2015 tepsa september/october news

Serving Texas School Leaders September/October 2015 Vol. 72, No. 5 www.tepsa.org

Texas Elementary Principals & Supervisors Association

Inside

TEPSA NewsESEA Reauthorization in House-Senate Conference Committee

New! TEPSA Fall Summit: A Day for Leaders, November 5

As we go to press, a House-Senate conference committee has begun negotiating differences between their respective reauthorization versions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The House reuthorization version is known as the Student Success Act (SSA); the Senate version is called the Every Child Achieves Act (ECAA) of 2015.

While the ultimate aim of the con-ference committee is to present a single bill to both Chambers for a vote, challenges lie ahead. The table on the right by Michael J. Petrilli, writer and president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, summarizes issues before the conference com-mittee. The items under “up in the air” are those the Senate, House, and Obama administration will have to negotiate.

Join us November 5 in Grapevine to learn from education experts and Texas leaders. Explore what’s working to drive change and make an impact on your campus.

Rekindle your passion and sup-port a resilient staff to serve your students. Author and education consultant Dr. Brad Johnson will help you move from being

an administrator who simply gets things done to a leader who motivates and empowers others to succeed! Learn more on page 14 and register at www.tepsa.org.

Mistakes School Leaders Make with Grant Simpsonpage 7

Legal Ease with Kevin Lungwitzpage 12

Best Practices with Tom W. Manypage 8

Tech Lab with Trae Kendrickpage 18

The table above is reprinted with permission of Michael J. Petrilli. The table origi-nally appeared in Petrilli’s article “The Contours of a Deal on ESEA Are In Sight” in Education Next on July 22, 2015. The article is available at http://educationnext.org/contours-deal-esea-sight/.

You Get Both—Print and Online Included!

or visit:mentoringminds.com/total-motivation-demo

Call today!800.585.5258

Scan QR code to view our online demo

TEPSA News www.tepsa.org 3

TEPSA President/Eddie Damian

Region Presidents Dianabel Gómez-Villarreal La Joya (1) Annette Sanchez Beeville (2) Gabe Adamek Yoakum (3) Kathy Jahn Alief (4) Julie Gauthier Port Neches-Groves (5) Leah Russell Navasota (6) Cindy Tierney Lufkin (7) Ella Duren Detroit (8) Blake Enlow Bowie (9) Catherine Bridges Grand Prairie (10) Stacie Meadows Keller (11) Lance Malburg Killeen (12) Martha Werner Round Rock (13) Kim Jones Clyde (14) Cheri Braden San Angelo (15) Mike Word Clarendon (16) Doug Smith Frenship (17) Tanya Bell Midland (18) Michael Mackeben Clint (19) Susan Peery Alamo Heights (20)TEPSA regions coincide with regional education service center boundaries.

Staff Harley Eckhart Executive Director Joni Carlson Director of Meetings Cecilia Cortez de Magallanes Marketing & Communications Manager Ann Hopkins Membership/Standing Committees Coor. Kirsten Hund Associate Executive Director for Instruction Anita Jiles Associate Executive Director for Marketing & Communications Ken Jones Controller Trae Kendrick Chief InformationOfficer Elizabeth Kernan OfficeManager Kristina Mora Student Council & Exhibits Coordinator Lori Sanchez Membership & Communications Assistant Louis Silvas Webmaster Karen Terry Governance Coordinator Mark Terry Deputy Executive Director

TEPSA NewsPublished six times a year by Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors

Association. Subscription is included in TEPSA membership dues. Postage paid at Austin, Texas.

Articles may be reproduced by TEPSA members without written request, providedthatduplicationisforaneducationalpurposeatanonprofit

institution; copies are available without charge; and each copy includes full citation of the source.

Copyright © 2015 by the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association.

