were replaced by men.

In Texas in the 2021-22 school year, 75.9% of classroom teachers were women. That same year, about 25% of superintendents were women. It’s no surprise that women

run the majority of classrooms; teaching has long been a female-dominated profession, but the higher up the district leadership ladder you go, the fewer women you’ll find.

The question is: Why? What’s happening between the classroom and the top office to deter and prevent women from moving up in administration?

The why The answer to that “why” is multifaceted.

For starters, we can determine what is not causing the issue. It’s not a lack of education.

Among female superintendents, nearly 40% carry doctoral degrees, a rate almost 7% above that of male superintendents, per the ILO Group. It’s also not a lack of job experience. The American Association of School Administrators performed a study

Support helps female superintendents shine

by Dacia Rivers

What’s happening between the classroom and the top office to deter and prevent women from moving up in administration?

Superintendency in Texas, by Gender Men

100% 75%

75%

Women 74%

50% 26%

25%

25%

0%

2021-2022

2022-2023 Source: ILO Group

Note: ILO Group began compiling superintendent data in 2021. According to TCWSE documents, Texas had seven female superintendents in 1984, when the organization was founded.

Doctorate Attainment of Superintendents, by Gender (2022-2023) Superintendents with Doctorates

that determined female superintendents reach the office with an average of 24.9 years of education experience, compared to 23.7 years among male superintendents.

The reason why women are underrepresented as superintendents can be split into two factors, as evidenced in a report from the Educational Administration Quarterly. For one thing, women are less likely to apply for superintendent positions.

Second, when they do, they are less likely to be selected as finalists.

First, it’s important to consider why women might not be applying for superintendent positions. Jeannie Meza-Chavez, superintendent of San Elizario ISD, says that in her experience, this is due to two factors.

For starters, women throughout time have prioritized family to a degree that men have

Superintendents without Doctorates

Men

33%

67%

not. When Meza-Chavez first became a superintendent 10 years ago, her sons were 4 and 6 years old.

Women

39%

61%

“I used to read to my boys every night, and when I got home from my very first board meeting, they were already in bed and I didn’t get to read to them and I cried,” she says.

Superintendent Gender,

by Location Type (2022-2023)

Meza-Chavez and her family persevered, with mutual support, understanding and flexibility, but she says the first year of superintendency was the most difficult by far. Beyond the family considerations, Meza-Chavez also feels that women tend to lack the belief that they can do the job. She cites studies that have found women wait to apply for a job until they meet or exceed ► See GLASS, page 14

0%

25%

50%

75%

Men City Suburb

Women

52

17

77

33

Town Rural 0%

100%

25%

156

51

470

168 50%

75%

100%

Note: Largest population represented first in graphic.

Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

13

◄ Continued from page 13

all requirements, while men tend to apply early, believing they can do the job even before they’ve checked all the boxes.

“There came a moment when I was serving as HR director in a large district and I said to myself, ‘How hard can it be to do great things for children?’” Meza-Chavez says.

“And then I submitted my name. I am sure there were other people who may have been more qualified, but they took a chance on a newbie.”

According to the ILO Report, researchers believe the superintendency was designed to be a male-dominated position. While preconceived notions about gender have long told us that women are best in “nurturing” roles, such as teaching and nursing, men excel when it comes to management. It’s an antiquated way of thinking that doesn’t hold up to scrutiny, and yet it persists.

Internalized bias doesn’t help, and with the majority of school boards led by male presidents, the pattern continues. MezaChavez suggests that anyone questioning whether women can do the job take a look at the team behind the men in charge.

“Look to see who’s helping your male superintendent,” she says. “They’re usually surrounded by tons of women helping them do the work.”

The work Of the numerous things that can be done to support women in school leadership, a

Superintendent and Gender,

by Region (2022-2023)

up-and-coming female coworker, to recognize the work she’s put in, advocate for her and help advance her career.

Region

Name

Female

Male

1

Edinburg

42%

58%

2

Corpus Christi

49%

51%

3

Victoria

30%

70%

4

Houston

35%

65%

5

Beaumont

24%

76%

6

Huntsville

22%

78%

7

Kilgore

27%

73%

8

Mount Pleasant

30%

70%

9

Wichita Falls

14%

86%

10

Richardson

34%

66%

11

Fort Worth

29%

71%

12

Waco

21%

79%

13

Austin

24%

76%

14

Abilene

19%

81%

15

San Angelo

20%

80%

16

Amarillo

28%

72%

17

Lubbock

16%

84%

18

Midland

19%

81%

19

El Paso

42%

58%

20

San Antonio

20%

80%

Source: ILO Group

key piece that lies in the hands of school administrators is support. Countless school leaders credit their rise in administration to being hand-tapped by a peer. Any senior administrator can be a sponsor to an

School employees who have a sponsor are more likely to realize their own value, apply for higher level positions and ask for pay raises.

School employees who have a sponsor are more likely to realize their own value, apply for higher level positions and ask for pay raises. The ILO Report finds that men in administration typically have twice as many sponsors as women in the field.

Support and mentorship can also come from outside a district’s doors. Meza-Chavez is president of the Texas Council of Women School Executives (TCWSE), a group that works to promote and support women who are in or who hope to reach administrative positions. TCWSE hosts meetings where women can come together to collaborate and gain inspiration from each other.

“I’m fortunate to have found that place that has kept me sane in the superintendency,” Meza-Chavez says of the organization.

“I think it’s important that women are encouraged by other women in leadership.

Women must be consistent about promoting and celebrating other women.”

Meza-Chavez encourages any woman interested in ascending in her education career to attend a TCWSE event to find a group of supportive professionals.

“If you want your soul to get a hug, come to the conference,” Meza-Chavez says. “If I have a dilemma right now, I can pick up the phone and there’s at least 75 other female superintendents who I know personally who I could call and ask for help.”

Once women do reach the superintendency, the struggle isn’t over. For starters, female superintendents are paid, on average, $20,000 to $30,000 less than their male counterparts, according to the Council of Great City Schools. And it can take a while to earn the level of respect that might come more quickly to male superintendents, especially in a district that hasn’t yet seen its share of female leaders. The superintendency is not for the weak … but neither is teaching. If more than 285,000 women are standing up and leading Texas classrooms today, then who’s to say many of them couldn’t work their way up and apply their knowledge and skills to leading an entire district.

“To those women, I say, ‘Why not step up?’”

Meza-Chavez says. “Why not put your name in the hat? Until they tell you no, keep putting your name in the hat. Then if they say no, put it in again somewhere else and let them see you shine somewhere else.”

▲ Jeannie Meza-Chavez, superintendent of San Elizario ISD and TCWSE president.

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Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

DACIA RIVERS is editorial director of Texas School Business.

Photo Feature

ROUND ROCK WELCOMES ANNUAL TEPSA SUMMER CONFERENCE The Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA) held its annual summer conference in Round Rock in June, with a theme of “We Lead Texas.” Attendees included more than 2,000 Texas PK-8 principals, assistant principals, supervisors and aspiring administrators

▲ TEPSA members enjoy planning and collaborating before sessions begin.

▲ Educators from EdcouchElsa ISD excitedly await the keynote speaker.

▲ Socorro ISD educators enjoy petting a kangaroo in the Exhibit Hall.

► Texas school leaders celebrate the principalship.

▲ TEPSA is proud to partner with the University of Texas to ensure that aspiring principals are successful.

▲ Crowley ISD invests to ensure their school leaders are ready for the new year.

▲ School leaders from ESC Region 6 share ideas between sessions.

▲ Attendees enjoy hands-on learning in the Exhibit Hall.

▲ Celebrating Region 4 school leaders at the TEPSA Region Meetups.

▲ The Admin Squad celebrates Texas leaders.

▲ School leaders from Regions 4 and 6 enjoy catching up and sharing ideas.

◄ Region 16 educators connect at TEPSA Region Meetups.

Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

15

PRESIDENT PROFILE

Texas Association of School Administrators

Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora leads TASA into its 100th year

“You can be in the smallest of districts with fewer than 500 students, or you can be in the largest, and you have a voice.”

I

n 2025, the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) will celebrate its centennial, with Tomball ISD Superintendent Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora serving as association president.

Salazar-Zamora was drawn to work in education by her personal experience. In her youth, she suffered a severe and profound hearing loss, and at age 17 received an ossicular chain implant. She spent years in speech therapy and became passionate about the field, studying speech pathology in college.

She earned a doctorate of education from Texas A&M University, a master’s of education in educational administration and a master’s of education in special education from Texas A&M UniversityKingsville, and a bachelor’s of science from Texas A&I University.

