Robotics in the classroom
SUMMER 2016 | ATPE.ORG
PAGE 20
Get more money for your classroom PAGE 8
Find out how Social Security affects your retirement benefits PAGE 15
Alternative schools give students a new path to graduation PAGE 16
HIT THE ROAD with your
BEST FRIEND and the
BEST
DISCOUNTS! Wherever you roam this summer, take your ATPE services and discounts with you! As an ATPE member, you have access to discounts on hotels, rental cars, theme parks, vacations, and cruises.
Check out the many ways you can save with ATPE at atpe.org.
S U M M E R
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N U M B E R
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special sections
ON THE COVER
6
Regional Roundup
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Your ATPE
Family Album · Regional Representatives · Board Reports · PAC Honor Roll
departments 4
President’s Message
5 Calendar
Robotics in the Classroom Texas students compete in a new UIL robotics program. PAGE 20
features
8
Recipe for Success
10
Education Inspiration
32
Members Speak
43
For the Record
columns
16 Different by Design An innovative high school provides a new path to
12 Your Ally. Your Voice. Understand your contract
4 2016 ATPE Summit Preview 2 The 2016 ATPE Summit is July 20-22
15 Texans on Education Financial advisor Devin
graduation for non-traditional Texas students.
PHOTO BY WYATT MCSPADDEN
in Austin. Preview the summit agenda, meet the 2016-17 state officer candidates, and learn more about what to expect at the 2016 House of Delegates.
summer 2016
rights · Learn how ATPE’s lobbyists work for you
Carroll explains how Social Security and Texas teacher retirement pensions work together.
atpe.org | 3
president’s message
The official publication of the Association of Texas Professional Educators
Cory Colby ATPE State President
4 | atpe.org
STATE OFFICERS
Cory Colby President, Willis (6)
Julleen Bottoms Vice President, Corsicana (12)
Carl Garner Secretary, Mesquite (10)
Byron Hildebrand Treasurer, San Antonio (20)
Richard Wiggins Past President, Boerne (20)
Michael Sweet Pharr-San Juan-Alamo (1)
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Cesarea Germain Corpus Christi (2) Andy Erdelt Palacios (3) Ron Fitzwater Alvin (4)
Suellen Ener Beaumont (5)
Judi Thomas Willis (6)
Janie Leath Nacogdoches (7)
Jimmy Lee Paris (8)
Dale Lovett Olney (9)
Jackie Davis Garland (10)
Karen Hames Lewisville (11)
Jason Forbis Midway (12)
Jayne Serna Leander (13)
Tonja Gray Abilene (14) Darlene Kelly Ballinger (15)
Dawn Riley Bushland (16)
Brenda Bryan Hale Center (17)
Bridget Loffler Odessa (18) Rudy Romero Clint (19) Tina Briones San Antonio (20)
ATPE STAFF
Gary G. Godsey Executive Director
Alan Bookman Deputy Executive Director Elaine Acker Marketing & Communications Director
ATPE NEWS STAFF
Gary G. Godsey Executive Editor
Elaine Acker Editor
John Kilpper Art Director
Leslie Trahan Managing Editor
Erica Fos Senior Graphic Designer Jean Schlitzkus Staff Writer/Editor Heather Gardner Consulting Editor ATPE News contains legislative advertising contracted for by Gary G. Godsey, Executive Director, Association of Texas Professional Educators, 305 E. Huntland Dr., Ste. 300, Austin, TX 78752-3792, representing ATPE.
ATPE News (ISSN 0279-6260) is published quarterly in fall, winter, spring and summer. Subscription rates: for members of the association, $3.32 per year (included in membership dues); non-members, $10 per year. Extra copies $1.25 each. Published by the Association of Texas Professional Educators, 305 E. Huntland Drive, Suite 300, Austin, TX, 78752-3792. Periodical Postage Paid at Austin, Texas and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ATPE News, 305 E. Huntland Dr., #300, Austin, TX, 78752-3792. Advertising rates may be obtained by sending a written request to the above address. Opinions expressed in this publication represent the attitude of the contributor whose name appears with the article and are not necessarily the official policy of ATPE. ATPE reserves the right to refuse advertising contrary to its purpose. Copyright 2015 in USA by the Association of Texas Professional Educators ISSN © ATPE 2013 0279-6260 USPS 578-050
305 E. Huntland Dr, Suite 300 Austin, TX 78752-3792 (800) 777-ATPE (2873) • (512) 467-0071 atpe.org • atpe@atpe.org
atpe news
<© IMAGE DESCRIPTION/COLLECTION/THINKSTOCK>
ALAN AUTRY, ACTOR, POLITICIAN, and former NFL pro once said, “Leadership requires the courage to make decisions that will benefit the next generation.” The leaders who founded ATPE made decisions that would benefit the next generation and created an association that was devoted to being member owned and governed. Those founding members created something new, different, and wonderful, countering the trends of the times; they created an organization devoted to allowing the membership of the association to make decisions. I joined ATPE because it was different in this way. I wanted to join with those who put kids first and where the voice of the members— all members—was the guiding power of the association. Thirty-six years later, our association has a changing membership that represents a changing profession. Since our founding, our students, our classrooms, our technology, and our membership have become more diverse, and the demands on us, as educators, have changed. We’ve also watched the political, social, and technological landscape evolve and change. Change is often met with fear, hesitation, and misinformation, but we know that ATPE must evolve and change as well to be successful in the future. Every year at summit, the House of Delegates considers new proposals for changes at ATPE that will “benefit the next generation.” This year is no different. My sincere hope is that every member at summit will engage in an honest and respectful discussion about the future of ATPE and make good business decisions that will allow ATPE to remain the premier educators’ organization for years to come. Change is inevitable. It is up to us to prepare for it and remain true to the ATPE vision. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your ATPE president. I look forward to seeing you at summit.
calendar
JUNE JUNE 1 Entry deadline for ATPE Communications Award JUNE 10 State Board for Educator Certification meeting
GROUP PHOTO BY JOHN KILPPER; © GIRL HOLDING FLAG/WAVEBREAK MEDIA /THINKSTOCK
JUNE 16–17 Teacher Retirement System Board of Trustees quarterly meeting JUNE 22 ATPE Summit delegate certification/preregistration deadline Heather Turner, Cecilia Leeann Bauer, Chelsea Annette Clinton, Jazmin Amanda Gutierrez, Aida Nohemi Serrato, and Daxus Nesossi at the 2015 ATPE Summit.
JULY JULY 4 State office closed for Independence Day JULY 20 Summer ATPE State Committee Meetings: Educator of the Year and Leader of the Year JULY 20–22 2016 ATPE Summit
JULY 20-22 State Board of Education meeting JULY 25 State office closed post-ATPE Summit
JULY 31 2015-16 ATPE membership year ends and professional liability insurance policy expires*
JULY 31 ATPE-PAC donation deadline to be recognized as a 2015-16 ATPEPAC honoree
AUGUST AUGUST 1 2016-17 ATPE membership year and professional liability insurance policy begin* AUGUST 1–2 IT’S TIME TEXAS Summit AUGUST 5 State Board for Educator Certification meeting
THE ATPE
VISION
ATPE is the preeminent public educator association in Texas and makes a difference in the lives of educators and schoolchildren. In partnership with all stakeholders, we are committed to providing every child an equal opportunity to receive an exemplary public education.
* THE EDUCATORS PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY INSURANCE POLICY IS UNDERWRITTEN BY NATIONAL UNION FIRE INSURANCE CO. OF PITTSBURGH, PA. ALL COVERAGE IS SUBJECT TO THE EXPRESS TERMS OF THE MASTER INSURANCE POLICY ISSUED TO ATPE AND KEPT ON FILE AT THE ATPE STATE OFFICE. Visit atpe.org for disclosures, limitations, and insurance policy details.
summer 2016
atpe.org | 5
regional roundup
T
here are more than a thousand school districts in Texas
and each one has success stories. Regional Roundup highlights some of the achievements happening in our public schools. When something special
4 PLAINVIEW
happens in your school district, let us know! Send news to comm@atpe.org.
5 ABILENE
3 SONORA
2
1
BRYAN ROUND ROCK
6 CORPUS CHRISTI
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atpe news
REGIONAL ROUNDUP:
HEADLINES FROM ACROSS THE STATE
1
Round Rock elementary students raise thousands for charity
Canyon Creek Elementary students raised more than $2,000 for a nonprofit that helps communities in rural Africa gain access to clean, safe water. The third graders were inspired by a presentation from Water to Thrive’s executive director. The students’ efforts included making and selling crafts and reaching out for matching contributions. roundrock.isd
2 PHOTOS COURTESY OF: 1.ROUND ROCK ISD; 2. BRYAN ISD; 3. SONORA ISD; 4. SKIP LEON; 5. ABILENE ISD; 6. CORPUS CHRISTI ISD
Bryan student qualifies for US Olympic Trials
Bryan sophomore Julia Cook qualified for the US Olympic Trials at the USA Swimming Speedo Sectionals, an event that showcases some of the top swimming talent from across the country. Cook finished second behind two-time Olympic gold medalist Kirsty Coventry. theeagle.com
3
Sonora students experience hands-on art day
Sonora students participated in “Art Is Everywhere,” an event where kids rotated through different types of artistic mediums, such as paint throwing, watercolor painting, cookie painting, embroidery, and pottery design. Alejandro Castanon, an artist from San Angelo, created an abstract portrait in real time while talking to the students about color and perspective. sonoraisd.net
summer 2016
4
Plainview senior pitches no-hitter baseball game
Plainview senior Ethan Earhart pitched a no-hitter against El Paso Franklin’s baseball team during an early season matchup. Earhart walked one opponent and struck out six in the 10-0 victory for the Plainview Bulldogs. The left hander has been virtually unhittable this year. Last season, Earhart was an all-district first team pitcher. MyPlainview.com
5
Abilene students create recycled miniature golf course
Ward Elementary gifted and talented students raised money for a field trip to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History by building their own miniature golf course. The course, built from recycled “trash,” was created after the second, third, fourth, and fifth graders conducted research at a local miniature golf course. The students’ creation was a hit at the PTA’s Winter Festival. abileneisd.org
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Corpus students compete in 2016 Special Olympics Texas Winter Games
The Corpus Christi Special Olympics Texas All-Star Volleyball Team won fourth place at the 2016 Special Olympics Texas Winter Games in Round Rock. The CCISD Board of Trustees honored the team’s outstanding work with a special recognition from the district. facebook.com/CCISD
atpe.org | 7
recipe for success
by Heather O’Keeffe Gardner
ATPE WILL CONTRIBUTE UP TO $500 FOR YOUR CLASSROOM
W
ith education funding decreasing every year, schools and teachers are being asked to do more and more with less money. In many schools, teachers use their
own money to decorate their classrooms, buy supplies for their students, and purchase extras like magazine subscriptions, books, and educational software. These educators go above and beyond to ensure their students have as enriching an educational experience as possible. Now there’s help.
ATPE has joined forces with DonorsChoose.org to provide money that teachers can use to enhance their classrooms. DonorsChoose.org’s mission is to allow the public to address educational inequality by donating money to individual projects. To date, more than two million people have donated more than $400 million to projects on DonorsChoose.org. These donations have reached more than 17 million students, providing things like books, art supplies, computers, and robots. The process begins when a teacher sets up a project that he or she wants funded. Projects can be just about anything: subscriptions to magazines, books for the classroom library, robotics kits, computers, art supplies, new educational software, or field trips. Once a project has been funded, DonorsChoose.org purchases the items requested and sends them to the teacher. By negotiating directly
8 | atpe.org
with suppliers, DonorsChoose.org is able to ensure the best possible prices. People who donate receive a letter from the teacher, a cost report detailing how their money was spent, and pictures of the items being used in the classroom. Donors who give $50 or more also receive notes from the students who benefitted from the project.
ATPE Is a Matching Partner DonorsChoose.org allows companies and organizations to create matching programs. ATPE is now a matching partner with DonorsChoose.org. When a member creates a project on DonorsChoose.org and lists ATPE in either the project title or description, ATPE will match 50 percent of the project cost once the first half of the funds have been donated. The total for each project cannot exceed $1,000, including fees. Each eligible ATPE member can seek matching funds for one project per school year.
HOW IT WORKS
Getting funding for your classroom project through DonorsChoose.org and ATPE is easy.
