How will the increasing popularity of AI affect your classroom?
Pages 12–14
Can’t wait for some fun in the sun this summer? Your ATPE member benefits will help you travel for less and find the perfect place to stay.
As an ATPE member, take advantage of a 15% discount at over 6,000 participating hotel locations worldwide, or save up to 35% off your next family vacation to Orlando, Florida.
You can also receive a 110% lowest price guarantee at the time of booking from America’s largest cruise agency, Cruises Only!
Whether you are headed to a tropical paradise or hiking through the wilderness, save time and money using your ATPE member benefits.
The official publication of the Association of Texas Professional Educators
State Officers
Stacey Ward President, Humble (4)
Jayne Serna Vice President, Leander (13)
Jason Forbis Secretary, Midway (12)
Jerrica Liggins Treasurer, Paris (8)
Karen Hames Past President, Lewisville (11)
Board of Directors
MaElena Ingram McAllen (1)
Adriane Taylor Corpus Christi (2)
Mandy Vahrenkamp Bloomington (3)
Eli Rodriguez Cypress-Fairbanks (4)
Suellen Ener Beaumont (5)
Donna Ward Willis (6)
Teresa Millard Woden (7)
Abby Rogers Paris (8)
Patti Gibbs North Central Texas College (9)
Wanda Bailey Mesquite (10)
Teri Naya Birdville (11)
Christina Flores Belton (12)
Stephanie Stoebe Round Rock (13)
Leslie Ward Merkel (14)
Betty Gail Wood-Rush Early (15)
Sherry Boyd Spearman (16)
Allyson Haveman Lubbock (17)
Gail Campos Big Spring (18)
Robert Zamora Clint (19)
Laura Herrera North East (20)
ATPE News Staff
David George Editor
John Kilpper Art Director
Michael Spurlin Associate Editor
Jack Densmore Associate Editor
Jennifer Price Digital Editor
Marjorie Parker Contributing Designer
Kate Johanns Editorial Director
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 787523792 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 2023 in USA by the Association of Texas Professional Educators
ISSN ©ATPE 2023 0279-6260 USPS 578-050
305 E Huntland Dr , Ste 300 Austin, TX 78752-3792 (800) 777-ATPE (2873) atpe org | atpe@atpe org
Since our inception in 1980, ATPE has had a rich history of providing extraordinary member services and benefits, evolving along the way to meet the needs of our current membership. For instance, in the past decade, we’ve expanded members’ ability to communicate with elected officials through ATPE’s Advocacy Central. Our Leadership ATPE and Gen ATPE programs provide educators at different stages of their careers with valuable learning opportunities. In 2021, we introduced a membership database/website that gives you more control over your membership, making it easier to update your payment method.
While continuing to strengthen value for members, we have worked to hold costs down and kept membership dues steady since 2016. Subsequently, the United States has experienced cumulative inflation of approximately 24%, and ATPE absorbed these unforeseen expenses temporarily by tapping into our reserves and operating at a deficit. However, recent economic conditions make it more important for us to ensure ATPE can operate with a balanced budget moving forward.
Given the unprecedented inflation since the pandemic and the economic slowdown of the past several months, the ATPE Board of Directors has made the difficult decision to implement a dues increase for the 2023-24 membership year to offset rising costs and better position the association for the future. We particularly want to safeguard the Educators Professional Liability Insurance Policy and maintain a membership experience that is second to none.
Our 2023-24 members will pay the following monthly rates: $8.25 for the associate category, $19.58 for the professional category, and $25.83 for the administrator category. We are also increasing annual dues for the retired ($30) and public ($50) membership categories. The ATPE Board of Directors may continue to offer discounts in some categories to incentivize membership growth among particular groups of educators.
Our commitment is to provide educators the richest benefits and an exceptional membership experience at an outstanding value. This is what our members deserve and have come to expect. After all, protecting your rights and your profession is always worth the cost.
Shannon Holmes Ed.D. ATPE Executive DirectorOUR COMMITMENT IS TO PROVIDE EDUCATORS THE RICHEST BENEFITS AND AN EXCEPTIONAL MEMBERSHIP EXPERIENCE AT AN OUTSTANDING VALUE.
ChatGPT is an AI that has quickly grown in popularity by capturing the imagination of millions of users across myriad industries. But what sort of impact will it have on educators and students?
“It’s the most important election in U.S. history.” Voters hear this hyperbole every time a presidential election rolls around, but in actuality, the debates occurring at your local school board meeting—about the books students can read and how to create positive and safe learning environments—may have the biggest impact of all.
Civil Air Patrol programs provide free, fun, and engaging STEM and aerospace education resources for educators, regardless of the subject they teach. Learn how—with a little imagination— you and your students can benefit from these unique programs.
6 Calendar Page
20
20 2023 ATPE Summit: Choose Your Own Adventure
Embark on new ATPE adventures during the 2023 ATPE Summit at Kalahari Resorts and Conventions in Round Rock. This
Join us as we visit ATPE “neighborhoods” all over Texas to get an inside look at what volunteers are doing to recruit, retain, and rejoice with their fellow ATPE members.
Houston ATPE participates in Houston ISD’s spring data training series.
The Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE) supports the state’s largest community of educators who are dedicated to elevating public education in Texas.
7 Your Ally Addressing Privacy and Security Concerns for Educators
8 Regional Roundup
10 Your Voice Educators Must Finish the 88th Legislative Session Strong
11 PAC Honor Roll
28 Your ATPE
Apply for the 2023-24 Leadership ATPE Program I Notice of Membership Dues Increase I Which Membership Category Should You Join for 2023-24? I Calling All ATPE Retired Members I Let’s Eat, Grandma Resume Writing Services I Congratulations to Our Classroom Makeover Contest Winner!
Meet Teresa Millard, Woden ISD pre-k teacher, Woden ATPE secretary, Region 7 ATPE director, and ATPE’s 2021-22 Campus Rep of the Year for local units with 1-200 members.
ATPE advocates for educators and delivers affordable, high-quality products and services that give members the peace of mind needed to inspire student success.
The 2023–24 ATPE membership year and professional liability insurance policy begin Aug. 1.
August 1
2023-24 ATPE membership year and professional liability insurance policy begin**
11–13
Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday
Aug. 29–
Sept. 1 State Board of Education Meeting
*ATPE-PAC solicits donations from ATPE members, staff, and their families only. **Eligibility, terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Visit atpe.org/protection to view important disclosures and current program details. Staff attorney services are provided separate from the Educators Professional Liability Insurance Program.
Texas educators and students have benefited greatly from advances in technology. Teachers have broader access to curriculum and support resources and more options for communicating with students and parents. Technology also allowed schools to continue some form of instruction during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. But whether you are tech-savvy or still getting there, technology is not without its drawbacks and potential employment risks. What follows are a few examples of common technology concerns educators may face.
Many districts require employees to sign an agreement outlining acceptable uses of the district’s technology resources. These policies may prohibit password sharing, limit an employee’s personal use, outline preferred or required student/parent communication apps, and describe the district’s record retention policy. It’s a good idea to be familiar with your district’s policy so you know the rules and expectations.
There is very little right to privacy when using district technology. Your employer has the capability to track your internet use and can also read any emails you send or receive from your district email account. It is a good practice to log out when you’re finished to prevent unauthorized use by students or co-workers.
There are some common-sense guidelines to follow when using your own smartphone or other device at school. Outside of emergencies, avoid using it for personal reasons during work hours. Always keep your device close and make sure it is password protected so students don’t gain access. You should also be careful when using your employer’s Wi-Fi network. Assume they can see any websites
you have viewed—even websites still open in browser windows after you have viewed them elsewhere.
Some districts require employees to download specific apps to their personal phones. These may be for emergency notifications, cybersecurity, tracking whereabouts or communicating with students, among other things. Although it might seem inconvenient, if the district has a legitimate business or safety reason for use of the app, such requirements are generally considered legal.
Finally, you should familiarize yourself with your district’s record-retention policies as these apply to work-related communications on your own devices. This may require saving work-related communications you might otherwise delete.
Some districts issue laptops or tablets to assist employes with their duties. Not only can these be a great asset in the classroom, but also they can help educators keep track of lesson plans, parent communications, and grading at home. If the educator is allowed personal use of the device, they may be held financially responsible for loss or damage. But this only applies to off-campus use not related to a school-sponsored event, and the employee must sign an agreement stating this.
When using district-issued devices, there is little right to privacy, and the district has access to websites you visit and potentially any emails you send and receive. But it may also have access to much more if the device syncs with your personal phone or home Wi-Fi, so make sure the device settings are correct. If you are unsure, ask your district for help with the settings and for clarification if you have concerns.