More than 37 years ago, Salazar-Zamora began her career in public education. She started as a speech therapist and worked as an educational diagnostician, classroom teacher, director of federal programs and assistant superintendent before taking the superintendent’s position in her native Kingsville. She held administrative positions in Spring, Houston and Round Rock ISDs before making the move to Tomball. In 2017, SalazarZamora became superintendent in TISD, and was named Texas

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Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

Superintendent of the Year and an AASA National Superintendent of the Year Finalist in 2023.

In addition to a decorated career, Salazar-Zamora has been a TASA member for more than 20 years and has served the association in numerous roles, sitting on several committees and working with the Texas High Performance School Consortium and Future-Ready Superintendents Leadership Network.

“I became active with TASA during my first superintendency, and I realized the importance of learning from leaders across the state and making those connections,” she says. “It was one of the best professional decisions I’ve made, because they have become lifelong, not just professional, but personal connections with great leaders throughout the state.”

The more Salazar-Zamora became engaged with TASA, the more she wanted to do for the organization. One of the group’s many benefits, she says, is the way the association offers opportunities to all school leaders aligned with whatever their interests might be.

TASA provides stepping stones for administrators to get involved and become engaged in the work that inspires them most.

When Salazar-Zamora joined TASA, she was superintendent in a small district, but says that working with the organization gave her an equal voice to administrators from much larger districts.

“You can be in the smallest of districts with fewer than 500 students, or you can be in the largest, and you have a voice. I think it’s remarkable that everyone is valued, everyone is heard, and everyone can serve.

To me, that meant a lot.”

TASA membership opens the doors to a wide community of school leaders, all of whom have a united goal to serve the students of Texas. After more than two decades of membership, Salazar-Zamora says she can always pick up the phone and reach out to a peer who is like-minded and ready to listen and help.

“The support network is unlike any I’ve ever seen,” she says. “And it’s not just for superintendents. Many of my cabinet and executive team members are learning through TASA opportunities and conferences. The strength of the association is the membership of the association.”

When the calendar turns over on January 1, Salazar-Zamora, TASA’s first Latina president, will be at the helm as the association begins its 100th year. It’s a milestone event, and one over which Salazar-Zamora says she is honored and humbled to preside.

“100 years is a celebratory moment. We’re looking forward to our continued strategic planning and the continual strength of our incredible association that has done so much in 100 years. TASA has a solid foundation and a rich tradition.”

Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) Membership: TASA membership includes public school leaders at the district and campus levels.

Mission: TASA’s mission is to promote, provide and develop leaders who create and sustain student-centered schools and develop future-ready students.

Year founded: 1925 Website: tasanet.org

Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

17

PRESIDENT PROFILE

Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association

Coppell ISD’s Cooper Hilton puts school leaders in the limelight “To know there’s an association at the state level that, while we are in the thick of it, can still be looking out for the best interests of our public schools, our kids and our educators … to me, that’s invaluable.”

A

s Cooper Hilton enters his 20th year in education, he’s happy to know that the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TESPA), which he now serves as president, has his back.

Principal of Coppell ISD’s Wilson Elementary, Hilton got into the education field through a non-traditional path. In college at the University of Dallas, he majored in Spanish literature, and as graduation grew near, he was still figuring out what he wanted to do professionally. In high school, Hilton had enjoyed volunteering and working with kids, so on a whim, he went to an Irving ISD job fair.

“Somehow, I walked away with a position teaching third grade bilingual,” Hilton recalls. “I was on a real high and I thought, ‘This is great. I’ve already got a job lined up.’ Then it hit me. I had no idea what I was doing.”

Nonetheless, Hilton jumped into the role and felt right at home. He quickly learned the need for educators to remain flexible, as he was moved into a new classroom just one week after starting in Irving.

He wound up teaching fourth and fifth grade bilingual education and loved it. He received his alternative certification and then

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Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

moved into an interventionist role, in accelerated math and reading instruction.

While working in Irving, an administrator suggested Hilton go into an administrative program in the district. Hilton went through the process, was selected, and served as an administrative intern while finishing his master’s degree at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Once he finished the program, Hilton became an assistant principal in Irving, where he stayed for four years before moving to Coppell ISD, the district he’s called home for 15 years now, with the last 11 as Wilson principal.

As soon as Hilton got into administration, his principal handed him a TEPSA form and urged him to join. He joined for the coverage and the professional learning opportunities, but wasn’t active in the organization until a few other CISD principals who served TEPSA at the state level put Hilton’s name forward to serve on a committee.

“From there, I really caught the bug,” Hilton says. “I’ve always had people around me who knew what I needed before I knew it.”

Hilton says that the more he learned what TEPSA does the more he wanted to be involved. While TEPSA members enjoy several

benefits, he feels the networking and community opportunities are the greatest reason to join. Hilton knows that being an administrator can be lonely, and TEPSA allows those in leadership positions to connect with and learn from others in their field.

theme for the year is “School leaders, the pride of Texas.”

As the day-to-day business of running a school, combined with being a parent of four children, keeps Hilton busy, he also appreciates that TEPSA staff, many of whom are former principals themselves, keep on top of advocacy needs, something especially important in a legislative year.

“I am a very, very proud, multi-generational Texan,” Hilton says. “My platform this year is that one of our biggest resources, our biggest points of pride, are our school leaders. No matter what is thrown at them, whether it’s COVID or legislation, evolving student behavior and academic needs, or political hot topics, our school leaders still come in every day and hire the best and support the best and expect the best and love and nurture and care all while having our own families and personal needs.”

“To know there’s an association at the state level that, while we are in the thick of it, can still be looking out for the best interests of our public schools, our kids and our educators … to me, that’s invaluable.”

By working to remind everyone of just how essential school leaders are, Hilton hopes he can elevate their status, get them the respect they deserve, and maybe even draw new people to the role.

This year, Hilton was chosen to serve as association president, a position he feels honored to hold. He’s excited to take the role during a legislative session, and is focused on shining a light on the important work that school principals do. TEPSA’s

“It’s harder and harder to attract people to become principals, assistant principals or district-level administrators. I think if people knew how noble our work is, and the influence we have and all the positive things we can do to impact kids, then I think more people would choose it.”

Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA) Membership: TEPSA membership includes school leaders of Texas PK-8 schools.

Mission: TEPSA provides leadership training, networking opportunities, information and support for school leaders as they strive to improve the education of Texas school children and members’ working conditions. The group maintains its positive impact on legislators, policy makers, communities and other stakeholders to improve the quality of childhood, public education and the principalship, and continues to raise the level of respect for and prestige of the principalship and makes the principalship a highly desired leadership position.

Year founded: 1917 Number of members: more than 5,900 Website: tepsa.org

Six Power-Hour Virtual Events Focused on Six Power-Hour Virtual Events Focused onInstruction Transforming the Basics - The Systems that Support Transforming the Basics - The Systems that Support Instruction Topics for 2024-25 Topics for 2024-25 • AI/Technology

Session Schedule Session Schedule STN events are held online on Tuesdays,

•• AI/Technology Human Resources •• Human Resources Special Education •• Special Education School Budgets and Finance •• School Budgets and Finance Communications •• Communications College, Career, and Military •Readiness College, Career, (CCMR)and Military Readiness (CCMR) • School Board Relations • School Board Relations

T

• • • • • • R •

STN events area.m.: held online on Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-11:15 10 a.m.-11:15 a.m.: • September 24, 2024 •• September 2024 October 29,24, 2024 •• October 29,3,2024 December 2024 •• December 3,2025 2024 February 11, 2025 •• February March 4, 11, 2025 •• March 2025 April 1,4, 2025 • April 1, 2025

S

STN members are also invited to attend an optional in-person session during the TASA STN members are alsoMidwinter invited toConference attend an optional in-person session during the TASA in January in Austin.

Midwinter Conference in January in Austin.

Superintendents, subscribe today!

Superintendents, subscribe today!

Learn more at https://bit.ly/TASA-STN Learn more at https://bit.ly/TASA-STN Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

19

THE ARTS

News in fine arts education

Fine arts education is an important part of student life in Ysleta ISD.

The importance of fine arts education at Hanks High School

by Horacio Gomez

A

t Ysleta ISD in the city of El Paso, fine arts education plays a crucial role in the holistic development of our 34,000 students — and, in particular, at Hanks High School, where it offers more than just an opportunity for creative expression. It is a vital component of the school’s educational framework, fostering intellectual, emotional and social growth. A fine arts education that encompasses music, visual arts, theater and dance serves as a powerful tool for cultivating creativity, critical thinking, cultural awareness and personal development.

At Hanks High School, our fine arts program is not merely an elective, but an essential part of the curriculum that prepares students for success in all aspects of life.

Academic achievement through fine arts One of the most significant impacts of a fine arts education is the contribution to academic success. Numerous studies have

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Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

shown that students who engage in the arts perform better academically across all subjects, as it helps enhance cognitive abilities and improve skills in areas such as problem-solving, critical thinking and time management. For example, learning to read music and understand rhythm can improve mathematical skills, while engaging in visual arts can enhance spatial awareness and attention to detail.