1
Go to DonorsChoose. org and set up an account. The site will walk you through the whole process.
2
Identify yourself as an ATPE member by including “ATPE” in your project title or description.
3
Set your funding request amount. To qualify for this matching program, the total cost of your project cannot exceed $1,000, including fees.
4
Make sure your project meets the eligibility requirements set by DonorsChoose.org.
5
Spread the word. Once your project has been approved, let people know through emails and social media. Matching funds for your project will be applied once you have raised 50 percent of the total you requested.
atpe news
recipe for success
ATPE SUCCESS STORIES During the 2014-15 school year, ATPE provided $31,482 in matching funds for its members through DonorsChoose.org. ATPE members created 130 projects at 110 schools, reaching more than 16,000 students. Here are some of their stories.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMY CAMP; JUAN DE LA CRUZ
added resource in requesting what my students need and beyond, like dictionaries and field trips related to education. My students and I no longer have to worry about paying for school items that truly make learning much easier and fun because of the help of generous donors from DonorsChoose.org.” – Juan de la Cruz
JUAN DE LA CRUZ Farmersville High School, Farmersville, TX Mr. de la Cruz teaches four different levels of Spanish at the small Farmersville High School. He begins each class by having the students translate sentences. The school doesn’t have enough English-Spanish dictionaries to go around, and those they do have are falling apart. The students often have to wait their turn, using valuable class time. Mr. de la Cruz requested English-Spanish dictionaries to aid his students in their translations. Thanks to donations and matching funds from ATPE, Mr. de la Cruz was able to buy 20 English-Spanish dictionaries for his students. “DonorsChoose.org has been an
JEREMY JACKSON Pasadena High School, Pasadena, TX Mr. Jackson had his students research designs for pedalpowered charging stations. In addition to learning the engineering skills necessary to build these devices, the students will engage in physical activity while charging their phones and tablets. With donations from individuals and matching funds from ATPE, Mr. Jackson was able to purchase soldering irons that the students will use to build their charging stations. “I am so thankful for ATPE partnering with DonorsChoose.org to provide materials for classrooms. The process is seamless and really makes a difference when trying to get a project funded. Thanks for your support.” – Jeremy Jackson
AMY CAMP PPCD Program, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Katy, TX Ms. Camp requested a range of auditory, physical, visual, and tactile sensory items to use in her Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities (PPCD) classroom. These items allow the children in the PPCD program to participate in classroom activities with their peers. With the help of six individual donations and the matching funds from ATPE, Ms. Camp now has the tools she needs to help her students reach their potential. “The materials we received have greatly benefited my students! We are so thankful to ATPE and all of the donors for supporting our class!” – Amy Camp
YOUR CLASSROOM COULD BE NEXT. SET UP YOUR PROJECT AT DONORSCHOOSE.ORG TODAY!
summer 2016
atpe.org | 9
education inspiration
LOOKING FOR CLASSROOM INSPIRATION? Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve come to the right place! In this department, we highlight fun and inspiring educational activities found on social media. This issue focuses on math-themed activities.
This clever bulletin board idea will get your students engaged with math. You provide the answer, and they come up with the question!
1
bit.ly/1ZiOzPO
2 This Figure Me Out board will help your students get to know you while they practice their math skills. Take this activity to the next level by having students come up with their own equations. bit.ly/1ONPS7Y
FOR MORE CLASSROOM IDEAS, FOLLOW ATPE ON PINTEREST pinterest.com/atpe
Save your water bottle caps to make this exciting math facts game. Students can play against each other or by themselves. bit.ly/1Ogx1Ro
3 Help your students understand graphing by creating these personalized graphs as bulletin boards. bit.ly/1P8sFJi
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atpe news
1 Photo courtesy of theteacherstudio.com
5 Photo courtesy of missgiraffesclass.blogspot.com
2 Photo courtesy of aloveforteaching.blogspot.com
6 Photo courtesy of mrelementarymath.blogspot.com
3 Photo courtesy of shutthedoorandteach.com
7 Photo courtesy of lessonplandiva.com
4 Photo courtesy of tunstallsteachingtidbits.com
8 Photo courtesy of primarily-speaking.com
Creating a simple interactive number line can help your students develop number sense. These can easily be tailored for specific groups.
Check out these unique ideas for teaching multiplication through arrays. bit.ly/1RknwUR
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bit.ly/1PUZrRt
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DO YOU HAVE A CLASSROOM ACTIVITY TO SHARE? Send your photos to comm@atpe.org and you could be featured in Education Inspiration.
8 Try this fun and competitive two-player math game in your classroom. You can easily create different versions for students at different levels.
This easily adaptable mental math game provides a fun way for students to hone their basic math skills. bit.ly/1RAGabB
7
summer 2016
bit.ly/1Or7SRT
atpe.org | 11
your ally. your voice.
by Paul Tapp, ATPE Member Legal Services Managing Attorney
KNOW YOUR CONTRACT RIGHTS
The most common sanction imposed for a postdue-process determination that a teacher abandoned his or her contract without good cause has been a one-year suspension of teaching credentials.
12 | atpe.org
What happens if you are offered a job at another district after the school year has begun–can you give two-weeks’ notice and take it? What if you are reassigned to a position that you did not want; can you quit rather than accept it? The answer to these questions depends on whether or not you have an employment contract. The Texas Education Code requires that a public school district employ certain employees, including all classroom teachers and full-time certified administrators, under a contract. That contract works two ways. First, it creates a legally enforceable promise on the part of the district to employ the contracting educator for the term of the contract unless the district proves through the hearing process that it has good cause to terminate the teacher’s contract and employment or the teacher resigns to avoid that termination. Second, it creates a legally enforceable promise on the part of the teacher to work for the district through the end of the school year unless the teacher can prove that he or she has good cause to end employment or the district agrees to release the teacher from the contract. Except for a teacher’s right to resign before the “penalty-free resignation deadline” 45 days before the first instructional day of the upcoming school year, the contract requires that either the district or the teacher prove that they have good cause to end the employment unless both parties, teacher and district, mutually agree to end the employment relationship. The district’s agreement to let a teacher resign when it’s not required to is called a “release” because the district is releasing the teacher from his or her contractual obligations. If an educator leaves employment without a release at a time when simple resignation is not possible, the district cannot force the educator to continue working for the district. However, the district board can rule that the educator left without good cause and can submit a complaint requesting that the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) sanction the educator for “abandoning” the contract. Usually, the board must authorize the complaint within 30 days of the date the educator quit working in order for SBEC to pursue sanctions. If a timely complaint is filed, Texas Education Agency (TEA)
staff will independently investigate to determine whether the educator had good cause to abandon the contract. If TEA staff determines that good cause existed, they can simply dismiss the complaint. If, however, they determine that good cause did not exist, they can pursue sanctions through SBEC disciplinary due process hearing procedures. Over the years, through these due process hearings, a body of law has developed that defines what is and is not considered good cause. Recently, SBEC codified these decisions and informal practices into the board’s official rules. While each situation is decided on its individual facts, SBEC rules now list what is good cause to abandon a contract. These rules include: • serious illness or health condition of the educator or close family member of the educator; • relocation to a new city as a result of change in employer of the educator’s spouse or partner who resides with the educator; or • a significant change in the educator’s family needs that requires the educator to relocate or to devote more time than allowed by current employment. Educators should note that two things are not included in this list. First, a job offer, even a promotion, is not considered good cause to abandon a contract. While a district might have a local practice of granting a release for a promotion, that is a local decision. SBEC has historically refused to accept career advancement as good cause to abandon a contract and has sanctioned educators who leave without a release from the district under these circumstances. Second, a change in the educator’s job or benefits, even a significant one, is not included in the list. ATPE lobbied SBEC to include significant changes to a position, such as an unwanted reassignment or a substantial change in benefits, such as significantly lowering an educator’s salary, in the list of good causes, but SBEC refused to do so. This is noteworthy because recent decisions by the commissioner of education have made it easier for a school district to lower an educator’s salary without clear notice that it is going to happen. Historically, the most common sanction imposed for a post-due-process determination that a teacher
atpe news
by Jennifer Canaday, ATPE Governmental Relations Director
abandoned his or her contract without good cause has been a one-year suspension of teaching credentials, usually starting from the date of the abandonment. Mitigating factors have reduced sanctions, while exacerbating factors, such as an educator repeatedly abandoning contracts, have increased the sanctions. The rules also now state what efforts an educator may take to mitigate the effect of leaving and reduce the sanction that SBEC decides to impose. These mitigating measures are: • the educator gave written notice to the school district two weeks or more in advance of the first day of instruction for which the educator will not be present; • the educator assisted the school district in finding a replacement educator to fill the position; • the educator continued to work until the school district hired a replacement educator; • the educator assisted in training the replacement educator; • the educator showed good faith in communications and negotiations with school district; and • the educator provided lesson plans for classes following his or her resignation. Again, making these efforts does not guarantee the educator will avoid SBEC sanctions. These efforts may simply be taken into consideration when determining what the sanction will be. As noted above, historically, a one-year suspension was the most common penalty for abandonment without good cause or mitigation. The final addition to the SBEC rules codifies this long-time practice. The rules now provide that unless the educator had good cause to abandon the contract or had mitigated the effects of departure as provided by the statutory list provided above, the minimum penalty for an educator abandoning a contract shall be: • suspension for one year from the first day that, without district permission, the educator failed to appear for work under the contract, provided that the educator has not worked as an educator during that year, and the case is resolved within that one year through an agreed final order; or • suspension for one year from either the effective date of an agreed final order resolving the case or an agreed future date at the beginning of the following school year, if the educator has worked as an educator after abandoning the contract; or • suspension for one year from the date that SBEC adopts an order that becomes final following a contested case hearing at the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH). A suspension is no small thing; it means the certificate is not valid during the suspension period, and the educator must apply for reactivation and go through another criminal background check. In addition, the suspension will become a part of the teacher’s permanent record. Most, if not all, employment continued on page 39
summer 2016
your ally. your voice.
SERVING AS YOUR VOICE While planning a presentation for the 2016 Summit, ATPE’s lobbyists discussed how our presentations are called “legislative updates,” even during years that the Texas legislature does not convene. Advocating for ATPE involves more than shaping legislation and showing up for legislative sessions. Our lobbyists work in diverse ways, even during so-called interim years. For example, your professional rights and responsibilities are regulated by both legislators you elect and appointed policymakers. State boards and agencies continuously engage in rulemaking processes to implement laws passed by the legislature. As you read in Paul Tapp’s column, SBEC rules directly impact your livelihood, which is why ATPE’s lobbying work also covers state boards like SBEC, whose members are appointed by the governor. Another gubernatorial appointee, the commissioner of education, also adopts rules that affect you, such as recommending a new appraisal system for educators. The fact that educators can’t readily “vote out” an appointed state official makes it even more important for ATPE’s lobbyists to build relationships with those policymakers and serve as your voice in rulemaking that occurs year round. At the same time we’re covering rulemaking, giving input at interim legislative hearings, meeting candidates, and working with coalitions, we stand ready to intervene whenever and wherever developments arise. That can mean jetting off to DC on a moment’s notice to ensure that our members’ voices are heard, as ATPE Lobbyist Josh Sanderson did when Congress held a Social Security hearing this spring. As your lobbyists, we are guided by expertise and vigilance. Our workplace is vast, and for us, there is no “interim.” As always, you can read the latest advocacy updates and learn more about ATPE’s efforts at TeachtheVote.org. And check out our new resources on T-TESS and Districts of Innovation at atpe.org/T-TESS and atpe.org/DOI.
atpe.org | 13
GCU SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ATPE MEMBERS
ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS AND GCU ARE WORKING TOGETHER FOR YOU! With over a 60-year history of providing quality teacher and administrator degree programs, GCU will teach you a thing or two, so you can do the same. • Advance your career. From bachelor’s to doctoral, choose from over 20 degree programs to specialize in the area that fits your career goals. • Learn at your convenience. Complete your coursework 100% online around your schedule. • Graduate sooner. Ask about our complimentary transcript evaluation to see how many of your prior credits will transfer, lowering your total cost. You could earn your degree in as little as 18 months.
ATPE members receive a scholarship of 10% off tuition to help you get started on earning your degree!
For more information, please visit gcu.edu/TXEducators or call 855-428-1772.