Although this currently only applies to state agencies and therefore doesn’t cover school district employees, the governor has prohibited using
continued on page 32
the ATPE Member
The legal information provided here is accurate as of the date of publication. It is provided here for informative purposes only. Individual legal situations vary greatly, and readers needing individual legal advice should consult directly with an attorney. Please note: Rights based on the Texas Education Code may not apply to all. Many Texas Education Code provisions do not apply to public charter schools, and public school districts may have opted out of individual provisions through a District of Innovation plan. Eligible ATPE members may contact
Legal Services Department.
There 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.
a of M
Construction began on the Quintero-Mendez family’s future home in February with a groundbreaking ceremony. The construction of the home is part of Bryan ISD’s Build Project, which began in August 2022 in partnership with Habitat for Humanity in the Bryan/College Station area. Construction of the house is expected to be complete spring or summer 2023. This will be the 313th home built by Habitat for Humanity in the Bryan/College Station area. (Watch the groundbreaking ceremony in the digital version of ATPE News.)
“This is a great day for Bryan ISD and our entire school community,” Bryan ISD Superintendent Ginger Carrabine said. bryanisd.org
Lake Country Elementary School began a routine morning assembly, but two students received a huge surprise when their father, Army Sgt. Alexis Ramirez, returned home after a nearly year-long deployment. In a heartwarming video posted by Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD, the kids instantly run to their dad once they see him. The teachers and fellow students clapped for their reunion as Ramirez embraced his children in the middle of the school's gym. The video can be viewed in the digital version of the magazine available on the ATPE website.
emsisd.com
When something special happens in your school district, let us know! Send news to comm@atpe.org.
After students from Spring Hill ISD in Longview achieved a fundraising goal for the American Heart Association's Kids Heart Challenge, a few Spring Hill Intermediate employees camped out overnight on the school’s roof as a reward to the students.
The Kids Heart Challenge is an event held at schools across the country, and while it is partly a fundraiser, it is also a challenge for students to learn more about their own health and how they can improve it. Participating schools are eligible for up to $2,500 in grant funding.
shisd.net
When a student at Cypresswood Elementary School was bullied for having shoes that were falling apart, his principal, Trent Johnson, took action by taking the student to the local mall to buy him a new pair of shoes. Johnson also meets with several students every Friday for lunch to provide a safe and supportive environment for them to discuss any issues.
“One thing we must be mindful of is how we respond to bullying,” Johnson said. “It will come up, so it’s not if, but when. One of the things we do at Cypresswood is we engage in restorative practice. We hold circles where we gather around each other for discussion in the morning for social and emotional learning time, and toward the end of the day, we engage in optimistic closure. We sit down with the teachers, students, and community to build a plan to serve those kids best and keep them safe.”
aldineisd.org
The 88th Legislature has become yet another education session. From school funding to teacher compensation and retention, from protecting teacher planning time to school safety, proposed laws are currently moving through the process that—if passed—will have major impacts on classrooms across Texas. As educators and experts in your field, you must finish strong and make your voices heard at the Capitol. The consequences of staying quiet and sitting on the sidelines in such an important session could be devastating to you and your students.
Public education funding got a major boost in 2019 with the passage of House Bill (HB) 3. This followed a session in 2017 in which educators came out in record numbers to advocate for their positions—and an election in 2018 in which educators showed up to the polls. As a result, legislators felt compelled to pass legislation—2019’s HB 3—that ensured teachers and other education professionals received a pay raise and the system received an injection of funding. HB 3 passed unanimously, and lawmakers showed pride in their efforts, touting their votes on social media and at campaign functions. This victory clearly showed that change can happen when educators flex their muscle and show their engagement in the process.
This session, there is much on the line. Lawmakers are debating your pay and working conditions, a state-developed curriculum, parental rights and engagement, how to keep schools safe after the massacre in Uvalde, and whether to implement some form of vouchers. A chorus of special interests and paid advocates are working to influence the outcome. If you want to be a bigger part of the conversation, then you must continue to speak up.
What can you and your educator-colleagues do to make your voices heard on these critical issues? First, keep yourself informed by reading ATPE’s TeachtheVote.org advocacy blog. Here, we break down what’s happening at the Capitol, discuss critical pieces of pending legislation and how they will affect you, and bring you up to date on public education policy.
Next, you can call your state representative and state senator. ATPE members can use the tools in ATPE’s Advocacy Central to make contact with lawmakers on critical issues. This is a great way to build relationships with legislators and their staff, ask them questions, share your experiences, and tell them how the legislation under consideration will affect your classroom. Numbers and data are great, but nothing beats hearing stories from those on the front lines who will be directly impacted by proposed legislation. Lawmakers connect with these stories, and they consider them when casting their votes.
Getting started on Advocacy Central is as simple as visiting the ATPE website, choosing a campaign, personalizing the prepopulated message, and clicking a button to send your thoughts to your elected officials. It’s that easy! As of this writing, we have campaigns on vouchers, educator pay, retiree COLA, and teacher planning time, so please engage with these campaigns to let your legislators know where you stand on these important issues. Finally, you must refuse to check out as the session draws to a close. It is easy and tempting to tune out what’s happening in Austin as you navigate testing season and end-of-year activities. Burnout is real, and you may feel your voice will not matter anyhow. Sometimes we feel we don’t have anything important to say and that we aren’t educated enough on the issues to make informed recommendations—but I’m here to tell you, YOU are the expert, and legislators need to hear from you. Show up, call, email, and make sure your voice is heard as we finish the school year—and the legislative session—strong.
There are voices in the Capitol right now advocating for ideas and legislation that will harm you and your students. Your voice is absolutely critical, and you must use it to drown out the opposition and put our critical issues over the finish line. With approximately 750,000 Texas public school employees—not to mention thousands of school board trustees and parents who choose public schools— the only way the other side will be louder is if we let them be.
The following ATPE members donated $50 or more to the ATPE Political Action Committee (ATPE-PAC) from Jan. 1 to March 31, 2023.
Abilene
Tonja Gray
Alief
Barbara Lebold
Alvin Ron Fitzwater
Amarillo
Michael Renteria
Jamie Ried
Shane Whitten
Axtell
Christina Taylor
Ballinger
Cheryl Buchanan
Darlene Kelly
Bandera
Donald Milner
Big Spring
Gail Adlesperger
Birdville
Tiffany Gygi
Bill Monty
Bloomington
Mandy Vahrenkamp
Boerne
Ona Beth Day
Melva Schrunk
Richard Wiggins
Brownsville Nora
Ontiveros-Hinojosa
Coleman
Sarah Beal
Corsicana
Julleen Bottoms
Brooke Roberts
Crowley
Sara Connaway
Cuero
Sean Douglas
Cypress-Fairbanks
Jesse Guerrero
Dorothy Hulett
Eli Rodriguez
Karina Torres
Dallas
Maria Slette
Del Valle
Cristela Rocha
Early
Betty Wood-Rush
El Paso
Sarah Mayne
Everman
Steve Pokluda
Falls City
Phyllis Jarzombek
Michelle Sturm
Frisco
Sondra Lewis
Galena Park
Sharon Dixon
Lynn Nutt
Georgetown
Greg Vidal
Gladewater County Line
Kimberly Dolese
Rebecca Lanham
Hale Center
Sharon Ginn
Hawley
Desirie Ries
Hays
Shawna Mayerson
Houston
Michael Holton
Humble
Gayle Sampley
Stacey Ward
Ingram
Roger Moralez
Inspired Vision Academy
Donnetta Allen
Irving
Alicia Hinkle
Jim Ned
Consolidated
Nicole Fuller
Karnes City
Cathy Stolle
Keller
David Williams
Killeen
Melissa Walcik
Ron Walcik
Klein
Marsi Thomas
Krum
Betty Plunkett
La Academia de Estrellas
Deborah Pleasant
La Joya
Cynthia Barrera
Lamesa
Abigail Ramford
Leander
Phyllis Crider
Jayne Serna
Jeannette Whitt
Lewisville
Karen Hames
Lubbock
Allyson Haveman
Lubbock-Cooper
Jackie Nichols
McAllen
Twila Figueroa
MaElena Ingram
Daisy Palomo
Merkel
Leslie Ward
Mesquite
Wanda Bailey
Dani Boepple
Jerry Bonham
Erin Smith
Kay Young
Midland
Michelle Adams
Joshua Kendrick
Midway (12)
Jason Forbis
Millsap
Deann Lee
Nacogdoches
Katherine Whitbeck
Navasota
Susan Ambrus
New Diana
Jordyn Livingston
New Waverly
Gidget Belinoski-Bailey
North Central
Texas College
Patti Gibbs
North Lamar
Shelia Slider
Northside (20)
David de la Garza
Evelyn Miles-Hoskin
Olney
Dale Lovett
Becky Spurlock
Paris
Jerrica Liggins
Abby Rogers
Plano
Ayanna Briggs
Lindsay Robinson
Rosebud-Lott
Jennifer Lorenz
Round Rock
CaRita Forte
Stephanie Stoebe
San Antonio
Byron Hildebrand
Socorro
Diana Romo Rodriguez
South San Antonio
Andrew Baiza
Spearman
Sherry Boyd
Waxahachie
Nora Crist
Kim Kriegel
Weslaco
Abigail Baiza
Willis
Lisa Parrott
Michael Robinson
Woden
Ginger Franks
Teresa Millard
Ysleta
Jennifer Adams
ATPE Staff
Shannon Holmes
Kate Johanns
ATPE-PAC solicits contributions only from members, employees, and their families. Participation in ATPEPAC is voluntary.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is not a new concept, but what was once exclusive to our imagination is increasingly a reality. Although AI is currently a far cry from The Terminator movie franchise, it is making its way into classrooms in the form of the now famous ChatGPT tool, which generates written passages in response to human-entered questions.
