Spring 2024 ATPE News

ATPE News ABOVE &

BEYOND: ONE TEACHER’S QUEST TO TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES THROUGH EDUCATION

SPRING 2024 | ATPE.ORG

Meet Taniece Thompson-Smith, Abilene ATPE member and 2024 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year. PAGES 20–23

10

What Makes a Candidate Pro-Public Education?

12

The Future of School Libraries

16

Primary Election Preview: If You’re Fed Up, It’s Time to Show Up

Stop Dreaming.

Start Doing.

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

ATPE News The official publication of the Association of Texas Professional Educators

State Officers

Jayne Serna. . . . . . . . . . . . . . President, Leander (13) Jason Forbis. . . . . . . . Vice President, Midway (12) Jerrica Liggins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Secretary, Paris (8) Eli Rodriguez . . . Treasurer, Cypress-Fairbanks (4) Stacey Ward. . . . . . . . . Past President, Humble (4)

Board of Directors

Twila Figueroa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . McAllen (1) Adriane Taylor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Corpus Christi (2) Sean Douglas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cuero (3) Jay Guerrero. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cypress-Fairbanks (4) Christy Skinner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lumberton (5) Donna Ward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Willis (6) Teresa Millard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Woden (7) Abby Rogers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paris (8) Denise Sanders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vernon (9) Wanda Bailey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mesquite (10) Christopher Adams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Crowley (11) Christina Flores. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Riesel (12) Stephanie Stoebe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Round Rock (13) Leslie Ward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Merkel (14) Betty Gail Wood-Rush. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Early (15) Sherry Boyd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spearman (16) Abigail Ramford. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lamesa (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 Kate Johanns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editorial Director ATPE News (ISSN 0279-6260) is published quarterly in fall, winter, spring, and summer.

Published by the Association of Texas Professional Educators, 305 E. Huntland Drive, Suite 300, Austin, TX 78752-3792. Advertising rates may be obtained by contacting comm@atpe.org.

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 2024 in USA by the Association of Texas Professional Educators

H

ello, ATPE friends! I hope you had a wonderful holiday break filled with family, friends, fun, and possibly a little rest and that your spring semester is off to a good start. Although it might not yet feel like it, spring will soon be sprung! Not only is this a season of hope and renewal, but also it will be a season of school board and primary elections. While this might not seem quite as beautiful, we can make it refreshing and full of possibilities for public education.

Things change for the better when ATPE members and their friends and families stand together. Thank the candidates who stood strong for public education in the last session by donating time and money to help them get re-elected. If you are not sure who to support, research candidates at ATPE’s TeachtheVote.org, and make a recurring donation to the ATPE Political Action Committee (ATPEPAC)* at atpe.org/donate-to-atpe-pac so that we can pool our resources in support of pro-public education candidates. The outcome of nearly every election in Texas is decided during the March primary, not during the November general election, so get involved, stay informed, and vote your profession!

We’re also gearing up for ATPE’s Spring Join Early Membership Campaign, which will begin in early April. You are the best spokesperson for ATPE, so let your colleagues know why you joined ATPE and why you value your membership.

Invite them to your spring local unit or region meeting and get them to sign up early for 2024-25 membership so they can enjoy ATPE’s member discounts as they relax and recharge over the summer. And don’t forget to put the 2024 ATPE Summit on your calendar! We’ll gather July 8–10 at the Sheraton in downtown Dallas to elect the 2024-25 state officers, devise the legislative agenda, and reconnect with our ATPE family as we combine work and fun.

Until then, continue your amazing work in the classroom and beyond, encourage each other, and take care of yourself. I look forward to seeing you soon at a region meeting or at the ATPE Summit!

Jayne Serna ATPE State President

ISSN ©ATPE 2023 0279-6260 305 E. Huntland Dr., Ste. 300 Austin, TX 78752-3792 (800) 777-ATPE (2873) atpe.org | atpe@atpe.org

*ATPE-PAC solicits donations from members, employees, and their families only. Participation in ATPE-PAC is voluntary.

ATPE NEWS 3

Contents ATPE NEWS | Spring 2024, Volume 44, Number 3

12

12 20 FEATURES

20

On the Cover

Above and Beyond: One Teacher’s Quest to Transform Communities Through Education Abilene ATPE member Taniece Thompson-Smith was recently named the 2024 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year, but it is more than her achievement that makes her an inspiration to her students and educators everywhere.

4 ATPE NEWS

The Future of School Libraries Given book bans, staffing shortages, and library closures, how does a school librarian stay positive? By focusing on what’s always mattered most—helping students.

16

Primary Election Preview If you’re fed up, it’s time to show up.

Learn how you can use your vote to fight back against lawmakers who put politics over public school students.

EVERYTHING ELSE 6 Calendar 7 Your Ally

A Quick Guide to Contract Nonrenewal and Termination

24

Region 1 ATPE members and guests at Alyssa’s Acres in Mission.

8 Regional Roundup 10 Your Voice

What Makes a Candidate Pro-Public Education?

SPECIAL SECTIONS

11 PAC Honor Roll 24 In Your Neighborhood

28 Your ATPE

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.

26 2024 ATPE Summit

!

TX HOWDY

TEACHERS EDUCATORS

Get ready for a three-day ! celebration of the biggest and best educator association in Texas this July 8–10 at the Sheraton Dallas.

BIGGEST

ATPE Is

FAMILY

IN

TEXAS

IN

at the

ASSOCIATION

TEXAS SUMMIT

TX HOWDY

TEACHERS EDUCATORS

TEACHERS EDUCATORS

!

BIGGEST

IN

TEXAS

SEE

IN

1980

BIGGEST

TX



BIGGEST Y’ALL

TX HOWDY

TEXAS

Cover photo by John Kilpper; Region 8 photo courtesy of Yesica Munguia

GOVERNED SEE

TEXAS-SIZED

Y’ALL

TEXAS-SIZED

TEACHERS SUMMIT

ASSOCIATION

at the

Region 8 ATPE officers: Secretary Derrick Robinson, Treasurer Deena White, President Yesica Munguia, Vice President Amy House, Past President Anthony Williams.

Wanted: Candidates for State Office | New Member Benefits | 2024 ATPE Summit Call for Proposals | ATPE Summit Attendee Scholarships | ATPE House of Delegates Meeting

32 Round of Applause

Let’s give a round of applause to our ATPE members all around the state who go above and beyond.

35 Volunteer Spotlight

Meet Christy Skinner, a high school English teacher in Lumberton ISD, who serves as Region 5 ATPE director and was a 2022-23 finalist for Campus Rep of the Year.

THE ATPE VISION The Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE) supports the state’s largest community of educators who are dedicated to elevating public education in Texas.

THE ATPE MISSION ATPE advocates for educators and delivers affordable, high-quality products and services that give members the peace of mind needed to inspire student success.

ATPE NEWS 5

CALENDAR FEB. 29–MARCH 4 Texas Public Schools Week

APRIL 4 School Librarian Appreciation Day

March

April

May

Texas Public Schools Week

School Librarian Appreciation Day

School Principals’ Day

Feb. 29–March 4 2

Texas Independence Day

3–9

School Social Worker Week

4–7

SXSW EDU 2024

10

Daylight saving time begins

15

State officer nominations due to state office

29

State office closed for Good Friday MARCH 15 State officer nominations due to state office

6 ATPE NEWS

4

9–12

State Board of Education (SBOE) meeting

20

Volunteer Recognition Day

24

Administrative Assistant Day

25–26

Teacher Retirement System (TRS) Board of Trustees meeting

26

State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) meeting

1

6–10

Teacher Appreciation Week

3

School Lunch Hero Day

8

School Nurse Day

27

State office closed for Memorial Day MAY 6–10 Teacher Appreciation Week

YOUR ALLY

A Quick Guide to Contract Nonrenewal and Termination

E

BY LANCE CAIN ATPE Managing Attorney

ach spring, students prepare for testing and look forward to their summer break.

At the same time, many educators concern themselves with renewal of their contracts for the following year. This can be particularly concerning for educators experiencing difficulties with their districts. This year-to-year arrangement substantially differs from other workplaces where—even though most employees are “at will”—they tend to enjoy a more continuous employment experience.

The resulting turnover can lead to continuity issues and make it difficult to build stable bonds.

New teachers may find this particularly problematic as they seek out trusted mentorship from experienced colleagues. Having to do this year after year in a new setting is not easy.

It is also not uncommon for a campus to receive new administrators on a fairly regular basis as the previous administrators are promoted or find jobs in other districts. In some cases, new leadership may be a refreshing change to existing staff, but it can also lead to friction when new leadership comes in with unreasonable expectations or implements major changes.

Unfortunately, this can sometimes result in nonrenewals and terminations.

TYPES OF CONTRACTS As early as February, districts begin notifying contract educators whether their employment will be renewed for the following year. For nonrenewal purposes, the type of contract can make a big difference. An experienced educator will likely be employed under a term contract. Term contracts are usually for one year but can be longer and give the educator important rights. For one thing, a school district needs a “good cause” to nonrenew a term contract. Unfortunately, the district’s legal burden for term-contract nonrenewal is fairly low. Typically, a low evaluation, reprimand, or other policy violation is enough. But at least the

educator can request a nonrenewal hearing, and if the district does not provide written notice of the nonrenewal at least 10 days before the last day of instruction, then the educator’s contract is renewed by law.