For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information, please visit our website at gcu.edu/disclosures. Please note, not all GCU programs are available in all states and in all learning modalities. Grand Canyon University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. (800-621-7440; http://hlcommission.org/). 15COEE0341
by Devin Carroll, financial advisor and owner of Carroll Investment Management
Texans on education
YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY AND RETIREMENT BENEFITS Did you know that Texas is one of only 15 states where most teachers do not participate in Social Security? Instead, the state has its own pension plan— the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS). This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it can cause confusion if you don’t know the rules about how Social Security benefits and Texas teacher retirement pensions fit together. Learn how your teacher pension affects your Social Security benefits.
A Closer Look A few decades ago, the Social Security Act was amended in an effort to prevent people from receiving both a Social Security benefit and a pension from a job where they did not pay into the Social Security system. The result of this amendment is a set of rules that affect many Texas teachers’ ability to claim Social Security benefits. The rules are called the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). These provisions reduce or eliminate Social Security benefits for individuals who worked at a job where they: (A) did not pay Social Security tax and (B) qualified for a pension. It’s important to understand that the WEP rule only applies to individuals who are entitled to a Social Security benefit based on their own work history and have a pension from a job where they did not pay Social Security tax. Meanwhile, the GPO rule only applies to individuals who are entitled to a Social Security benefit as a survivor or spouse and have a pension from a job in which they did not pay Social Security tax.
Windfall Elimination Provision The WEP changes how your Social Security is calculated, which results in a lower benefit amount. This provision causes confusion for those who have worked at a job where they paid enough in Social Security taxes (either before or after their teaching career) to qualify for a Social Security benefit.
Under the WEP: • The maximum Social Security reduction will never be greater than 1/2 of your pension amount. • If you have more than 20 years of “substantial covered earnings” (where you paid Social Security tax), the impact of the WEP begins to lessen. At 30 years of substantial covered earnings, the WEP goes away completely. For some, the opportunity to reduce the impact of WEP offers a great retirement income planning opportunity if you worked at a job where you paid Social Security tax. For example, if you worked as an accountant for 20 years before you began teaching, you may be able to do enough part-time work between now and when you retire to completely eliminate the monthly WEP reduction. Would it be worth it? If you consider how much more in benefits you could receive over your retirement lifetime, it could be worth $100,000 in extra income over a 20-year retirement. The WEP provision has been around for more than three decades, but it could be changing soon. Recently, ATPE-supported legislation was introduced that would repeal the current version of the WEP. Representatives Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Richard Neal (D-MA) co-sponsored H.R. 711: EQUAL TREATMENT OF PUBLIC SERVANTS ACT OF 2015. If this reform is passed, the WEP formula will be replaced with the Public Servant Fairness Formula, which should decrease the amount that most teachers are subject to.
Government Pension Offset If you meet both of the requirements for the GPO (you are entitled to a Social Security benefit as a survivor or spouse and have a pension from a job where you did not pay Social Security tax), your Social Security survivor or spousal benefit will be reduced by an amount equal to 2/3 of your pension. As an example, let’s say Nicole worked for 30 continued on page 40
summer 2016
GPO REDUCTION FORMULA
APPLICATION OF GPO REDUCTION
$3,000 Nicole’s Pension (x) 2/3 GPO Reduction $2,000 Reduction to Social Security Survivor or Spousal Benefits
$2,300 Nicole’s SS Survivor Benefit (-) $2,000 GPO Reduction $300 Nicole’s SS Survivor Benefit After GPO Reduction
atpe.org | 15
BY
DESIGN
SUCCESS HIGH SCHOOL: STUDENTS CHOOSE A NEW PATH TO GRADUATION BY JEAN SCHLITZKUS
uccess High School Principal Thomasine Stewart does not give up on students, and she doesn’t allow students to give up on themselves. “Failing a course is not an option,” says Stewart. “If they hit a road block, we don’t keep proceeding. We look at re-teaching, additional support, tutorials, whatever they need.” Students at Success High School in Round Rock, Texas, are not allowed to fail a course and move forward.” Stewart says, “These are different people, taking different subjects, so we re-teach in many different ways.” The belief that all students learn differently is at the heart of the Success program. Educators and students must collaborate to find an individualized way to get to graduation—and this collaboration is what makes the school truly unique. As the name “alternative school” suggests, the program at Success is an alternative to traditional teaching. Alternative education is not a new idea, but it has evolved. In the second half of the 20th century, many alternative schools were designed to serve
students who had dropped out of or been expelled from traditional schools. Today, school districts are taking a more proactive approach as part of their comprehensive dropout prevention programs and the state’s compensatory education program. The focus is now on providing opportunities for students in at-risk situations to be successful through a nontraditional high school diploma program. Stewart prefers to call Success a “school of choice,” rather than an “alternative school,” because the school serves students from area high schools who choose to apply. By design, a school of choice like Success offers voluntary participation, a small school size, highly invested educators, and personalized instruction. More recently, the concept of school choice has come to mean a wide range of
2 017 Success High School Teacher of the Year Catherine Chang (left) says that caring administrators like Thomasine Stewart (right) make it easier for teachers to care for students.
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SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPH BY MARK MENJIVAR WITH LETTERING ILLUSTRATION BY ERICA FOS; CHANG/STEWART PHOTO BY JEAN SCHLITZKUS; MORGAN WILLIAMS PHOTO BY JOHN A. STEWART
educational programs that include charter schools, magnet schools, and homeschooling. But in-district programs like Success aren’t embroiled in controversies over private school vouchers, tuition tax credits, or similar attempts to direct public funds to private, home, or for-profit schools. Stewart is clear that by describing Success as a school of choice, she is highlighting the students’ active commitment to their own education. “They are focused and they are taking ownership of their education,” says Stewart. “The current, traditional model tends to be powerful for a number of students, but there are individuals for whom this program is a better fit. They feel much more empowered in their education. They are much more aware of where they are going and why they are going in that direction.” Success is often one of the first institutions to celebrate a student’s individual skills. Stewart says, “I have students who haven’t received an award since they were in elementary school, and we are giving those students recognition. They are kids who haven’t had the vehicle to show what they can do, and we are giving them opportunities to reach heights they lost along the way.” Contrary to common misconceptions about alternative schools, not everyone attending the school is doing so because they’ve gotten into trouble at a traditional campus and could no longer remain there. For example, some students have struggled with medical or mental health issues that have been detrimental to their progress in school. Stewart says there are students at her high school with sickle cell anemia, cancer, and scoliosis. “Even though the district offers homebound services, depending on the severity of a student’s injury or condition,” she says, “students still might fall behind.” There are also students who have assumed adult roles in their families. Many are balancing schoolwork and the responsibility of being the primary breadwinner at home. Students also apply to Success because they want to work at an accelerated pace, prefer nontraditional work environments, have unique scheduling needs, are pregnant or parenting, or experience social difficulties in traditional schools. Stewart says, “The educators here have a great passion for working with at-risk students who have had some hurdles to overcome—it could be anything from being awkward to being homeless.”
A BLENDED APPROACH TO LEARNING
Students at Success work at their own pace and receive individual instruction. In general, students earn course credits after working through lessons and tests on a computer, but
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Stephanie Williams calls Success a godsend. Following anxiety-filled freshman and sophomore years at a traditional high school, her daughter, Morgan, graduated from the alternative school a year and a half early. That accomplishment is a testament to Morgan’s determination and her family’s support and is proof that the school is living up to its name. Morgan began struggling with anxiety in middle school, but she hoped her symptoms would fade as she began high school. That didn’t happen. She struggled her freshman and sophomore years and began missing school. “There were sometimes 30 or more students in one classroom,” Morgan says. “I couldn’t keep up with the teacher because people were talking nonstop.” Morgan’s school counselor encouraged her to apply to Success. She was accepted at the beginning of her junior year and graduated at the beginning of the spring semester. Morgan says individualized instruction, the ability to focus on her work, and caring educators helped her succeed. “The teachers care about the kids personally,” she says. “They don’t judge you by your past. If you need help, they are here to help. I didn’t feel that way in a traditional school.” Morgan is planning to enroll in her first college class this summer. “I’m going to start with one course and make my way because I want to go into nursing.” She doesn’t hesitate when she adds, “College is definitely going to happen.”
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they also benefit from a teacher-led classroom. The blended approach to teaching extends into what Stewart calls “experiences.” These are hands-on learning opportunities that are relevant to students in several different courses or sections of a course. Part of the challenge for administrators at schools like Success is debunking outdated ideas about alternative schools’ curriculum. The alternative education programs of the 1950s and 1960s—what some might have called diploma or GED mills—are a thing of the past. Stewart insists that the online courses, which are aligned with Round Rock ISD’s curriculum and have been tested by a number of people in the district, are rigorous and require a great deal of time and effort from the students. “We know for some students, the traditional way of teaching works,” she says. “But we also know that the students are technology natives and they are coming to us doing far more online and empowering themselves.” Success High School is not only accountable for all of the state tests but also participates in the
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state-legislated program designed to improve student success in college, Texas Success Initiative, and the ApplyTexas project for college admissions. “Parents might come in with an older version of what an alternative school is in their minds, but when they find out that the testing is the same and that we are sending kids to take the ACT and the SAT, they are impressed,” she says. “We talk to them about the next step after secondary for their child. It’s a paradigm shift in thinking.”
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING
One of the biggest draws of Success High School for students and parents is flexibility in terms of scheduling. Success is open 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, as well as 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. At Success, every teacher and every subject are continuously available. Stewart says that when a student is struggling in a particular subject, the school’s flexible scheduling allows the student to spend more time receiving help in the challenging class. The educators at Success are experts at diagnosing when a student needs additional time or additional
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tutoring. Another trait Stewart looks for when she’s hiring staff is multiple credentials. “The more credentials you have, the more flexibility I have in moving kids and balancing the classes,” she says. The teachers at Success are capable of easily adapting from one content area—and one student—to another. “These educators are special,” says Stewart. “They don’t stick to traditional structure because that structure didn’t work for the kids.”
GROUP PHOTO BY JOHN A. STEWART; MENBERU ZEWDIE PHOTO BY JEAN SCHLITZKUS
A CARING CAMPUS FAMILY
There is another attribute that Stewart looks for in educators that is just as valuable to her as credentials, flexibility, and content mastery—applicants must prioritize relationships. “We look for people who know how to establish relationships, because we have to remember that the students are coming here for many different reasons,” she says. The educators at Success have to be comfortable having difficult conversations with students. Career and technical education teacher Catherine Chang says having educators who care makes a big difference in students’ lives. “If we know there are problems, we talk to them,” says Chang. “Even though they may have family problems, when the students come here, at least they have someone to talk to in a safe place.” Students are assigned advisors who mentor and advocate on their behalf. “You have to be able to work with very determined young people, who may have had failures along the way, who didn’t do the work, or who question the work,” says Stewart. “You have to get them back on track.” Conversations in the teachers’ lounge and in the halls cover the usual school subjects but can also revolve around teenage brain development, socioemotional issues, and economics. “We are looking at their clothes, watching their eating habits, and talking about whether they are being properly cared for,” says Stewart. School staff often donates necessities like food. They have also helped provide things like interview clothing, food handler cards, and job leads. More than one student has found a job with the help of the staff.
AN INNOVATIVE NEW CAMPUS
Before the new campus was built, the Success program was housed in portables behind Round Rock’s Stony Point High School. During the years behind the 6A school, science labs were nonexistent, art students hauled jugs of water from the high school because the portables had no water system, and students and staff dealt with occasional blackouts thanks to easily tripped fuses. Stewart recalls the prolonged push continued on page 40
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Menberu’s Story Menberu Zewdie had a dilemma. He was born in Africa and his parents moved to Austin when he was a year old. After Menberu finished eighth grade, his father decided to return home to Ethiopia and launch a startup, and he wanted his son to help him. Menberu went, and attended a private school before enrolling at the British International School. When Menberu eventually returned to Austin, he discovered that despite the Westwood High School registrar’s best efforts, his two years in his African high school would not transfer. Menberu had a choice—stay at Westwood and graduate at age 20, or accelerate the pace of his coursework by attending Success. He chose to complete his high school credits in two years versus four. At Success, Menberu appreciates more than just the accelerated pace of learning. He says the teachers dedicate themselves to the students. “They really, truly, deeply care,” he says. “Not to say that other teachers at other schools don’t, but there are so many students there that they can’t focus on individual students’ needs. Here, they are more attentive because they can be.” Menberu plans to pay that dedication forward. Even though he has already been accepted at universities, he plans to enlist in the Navy. He says that being in the service requires a selfless attitude, not unlike that of the teachers at Success, and following their lead means more to him than anything else.