Fine arts students consistently demonstrate higher academic achievement because they are also learning to develop discipline, focus, and perseverance. Whether it’s through the precision required in playing a musical instrument, the creativity needed to produce a piece of visual art, or the teamwork involved in a theater production, the fine arts foster a range of skills that translate into improved performance in the classroom.

Fostering emotional and social development But participation in fine arts is not just about academic success; it is also about nurturing the emotional and social well-being of students. The arts provide a safe and supportive environment where students can explore their emotions, express themselves creatively, and develop a sense of identity. Students can channel their emotions into productive and meaningful activities, helping them develop emotional intelligence and resilience.

The collaborative nature of many fine arts activities — such as theater and music ensembles, for example — also promotes social skills. Students learn to communicate effectively, work together and appreciate different perspectives; these experiences help build empathy, understanding and a sense of community among students. As a result, our fine arts program serves as a cornerstone for fostering inclusivity and social harmony, bringing together students from diverse backgrounds and allowing them to share their unique talents and perspectives.

Cultivating creativity and innovation In today’s changing world, creativity and innovation are more important than ever — and our fine arts program plays a critical role in cultivating these skills. The arts encourage students to think outside the box, experiment with new ideas, and take risks in a safe environment. Whether

it’s through a concert band, mariachi ensemble, a jazz ensemble, the creation of a new dance routine, the composition of an original piece of music, or the development of a unique visual art project, students are constantly challenged to push the boundaries of their imagination.

In the long run, this emphasis on creativity and innovation prepares students for the demands of the 21st century workforce, where employers increasingly value the ability to think creatively and solve complex problems. By engaging in fine arts education, students develop the confidence to approach challenges with an open mind, and the skills to turn their ideas into reality.

Cultural heritage and cultural awareness Fine arts education at Hanks High School also plays a vital role in preserving cultural heritage and promoting cultural awareness.

The arts reflect the rich cultural diversity that exists within the school and the broader community. Through the study of music, dance, theater and visual arts from different cultures, students gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the world’s diverse traditions and histories.

Our fine arts program provides students with opportunities to explore and celebrate their own cultural heritage, as well as to learn about and appreciate the cultures of others. This exposure to different cultural perspectives fosters a sense of global citizenship and helps students develop the cultural competence necessary to navigate an increasingly interconnected world.

Building school spirit and community engagement Fine arts also play an important role in building school spirit and fostering community engagement. Events such as concerts, art exhibitions and theater productions help bring students, parents, teachers and community members together to discover, enjoy and celebrate the talents of our students. This creates a sense of pride and unity while providing opportunities for students to showcase their hard work and dedication.

Our fine arts program also engages the broader community; through partnerships with local arts organizations, the Hanks High School Band Parent Organization and participation in community events, our program serves as a bridge between

the school and the community, promoting mutual support and collaboration.

Preparing students for the future At Hanks High School, the skills and experiences students gain by participating in fine arts are invaluable in preparing them for the future, both personally and professionally. The discipline, creativity and teamwork they develop are highly transferable to a wide range of careers and life situations, and they are better equipped to adapt to change, communicate effectively and collaborate with others — all essential skills in today’s global economy.

Moreover, fine arts provide students with a lifelong appreciation for the arts and a means of personal enrichment. Whether they pursue careers in the arts or simply continue to engage with the arts as a hobby, fine arts students are more likely to lead fulfilling and balanced lives — and our program not only prepares them for success in college and careers, but instills a lifelong love of learning and creativity.

The fine arts program at Hanks High School is more than just a set of courses; it is a fundamental aspect of the school’s mission to develop well-rounded, confident and capable students. The importance of fine arts education cannot be overstated, and it is essential that it remains a central part of the curriculum at all schools.

HORACIO GOMEZ is band director at Hanks High School in Ysleta ISD Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

21

DIGITAL FRONTIER

◄ Continued from page 9

one-to-one ratio? How many devices should each classroom have? Does every content area require devices?

Technology staff can identify which devices to retire or replace based on this assessment and stakeholder feedback.

rollout, the technology department will now need to determine its implementation strategies.

also provide a dollar amount per device in return for a small reimbursement to the overall budget.

Refreshing strategies: insights from districts

• Return on academics: Evaluate the impact of devices on instruction.

With budget limitations, it’s crucial to consider the cost-benefit analysis of investing in technology. What outcomes will be achieved? What is the goal for instructional impact? If there’s uncertainty about the value devices will provide, reassess the quantity needed until a clear vision is established.

• Pilot programs and feedback: Use pilot programs at select campuses to gather feedback before a full deployment.

• Phased rollout: Plan the best way to deploy new technologies, considering delivery logistics, who gets them first based on curriculum needs and testing impacts, and efficient setup.

• Repair/support: Utilize data from repairs and issues with current devices to help inform device refresh options. Work order systems and parts inventory can provide valuable insights. If a current model is not appropriate, technology services and curriculum staff will need to evaluate new models or features to ensure quality devices are acquired in a device refresh.

All the considerations listed above apply to any and all tech in the classroom. Student devices may cost the district the most money in our current environment, but having technology standards and revisiting them regularly is crucial to ensuring that teachers have what they need to succeed.

The strategy of reviewing the added value of technology devices in the classroom (usage and implementation), and whether the right devices are placed in teachers’ and students’ hands, is crucial to ensuring the district is making the right investments to optimize student success. Providing teachers with the “right” resources for classroom success is easily a shared vision of the technology and curriculum departments and can be a conversation often taken for granted.

Refreshing the vision Conversations about the right device for any device refresh are only the first step.

Once those conversations are complete, the technology department’s real work to refresh the vision for technology in the district begins. For a successful device

San Antonio ISD Stephen Haskin, director of acquisitions and project management, shared, “When planning a refresh, it’s important to look at the project through an equity lens. It can be very easy, in both small and big districts, to end up with major disparities in access to technology across schools.

Device refreshes can be a great time to really look hard at how you are allocating resources to be sure that every student, every teacher, and every classroom can benefit.”

• Staggered deployment schedules: Decide whether to deploy devices simultaneously across all campuses or stagger deployments to manage manpower and budget more effectively.

• Training and support: Ensure teachers and students know how to use the devices. Plan training sessions, teacher professional development opportunities and orientation sessions for students to promote accountability and proper device care.

Northside ISD Adam Jackson, director of acquisitions and project management, emphasized that knowing your spending plan was important in helping communicate with district leadership what could be done and for how long, and that open communication on this allowed for the best decision making.

Sustaining the refresh Technology refreshes are a constant topic of conversation for anyone in a technology department. Technology staff strive to be proactive with updates, security patches, and guaranteeing hardware functions as needed. To minimize interruption of instruction, every district must develop a comprehensive maintenance and support plan which includes regular updates and timely repairs. There is a balance between maintenance and instruction, keeping device update plans aligned with educational goals requires frequent conversations among technology staff.

While it is the goal to get the most out of a device, timing updates and maintenance outside of instructional windows is a key component to success.

As devices are retired, many options exist for environmentally friendly disposal and recycling programs. Using vendors who will collect the devices and recycle them for the department is a win. This approach ensures that obsolete technology is handled responsibly, reducing environmental impact while simplifying the disposal process for the school district. Many vendors will

Spring Branch ISD When asked about lessons learned, Bobby LaFleur, officer of information technology, shared that getting stakeholders to “understand the loss rate” is not sustainable. He spoke to the new student environment and how imperative it is that “campuses are taking responsibility and ensuring students are returning devices” and doing so in good care.

No district claims to have a perfect refresh strategy, while many have strong systems in place they will also acknowledge room for improvement. If your district hasn’t started a device refresh strategy, now is the time. The hardest part is often the first step, which begins with a conversation. The most successful device refresh strategies are collaborative efforts between the technology and curriculum departments. These conversations ensure that every decision supports the ultimate goal: providing students with safe, secure devices for an innovative learning environment.

LEANN KIDD , a Certified Educational Technology Leader with 20 years of educational experience, serves as the executive director of technology services at Northside ISD.

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Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

Photo Feature

TASA’S TXEDFEST WELCOMES SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS TO SAN ANTONIO The Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) hosted its 2024 Summer Conference, “txedFest,” in June at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa in San Antonio. Attendees enjoyed three days of relaxed, retreat-style learning.

▲ txedFest attendees and their families enjoy a welcome reception at the start of the conference.

▲ The conference provides numerous networking opportunities.

▲ Some of TASA’s “Inspiring Leaders” pose between sessions.

▲ TASA members pose with keynote speaker George Couros.

▲ Expert panelists offer their insight to conference-goers.

▲ TASA members from ESC Region 20 catch up during the conference.