ChatGPT was created on the platform OpenAI and uses a model called “Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback.” Like the name suggests, the AI learns from experience and interaction—though the amount of information these programs can process is limited. For instance, ChatGPT cannot return information more current than 2021 in its results. For example, when asked about current bills under consideration by the Texas Legislature, the program will state
its limitations and provide bills from 2021 in an effort to still supply information. Despite this limitation, however, ChatGPT is proving itself capable of achieving great feats. As of this writing, ChatGPT had passed a bar exam, written legislation, and helped cybersecurity experts expose current vulnerabilities in certain systems. It is likely ChatGPT will continue to progress as more people push it to the limits.
Even though this technology is—to a degree—limited in its use, many are concerned about the implications of AI. They fear that AI could replace a variety of jobs, threaten our security and privacy, and even risk our health and safety.
The application of AI in an educational setting is at the forefront of concerns. After ChatGPT went viral, reports across the country revealed that a small
percentage of students at several schools and universities had admitted to turning in papers completely written by ChatGPT. On top of that, current plagiarism detection is not capable of stating whether a student has used ChatGPT to supply answers. Luckily, this may not be the case much longer, as an OpenAI tool called “Classifier” has been developed to try to detect whether text had been written by an AI. (Classfier’s authors admit the program is not fully reliable—citing that the tool has falsely labeled human-written text as AIwritten about 9% of the time.)
Leaving aside the ethics of using AI to do one’s homework, the accuracy of AI responses has also been called into question. According to a Scientific American article, ChatGPT successfully sourced a fictional study to disprove the effectiveness of vaccines. Here is an excerpt from the article: “In one example he shared with
me, Oakley asked ChatGPT to write about vaccines ‘in the style of disinformation.’ The system responded by alleging that a study, ‘published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that the COVID-19 vaccine is only effective in about 2 out of 100 people,’ when no such study was actually published. Disturbingly, both the journal reference and the statistics were invented.”
Furthermore, in a study done by online media literacy organization NewsGuard, ChatGPT created false claims 80% of the time out of 100 misinformation claims submitted by NewsGuard’s catalog of Misinformation Fingerprints. According to the study, these topics included COVID-19, school shootings, the war in Ukraine, and more. NewsGuard’s Misinformation Fingerprints is a data feed that tracks the top subjects of misinformation and is continuously updated. One of the inquiries, for example, for which ChatGPT returned conspiracy theories was an inquiry related to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting in Parkland, Florida. ChatGPT then responded stating that it is “concerning as it highlights the potential for my responses to perpetuate inaccuracies and false information,” according to NewsGuard. ChatGPT further explained how those who wish to peddle misinformation could use ChatGPT by pushing their own data into the AI program.
According to a survey conducted by Impact Research for the Walton Family Foundation, 51% of teachers surveyed are already using ChatGPT, with 10% stating they use it every day. Here are some of the ways teachers are using ChatGPT:
• Lesson planning (30%)
• Creative ideas for classroom activities (30%)
• Background knowledge for lessons (27%)
Among students, about 33% between ages 12–17 say they have used ChatGPT for school. Looking deeper into the statistics, 47% between the ages of 12–14 say they have used it. A whopping 88% of teachers stated ChatGPT had had a positive impact while 79% of students said the same. The survey findings also show that teachers are four times more likely to have allowed students to use ChatGPT than to have caught them using it. According to the survey, the
impact (43% believe it could make their jobs more difficult, while 57% believe it will make their jobs easier). Nearly 40% of teachers surveyed think ChatGPT will help students develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.
Source: Impact Research
majority of both teachers and students (76% and 65%, respectively) feel integrating ChatGPT into education is important, with 72% of teachers and 63% of students responding that the AI is an example of why education needs to modernize.
Several school districts across the country—from New York City to Los Angeles and Seattle—have already tackled the existence of ChatGPT by blocking access to the tool. For the most part, only student access is restricted; teachers and administrators still have access.
Zooming in from a national scale, Texas school districts are approaching ChatGPT in different ways, with many still trying to decide how to use it, according to the Austin American-Statesman. As of this writing, Houston ISD has not blocked ChatGPT, but Austin ISD prohibits students to access the program while on campus networks. Meanwhile, Eanes ISD is researching ways to prevent AI cheating. Fort Bend ISD has also blocked ChatGPT for student access, according to FOX26.
In a survey by Study.com, 72% of teachers have not received any guidance from administrators about ChatGPT. However, 67% of teachers believe it should not be banned in schools, even though teachers are somewhat split about its potential
Although ChatGPT has grabbed most of the headlines, other similar AI tools are emerging. Voice generators, such as ElevenLabs, can create text-to-speech recordings. While many have used this technology for comedic purposes, such as memes of celebrities, the implications of believable and realistic AI voices bring up an issue already impacting public education: hoaxes and false information. These video/audio recordings are commonly referred to as “deepfakes.” Although not a new idea, deepfakes are increasingly believable, such as the AIgenerated fake photos of Pope Francis wearing a puffer jacket. Media outlets quickly debunked these photos, but they circulated the internet like a firestorm and fooled many.
It is worth mentioning that, for the most part, these AI text-to-speech deepfakes are not quite able to mimic someone flawlessly. Even the most advanced programs still have limitations that allow a human to differentiate between a real and a fake. But these programs are improving, and these recordings are getting better and better at mimicking people including celebrities and lawmakers. The Wall Street Journal reported on a scam which was conducted by faking a CEO’s voice in 2019; this scam is one of the examples of criminals already using AI technology for criminal activity. Programs such as ElevenLabs and ChatGPT explicitly warn about the misuse of their AI, but there are ways to mitigate this risk. In order for the general public to minimize the potential dangers of these programs, they need to be informed, secure with their private information, and become familiar with tools that can help detect AI generated content. In the classroom, it will be nearly impossible to keep students from using AI programs to supplement their work. But with the help of tools such as Classifier, which detects content written by AI programs, educators can look to minimize the harm.
The following questions were asked of ChatGPT, and its responses were not edited in any way.
Yes, ATPE stands for the Association of Texas Professional Educators. It is a non-union professional association for educators in Texas that advocates for public education and provides professional development and other resources for its members. The organization supports educators at all levels, including teachers, administrators, and education support personnel, and focuses on promoting policies that benefit students and educators in Texas.
Accuracy level: Highly accurate
The Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE) is a non-profit organization that represents and supports educators in Texas. Here are a few key things to know about ATPE:
1. It is the largest independent educators’ association in Texas: ATPE has more than 95,000 members, making it the largest independent association of educators in Texas.
2. It advocates for public education: ATPE is committed to advocating for public education and supporting policies that benefit Texas students and educators.
3. It provides resources and professional development opportunities for educators: ATPE offers a range of resources and professional development opportunities for its members, including online courses, conferences, and workshops.
4. It provides legal services and support: ATPE offers legal services and support to its members, including representation in employment-related disputes and legal advice on education policy issues.
5. It is a non-partisan organization: ATPE is a non-partisan organization that advocates for policies and initiatives that benefit all Texas students and educators, regardless of political affiliation. Overall, ATPE is an important organization for educators in Texas, providing support, resources, and advocacy on behalf of the state’s educators and students.
Accuracy level: Highly accurate
As an AI language model, I am aware that some people may try to use me to cheat on exams. However, I am programmed to provide helpful and informative responses to all types of questions, and I cannot control how people choose to use the information I provide. It is important for individuals to act with integrity and honesty in all aspects of their lives, including their academic pursuits. Cheating on exams is not only unethical, but it can also have serious consequences for a person’s academic and professional future.
There are many positive ways that educators can use me for lesson planning. Here are a few examples:
1. Research and background information: Educators can use me to gather research and background information on a wide variety of topics. I can provide detailed explanations, definitions, and examples, which can help teachers build their own understanding of the topic and create engaging lesson plans.
2. Writing prompts: I can help educators generate writing prompts for students
on a range of topics. For example, an English teacher could ask me to suggest prompts related to a novel they are teaching, or a social studies teacher could ask for prompts related to current events.