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university interscholastic league robotics Pilot Program fosters studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; engineering and design skills 20 | atpe.org
Robotics in THE
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magine a high school gym filled with cheering parents and fans. A contingent of the school’s marching band plays the fight song while the cheerleaders and school mascot lead the crowd in cheers. A high school basketball game? Girls’ volleyball tournament? Pep rally for the football team? Nope. This crowd is gathered for the regional BEST robotics competition. Teams on the gym floor concentrate, guiding their robots through the designated challenges. When a robot succeeds in completing its task, the crowd goes wild and the team celebrates. In cases where the robot breaks or fails to complete its task in the allotted time, the people in the stands groan in sympathy with the dejected team members. After hours of competition, the winning team carries off the championship trophy and bragging rights. The next stop is the state championship competition. Robotics clubs have long been popular in Texas schools. Two programs—BEST (Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology) Robotics and FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in Texas—have been inspiring kids to develop their STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills to create functioning robots. And now the University Interscholastic League (UIL) is partnering with BEST and FIRST to create a pilot program for UIL state championship robotics competitions. Texas is the fourth state in the country to develop this kind of program.
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STORY HEATHER O’KEEFFE GARDNER ||| PHOTOS WYATT MCSPADDEN
All of Texas’s 1,400 UIL member schools will be eligible to participate, making it the largest school-based robotics program in the country. In the December 2015 announcement about the pilot program, UIL Executive Director Dr. Charles Breithaupt said, “There is a clear need to prepare today’s students for the jobs of tomorrow. ... STEM is a priority for UIL, and FIRST and BEST have a proven track record of success in preparing students for a future in STEM careers through robotics competitions.” As a result of this partnership, Texas will now host two UIL state championship robotics competitions. The FIRST state championship will take place in Austin July 28-30, 2016, as the culmination of the spring FIRST robotics season. The second will be held in November, in conjunction with the BEST state championship competition. Qualification for these championship competitions will be based on team performance during the regular FIRST and BEST competition seasons. The UIL championship will be separate from the FIRST and BEST championships, meaning eligible teams will be able to participate in both. Schools that win these UIL state championships will have the same bragging rights as those that win contests in the state UIL academics, athletics, and music categories. Some robotics team sponsors are even talking about varsity letters for participants. Having a statewide competition for robotics recognizes the importance that STEMrelated fields of study play in our state’s future.
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BENEFITS
One of the goals of the UIL pilot program is to engage students who have not been involved in the traditional UIL academics, athletics, and music competitions. As robotics competitions become more popular, and as schools are able to tout their successes in the UIL competitions, the number of programs and participating students should grow each year. In addition, having UIL-sanctioned Derrick Walker, Connor Schee, Reese Clawson, Bradley Mann, and Sam Kuehnhold school-based teams will allow are members of Keller High School’s robotics team. students who may not otherwise their paces at local competitions, and the robots have access to robotics programs to explore STEMthat complete the challenges most efficiently win related activities. One goal of the new UIL robotics and move on to the next round. programs will be to increase the participation of girls, In addition to the performance of their robots, minorities, and low-income students. The UIL stamp teams are judged on their project notebook, which of approval may also make district funds available chronicles the efforts to design, build, and program to school teams that had previously relied on their robots. They are also required to do a marketing sponsorships, donations, and fundraising efforts. presentation and pass a conference exhibit interview with judges. Teams are also judged on their school spirit and sportsmanship. BEST was founded in 1993 by two The competition season closes with engineers from Texas Instruments. In a state championship held each its first year, BEST sponsored 14 year in the fall. The 2016 BEST robotics teams, with a total of state competition will take 221 students participating. Since place in the Dallas/Ft. Worth then, BEST has spread throughout area in November. The UIL state Texas and now has teams in championship will take place other states. In 2015, 350 at the same event, and school Texas schools had BEST teams, teams will be able to compete totaling about 6,200 students. in both the BEST and UIL BEST provides each team championship competitions. with a robotics starter kit free of FIRST was founded in charge. While each school can Manchester, New Hampshire, in only form one BEST team, there 1989 and sponsored its first teams in is no limit to the number of students Texas in 2010. During the last competitive allowed on each team. Adult mentors, season, 15 percent of Texas high school students— who can be teachers or volunteers from the roughly 7,000 kids—participated in FIRSTcommunity, provide guidance to the team, but the sponsored robotics programs. FIRST expects that students are responsible for designing, building, number to grow as a result of the partnership with and programming their robots. UIL. The organization hopes to expand into rural At the beginning of each season, BEST provides areas, where students don’t always have the same a challenge that each robot must complete. It can access to mentors from tech and engineering firms be anything from performing a task to navigating a that kids in more urban areas have. maze. Teams then have six weeks to design, build, There are four categories of FIRST competitions: and test their creation. The robots are put through
HISTORY OF THE PROGRAMS
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Lego League, Jr., Lego League, Tech, and Robotics. During this first year of the pilot program, UIL will sponsor Tech and Robotics championships. The Tech challenge is a field game where teams work in alliance against other teams. The competition’s theme changes each year, and FIRST provides teams with a starter kit of the parts that they will need. Schools may have more than one FIRST team, but each team needs to declare its category at the beginning of the season. Once teams receive the season’s challenge, they have eight to ten weeks, depending on their competition category, to design, build, and program their robots. This year’s Tech challenge is based on a mountain rescue scenario. In the Robotics competition, teams collaborate to breach their opponents’ fortifications and launch boulders through their towers before capturing them. As with the BEST programs, FIRST teams are also judged on their design notebook, marketing skills, and sportsmanship.
ROBOTS IN ACTION
Shawn Schmuck, a teacher at Keller High School, has coached robotics teams for the past four years —two at Keller and two in Fort Worth ISD—and he is planning to have his robotics teams compete in the UIL pilot program next fall. This year, he has
Shawn Schmuck coaches robotics at Keller High School.
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22 students on four teams participating in his robotics program, and 45 are already on the list for next year. Schmuck says the new UIL program offers many benefits. “It opens up possibilities for the students, and it is a significant item for students to put on their resume as they apply to colleges. Also, every UIL program the school participates in goes toward recognition and awards for the school.” Schmuck has seen firsthand the positive effect the robotics program has had on his students. The students learn how to manage time, materials, and money—all skills that will serve them well in future business endeavors. In addition, they learn how to work as a team and succeed in a competitive environment. “The team pulls together a diverse group of students, forcing them to depend on each other and providing an opportunity to make highquality friends,” says Schmuck. Many of Schmuck’s students have never participated in extracurricular activities before, but now they spend hours each week working with team members on their robots. Paul W. Johnson, the robotics coach at Galena Park High School, echoes Schmuck’s comments about teamwork, saying, “The major benefit of having a competitive robotics team is that the students get to learn how to work together and overcome the challenges of the current game.” Beyond the teamwork skills the students acquire, they learn lessons that complement the STEM concepts being taught in their regular classes. Through the robotics program, they are learning about electricity, forces, and computer programming. Johnson says that joining the robotics team “exposes students to the various engineering processes that are used to build a successful robot.” Most of Schmuck’s team members are planning on majoring in engineeringrelated fields. “Robotics is an extracurricular activity that directly prepares them for their career, and it gets them excited to go into the engineering field,” he says. “Colleges like to see robotics continued on page 40
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JOIN US FOR THE 2016 ATPE SUMMIT
July 20–22, 2016, at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas THIS YEAR’S AGENDA INCLUDES: 1 Annual House of Delegates meeting and state officer elections At this year’s House of Delegates, we will be considering 11 bylaws amendments as well as electing your 2016-17 state officers. We invite you to read more about the bylaws amendments and get to know your state officer candidates before arriving at the summit.
2 Keynote address from Dr. Adolph Brown This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Adolph Brown, founder, president, and CEO of the Leadership and Learning Institute. In his long career as a public school teacher, university professor, university dean, and businessman, he has studied and developed the core competencies that all successful educators and business leaders share. During his talk, he uses anecdotes and research to inspire his audiences to live and work more effectively.
3 ATPE volunteer training sessions Attendees will have plenty of opportunities to learn and have fun. The training sessions offer experienced ATPE volunteers the chance to learn how to run the best possible local units and regions. The sessions are also a great chance for new volunteers to learn the ropes from the pros.
4 Awards banquet
The annual awards banquet will feature entertainment by the Willis High School jazz band. Winners of the Educators of the Year, Campus Reps of the Year, and Local Units of the Year awards, among others, will also be announced.
5 70s dance party, costume contest, and lip-sync battle Let’s not forget about the epic dance party and lip-sync battle that will close out Wednesday’s activities. This year’s party has a 70s theme, and there will be a costume contest, so bring your grooviest dance attire.
Local presidents need to register their delegates and make housing reservations by June 20. To learn how to register or to book your housing, visit atpesummit.org/faq.
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For all the 2016 Summit details, visit atpesummit.org. We can’t wait to see you in Austin!
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RITA LONG, MT. VERNON ATPE
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CASEY HUBBARD, COPPELL ATPE
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I attended Summit 2015 as president of a newly formed Coppell ISD local chapter. In the past years, I attended as an officer in an established local unit, so I came to summit nervous about the upcoming challenges I would face in the fall. After the first session, I remembered why I love ATPE; we are a big family of professionals who love education. I am proud of my 133 ATPE members in Coppell ISD. We are small but strong.
Texas is an enormous state and I have made lasting friendships with teachers from every region. Summit is like a great big party where friends gather to laugh, learn, and share experiences. I look forward to Summit 2016!
It is always exciting to get back together with my ATPE family from all over the state. There are so many stories to tell and new memories to share. KRISTI DAWS, JACKSBORO ATPE
2016 ATPE LEAD. LEARN. CONNECT.
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YOUR ATPE STATE OFFICER CANDIDATES 2016-17 state officer candidates will deliver speeches outlining their skills, backgrounds, qualifications, and philosophies beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, July 22, during the House of Delegates meeting. Delegates will then cast their votes from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on that same day, at the official polling place at the Austin Convention Center. Only certified delegates may vote.