▲ txedFest offers multiple opportunities for professional development.

▲ TASA’s Brian Woods and Charles Dupre participate in a txedFest session.

▲ The summer conference provides leadership training in a relaxed, retreatstyle environment.

Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

23

Who’s News ◄ Continued from page 11

his master’s degree from Sul Ross State University.

Also, the following principal assignments have been announced: • Patricia Bazan, Kohlberg Elementary School; • Patricia Benitez, Hart Elementary School; • Rodolfo Diaz, Wiggs Middle School; • Sophia Fierro, White Elementary School; • Rafael Guardado, Hawkins Elementary School; • Martha Martinez, Tinajero PK-8 School; • Jennifer Mata, Mesita Early Childhood Development Center; • Christine Miles, Murphree PK-8 School; • Elena Montero, Richardson Middle School; • Terry Montes, Duran Elementary School; • Daniel Montoya, College Career Technology Academy/Telles Academy; • Cyndi Ponce, San Jacinto Adult Learning Center; • Michelle Pringle, Rivera Elementary School; • Maribel Ruiz, Austin High School; • Hillery Smith, Lundy Elementary School; • Summer Steele, Polk Elementary School; • Anna Torres, Coldwell/Sunrise Mountain Elementary School.

Georgetown ISD Williams Elementary School’s new principal, Jennifer Hinson, joins the district from Prosper ISD, where she was a campus principal. Prior to that, she was a campus administrator in Virginia and Alabama. She is a graduate of Chaminade University and holds both master’s and doctoral degrees in education.

Gorman ISD Bill Morgan has accepted the position of

superintendent, coming to his new job from Rains ISD, where he was a principal.

Henderson ISD

Keller ISD

An interim superintendent has been named for the district. Jim Dunlap has an extensive background in public education, having served as a teacher, principal and central office administrator, and as superintendent of Diboll, Beckville and Hallsville ISDs. He was most recently chief operating officer and lead superintendent search consultant for Arrow Educational Services.

The district’s new director of student services is Trevor Crawford, who was most recently principal of Trinity Springs Middle School and, prior to that, assistant principal of Heritage Elementary. The former Arlington ISD teacher holds a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Highland Park ISD (Dallas) The new principal of Boone Elementary School is Ashraf Mobh, a former campus administrator in Carroll ISD who previously spent a decade in Highland Park ISD as a teacher. She graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington, going on to earn her master’s degree from Dallas Baptist University. She is at work on her doctorate at Southern Methodist University.

Heritage Elementary School’s new principal, Kimberley Paul, joins the campus from Basswood Elementary, where she was assistant principal. She has been with the district since 2007 and previously taught in Arlington ISD. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Denton and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Texas Christian University.

Beatrice Rivera is now

Katy ISD Katy ISD has named

Christina Borgstedte principal

of Fielder Elementary School.

She has spent her 20-year career in the district, most recently as assistant principal of Bryant Elementary. She is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a master’s degree in education leadership from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

Adams Junior High has welcomed Marc Kampwerth as its principal. Previously principal of Fielder Elementary and assistant principal of Morton Ranch Elementary, his two decade career has included assignments in CypressFairbanks ISD and Lamar CISD. He received his bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and his master’s degree in education leadership from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

Kelli McWashington has

assumed the principalship of McDonald Junior High, coming to Katy from DeSoto ISD, where she led McCowan Middle School. She earned her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in education administration and supervision from McNeese State University. A second master’s degree, in leadership and policy studies, was awarded from the University of Texas at Arlington, and a doctorate in education from Capella University.

principal of Woodland Springs Elementary after spending three years as assistant principal of Whitley Road Elementary. Prior to that, she taught in Fort Worth ISD. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington with a master’s degree in educational leadership from Texas Christian University Newly appointed director of health services Jodi Webster comes to Keller ISD from Medical City Healthcare, where she was a division director. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Texas at Arlington and a master’s degree in management from Western Governors University.

Killeen ISD The new head boys’ basketball coach at Harker Heights High School is Jason Fossett. He led the Killeen High School Kangaroos from 2005 to 2012 before serving as head coach at Belton High School in Belton ISD. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Mary HardinBaylor and his master’s degree from Baylor University.

Now leading Shoemaker High School as principal is Mary Lynn Gawryszewski. Most recently principal of Nolan Middle School, she has been with the district for almost two decades. She received her bachelor’s degree from SUNY Cortland and her master’s degree in educational leadership from Stephen F. Austin State University. ► See Who’s News, page 29

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Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

Photo Feature

TASSP SUMMER WORKSHOP WELCOMES TEXAS’ SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS In June, the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP) hosted its annual summer workshop in Austin, asking attendees to remember why they entered the field in an effort to inspire and motivate.

▲ Aldine ISD represents! The TASSP Summer Workshop offers incredible opportunities to network and collaborate.

▲ Kassi Mays poses with Apricot the kangaroo at the Creature Teacher booth. You never know who might show up in the Exhibit Hall at the Summer Workshop.

▲ Liz Huntley reminds the audience, “You are the difference-makers in the lives of students.” She delivers an inspiring message of “How School Leaders Can Build Hope.”

▲ The Aledo ISD crew strikes a pose at the selfie booth — Together We Can.

▲ Dr. Lee Vi Moses, 2023-24 TASSP president, stands next to the Principal of the Year Awards at the Jostens Night of the Stars dinner, recognizing the great campus leadership from the 20 Texas Regions.

▲ Gerry Brooks delivers a powerful keynote to a packed crowd at the Summer Workshop, entitled “Personal Climate & Culture, It’s Up to You.”

▲ Beaumont ISD proud — team building at its best.

▲ “Power Sessions” in the TASSP Exhibit Hall were standing room only.

Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

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Calendar Professional development & events SEPTEMBER September 9 TASPA Workshop: Documentation Basics Lubbock ISD, Lubbock For more info, (512) 494-9353. www.taspa.org September 9-10 TASA/N2 Learning Executive Leadership Institute (session 1 of 4) Lakeway Spa and Resort, Austin For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $4,500 for all four sessions.

TASA/N2 Learning Principals’ Institute (session 1 of 6) Lakeway Spa and Resort, Austin For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $6,000 for all six sessions.

September 10 Texas ASCD Instructional Aides Academy (session 3 of 12) Virtual event For more info, (512) 477-8200 or (800) 717-2723. www.txascd.org September 10-11 TCASE Ignite Academy for New and Aspiring Directors (session 6 of 9) Location TBA, Austin For more info, (512) 474-4492 or (888) 433-4492. www.tcase.org Cost: Administrator and associate members, $1,070 for all nine sessions; nonmembers, $1,195 for all nine sessions.

TCASE Workshop: Finance 101 3100 Alvin Devane Blvd., Austin For more info, (512) 474-4492 or (888) 433-4492. www.tcase.org Cost: Members, $295; nonmembers, $345.

September 11 TAMS Monthly Legislative Update Webinar For more info, (512) 346-2177. www.midsizeschools.org

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Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

September 12 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, Austin area cohort (session 1 of 6) Georgetown ISD, Georgetown For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

September 17 ED 311 Back to School Workshop Civic and Convention Center, New Braunfels For more info, (512) 478-2113. www.ed311.com Cost: $185; workbook, $25.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, North Houston cohort (session 1 of 6) Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Cypress For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, Wichita Falls cohort (session 1 of 6) Wichita Falls ISD, Wichita Falls For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

Texas ASCD Instructional Aides Academy (session 4 of 12) Virtual event For more info, (512) 477-8200 or (800) 717-2723. www.txascd.org September 18 ED311 Training: Effective Documentation of Teachers (live module 2 of 2) Webinar For more info, (512) 478-2113. www.ed311.com Cost: $199; workbooks, $46.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, East Texas cohort (session 1 of 6) Tyler ISD, Tyler For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, San Antonio cohort (session 1 of 6) North East ISD, San Antonio For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

September 19 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, Corpus Christi cohort (session 1 of 6) Corpus Christi ISD, Corpus Christi For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

Texas ASCD Instructional Aides Academy (session 5 of 12) Virtual event For more info, (512) 477-8200 or (800) 717-2723. www.texasascd.org

TASA/N2Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, South Dallas cohort (session 1 of 6) Duncanville ISD, Duncanville For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

September 25-26 TASBO PEIMS Academy Westin North, San Antonio For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $335; nonmembers, $385.

September 24-25 TASBO Internal Audit Academy Westin North, San Antonio September 23 For more info, (512) 462-1711.

TASPA Workshop: Documentation www.tasbo.org Basics Cost: Members, $335; nonmembers, Gainesville ISD, Gainesville $385.

For more info, (512) 494-9353.

