3 minute read
President’s Message
Brian T. Woods PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
I encourage you to speak up on issues that affect your students, staff, families and school districts.
The stakes are too high to remain silent.
It’s an understatement, but it has been quite the summer in Texas. I have described the experience of preparing for the new school year as playing a game of chess. Except, whenever you think you’re prepared to make your next strategic move, someone comes along and knocks all the pieces off of the board.
As frustrating as it has been at times, and I have not exactly been shy about sharing my thoughts on the evolving situation, I remain hopeful. Because I believe in our teachers, administrators, staff and students. I believe that Texas educators will accomplish what only seems impossible, and be prepared to provide and support exemplary instruction this school year — no matter what it might look like.
Though our vocabulary has expanded to include terms such as social distancing, synchronous and asynchronous learning, and self-isolating, our core mission in public education has not changed. We are here to educate children. I sometimes feel the need to remind people that we haven’t gone anywhere. Our school buildings might have closed in March, but the work of educating children continued. And it will go on.
As public schools have always done in times of crisis, we will continue to be looked at as leaders in our communities. Not only do we provide the essential service of educating a generation of citizens, but also act as a place of refuge for students who need us for so much more.
School districts across the state demonstrated their ability to quickly pivot, shift instruction online and yet still provide support services our families rely on such as counseling, access to technology and meals. We saw the crucial work not only of our teachers, of our custodians, child nutrition employees and bus drivers.
Despite a renewed societal respect for educators, I am baffled when elected leaders choose politics over health and do not allow local school districts and communities to make the decisions they deem best for their students, families and staff. This underscores the tremendous need for advocacy at all levels and the critical importance of voting this November. I encourage you to speak up on issues that affect your students, staff, families and school districts. The stakes are too high to remain silent.
We all learned a lot this past spring, and I know we will continue to improve. Though I hoped we would gather in person at the TASA|TASB Convention at the end of September, I’m grateful that we will still have the opportunity to learn from our colleagues across the state, albeit in a virtual format.
As you face a school year that promises to be unlike any other, I hope you will lean on this network of leaders who are faced with the same challenges of serving their communities and protecting the health and safety of students and staff. It’s a heavy responsibility, but also an extraordinary privilege.
I have often said to the Northside ISD community that we will be back, together and better than ever. This is true of our colleagues across the TASA network as well.
I am honored to serve as your 2020 TASA president, and until we meet again, be well.
Brian T. Woods TASA President Superintendent, Northside ISD
Supporting School Re-entry in Texas
When faced with adversity in K-12 education, oftentimes it's just as challenging to resume normal school days as it is to move through the adverse event. We understand that social emotional learning (SEL) and trauma resiliency can be top of mind.
RTI is here to support you. To help you with the transition back to school we’ve collected resources and current initiatives that can help you successfully implement distance learning. And when tools aren't enough, we are here to offer custom virtual trainings to coach teachers and administrators through the impacts of COVID-19.