PRESIDENT Julleen Bottoms
VICE PRESIDENT Carl Garner
SECRETARY Byron â&#x20AC;&#x153;Skipâ&#x20AC;? Hildebrand
ATPE leadership experience: State vice president, secretary, and treasurer; chairwoman of the state Finance Committee; member of the Local Unit of the Year and Educator of the Year Committees; ATPE Foundation Board vice president and secretary; Region 12 director, past president, president, vice president, and secretary; Corsicana ATPE president and campus rep; Kerens ATPE president, secretary, and campus rep
ATPE leadership experience: ATPE state secretary and treasurer; chairman of the Scholarship, Nomination/ Election, and Resolution Committees; member of the Grant for Teaching Excellence, Legislative, Public Information, and Political Action Committees; Region 10 president, vice president, and secretary; Mesquite ATPE past president, president, and campus rep; Leader U panelist
ATPE leadership experience: ATPE state treasurer, chairman of the state Finance Committee, chairman of the state Grant for Teaching Excellence Committee; member of the state Bylaws, Minority and Diverse Population Recruitment, and Resolutions Committees; Region 20 past president, president, vice president, and treasurer; San Antonio ATPE treasurer and campus rep
ATPE recognition: President of a 2010-11 Local Unit of the Year finalist; president of a 2010-11 Davy Crockett Awardwinning local unit; Ben Shilcutt Plus Club; William B. Travis honoree; recipient of Region 10 ATPE and Mesquite ATPE political fundraising awards
ATPE recognition: Stephen F. Austin and William B. Travis honoree; Ben Shilcutt Plus Club
ATPE recognition: President of a Green Apple Membership Growth Awardwinning local unit; William B. Travis honoree Current position: K-5 technology applications teacher and campus technical specialist for Corsicana ISD Other leadership experience: Alpha Rho Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma treasurer and presenter; district and county in-service presenter/ speaker; member of campusand district site-based and technology committees Years in ATPE: 21 Years in education: 24
Current position: ARD chair and MTI/inclusion teacher in Mesquite ISD Other leadership experience: Member of the TEA Educator Standards Committee; member of Mesquite ISD Baldrige Award, Benefit, Professional Consultation, Professional Dress, and Professional Educator Standards Committees; department chair at Mesquite ISD; various PTA offices; teacher mentor; student council sponsor; church youth/ music director; Teacher Voices contributor for the Dallas Morning News
Current position: Retired math teacher Other leadership experience: San Antonio ISD basketball program athletic staff, dropout recovery program teacher and tutor; certified USA Track official; former varsity head soccer coach; head cross country coach; varsity assistant football, basketball, track and field coach; lead teacher in the Interactive Mathematics Program for San Antonio ISD Years in ATPE: 23 Years in education: 32
Years in ATPE: 16 Years in education: 16
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TREASURER Tonja Gray
TREASURER Lynette Ginn
TREASURER Jackie Davis
ATPE leadership experience: Region 14 secretary, vice president, president, past president, and director; member of the state Professional Rights and Responsibilities, Legislative, Membership, Finance, Governance, and Advocacy Committees; Hawley ATPE founding officer, president, and past president; Abilene ATPE membership chair, first vice president, and campus rep
ATPE leadership experience: Member of the state Best Practices, Legislative, Finance, Leader of the Year, Membership, Professional Rights and Responsibilities, and Nominations and Elections Committees; Region 17 director, president, vice president, second vice president, and treasurer; Hale Center ATPE president, vice president, treasurer, and past president
ATPE leadership experience: Two-term ATPE Board of Directors member; State Bylaws, Board Best Practices, Board Advocacy, and State Services and Discounts Committees; State Services and Discounts Committee chairwoman; Region 10 officer for 11 years; Garland local unit officer for 14 years; Garland local unit scholarship committee chairwoman
ATPE recognition: Coeditor of Newsletter of the Year Award-winning newsletter; officer of Newsletter of the Year Award-winning local unit; officer of two Green Apple Award-winning local units; William B. Travis honoree; Stephen F. Austin honoree Current position: K-5 Literacy Success teacher in Abilene ISD Other leadership experience: Member of the TEA Teacher Standards Advisory Committee; Hawley ISD Support Person of the Year; member of board of directors for Abilene Community Theatre; secretary, founder, and chairman of board of directors for Center for Theatre Education at Abilene Community Theatre; member, community advisor, and alumni board member for Omicron Delta Chapter of APO Service Fraternity; lead teacher, former member, and director of Ballet Élevé at Turning Pointe Dance Academy
ATPE recognition: William B. Travis honoree Current position: Second-grade teacher at Hale Center ISD Other leadership experience: Member of the Campus Site Base Committee at Akin Elementary; nursery coordinator, Sunday school teacher, GA leader, fellowship chair, and coordinator for the Annual Women’s Luncheon at the First Baptist Church in Hale Center, TX Years in ATPE: 24 Years in education: 24
ATPE recognition: State Campus Rep of the Year; Region 10 Davy Crockett Award recipient; Ben Shilcutt 30 Plus winner; William B. Travis honoree; Region 10 Carter Casteel Political Involvement winner; leadership presenter Current position: Fifth-grade reading/ELA teacher at Garland ISD Walnut Glen Academy Other leadership experience: Served on Region 10 ESC Texas Teacher of the Year Selection Committee; TEA Textbook Adoption Review Panel; campus roundtable; Rep. Angie Button’s Education Roundtable; Coached UIL listening skills and judged oral reading and ready writing; G-T liaison; Campus ImprovementTeam; District Education Improvement Committee; Garland ISF Calendar Committee; Textbook Committee; Principal’s Advisory Committee team leader; church and community volunteer
Years in ATPE: 23
Years in ATPE: 24
Years in education: 28
Years in education: 28
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All candidates had the opportunity to create short videos responding to questions about their qualifications and vision. Any submitted candidate videos will be posted at atpesummit.org/ candidates after May 30.
Download the 2016 ATPE Summit mobile app by searching for “2016 ATPE Summit” in the App Store or Google Play. atpe.org | 27
2016 HOUSE OF DELEGATES BUSINESS ATPE members representing local units from across the state will convene at the ATPE House of Delegates (HOD) on July 22, 2016, during the ATPE Summit. Delegates will vote on proposed bylaws amendments and resolutions as well as changes to the ATPE Legislative Program.
PROPOSED BYLAWS AMENDMENTS
If approved by the HOD, these amendments will be made to the ATPE State Bylaws, the set of definitions, rules, and procedures that guide ATPE operations.
Proposed Amendment 1
Amend to Read: Article III: Membership Section 5: Dues Members must pay the prescribed state dues for each membership year. The annual dues for each class of membership shall be as follows: (a) Professional Membership: $145.00 $175.00 per year (b) Retired Membership: $10.00 $35.00 per year (c) Associate Membership: $70.00 $90.00 per year (d) Student Teacher Membership: $20.00 per year (e) Public Membership: $35.00 per year (f) College Student Membership: $12.00 per year The Board of Directors may prescribe lesser dues for terms of membership of up to one year. Any adjustment to the amounts of the foregoing annual dues shall require an amendment to these bylaws. *Proviso: If adopted, the new dues amounts for professional, retired, and associate members will be effective beginning with the 2017-18 ATPE membership year. Submitted by: ATPE Board of Directors, which recommends
adoption Bylaws Committee Unanimously Recommends Adoption Rationale: The Board of Directors (BOD) is proposing a dues increase for professional, associate, and retired members
AMENDMENT 1 QUICK LOOK: ATPE’s insurance rates have gone up, but there hasn’t been a dues increase for the past nine years. AMENDMENT 1 increases annual dues for professional, retired, and associate members starting with the 2017-18 membership year to make sure ATPE can still offer the best benefits program in Texas.
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that would take effect with the 2017-18 membership year. The most recent dues increase proposed by the BOD was in 2008-09. Through good stewardship and fiscal responsibility— such as trimming operation costs, reducing staff, and eliminating underutilized programs—ATPE has managed to go almost nine years since its last dues increase, and the BOD assures members that the same level of stewardship and fiscal responsibility will be applied should members approve this dues increase. The amount of increase proposed for professional members equates to just $2.50 per month, or less than 10 cents per day. The BOD believes that with the rising cost of programs such as our annual summit and our advocacy program, the proposed increase this year is justified and reasonable. The proposed dues increase would also place ATPE in a solid position to continue to proactively provide the portfolio of outstanding services our members have come to expect, especially the state’s best member legal protection program. It is ATPE’s vision to support the education profession in the years to come, and the additional revenue will allow ATPE to further its efforts to provide an exemplary education for all Texas children. If adopted, it is projected that the increased revenue generated by the dues increase will sustain ATPE’s operations for at least the next five years. Throughout ATPE’s 36-year history, the BOD has been committed to providing the most outstanding services available to our members. These services have made ATPE the top choice among professional associations for more than 103,000 Texas educators. The BOD is proposing this dues increase to allow ATPE to sustain the quality of our services into the future. Note: The dues amounts listed for student teacher and college student memberships are $20.00 and $12.00, respectively. Per the authority provided to the BOD by state bylaws Article III, Section 5, the BOD has prescribed lesser dues amount ($0.00) for the annual memberships for student teacher and college student members since 2004. Fiscal Impact: If adopted, and assuming no change in membership numbers once the dues increase is implemented in the 2017-18 membership year, this increase would generate approximately $2.76 million in additional annual revenue for the association..
Proposed Amendment 2
Amend to Read: Article III: Membership Section 4: Classes of Members ATPE shall have six (6) seven (7) classes of members. The classes and their qualifications are: (b) Administrator Members. Those educators who are employed in Texas by a public school district as a principal, assistant/deputy/area superintendent, or superintendent, and whose position requires certification by the State Board for Educator Certification. *Proviso: If adopted, the implementation of an administrator member category will be effective beginning with the 201718 ATPE membership year. Submitted by: ATPE Board of Directors, which recommends adoption Bylaws Committee Recommends Adoption Rationale: The Board of Directors is proposing that ATPE create an administrator membership category for educators employed as a principal, assistant/deputy/area superintendent, or superintendent, and whose position requires certification by the State Board for Educator Certification. This new membership category will not include assistant principals, who can continue to join ATPE in the professional member category. It is estimated that educators with administrator responsibilities, such as principals, deputy/area/assistant superintendents, and superintendents, make up approximately 1.3 percent of ATPE’s more than 103,000 members. However, their impact on insurance claims costs is more than three times their percentage of our membership based on claims filed against ATPE’s member employment rights defense and liability insurance benefit. Administrators—specifically, those who are employed in the positions of principals, deputy/area/assistant superintendents, and superintendents—command higher pay than most members who join ATPE in our professional membership category. Precedence exists for distinguishing ATPE membership categories based on the members’ professional responsibilities. Additionally, these administrators’ job responsibilities expose them to a higher frequency of legal claims that is disproportionate to their share of our total membership. Legal/insurance claims generated from this group are also higher in per claim cost. Fiscal Impact: If adopted by the HOD, and assuming no drop in the number of administrator members, the creation of this category, with annual dues of $225 per year, would
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generate an additional $100,000 in annual revenue based on the current dues of $145 for professional members.
Proposed Amendment 3
Amend to Read: Article III: Membership Section 5: Dues Members must pay the prescribed state dues for each membership year. The annual dues for each class of membership shall be as follows: (a) Professional Membership: $145.00 per year (b) Administrator Membership: $225.00 per year (b) (c) Retired Membership: $10.00 per year (c) (d) Associate Membership: $70.00 per year (d) (e) Student Teacher Membership: $20.00 per year (e) (f) Public Membership: $35.00 per year (f) (g) College Student Membership: $12.00 per year *Proviso: If adopted, the implementation of an administrator member category will be effective beginning with the 201718 ATPE membership year. Submitted by: ATPE Board of Directors, which recommends adoption Bylaws Committee Recommends Adoption Rationale: This proposed bylaws amendment, a companion to proposed amendments 2-6, would set the annual state membership dues for the administrator category at $225 per year. Fiscal Impact: If adopted by the HOD, and assuming no drop in the number of administrator members, the creation of this category, with annual dues of $225 per year, would generate an additional $100,000 in annual revenue based on the current dues of $145 for professional members.
Proposed Amendment 4
Amend to Read: Article III: Membership Section 6: Voting Rights A Professional, Administrator, Associate, Student Teacher, College Student, or Retired member with ATPE shall be entitled to vote when a matter is submitted to such vote. The only voting rights accorded to the membership of ATPE shall be to participate in the election of directors and regional officers through their respective regional organizations and to participate in referendums as outlined in Article XVI, Section 3. No proxy voting shall be recognized. *Proviso: If adopted, the implementation of an administrator member category will be effective beginning with the 201718 ATPE membership year. Submitted by: ATPE Board of Directors, which recommends adoption Bylaws Committee Recommends Adoption Rationale: This proposed bylaws amendment, a companion to proposed amendments 2-6, would establish voting rights for members who join in the administrator category.
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Insofar as administrators who join ATPE are currently classified as professional members and as such are already granted voting rights within ATPE, this conforming amendment merely maintains the status quo and does not create any new rights for administrators who join ATPE in the future. Fiscal Impact: If adopted by the HOD, granting administrators voting rights as an ATPE member would have no fiscal impact independent of proposed amendment 2.