If the educator is new to teaching or new to the district, they may have a probationary contract, which offers fewer legal protections. A probationary contract is essentially a one-year employment agreement with little right to reemployment beyond that year. The 10-day notification requirement still Contract nonrenewals applies, but a school and terminations district can are unfortunate but terminate the employnot uncommon. ment in the district’s best interests without having to show good cause.

Unlike a term contract, there is no right to a nonrenewal hearing. However, the probationary contract termination may be challenged through the district’s grievance process.

Likewise, spring is also when employment decisions are commonly made regarding uncontracted, at-will employees. The employee may learn of a reassignment, changes to their pay or work location, or termination. Unlike contract employees, there are no timelines for notifying at-will employees about terminations. While spring is a common time, these decisions can be communicated to them at any time during the year.

RESIGNATION VS. TERMINATION Although it is not required by law, many administrators give the employee the option to resign to avoid having a nonrenewal or termination on their record. When this happens, we recommend that employees contact their professional organization continued on page 30

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 the ATPE Member Legal Services Department.

ATPE NEWS 7

REGIONAL ROUNDUP

Kansas

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 happens in your school district, let us know! Send news to comm@atpe.org.

Oklahoma

1 SANGER ISD

2 PINE TREE ISD

3 CONROE ISD

4

SPRING ISD

Gulf of Mexic

8 ATPE NEWS

From Across the State anger ISD Program, Educator 1 SReceive National Recognition

onroe ISD Police Department 3 CHosts Toy Drive

Sanger ISD received two national awards Nov. 15.

Both Linda Tutt High School and Dr. Ann Hughes, the Sanger ISD director of student intervention, received George Washington Freedom Medals from the Dallas chapter of the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. LTHS Principal Anthony Love accepted the school’s award, which specifically recognized the LTHS grocery store for emphasizing community service learning and demonstrating community involvement. Hughes was recognized for her social-emotional learning programs and mental/behavioral health supports. The Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge is dedicated to teaching students and educators about the rights and responsibilities of American citizenship. sangerisd.net

Nov. 13 marked the beginning of the Conroe ISD Police Department toy drive. Collection of toys ran all the way to Dec. 8 and was spread out across 37 campuses within the district’s six high school feeder zones. The previous year, the toy drive helped 1,196 children in 551 families receive presents during the holidays. The drive began in 2002 and has since helped about 15,000 less fortunate families provide their children with gifts. conroeisd.net

Arkansas

Louisiana

Tree ISD Raises Money 2 PforinePirate Santa Program

© iStockphoto.com/vejaa; Photo courtesy of Sanger ISD

co

HEADLI N ES

Six years ago, Pine Tree ISD established the Pirate Santa drive, which raises money to buy presents for students who are less fortunate and may not receive presents during the holidays.

In 2022, the campaign helped 166 students and their families, and in 2023, the drive helped 205 more. Students help wrap gifts each year, and families are able to pick up their presents before the winter break. Four years ago, Superintendent Steve Clugston helped put together a district Christmas T-shirt sale with all proceeds going to the drive. In addition, Pine Tree ISD announced that district staff can wear Christmas shirts every Monday from October to winter break for “Christmas Shirt Monday.” ptisd.org

pring ISD Partners with 4 SExxonMobil to Expand

STEM Programs

ExxonMobil and Spring ISD have partnered to continue expanding STEM programs in the district, which includes training for STEM teachers, providing science supplies and materials for schools, and building tech centers. These tech centers will include after-school learning for 150 to 200 students. ExxonMobil will provide students with mentorships, meals, and transportation to the centers, as well as assistance with college admissions and financial aid, scholarships, and internships.

The first of these centers will be in Springwoods Village and will feature a lounge, lab space, 3D printing room, and a virtual reality lab.

“We do want to be that example for the world, not just for Texas,” Spring ISD Superintendent Dr. Lupita Hinojosa says. “And I know our students will definitely take great pride in being able to partner with ExxonMobil.” springisd.org

ATPE NEWS 9

YOUR VOICE

What Makes a Candidate Pro-Public Education?

I

BY MONTY EXTER ATPE Governmental Relations Director

10 ATPE NEWS

recently received an email from an ATPE member who commented, among other things, that, “No teacher pay raises again is absurd!”

Having left a significant portion of a $38 billion state budget surplus on the table, it is hard to describe the Legislature’s failure to fund teacher pay increases—and largely failing to fund public education funding increases at all—as anything other than absurd. However, absurd as it may be, any Capitol insider will also tell you it was not at all unexpected. Let’s dig into why and what we collectively can do about it.

them, especially the freshman legislators.

The governor is very well-funded, and based on his most recent election results, he came into this session well-liked by his party’s primary voters, as well as most general election voters. Contrast that with the prevailing—even if not entirely accurate— thought among politicians that “teachers don’t vote,” and on paper, appeasing the governor makes more sense than appeasing teachers in a head-tohead conflict. The truth is educators do vote. In fact, they vote in slightly higher numbers than the general public (admittedly, not a high bar in Texas).

THE OPPOSITION Gov. Greg Abbott went into the 88th Legislature with one education goal: pass a voucher. That Texas is voucher-free one regular and four special sessions later is both an immense victory and proof that most legislators are legitimately pro-public education. In fact, a substantial majority of legislators supported increasing education funding, including significantly increasing teacher pay, without a voucher. However, passing legislation over the objection of the state’s top two leaders is significantly more challenging than defeating legislation that one or even both support. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick opposed significant general education funding increases (i.e., meaningfully raising the Basic Allotment), and Abbott opposed any bill that did not give him his voucher.

Defeating legislation requires, at most, only a simple majority of either chamber. To pass legislation over a gubernatorial veto requires House and Senate leadership willing to bring the bill up for a vote and two-thirds of the members of each chamber willing to vote in direct opposition to the governor. And while significantly more than two-thirds of House members supported increased funding, House leadership was unwilling to allow a vote against Abbott, and likely less than two-thirds of House members would have been willing to vote against him. Why? Not because there are more than a third of members who support vouchers, but because there are more than a third who fear the governor more than they fear you, your colleagues, and your influence with parents. It’s hard to blame

MAKING YOUR VOTE COUNT It is also true, however, that far too many educators do not strategically vote with their professions in mind, nor do they tend to exert their influence in shaping parental opinion when it comes to making decisions in the voting booth. With no sign that state leaders are even considering reversing course on their A viable candidate pro-voucher/ anti-public is the candidate education stance, educators must be who can win the the ones to change March primary of if they want any the party that will chance of securing ultimately win the additional funding for themselves and general election their students. In in November. fact, it has become quite clear that if districts don’t get additional funding in the next legislative session, they will be forced to lay off educators just to balance their budgets.

What can educators who want more resources for their students, a raise, or simply a job at all, do? The first thing is to ensure they are registered and vote, but voting is not enough. Educators must do their homework to determine who the viable pro-public education candidate is and vote for that candidate. Let’s break down what it means to be a viable pro-public education candidate. Nine out of continued on page 30

PAC HONOR ROLL

Thank you for your investment in Texas public education.

The following ATPE members donated $50 or more to the ATPE Political Action Committee (ATPE-PAC) from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2023.

Krum Tanya Gray Betty Plunkett La Academia de Estrellas Deborah Pleasant La Joya Jesus Garza Leander Jayne Serna

Abilene Jose de Anda Tonja Gray Alief Barbara Lebold Alvin Ron Fitzwater Amarillo Nelson Bishop Nancy Fowler Jamie Mariscal Nedra McGee Rayanne McGee Michael Renteria Shane Whitten Axtell Christina Taylor Ballinger Darlene Kelly Boerne Ona Beth Day Richard Wiggins

New Waverly Gidget Belinoski-Bailey Northside (20) David de la Garza Evelyn Miles-Hoskin Olney Dale Lovett Becky Spurlock Paris Jerrica Liggins Abby Rogers

China Spring Dawn Wilson

Hale Center Lynette Ginn

Lewisville Angela Murphy

Community Wendy Smith

Hays Shawna Mayerson

Lubbock Allyson Haveman

Corsicana Julleen Bottoms

Houston Anna Holton

McAllen Twila Figueroa

Rosebud-Lott Lori Avalos Beverly Bredemeyer

Cypress-Fairbanks Donna Gibbon Eli Rodriguez Karina Torres

Humble Gayle Sampley Stacey Ward

Mesquite Erin Young

Round Rock CaRita Forte

Midland Michelle Adams

Spearman Sherry Boyd

Midway (12) Jason Forbis

Temple Margaret Stoneburner

Mission Maria Trevino

Waco Magdalena Campos Cynthia Hudson

Dallas Maria Slette Desoto Mary Stricker Fort Worth Betty Berndt Steve Pokluda Galena Park Sharon Dixon Carmela Garcia Lynn Nutt

Irving Connie Kilday Keller David Williams Killeen Emily Fortune Ron Walcik Klein Marsi Thomas

Nacogdoches Katherine Whitbeck Navasota Susan Ambrus

Plano Joelle Banker-Garcia Lindsay Robinson

Woden Teresa Millard ATPE Staff Ginger Franks Shannon Holmes

Invest in the ATPE-PAC today! It is easy to make a one-time or monthly recurring donation at atpe.org/ATPE-PAC.

ATPE-PAC solicits contributions only from members, employees, and their families. Participation in ATPE-PAC is voluntary.