ContactTEPSA 501 East 10th Street Austin, TX 78701

512-478-5268 800-252-3621 Fax: 512-478-1502 www.tepsa.org

Executive Committee Eddie Damian President, Fort Bend Nancy Tovar President-Elect, El Paso Manuel Gonzales First Vice President, Frisco Yolanda Delaney Second Vice President, Canyon Stacy Davis Secretary, Frenship Victorius Eugenio NAESPRepresentative,Mansfield Belinda Neal Past President, Lindale Harley Eckhart TEPSA Executive Director

Standing Committee Chairs and Vice Chairs Lisa McLaughlin Advocacy Chair, Deer Park Lorena Zertuche Advocacy Vice Chair, Katy Nayeli Carriaga Membership, Marketing & PR Chair, Sharyland Stephanie Coronado Membership, Marketing & PR Vice Chair, Humble Jackie Gorena Programs & Services Chair, Irving Robin Macke Programs & Services Vice Chair, Lewisville Amanda Schmitter Special Committee on Elections, Hardin-Jefferson Scot Clayton Nominating Committee Chair, Henrietta Libby Flores Nominating Committee Vice Chair, San Benito

Texas Elementary Principals & Supervisors Association The smiling faces of children dressed in new shoes and new clothes, carry-ing school supplies packed neatly into overstuffed backpacks—now is the time of year that many principals enjoy most! The newness of the first weeks of school is, undoubtedly, an exciting and joyous time of year. It is arguably so near and dear to principals’ hearts that only the end of the school year or a long holiday is its rival.

However, now that school has officially begun, students are in class, schedules are finalized, and we are in our routines—what is the next step for principals? For a TEPSA member, this ques-tion is self-evident. We simply turn our attention towards mem-bership retention and recruitment.

As the largest member-owned principal organization in Texas, we TEPSANs take pride in our membership. TEPSA currently has approximately 5,900 members. Of these members, 476 school leaders belong to our national organization, the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). More-over, these members represent almost 3 million PreK-8 school children in our state. This is quite a number!

Across the state, at this time of year, you will find members reach-ing out to new principals, and other nonmembers, speaking of the benefits of our great organization. Benefits of membership include a strong advocacy voice with Texas lawmakers, live and recorded professional development webinars, and professional liability and legal coverage. Our ultimate goal, however, is not solely found in our membership numbers. No, we cannot place value on the effect our members have on our schools, parents, teachers, and students. Instead, TEPSA is a premier professional support system that of-fers a unique experience for each member. How the experience is received is left to each individual.

As we move deeper into this semester, I challenge you to cre-ate a meaningful experience for yourself and your profession this school year. Commit yourself to securing a few new TEPSA members this year, dedicate yourself to seek out a qualified can-didate for National Distinguished Principal or Assistant Princi-pal of the Year and/or contact your local TEPSA board and get involved in your regional TEPSA chapter. Find information about your region on page 22. The opportunities we have as TEPSA members are abundant. Take advantage of your membership and get involved, because ulti-mately the ones benefiting from your involve-ment will be the children of our great state. My, what a great and noble cause we support!

Thank you for making time for children.

4 www.tepsa.org September/October 2015

News Briefs

According to a U.S. Department of Commerce report, per-pupil spending on public PreK-12 education increased slightly in 2013 following a three-year dip. Additional findings:• States vary widely in per pupil spending, ranging from $6,555 a

year in Utah to $19,818 in New York. • Texas was among a majority of states spending between

$8,000-$9,999 per pupil.• Nationwide, average spending was $10,700 in 2013, up 0.9

percent from 2012. • The bulk of school funds received by schools was spent on

instruction and support services.

Source: Education Week Report Roundup. (2015, June 10). “Per-pupil spending found to rise a bit: Public Education Finances: 2013.” Vol. 34. No. 34. Available at http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/06/10/per-pupil-spending-found-to-rise-a-bit.html?r=888532088&preview=1.

Slight Increase in Per Pupil Funding

The Case for BilingualismDespite the increasing ethnic and cultural diversity of the U.S., as well as a growing global economy, Arizona, California and Massachusetts have recently enacted policies severely limiting the use of students’ home languages. Research not only shows that speaking more than one language is good for the brain, but fluent bilingualism has also been associated with lower likelihood of dropping out of high school, and higher probability of having a higher status job with higher earnings. Results from a 2011 University of Phoenix Research Institute survey reported in The Wall Street Journal, showed increasing demand among prospective employers for workers who speak foreign languages, particularly Chinese and Spanish. Currently, about 20 percent of U.S. households speak a language other than English at home, and the majority of the world’s population outside of the U.S. is bilingual or multilingual.

