The Wave The Newsletter of the Gulf Coast Area Association of School Boards Vol. 14, No.2 GCSchoolBoards@aol.com September 2014 President s Message As most of us are getting settled into the new school year, the election season is upon us. We know that public education in Texas continues to be under attack by those with good intentions who think that they know what s best for our state, district and our children. This is why I want to take this moment to say Thank you to H.D. Chambers, Superintendent Alief ISD, for not bending or breaking on your principles and for standing up for education! My question to you is Who will change the face of Public Education in Texas? Board members have a responsibility! It is time for us to work together as one unit -- to work with our friends in the Texas Legislature who will be making decisions that are, hopefully, in the best interest of the students of Texas. My challenge to you, my fellow board members, is to be that face that will influence those with good intentions, of course, and be the Face of Public Education in Texas. Mark your calendar now for November 12 and plan to attend the next GCAASB meeting at Region 4. Our speaker will be Grover Campbell, TASB Associate Executive Director for Governmental Relations, who will be speaking on the impact of the November general election on Texas public education. Thank you to those in attendance at the September 3 GCAASB meeting. I look forward to seeing each of you at the November meeting. Let s Change the Face! Charles Cunningham, President Speaker proposes educational reforms The 124 trustees, administrators and Associate Members at the September 3 GCAASB meeting were challenged by Texans for Education Reform Executive Director Julie Linn to look at innovative programs in other districts to aid in implementing education reforms. Ms. Linn cited programs in GCAASB area-districts Aldine, Alief, Spring Branch, Houston, and non- GCAASB districts Grand Prairie, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo, Richardson and Dallas as examples of reforms intended to improve student performance and teaching. She noted that Texans for Education Reform is not an advocate for privatization or vouchers, but urged trustees to provide more open enrollment programs. She specifically encouraged districts to consider the Home Rule District Charter and District Charter provisions of the Texas Education Code. The first membership meeting of 2014-2015 also featured recognition of Clear Creek ISD trustees Ken Baliker, Page Rander, Ann Hammond, Dee Scott, Charles Pond, Laura DuPont and Win
Weber as the Region 4 Honor Board, Region 4 Superintendent of the Year H.D. Chambers of Alief ISD, Region 4 Elementary Teacher of the Year Harvey Augustine III of Crosby ISD, and Region 4 Secondary Teachers of the Year Mark Lesmeister of Pearland ISD. GCAASB Past President Sarah Winkler of Alief ISD was recognized for her 2013-2014 leadership of the organization with a special $250 Designated Scholarship in memory of her late father, Berman Batt. That scholarship was awarded by drawing to Columbia-Brazoria ISD Trustee Linda Huebner. Five other scholarships were also awarded at the meeting. General $500 studentrelated scholarships went to Spring ISD Supt. Dr. Rodney Watson and Channelview ISD Trustee Steven Dennis. Winners of $500 Designated Scholarships were Supt. Dr. Robert Bostic of Stafford MSD, Trustee Mary Jones of Damon ISD, and Trustee David Janda of La Porte ISD for the scholarships sponsored, respectively, by GCAASB Associate Members Walsh, Anderson, Gallegos, Green & Trevino, P.C., Bay-IBI Group Architects Inc., and Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, Collins & Mott, L.L.P. The meeting s meal was co-sponsored by GCAASB Associate Members Joiner Partnership, Inc., and Thompson & Horton LLP. Meeting topics support GCAASB mission In line with its mission of enhancing the quality of education for public school children in the Texas Gulf Coast area by providing an opportunity for local school boards to impact the legislative process affecting public education, the November 12 GCAASB membership dinner meeting will feature TASB Associate Executive Director for Governmental Relations Grover Campbell addressing State Election Implications for Public Education. GCAASB Associate Members Walsh, Anderson, Gallegos, Green & Trevino, P.C., and cre8 Architects, Inc. will co-sponsor the November 12 meeting dinner. Associate Members Belt Harris Pechacek, LLLP, Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP, and Huckabee & Associates, Inc. will sponsor the Designated Scholarships. The GCAASB mission is to be achieved, in part, by providing education and information to local school boards. Accordingly, the Executive Board has invited attorney Jim Walsh of Walsh, Anderson, Gallegos, Green & Trevino, P.C. to speak on Wednesday, February 11, 2015 regarding how school trustees need to be prepared for Transitioning to the Future. Designated Scholarship sponsors at that membership meeting will be Associate Members Unify Energy Solutions, Rogers, Morris & Grover, LLP, and cre8 Architects, Inc. Dinner co-sponsors will be Associate Members PBK Architects, Inc., and Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, Collins & Mott, L.L.P. The Wednesday, April 22, 2015 TASB Spring Workshop will include a Legislative Update, as well as two other programs that will be identified by the GCAASB Executive Board later in the fall. Associate Members Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP, and Jefferies LLC will co-sponsor the dinner. Designated Scholarship sponsors will be Associate Members Thompson & Horton LLP and PBK Architects, Inc. The November and February meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m., while the April 2015 Spring Workshop will begin at 5:30 p.m. All meetings are held at Region 4 ESC, thanks to the support provided the GCAASB by Region 4 ESC Executive Director Dr. Pam Wells and her staff. Districts, Associate Members renew memberships Thirty-two school districts and 19 education-related firms had paid GCAASB membership dues as of September 13.