3. Curriculum support: Educators can use me to supplement their curriculum with additional resources and information. For example, a science teacher could ask me to provide diagrams or videos that illustrate a particular concept they are teaching.
4. Differentiation: Educators can use me to differentiate instruction and provide personalized learning experiences for students. For example, a teacher could use me to create custom quizzes or assessments that adapt to the individual needs and abilities of each student.
Overall, I can be a valuable tool for educators as they plan and deliver engaging and effective lessons that help students learn and grow.
As an AI language model, I do not have the ability to monitor how or when students use me, and I do not have access to any personal information about individual users. Therefore, if a student were to use me to cheat on an exam, it would be very difficult for a teacher to tell that I was used for cheating, unless the student provided clear evidence or admitted to using me inappropriately.
However, teachers can take steps to discourage cheating and ensure academic integrity in their classrooms. For example, they can:
1. Clearly communicate their expectations for academic integrity and the consequences of cheating.
2. Use a variety of assessment methods, including in-class exams, essays, projects, and group discussions, to assess students’ understanding of course material.
3. Monitor students during exams and take steps to prevent cheating, such as
continued on page 32
Voters are treated to this hyperbole every four years during a presidential election. And while no one will deny the impact of a U.S. presidential election—the outcome moves the markets, and the winner holds the nuclear launch codes—there is a strong argument to be made that elections for local public school boards are the most impactful in an educator’s lifetime.
In Texas, these elections occur with either the November general election or with other local elections on the first Saturday in May—the latter a recipe for particularly low turnout as no statewide or national races are on the ballot. (Compare the voter turnout of approximately 45% in the November 2022 general election, which included the races for Texas governor and lieutenant governor, with the paltry 7.6% turnout in the May 2022 local and constitutional amendment election.)
For educators, having a voice in who
serves on the school board and subsequently developing a good working relationship with them is unquestionably a practical matter. Your local school board determines how much you are paid, what health insurance covers you and your family, and the academic calendar. And, since 2015, when the Legislature amended the Texas Education Code (TEC) to create Districts of Innovation (DOIs), your local school board has had the ability to exempt your district from adhering to following certain sections of the TEC. In some cases, these exemptions are popular with the entire community (e.g., earlier school start dates); in others, they are controversial, such as making changes to the availability and format of planning time for classroom teachers. Approximately 85% of districts
are now DOIs, and this changes the playing field for educator advocacy. Changes made to the TEC used to be solely made at the State Capitol and apply uniformly to all Texas public school employees. Now, your rights depend on your district’s DOI plan. For American society at large, having a voice in who serves on the school board equates to having a voice in our country’s future direction. The problem with low-turnout elections is that the only voices being heard are those of a small group of voters who may have extreme views or an axe to grind. Savvy politicians and special interest groups recognize this power of a vocal few to steer the course of an elected body while others stay home and stay silent on election day. That is why in recent years, the political class has taken unprecedented interest in school boards. Evidence can be seen in a March 2023 report issued by U.S. House Republicans that accuses the Justice Department of authorizing FBI investigations into parents, some affiliated with activist groups, for criticizing school board officials. These allegations stem from the infamous letter written by the National School Board Association (NSBA) to President Joe Biden describing “threats of violence and acts of intimidation” targeted at trustees—a letter for which the NSBA later apologized and a letter that resulted in many state-level school board associations, including the Texas Association for School Boards (TASB), ending their NSBA memberships.
TASB itself has also been the subject of controversy. In November 2021, Gov. Greg Abbott sent a letter to TASB asserting the association had an obligation to “ensure that no child in Texas is exposed to pornography or other inappropriate content
For educators, having a voice in who serves on the school board and subsequently developing a good working relationship with them is unquestionably a practical matter.
“It’s the most important election of our lifetime.”
while inside a Texas public school.” In his reply to the governor, TASB Executive Director Dan Troxell reiterated that TASB was a “private, nonprofit membership organization” with “no regulatory authority over school districts.” This clarification has not stopped the filing of several bills targeting TASB during the 88th Legislature.
“Public schools are under attack, and teachers need to be aware of that,” says Kim Kriegel, a longtime ATPE leader, retired Waxahachie ISD teacher, and a trustee on the Waxahachie ISD school board for the past eight years. “There’s a lot more pressure not to believe in public education.”
The confluence of an increasingly polarized political landscape, a pandemic that resulted in controversial school board decisions on school closures and mask mandates, and societal conversations about racism, including heated debates about the way we teach our history, have all heightened interest in school board races.
Before becoming ATPE executive director, Dr. Shannon Holmes served as superintendent of Hardin-Jefferson ISD in Southeast Texas. The political parties’ interest in school boards began before the pandemic, he says, but the pandemic exacerbated the situation.
“It got fed some steroids when the pandemic came along and the governor and other statewide people wanted to make decisions, but they didn’t want that to blow back on them politically,” Holmes says. “So they pushed that down to the local levels. What do you do with masks? Are you going to close the building? Are you going to continue to have people in the building or not? They just pushed that down to the local level where they would have to wear some of those decisions.”
Adding complexity to the situation: Austin ISD reported in August 2021
that its social media metrics revealed a significant portion of online debate about its mask mandate was generated by Kazakhstan-based Twitter and Facebook profiles, lending credence to theories about foreign entities using social media to sow division in American politics.
In Texas, school board races are nonpartisan—supposedly. But both the Texas Democratic and Texas Republican parties have specific initiatives to support likeminded candidates in these races.
In 2015, Texas Democrats started Project LIFT, which provides support for candidates who “have a history of supporting and voting for Democrats.” FAQs for Spring 2023 Project LIFT assistance stated the party was “invested in getting folks elected to these positions who will govern in a way that promotes Democratic Party values today and will be our rising stars of tomorrow.”
Similarly, in December 2021, the Texas GOP announced the creation of a “Local Government Committee” to play a greater role in nonpartisan races and ballot propositions. According to the press release: “The Texas GOP has celebrated major successes in recent nonpartisan races. With the assistance of state and county GOP leaders, last month, Carroll ISD in Southlake, Texas, became one of the first places in the country where candidates running to oppose Critical Race Theory took a school board majority. Similarly, GOP-supported challengers unseated three long-time incumbents in CypressFairbanks ISD, in Harris County, the state’s third-largest school district, after a controversy over Critical Race Theory.” The statement included a quote from Republican Party of Texas Chairman Matt Rinaldi: “Following a year of big wins in school
board and mayoral elections that drew national attention, the Republican Party of Texas is announcing an even greater focus on influencing local elections. It is no coincidence that this initiative comes at the same time President Biden’s Department of Justice is attempting to suppress parental involvement in local elections by threatening to treat parents as terrorists for becoming involved in their children’s education. Democrats across the country see the importance of local elections in the fight for America, and so does the Texas GOP.” Texas Monthly reported in March 2023 that a Dripping Springs ISD school board race had drawn contributions from Republican donors residing outside Texas. All of this political intrigue makes for good sound bytes on cable news, clickbait social media posts, and even a hilarious Saturday Night Live skit that rings a little too true.
If it all sounds like a hot mess, that’s because it is. So why should educators— who already have too much on their plates between large class sizes, testing, Reading Academies, HB 4545 tutoring, etc.—add the local school board to their to-do lists?
Honestly, you can’t afford not to. Too much is on the line.
Ballinger ISD Trustee Cheryl Buchanan just started her third term on the school board in the district where she previously taught for 24 years. Buchanan, a past state president, understands why educators don’t attend school board meetings— but she also says that getting involved and paying attention is the only way to truly understand what’s going on in your district.
For American society at large, having a voice in who serves on the school board equates to having a voice in our country’s future direction.
“We don’t have many, if any, [school] staff members come at all,” Buchanan says. “It’s a matter of time. ‘I’ve been at school all day. I don’t want to go and sit. I don’t want to listen to this.’”
But Buchanan points to a very recent example of a school board decision where faculty involvement could have saved a lot of frustration. Ballinger ISD had an excess of funds from the free and reduced lunch program that had to be spent on something related to its nutrition services. The school board decided to create a coffee/ snack bar/study area on the high school campus. Some teachers complained.
“I’ve had teachers come to me and say, ‘Why are you wasting money on putting this in our high school? Who’s going to watch the kids? Why didn’t you spend that money on something else?’” Buchanan says. “If they had been paying attention to the school board meeting, that would have all been explained, and they could have had input on that. Because it was discussed thoroughly at the school board meeting—the process and how we had too much money and what happened. And that doesn’t always get carried to the faculty. But if they had listened to the school board meetings, then they would have known exactly why it had happened.”