ATPE NEWS 11

GUIDANCE Academics

LEARNING NEW PERSPECTIVES

Wisdom Opportunity INTELLIGENCE

RECREATION

Entertainment

Education VOCABULARY

Concentration

Cognition UNDERSTANDING

INSIGHT

Awareness Reasoning

Relationships

EMPOWERMENT CULTURE

ENRICHMENT

Communication

FREEDOM

12 ATPE NEWS

Empathy

THE FUTURE OF

SCHOOL LIBRARIES Given book bans, staffing shortages, and library closures, how does a school librarian stay positive? By focusing on what’s always mattered most—helping students.

BY MICHAEL SPURLIN

T

oday, thousands of librarians working in Texas schools are at a critical juncture, and school libraries are facing a host of challenges that call into question what their future will look like. Some of these challenges, such as dwindling budgets and staffing shortages, have existed for years but have recently increased in severity. Others—such as growing movements to ban library books and rising animosity from vocal parents and politicians toward their work—are new. How librarians, administrators, and school districts navigate these challenges will determine the future of school libraries and their role in Texas education.

MORE THAN JUST BOOKS School librarians perform a variety of duties each day beyond checking out books to students. Andrea Keller has worked as a librarian at the elementary,

middle school, and high school levels in Irving ISD for the past eight years. While each of those positions was unique, they all shared a common trait.

“One of the reasons I actually love being a librarian is because every day looks a little bit different,” Keller says.

On any given day, her responsibilities could range from collaborating with teachers to co-teaching lessons, helping students learn how to use new technology, or even helping them create resumes.

But whatever she is doing, it centers on helping her students.

“I co-teach with teachers to enhance lessons that they’re doing in their classrooms because the library is the largest classroom in the school,” Keller explains.

“It gives students a different way to address their own learning, and the school library is an integral part of learning in the 21st-century classroom.”

Beyond helping students with their lessons, school libraries with a certified

INNOVATION

Creativity

Inspiration KNOWLEDGE librarian help build a sense of community that is tailored to each school.

“When I am curating resources, I’m making sure that I’m listening to my population,” Keller says. “Each community is so very different. There are 36 campuses here in Irving ISD, and each campus has its own unique needs and community.

The things I am doing in my library are going to look different than the library next door.”

Additionally, the presence of a school library on campus can help fight inequity.

“People are always saying, ‘just go buy the book,’ or ‘go to the public library,’ but some of these students don’t have the ability to do that,” Keller says. “The public library may be too far. They may not have transportation. Their parents may not have the extra income to purchase these books for them. So not having access to a school library is an equity issue.”

A WAVE OF BOOK BANS School librarians have for many years seen and dealt with controversies over whether certain books are appropriate for schoolchildren to read. Some titles have faced repeated calls to be banned again and again, while it seems there is always a new work poised to join the ranks of controversial books. However, what has changed in the past few years are both the frequency and number of complaints from parents, school boards, and organized groups over book titles.

According to a report by the free speech organization PEN America, the number of public school book bans across the country increased 33% during the 2022-23 school year compared with 2021-22. The organization has recorded nearly 6,000 instances of banned books since it began tracking them in July 2021.

In that time, Texas has ranked second only to Florida in number of book ban cases.

This increasingly hostile environment has taken its toll on school librarians as well.

“The book challenges we have seen over the last couple of years have been hard for them,” Brooke King, chair of the Texas Association of School Librarians, explains. “There has just been a bombardment of challenges in some districts.

You also have people attacking school librarians on social media and calling them names, accusing them of not considering what’s in the best interest of students when librarians would say that is the only thing they think about.”

Facing this type of criticism is especially hard because it represents an abrupt change from the praise school librarians received just a few years ago as the pandemic began. Like their fellow educators, librarians worked to facilitate at-home learning by helping ensure students had access to resources and organizing curbside service for books.

Additionally, a recent bill passed by the Texas Legislature has already increased the debate over this issue. In 2023, lawmakers passed House Bill (HB) 900, which, among other stipulations, would have required booksellers to rate public school library books based largely on their depictions of or references to gender or sexuality. Schools would have been barred from purchasing books from vendors that did not rate their books.

In January, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that requiring booksellers to rate their materials as “sexually explicit” or “sexually relevant” based on vague statutory definitions was unconstitutional. Regardless of the fate of this particular law and future court cases, school librarians will surely continue to navigate the issue of book bans in school libraries for the foreseeable future.

Efforts to ban individual books or lists of books frustrate school librarians because, as King explains, it disregards their

EXPERIENCES

Technology

Responsibility

IMAGINATION DEVELOPMENT

Growth READING COMMUNITY

Socialization

Inclusivity TRAINING

INFORMATION

Discovery

Literacy RESOURCES Critical Thinking

CURIOSITY NURTURING

Exploration ATPE NEWS 13

ADVENTURE

role in helping select book collections for their schools and circumvents existing processes for objecting to a book’s inclusion in a library.

“A certified librarian has a master’s degree and has taken multiple classes on selecting children’s literature,” King says.

“Additionally, librarians are constantly reading journal reviews, completing professional development, and attending conferences to find out about new books.

“If someone finds a book objectionable, there is a process in place to address it. Libraries purchase hundreds, if not thousands, of books every year making it impossible to read every one before purchasing it. Once somebody objects to a book, an entire committee consisting of librarians, teachers, parents, and, if appropriate, students read it and discuss the age-appropriateness of it. I think the biggest problem is that school districts are either not following their reconsideration policies or changing them.”

When this happens, however, King explains it is not a failure of a school librarian. Libraries are not intended to please everyone—a characteristic that actually makes them better. Banning a book so nobody can use it is often not the best course of action.

“What’s great about libraries is they are for independent, voluntary inquiry,” King says. “Librarians are happy to work with individual parents and help them choose the appropriate books for their children. If an individual parent objects to certain books, we can make notes in the child’s library accounts. We are happy to work with those parents and to help their child choose books that they feel are appropriate. If a student checks out a book that their family doesn’t feel is appropriate for them, they can return it and get a different one.”

LIBRARY CLOSURES, STAFFING SHORTAGES POSE CHALLENGES Last year, the Texas Education Agency seized control of the Houston Independent School District, citing poor academic performance. The state removed the elected board of trustees, replacing it with an appointed board of managers, and replacing the district’s 14 ATPE NEWS

I am helping students understand how to gather information and make sure it makes sense. Having a library on campus helps students navigate the excess of information.”

—Andrea Keller, librarian at Irving ISD

superintendent with former Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles. In his new role at the helm of HISD, Miles announced dozens of low-performing schools would become a part of his New Education System reform plan. Several dozen more campuses opted to participate in this plan.

Part of this plan involved eliminating librarian positions and media specialists on those campuses. The libraries would then be converted into “team centers” where students who misbehave in classrooms would either watch virtual lessons or work in groups. The library’s book collection would remain on the shelves— but there would no longer be a librarian at the school to maintain the collections or work with students.

According to Miles, this change was needed to prioritize resources at the NES schools. Before the state takeover, the district had worked to invest more in its school libraries, spending millions of dollars to purchase new library books and announcing plans to put a librarian or media specialist on every campus.

The post-TEA takeover plan generated national headlines and drew widespread criticism from both parents and

community leaders. Unfortunately, other schools across Texas have also seen their libraries close, but with fewer people paying attention. The staffing shortages that have affected schools as educators leave the profession have affected school libraries, too—only when a librarian leaves, they are not always replaced.

“When a certified school librarian retires, they’re not always replacing them with another certified school librarian,” King explains. “They either don’t fill the position or do so with a paraprofessional or a certified teacher, but they’re not certified as a librarian. They don’t have all the training, especially in selecting books for the collection. This makes it even more difficult in the face of all these book challenges. If you don’t have that kind of background knowledge to support your decisions on what books you’re selecting, it makes it harder to do the job.”

Ultimately, those districts that remove libraries from their schools could wind up harming their students, even if the consequences are not apparent right away.

“I really do think that those districts that are getting rid of librarians or libraries will feel that decision,” King predicts.

“It may take a year or two, or even 10, but I believe it will hurt their campuses and hurt their students.”

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? Librarians will likely continue facing these challenges for the foreseeable future. So how will they adjust and continue their vital work going forward?

One possible answer would require school librarians to increase the visibility of their work and more publicly advocate for their profession than in the past. King and her organization TASL have been working with their members to promote their work publicly through efforts such as social media campaigns.

“They need to be advocates for themselves and for the profession,” King says. “They need to show the wonderful things that are happening in their libraries to stakeholders, including parents, principals, and district officials. And don’t forget about your school board as well. We are trying to still stay on the

INTELLIGENCE

Creativity positive side, sharing things like what a typical day in the life of a librarian is like.

We explain this is what it takes for me to develop my collection, to buy books. This is what that process looks like.”

Keller has embraced this form of advocacy, building up a following on her social media channels by sharing glimpses of her work.

You also have people attacking school librarians on social media and calling them names, accusing them of not considering what’s in the best interest of students when librarians would say that is the only thing they think about.”

—Brooke King, chair of the Texas Association of School Librarians

“I use Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok to advocate by sharing what we are doing in the library,” Keller says. “Social media is a valuable tool to advocate for libraries.”

School librarians, like other educators, will also need to become much more involved in the process to help effect positive change. This is something TASL already began to do in the most recent legislative session. TASL mobilized its members to contact their legislators directly via phone calls, by writing emails, and by even testifying directly in front of legislative committees to share their stories and needs.

“I feel like most people support their school librarian and are appreciative of them,” King adds. “We went to the PTA conference this last summer, and people were stopping by left and right just saying how much they appreciate their school librarian. What we really need is those people to speak out on behalf of the school libraries and librarians—most people are appreciative if you just talk to them one-on-one about it.”