Sources: Goldenberg, C. (2015, July 14). “Congress: Bilingualism is not a handicap.” Education Week Commentary. Available at http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/07/14/congress-bilingualism-is-not-a-handicap.html.

Northwestern University. (2015, Spring). “Benefits of bilingualism.” Northwestern Alumni Magazine. Available at http://www.northwestern.edu/magazine/spring2015/campuslife/benefits-of-bilingualism.html.

84th Legislative Briefing Book AvailableAfter each legislative session, the Texas Education Agency produces a briefing book describing new laws that impact public education. Visit http://tea.texas.gov/Reports_and_Data/Legislative_Reports/Legislative_Briefing_Book/ to download The Briefing Book for the 84th Texas Legislature (2015).

Source: Texas Education Agency.


Kid Recommended Books ListEach year, the International Literacy As-sociation publishes the “Choices” reading lists to help young readers find books they will enjoy. The lists are available for free download:•Children’s Choices list includes brief

reviews of approximately 100 titles, each recommended by children themselves.

•Teachers’ Choices identifies approxi-mately 30 books rated by teams of teachers, librarians, and reading special-ists as outstanding for curriculum use.

•Young Adults’ Choices provides de-scriptions of approximately 30 books selected by teenage reviewers.

Visit http://literacyworldwide.org/get-resources/reading-lists to learn more and download lists.

Source: International Literacy Association.http://literacyworldwide.org/get-resources/reading-lists.

Connect with TEPSA


New Parent Checklist ResourceThe U.S. Department of Education in partnership with several organizations has released a parent checklist with questions and resources to ensure their children receive a quality education. The checklist suggests key questions, tips for education-al success and resources for more infor-mation. Resources are also available in Spanish. Visit http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/new-parent-checklist-out-today-helps-empower-families-support-children’s-success-school.

Source: U.S. Department of Education. (2015, July 17). “New parent checklist out today helps empower families to support children’s success in school: U.S. Department of Education joins key partners to release parent checklist to help children thrive at school.” Available at http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/new-parent-checklist-out-today-helps-empower-families-support-children’s-success-school.

News Briefs

Finding Alternatives to Withholding RecessForty-four percent of school districts across the nation prohibit withholding recess. Increasingly, more and more parents do not like schools to withhold recess as a form of punishment. The academic benefits of recess and physical activity are well doucumented. For alter-natives to withholding recess, download “60 Alternatives to Withholding Recess” available through Peaceful Playgrounds at http://www.peacefulplaygrounds.com/60-alternatives-to-withholding-recess/.

Some of the zero-cost alternatives include:•Read outdoors.•Have extra art time.•Make deliveries to the office.•Play a favorite game or puzzle.•Read to a younger class.•Dance in the classroom.

Source: Peaceful Playgrounds. http://www.peacefulplaygrounds.com/60-alternatives-to-withholding-recess/.

More Children Live in High Poverty Areas Despite Country’s Economic RecoveryThe Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2015 Kids Count which focused on child well-being during and after the country’s economic re-covery (2008-2013), reports that 10.1 million children currently live in areas of concentrated poverty. Compared to 2000, there are 4 million more children living in extreme poverty. The report also shows that Black, American Indian and Latino children are much more likely to live in high-poverty areas compared to peers from other racial and ethnic groups.

In Texas, one in four kids live in poverty. Additional findings:•Texas ranks 46th for children living in high poverty

neighborhoods.•Texas ranks second worst (49th) for children without health

insurance.•Texas ranks 41st out of 50 states in terms of overall child well-

being. The ranking is similar to previous years.

Access Education Week’s series “War on Poverty: Progress and Persistent Inequity” at http://www.edweek.org/ew/collections/war-on-poverty/index.html.

Sources: Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2015, July 21). “Texas is 9thWorst State for Kids Despite Some Progress: 2015 KIDS COUNT Data Book highlights challenges facing the next generation of Texans.” Available at http://www.aecf.org/m/databook/2015KC_newsrelease_TX.pdf.

Annie E. Casey Foundation KIDS COUNT Project. (2015, July 21). The 2015 KIDS COUNT Data Book: State Trends in Child Well-Being. Avail-able at http://www.aecf.org/resources/the-2015-kids-count-data-book/.