September 25 www.taspa.org TASA/N2 Learning Assistant September 24 Principal Leadership Academy, ED 311 Back to School Workshop virtual cohort (session 1 of 6) ESC Region 7, Kilgore Virtual event For more info, (512) 478-2113.

For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.ed311.com www.n2learning.org Cost: $185; workbook, $25.

Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, South Houston cohort (session 1 of 6) Clear Creek ISD, Webster For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

TASA School Transformation Network (session 1 of 6) Virtual event For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: Participants from districts with fewer than 500 students, $150; 500-1,499 students, $225; 1,500 to 4,999 students, $300; 5,000 to 9,999 students, $375; 10,000 to 49,999 students, $450; 50,000+ students, $500; region ESCs, $225.

TASBO Workshop: PEIMS Fundamentals Westin North, San Antonio For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $235; nonmembers, $285.

September 25-28 Leadership TASB Class of 2025 (session 1 of 5) Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org September 26 TASBO CSRM Workshop: Handling School Risks TASBO offices, Austin For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members and nonmembers, $250.

September 27-29 txEDCON24, 2024 TASA|TASB Convention Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio For more info, (512) 467-0222. https://www.tasa.tasb.org/ Cost: Early registration (July 23Sept. 1): TASA or TASB member: $485; full board-superintendent team, $385; nonmembers, $585; students, $210; preconference sessions, $50; guest badges, $75.

Regular registration (Sept. 2-27): TASA or TASB members, $535; full

TASSP Fall Regional Meeting ESC Region 16, Amarillo For more info, (512) 443-2100. www.tassp.org

board-superintendent team, $435; nonmembers, $635; students, $260; preconference sessions, $50; guest badges, $75.

Onsite registration (after Sept.

27): TASA or TASB members, $585; full board-superintendent team, $485; nonmembers, $685; students, $310; preconference sessions, $50; guest badges, $75.

For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: TASBO and TCASE members and nonmembers, $335.

September 29-30 TASSP Fall Leadership Academy Hilton Airport Hotel, Austin For more info, (512) 443-2100. www.tassp.org

October 5 TEPSA Fall Regional Meeting ESC Region 11, White Settlement For more info, (512) 478-5268 or (800) 252-3621. www.tepsa.org

October 9-10 TASA Texas Public Accountability Consortium Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, Carrollton For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org

October 8 TASBO Finance+CTE Joint Workshop Location TBA, Abilene For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members and nonmembers, $235.

October 10 TASBO Webinar: Smart Energy and Budget Strategy for LEAs Online For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $85; nonmembers, $135.

TEPSA Fall Regional Meeting ESC Region 5, Beaumont For more info, (512) 478-5268 or (800) 252-3621. www.tepsa.org

TASBO Workshop: The Six Step Process Edinburg ISD, Edinburg For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $325; nonmembers, $375.

O C TO B E R October 1 TASBO Webinar: Student Safety Management and Emergency Preparedness Online For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $85; nonmembers, $135.

TEPSA Fall Regional Meeting ESC Region 18, Midland For more info, (512) 478-5268 or (800) 252-3621. www.tepsa.org October 2 TASSP Fall Regional Meeting ESC Region 15, San Angelo For more info, (512) 443-2100. www.tassp.org TASSP Fall Regional Meeting ESC Region 18, Midland For more info, (512) 443-2100. www.tassp.org October 2-3 TASB Workshop: HR for Campus Leaders Online For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org Cost: $225.

October 3 ED311 Back to School Workshop ESC Region 10, Richardson For more info, (512) 478-2113. www.ed311.com TEPSA Fall Regional Meeting ESC Region 12, Waco For more info, (512) 478-5268 or (800) 252-3621. www.tepsa.org October 3-4 TASBO/TCASE Synergy 2024 Courtyard Dallas, Allen

October 4 TETL Fall Summit Northside ISD, San Antonio For more info, (855) 458-9286. www.tetl.org

TEPSA Fall Regional Meeting ESC Region 15, San Angelo For more info, (512) 478-5268 or (800) 252-3621. www.tepsa.org TEPSA Fall Regional Meeting ESC Region 20, San Antonio For more info, (512) 478-5268 or (800) 252-3621. www.tepsa.org October 8-9 TASA/N2 Learning Principals’ Institute (session 2 of 6) Hilton Park Cities, Dallas For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $6,000 for all six sessions and includes registration for TASA Midwinter Conference.

October 8-10 TASA Level 1 CMAT Training TASA Headquarters, Austin For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: Members, $800; nonmembers, $900.

October 9 TASBO Webinar: Innovating Talent Recruitment Online For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, no charge; nonmembers, $60.

TEPSA Fall Regional Meeting ESC Region 16, Amarillo For more info, (512) 478-5268 or (800) 252-3621. www.tepsa.org

October 13-15 Texas ASCD Annual Conference Convention Center, Irving For more info, (512) 477-8200 or (800) 717-2723. www.txascd.org October 15 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, North Houston area cohort (session 2 of 6) Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Cypress For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, Wichita Falls area cohort (session 2 of 6) Wichita Falls ISD, Wichita Falls For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions TASBO Course: Business Ethics ESC Region 5, Beaumont For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $195; nonmembers, $245.

October 16 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy,

East Texas cohort (session 2 of 6) Tyler ISD, Tyler For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, San Antonio area cohort (session 2 of 6) North East ISD, San Antonio For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

TASSP Fall Regional Meeting ESC Region 8, Pittsburg For more info, (512) 443-2100. www.tassp.org TEPSA Fall Regional Meeting ESC Region 14, Abilene For more info, (512) 478-5268 or (800) 252-3621. www.tepsa.org October 16-17 TASB Workshop: Navigating Educator Certification Online For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org Cost: $225.

October 17 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, Austin area cohort (session 2 of 6) Georgetown ISD, Georgetown For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, Corpus Christi area cohort (session 2 of 6) Corpus Christi ISD, Corpus Christi For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, North Dallas area cohort (session 2 of 6) McKinney ISD, McKinney For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

October 18-19 TACS Fall Conference AC Hotel, Waco For more info, (512) 440-8227. www.tacsnet.org Cost: Members, $425; nonmembers, $525; additional corporate partner, $475.

► See Calendar, page 28 Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

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◄ Continued from page 27

October 22 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, South Dallas area cohort (session 2 of 6) Duncanville ISD, Duncanville For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, South Houston area cohort (session 2 of 6) Clear Creek ISD (at Challenger Stadium), Webster For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

TASBO Webinar: Preparing W2s for Calendar Year 2024 Online For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $85; nonmembers, $135.

TASBO Workshop: Budget Fundamentals Courtyard by Marriott, Pflugerville For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $235; nonmembers, $285.

October 22-24 TASA Future-Ready Superintendents Leadership Network (session 1 of 3) San Elizario ISD, El Paso For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org TASA Level 2 CMAT Training TASA Headquarters, Austin For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: Members, $800; nonmembers, $900.

October 23 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, virtual cohort (session 2 of 6) Virtual event For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

TASSP Fall Regional Meeting ESC Region 13, Austin For more info, (512) 443-2100. www.tassp.org TEPSA Fall Regional Meeting ESC Region 6, Montgomery For more info, (512) 478-5268 or (800) 252-3621. www.tepsa.org

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October 23-24 TASBO Budget Academy Courtyard by Marriott, Pflugerville For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $335; nonmembers, $385.

October 24 TASBO Webinar: Economic Insights – Trends and Projections Online For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, no charge; nonmembers, $60.

TEPSA Fall Regional Meeting ESC Region 7, Tyler For more info, (512) 478-5268 or (800) 252-3621. www.tepsa.org October 24-25 TASB Conference for Administrative Professionals TASB offices, Austin For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org Cost: $180.

October 28 TASBO Workshop: Payroll Fundamentals Marriott Westchase, Houston For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $235; nonmembers, $285.

October 29 TASA School Transformation Network (session 2 of 6) Virtual event For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost for 6-event series: Participants from districts with fewer than 500 students, $150; 500-1,499 students, $225; 1,500 to 4,999 students, $300; 5,000 to 9,999 students, $375; 10,000 to 49,999 students, $450; 50,000+ students, $500; regional ESCs, $225.

October 30 TASSP Fall Regional Meeting ESC Region 9, Wichita Falls For more info, (512) 443-2100. www.tassp.org October 30-November 1 TCA Annual Professional Growth Conference Sheraton, Dallas For more info, (512) 472-3403. www.txca.org Cost: Pre-registration: Professional members, $240; new professional, student and retired members, $175; professional nonmembers, $465; new professional nonmembers, $300; student and retired nonmembers, $290; Learning Institute, $150; single day, $175.

N OV E M B E R November 2 TRTA Retirement Seminar ESC Region 9, Wichita Falls For more info, (512) 476-1622 or (8000) 880-1650. www.trta.org November 4-5 TASB HR Academy Doubletree by Hilton, Austin For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org Cost: Early registration (by Oct. 11), $385; late registration (closes Oct. 31), $450.