However, going forward, the emergence and adoption of new technologies will likely change the look of libraries as well. With so many ways to access information—from e-books to the internet—some might wonder if the advance of technology itself could render the traditional library as we know it obsolete.

Keller does not believe that will happen, and in fact, she thinks new technology is improving traditional libraries.

“I don’t think physical books are ever going away,” Keller says. “However, one of the changes I have seen in the past few years is the increasing access to books.

I’m here from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., but after I leave, a student’s access to physical books goes away. But they still could have access to audio books and e-books.”

Additionally, Keller says the digital resources help enhance the current library experience.

“If I had a book on the moon, that’s great. But that book may have been written in 2005. Well, there may be much more updated information on the digital resources that have been curated for us.”

In fact, rather than replacing the job of school librarians, helping students make sense of new resources and information is now one of Keller’s most important jobs.

“I’m that extra support person who knows the importance of understanding information but also how to find it,” Keller says. “A student might say, ‘Oh, let me just Google that.’ Google is great and everything, but is that always our best resource? I am helping students understand how to gather information and make sure it makes sense. Having a library on campus helps students navigate the excess of information.” continued on page 30

Communication ENRICHMENT EXPERIENCES

Technology

Responsibility

IMAGINATION DEVELOPMENT

Growth READING COMMUNITY

Opportunity INSIGHT GUIDANCE INFORMATION

Discovery

Literacy CULTURE Critical Thinking

CURIOSITY NURTURING

Exploration

ATPE NEWS 15

ADVENTURE

FED UP? Whether the March primaries result in a Legislature that seeks to build up public schools instead of tear them down hinges on how many educators and allies show up to vote.

BY KATE JOHANNS

16 ATPE NEWS

W

e spent most of 2023 in a legislative session.

Between the 140-day regular session and four special sessions, the 88th Legislature was open for business for 246 days, or just over two-thirds of the year. And throughout 2023, we repeatedly heard how the Legislature had a historic surplus on its hands—nearly $33 billion when the state comptroller issued the Biennial Revenue Estimate in January 2023. The conditions were ripe for lawmakers to address ongoing funding issues in public education, such as special education; fully fund new school safety measures passed by the Legislature in response to horrific school shootings, including placing an armed security officer on every campus; and address educator recruitment and retention challenges with a pay raise.

But none of that happened.

ARE YOU FED UP? As you deal with inadequate resources and staffing on your campus, the knowledge that school districts are being forced to request waivers on new safety requirements due to lack of funding, and, oh yeah, your even tighter family budget, you’re probably pretty fed up with this lack of action. It’s particularly infuriating when you consider state leaders squandered this historic opportunity to do what’s right for public schools because of politics.

That’s right. Here in Texas, where nearly 60% of counties do not even have an accredited private school, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) was willing to hold the well-being and future of public school students and educators hostage in an attempt to pass a private school voucher program. From the outset, Abbott was clear: No voucher, no public school funding. In addition, he pressured lawmakers to pass such a program by promising that if they didn’t implement a private school voucher “the easy way” (i.e., through legislation), he would do it “the hard way”—by remaking the Legislature during the Texas Republican primary, the point at which nearly every legislative race is decided.

It’s a model successfully employed by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R). In good news, thanks in large measure to the stalwart support for public education displayed by 21 brave Republican House members (more on them on page 19), vouchers didn’t pass “the easy way.” So we are now seeing “the hard way” in action. Abbott is putting the Iowa strategy to work with the help of some out-ofstate friends. In December, Abbott received a $6 million donation

from Pennsylvania billionaire Jeff Yass, for whom implementing private school vouchers is a priority issue. Abbott is well known for his fundraising abilities, and he raised over $19 million in the last six months of 2023. Per his campaign, the Yass donation is the single largest campaign donation in Texas history.

Abbott himself isn’t even on the ballot in 2024. But the dollars are pouring in from the anti-public schools crowd, who know the public educators who haven’t received raises will never be able to match them dollar for dollar.

This is discouraging—but what public educators can do is vote for the candidates who will not be beholden to Abbott’s privatization plan after receiving the backing of the governor and his wealthy pro-voucher donors.

Let’s look at some numbers.

• Nearly 750,000 Texans work in our state’s public schools.

• Our state’s public schools educate more than 5.4 million students. We can safely estimate there are at least 5.4 million parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles in these students’ lives who can cast pro-public education votes.

• Only 4,111,595 people out of more than 16 million registered voters voted in either 2020 Republican or Democratic primaries.

When you do the math, it becomes clear: Our side might have less funding for campaign signs and advertising, but if the entire public education community shows up to vote in the primaries that will make the difference. We will win.

READY TO SHOW UP? HERE’S HOW If you want to do your part and show up big for public education, take the following steps: 1. UNDERSTAND YOUR HOUSE DISTRICT. Gerrymandering during redistricting is one of the ugliest truths about politics. Every 10 years, the U.S. government conducts a census, and based on new population numbers, each state’s legislature redraws its legislative districts. The prevailing party in each state at that time (in Texas’ case, the Republican Party) has the upper hand as districts are redrawn. New district lines are created that will ensure the prevailing party remains in power and that most incumbents are protected. In Texas, this means very few districts are competitive in the November general election when Republicans and Democrats run against one another. In most cases, the person who wins the prevailing party’s March primary will easily win the November election. In many cases, primary winners are unopposed in November, and often when there is a challenger the opposing party has so little support in the district that victory is a foregone conclusion.

This means that if you want to make your vote count, you will vote in the primary of the prevailing party in your district, whether that’s Republican or Democratic. There are very few

“swing” districts that could go either way in November. Texas has open primaries, so you don’t have to register as a Republican or a Democrat. Under an open primary system, you choose which party’s primary you want to vote in, and your commitment to that party only lasts through the primary runoff, if there’s one in your district. You may vote for anyone you wish in November and switch to the other party’s primary the next election cycle.

Now, if you view yourself as a diehard Republican or a diehard Democrat, the very idea of voting in the other party’s primary might make your skin crawl. And that’s understandable. But consider this: In the 2016 Republican primary, former Rep. Byron Cook (R–Corsicana)—a strong public education ally—defeated pro-voucher opponent Thomas McNutt by only 225 votes. During the subsequent legislative session, Cook was critical in protecting public employees’ right to pay professional association dues via payroll deduction. Those 225 voters protected your constitutional rights to association and free speech. If they had voted in the Democratic primary, your voice at the Legislature through your professional association would likely have been greatly diluted.

ATPE NEWS 17

So consider prioritizing strategy over party affiliation and voting in the primary that will actually determine your House representative—the person who will cast important votes about school funding, including your compensation. And prepare yourself for the worst consequence of cross-party primary voting: a lot of junk mail and robocalls.

2. VOTE BETWEEN FEB. 20–MARCH 1 OR ON MARCH 5.

Barring severe illness or unexpected travel, there are almost no valid excuses for not making it to the polls. Early voting is a two-week period when you can vote ahead of time at the location most convenient to you.

There’s almost never a line, and you can fit it in your schedule when it makes sense. On Election Day, you may be required to vote in your specific precinct, and you might face a line. So take our advice: Vote early.

Visit votetexas.gov to link to your county’s voting information.

3. ASK YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO VOTE WITH YOU. If we want to make the Texas Legislature a friendly place for public schools, we need our friends and family to help. Ask them to vote with you. This could mean you all go to the polls together, but what it really means is that you’re all voting for pro-public education candidates.

ATPE’s TeachtheVote.org contains candidate profiles and voting records you can review to make your decisions. Be sure to write them down; you can’t use a cell phone in a polling place. Make sure your friends and family understand what it means to be pro-public education from the perspective of an actual educator. Nearly all candidates call themselves “pro-public education”—but to be truly pro-public education, a candidate should understand that diverting taxpayer dollars to a private school in the form of a voucher reduces the resources we have to educate public school children in safe learning environments and to staff public schools with certified adequately compensated professionals.

In other words, identify the public education-friendly candidate you’re going to vote for, and ask your friends and family to support you by voting for them, too.

4. HELP THE ATPE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (ATPE-PAC) SUPPORT PRO-PUBLIC EDUCATION CANDIDATES AND OFFICEHOLDERS. Back to the money: We know ATPE-PAC—the tool ATPE members can use to pool their resources in support of candidates who support our legislative positions—is not likely to receive a single $6 million donation. (Hey, our ATPE Governmental Relations team can dream.)

But again, let’s look at the numbers: • ATPE has nearly 90,000 members.

• If each of our 90,000 members invested just $5 a month in ATPEPAC, we would have $5.4 million in our coffers (when you think about it, that’s about $1 per Texas public school student, which is kind of neat).

This level of funding would allow ATPE-PAC to show further support for pro-public education candidates and officeholders who rely on PAC donations to place radio ads, send out mailers, and pay for yard signs.

If you’ve made it this far in the article, we hope you are fed up but also inspired to show up. (And that your brain doesn’t hurt from all the math.) We can do this—as long as we show up. We must show up for our students, for our families’ financial well-being, and for the future of Texas.

18 ATPE NEWS

THE RANEY AMENDMENT REPUBLICANS

O

n Nov. 17, 2023, the Texas House took up House Bill (HB) 1 by House Public Education Committee Chairman Brad Buckley (R–Salado). HB 1 contained a voucher. As debate started, Rep. John Raney (R– Bryan) offered an amendment to strip the voucher from the bill. Seventeen of his fellow House members signed on to the amendment, and when the vote came up, 21 House Republicans and the entire House Democratic caucus voted for it. This killed vouchers for the final time in 2023 and led Buckley to pull his bill from further consideration.