Combat Stress with Coloring BooksIn recent months, coloring books geared for adults have occu-pied bestseller lists, suggesting that stressed adults have found a new way to relieve the pressures of daily work and personal life. A few popular titles include:• Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt & Coloring Book and

Enchanted Forest: An Inky Quest & Coloring Book by Johanna Basford

• Balance (Angie’s Extreme Stress Menders Volume 1) by Angie Grace

• The Mindfulness Colouring Book: Anti-stress Art Therapy for Busy People by Emma Farrarons

• Color Me Calm and Color Me Happy by Lacy Mucklow and Angela Porter

Source: McAfee, M. (2015, April 24). “Adult coloring books topping best-seller lists.” CNN. Available at http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/21/living/feat-adult-coloring-books/.


Current ResearchSuicide Trends Among Children Ages 5-11; New State Requirement on PreventionAmong the new health-related bills passed duringthe 84th Legislative Session which affect Texas school districts is a new requirement for educator training in suicide prevention and mental health issues effective with the 2015-2016 school year. All school employees will have until March 1 to complete the new training. Visit http://bit.ly/teahealthed for information.

Results from a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics shows that suicide rates in children ages 5-11 have remained steady overall for the past 20 years. However, sui-cide continues to be a leading cause of death among children younger than 12. Suicide rates among Black children are higher compared to White children, and there are higher rates of suicide among boys than girls.

Resources for National Suicide Prevention Week (September 7-13) are available at http://www.sprc.org.

Sept 24 Del RioSept 25 KilgoreSep 29 Fort Worth - Phillips Sept 30 LewisvilleOct 1 Royse CityOct 2 FriscoOct 6 Victoria Oct 7 Fort Worth - PeaceOct 8 McKinneyOct 8 San Antonio - SteubingOct 9 San Antonio - ForesterOct 13 KilleenOct 14 Georgetown Oct 15 MercedesOct 16 Harlingen

Oct 16 Buda Oct 20 Clear Creek Oct 20 CoppellOct 21 MidlothianOct 21 Lamar Oct 23 GalvestonOct 23 IrvingOct 27 PlanoOct 27 HumbleOct 28 Pasadena Oct 30 Fort Bend Nov 5 Abilene Nov 6 MidlandNov 6 El Paso

Leaders ‘ ’ UsTM Rockin’ and Rollin’ Across TexasR

Registration is $49/person and includes lunch and materials. Learn more and register at www.tepsa.org.

Student Council Workshop Fall Schedule

Additional ResourcesTexas Suicide Prevention: Department of State Health Serviceshttp://www.dshs.state.tx.us/mhsa/suicide/suicide-prevention.aspx

Mental Health America “What Every Child Needs For Good Mental Health” http://www.nmha.org/every-child-needs

National Alliance on Mental Illness - Texashttp://namitexas.org

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services http://www.mentalhealth.gov

Edutopia “The Language of Choice and Support”http://www.edutopia.org/blog/language-of-choice-and-support-alex-shevrin

Sources: Nationwide Children’s Hospital. (2015, May 18). Suicide trends in school-aged children reveal racial disparity. Sci-enceDaily. Available at www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150518121656.htm.

Blad, E.(2015, June 3). “Suicide trends among elementary school-aged children in the U.S. from 1993-2012.” Education Week. Vol. 34. No. 32. p. 4.


Mistakes School Leaders Make/Grant Simpson, PhD

Bet you have heard these before:• I’m sick and tired of giving stickers and treats to

get my kids to work.• In my classroom, I won’t use bribery; it’s just wrong.• Students should be satisfied with a sense of

accomplishment.• What happened to learning for learning’s sake?

I’m hoping these utterances were from faculty and not you. They reflect a misunderstanding of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. Most especially, I hope you haven’t implemented some well-intended “No bribery” policy. Let’s take a closer look.

We all want students to experience the joy of learning, a sense of curiosity, the satisfaction of accomplish-ment. These intrinsic motivators ought to be a goal for every educator. However, we have little and no control over them. We can’t wave a wand and make it happen. Learning for learning’s sake only comes as a result of consistent success experiences. Now that’s something we can structure, provide, assess, document, and lie awake at night planning in our heads. Moreover, many kids come to us who aren’t experiencing success. They may need a little boost. When really stuck in their learning or if they have had years of failure, they may need a variety of reinforcement that we do control.