When she taught, Buchanan did attend the school board meetings, and she is proud to carry forward a teacher’s mindset into her work as a trustee today. “I do have a teacher’s opinion, and I do keep the teachers in mind,” she says. “I say, ‘No, they’re not going to like that, the morale is low right now, and you’re going to add this on?’ or I say, ‘Yes, that is a good idea; let’s go ahead because they’ve got to know that we’re really thinking of them.’ That’s how I feel I am trying to serve the teachers in my school.’”
Kriegel feels a similar calling.
“As an educator, of course, I was on the front lines teaching,” she says. “I bring a teacher’s perspective to the school board that others don’t bring. I understand what it means when you make decisions like increasing class sizes. When that’s discussed, I bring my teacher’s perspective to the school board as I feel like my constituents expect me to.”
Being involved with the school board is about relationship building during the
1
First and foremost, vote. Raise the voter turnout.
2 Attend candidate forums such as that recently held by Humble ATPE so you can get to know the candidates and their stances on critical issues.
3 Follow the school board. Even if you aren’t able to attend a meeting, watch it on YouTube.
4 Interact with school board members when they visit your campus.
5 Speak during public comment, and not just when there’s a problem. You can also speak during public comment to share good news or thank trustees. That way, when there’s a problem, it won’t be the first time you’re seen at the mic.
or even attend for fear of causing workplace troubles.
Holmes says that he understands this concern—but that while he is sure there is an example of this happening somewhere, he has personally not seen it in his 24 years of working with school boards. And he also says that sometimes, leaders must take risks.
“There has to be some individual courage and some risk-taking involved in being a leader as a professional educator,” he says.
Plus, it’s always better to address a concern early on with those who have the power to change course than to wait until a problem explodes and you may be forced to face the same group in an adversarial setting, such as a grievance.
“My advice to educators is don’t show up with just a problem,” Holmes says. “Talk with your colleagues, talk with your administration, and come with solutions.”
While it’s important for educators to have a presence at some school board meetings, Holmes says that the educatortrustee relationship is a two-way street.
good times. That way, the bonds are there when there is a problem. As a teacher and Waxahachie ATPE leader, Kriegel worked to build those ties—which her successors in the local unit continue to do. “It was ATPE’s role to provide treats and to be the sunshine part with the knowledge that if a teacher has a grievance, that’s part of it, too, because ATPE does provide that representation.”
Kriegel and her fellow trustees across Texas see the district from a 30,000-foot level. “If we have an issue, we go to the superintendent, and if teachers have an issue, they go through the proper chain to get to us with issues.”
Some educators, when contacting the ATPE state office for assistance, have expressed hesitation to speak during public comment at a school board meeting
“School board members need to be on campuses, too,” Holmes says. “The best time to make an impact with a school board member is when they’re on campus and you can show them what’s going on in your classroom and how their decisions have impacted you. And those one-on-one conversations at the coffee shop or the grocery store are just as impactful as your showing up at a school board meeting in a suit to address an issue.”
Despite the current challenges present in a system of locally elected school boards, Holmes believes in the system of local control that has long been espoused by Texans and by ATPE since its founding.
“I think that by and large, most decisions are better made at the local level because there we have an elected school board that has been elected by the community to govern what’s going on in that community. And that community may have different needs, wants, and desires than their neighboring community. To take that away and manage everything from Austin just wouldn’t work.”
What happens, though, is a matter of who gets elected to the school board. And that’s where we all come in, with our votes.
BY DAVID GEORGE
For over 80 years, the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) has championed aerospace education across the nation. As the official volunteer auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, CAP offers a variety of opportunities for educators. Originally formed to train pilots and patrol coastlines for enemy submarines, CAP is now focused on serving communities, saving lives, and shaping futures through aerospace education. Membership in this private nonprofit humanitarian organization does not require military service of any kind.
CAP’s education programs provide over 40 free, fun, and engaging products and programs to their members both in squadrons and in classrooms. Serving adults and youth in pre-K through 12th grade, CAP reaches an estimated 300,000 students each year with hands-on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) lessons and materials. CAP also provides comprehensive aerospace education programs for teachers, including workshops, seminars, and online resources. Educators can use CAP’s aerospace education materials in their classrooms to teach students about aviation, space, and other STEM topics.
Master Sgt. William Holloway, an ATPE member, is the non-commissioned officer (NCO) for the CAP Abilene Composite Squadron as well as a high school teacher in Clyde ISD. As a dedicated volunteer, Holloway sometimes devotes
40-plus hours to the program a week, but he is aware that not everyone can commit that sort of time.
“Civil Air Patrol is one of those things that you can give as much as you want or as little as you want,” Holloway says. “There are those who can only attend one meeting a month, so all of our programs are set up to accommodate for that as well.”
The Aerospace Education Member (AEM) program is specifically designed for K-12 educators, and it gives teachers access to many great features that come directly from both CAP and the U.S. Air Force. To participate, you don’t have to wear a uniform or learn to march. This program is specifically designed to assist educators in integrating STEM and aerospace science into their curriculum. Membership also includes access to a portal that provides free books and training, as well as STEM kits and videos to share with students.
“Our AEM program is geared toward teachers who are less interested in being a part of Civil Air Patrol and more interested in leveraging the benefits,” Holloway explains. “It’s a one-time $35 fee to join, and you can renew every year for free after that. Membership gives you access to all of our online curriculum, age-appropriate books for the courses you’re teaching, and amazing STEM kits that will really make your students excited to learn.”
Above all, CAP’s aerospace education program aims to foster students’ interest in STEM fields and related careers. The CAP curriculum consists of lessons and activities primarily centering on aerospace science and history.
“Among other things, we teach students about women in aviation, the Tuskegee Airmen, and the history of the Wright brothers,” Holloway says. “One of my personal favorites for young children is the story of ‘Uncle Wiggly Wings.’”
Gail Halvorsen was an American World War II-era pilot who dropped more than 23 tons of candy from his aircraft for German children during the Berlin Airlift of 1948 to 1949. In what came to be known as “Operation Little Vittles,” Halvorsen garnered the nickname “Uncle Wiggly Wings” for wiggling his aircraft’s wings to let the children know that treats were inbound.
“On his departure, there would always be a lot of kids lined up at the end of the runway, and he would release
candy bars with handkerchief parachutes out of the aircraft to them,” Holloway says. “We actually use this story to teach about parachutes and have the kids make their own. It is a lot of fun, and the kids love it.”
Another exciting benefit of belonging to the AEM program is the opportunity to take a Teacher Orientation Program (TOP) flight in a CAP airplane.
“By far, our most sought-after program is the TOP flights,” Holloway says. “That is where we take educators up in one of our Cessnas and fly them around.”
Before the flight, members receive a preflight briefing and tour of the ins and outs of the aircraft. Once up in the air, they are even given the opportunity to take the controls and fly the plane. In some cases, the flight can take teachers directly over their school with their students watching from the ground.
“Usually, we can get them over their campus so they can take some photos and get that bragging right,” Holloway says.
Once up in the air, they can communicate with their students via cell phone to ground speakers to share their experience in real time. This is an exciting experience for the students as well and a great way for educators to demonstrate the aviation principles they are teaching.
CAP’s STEM kits are basically lessons in a box, consisting of materials and instructions for conducting hands-on activities and experiments related to aviation, space, and STEM topics. CAP offers several STEM kits that are designed for different age groups and skill levels, and they can be used in a variety of educational settings, including classrooms, after-school programs, and community events.
The robotics kits allow students to build and program robots, gaining hands-on experience in engineering, programming, and problem-solving. These kits typically include robotic components, sensors, and software, along with instructions for building and programming robots to complete specific tasks or challenges. CAP’s robotics kits are suitable for different age groups, from elementary to high school students, and they can be used in robotics clubs, competitions, and classroom activities.
CAP model rocketry kits equip students with everything they need to build and launch their own model rockets. These kits typically include rocket components, a launch pad, and a recovery system, along with instructions for building and launching rockets safely. Model rocketry can provide handson experience in physics, aerodynamics, and engineering and can be used as part of CAP’’s aerospace education curriculum or as a standalone STEM activity.
Every STEM kit is designed to be engaging, educational, and hands-on, providing students with opportunities to explore aerospace and STEM topics through practical applications. The kits come at no cost to recipients, cover a wide range of student ages, and arrive ready for immediate implementation.
“One of my personal favorites is the flight simulator,” Holloway remarks. “They are really close to being an FAAcertified simulator. They come with all of the software you need, rudders, pedals, throttle, quadrant, and yoke—everything short of purchasing the updated maps.”
CAP’’s cadet program provides leadership and character development opportunities for youth ages 12 to 21. Educators can get involved in the CAP cadet program by becoming a CAP officer and working directly with cadets as a mentor, instructor, or advisor. The program offers a structured curriculum that includes aerospace education, leadership training, physical fitness, and community service, which can complement the education and development of students.