It’s not a stretch to say these 21 Republicans went out on a limb. They took this vote despite months of relentless pressure from their fellow Republicans, Gov. Greg Abbott (R), and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R). They took this vote knowing Abbott would put his campaign war chest to work against them. This map shows those Raney amendment “yes” votes who are up for reelection in the 2024 Republican primary and facing opponents backed by pro-voucher funding.

HD 121: Steve Allison (R–San Antonio) HD 18: Ernest Bailes (R–Shepherd) HD 4: Keith Bell (R–Forney) HD 58: DeWayne Burns (R–Cleburne) HD 11: Travis Clardy (R–Nacogdoches) HD 72: Drew Darby (R–San Angelo) HD 7: Jay Dean (R–Longview) HD 99: Charlie Geren (R–Fort Worth) HD 33: Justin Holland (R–Rockwall) HD 88: Ken King (R–Canadian) HD 44: John Kuempel (R–Seguin) HD 71: Stan Lambert (R–Abilene) HD 60: Glenn Rogers (R–Granbury) HD 55: Hugh Shine (R–Temple) HD 1: Gary VanDeaver (R–New Boston) Reps. Kyle Kacal (R–College Station), Andrew Murr (R–Junction), Four Price (R–Amarillo), John Raney (R–Bryan), and Ed Thompson (R–Pearland) are retiring from the Legislature.

HD 88

HD 9

HD 60 HD 71

HD 58

HD 33 HD 4

HD 72

HD 1 HD 7 HD 11

HD 55 HD 18 HD 121

HD 44

THE RANEY AMENDMENT REPUBLICANS UP FOR REELECTION WHO DESERVE PUBLIC EDUCATORS’ SUPPORT

HD 121

STEVE ALLISON (R–San Antonio)

HD 72

DREW DARBY (R–San Angelo)

HD 44

JOHN KUEMPEL (R–Seguin)

HD 18

ERNEST BAILES (R–Shepherd)

HD 7

JAY DEAN (R–Longview)

HD 71

STAN LAMBERT (R–Abilene)

HD 4

KEITH BELL (R–Forney)

HD 9

CHARLIE GEREN (R–Fort Worth)

HD 60

GLENN ROGERS (R–Granbury)

HD 58

DEWAYNE BURNS (R–Cleburne)

HD 33

JUSTIN HOLLAND (R–Rockwall)

HD 55

HUGH SHINE (R–Temple)

HD 11

TRAVIS CLARDY (R–Nacogdoches)

HD 88

KEN KING (R–Canadian)

HD 1

GARY VANDEAVER (R–New Boston)

Pol. Ad. Paid for by ATPE Direct ATPE NEWS 19

ABOVE & BEYOND: Taniece Thompson-Smith was recently named the 2024 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year, but it is more than this achievement that makes her an inspiration to her students and educators everywhere.

STORY BY DAVID GEORGE | PHOTOS BY JOHN KILPPER

20 ATPE NEWS

ONE TEACHER’S QUEST TO TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES THROUGH EDUCATION

L

ocated in the heart of Abilene, Stafford Elementary is home to a group of remarkable teachers, and Taniece ThompsonSmith is no exception. Now teaching fifth-grade science, she has classroom experience in more than seven school districts across the world, and, as the 2024 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year, she represented Texas in the National Teacher of the Year competition. The Texas Teacher of the Year program is facilitated by the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA).

Smith’s story spans multiple continents and over 14 years in the field of education. During this time, she has faced a multitude of challenges while earning numerous prestigious titles, including 2023 Region 14 Elementary Teacher of the Year and 2022 Abilene ISD Teacher of the Year. But more importantly, her unique talents and life experiences have inspired those around her and continue to help transform students’ lives.

“Alone, I could do none of this,” Smith admits. “I have been surprised and delighted by this journey. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be here with such an important platform to share my thoughts and experiences.”

COMING TO AMERICA Smith’s adventures in education began at 18 years old when she began attending a teachers’ college in the Caribbean.

At that time, bachelor’s programs were not available to her, so she began a three-year teaching certification program.

But Smith’s efforts were cut short when her family migrated to the United States after her second year in the program.

“I was so sad to leave because I’m not a person who likes to start something and not finish it,” Smith says. “I was devastated. I spent my whole first summer in the United States studying because I was so sure I was going to go back to that school and do the exams I was missing when I left.”

Within the year, Smith enrolled in Brooklyn College in New York. She remembers hearing breaking news of the Columbine High School massacre.

“I was absolutely shocked,” Smith says. “Growing up in the Caribbean, guns and schools were never in the same sentence. It was different. I was so appalled when that happened, and like every teacher, I got really scared. I worried a great deal, and I even started to wonder if I could ever find the courage to enter a classroom and fulfill my lifelong dream of becoming a teacher.”

At the time, Smith had a neighbor who was a computer programmer, and he suggested she learn the basics of computers.

“This was the first time that I ever saw a computer,” Smith says. “I was so mesmerized just looking at the wallpaper. I had never seen anything like that.”

Smith’s neighbor persuaded her to learn typing and register for a computer class.

“I wasn’t exactly happy doing it,” Smith says. “But I just knew that I needed higher education, so I decided to major in the subject. I ended up working in a hospital admissions department, but my heart wasn’t really in it.”

After earning her bachelor’s degree, Smith remembers telling her husband: “I really want to go back to school for education. This is what I was born to do.”

So Smith did just that. She completed a graduate-level teacher certification from Rider University, and it wasn’t long before she finally taught her very first class in New Jersey.

Two years into the job, Smith’s husband—who spent over 23 years active-duty in the U.S. Air Force—received orders to Travis Air Force Base in California. As a military spouse, Smith found herself moving again, but this time it would be even more difficult to leave.

“Before this move, I had never really thought or processed what that would mean emotionally,” Smith says. “I was devastated. After so many years of not doing what I wanted to do, I was finally teaching, and the school was nearly perfect.

The kids and their parents were just amazing. It was tough to let go, but duty called.”

The trip was emotionally draining for Smith. She remembers crying half the way to California as she and her husband drove across the country with twin baby girls.

“I was worried I might never experience the happiness I felt as a teacher again,” Smith recalls.

In California, Smith had to take additional classes to get recertified, as well as take care of her two toddlers. Her family was back to a single income, and the time and money it took to complete the required courses was difficult to manage.

“I love my kids, and being a mom means everything to me, but I knew that I was called to teach,” Smith says. “For me, I needed to get back into the classroom.”

STARTING OVER A year later, Smith earned her California teaching certification and started again from scratch. She found a job as a high school teacher working at Visions in Education Charter School, and like before, she was in love. She worked with students who struggled in the traditional school setting, and Smith cherished the opportunity to encourage and motivate them to dedicate themselves to their education.

“I would tell them that even though this one thing happened in your life, it did not have to define what the rest of their life could be,” Smith says.

Smith admits that when it comes to teaching, she falls in love everywhere she goes. It didn’t take long in her new role to forget the pain of leaving New Jersey. She also enrolled in a master’s program at California State University in Fresno.

As luck would have it, the very weekend of Smith’s graduation from her master’s program, her husband got orders once again—this time to Japan. Again, Smith would have to leave a school she loved.

“We knew it would be difficult not knowing the language or culture, but we had no second thoughts about whether it ATPE NEWS 21

was the right thing to do,” Smith says. “I was determined to make the best out of it.”

In Tokyo, Smith tried to get a job at the school on base, but she ran into an all-too-familiar roadblock. She was told she was not qualified to teach kindergarten and would need to go back to school—even with all her teaching experience and a master’s degree in education.

“Both my certifications from New Jersey and California that spanned many grade levels were not good enough,” Smith says.

“It was painful to hear, but that’s the life of a military spouse who wants to have a career.”

Smith and her husband once again dipped into their savings for her to go back to school. As soon as she earned the necessary certification, Smith found a job in the Japanese school system.

“My experience teaching in Japan had a profound effect on me,” Smith says.

“It forever changed what I knew to be possible within education. There are so many things about that culture that have influenced my teaching. Discipline and respect in their classrooms are out of this world, and their focus on nutrition and hygiene gave me so many ideas.

They took the students’ well-being very seriously, and it made me realize that we are capable of so much more.”

Smith learned enough Japanese to order food and talk to colleagues who didn’t speak a lot of English. She also learned to prepare ramen, tempura, and sushi at home. But she encountered more challenges than just a language barrier.

22 ATPE NEWS

“I remember several occasions where I was utterly perplexed,” Smith says. “Often, when riding on the train, I would get confused about the stops. I remember the first time I saw people exiting the train and not knowing whether I should as well.”

Smith believes that her sense of nervousness and even the helplessness she felt on those occasions now helps her to better understand the struggles of her students.

“That experience of being in a foreign country and struggling with everything really impacted me as a teacher,” Smith says. “When my students get stuck, instead of thinking ‘I have already taught them this,’ or ‘This is so simple,’ I think back to those times on the train where I had no idea what I was supposed to do.

“And that’s part of what Japan did for me. It helped me to better understand what my students are going through, especially those from other countries and cultures.”

HIGH EXPECTATIONS After teaching in Japan for five years, Smith felt trepidation about coming back to the United States.

“I didn’t even know where Abilene is,” Smith says. “I was extremely nervous, and at that time, I had no idea of the background of Stafford Elementary.”