November 6-7 TASA First-Time Superintendents Academy (session 3 of 4) Austin Marriott North, Round Rock For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost for individual session: members, $245; nonmembers $295.

November 6-8 TASA CMSi Curriculum Writing Workshop TASA offices, Austin For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: Members, $800; nonmembers, $900.

October 29-30 TASBO Payroll Academy Marriott Westchase, Houston For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $335; nonmembers, $385.

November 7 TASBO Webinar: Preparing 1099s for Calendar Year 2024 Online For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $85; nonmembers, $135.

TASBO Purchasing Academy Marriott Westchase, Houston For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $335; nonmembers, $385.

November 12 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, North Houston area cohort (session 3 of 6)

Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Cypress For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, Wichita Falls area cohort (session 3 of 6) Wichita Falls ISD, Wichita Falls For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

November 12-13 TASBO Accounting and Finance Academy Marriott Dallas, Allen For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $335; nonmembers, $385.

November 12-14 TASA Level 1 CMAT Training Online For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: Members, $800; nonmembers, $900.

TASA Small Schools Network Event (session 1 of 4) Cumby ISD, Cumby For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: For event series: Superintendent only, $500; superintendent +1, $1,000; superintendent +2, $1,500; superintendent +3, $2,000.

November 13 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, East Texas cohort (session 3 of 6) Tyler ISD, Tyler For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, San Antonio area cohort (session 3 of 6) North East ISD, San Antonio For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

November 13-14 TASB Workshop: Service Record Management Online For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org Cost: $225.

TASBO School Operations Conference Marriott Dallas, Allen For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org

Cost: Members, $335; nonmembers, $385.

Texas ASCD Curriculum Leadership Academy 47 (session 2 of 3) HEB ISD, Bedford For more info, (512) 477-8200 or (800) 717-2723. www.txascd.org November 13-16 Leadership TASB Class of 2025 (session 2 of 5) Location TBA, El Paso For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org November 14 Fast Growth Texas Lunch and Learn Online For more info, (512) 536-1206. www.fastgrowthtexas.org TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, Austin area cohort (session 3 of 6) Georgetown ISD, Georgetown For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, Corpus Christi area cohort (session 3 of 6) Corpus Christi ISD, Corpus Christi

For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, North Dallas area cohort (session 3 of 6) McKinney ISD, McKinney For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

November 18-19 TASB Advanced HR Seminar TASB offices, Austin For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org Cost: Early registration (by Nov. 1), $385; late registration (closes Nov. 14), $450.

November 19 TASA/TASB/TASBO Budget Cohort for Texas District Leaders (session 3 of 9) Webinar For more info, (512) 658-9091. https://bit.ly/budgetcohort-24-25 Cost for 9-event series: $3,750 for up to 4 people from one district; 2 additional participants may attend for $500 each.

November 19-20 TASA/N2 Learning Executive Leadership Institute (session 2 of 4)

Who’s News ◄ Continued from page 24 Joe Gonzalez now serves as principal of

Nolan Middle School. An employee of Killeen ISD since 2000, he comes to his new job from Early College High School, where he was an assistant principal. He obtained his bachelor’s degree from McMurry University and his master’s degree from Texas State University and is working on his doctorate from Texas A&M University at Commerce.

Jennifer Graham is the new head girls’

basketball coach at Chaparral High School.

A graduate of Killeen High, she went on to earn her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio and her master’s degree in educational administration from Texas A&M UniversityCentral Texas. She was most recently an assistant principal of Killeen High.

The new head football coach and athletic coordinator at Chaparral High School is Tyrell McCrea, who spent last season as offensive coordinator for Comal ISD’s

Hilton Post Oak, Houston For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $4,500 for all four sessions.

TASA/N2 Learning Principals’ Institute (session 3 of 6) Hilton Post Oak, Houston For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $6,000 for all six sessions and includes registration for TASA Midwinter Conference.

D EC E M B E R December 3 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, South Dallas area cohort (session 3 of 6) Duncanville ISD, Duncanville For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, South Houston area cohort (session 3 of 6) Clear Creek ISD (at Challenger Stadium), Webster For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

TASA School Transformation Network (session 3 of 6) Virtual event For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org

Davenport High. A former coach in San Antonio and Del Rio ISDs, he is a graduate of Angelo State University with a master’s degree in athletic administration from Ohio University.

Willow Springs Elementary School’s new principal, Anika Stewart, is a 10-year employee of the district who was assistant principal of Hays Branch Elementary. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree from Lamar University.

La Joya ISD The following administrative appointments have been made for the district: • Mirgitt Crespo, chief of business and administrative services; • Sara Capwell Geary, chief of operations and infrastructure; • Claudia Gomez-Perez, chief of student, family and community services; • Derek Little, chief of academics and school leadership;

Cost for 6-event series: Participants from districts with fewer than 500 students, $150; 500-1,499 students, $225; 1,500-4,999 students, $300; 5,000 to 9,999 students, $375; 10,000 to 49,999 students, $450; 50,000+ students, $500; regional ESCs, $225.

December 3-4 TASB Workshop: Spending Wisely – The Intersection of Staffing and Pay Online For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org Cost: $225.

December 4 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, virtual cohort (session 3 of 6) Virtual event For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Cost: $1,000 for all six sessions.

December 4-5 TASA Future-Ready Superintendents Leadership Network (session 2 of 3) Terrell ISD, Terrell For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org December 4-6 TARS Annual Legislative Conference Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center, Georgetown For more info, (325) 372-5821. www.tarsed.org

• Jaime Miller, chief of human capital and talent development; • Joseph Niedziela, chief of staff.

Lago Vista ISD Lago Vista ISD has announced the appointment of Janda Castillo as principal of Lago Vista High School.

With two decades of experience in campus administration, she was most recently assistant principal of Round Rock High in Round Rock ISD. Previously, she worked in Center Point and Junction ISDs. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Schreiner University.

Jennifer Vowles is the new

district band director. With 23 years of experience in the field, she previously worked in Texas in Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD’s Turner High School as well as in Oregon. ► See Who’s News, page 30 Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

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Who’s News ◄ Continued from page 29

Lake Travis ISD Jennifer Freeman, executive

director of special services, comes to Lake Travis from Leander ISD, where she was director of intervention services. The 20-year educator and administrator holds a bachelor’s degree from West Chester University and a master’s degree in educational technology leadership from Lamar University.

Claire Kinnersley has been

selected as director of corporate relations and the Lake Travis ISD Education Foundation, bringing 15 years of experience in the private sector to her new job. She is a graduate of the University of Birmingham (England).

Angela Page has accepted the

role of principal of Rough Hollow Elementary School, joining the Lake Travis team with 25 years of experience as a teacher and administrator, most recently in Round Rock ISD. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Drury University and a master’s degree in elementary education from Southwest Baptist University.

Laredo ISD The district has promoted Luis Escamilla from assistant athletic director to district athletic director. He began his now two-decade career in Robstown ISD, going on to teach and coach in Bishop CISD before coming to Laredo. A product of Laredo ISD schools, he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Texas A&M University at Kingsville and a second master’s degree, in educational administration, from Texas A&M International University.

Jose Iznaola has been

promoted from principal of Cigarroa High School to director of federal programs and school improvement.

He joined the district in 2018 as principal of Garcia Early College High School after working as a teacher and administrator in Laredo’s United ISD. He is a graduate of Texas A&M International University, where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

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Zachry Elementary School has welcomed Lilia Mora as principal. After earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Texas A&M International University, she began her career at Cigarroa High School. She took her first administrative position, as assistant principal of Pierce Elementary, in 2019.

In addition, the district has announced the following coaching assignments: • Jason Bonugli, baseball, Nixon High School; • Linda Leal, tennis, Nixon High School; • Israel Lerma, girls’ basketball, Nixon High School.

Leander ISD Paige Collier has accepted

the position of assistant superintendent of special programs and state and federal programs. Most recently principal of Reed Elementary School, she previously worked in Hays CISD. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Texas and is pursuing her doctorate in school improvement from Texas State University.

Leander ISD announces the appointment of Jeremy Trimble as chief operations officer. A graduate of Leander High School, he went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Texas A&M University. He was the district’s executive director of support services from 2013 to 2015, at which time he accepted the role of Eanes ISD’s assistant superintendent of operations and planning.

Lewisville ISD Erica Roberson has been promoted from

assistant principal of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Academy at Creek Valley Middle School to principal of Coyote Ridge Elementary.

She began her career in 2009 as a teacher in the district’s Night High School, taking her first administrative position in 2014. Her bachelor’s degree was awarded from Ball State University and her master’s degree from Dallas Baptist University.