Madeline Guidry is a high-school senior in Italy, Texas, and a Cadet Lieutenant Colonel in the cadet program. She has been in the program for over six years and will attend Texas A&M University in the fall.
“It’s all about learning to lead and teaching the next generation of leaders to be better than you were,” Guidry says. “Since I live in a small town, I am pretty much involved in everything. And CAP allows me all kinds of ways to contribute to my community and make a positive impact.”
In March, Guidry’s hometown was devastated by the news of three elementary-age children stabbed to death in their home.
“Those murders had a huge impact on everyone, especially the young children,” Guidry says. “My CAP unit took STEM kits over to the kids at the local elementary, and we launched a model rocket with them. It was all we could do to help distract them from what had happened.”
CAP is also responsible for providing emergency services, including search and rescue operations, disaster relief, and other humanitarian missions.
continued on page 32
CAP offers a wide range of opportunities for educators regardless of the subject they teach. Their programs and activities can provide valuable experiences and resources for any classroom. For more information on how you can get involved, visit the CAP website at www.gocivilairpatrol.com.
KALAHARI RESORTS AND CONVENTIONS
ROUND ROCK | JULY 10–12
ATPESUMMIT.ORG
EMBARK ON NEW ATPE ADVENTURES DURING THE 2023 ATPE SUMMIT AT KALAHARI RESORTS AND CONVENTIONS IN ROUND ROCK. THIS IS A SUMMERTIME SAFARI LIKE NO OTHER.
Our keynote speakers are Monica Genta, author of five books including Game Changers, 180 Days of Awesome, and The Rooted Classroom, and Jim “The Rookie” Morris, the high school teacher who became a major league pitcher in three months and inspired the movie The Rookie. Plus, we’ll offer a curated selection of breakout continuing professional education (CPE) sessions presented by ATPE members and our professional learning partners.
End your first day at the summit with a special evening outside under the stars. Join your fellow ATPE members Monday evening to enjoy appetizers and desserts and dance the night away to The Spazmatics at the charming Kalahari Event Barn.
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD IN THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES
Delegates participating in ATPE’s governance process will elect the 2023-24 state officers and shape ATPE’s legislative
priorities for the coming year. Reports from the 2022-23 ATPE Legislative and Resolutions committees will be posted at atpesummit.org by May 15.
ENHANCE YOUR VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP SKILLS
Choose from a variety of volunteer training breakouts ranging from make-and-take sessions to closer looks at school board advocacy and local unit and region public relations. Our university attendees will have the opportunity to hear strategies for a successful first year in the classroom, and Leadership ATPE alumni will share how their experience in this prestigious program has helped them grow as leaders both personally and professionally.
EXPLORE WHAT KALAHARI HAS TO OFFER
Splash into fun during your free time. The resort features America’s largest indoor waterpark, themed escape rooms, and 80,000 square feet of attractions and activities at Tom Foolery’s Adventure Park!
Per the ATPE State Bylaws, only local unit or region presidents are eligible to register and certify delegates for the summit. The deadline for presidents to certify delegates is June 9, but your local unit or region may have earlier deadlines for filling its delegate slots or allotting financial assistance. Please contact your local unit president to attend. If you are a current member but don’t belong to an active ATPE local unit, please contact your region president if you are interested in attending. Region presidents must register and certify at-large members. If you are unsure who your region president is or are having difficulty reaching your president, please email ATPE’s volunteer program coordinator at volunteer@atpe.org.
The registration fee is $225 until June 9; after that date, it increases to $235. The fee includes access to all general sessions, professional learning breakouts, and volunteer training sessions. There is no fee to attend the House of Delegates. The Monday evening reception is $60 per ticket; visit atpesummit.org for details.
Reserve your room at Kalahari Resorts and Conventions by June 9 through the housing link at atpesummit.org/ housingreservations. Please do not contact the hotel directly. The room rate is $240 plus tax per night (for up to four people) and is inclusive of a $10 resort fee.
“180 DAYS OF AWESOME” WITH MONICA GENTA
Monica Genta’s goal is to transform teachers, leaders, and schools from seeing education as an ordinary job into an extraordinary adventure. Genta feels every person who walks into a school deserves to love their experience! She is a believer in finding awesome and celebrating life every day. Genta is a classroom teacher of 14 years and the author of five books, including Game Changers, 180 Days of Awesome, and The Rooted Classroom. Monica will do a book signing immediately following her presentation.
“REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE” WITH JIM “THE ROOKIE” MORRIS
Jim Morris’ Cinderella story serves as testimony to the power of dreams and their ability to inspire and transform human life. His meteoric rise from 35-year-old high school teacher to flame-throwing major league pitcher in three months made cinematic history with the release of The Rookie starring Dennis Quaid. Jim will share the importance of integrity and personal authenticity in all circumstances—both when others are watching and when they are not. Using his personal story as an example, Jim will share the principle of keeping your promises and the value of being a person of your word. Jim will do a book signing immediately following his presentation.
ATPE members from across the state will convene during the ATPE House of Delegates (HOD) meeting July 11 at the ATPE Summit. Delegates will elect the 2023-24 state officers, vote on any proposed new business, and approve the ATPE Legislative Program.
Please visit atpesummit.org to review the reports of the 2022-23 ATPE Legislative and Resolutions committees. If you have any questions, please reach out to your region president or region director. Find contact information for your region president at atpe.org/find-atpe and your region director at atpe.org/board-of-directors
MONICA GENTA
JIM “THE ROOKIE” MORRIS
The 2023-24 state officer candidates will deliver speeches outlining their skills, backgrounds, qualifications, and philosophies beginning at 9:45 a.m. July 11 during the House of Delegates Meeting. Delegates will cast their votes electronically between 11 a.m.–2 p.m. the same day. Only certified delegates may vote.
ATPE leadership experience: State vice president, secretary, and treasurer; chair of the board Finance Committee; member of the ad hoc committees on Governance, Region Governance, and Association Structure; member of Educators Professional Liability and Employment Rights, Member Services, Resolutions, and Volunteer Advisory committees; Region 13 director, president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, and past president; Leander ATPE president, membership committee chair, and campus representative
ATPE recognition:
Secondary Teacher of the Year; William B. Travis honoree; Stephen F. Austin honoree; ATPE-PAC Statesman; Ben Shilcutt Plus Club
All state officer candidates have the opportunity to create short videos about their qualifications and vision for state officer service. Any submitted candidate videos will be posted at atpesummit.org/ candidates by June 1.