Once Smith and her family settled into Abilene, she interviewed for a position at Stafford Elementary with Principal Melissa Scott. Scott, who has worked in

Abilene ISD since 2014 and took over as campus principal that year, was looking to reorganize the school and transition the failing Lee Elementary into the model teaching school that Stafford Elementary has now become.

This school was modeled after the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, where educators visit classrooms to engage in professional development and observe best practices in action.

When Smith interviewed for the position, Lee Elementary was in the process of transitioning to Stafford, and all of the teachers had to reapply for their positions. Just four years ago, Lee Elementary was graded an “F” in the state accountability system. The district’s decision to make a drastic change and bring on Scott has completely turned things around.

“I hired all new teachers and staff to come in with the mindset that all students can learn if we hold them high expectations,” Scott explains. “I specifically chose teachers—including Taniece—with a growth mindset who are excited about learning and collaborating.”

This fresh perspective had an immediate impact with a 20-point increase in the state accountability system rating after just the first year, and things have continued improving.

“We’re still continuing to make a lot of gains with student achievement, and I think it has a lot to do with teachers such as Taniece who are so focused on doing whatever they can for students,” Scott says. “From an analytical perspective, Taniece is incredibly effective in the classroom. Before she took over her science class, only 34% of students were passing. After just one year, she had turned around the science program with double-digit gains in student scores.

“And then again in year two, after refining her processes and building upon what she had started, another set of double-digit gains. She has been so effective and dialed in to reflecting and refining that student success is all but guaranteed.”

Smith remembers being offered the role of fifth grade science and social studies teacher and being nervous because it would be her first time to teach science at that level.

she doesn’t take anything for granted. She is always looking for new opportunities to grow, learn, and challenge herself, and her gratitude is contagious.”

Scott believes another secret to Smith’s success is her humility and passionate spirit.

“She exudes positive energy,” Scott says. “She inspires and uplifts those around her, and she does it effortlessly.

When she speaks, everybody listens and you’re a better person for it. I think one of our staff put it best, ’Taniece puts into words what we’re all feeling.’”

“I’ve taught younger and older grades, but I was so nervous,” Smith recalls. “I went home, and I told my husband, ‘I don’t know what I just did.’

“So I enrolled in their professional development that summer and took every science class that I could find. There was this amazing lady—she’s a fifth grade science teacher at another school in the district, and her name is Jennifer McLean.

She took my notebook, and she wrote her number in the back and said ‘Whatever you need, you call me. I’m here.’ And she’s been my mentor for the past two and a half years.”

TRANSFORMING HER COMMUNITY

MAKING AN IMPRESSION The day Smith was announced as Texas Teacher of the Year, she hadn’t even prepared a speech. She recalls meeting the other teachers who were nominated, and she could clearly see they were phenomenal.

For Smith, Teacher of the Year is an opportunity to be a voice for so many hard-working teachers not only on her own campus, but also across the state of Texas. She is grateful to speak for others who spend so much of their personal time working on behalf of their students and often go largely unnoticed.

“It’s a call to service on a higher plane, and my only worry is that I represent all of the teachers in the state of Texas well, however far this goes,” Smith says.

“Whether that be speaking or writing articles on their behalf, I want them to feel heard, and I want them to be recognized for all of their hard work and sacrifices every day of the school year.”

Smith currently teaches fifth graders, and she was surprised at how deeply they process the Teacher of the Year award.

Just after receiving it, she recalls performing her morning cafeteria duties—helping the students open juice boxes and put straws in their milk—and one of her students approached her with a card.

“She wanted to congratulate me and tell me what I meant to her, explaining that when she lived in Africa, she felt that science was her enemy,” Smith says. “She struggled so much in school, but because of her experiences in my classroom, science is now her friend.

“That brought me to tears because I consider myself a science enthusiast and lifelong learner, but I am not on the level of a physics or chemistry teacher.

Even without a real science background, I was able to inspire a child to embrace a subject that she had previously dreaded.

She told me that because of me, she could now see herself pursuing a career in the sciences, and that’s what inspires me to teach.”

Smith says her main goal in the classroom is to spark her students’ curiosity to the point where they can’t wait to share what they learned in class with their families. That’s why Smith is an ideal candidate for the National Teacher of the Year recognition, Scott says.

“She connects with so many different people because she has all these different platforms,” Scott says. “She’s taught in different countries and immigrated to the U.S., so she understands the challenges of learning new languages and transitioning into an entirely different culture.

“She understands what it is to serve our country as a military spouse and all of the hardships associated with that. She recognizes the opportunities that being a U.S. citizen has afforded her, and

As the only fifth grade science teacher, Smith enjoys working closely with teachers from other grades who teach the subject as well.

“They are phenomenal teachers, and we regularly get together, plan, and collaborate,” Smith says. “We have our professional learning community together, and all the way down to kindergarten, I go into their classrooms, and we do activities together.”

Smith believes community members should get involved in education as much as possible to encourage student success by giving back and sharing their expertise with classrooms.

Once when Smith was preparing a unit on animal adaptation, she sent a text to school staff asking for any type of help they could provide. The school nurse responded by taking a personal day and having a friend bring their own horse to the school so Smith’s students could get up close and personal with the animal.

Smith attributes much of her success at her new campus to both her fellow teachers and her administration.

“It is truly unbelievable what the principal and vice principal have accomplished here,” Smith says. “They took a once failing school, brought in the right teachers, and somehow managed to turn everything around and support us all the way.”

Smith believes that she is blessed to be a part of a community that regularly goes above and beyond to support her.

“We collectively want to transform this community through education,” Smith says. “We want the students to leave our school and have this hunger that only continued on page 30

ATPE NEWS 23

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!

24 ATPE NEWS

In Your Neighborhood: ATPE Stories from Your Communities

MIDLAND ATPE Midland ATPE held its fall membership meeting Oct. 28 at Olive Garden. Local unit officers Secretary Josh Kendrick, Vice President Marissa Branch, Membership Chair Michelle Adams, Treasurer Leticia Diaz, and President Davina Carter attended, along with Odessa ATPE President Ashley Debusk and Midland ATPE member Shane Carter.

DALLAS ATPE Dallas ATPE members held their fall meeting at Torchy’s Tacos in October. Members enjoyed tacos and free beverages.

REGION 1 Region 1 ATPE’s Christmas Social was a hit! About 180 members and guests gathered at Alyssa’s Acres in Mission.

SHARYLAND ATPE Sharyland ATPE in Region 1 recently reactivated.

The local unit held its reactivation meeting in October and was formally reactivated by the ATPE Board of Directors in November. Congratulations to Sharyland ATPE!

REGION 8 Region 8 ATPE’s Fall Meeting was organized by the 2023-24 Region 8 ATPE officers: Secretary Derrick Robinson, Treasurer Deena White, President Yesica Munguia, Vice President Amy House, and Past President Anthony Williams. The meeting was held at Paris Junior High School in September.

ATPE NEWS 25

JOIN ATPE MEMBERS FOR A THREE-DAY CELEBRATION OF THE BIGGEST AND BEST EDUCATOR ASSOCIATION IN TEXAS! WE’LL LEARN NEW THINGS, EXPAND OUR VOLUNTEER SKILLS, ELECT OUR STATE OFFICERS, AND RUSTLE UP SOME FUN!

DETAILS TO COME AT

ATPESUMMIT.ORG JULY 8–10, 2024

SHERATON DALLAS HOTEL

DALLAS TEXAS 26 ATPE NEWS

AGENDA

AT A GLANCE

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2024 ATPE SUMMIT

MONDAY, JULY 8 10 a.m.

Registration opens

2–3 p.m.

Opening general session/keynote

3:15–4:15 p.m.

STEER THE FUTURE OF ATPE: Use your educator voice during the ATPE House of Delegates, when delegates will approve ATPE’s legislative program and elect the 2024-25 state officers.

CELEBRATE SUCCESS: Be inspired by the educational and leadership accomplishments of blue-ribbon educators and volunteers.

EXPAND YOUR MIND: Attend your choice of curated professional learning sessions providing an opportunity to earn up to seven hours of continuing professional education (CPE) credit.

LEARN THE LATEST AND GREATEST: Get the scoop on new ATPE member benefits and strategies you can use in your school district to strengthen ATPE’s voice.

Volunteer training breakouts

4:30–6 p.m.

Membership/marketing general session and Leader of the Year Awards

7:30–9 p.m.

Welcome reception

TUESDAY, JULY 9 8–9:30 a.m.

Legislative update/Advocacy Awards

9:45–11:15 a.m.

House of Delegates

11 a.m.–2 p.m.

State officer elections

11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Region caucuses

2:30 p.m.–completion House of Delegates

Evening Evening on your own

WEDNESDAY, JULY 10 8:30–10:45 a.m.

Professional learning breakouts

11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Closing keynote/Educator of the Year Awards

ATPE NEWS 27

YOUR ATPE

NEW! ATPE SUMMIT ATTENDEE SCHOLARSHIPS Have you always wanted to attend the ATPE Summit, but the cost associated with registration was a barrier? We have exciting news: You may now apply for an ATPE Summit Attendee Scholarship! Any associate, administrator, first-time professional, or professional may apply for a scholarship.

Those selected to receive the scholarship will have their registration fee waived for the event ($225 value). The registration covers all summit events except the welcome reception, which requires an additional ticket. Scholarship recipients are responsible their own travel costs but may be eligible for additional financial assistance through their local unit or region. Learn more and apply for a 2024 ATPE Summit scholarship at atpe.org/Summit-Scholarship-Application.

