Honoring Longtime d-mars.com Contributor
Noel Andrew Pinnock
By d-mars.com News Provider
oel Andrew Pinnock was more than just my beloved twin brother. He was a man of God, his momma’s reason (son), a husband, a father, a brother, a nephew, an uncle, a cousin, a mentor, a minister, a leader, a Christian counselor, a certified public manager, a trailblazer, a motivational speaker, an innovator, a community activist, an author, a pioneer, a friend, a fixer, and more importantly; he was God’s SERVANT!
He helped, guided, counseled, and stood in the gap for all types of people: elected officials, corporate officers, public servants, our military, first responders: peace officers, fire fighters, paramedics, doctors, nurses, judges, lawyers, upper class, middle class, lower class, church leaders, the church, teens, youth, adults, seniors, the homeless, the addicted, thugs, gangsters, gang leaders, drug dealers, prison inmates, and all kinds of outcasts.
He selflessly fostered and championed Jesus’ principle of leaving the ninety-nine only to go back to save the one. There is nothing more rewarding in life than to find yourself by selflessly losing yourself in service to others. Noel was a compass to thousands of individuals, both young and seasoned, who leveraged his guidance and purpose-driven skills to advance both their careers and lives forward.
Whether in the classroom as a former middle school teacher, graduate school professor, or community organizer, Noel found his life’s mission steeped in these spaces as a catalyst and a broker for others.
He was a published author and recognized expert with over 25 years of experience in transforming underperforming companies into positions of prosperity and optimum value.
Cementing The Core Of Education
My brother specialized in strategic, operational, and tactical services. As a nationally certified public manager, he was responsible for overseeing many large-scale organizational transformations.
After earning his Master of Public Administration from Texas Southern University, as one of the first cohorts in the school of Public Affairs, he led him to a path of servitude.
For over 18 years, Noel dedicated his time to skillset to scholars, families, and communities in the Houston Independent School District.
This led to him becoming the first-ever African American and the youngest Chief Executive Learning Officer, overseeing the learning and development stock of over 12% employees.
In 2014, Noel was tapped to lead former President Barack Obama’s national initiative, which quickly became a local movement in the City of Houston. That same year, he was named Director of the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance.
Building his resume and its metric of successes, he was the second Executive Project Director of the MBK movement assisting in foundation building.
That effort helped shape and establish the blueprint for serving boys and young men of color.
Though his leadership, he created a model in response to Houston’s former president nationally to over 200 active jurisdictions driven to eliminate economic discrepancies for youth, families and communities.
Noel was known for his creativity, energy, spiritual-
ity, uplifting speaking engagements and above all, servant leadership.
Community Involvement
The trailblazer that he was didn’t stop there. He was acting president and CEO of the Texas Cops and Kids, Inc and Texas Cops and Communities, pro bono.
His affiliation with the non-profit organizations was established in 2000 focusing on quality after-school tutoring services for underprivileged children in hyperpoverty-stricken.
Texas Cops and Communities mission was and still is to empower young minds in high crime neighborhoods to achieve personal and educational success by developing interpersonal relationships with law enforcement, educators, community leaders, and dedicated citizens.
This mission continues to live on in the passionate hearts and minds of each of the remaining active board of directors.
The Legacy’s Roots Continue
Noel is survived by his wife, Tiffany Pinnock; his son Noel Pinnock II, his daughter Nole* Milan Pinnock; his granddaughter Alaya Jai Pinnock; his beloved parents Maple & Deborah Pinnock; his embryo twin brother Lowell Pinnock and brothers, Richard Pinnock, Dietrich Pinnock, Derrell Pinnock (5 reasons); his sister-n-laws Dyonna Pinnock & Kimberly Pinnock; his nephews Derrell Pinnock II, Phoenex Pinnock & Jalen Pinnock; his nieces Franchesca Pinnock, Thai Pinnock, Ashlie Pinnock, & Great Nephew, Azarieh James Cole Pinnock; His New York/Jamaica/Florida families; Uncle Marcus & Auntie Linda Holley, Uncle Robert, Uncle James & Keisha Johnson, Uncle Rick and Auntie Cynthia Miller, Uncle Charles & Nilda Johnson, Auntie Florence Johnson, Auntie Lorraine Jones, Auntie Marsha Miller, Uncle Joseph Nicholas; Uncle David Gray, Auntie Sandra Broussard, Auntie Sharon Eng, Auntie Ruthie Marla, Auntie Margaret Gray, Auntie Annie Morrison, host of cousins, friends, and professional colleagues.
Noel – What a life, what a legacy that you built from the ground up. Your legacy continues today from the branches grown from your roots to the limbs extended to those you’ve touched.