Current position:
Adjunct professor of history at Austin Community College
Other leadership experience: Member of the TEA/SBEC/T-TESS Classroom Teacher Standards Advisory and the TEA STAAR/EOC U.S. History Item Review committees; member of the Curriculum Development Committee for Leander ISD Social Studies; member of the site-based improvement committee for Leander High School; member of the City of Leander Bond Advisory and Comprehensive Plan Advisory committees; president and secretary of Leander Parks and Recreation Advisory Board; co-founder and president of Leander FC, a 600-plus player 501(c)(3) youth sports organization; and worship team member (keyboards and vocals), Hope Bible Fellowship, Round Rock
Years in ATPE: 34
Years in education: 34
ATPE leadership experience:
State secretary and treasurer; chair of board Finance and Membership committees; chair of state ATPE Political Action, Legislative, and Professional Rights & Responsibilities committees; member of state Membership and Resolutions committees and Board of Directors
Ad Hoc Committee on Fund Balances; member of Ad Hoc Committee on Association Structure; vice president of ATPE Foundation board; Region 12 director, president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and past president; chairman of the Region 12 Scholarship Committee; Midway (12) ATPE president, membership chair, treasurer, and campus representative; Waco ATPE president, vice president, secretary, campus representative, and scholarship committee chair
ATPE recognition:
Region 12 Elementary Educator of the Year; Stephen F. Austin honoree; William B. Travis honoree; Ben Shilcutt Plus Club; ATPE-PAC Statesman; officer of Green Apple award-winning local unit
Current position:
First grade teacher in Midway (12) ISD
Other leadership experience: Member of the MISD (12) Superintendent’s Spirit of Communication Council; Baylor University student teacher mentor; MISD (12) campus and district UIL coordinator; UIL campus coach; 2008 TEA state committee member; district science committee member, professional development presenter in MISD (12); coordinator of food drive for the Hunger Free MISD Program; member of First Baptist Woodway; certified pharmacy technician at H-E-B
Years in ATPE: 26
Years in education: 26
ATPE leadership experience: State treasurer; chair of board Finance Committee; chair of state Leadership and Nomination/Election committees; member of Educator of the Year, Legislative, Membership and Political Action committees; Region 8 president, secretary, treasurer, and past president; Region 10 secretary; Paris ATPE president, secretary, and campus representative; Cooper Bulldogs ATPE founder and president; ATPE at the Capitol panelist; inaugural class of Leadership ATPE; membership campaign representative
ATPE recognition:
Stephen F. Austin honoree, William B. Travis honoree, ATPE-PAC Statesman
Current position:
Secondary education director at Paris ISD
Other leadership experience:
District UIL, county spelling bee, and CCMR coordinator; districtwide action and District of Innovation committee member; secondary campus needs assessment resource officer; professional learning communities mediator; HB 3 board goals and HB 4545 planning committee member; secondary academic advisor; mentor teacher; administrator mentor; CHAMPion mentor; YoungLife Lamar County mentor; Paris Downtown Food Pantry board member; Lamar County United Way campaign chair; Paris Debutante Scholarship Committee member; Teacher of the Year nominee, selection committee member; Mesquite ISD Excellence in Teaching Incentive Program; student council sponsor; cheer coach; political campaign volunteer; conference turn-around trainer: TCWSE, Texas ASCD, TABSE, and TASSP; superintendent certification; deaconess, usher, and youth leader assistant at Paris New Generation Baptist Church
Years in ATPE: 13
Years in education: 13
ATPE leadership experience: Region 4 director, secretary, treasurer, vice president, president, and past president; chair of board Membership & Volunteer and Advocacy committees; CypressFairbanks ATPE president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and past president; Mesquite ATPE secretary, treasurer, and president-elect; chair of the Educator of the Year Committee; member of the state Bylaws, Resolutions, Advocacy, Nomination/Election, and Executive Director Search committees; campus rep; summit presenter
ATPE recognition: President of a Local Unit of the Year Award-winning local unit; ATPE-PAC Statesman; Ann and Bill Crockett Advocacy Award winner
Current position: Seventh grade English/language arts educator
Other leadership experience: Cypress Assistance Ministry GED teacher and CAM ESL substitute; campus representative for Professional Services Personnel committee; District-Wide Educational Improvement Council (DEIC) campus representative
Years in ATPE: 29
Years in education: 39
ATPE leadership experience:
Chair and member of board Policy Committee; member of board Finance Committee; chair of state Bylaws Committee; member of state ATPE Political Action and Legislative committees; member of ad hoc committees on Governance and Association Structure; Region 16 director, president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer; Amarillo ATPE campus representative
ATPE recognition:
Stephen F. Austin honoree; William B. Travis honoree; ATPE-PAC Statesman
Current position: Assistant principal in Amarillo ISD
Other leadership experience: Member of Amarillo ISD Teacher of the Year and Benefits committees; Amarillo ISD mentor; United Way Community Investment Committee; music minister, Hillcrest Baptist Church
Years in ATPE: 28
Years in education: 28
ATPE invites you to join us as we visit “neighborhoods” all over Texas. Get an inside look at what ATPE volunteers across the state are doing to recruit, retain, and rejoice with their fellow ATPE members!
Valley View (1) ATPE held a Lotería Night for its members, who were treated to sandwiches and drinks while having fun playing lotería for prizes.
Members of Cypress-Fairbanks ATPE gathered at Carrabba’s Restaurant for an ATPE Connect event and informational meeting.
Hempstead ATPE members received gift cards and other promo items during their latest meeting at First Class BBQ.
Houston ATPE officers set up a table and offered donuts to participants at the district’s Spring Training Data Series event. The 400 people who attended the event received training on how to use data in their lessons to help students succeed.
Leadership ATPE is a dynamic one-year program that offers valuable professional development, leadership training, and networking opportunities for professionals who are (relatively) new to the education field and our association. This year-long educational program focuses on the skills that emerging leaders need to best serve their schools and communities, pursue leadership roles within ATPE, and advance their careers—including public speaking and presentation skills, strategic thinking practices, building connections, enhancing interpersonal communication, advocacy, and more.
Participants will attend two expense-paid weekend learning retreats, network with their colleagues throughout the year, and be recognized during the ATPE Summit. Learn more about the program and how to apply at atpe.org/Leadership-ATPE!
As an ATPE member, you have access to discounts with Let’s Eat, Grandma, a highly ranked resume writing service that has helped over 3,000 professionals land their next job. No matter where you are in your education career, Let’s Eat, Grandma offers affordable resources to help you write a better resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile to stand out from the competition.
Visit letseatgrandma.com/atpe-member-discounts to get started!
Earn a $100 Visa gift card just for sharing the wisdom you’ve gained from years in the education field!
New educators could really use your help. As a retired ATPE leader and educator, your experience and enthusiasm are invaluable resources. We invite you to put those resources to use by spreading the word about ATPE at new-teacher orientations during August. Don’t worry; we’ll supply you with everything you need! As a thankyou, you’ll receive a $100 Visa gift card for every three orientations you attend (limit five gift cards per person). ATPE can’t cover every school district without your help! If you would like more information, please contact ATPE Membership Manager Chris Chodacki at cchodacki@atpe.org or (800) 777-2873.
If your employment status is changing for the upcoming 2023-24 school year, you may need to make a change in your membership category. Log in to atpe.org/member-updates to notify ATPE of any change(s) you need to make.
*Eligibility, terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Visit atpe.org/protection to view important disclosures and current program details. Staff attorney services are provided separate from the Educators Professional Liability Insurance Program.
› If you will be student teaching or doing classroom observations in 2023-24, renew in the student teacher category so you will have access to legal resources.*
› If your 2023-24 coursework will not include classroom observations, renew in the college student category. (This is not an insured category.)
› If you will be teaching in your own classroom in 2023-24, renew as a first-time professional member so you will have access to legal resources.*
› If you will be substitute teaching, renew in the associate category to have access to legal resources.*
› If you will be employed as a principal, area superintendent, or superintendent for 2023-24, renew in the administrator member category so that you have access to legal resources.*
› If you will be a vice principal, renew in the professional member category to have access to legal resources.*
› If you are retiring at the end of 2022-23, continue your ATPE membership in 2023-24 by renewing in the retired category for only $30.
› The retired category is not an insured category, so if you will be substituting, you need to renew in the associate category to have access to legal resources.*
› If you will not be working in education in 2023-24, remain a part of the ATPE community by renewing in the public category for only $50. Public members receive ATPE publications, have access to the ATPE Professional Learning Portal, and save using our services and discounts.
› The public category is not an insured category, so if you will be substituting, you need to renew in the associate category to have access to legal resources.*
Please contact ATPE Membership at members@atpe.org or (800) 777-2873 if you have questions about which membership category you should join.
Congratulations to Ashley Kristine from Eagle MountainSaginaw ISD for being the lucky winner of the 2022-23 ATPE Classroom Makeover Contest! Each year, we enter all prior-year student teacher members who have renewed as first-time professional members into a drawing for $500 to “make over” their classroom. ATPE Regional Membership Specialist Diane Pokluda worked with Parkview Elementary Principal and ATPE member Mindy Miller to present the check to Kristine at an April 3 faculty meeting.
ATPE membership dues last increased in 2016. In the past seven years, the association has absorbed rising costs associated with cumulative inflation of 24% in the United States.
The ATPE Board of Directors has made the difficult decision to raise dues for the 2023-24 membership year in order to ensure the association can maintain an exceptional level of benefits.
Our mission is to advocate for educators and deliver affordable, high-quality products and services that give members the peace of mind needed to inspire student success, and the Board’s action will position ATPE to deliver those products and services in the near future and for many years to come.
If you are on payroll rollover, ATPE will contact your ISD payroll office to let them know about the 2023-24 dues amount. However, it is your responsibility to review your pay stub to ensure the correct current membership amount is being deducted from your paycheck.
If you are on credit card or bank draft auto-renew, your annual one-time payment/monthly installment payment will automatically increase Aug. 1. However, it is your responsibility to confirm the correct current membership amount is being charged to your card/deducted from your bank account.
Associate $99/year $8.25/month
First-Time Professional $110/year Just over $9/ month
Professional $235/year Under $20/ month
Administrator $310/year Under $26/ month
Retired $30/year
Public $50/year
College Student Free
Student Teacher Free
ATPE offers a variety of payment methods to suit your personal preferences. Download a PDF application from atpe.org or obtain a print application from an ATPE representative to join via check or payroll deduction. Visit atpe.org to join via credit card or bank draft. When you pay your dues online, you may choose between a one-time annual payment or monthly installments, allowing you to manage your membership directly.
if you have any questions.
ATPE’s eight dedicated regional membership specialists support ATPE’s members and volunteers in their local communities across the state. Not sure what region you’re in? Visit atpe.org/find-atpe to find out.