The deadline to apply is March 15, and recipients will be notified by mid-April.

WANTED: CANDIDATES FOR STATE OFFICE ATPE is accepting nominations for state officer positions until March 15. If you think you’ve got what it takes to lead our association, then we want to hear from you. Contact staff liaison Bret Messer at bmesser@atpe.org to learn more about qualifications and how to run for office.

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 years, as a local unit, region, or state officer within ATPE. “As past president of this amazing association, I can tell you that being a state officer is one of the most rewarding and coolest things to ever happen to me. It has afforded me the ability to testify and speak in front of our legislators about issues that are imperative to students and teachers, and I have also been able to visit my fellow members during their region and local meetings all over this great state.

“If you are considering running for office, I would say go for it! It is a rewarding opportunity, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world!”

—Past State President Stacey Ward

“Serving others is its own reward, and that’s what being an ATPE officer can be for you. There is great joy in traveling around the state, getting to know members you might not otherwise interact with personally, and providing support to regions, locals, and/or members.

“While it’s simple to grasp what is going on in your own region, knowing what the entire state requires is another matter. The basic knowledge of how our leadership and staff operate is invaluable. The perspective from that level is vastly different.

“Are you a good candidate? If you love our organization and have the support at home and in your district, go for it!”

—Past State President Karen Hames

OFFICIAL NOTICE OF THE 44TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ATPE HOUSE OF DELEGATES The ATPE House of Delegates will meet July 9 during the 2024 ATPE Summit at the Sheraton Dallas. Delegates will adopt the 2024-25 ATPE Legislative Program and elect the 2024-25 ATPE state officers. Delegate certification information will be published in future ATPE publications. Please contact your local unit president (or region president, if you are an at-large member) if you are interested in serving as a delegate.

This notice is published pursuant to Article IX, Section 4, of the ATPE State Bylaws.

28 ATPE NEWS

SUMMIT CALL FOR SESSION PROPOSALS NOW OPEN! We are excited to announce the 2024 ATPE Summit Call for Proposals is now open! The 2024 ATPE Summit will take place July 8–10 at the Sheraton Dallas, and the Summit Programming Committee is seeking member submissions for innovative and engaging professional development sessions on the topics of most interest to Texas educators.

The submission deadline is Feb. 16.

WHAT KIND OF SESSION PROPOSALS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED? We are looking for proposals for onehour continuing professional education (CPE) sessions (inclusive of any Q&A time). Sessions may be geared toward any member of the public education community, with particular focus on classroom teachers of all grade levels and paraprofessionals. You may submit a proposal on any topic of interest to you, but the Summit Programming Committee— made up of nine members from across the state—is particularly interested in sessions covering the following topics: • Student engagement and behavior management strategies for all grade levels.

• Vaping awareness and deterrence.

• Teacher recruitment and retention.

• Working with students experiencing poverty.

• Trauma-based learning.

• Acquiring classroom resources.

• Addressing cheating and plagiarism, especially in light of artificial intelligence.

Session topics must adhere to the Texas Education Agency Certificate Renewal and Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Requirements.

All submitted sessions will be reviewed by the Summit Programming Committee, and selected presenters will be notified by mid-March. ATPE will waive the summit registration fee ($225) for selected presenters; however, the speaker assumes all other financial costs including hotel, meals, and travel expenses.

Professional learning breakouts will take place between 8:30–11 a.m. Wednesday, July 10, at the Sheraton Dallas.

If you have any questions, please contact summit@atpe.org.

COMING SOON:

An Enhanced ATPE Professional Learning Portal!

Watch your email for the launch of the all-new ATPE Professional Learning Portal. We’re improving the user experience to bring you better on-demand access to continuing professional education (CPE) opportunities.  E arn CPE credit on your schedule.  C hoose from courses on the hottest topics in Texas public education.  T rack your CPE hours, even external professional learning experiences.

Plano ATPE member CLARICE CROSS

NEW MEMBER BENEFITS The GE Appliances Store is an exclusive shopping website where ATPE members receive great savings on GE Appliances. Shop the entire family of brands including Profile™, Cafe™, GE®, Monogram®, Haier and Hotpoint® major appliances to enjoy: • Special savings with promotional and rebate offers • Convenient in-home delivery, installation, and haul-away services* • Savings on the suite of small appliances • Financing options**

ATPE members can now apply online for Group Term Life Insurance through New York Life insurance Company in minutes.

There’s no medical exam—just answer some questions about your health and provide some more information. You’ll know if you’re approved in as little as one day for as much as $500,000 in group term life coverage.

LOG INTO YOUR MEMBER ACCOUNT AND VISIT ATPE.ORG/DISCOUNTS TO ACCESS THESE NEW DISCOUNTS AND MORE. *Delivery is not available in Alaska, Hawaii, and other select ZIP codes within the continental U.S. To verify delivery to your home, enter your deliver-to ZIP code on the login page of the GE Appliances Store. **Payment options through Affirm are subject to eligibility, may not be available in all states, and are provided by these lending partners: affirm.com/lenders. CA residents: Loans by Affirm Loan Services, LLC are made or arranged pursuant to a California Finance Lenders Law license.

ATPE NEWS 29

continued from page 7—Your Ally

for specific advice about their situation.

Regardless of whether the educator has a contract or not, there are a few general tips to remember if called into a meeting with administration to discuss nonrenewal or termination. First, try to remain calm and professional.

This meeting is usually not the time to dispute the matter.

Taking notes of what the administration says can be helpful.

Also, because the administration will usually be asking for a resignation in lieu of nonrenewal termination, it is beneficial to ask if there is a deadline to do so. Lastly, in most circumstances, it does not benefit the educator to resign at that same meeting. At-will employees may be an exception if administration is proposing an immediate termination unless a resignation is tendered. If possible, the employee should ask to step out and contact their professional organization for assistance.

As spring marches on, our hope is that most educators will be in a position where they will not need this information.

Contract nonrenewals and terminations are unfortunate but not uncommon. Whether you have a term contract, a probationary contract, or no contract at all, this should provide a general guide for those that wind up facing nonrenewal or termination. continued from page 10—Your Voice

every 10 races for the Texas Legislature are determined in the March primary. A viable candidate is the candidate who can win the March primary of the party that will ultimately win the general election in November. No matter how amazing their education positions, it does absolutely no good to support a candidate from one political party if the other party will dominate in the November election.

Virtually every candidate calls themselves pro-education.

Support for education and teachers still enjoys broad popularity among the public irrespective of party affiliation. But calling yourself pro-public education and backing that action up are two different things. You cannot be both pro-voucher and pro-public education. Additionally, pro-public education candidates support educators and education funding.

Thankfully ATPE makes doing your candidate homework easy; simply review candidates’ profiles page on our voter education website, TeachtheVote.org. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, educators must also be courageous about telling their friends, family, and the parental community why they need their support at the ballot box and who they should vote for. continued from page 15—The Future of School Libraries

King also agrees that going forward the role of librarian will remain an important part of schools. Librarians have

30 ATPE NEWS

adapted to change before, but the heart of the profession remains helping students.

“Libraries have been around for thousands of years and in schools since at least the 1800s,” King says. “We always evolve with what’s happening. Librarians are resilient, and I think we will get through this period. There is a correlation between students’ test scores and having a certified librarian on the school campus. So, I think we must keep pushing advocacy and showing that it’s an important component of school.

“I am choosing to believe the future is bright. We just have to stay positive as much as possible.” continued from page 23—Above and Beyond

further education can satisfy.

“We are a Title I school, and our students have real struggles,” Smith says. “But the demographics aren’t what needed to change. It is all about our mindset and tackling issues with the transformative power of education. We need our children to be scientifically literate because they are the next generation of thinkers and doers, and they need to be properly prepared to meet the challenges of the next 100 years.”

NO PLACE LIKE HOME After Smith’s husband retired from active-duty military service, he asked her if she wanted to settle down in Abilene.

“I told him that with the support I have received from the community here, they deserve to have someone who’s invested in their children’s education and future,” Smith says. “And even now, I think of all the love I have for these students, and I know that my job here is not done.”

Having moved so much over her career, this was Smith’s first opportunity to finally call a place her home.

“At every other point in my career, I didn’t want to plan too far ahead because I knew that it couldn’t last very long,” Smith says. “I never got the chance to see my students after they left my class because I never stayed in the community long enough. And now, for the first time, I get to experience home, and we are so excited.”

Constantly inspired by her students, Smith is humbled to think that they can look at her and see a role model.

“When my students come to me and say, ‘Miss Smith, I want to be just like you,’ I feel inspired,” Smith says. “I know I still have a lot of work to do on myself, and that fuels me to be even better. As teachers, we are role models whether we want to be or not. So I need to be an example for those children that—just like me—have struggled and have been through hard times. They need to see my successes and know that they can achieve anything they set their minds to.”

MEET ATPE’S MEMBERSHIP SPECIALISTS

•

•

ATPE’s 10 dedicated membership specialists support ATPE’s members and volunteers in their local communities across the state.

Jeff Vega

Diane Pokluda

Panhandle West jvega@atpe.org

PANHANDLE WEST DFW METRO WEST

•

•

DFW Metro West dpokluda@atpe.org

DFW METRO EAST

Eduardo Sierra

Joseph Cruz

West Texas esierra@atpe.org

DFW Metro East jcruz@atpe.org

PINEY WOODS

CENTRAL TEXAS WEST TEXAS

•

HILL COUNTRY

Mary Jane Waits

GULF COAST

SOUTH TEXAS

• Hill Country ymilner@atpe.org

•

Yvette Milner

Roger Gutierrez

South Texas rgutierrez@atpe.org

•

Central Texas mjwaits@atpe.org

•

•

BAYOU

Ginger Franks

Piney Woods gfranks@atpe.org

Cynthia Villalovos Bayou cvillalovos@atpe.org

Amber Tomas

Gulf Coast atomas@atpe.org

 NOT SURE WHOM TO CONTACT? Visit atpe.org/find-atpe to find out.