Districts renewing GCAASB membership include Aldine, Alief, Alvin, Bellville, Channelview, Clear Creek, Columbia-Brazoria, Crosby, Cypress-Fairbanks, Danbury, Galena Park, Goose Creek, Fort Bend, and Friendswood. Also re-joining the GCAASB were Harris County Department of Education, Houston, Huffman, Humble, Katy, Klein, Lamar Consolidated, La Porte, Needville, Pasadena, Pearland, Region 4, Royal, Sheldon, Spring, Spring Branch, Stafford and Texas City. Renewing as Associate Members were Bay-IBI Group Architects Inc.; Belt Harris Pechacek, LLLP; Escamilla & Poneck, Inc.; Haynes and Boone, LLP; Jefferies LLP; Joiner Partnership, Inc.; Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP; PBK Architects, Inc.; and Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, Collins & Mott, L.L.P. Also renewing were Associate Members Rogers, Morris & Grover LLP; Richard A. Peebles, P.C.; Siemens Industry; Stantec (formerly SHW Group); Thompson & Horton LLP; Unify Energy Solutions, VLK Architects, Inc.; and Walsh, Anderson, Gallegos, Green & Trevino, P.C. Joining as new Associate Members were architects Huckabee & Associates, Inc., and research organization The Princeton Review. At the polls Galveston ISD voters approved a tax ratification election on August 26. Brazosport ISD, Dayton ISD, Fort Bend ISD, Katy ISD, Lamar Consolidated ISD, and Pasadena ISD will seek voter approval of bond issues on November 4. TASA/TASB Convention to have GCAASB flavor Through leadership, honors, and presentations, GCAASB school districts and Associate Members will have a major influence at the joint annual TASA/TASB Convention in Dallas September 26-28. All GCAASB school districts and Associate Members attending the convention are encouraged to stop by the Area Associations of School Boards booth in the registration area to pick up a ribbon indicating their GCAASB membership, said GCAASB President Cunningham. At various times, GCAASB Directors will man that booth which will again by coordinated by GCAASB Executive Secretary Jerry Smith. Leadership of TASB is provided, in part, by Past President Dr. Viola Garcia of Aldine ISD, and TASB Directors Benny May of Barbers Hill ISD, Bob Covey of Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Jim Rice of Fort Bend ISD, Rhonda Skillern-Jones of Houston ISD, Joe Adams of Katy ISD, Ron Crier of Spring ISD, and Manuel Guajardo of Texas City ISD. In addition to the membership ribbon, the GCAASB will receive recognition from having Clear Creek ISD Board of Trustees Ken Baliker, Page Rander, Ann Hammond, Dee Scott, Charles Pond, Laura DuPont and Win Weber honored as one of the five finalists for State School Board of the Year, and Alief ISD Supt. H. D. Chambers being recognized as the Region 4 nominee for Texas Superintendent of the Year. Recognition will also come from the Exhibit of School Architecture where GCAASB Associate Member Stantec (formerly SHW Group) received both the Caudill Award for New Construction and the Caudill Award for Adaptive Reuse for projects for non-gcaasb school districts. That firm
also earned recognition awards for a project in Stafford MSD, and for five projects for non- GCAASB districts. GCAASB Associate Member PBK Architects, Inc. earned architecture recognition awards for projects in Humble ISD and Katy ISD, as well as for five projects in non-gcaasb districts. Associate Member VLK Architects, Inc. teamed with Katy ISD to earn architecture recognition, and also received recognition for two projects for non-gcaasb districts. Other Associate Members earning school architecture recognition awards for projects in non- GCAASB districts include Bay-IBI Group Architects with three, Huckabee & Associates, Inc. with three, and Brown Reynolds Watford Architects with one. Thirty-four convention presentations will involve representatives from 17 GCAASB-member school districts and six GCAASB Associate members. Following is a listing of those presentations: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 TIME TOPIC PRESENTER(S) ROOM 7:30-8:45 a.m. Learning the Special Education Ropes Walsh, Anderson, Gallegos, D168 without Hanging