Lee Worden has stepped into the role of

principal of Castle Hills Elementary School, moving up from her previous position as assistant principal of Wellington Elementary.

She joined the district in 2009, moving into administration in 2016 as assistant principal at Garden Ridge Elementary. She is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a master’s degree from Concordia University.

Lockhart ISD Amanda Epsztein has been selected to serve

as principal of Navarro Elementary School.

The 17-year educator comes to Lockhart from Bastrop ISD, where she was assistant principal of Cedar Creek Elementary.

Prior to that, she was a special education coach and interventionist in Del Valle ISD. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Concordia University.

Longview ISD Former Hudson PEP (Planned Enrichment Program) Elementary principal Christi Coleman is now assistant principal of the IB (International Baccalaureate) Diploma Program at Longview High School. She has been an educator for 29 years.

Former Longview High School assistant principal Lawrence Hines is now campus coordinator of the Dade Center. He has been an administrator with Longview ISD since 2013.

Catina Love is Bailey

Elementary School’s new principal. An employee of the district for almost 25 years, she has worked as district testing coordinator, response to intervention/504 coordinator, and campus success coordinator.

Longview ISD has named Shalona McCray assistant superintendent of human resources and community relations. Previously chief human resources officer, she has been an employee of the district since 2008. She received her bachelor’s degree from Wiley University and her master’s degree in educational administration from LeTourneau University.

The new principal of Johnston-McQueen Elementary is Brandi Patterson, who was the school’s academic dean and PYP (Primary Years Program) coordinator. After beginning her career as a classroom teacher, she has worked as a campus administrator since 2021.

Christy Scott has accepted the position of principal of Hudson PEP (Planned Enrichment Program) Elementary School. She joined Longview ISD in 2016 and her 15-year career

has included stints as a teacher, academic dean and IB (International Baccalaureate) coordinator.

The district’s new superintendent, Marla Sheppard, brings 29 years of experience in education to her new job.

She has served as a math and science teacher, assistant principal and principal in Houston ISD in addition to assistant superintendent of school leadership in Fort Bend ISD. She then made the move to Kansas City, where she was a deputy superintendent. She received her bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and her master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Houston.

Maximilian Ward is now

head basketball coach for Longview High School’s Lady Lobos. His 22-year coaching career has included assignments at California State University-Dominguez Hills, Johnson and Wales University and Northshore High in Slidell, La. Joining Longview High School as assistant girls’ basketball coach is Ambreenique Williams. She has been with the district since 2022 and previously was a basketball player with Cedar Valley College, Texas College and Bethany College.

Lubbock ISD The new head football coach and athletic coordinator at Estacado High School is Eric Ward, who comes to Lubbock from Wichita Falls ISD, where he was City View Junior/ Senior High School’s offensive coordinator.

His bachelor’s and master’s degrees were awarded from Texas Tech University.

Manor ISD Gerard Cortez, whose career

of transition.

thus far has spanned over 25 years, is Manor ISD’s new executive director of special programs. Most recently, he was San Antonio ISD’s interim executive director

McKinney ISD Former district curriculum coordinator Irma Garcia is now senior director of teaching and learning. With 17 years of experience as an educator, all in McKinney ISD, she has worked as a teacher, team leader and department chair as well as coordinator of secondary math. She received her bachelor’s degree from Wayland

Baptist University and her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Texas A&M University at Commerce.

Melissa Hernandez has

transitioned from assistant principal of McKinney North High School to principal of Evans Middle School. She has spent her 11-year career in McKinney ISD, the past six years as an administrator. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Dallas and her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Texas Tech University.

David Hodum spent the first

eight years of his career as a science teacher at Boyd High School, to which he has now returned as principal. In addition, he was assistant principal and principal of Evans Middle School. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and his master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Texas at Tyler.

Former Cockrill Middle School assistant principal Jennifer Larriviere has been promoted to principal of Minshew Elementary. An educator for 24 years, she began her career in Irving ISD, joining McKinney ISD in 2022. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree from the University of North Texas.

Longtime Minshew Elementary School principal Inetra Nelson now leads Malvern Elementary. She brings 24 years of experience to her new position, 14 of those as a campus administrator. Her bachelor’s degree was awarded from Texas Tech University and her master’s degree from Texas Woman’s University.

Justin Penio has been named

principal of McKinney North High School, arriving in McKinney from Allen ISD, where he was associate principal of Allen High School. An educator for 18 years, he holds a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Illinois University and a master’s degree in special education from Roosevelt University.

in Lamar CISD, going on to serve as an assistant principal in that district and, most recently, as principal of Ryon Middle School.

Northside ISD (San Antonio) The district announces the following administrative appointments: • Cindy Gibson, principal, Martin Elementary School; • Cody Miller, director of adult and community education; • Wendi Peralta, principal, Straus Middle School; • Elizabeth Sanchez-Lopez, director of fine arts; • Matthew Scherwitz, principal, Los Reyes Elementary School; • Jacob Villarreal, assistant superintendent for facilities and operations; • Rebecca Zamora-Barraza, principal, Fernandez Elementary School.

Pewitt CISD Now serving as superintendent of Pewitt CISD is Lee Ann Corbin.

She began her career as a teacher in Lubbock ISD and most recently was assistant superintendent of Redwater ISD, where she also worked as a principal and as director of curriculum and instruction.

Pflugerville ISD New assistant superintendent of schools Chrysta Carlin joins Pflugerville ISD from Leander ISD, where she was assistant superintendent of pathways and innovation.

She holds a doctorate in education.

Hutcherson Hill, also a new assistant

superintendent of schools, is a 30-year educator who has worked as a teacher, coach, assistant principal and principal. He was most recently the district’s executive director of student affairs.

Mark Hill has been named executive director

of transportation, coming to his new job from Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, where he was director of transportation.

Now serving as athletic director is Jonathan Lamb, who comes to Pflugerville from serving as senior director of athletics at Leander ISD.

Nacogdoches ISD The new principal of Nacogdoches High School, Kevin Croft, is a graduate of Schreiner University, where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He previously worked as an English teacher

► See Who’s News, page 32 Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

31

Who’s News ◄ Continued from page 31

Plano ISD Now leading Plano West Senior High School is Billie-Jean Lee, an employee of the district since 1989 who was most recently principal of Jasper ISD’s high school. The Henderson State University graduate holds a master’s degree in music education from Texas A&M University at Commerce.

Plano Senior High School’s new principal, Kennitra Robertson, previously led Vines High School and Robertson Middle School. She received her bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and her master’s degree in educational administration from Texas A&M University at Commerce.

Pleasant Grove ISD The new principal of Davis Elementary School is Brittany Beaird, who has been with the district for four years, most recently serving as assistant principal for Davis and as an elementary campus learning coordinator. She has been an educator for 16 years.

Prairie Lea ISD New superintendent Brian McCraw comes to Prairie Lea ISD from Indianapolis, where he was an adjunct professor of educational leadership and administration at the American College of Education.

Presidio ISD Carmen Rubner has been named

superintendent of Presidio ISD after serving in that position on an interim basis since June. She has worked in the district since 1991 as a teacher, coach, assistant principal and technology director. In addition to her new position, she is also the district’s high school principal.

Richardson ISD Michael McDonald has

accepted the position of area superintendent of the Berkner Learning Community. He comes to Richardson from Alief ISD,

32

Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

where he was associate superintendent of secondary schools. Now beginning his 25th year as an educator, he previously worked in Richardson ISD as an assistant principal. His bachelor’s degree was awarded from Jarvis Christian College and his master’s degree from the University of North Texas.

Round Rock ISD Briana Flores, newly appointed principal

of Forest Creek Elementary School, is a 14-year education veteran who has been with Round Rock ISD since 2012. Most recently assistant principal of the Blackland Prairie Elementary Leadership Academy, she holds a bachelor’s degree from Colorado Mesa University and a master’s degree from Stephen F. Austin State University.

Success High School now has Blanca Valencia as principal. She previously was a teacher at Manor ISD’s Excel Academy and the Round Rock Opportunity Center.

She holds two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Texas.

Sabinal ISD The new superintendent of Sabinal ISD, Edgar Camacho, is a 33-year veteran of Texas public schools, seven of those as a teacher and 26 as a campus and central office administrator. He spent eight years as a superintendent and most recently was Natalia ISD’s director of support services.

San Angelo ISD The district’s new director of human resources is Christy Diego, who was director of emergent bilingual programs and previously served as a teacher, assistant principal and principal. The 21-year educator holds a bachelor’s degree from Angelo State University and a master’s degree from Sul Ross State University.

Dana Felts has taken on

the role of director of early childhood education, coming to her new position from Fannin Elementary School, where she was principal. She has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Angelo State University.