These are extrinsic motivators and span the range from edibles and tangibles to privileges and ego-boosting roles. They are not “one size fits all,” but rather for meeting the student’s individual need and gradually coaxing him/her to higher ground.

Consider the case of Mark. Mark was a third grader referred to special education because he was unable to read. His testing confirmed significant learn-ing disabilities. At the ripe old age of eight, he was a defeated learner who hung his head, sat quietly, and refused to attempt his work. His resource teach-ers broke his tasks into smaller chunks and coaxed his initiating them with sweet treats. Snicker bites worked like a charm, but they quickly enticed him with various privileges for completing his “contracts.” Mark loved to take the gerbil home on the weekends, and his parents, delighted to see his word attack skills grow, were happy to support his rodent care. In the second year of resource teacher support, Mark’s read-ing skills were increasing, and his reinforcement had changed to time with a friend constructing model air-planes. One Friday following completion of both his weekly contract and the current rocket, his teacher queried, “Mark, since you have finished this project, you’ll need to select a new goal.” He said he wanted to think about it and would let her know. On

Misunderstanding Motivation

► page 10


Best Practices/Tom Many, EdD, and Susan Sparks

In their seminal study of trust in schools, Bryk and Schneider (2002) established a clear connection between the level of relational trust in a school and improved student learning. They observed that, “while trust alone does not guarantee success, schools with little or no trust have almost no chance of improving.”

Other researchers reported similar results and found that high trust cultures were associated with signifi-cantly higher levels of student achievement “even after controlling for such factors as poverty and race.” (Goddard, Tschannen-Moran, and Hoy, 2005)For more than a decade, researchers have shined the light on the positive impact trust has on student

achievement but what has received far less attention is the fact that trust also effects the productivity of collaborative teams in profoundly positive ways.

“Trust is a critical resource for schools. It is unlikely that the mission of your school can be accomplished without it.” –Megan Tschannen-Moran, (2004)

Megan Tschannen-Moran (2001) examined the rela-tionship between the levels of trust and collaboration in schools and identified three ways that trust con-tributed to more productive collaborative teams.First, she observed that, “Trust among the teachers in a school makes it more likely that the school will function as a professional learning community.” She continued, “it would appear that trust and collabora-tion are mutually reinforcing: the more the parties work together, the greater the opportunity they have to get to know one another and build trust.”

Next, Tschannen-Moran found a link between the teachers’ willingness to collaborate with the principal and their trust in the principal. The same was true with other teachers; the more teachers trusted their colleagues, the more likely they were to collaborate with them. She observed that, “trust tended to be pervasive: when teachers trusted their principal, they also were more likely to trust their colleagues.”

Finally, Hoy and Tschannen-Moran’s (2004) reported that when a high level of trust existed in schools, “teach-ers had a greater sense of efficacy—the belief in their ability to affect actions leading to success.” All three of these findings illustrate the positive effect trust has on the development of highly effective collaborative teams.

“A substantial barrier [to school improvement] is the lack of trust among educators and poor quality relationships that exist in many schools, particularly those challenged by poverty and social problems. Consequently, it is critical

The Trust Dividend High Trust Relationships Produce Big Dividends for Collaborative Teams

“The latest work on trust in schools ties the growth of trust to gains in school [teacher] productivity and increased school [student] achievement.” -Julie Reed Kochanek, (2005)


Dr. Tom Many is an author and consultant. His career in education spans more than 30 years.

Susan Sparks is an educational consultant who helps teams and districts develop more successful schools through facilitation, training and coaching.

Read more from Dr. Many in the Resources section at www.tepsa.org.

that leaders of learning communities make the establishment of high quality relationships and trust a high priority.” -Dennis Sparks (2005)

Principals certainly set the tone for building high trust relationships, but they cannot accomplish the task alone. The responsibility for building trust is shared by principals and teachers alike.

Cori Brewster (2003) observed that, “Even when there has been a past lack of trust, which is negatively affecting people in the school community, it is pos-sible to turn things around.” Brewster suggests that, “Identifying the specific causes of mistrust in the school and making a sincere commitment to address them is the first and probably most important step.”