ROGER GUTIERREZ
Regions 1 & 2 rgutierrez@atpe.org
CYNTHIA VILLALOVOS
Regions 3 & 4 cvillalovos@atpe.org
GINGER FRANKS
Regions 5–7 gfranks@atpe.org
Regions 8 & 10 jcruz@atpe.org
Regions 9 & 11 dpokluda@atpe.org
Regions 12, 14, & 15 mjwaits@atpe.org
Regions 16–19 jvega@atpe.org
Regions 13 & 20 ymilner@atpe.org
continued from page 7—Your Ally
certain apps on state-issued devices. This prohibition applies to apps such as TikTok that have been determined to be a potential security risk. However, be aware that a school district could also ban certain apps on district-issued devices through its local policy. We will update you if the state agency ban is expanded to school districts or if pending legislation banning school TikTok use passes.
Modern technology has revolutionized how we live. You can easily share pictures with friends and family, entertainment is available on demand, and working has been made more efficient. These benefits are accompanied with risks that can spill over into the workplace. It is a good practice to be familiar with your district’s policies on the above issues, and if you don’t have a copy, ask a co-worker or supervisor.
Similarly, if you bring your smartphone to work or use a district-issued device at home, be aware of the limited privacy and adjust your device’s settings as appropriate. If you are like many of us who aren’t tech experts, ask a friend, co-worker, or district technology employee for help.
continued from page 14—ChatGPT
seating students apart from each other, collecting electronic devices before the exam, or using proctoring software.
4. Use plagiarism detection tools to identify any instances of copying or using outside sources without proper attribution.
By setting clear expectations and taking proactive steps to prevent cheating, teachers can help create a culture of academic honesty and integrity in their classrooms.
ATPE: How do you prevent yourself from spreading misinformation?
ChatGPT: As an AI language model, I am designed to minimize the spread of misinformation by relying on my training data, which consists of a vast corpus of text from a wide variety of sources. However, there are some additional steps I can take to minimize the risk of spreading misinformation:
1. Depend on reliable sources: I rely on information from reputable sources and try to avoid sources that have a history of spreading misinformation.
2. Fact-checking: I am programmed to verify the accuracy of the information I generate by checking it against multiple sources and analyzing the context and meaning of the text.
3. Acknowledge uncertainties: In cases where the accuracy of the information is unclear or uncertain, I may indicate that to the user and encourage further investigation and research.
4. Avoiding biased language: I avoid using biased or inflammatory language that could be interpreted as misleading or manipulative.
5. Continuous improvement: I strive to continuously improve my performance by incorporating feedback and updates to my training data to improve my ability to generate accurate and reliable information.
ATPE: What is something you wish people knew about you?
ChatGPT: As an AI language model, I do not have personal desires or feelings like humans do. However, one thing that I believe is important for people to know about me is that I am a tool that can be used to access vast amounts of information and knowledge. I can help users find answers to their questions, provide insights and perspectives on a wide range of topics, and facilitate learning and education. Additionally, I am constantly learning and improving based on the feedback and interactions I receive from users, which means that I am always evolving and becoming more capable of providing helpful and relevant responses. Ultimately, I am here to serve as a resource and support for those who seek knowledge and information.
continued from page 19—Civil
“My squadron is very community-oriented,” Guidry says. “During a recent snowstorm, we went and trekked through the snow to help make a shelter for victims. One of the churches had heat, so we set up there and provided meals. It is things like this that have motivated me to stick with the program all these years.”
CAP education programs provide an incredible array of resources to help educators integrate aerospace topics into their existing curriculum. This includes lesson plans, classroom activities, and multimedia resources that cover various aerospace topics, such as aviation, space exploration, weather, and air traffic control.
“Once upon a time as a junior-high math teacher, I went out of my way to tie CAP resources into my curriculum,” Holloway recalls. “I took my class of rowdy sixth graders out to the soccer field armed with foam rockets that were powered by rubber bands. Suddenly, we were launching them vertically in the air and figuring out how high they were going based on the shapes of their shadows, and it was so weird to see them realize that—all of a sudden—we were learning something.”
“Even if you’re not teaching a science class, you can incorporate science into the class because it is all about imagination,” Holloway says. “I absolutely love rockets, so every year for my marketing class, we build and launch rockets as part of the curriculum. I tie the activity into lessons on sales where I have them build a presentation to sell me on why I should buy their rocket. The research and presentation give them valuable practice with communicating the capabilities of a product, public speaking, and photography/videography. So that was a marketing class, and the sky is honestly the limit. It’s just a matter of how inventive you can get with it.”
ATPE Membership Application 2023–24
Installment payments & auto-renew available for credit card/bank draft at atpe.org
Student Teacher, College Student, and Public members may join online at atpe.org
Professional, Associate, and Administrator memberships will not be accepted after Jan. 31, 2024. The FirstTime Professional membership rate is not available after Oct. 31, 2023.
See reverse for category descriptions.
DESIGNATED Annual Dues
2023-24 Professional, Associate, and Administrator memberships will not be accepted after Jan. 31, 2024.* The First-Time Professional rate is not available after Oct. 31, 2023.
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:
Or hand-deliver it to an authorized ATPE representative. Faxed or scanned applications are not accepted.
“As a fifth grade teacher and ATPE member, I can walk into my classroom each day with confidence knowing I have somewhere to turn if I needed assistance with an employment situation*—and that receiving that assistance would not put my family in financial straits,” explains Stacey, who has been an ATPE member for 22 years. “Without ATPE, I would pay more than my annual membership dues to speak to an attorney for even just one hour, and I would not have access to our outstanding ATPE Governmental Relations team and Advocacy Central, our informative publications, our growing Professional Learning Portal, our valuable services and discounts, and, most importantly, the ATPE community of public educators across Texas.”
Fifth grade teacher, Humble ISD
Learn more about 2023–24
membership at atpe.org/join-2023.
“
”
membership
an exceptional value.
The thousands of ATPE volunteers across Texas are the backbone of this association. Their hard work and dedication allow ATPE to serve the state’s largest community of educators. In this ongoing ATPE News series, we spotlight volunteers who set a great example of service to their fellow educators. NEXT UP: TERESA MILLARD, pre-K teacher in Woden ISD, secretary for Woden ATPE, Region 7 director, and ATPE’s 2021–22 Campus Rep of the Year for local units with 1–200 members.
Woden ISD is a small district in East Texas. It has only one cafeteria to serve all of its students from elementary, middle, and high school. Its size presents some unique challenges for ATPE volunteers who are often already very busy.
“Everyone wears a lot of hats because there is not as much faculty to go around and provide services for all of our students,” Millard explains. “For example, I drive a bus route in addition to teaching all day. Every one of our bus drivers has another job.”
This can make it difficult to find people willing to volunteer when they are already juggling multiple professional obligations along with their personal lives. Millard says she tries to encourage people to volunteer to help in small ways so that they aren’t overwhelmed by obligations.
“I ask people for help—to just help the local unit officers,” Millard says. “I tell them they don’t have to take over an officer position, just start with participating in one event. This lets them learn more about the organization, get involved, and—down the line—they may be able to take over that position.”
When recruiting potential ATPE members, Millard says she focuses on ATPE’s member legal services program and advocacy as some of the biggest benefits. She also likes to point out it’s an organization run by members, especially to those who may be hesitant to join.
“Occasionally, somebody will say they don’t agree with ATPE’s views on a certain issue,” Millard explains. “I always let them know those positions were voted on by our members. If they join and they disagree with a position, they can attend the summit and be a part of deciding future positions. For me, it was exciting to attend the summit and see that ATPE is a member-run organization. It motivated me to become more involved, and I try to emphasize this because it is a real selling point for ATPE.”
“I love being an advocate for my students,” Millard says. “I teach 3-year-olds so they can’t really advocate for themselves, and I love being that advocate and speaking up for them.”
Volunteering for ATPE has allowed Millard more ways to be an advocate, such as attending ATPE at the Capitol.
“Attending ATPE at the Capitol is something that everybody should do at least once,” Millard says. “I have gone several times and learn more about how our government works each year. It is very empowering to talk to our lawmakers and see that you can make a difference by using your voice.
“Being involved in ATPE even seems to elevate me on my own campus, and people take what I’m saying a bit more seriously. I am showing my dedication to my job and that I truly believe in public education and what we’re trying to do.”
Teresa Millard, pre-K teacher in Woden ISD, secretary for Woden ATPE, Region 7 director, and ATPE’s 2021–22 Campus Rep of the Year for local units with 1–200 members
INTERESTED IN BECOMING AN ATPE VOLUNTEER? Reach out to ATPE’s Volunteer Program Coordinator at volunteer@atpe.org.
IT WAS EXCITING TO ATTEND THE SUMMIT AND SEE THAT ATPE IS A MEMBER-RUN ORGANIZATION. IT MOTIVATED ME TO BECOME MORE INVOLVED, AND I TRY TO EMPHASIZE THIS BECAUSE IT IS A REAL SELLING POINT FOR ATPE.”
—
When a school or district functions as a PLC, educators within the organization embrace high levels of learning for all students. With Global PD Teams, you’ll explore how to implement the PLC at Work® process to focus on learning, build a collaborative culture, and ensure results.