ATPE NEWS 31

Round of Applause Let’s give a round of applause to our ATPE members all around the state who go above and beyond.

Ector County

Dr. Robert Brescia, a history and social studies teacher at Permian High School and an appointed teacher member of the State Board for Educator Certification, attained National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification and received a $3,000 check from Ector County ISD.

Cypress-Fairbanks 

Gretchen Bell-Young, an art teacher at Hairgrove Elementary School, was named the 2023 Texas Art Educator of the Year by the Texas Art Education Association (TAEA) during its conference in November. Bell-Young was also Hairgrove’s Teacher of the Year for the 2012-13 school year.

Dallas

The following ATPE members were named 2023-24 Teachers of the Year for their respective campuses: • Choice Magnet Category Campus Teachers of the Year: • Julian Beltran, School for the Talented and Gifted in Pleasant Grove • Jennefer Ramirez, Townview Health Professions • LaKeysha Specks, Mark Twain School for the Talented and Gifted • Elementary Category Campus Teachers of the Year: • Maria Cortez, Julius Dorsey Leadership Academy • Trifari Crawford, J.N. Ervin Elementary School • Leslie Davis, Seagoville North Elementary School • Carolyn Donnell, Paul L. Dunbar Learning Center • Yolanda Gomez, William M. Anderson Elementary School • Gabriela Sosa-Land, Bishop Arts STEAM Academy • Brian Young, T.G. Terry Elementary School • Rosalinda Zubia, John Neely Bryan Elementary School • Secondary Category Campus Teacher of the Year: • Nicole Stovall, L.G. Pinkston High School

32 ATPE NEWS

Frenship 

Jared Kitchens, a gifted-and-talented teacher at Crestview Elementary School in Frenship ISD, signed his books at the Lubbock Book Festival in November. Kitchens has written five books: Seasons of the Wither, The Temporal Trinity, Quondam et Futurus, Spiral Sisterhood, and States of Matter: Up and Atom.

Mesquite

CBS News Texas presented the Crystal Apple Award to Traci Gandara, a fourth grade teacher at Henrie Elementary School. Gandara was most recently recognized for lending a helping hand to a student and her family. After the family’s refrigerator broke down, Gandara made sure they had food to replace what was lost. The family also credits Gandara for their child’s passion in art after Gandara paid for her to attend an educational camp for gifted and talented students.

Liberty Hill 

Caitlin Workman, a Liberty Hill ISD graduate and Texas A&M University ATPE member, received the Always Expect More of Aggie Teachers Award from Texas A&M’s Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture (TLAC). The award recognizes outstanding TLAC Clinical Teachers that demonstrate exceptional work ethic and commitment to the teaching profession.

Midway (12) 

Stacy Spink, a second grade teacher at Castleman Creek Elementary School, received the Morlin Medal from the School of Education at Abilene Christian University in October. Spink was also a teacher finalist in the 2023 H-E-B Excellence in Education awards.

Medina Valley 

Joy Hudspeth, the choir director at Castroville Elementary School, received the Above and Beyond Award at Medina Valley ISD’s November board meeting. Seven of her choir students also received Star Student Awards at the meeting.

Southwest

KENS 5 in San Antonio presented the EXCEL Award to Mary Frances Nino, a prekindergarten teacher at Elm Creek Elementary. Nino has taught at Elm Creek Elementary since the campus opened in 1997, and she has also taught kindergarten and first grade in her 27-year tenure.

 Do you want to recognize a fellow ATPE member in the next issue of ATPE News? Contact us at comm@atpe.org!

ATPE NEWS 33

WHY YOU CAN COUNT ON ATPE Thank you for being an ATPE member for the 2023-24 school year. We are proud to support you with a comprehensive menu of benefits that set us apart from other educator organizations. Here’s why you can count on ATPE:

90,000 EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS ON EVERYTHING FROM AIRFARE TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS,

SAVING MEMBERS MORE THAN

$1,300

NEARLY 90,000 MEMBERS ACROSS 1,200+ TEXAS ISDS AND CHARTERS

UP TO

$8 MILLION IN PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY INSURANCE, SUBJECT TO POLICY LIMITS*

A YEAR ON AVERAGE

12 LOBBYISTS

SUPPORT FROM ALMOST

MORE THAN 308 1,350 AND HEARINGS COVERED

2,300 VOLUNTEERS IN ALL

20

ESC REGIONS OF TEXAS

MORE THAN

PROFESSIONAL

IN AUSTIN AND WASHINGTON, D.C

BILLS DURING THE 88TH TRACKED

LEGISLATURE

OVER 1.1 MILLION TOTAL SITE VISITORS TO

TEACHTHEVOTE.ORG, ATPE’S ADVOCACY AND VOTER EDUCATION WEBSITE

9

STAFF ATTORNEY POSITIONS

MORE THAN ANY OTHER TEXAS EDUCATOR ASSOCIATION**

24/7 ACCESS TO

ON-DEMAND CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION (CPE) COURSES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE ATPE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PORTAL

Learn more at atpe.org *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. Coverage applies to an insured’s activities within his/her professional capacity and does not apply to activities that predate the coverage period. View insurance policy details at atpe.org/protection. Eligibility for ATPE membership benefits is contingent upon ATPE’s receipt of the annual membership dues amount for your appropriate membership category. A disruption in payments to an authorized payment plan may result in discontinuation of membership benefits, including cancellation of insurance coverage. ATPE reserves the right to determine eligibility for the appropriate membership category. The membership year runs from Aug. 1–July 31. **Staff attorney services are provided separate from the Educators Professional Liability Insurance Program.

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

T

he 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: CHRISTY SKINNER, who works as a high school English teacher in

Lumberton ISD, serves as the Region 5 ATPE director, and was a finalist for ATPE’s 2022-23 Campus Rep of the Year for local units with 1–200 members.

THE BEST WAY TO GET INVOLVED WITH ATPE Like many educators, Skinner initially joined ATPE because of the professional legal resources* provided through insured-category membership. She first began volunteering for ATPE by working as a campus representative. This position allowed her an easy way to start her volunteer journey.

“I started as a campus representative, and that job allowed me to find out more about ATPE,” Skinner recalls. “I got to see what the organization was about without making a huge time commitment. I was collecting applications and talking about ATPE with people on my campus. I also saw all the great people who are a part of ATPE. Being around this community of people, their enthusiasm and sense of service to the community is contagious.”

ATPE GIVES A VOICE TO EDUCATORS Skinner was driven to take a more involved role with ATPE because she wanted to take part in the organization’s advocacy efforts.

“The longer I stayed in ATPE, the more I understood the power of the organization and how it gives teachers a voice,” Skinner explains. “ATPE’s advocacy doesn’t just benefit teachers. We’re fighting for excellence in education that benefits students.”

Skinner attended ATPE at the Capitol in 2023. She describes the event as an enjoyable experience that allowed her to speak her mind and convey her expertise.

“I’m a rhetoric teacher, so I really enjoy being able to advocate for causes that I

love,” Skinner says. “And there’s nothing that I love more than the cause of education. For me, it was exhilarating to be able to go and speak on an issue that I have a lot of experience in and where my opinion was valued. Also, I was happy to be able to speak up on behalf of other teachers who maybe don’t get that chance to speak with lawmakers.”

Skinner also advocates for educators at the local level in her school district. Along with other ATPE members, she helped organize a liaison committee that meets directly with school board members to address issues affecting educators in the district.

“We accomplished a great deal in those meetings,” Skinner says. “I feel like we not only strengthen our relationship with our local school board members, but also we gain ground for educators. We won better working conditions and even received a raise.

“Most importantly, we influenced the perspective of our school board members.

We helped them understand we were not simply complaining. We were able to show them, for example, that we didn’t have enough time to do our jobs and break it down for them. It’s very encouraging to me that they wanted to listen, and they actually wanted to do something about it and make positive changes.”

INTERESTED IN BECOMING

 AN ATPE VOLUNTEER?

I’m a rhetoric teacher, so I really enjoy being able to advocate for causes that I love,” Skinner says. “And there’s nothing that I love more than the cause of education. For me, it was exhilarating to be able to go and speak on an issue that I have a lot of experience in and where my opinion was valued.

—Christy Skinner, high school English teacher in Lumberton ISD and a finalist for ATPE’s 2022-23 Campus Rep of the Year for local units with 1–200 members

Reach out to us at volunteer@atpe.org.

*Terms and conditions apply. See atpe.org/protection.

ATPE NEWS 35

Looking to Make Your Commute or Chores Go by Faster?

Consider ATPE’s Podcasts Check out the latest episodes of both The President’s Podcast and The ATPE Podcast on your favorite podcast apps to stay up to date on the latest public education news and issues that are important to you.

For the latest on association happenings from ATPE State President Jayne Serna, log in to our member-only podcast.

If you prefer watching a video, The ATPE Podcast is publicly available to all educators and can also be found on our YouTube channel.

atpe.org/The-Presidents-Podcast

youtube.com/OfficialATPE

Connect with us on our social networks.