A terrific tool for taking the first steps that Brews-ter recommends was developed by Barb Sanderson (2005). View Sanderson’s trust grids at http://bit.ly/trustgrids. Utilizing these trust grids, teachers can generate data and establish specific goals around im-proving the level of trust on their teams and in their schools. Data from Sanderson’s trust grids also helps principals identify and celebrate the specific behav-iors that build trust while simultaneously minimizing those that bust trust. The result of the process out-lined below is a set of measureable goals to improve the level of relational trust in a school.

Step 1: Teachers are asked to complete Sanderson’s trust grids. After completing the survey, teachers are asked to label page one as ‘behaviors that build trust’ and page two as ‘behaviors that bust trust.’

Step 2: The completed grids are turned into a trusted member of the faculty who, working with the princi-pal, compiles the results anonymously. The resulting data creates a ‘trust profile’ for the school.

Step 3: The school’s trust profile is shared publicly dur-ing a faculty meeting where teachers, working together in teams, identify trends or reoccurring patterns of behavior that contribute to high or low levels of trust.

Step 4: Teachers use the data to establish specific goals designed to promote the development of higher levels of relational trust on their teams and in their schools.

As Brewster (2003) said, “if relationships between teachers are to change significantly teachers them-selves must work to identify barriers to trust within the faculty and take the initiative to improve, repair, and maintain relationships.”

“Just as the tax created by low trust is real, measureable, and extremely high, so the divi-dends of high trust are also real, quantifiable and incredibly high.” -Stephen M. R. Covey, (2006)

Covey argues that every organization is either paying a tax or collecting a dividend based on the level of trust in their culture. In low trust schools, the ‘trust tax’ is high and negatively affects the productivity of collaborative teams. In high trust schools the oppo-site is true; the ‘trust dividend’ is high and the level of trust enhances the productivity of collaborative teams. The most effective principals are intentional around their efforts to avoid taxes and increase divi-dends in their schools.

The bottom line is that creating healthy relationships based on high levels of relational trust requires an investment of time and energy. It can be challeng-ing but the payoff—the return on investment—is improvement in both student achievement and the productivity of collaborative teams.

ReferencesBrewster, C. & Railsback, J. (2003). Building Trusting

Relationships for School Improvement: Implications for Principals and Teachers. Northwest Regional Edu-cational Laboratory.

Bryk, A. & Schneider, B. (2002). Trust in schools: A core resource for improvement. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

Covey, S.M.R. (2006). The speed of trust: The one thing that changes everything. New York: Free Press.

Sanderson, B. (2005). Talk It Out: The Educator’s Guide to Successful Difficult Conversations. Larchmont, New York: Eye On Education.

Stephenson, S. (2009). Leading With Trust: How to Build Strong School Teams. Bloomington, Indiana: Solution Tree.

Tschannen-Moran, M. (2004). Trust Matters: Leader-ship for Successful Schools. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.


K-2 Learning Conference: Give them WingsOctober 13, 2015|8:30am – 3:30pm|San Antonio Convention Center $195 Registration Fee|Register at http://lead4ward.com/k-2conference/

Inspiring independent learners starts with you. While kids want to learn and teachers want to teach, some content is just plain tough. Add in the process standards, and things get crazy. Bring your teachers and join lead4ward and TEPSA in exploring fresh ideas to teach kids important but complex things. Inspire yourself; give them wings!

Learn ways to:• Design engaging units and activities• Integrate reading and writing in all content areas• Map student progress with different data inputs• Get all kids to think and participate at higher levels• Evaluate instructional resources

Session titles include:• SS & Reading Connection: Heroes and Holidays• Technology and Take-Aways: How to Use Tech to

Your Advantage• Ready, Set, Engage – Imagination Stations

• Reading Rocks w/ Earth Science:ELAR and Science Connection

• ELAR Cooling the Hot Spots: Why it Matters in K-2• ELAR: Using Read-Aloud to Get to Figure 19• Leading the Way: Supporting Your Teachers• Math: Making Connections with Reading and