Proposed Amendment 5
Amend to Read: Article IV: Officers Section 3: Election The President shall automatically succeed to the office of Immediate Past President. The Board of Directors shall appoint a Nomination/ Election Committee to receive nominations of candidates for each office other than that of Immediate Past President. In the event that only one nominee can be secured for an office, the chairman of the Nomination/ Election Committee will present a letter to the Board of Directors concerning the efforts of the committee to secure a second nominee. This letter is to be signed by all members of the Nomination/Election Committee. Only nominations received in the state office by the fifteenth (15th) day of March preceding the annual meeting of the House of Delegates at which the election shall be held shall be included by the Nomination/Election Committee on the list of nominated candidates. Additionally, nominations may be submitted from the floor of the House of Delegates. Forty-five (45) days notice of the Nomination/Election Committee list of nominated candidates shall be given to the members in accordance with Article IX, Section 4. The officers of the Association shall be elected by a majority vote of the delegates present and voting during the regular annual meeting of the House of Delegates. Each officer shall be elected for a one-year (1) term of office, and shall hold office until his successor has been duly elected or has qualified. Any Professional, Administrator, Associate or Retired member of ATPE may hold an office. *Proviso: If adopted, the implementation of an administrator member category will be effective beginning with the 201718 ATPE membership year. Submitted by: ATPE Board of Directors, which recommends adoption Bylaws Committee Recommends Adoption Rationale: This proposed bylaws amendment, a companion to proposed amendments 2-6, would provide administrator members the right to hold an ATPE state office. Insofar as administrators who join ATPE are currently classified as professional members and as such are already eligible to hold state office, this conforming amendment merely maintains the status quo and does not create any new
AMENDMENTS 2-6 QUICK LOOK: Principals and superintendents are three times more likely to need legal services than other educators. AMENDMENT 2 creates an administrator membership category to more fairly distribute the risk. The new category will only apply to principals; assistant, deputy, and area superintendents; and superintendents. AMENDMENTS 3-6 set the annual membership fee for the administrator category, grant administrator members voting rights, allow administrator members to hold office, and establish the proportional representation for administrators in the House of Delegates.
rights for administrators who join ATPE in the future. Fiscal Impact: If adopted by the HOD, granting administrators the right to serve as an ATPE state officer would have no fiscal impact independent of proposed amendment number 2.
Proposed Amendment 6
Amend to Read: Article IX: House of Delegates Section 2: Composition (e) Notwithstanding (a) through (d) above, members selected by each recognized local unit from within its own membership. Each local may select, pursuant to its own bylaws, one voting Professional Member Delegate for each twenty-five (25) of its Professional Members, or major fraction thereof; one voting Administrator Member Delegate for each twenty-five (25) of its Administrator Members, or major fraction thereof; one voting Associate Member Delegate for each twenty-five (25) of its Associate Members, or major fraction thereof; one voting Retired Member Delegate for each twenty-five (25) of its Retired Members, or major fraction thereof; and one voting Student Teacher/ College Student Member Delegate for each twenty-five (25) of its Student Teacher/College Student Members, or major fraction thereof. (Student Teacher and College Student Members shall be considered one (1) membership classification.) The calculation of the number of delegates permitted from each local unit shall be based upon the composition of that local unit as of February 1 of that same calendar year. (f) Associate and Retired Members who hold office in the local unit or who serve as campus representatives may be certified as voting delegates in the Professional Member category in
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the event the number of Professional Member Delegates attending from a local unit is less than the number allotted. (g) Notwithstanding (a) through (f ) above, each local unit shall be allowed to select a minimum of one (1) Professional Member Delegate, one (1) Administrator Member Delegate, one (1) Associate Member Delegate, one (1) Retired Member Delegate, and one (1) Student Teacher/College Student Member Delegate. *Proviso: If adopted, the implementation of an administrator member category will be effective beginning with the 201718 ATPE membership year. Submitted by: ATPE Board of Directors, which recommends adoption Bylaws Committee Recommends Adoption Rationale: This proposed bylaws amendment, a companion to proposed amendments 2-6, would establish House of Delegates voting rights for administrator members by setting the proportional representation number for administrator members at 25:1, the same as for professional, associate, student teacher/college student, and retired members. Fiscal Impact: If adopted by the HOD, granting administrator members delegate status would have no fiscal impact independent of proposed amendment 2.
Proposed Amendment 7
Amend to Read: Article III: Membership Section 6: Voting Rights A Professional, Administrator, Associate, Student Teacher, College Student, or Retired member with ATPE shall be entitled to vote when a matter is submitted to such vote. The only voting rights accorded to the membership of ATPE shall be to participate in the election of directors and regional officers through their respective regional organizations, to participate in the election of state officers,
AMENDMENTS 7-10 QUICK LOOK: ATPE was founded on the member-owned and member-governed philosophy. AMENDMENT 7 allows every eligible ATPE member to vote in the annual state officer elections. AMENDMENTS 8-10 clarify that state officer elections will be held using a secure, online voting process, and removes elections from the Nominations/ Election Committee’s and HOD’s list of required duties.
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and to participate in referendums as outlined in Article XVI, Section 3. No proxy voting shall be recognized. Submitted by: ATPE Board of Directors, which recommends adoption Bylaws Committee Unanimously Recommends Adoption Rationale: The Board of Directors (BOD) is proposing that ATPE amend the process for electing state officers to allow all members who are accorded voting rights by the association to have the opportunity to vote in state officer elections via a one-member, one-vote online election. Currently ATPE’s state officers are elected by a representative body at the annual House of Delegates meeting, a meeting that in recent years has included between 700-800 voting delegates. Conducting the annual state officer election on one day, and within a short two- to three-hour timeframe, disenfranchises those active members who would like to attend summit and vote but are unable to do so due to family or work commitments, or who are not invited by their local unit president to attend summit as a delegate. The BOD believes that all ATPE members—currently 103,000 strong—should have a voice when determining which members should lead this association as a state officer, and proposed amendments 7-10 would be a true application of ATPE’s member-owned, member-governed tenet because all ATPE members other than public members would be empowered with a vote and a voice. Note: Proposed bylaws amendments 2-6, if adopted, would create an administrator member category for ATPE. Per the recommendation of ATPE’s parliamentarian, reference to an administrator member category is included in this proposed amendment to ensure proper notice of the proposed change per the bylaws amendment notification deadline outlined in the ATPE State Bylaws. If proposed amendments 2-6 are not adopted by the House of Delegates, the reference to administrator member will be deleted from this proposed amendment. Fiscal Impact: The application of a one-member, one-vote online election for state officers is projected to cost between $35,000 to $50,000 per year (less than 50 cents per potential voter), depending on variables such as the selection of a vendor and whether or not a runoff election is required. The projected costs include: professional consultation support; the cost of a general election, and, if necessary, a runoff election; the production of high-quality videos of each candidate; and funds that would allow each candidate (or a surrogate) to attend region and local unit meetings to promote their candidacy.
Proposed Amendment 8
Amend to Read: Article IV: Officers Section 3: Election The President shall automatically succeed to the office of Immediate Past President. The Board of Directors shall appoint a Nomination/Election Committee to receive nominations of candidates for each office other than that of Immediate Past President. In the event that only one nominee can be secured for an office, the chairman of the Nomination/Election Committee will present a letter to the Board of Directors concerning the efforts of the committee to secure a second nominee. This letter is to be signed by all members of the Nomination/Election Committee. Only nominations received in the state office by the fifteenth (15th) day of March preceding the annual meeting of the House of Delegates at which the election shall be held shall be included by the Nomination/ Election Committee on the list of nominated candidates. Additionally, nominations may be submitted from the floor of the House of Delegates. Forty-five (45) days notice of the Nomination/Election committee list of nominated candidates shall be given to the members in accordance with Article IX, Section 4. The officers of the Association shall be elected by a majority vote of the delegates members qualified and participating in the annual one-member, one-vote officer election. present and voting during the regular annual meeting of the House of Delegates. Each officer shall be elected for a one-year (1) term of office, and shall hold office until his successor has been duly elected or has qualified. Any Professional, Administrator, Associate or Retired member of ATPE may hold an office. Submitted by: ATPE Board of Directors, which recommends adoption Bylaws Committee Unanimously Recommends Adoption Rationale: This proposed amendment, a companion to proposed amendments 7-10, would clarify that ATPE’s state officer elections would not be conducted at the annual House of Delegates meeting. Additionally, this amendment would clarify that a member wishing to run for state office could not do so as a floor candidate, though the one-member, one-vote electronic election process would allow a member to initiate a write-in campaign for state office. Note: Proposed bylaws amendments 2-6, if adopted, would create an administrator member category for ATPE. Per the recommendation of ATPE’s parliamentarian, reference to an administrator member category is included in this proposed amendment to ensure proper notice of the proposed change per the bylaws amendment notification deadline outlined in the ATPE State Bylaws. If proposed amendments 2-6 are not adopted by the HOD, the reference to administrator member will be deleted from this proposed amendment. Fiscal Impact: No fiscal impact is anticipated by the passage of this specific amendment. If proposed amendment 7 is adopted, the application of a one-member, one-vote online election for state officers is projected to cost between $35,000 to $50,000 per year (less than 50 cents per potential voter),
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depending on variables such as the selection of a vendor and whether or not a runoff election is required. The projected costs include: professional consultation support; the cost of a general election, and, if necessary, a runoff election; the production of high-quality videos of each candidate; and funds that would allow each candidate (or a surrogate) to attend region and local unit meetings to promote their candidacy.
Proposed Amendment 9
Amend to Read: Article IX: House of Delegates Section 1: Duties and Responsibilities The House of Delegates shall be the supreme policymaking, governing body of the Association, giving overall direction and mandating policy for the operations of the Association. In the event of conflict between action or policy of the House of Delegates and the Board of Directors, that of the House of Delegates shall prevail. The House of Delegates shall: (a) Approve all changes in the Articles of Incorporation and bylaws of the Association, (b) Elect all officers of ATPE, and (c) (b) Establish appropriate policies for the operations of the Association. Submitted by: ATPE Board of Directors, which recommends adoption Bylaws Committee Unanimously Recommends Adoption Rationale: This proposed amendment, a companion to proposed amendments 7-10, would remove the election of state officers from the list of the HOD’s duties and responsibilities. Fiscal Impact: No fiscal impact is anticipated by the passage of this specific amendment. If proposed amendment 7 is adopted, the application of a one-member, one-vote online election for state officers is projected to cost between $35,000 to $50,000 per year (less than 50 cents per potential voter), depending on variables such as the selection of a vendor and whether or not a runoff election is required. The projected costs include: professional consultation support; the cost of a general election, and, if necessary, a runoff election; the production of high-quality videos of each candidate; and funds that would allow each candidate (or a surrogate) to attend region and local unit meetings to promote their candidacy.
Proposed Amendment 10
Amend to Read: Article X: Committees Section 2: Duties of Standing Committees (a) Nomination/Election. To receive all nominations for state officers, to propose a slate of candidates as provided in Article IV, Section 3 and to recommend for approval by the Board of Directors the rules to govern the election of state officers at the annual meeting. These rules are to be presented to the Board of Directors prior to the date necessary to give notice as provided in Article IX, Section 4.
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Submitted by: ATPE Board of Directors, which recommends adoption Bylaws Committee Unanimously Recommends Adoption Rationale: This proposed amendment, a companion to proposed amendments 7-10, would remove the reference to state officer elections being held at the House of Delegates from the duties of the Nomination/Election Committee. Fiscal Impact: No fiscal impact is anticipated by the passage of this specific amendment. If proposed amendment 7 is adopted, the application of a onemember, one-vote online election for state officers is projected to cost between $35,000 to $50,000 per year (less than 50 cents per potential voter), depending on variables such as the selection of a vendor and whether or not a runoff election is required. The projected costs include: professional consultation support; the cost of a general election, and, if necessary, a runoff election; the production of high-quality videos of each candidate; and funds that would allow each candidate (or a surrogate) to attend region and local unit meetings to promote their candidacy.
Proposed Amendment 11
Amend to Read: Article IV: Officers Section 8: Qualifications A candidate for ATPE state office must be an active Professional, Administrator, Associate or Retired member of the association and must currently be serving, or must have served within the past five (5) years, as a local unit, region or state officer within ATPE. Submitted by: ATPE Board of Directors, which recommends adoption Bylaws Committee Makes No Recommendation Rationale: The proposed amendment would require any member filing to run for state office to have experience within the past five years as an ATPE local unit, region, or state officer. Holding a state officer position is an honor bestowed upon an individual by the members of ATPE. Serving as a state officer requires dedication and commitment, along with a thorough knowledge of ATPE, its tenets, and its guiding principles. As such, the BOD believes that anyone who desires to hold a state officer position should first have experience in ATPE governance at the local unit or region levels. Our local unit and region officers exhibit their dedication and commitment to ATPE every day, and the experience gained by a member who has served as a local unit or region officer would greatly benefit that member—and the association—should the member be elected to a state officer position.
AMENDMENT 11 QUICK LOOK: When ATPE began considering electronic voting, there were a few concerns that unqualified candidates could be elected. However, that could happen under the current system. There are no specific qualifications to run for state office. AMENDMENT 11 would require candidates for state office to have served as a local unit or region leader at least once in the last five years.