Yourself Green & Trevino, P.C. 7:30-8:45 a.m. Mind, Body and Soul: Reaching Today s Aldine ISD D164 Changing Culture 7:30-8:45 a.m. Show Them the Money-Compensation and Rogers, Morris & Grover, L.L.P. D161 Incentives to Employees 7:30-8:45 a.m. What Your Technology Director Should Cypress-Fairbanks ISD C BR1 Know 9:00-10:15 a.m. Four Ways to Future Reading Alvin ISD D168 9:00-10:15 a.m. What Are Your Students Learning? Is It Clear Creek ISD D162 Quality? How Do You Know? 10:30-11:45 a.m. It s Time to Play Custody in the Classroom Escamilla & Poneck, LLP C BR4 1:00-2:15 p.m. Community Engagement, Technology, Houston ISD D170 and HB 5 1:00-2:15 p.m. Is Grit a Missing Piece? Accomplishing Pearland ISD D171 More than Others with Equal Intelligence 1:00-2:15 p.m. Pre-Construction What s My Role? Crosby ISD D166 1:00-2:15 p.m. The Affordable Care Act: What We Know Rogers, Morris & Grover, L.L.P. D161 So Far 2:30-3:45 p.m. A Vision for Leadership for Learning Klein ISD C141 2:30-3:45 p.m. One Size No Longer Fits All: Pursuing Viable Alief ISD C BR4 Post-Secondary Options through HB5 2:30-3:45 p.m. Selecting High-Quality Apps, Websites, and Houston ISD D165 Games for the Classroom 2:30-3:45 p.m. Why Auto Mechanics Matters Stantec D171 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
TIME TOPIC PRESENTER(S) ROOM 7:30-8:45 a.m. Bond Experiences and Challenges Katy ISD; Cypress-Fairbanks ISD C140 7:30-8:45 a.m. Hot Dogs, Flaming Poodles, Boogeymen, Tomball ISD C BR2 Coca-Cola, Bluebell, and Bob s Red Mill 7:30-8:45 a.m. Local Control (Is Your Board In Control or Friendswood ISD C BR4 Out of Control) 7:30-8:45 a.m. Optimum Use of Educational Facilities Houston ISD D161 Enhances 21 st Century Learning 7:30-8:45 a.m. Raise Your Hand What It Means to Fulfill Fort Bend ISD D170 Your Role as an Advocate 9:00-10:15 a.m. Community-Based Accountability Clear Creek ISD C BR2 9:00-10:15 a.m. Employee Facebook Posts and Other Escamilla & Poneck, LLP C146 Technology-Driven Free-Speech Issues 9:00-10:15 a.m. Net Zero Schools Driving Down Costs Stantec D170 While Improving Curriculum Opportunities 9:00-10:15 a.m. STEM Literacy: JASON Learning s Focus on Alief ISD; Cypress-Fairbanks ISD; D171 Science and Exploration Humble ISD 1:30-2:45 p.m. Alternatives to Offset Health Care Costs for Friendswood ISD C144 Employees 1:30-2:45 p.m. HB5 Establishing Partnerships with Higher Alief ISD D173 Education 1:30-2:45 p.m. Legal Issues Surrounding Transgendered Walsh, Anderson, Gallegos, C BR1 Employees and Students Green & Trevino, P.C. 1:30-2:45 p.m. Ready-Made Tips to Promote Schools Harris County Department of D163 Education 3:15-4:45 p.m. C mon Get Epi Best Practices and Pitfalls Thompson & Horton LLP D168 with Epinephrine on Campus 3:15-4:45 p.m. Developing Learning Opportunities for Stantec D164 Student-Centered Teaching and Learning 3:15-4:45 p.m. How to Improve Your Funding without Escamilla & Poneck, LLP C146 Winning a School Finance Lawsuit 3:15-4:45 p.m. Supporting Campus Leaders: A One-Page Katy ISD D171 Path to System School Improvement 3:15-4:45 p.m. Top 10 Policies You Need to Know Now Walsh, Anderson, Gallegos, D163 Green & Trevino, P.C. 3:15-4:45 p.m. What s A District To Do? Handling Legal Issues Regarding Child Custody Cases Pearland ISD; Thompson & Horton LLP C144 Our Students 2014-2015
Our Staff Our Schools Our Responsibility! President Charles Cunningham, Humble ISD 1 st Vice President Georgan Reitmeier, Klein ISD 2 nd Vice President Kim Janke, Needville ISD Secretary/Treasurer Wayne Schaper, Sr., Spring Branch ISD Past President Sarah Winkler, Alief ISD Gulf Coast Area Association of School Boards 20015 Legend Oak Drive, Humble, TX 77346-1746 832-722-0213 GCSchoolBoards@aol.com Directors Steven Dennis, Channelview ISD Becky Streetman, Huffman ISD Ann Hammond, Clear Creek ISD Joe Adams, Katy ISD Linda Huebner, Columbia-Brazoria ISD Kathy Green, La Porte ISD Bob R. Covey, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD Ettienne Zak, Stafford MSD Matt Robinson, Friendswood ISD Mark Lewandowski, Tomball ISD Executive Secretary Jerry Smith, APR Proud of Our Public Schools!!!