Writing• Math Cooling the Hot Spots: Why it Matters in K-2

Plus learn how Scholastic Book Fairs can assist in your plan to increase success in reading:• Power of the Booktalk • Family Involvement: Raising Readers

Monday at his appointed time, she asked for the deci-sion. Mark replied, “I’d like to learn how to write a story.” DING! DING! DING! After two years of con-certed, purposive efforts, here was the first glimmer of intrinsic motivation. Decades later his teacher still tells the tale of this memorable “AHA!” moment. Probably none of you would assert that this was harmful brib-ery. Indeed, Mark’s teachers coaxed, cajoled, charted, graphed, and celebrated his small steps towards the goal. They structured his success, which over time paved the path for motivation that comes from within.

Let’s look at this from the classroom context. Are candy jars, treasure chests, pizza parties, token economies or point systems cause for alarm? Perhaps, if overused as the only form of positive reinforce-ment. If used for behavior management eventually leading to students taking more responsibility, why not? I recall a fifth grade classroom where the wave of hormones led to widespread verbal hassle and ugli-ness to one another. Over a month, the clever teacher used a variety of gimmicks that deflected the behav-ior into learning experiences. They charted the daily frequency with various incentives for declining rates; they formed a hassle committee, establishing rules

for handling complaints; they wrote a hassle advice column and published a newsletter of their efforts to take home; they achieved their long term goal for a field trip by putting in place measures where they were solving the problem. Bravo!

An even larger example is the sixth grade team bom-barded with student requests for an end of year dance. “Dance” was a trigger word for some parents, but “mu-sic party” was acceptable. The teachers devised a token economy in which points were earned to purchase the ticket for admission to the afterschool event. To their amazement, work production and on task behavior pre-vailed, even from chronic offenders. Plus, students took charge of reminding each other, “No ticket/no party!” This smart use of extrinsic motivation turned the hectic closing of school into the Merry Month of May.

► Misunderstanding Motivation continued from page 7

Read more from Dr. Simpson in the Resources section at www.tepsa.org.

Dr. Grant W. Simpson is Dean of the School of Education at St. Edward’s University. He also serves on the State Board for Educator Certification with a term expiring February 2017.


Make your reservations directly with the Austin Omni Southpark Hotel:4140 Governors Row • 800-843-6664TEPSA room rates: $126 single/double; $158 triple; $178 quadCut-off date: September 13, 2015

Register by September 15 and save! Member - $267 (Register by Sept 15 - $217)Nonmember - $327 (Register by Sept 15 - $277)Registration includes snacks on Sunday, Monday’s breakfast and lunch, and Tuesday’s breakfast.

October 4-6, Austin Omni Southpark

Maximize your leadership potential! Learning includes a focus on improving instruction through teacher evaluation, time management, discipline and legal updates. Plus some serious fun learning to build a positive campus culture!

Assistant Principals Conference

AgendaSunday, October 42:30-3:30pm Registration

3:30-5:30pmYou’re More Than an Assistant Principal...You’re an “Awesome-ness Promoter”Heather Patterson, Lamar CISDLooking to make your job as the Assistant Principal more than the three Bs: books, buses and behavior? Make that happen by choosing to be in the business of being AWESOME! Learn effective, easy, and downright fun take-aways to engage staff and transform your cam-pus by tweaking your job title from Assistant Principal to “Awesome-ness Promoter”! Bring your electronic device, as there will be lots of visuals and ideas to document.

Monday, October 58-8:30am Breakfast

8:30-11:45amFrom Rigor to VigorJohn Wink, Tatum ISDEffective leaders not only need to know what rigor is, but how to put it in action. Help teachers plan, deliver, reflect, intervene and extend high levels of rigor with fidelity. Design a personalized plan to transform your campus definition of rigor into actionable steps for teachers using the power of professional development and professional learning communities aligned to T-TESS.

11:45am-12:45pm Luncheon SpeakerHeather Metzgar, Midway ISD, 2015 National Assistant Principal of the Year for Texas

1-4pmFundamental LeadershipSean Cain, Lead Your School Focus support with the five fundamental leadership practices that increase staff capacity and drive the con-tinuous improvement of your campus.

Register online at www.tepsa.org.