Note: Proposed bylaws amendments 2-6, if adopted, would create an administrator member category for ATPE. Per the recommendation of ATPE’s parliamentarian, reference to an administrator member category is included in this proposed amendment to ensure proper notice of the proposed change per the bylaws amendment notification deadline outlined in the ATPE State Bylaws. If proposed amendments 2-6 are not adopted by the HOD, the reference to administrator member will be deleted from this proposed amendment. Fiscal Impact: If adopted, creating qualification requirements for state officer candidates will have no significant financial impact on the association.
PROPOSED HONORARY RESOLUTION
If approved by the 2016 House of Delegates (HOD), ATPE will issue an honorary resolution to Past State President Richard Wiggins.
PROPOSED ACTION ON STANDING RESOLUTIONS
The Resolutions Committee recommends that all standing resolutions be re-adopted as written. Read the full version of the resolutions at www.atpe.org/ATPE/media/ATPE/ PDF/14_summit_StandingResolutions-8-10-15.pdf.
PROPOSED ATPE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
The HOD will also vote on amendments to the ATPE Legislative Program, a list of the association’s positions on education policies under the purview of the Texas legislature, state agencies, and the federal government. The program guides ATPE Governmental Relations in its work. Delegates and other members wishing to view the proposed changes should visit atpesummit.org/ hod-business.
According to our database, more than 2,700 ATPE members currently meet the qualifications as outlined in this proposed amendment and would be eligible to run for state office.
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members speak
by Kenneth Poppe, science/math teacher in Fort Worth ISD
Enjoy Your Kids Today ATPE member Kenneth Poppe encourages educators to stay positive in the classroom.
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H
ow many emails do you get in an average workday? Multiply that by 180, a typical number of service days in an annual school year, and then by the number of years you have worked. Waddya get? (I got 420,750 messages over my 45-year career!) Now, how many of those specific emails can you recall? If you are like me, virtually none of them. We tend to quickly process each message’s information, type a reply if required, hit “send” ... and wipe the mental slate clean. (Unless, like me, you have to resend and say, “Oops. Forgot the attachment.”) However, I do remember two specific emails. One was the
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PHOTO COURTESY OF KENNETH POPPE; © 24029073/JUPITERIMAGES/THINKSTOCK
message my lovely wife sent me on our third anniversary. And the other was a seemingly innocuous all-staff message sent about eight years ago from someone I doubt would even remember it. The email came first thing on a Friday morning, well past halfway through the school year, and it simply said, “Happy Friday. Enjoy your kids today.” Simple, right? So, why so memorable? Because the sender was a young man in his first year as an English teacher, and he was having a rough year. On an average day, you could walk past his room and see kids freewheeling while he struggled to deliver his lesson. He called multiple parents, frequently wrote referrals, and often spoke in the hall with a kid whose cavalier attitude showed the teacher was getting nowhere. That email encouraged me to ask myself if I still believed in kids like that, and if I still enjoyed them after all the years I had been on the job. Had I grown complacent now that I had figured out so much? Had I become dictatorial? Aloof? Self-serving? Robotic? Cynical? Or, did I embody the label students use with the most derision—boring? Every now and then, I do an attitude check to see if I’m still teaching for the right reason—the kids. Some of you may remember the comment I made at the 2014 ATPE Summit Awards Banquet: “One-third of today’s college education majors have no definite goal to teach, and another onethird have no business trying to teach.” Well, I could tell the new teacher was in the remaining onethird and would someday “make it” in his profession. Despite all his challenges, he still knew the
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reason he was there—the kids. I don’t know where he is now, but I suspect, like the rest of us, he often gets asked by incredulous non-educators, “How do you survive being trapped all day long
“Every now and then, I do an attitude check to see if I’m still teaching for the right reason—the kids.” in a room with a group of today’s kids?” When I get this question, I explain that it’s more than just a job, or even a career—it’s a calling, and I can’t see myself doing anything else. Like that young man’s, my first year of teaching was an unmitigated disaster. Though I graduated from college with plenty of educational theories, I quickly found I was not prepared for the reality of teaching. I endured such chaos in freshman biology that I truly wonder if I ever taught anything that year. I remember enough days where I would pull up and stop in the parking lot, stare at that big brown intimidating high school, and literally pray to God to give me any alternative other than to walk into that building again. (It’s amazing how that anecdote always resonates with other teachers. But we all survived it, didn’t we?) To truly “enjoy your kids,”
you must help create the most advantageous environment possible for them. This means not only doing your best in your classroom but also making the most of yourself on your campus. Where will you be this fall? Are you a first- or second-year teacher? Good luck! Are you a more experienced teacher? How can you avoid “burnout” and still contribute to your school? Could you become a coach, club sponsor, committee member, student teacher supervisor, or community outreach liaison? Better yet, how about becoming an ATPE campus representative or ambassador or running for regional office? Or maybe, like me, you are nearing retirement, and are watching as a new generation of teachers begins to take over. May I suggest this might be a good time to live the ATPE slogan, “Each one, reach one”? Let’s make sure this next generation of educators enjoys the same advantages that we’ve enjoyed as members of ATPE. Even in my summer mindset, I’m still thinking of cool strategies and lessons I want to try this fall, and I will be happy to see those perplexing and unpredictable “raw materials” come shuffling into my room in August. If, as the year progresses, we find ourselves doing as that one email advised— enjoying our kids every day—we will turn out many highly polished final products come June. Wishing us all a great 2016-17 school year!
Kenneth Poppe is a science/math teacher at Carter-Riverside High School in Fort Worth. He was the 2015–16 ATPE Secondary Educator of the Year.
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your atpe
family album
OUR FAMILY ALBUM SHOWCASES ATPE MEMBERS WORKING, COLLABORATING, AND HAVING FUN ACROSS THE STATE. Are you or
PHOTOS COURTESY OF: 1. DIANE FORESTER; 2. DAVID PORE; 3. CHANA JONES; 4. ROGER GUTIERREZ; 5. HEATHER TULEY; 6. JERRY JARRELL; 7. KAKI SPRONZ; 8. CYNTHIA VILLALOVOS; 9. CYNTHIA VILLALOVOS
someone you know featured on these pages? If not, send us a photo for the next issue! You can send a high-quality photo to comm@atpe.org. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to include the names of the people in the photo and tell us what event was taking place.
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Region 11 Aubrey local unit officers represented ATPE at the Aubrey Education Foundation Gala, which raises money for area students. From left to right: Kim Earwood, Kristie Sanders, Vicki Saxon, and Diane Forester.
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Washington, DC ATPE Lobbyist Josh Sanderson meets with US Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) following congressional meetings regarding Social Security.
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Region 18 Fort Stockton local unit officers meet with ATPE Regional Representative Chana Jones to train and make plans. From left to right in the front: Chana Jones, Denise Crenshaw, and Chelsea Crenshaw. From left to right in the back: Patrick Odom and Bethany Odom.
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Region 1 Rudy Silva Elementary educators Mayra Gutierrez and Kimberly Cantu check out the spring edition of ATPE News magazine.
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Region 20 San Antonio members Susan Simpson and Carol Scarbrough stop by ATPEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s photo booth at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention.
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Region 8 Region 8 officers and members meet with ATPE Treasurer Byron Hildebrand, ATPE Finance Director Gary Richardson, and Region 14 Director Tonja Gray.
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Region 10 ATPE members attend the Mesquite Educators Association banquet alongside new regional representative Kaki Spronz. From left to right: Debbie Massey, Jackie Davis, Wanda Bailey, Kaki Spronz, and Meredith Malloy.
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Region 4 Jose Clemente shows off an ATPE tote bag he received at a Houston ISD professional development meeting.
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Region 4 Lone Star College-CyFair student and ATPE member Karina Torres joined Professor Leigh Ann Eisterhold for a presentation from Cynthia Villalovos.
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your atpe
Your ally and your voice around Texas MEET ATPE’S REGIONAL REPS
We are proud to have these seven regional representatives who serve as a pivotal link between your local communities and the ATPE state office.
DIANE POKLUDA
CHANA JONES
Regions: 14–19 Home base: Snyder Years in education: 9.5 Formerly: Elementary teacher, Region 14 ATPE president
Regions: 9 and 11 Home base: Crowley Years in education: 34 Formerly: Region 11 satellite field rep, elementary teacher, Region 11 director
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HEATHER TULEY
Regions: 13 and 20 Home base: Austin Years in education: 12 Formerly: Lake Travis ISD gifted and talented program coordinator, ATPE ambassador
GINGER FRANKS
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Regions: 8 and 10 Home base: Denton Years in education: 4 Formerly: High school Spanish teacher, Denton local university liaison
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KAKI SPRONZ
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ROGER GUTIERREZ
Regions: 5–7 and 12 Home base: Woden Years in education: 34 Formerly: RTI/SPED teacher, ATPE state president
CYNTHIA VILLALOVOS
Regions: 3 and 4 Home base: Spring Years in education: 18 Formerly: Academy principal, Houston ATPE president, Region 4 ATPE secretary
Regions: 1 and 2 Home base: Weslaco Years in education: 18 Formerly: Elementary teacher, Region 1 ATPE director
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your atpe
Keep up with the ATPE Board of Directors Are you interested in becoming an ATPE leader? Want to keep up with your board? Good news! ATPE board reports are now available online. Read about the issues being addressed and actions being taken by the ATPE Board of Directors at atpe.org/Board-Reports. You can also find out more about your current ATPE leaders by reading the series of posts from board members on the ATPE Blog at atpe.org/News/ATPE-Blog.
Did you know you can earn CPE credit just by reading this magazine? That’s right! ATPE is an approved CPE provider through the Texas Education Agency. Reading ATPE News qualifies as a self-study of relevant professional materials. Fill out the form to receive credit for reading ATPE News at atpe.org/ATPE/ media/ATPE/PDF/15-misc-cpecert.pdf. If you haven’t already, you should create an account on ATPE’s Professional Learning Portal (PLP). Through the PLP, you can earn CPE hours by taking engaging online courses and webinars, and you can log CPE hours and certificates. Enroll online at atpe.org/PLP.
WE WON! The ATPE Marketing and Communications team was recognized for outstanding education communications and projects by the Texas School Public Relations Association. Our team was awarded four Star Awards for our marketing and publications work, including: GOLD AWARD (Published News or Feature) “Why Do Teachers Leave?” by Leslie Trahan GOLD AWARD AND BEST OF CATEGORY (Magazine) ATPE News GOLD AWARD (Marketing Campaign) 2015 ATPE Membership Marketing Campaign SILVER AWARD (Published News Release) ATPE Published News Release by Stephanie Jacksis
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your atpe
It’s time to renew
READER LETTER
Don’t forget to renew your ATPE membership NOW so that you can continue to enjoy all the benefits throughout the 2016-17 school year. Here are the membership categories and their annual dues.
Professional Membership
$145
First-Time Professional Membership $90
Associate Membership
$70
Student Teacher Membership
FREE
College Student Membership
FREE
Retired Membership
$10
Public Membership
$35
TO JOIN, GO TO ATPE.ORG/JOIN.
To Whom It May Concern: I was concerned when I read the latest edition of ATPE News section of “Education Inspiration” and the description of the bread mold pictures that describe it as “Teach your students about the importance of food safety and the prevalence of germs using this moldy bread experiment. Turn this into an opportunity to teach your students the scientific method as well!” There are two problems with using the term “scientific method.” 1. There is no one scientific method. There is a range of scientific research designs that scientists use to answer their research questions. So the use of “scientific method” is inconsistent with our national standards, K-12 Standards for Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards. 2. T he use of “scientific method” is inconsistent with our TEKS that clearly list and describe several most used types of investigations by student scientists: Descriptive, Comparative, or Experimental. Please put “the scientific method” on your “watch list” for future publications. Thanks, Sandra (a member of the original ATPE in Pasadena) Sandra S. West, PhD Department of Biology Texas State University
CORRECTION:
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In the Spring edition of ATPE News, we misspelled the name of Texas Woman’s University. We regret the error.
atpe news
atpe-pac honor roll
The following ATPE members invested $50 or more to ATPE’s Political Action Committee (ATPE-PAC) from Jan. 1, 2016–March 29, 2016.
your atpe
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATION!