Tiffani Hebert has been

promoted from assistant

director of child nutrition to director of child nutrition. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Park University and holds certification in school nutrition.

Now serving as director of 504 services is Lauri Herndon, who was most recently principal of Alta Loma Elementary School. She is a 28-year educator who also was a teacher and assistant principal at Bowie Elementary and Glenn and Lone Star middle schools.

Lee Livingston, the

district’s new director of transportation, has joined San Angelo ISD from Virginia with more than 30 years of experience in transportation, 10 of those as director of transportation in public schools.

Shannon Schwartz has been

hired to fill the position of executive director of communications. She brings more than six years of experience in education communications to her new job, most recently serving as Lubbock ISD’s digital media coordinator and previously working in communications and media at Texas Tech and Sam Houston State universities.

Now serving as director of emergent bilingual programs is Berta Sepulveda, who comes to her new job from leading Bradford Elementary.

She has spent her 22-year career in San Angelo ISD and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Angelo State University.

The new executive director of special programs is Brandy Tyner, who most recently was the district’s director of special programs.

She previously was an instructional coach, assistant principal and principal.

In addition, the following principal assignments have been announced: • Marissa Guerrero, Bradford Elementary School; • April Johnson, Fannin Elementary School; • Katherine Rudolph, Reagan Elementary School; • LaTonia Sutton, Lone Star Middle School.

Santa Maria ISD Joseph Villarreal, former

Harlingen CISD assistant superintendent of secondary education, has been named superintendent of Santa Maria ISD. He began his career two decades ago, working in Brownsville and San Benito ISDs and going on to serve as an administrator in Los Fresnos CISD.

Sherman ISD Sherman ISD has named Shawna Easton cocurriculum coordinator. She began her career in 2005 in Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, going on to work in Lewisville and Prosper ISDs and coming to Sherman in 2020.

Now serving as executive director of human resources is Blake Hays, who was the district’s director of secondary education since 2018. An educator for more than three decades, he has worked in North Carolina and in Texas’ Dripping Springs and Comal ISDs. He is a graduate of the University of Texas with a master’s degree from Western Carolina University.

Brannon Kidd, the district’s

director of capital projects, has also taken on the role of director of transportation. He is a former superintendent, athletic director and middle school assistant principal and principal in districts in Texas and Kansas. A graduate of Southern Methodist University, he earned his master’s degree in educational leadership from Lamar University.

The district’s new director of special populations, Melissa Ramirez, comes to Sherman from Highland Park ISD in Dallas, where she was assistant director of special education. Previously an employee of Frisco and El Paso ISDs, she has also worked as a bilingual educational diagnostician.

Mindy Rodriguez has been

named co-curriculum coordinator. An educator since 2004, she most recently was the district’s interim director of secondary education. Prior to that, she was a teacher and assistant principal in Virginia as well as Texas.

The following principal assignments have also been announced: • Rebecca McCright, Crutchfield Elementary School;

• Julee West, Fairview Elementary School; • Ashley Woods, Wakefield Elementary School.

Texarkana ISD Former Highland Park Elementary School principal Jennifer Cross has been named director of the district’s DAEP (Disciplinary Alternative Education Program). She is a 24-year education veteran and holds a bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees, in curriculum and instruction and education administration.

Mindy Gennings, who was principal of Wake

Village Elementary School, now serves as director of college and career readiness.

Andrew McCarter has been promoted

from assistant principal of Wake Village Elementary School to principal. Prior to his most recent assignment, he taught middle school history for 10 years.

The inaugural principal of Parks Elementary School, slated to open in 2025, will be Audrey Shumate. She brings 15 years of experience to her new position, having been a lead teacher, department head, principal and curriculum specialist.

Now serving as supervisor of special programs is Anne Slade, who was principal of Spring Lake Park Elementary School.

She has been with the district for 22 years, working as a teacher, instructional coach, and campus administrator.

Victoria ISD Victoria West High School has a new head baseball coach. Jay Perez joined the campus in 2014 and in January of this year was named interim head baseball coach, stepping up from his previous position as varsity assistant baseball coach.

Waco ISD Nancy Alvarado has been promoted from

assistant principal of Crestview Elementary School to campus principal. She has 18 years of education experience, the past 10 with Waco ISD. Craig Goodman is now Waco ISD’s chief of

police. He previously was deputy chief of police at Stephen F. Austin State University and spent three years as the City of Brenham’s chief of police. In addition, he spent more than 25 years with the Pasadena Police Department.

Superintendent

Susan Kincannon, who has

led the district since 2019, will retire at the end of September, bringing to a close a 34-year career.

Waxahachie ISD The district’s new assistant superintendent of human resources, Theresa Burkhalter, is a 30year educator who has spent the past 10 years of her career with the district, working as a teacher, campus administrator and director of human resources. Her bachelor’s degree was awarded from Texas Woman’s University and her master’s degree from Lamar University.

Angela Strong, now

serving as principal of Clift Elementary School, has been with the district since 2022.

She received her bachelor’s degree from Mississippi Valley State University and her master’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Wells ISD A new superintendent is in place for Wells ISD. Jimmy Wright, who previously was principal of Wells High School and Wells Junior High, is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University. He earned his master’s degree in educational administration from Concordia University and is nearing completion of his doctorate from Texas A&M University.

Ysleta ISD (El Paso) A new athletic coordinator and head football coach is in place for Riverside High School.

Daniel Chavez, who had been the school’s offensive coordinator, began his career in 2009 as a teacher at Chapin High School.

He is a graduate of Western New Mexico University.

The new principal of Del Valle Elementary School is Elizabeth Gonzalez, former assistant principal of Scotsdale Elementary.

She is a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso, where she received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Former Hernando Middle School principal Valerie Hairston now holds the top position at Del Valle High School. An educator for two decades, she was a teacher, coach and coordinator at Del Valle before taking her most recent assignment at Hernando. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso with a master’s degree in education administration from Lamar University.

Gary Recoder has been appointed Bel Air

High School’s athletic coordinator and head football coach after spending the past five years in the same position at Riverside High. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Phoenix and a master’s degree from Texas A&M University at Commerce. ◄ Texas School Business SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

33

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THE BACK PAGE

Make this world a better place … if you can!

by Riney Jordan

I

just happened to be at the right spot at the right time to see one of the most beautiful things I’d seen in a long time.

Two men. They were different in so many ways, yet alike in so many others.

John was getting up in years and had a bit of trouble walking. His wife, Ruth, had some serious visual problems, and John held her hand most of the time as they walked. John was retired, and he and Ruth lived in a modest home built in the 1950s. They didn’t have much, but they took what they had and shared it.

The other man, Frank, was much younger, and a giant of a man. When I saw him, he was holding the hands of his two younger children. His daughter was around 8, while his son was probably around 5. Her name was Aurora, while his was Anakin.

I couldn’t help but think their names had probably come from popular movies.

Frank’s arms were covered in tattoos, and I knew from earlier conversations with him that he had served a number of years in prison for the possession, manufacturing and selling of drugs. His wife had left him with the two children, and he also cared for his critically ill brother. They all lived together in a rented mobile home on the edge of town. Frank did odd jobs in the community, such as mowing lawns, trimming trees, and making minor repairs for others. It was obvious that he struggled to make ends meet.

As my wife and I walked to the car that morning, I heard John calling Frank from across the street. I turned and watched as John walked up to Frank with three plastic bags. He handed one to Aurora, one to Anakin, and the other to Frank.

Immediately, the two children looked inside the bags, then began jumping and screaming, “Thank you, thank you! Wow! New school supplies!”

“This sack has the supplies they will need at home in order to do their homework,” John said, as he nodded to the bag he had handed to Frank.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Frank threw his arms around John. Tears filled his eyes as he profusely thanked him over and over again.

“I had no idea how I was going to afford these things for the kids,” he told him. “I can never thank you enough, John.”

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Two extremes. Definitely an unlikely pairing. Kindness and generosity should know no bounds.

Now, as Paul Harvey always said, “Let me tell you the rest of the story.”

You see, I know both of these families quite well.

John and Ruth live on a fixed income, yet always find a way to help those who are in need. Even though it’s difficult for John, he routinely helps to build wheelchair ramps in the community. He has been diagnosed with cancer at least a couple of times, yet he continues doing what he can for others.

Frank is a changed man, an incredible father, and a friend to everyone he meets.

Overlook the tattoos. Those are from another life he lived.

A bag of school supplies may not seem like much to some people. But to those who barely get by, it’s a huge worry lifted from their minds. And, I have no doubt that Frank will be looking for a way to help John in the near future.

There is nothing more beautiful than seeing one person reach out to help another. As the old song from my youth says, “Reach out and touch somebody’s hand. Make this world a better place, if you can.”

RINEY JORDAN is the author of two books and a frequent public speaker. To invite him to speak at your

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