President’s Message

As we enter the month of August, please accept my best wishes for a successful, productive, and positive school year. I know you all have been working very hard since the spring to adjust to district and community changes, plan for and respond to new legislative requirements and, to recruit the best possible candidates for your vacancies. Despite those few Negative Nellies, I assure you that your efforts do not go unnoticed. Know that you are a valued member of the most noble profession. What you do changes the world every day.

I hope that you were able to take some time for yourself and your family. As for your TASPA staff, they have been very busy conducting workshops, webinars and of course planning and putting on the Summer Conference, which was a huge success. The highlights of the summer for us were the TASPA Summer Conference HR Panel and the AASPA State Leaders Retreat. Both offered great insight as well as calls to action for additional advocacy. Our HR Panel consisted of nine of your HR colleagues from around the state, small and large districts, urban and suburban, and representatives from TEA and the Governor’s Vacancy Taskforce. We heard insightful thoughts and approaches to everyday concerns each of us face; whether it was hard to fill positions, grow your own initiatives, school safety and/or charter/voucher school concerns, the message still rang the same: “Talk to your Legislators.” It is only through collective advocacy that we can change the negative public narrative. I encourage each one of you to make one phone call, or send one email, or better yet visit one of your representatives’ local offices to speak on behalf of our chosen profession. It really does make a difference.

Your TASPA staff, accompanied by President-Elect Kimberly Rich, of Dickinson ISD, and myself, had the pleasure of attending the AASPA State Leaders Retreat in Washington DC. I’m happy to report that Texas was the largest affiliate contingent there, and as usual was one of the most, if not the most, sought out for information and best practice. The retreat offered a great deal of information regarding association management that your staff has already been putting to use. It also offered us a chance to express concern and ideas for coming legislative issues at the national level. (This topic will again be on my agenda next week as I participate in AASPA’s Legislative Committee Meeting, but that’s a topic for another time.) Some states were also able to meet on “The Hill” to advocate to their respective Senators; not unlike the trip your fellow TASPA colleagues took to the Texas Capital back in the Spring.

So you see, there’s a common thread in the ongoings of our districts, states and associations: Advocacy. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you that your voice matters. Whether you choose to be a vocal advocate or not, know that TASPA will continue to advocate for you, your district, our profession and the children we all serve. If you do choose to be vocal, do it with pride and humility knowing that we serve a common goal to break down barriers, and create opportunities for the children of our school systems. Without you, little is accomplished. With you, hope and opportunity are secured.

I wish you all health, success, and prosperity in the coming school year.

Respectfully,

Al A. Rodriguez