It’s amazing what Noel Andrew Pinnock accomplished in just 48 short years than some do in a lifetime.
On November 6, 2018, in an article he wrote called “Get At It,” Noel said, “After reading this, the only question you have to ask yourself is ‘What time do I get started?’” He concluded with, “Get at it!”
Source: Lowell Pinnock
Historic Moment for Pastor Ogletree and Family as His Son Is Inaugurated at First Metropolitan Church
By d-mars.com News Provider
e Are Here! It is with great pleasure I proudly announce the installation of my first-born son, Pastor Johnny D. Ogletree, III, to succeed me as Senior Pastor of First Metropolitan Church.
2023 is the year of transition at our place of worship. After 36 years of pastoring this exciting vibrant ministry in NW Houston, I’m looking forward to what my son provides to the existing and growing flock. In November 2021, I was consecrated as Bishop/Overseer of First Metropolitan.
Pastor Johnny has served faithfully over twenty years in ministry under my leadership since graduating with a Master of Divinity from Virginia Union University. His performative works have included the Youth Pastor followed by the Elder and Lead Pastor during 2021.Alongside his wife, Dr. Quinita Ogletree, they have welcomed five healthy and beautiful daughters.
His pastoral inauguration will take place Friday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. at the church campus at 8870 W. Sam Houston Parkway N, Houston, TX 77040.
Kindly join me in welcoming my son as I honor him with a platitude of succession and gratefulness.
Bishop John D. Ogletree, Jr.
New Bill Could See Every K-12 Teacher Earning at Least $60K in Salary
By Stacy M. Brown
ongresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (D-Fla.) introduced the American Teacher Act to incentivize states to increase the minimum K-12 teacher salary to $60,000 and adjust inflation.
Wilson, the chair of the Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee, said the financial incentive supports ongoing state efforts to provide competitive wages for teachers and address the national teacher shortage.
“Teachers deserve a raise. Unfortunately, our nation’s teachers have been underpaid, overworked, and deprived of resources for too long,” Wilson stated.
“That’s why I’m filing the American Teacher Act, to give our nation’s teachers the raise they have earned and deserve.”
Wilson called teachers the backbone of America’s education system and economy.
She noted that they play a foundational role in the development of children.
“For seven hours a day, they help shape and inspire young minds as well as nurture students academically and socially,” Wilson said.
“As the COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a standstill, teachers continued to play a critical role in our recovery, underscoring their indispensability.”
The nonprofit Teacher Salary Project helped Wilson draft the bill, which they said responds to a national teacher shortage and low professional morale.
The bill creates a four-year federal grant program
to increase teachers’ annual salaries to a minimum of $60,000 nationwide.
Additionally, it would create a four-year federal grant available to states and local educational agencies to guarantee the $60,000 minimum wage.
The bill wouldn’t reduce salaries for those already making more than $60,000 and wouldn’t replace existing federal, state, or local funds used toward teacher pay.
Earlier this year, EducationWeek estimated that more than 36,500 teacher vacancies exist in the United States.
They noted that uncredentialed teachers filled more than 163,500 positions. Meanwhile, the Teacher Salary Project pointed out that 74% of teachers don’t believe they receive fair pay.
“How do we get (teacher pay increases) to happen when people in the position to make change are so scared or intimidated by the price tag and the controversial topics associated with higher pay, like performance-based pay and increases in taxes?” Ellen Sherratt, board president of the Teacher Salary Project, told Education NC.
Wilson said teacher shortages count among the most pressing threats to education access today, with districts across the country forced to radically adjust school offerings to respond to turnover and prolonged vacancies.
“While teachers have never received the wages and respect commensurate with
the work, they do to help all children reach their promise and potential, the culture wars and stagnant wages of the last few years have made this worse,” stated Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers.
“Recruiting and retaining a diverse teaching force has become increasingly difficult—indeed, most parents say they wouldn’t want their kids to choose teaching as a career,” Weingarten remarked.
Weingarten continued:
“Rep. Frederica Wilson’s bill directly addresses these challenges by providing states with federal funding to incentivize school districts to create a minimum salary of $60,000 for teachers.
“It also funds a national campaign highlighting the value of the teaching profession and encouraging young people to become teachers, using many of the recommendations in the AFT’s Teacher and School Staff Shortage Task Force report
“Here Today, Gone Tomorrow?” for recruiting the best candidates into teaching, including increasing compensation.
“This bill says put your money where your mouth is. We thank Rep. Wilson for her bold legislation addressing the low starting salaries that have plagued the teaching profession for generations, and we are proud to support this legislation.”
Source: National Newspaper Publishers Association
NNPA Newswire Senior
