What schools in your district most efficiently used taxpayer dollars to achieve success in core subjects? How can that success be duplicated throughout the district?
As an employee of Allen ISD for many years it is obvious to me that the Allen schools have all been cited for outstanding performance in different areas (documented on the Allen ISD and TEA’s web pages). Duplication of programs that are successful in a classroom or a program is indeed desirable. Allen teachers meet periodically in different groups and levels to share successful ideas. However, as with most things in education, duplication is a relative thing, because what is successful in one school may not meet the needs of another school. In fact, a teacher may have to alter how they teach a lesson to different groups of student in a single day, based upon the needs of each class. Always the needs of the students in a class have to dictate the instruction, instead of the class meeting the needs of the course. Having said that, probably the one most successful way to establish a program in any school is to have one or two enthusiastic teachers implement the program. As they report their success with the idea, it will spread quite rapidly. Schools will have much more success in this way than in trying to impose a new program or method on an entire system.
Why am I running for the Allen ISD School Board?
I retired from teaching in 2006, and am running for a position on the Allen Independent School District Board of Trustees in the May election. I am often asked why I am running for the Board, and I have several reasons I believe are important.
First, I was always happy teaching school. I think this is evident by the number of my children who followed me in this great and honorable career. I feel that I need to give back to the students and professionals who gave me 43 happy and enriching work years.
Secondly, I have a great passion for public education. We in Allen are blessed because we still have some of the small town "feel" left in our schools. However, I believe we must return to the principle upon which public schools were created: to reflect not society, but the best of our society; if our schools do not subscribe to the highest expectations--not only in academics, but in citizenship, character and mutual respect--public education as we know it will turn into a system of private schools with each segment in our society having their own school. Our forefathers probably made our country what it is today because they enacted the free public school education laws. Our schools must return to the position they once held in our culture: that of promoting, expecting and requiring that our schools exemplify the highest standards of society.
Thirdly, I have a personal interest in keeping Allen schools the best they can be. I have one grandchild who graduated from Allen High School, one currently attending AHS, one is a pre-kindergarten student at Bolin Elementary, and two others who will be in AISD in the next two years. All of these children make education--particularly in Allen--of grave importance to me.
In my opinion, "It's all about the kids" is not a public relations statement, but rather a personal mission philosophy I embrace and I am pursuing for the benefit of not only my grandkids and the other children of Allen, but also for all the little ones yet to come.
First, I was always happy teaching school. I think this is evident by the number of my children who followed me in this great and honorable career. I feel that I need to give back to the students and professionals who gave me 43 happy and enriching work years.
Secondly, I have a great passion for public education. We in Allen are blessed because we still have some of the small town "feel" left in our schools. However, I believe we must return to the principle upon which public schools were created: to reflect not society, but the best of our society; if our schools do not subscribe to the highest expectations--not only in academics, but in citizenship, character and mutual respect--public education as we know it will turn into a system of private schools with each segment in our society having their own school. Our forefathers probably made our country what it is today because they enacted the free public school education laws. Our schools must return to the position they once held in our culture: that of promoting, expecting and requiring that our schools exemplify the highest standards of society.
Thirdly, I have a personal interest in keeping Allen schools the best they can be. I have one grandchild who graduated from Allen High School, one currently attending AHS, one is a pre-kindergarten student at Bolin Elementary, and two others who will be in AISD in the next two years. All of these children make education--particularly in Allen--of grave importance to me.
In my opinion, "It's all about the kids" is not a public relations statement, but rather a personal mission philosophy I embrace and I am pursuing for the benefit of not only my grandkids and the other children of Allen, but also for all the little ones yet to come.
Friday, March 30, 2007
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