Abilene Tonja Gray
Crowley Steve Pokluda
Nacogdoches Katherine Whitbeck
San Antonio Annie Perez
Andrews Tina Hardarson
Cypress-Fairbanks Eli Rodriguez
Odessa Bridget Loffler
Tyler Betty Berndt
Boerne Margie Hastings Richard Wiggins
Irving Connie Kilday
Olney Dale Lovett
Waco Patty Reneau
Killeen Eileen Walcik Melissa Walcik Ron Walcik
Plano Janis Bates Kathryn Chesley Marie Dooley Linda Higbee Doris Ratenski
Weslaco Hector Cruz
Corpus Christi Jackie Hannebaum Corsicana Julleen Bottoms
Leander Lisa Robertson Jayne Serna
Invest in the ATPE Political Action Committee today! It’s easy to set up recurring monthly or quarterly donations online at atpe.org/pac-donate.
Wichita Falls Belinda Wolf
POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE
continued from page 13 YOUR ALLY. YOUR VOICE. applications for teachers and certified administrators ask if applicants have had their certificate sanctioned for any reason. Because a teaching certificate is a state license, the suspension can also affect an educator’s life in unexpected ways: some loan and job applications ask if the individual has ever had a state license sanctioned. Because the penalties for abandoning a contract can be so severe and long lasting, it is almost always a good idea to seriously explore what other options,
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short of actually walking away, might be available. If you find yourself facing this situation, contact the ATPE Member Legal Services Department for help. Our attorneys can explain your options as you navigate this difficult process. Members can submit employment-related legal questions or request legal assistance through the Member Legal Services Intake System (MLSIS) on the ATPE website. Members can also call ATPE at (800) 777-ATPE.
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continued from page 15 TEXANS ON EDUCATION
years as a Texas schoolteacher. Her husband worked at a local manufacturing plant. Upon retirement, she began receiving her TRS pension of $3,000 per month. Her husband retired from the plant at the same time and filed for his Social Security benefits of $2,300 per month. Sadly, he passed away only four years later. Upon his death, Nicole learned that she would not be eligible to receive a normal Social Security survivor’s benefit. Thanks to the GPO, her survivor’s benefit was reduced to $300 per month (see chart on page 15). If Nicole had been an accountant (or any other profession that paid into Social Security) instead of a teacher, she would have been subject to a separate set of restrictions that calculate her total benefits, known as the dual entitlement rule. The dual entitlement rule states that a person’s total benefit cannot exceed the highest benefit to which the person is entitled. In short, Social Security rules were set up so that no one should get both their full spousal benefit and their entire personal Social Security benefit. The GPO is arbitrary and confusing to many to whom it applies, and it would certainly benefit Texas public education employees if it were repealed.
The Importance of Planning Ahead Before you make your elections on your Texas TRS pension, consider how your monthly cash flow may change if your spouse dies. How will the loss of your Social Security survivor’s benefit affect your monthly retirement income? As you plan your retirement, make sure you know your options so that you can make the best decisions for you and your family.
building opened, and the school quickly became a model for other districts nationwide. First-time visitors to the new high school are often struck by the contrast to classes held in portables and preconceived notions about alternative school facilities. Large multipanel windows fill the two-story commons space with natural light. This area is a multifunctional space, complete with sliding walls and movable furniture, for meeting and studying. Students also have access to integrated labs, design studios with operable partitions, and multipurpose rooms. And whenever creativity strikes, students are encouraged to use writeable walls in breakout areas surrounding the commons space. The campus is also home to media labs, a multi-use library, an onsite childcare center, a food service kitchen, and fitness facilities. Chang is in her 21st year at Success and taught in the portables. She says she touches the walls of the new building daily. “There’s a big difference when you have a building that a kid can be proud of,” she says. “To have a school built especially for them—it builds up their confidence and makes them feel worthwhile.”
continued from page 23 ROBOTICS IN THE CLASSROOM on a high school application, and there are many scholarships available for robotics students.” At Galena Park High School, many of Johnson’s graduating seniors are the first members of their families to attend college. According to him, robotics opens up avenues of study that weren’t available to these students before. He hopes that participating in robotics encourages his student to pursue an engineering-related degree in college.
Get Your School Involved! continued from page 19 DIFFERENT BY DESIGN build a new facility. “It was a battle,” she says. “We often said, ‘Give us that building and we’re going to show you what we can do.’” After nearly 20 years of coping with less-than-ideal learning conditions, the Round Rock School Board approved a plan to build a new high school. The $21 million dollar building, purchased with money from the district’s general operating fund balance, was completed in 2014. There has been a waiting list to enroll since the doors of the 68,000 square-foot
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Interested in starting a robotics team at your school and participating in the UIL pilot program? The UIL website has more information about the pilot program as well as details on the BEST and FIRST robotics programs at www. uiltexas.org/academics/stem/robotics. You can find more information on starting a BEST team at www.bestinc.org/ uilchampionship/ and a FIRST team at firstintexas.org/uil/. For Texas to continue to lead the way in STEM-related jobs, our students need to be prepared for careers involving the very principles that robotics programs instill. Robotics programs give students a leg up as they prepare for college and their careers outside of school. Plus, robots are really, really cool.
atpe news
2016-17 ATPE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION MM
STEP 1
Method of Payment (select one)
atpe.org | (800) 777-ATPE
Payroll deduction— Complete this application form, including step 4
All other forms of payment–Join online
(not accepted after January 31, 2017)
Personal check—Complete application form and attach personal check STEP 2
Including credit card payment, credit card installments, and ACH bank draft
Personal Information
Name (first, middle, last) Employee ID number
Last 4 digits of SSN
ISD Cell phone
Male
ATPE member ID (optional)
Female
Campus Home phone (optional)
(required)
Personal email (required) Campus email (optional)
Birthday (month/day)
Physical Mailing address City, State, Zip I understand that ATPE may contact me via the information provided on this application form, including email and text, to communicate with me about my benefits and to administer my account.
I am interested in becoming an ATPE volunteer. STEP 3
Membership Category (select one) & Invest in Education
How to Submit Your Application Mail the application to:
Student Teacher, College Student, Retired, and Public members may join online at atpe.org. 2016-17 Professional, First-Time Professional, and Associate memberships will not be accepted after Jan. 31, 2017
ATPE 305 E. Huntland Dr., Ste. 300 Austin, TX 78752
Professional (teacher, administrator, etc.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$145
Or hand deliver it to an authorized ATPE representative. Faxed or scanned applications are not accepted.
First-Time Professional (never been a professional member) . . . . $90 Associate (para-educator, aide, support staff, etc.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . $70 Invest in Education Political Action Committee (optional) . . . . . . . . . . . .
$
ATPE Local Unit Dues (optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$
ATPE REPS
Support legislative advocacy for educators and students.
Received Date Print Name
Support ATPE in your local school district.
Signature
TOTAL $
The ATPE membership year begins 8/1/16 and ends 7/31/17. Some benefits effective dates may not match effective membership dates. Visit atpe.org for disclosure details and limitations.
✁
▲ YOU MUST RETURN THE TOP SECTION OF THE APPLICATION TO THE ATPE STATE OFFICE. ▲ ▼ FOR PAYROLL DEDUCTION, PLEASE DETACH THE LOWER PORTION ONLY AND SUBMIT IT TO YOUR PAYROLL OFFICE. ▼
STEP 4
Payroll Deduction Authorization
2016-17 Professional, First-Time Professional, and Associate memberships will not be accepted after Jan. 31, 2017 I authorize ISD to deduct membership dues and donations. I further authorize ATPE to notify the ISD of changes in the amount of my annual dues and the ISD to deduct the new amounts. If my employment with the ISD ends, I authorize any unpaid balance to be deducted from my final check. This authorization for deductions is effective until I give notice to the ISD that I want to revoke it.
I wish to cancel deduction of membership dues for: TX AFT
TCTA
TSTA
UEA
Total Deduction
Date
Last 4 digits of SSN
Employee ID
Printed Name Signature
Other
JOIN ATPE ONLINE!
Scan the QR code or visit atpe.org/join to join ATPE online.
ATPE Membership Categories You must join in the appropriate insured category in order to qualify for Professional Liablilty coverage. ATPE reserves the right to determine eligibility for the appropriate membership category. Commissioned peace officers are eligible for public membership only. Professional and Associate membership is open to persons employed in Texas by a public school district, institution of higher education, Regional Education Service Center, State Board for Educator Certification, or the Texas Education Agency. If you have a question about the eligibility of job descriptions not listed below, call (800) 777-2873. INSURED CATEGORIES Professional Member ($145) First-time Professional Member ($90) Administrator/Supervisor Athletic Director/Coordinator Athletic Trainer At-Risk Coordinator Audiologist Band/Choral Director Business Manager Coach Counselor Curriculum Director Dean of Instruction Department Head/Chair Diagnostician Instructional Officer Intern Teacher IT Director/Coordinator Librarian Nurse (RN) Parent/Community Coordinator Principal/Asst. Prin. Regional Service Center Staff School Psychologist/Associate Social Worker
UNINSURED CATEGORIES Superintendent/Asst. Supt. Teacher Therapist/Pathologist University Professor Visiting Teacher
Join online at atpe.org
Associate Member ($70)
Retired Member ($10)
Aide to position in Professional category Alternative Center Aide Bus Driver Cafeteria Worker Clerkâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;General Computer Programmer/Entry Custodial Worker Deaf Interpreter Educational Aide/Technician Maintenance Worker Nurse (LVN) Regional Service Center Aide Secretary Security Guard (Unarmed) Substitute Teacher
Retired former school employee
College Student Member (Free) Non-teaching college student
Public Member ($35) Friend of public education
Student Teacher Member (Free) Student teacher in Texas
ATPE is always at your fingertips. Thousands of members are following OfficialATPE on Facebook. Member photos, association news, teaching tips, and election information are being updated daily. Make sure you are following ATPE on Facebook at facebook.com/OfficialATPE. ATPE posts on other social media platforms, too. Be sure to follow us.
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by Gary G. Godsey
for the record
ATPE’S COMMITMENT TO YOU ATPE is committed to keeping dues as low as possible while still providing quality services, and our history proves that. In the past 15 years, we have increased our dues only twice, most recently nine years ago. What other business has gone nine years without increasing its prices?
I
n those nine years, ATPE’s costs, at a minimum, have risen by 20 percent—and that’s only considering inflation. For nine years now, ATPE has been operating on the same or a decreasing amount of revenue. Yet our programs and services remain strong, and we continue to increase member offerings when we can. In particular, the cost of our member liability insurance has increased dramatically during those nine years. So has the number of people filing claims. Compare our insurance coverage to that of any competitor, and you’ll find our product is far superior. We understand that educators work on tight budgets. That’s why we did our best to decrease operating costs, including reducing our staff and freezing state office employee salaries, before considering a dues increase. And that’s also why the dues being proposed are only an additional $2.50 per month for professional members. We aren’t trying to generate any more than we need to maintain the quality programs and services that our members have come to expect from us. At the 2016 ATPE Summit in July, the House of Delegates (HOD) will vote on whether to increase membership dues by this amount. We project
summer 2016
that this increase will last at least five years, and we hope the HOD will understand that a topnotch product like ours comes with a hefty cost to the association. One of the reasons we haven’t had to raise our prices in nine years is because for many of those years, we experienced phenomenal growth in membership. But in 2011, we experienced a sharp decline in membership. Although we’ve worked extremely hard to overcome these losses, the fact is we haven’t seen our membership numbers make it back to the pre-2011 level. How can you help ATPE keep costs—and membership dues—low? By recruiting new members! Reach out to fellow educators on your campus and share the benefits of ATPE membership. Even with this potential dues increase, ATPE will continue to provide the best programs and services for the cost. That remains our #1 commitment to you.
Gary G. Godsey ATPE Executive Director
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Association of Texas Professional Educators
305 E. Huntland Dr., Suite 300 Austin, TX 78752-3792
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ATPE–FOUNDED BY TEXAS EDUCATORS. WORKING FOR TEXAS EDUCATORS. Join early for 2016–17 and enjoy ATPE’s savings and discounts, professional learning, and publications for a longer time—at no additional cost. Enjoy professional liability insurance and employment rights defense coverage* starting Aug. 1, 2016. Save now and pay later, through payroll deduction, bank draft, or credit/debit card installments. Visit atpe.org to sign up.
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* Eligibility, terms, and conditions apply.
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