Tuesday, October 68-8:30am Breakfast

8:30-10am Legal MattersKevin Lungwitz, TEPSA General Counsel From appraisals and contracts to discipline and par-ents, learn how to handle the most pressing matters for assistant principals. Return to campus with the most up to date legal information in order to stay out of trouble. 10-10:15am Break

10:15-11:30amBe a Leader Not a DisciplinarianPhillip Hubler, Austin ISDDiscover techniques and strategies that can reduce discipline by up to 70%, improve academic achieve-ment, and allow you more time to be an educational leader. Develop a culture of respect on your campus.


Legal Ease/Kevin Lungwitz

Teachers and principals are frequent targets of stinging, sometimes false, public criticism. Not too long ago, the local newspaper was the place where criticism surfaced, sometimes filtered for factual truth by a professional journalist. Today, that is rarely the case. It is more likely criticism is generated on social media, an unfiltered medium with no trained journalists. Angry parents and students have direct access to a broad audience, and their target may be you. Can you discipline the student? Can you sue the parent for defamation?

What is Defamation?According to the Texas Supreme Court, there are two kinds of defamation: 1. Libel is a false statement expressed in written or other graphic form that tends to…injure a living person’s reputation. 2. Slander is a false, spoken statement published to a third party without justification or excuse.1 Technically, you have the right to sue those who defame you. In practice, it may be a tough row to hoe. Here are some defenses or legal hurdles you may face:

The Absolute PrivilegeAn “absolute privilege” means there is no remedy at law for the statement, even if it is maliciously false. This applies to statements made in judicial proceedings, where witnesses should not have to fear the threat of collateral lawsuits. The absolute privilege also applies in some “quasi-judicial” governmental proceedings, because “every citizen should have the unqualified right to appeal to the agencies of government for redress, without the fear of being called to answer in damages.”2

In one Texas case, several teachers filed a grievance about alleged mistreatment of students by the elementary principal and assistant principal. The grievance was heard in open session and was published the next day in the San Antonio Express-News. The assistant principal sued the teachers for defamation. In the first case of its kind, the San Antonio Court of Appeals held that the school district grievance system was quasi-judicial in nature “to protect the integrity of the proceeding itself,

I’ve Been Slammed on Social Media!

First Amendment Rights of Students and Parents


legal easeWebinars with Kevin Lungwitz

Free for members! Join Kevin Lungwitz for cur-rent education law updates and information on legal hot topics. New season coming this fall. Archived recordings are available 24/7 to all TEPSA members. Visit www.tepsa.org.

}Upcoming Webinars:September 10: What is “Reasonable Force” in the School House?Many new teachers, as well as some veteran educa-tors, believe you cannot touch a student at school. Is this true? No. And yes. Tune in to this month’s Legal Ease webinar for clarity and understanding about these “touchy” issues.

October 8: Help! I’ve been slammed on social media! First Amendment Rights of Students and ParentsIt’s only a matter of time before an angry parent or disrespectful student slams you on Facebook or Twitter for all the world to see. How can you legally respond in light of First Amendment rights? Kevin sheds light on some of the issues and challenges.

and to insure that the decision-making body gets the information it needs.”3 The Court dismissed the assistant principal’s case without ever judging the veracity of the teachers’ statements. Even when an individual speaker is not deserving of the privilege, the law protects the process. The absolute privilege suggests formal proceedings conducted pursuant to policy or law will immunize a speaker from a defamation lawsuit. Angry parents, students, and staff would be best advised to bring their complaints within the formal grievance process, where their complaints are protected, rather than airing them out on social media.

Does the Student’s Speech Fall Within the Long Arm of the School’s Jurisdiction?Students have First Amendment rights, but a student’s school speech may be disciplined if it is vulgar or lewd, if it bears the “imprimatur” of the school (think school newspapers and other school communications), or if it is harmful to other students, such as certain drug-related speech.4

What about off-campus speech on social media? Is that school speech? A school will have to prove there is reasonable cause to believe the speech is, or will be, materially and substantially disruptive to the school environment.5 As the following cases will show, this is a tough burden when it comes to disciplining a student for criticizing or lampooning a schoolteacher or principal.

In Layshock v. Hermitage Sch. Dist., a 17 year-old student, at his grandmother’s house, created an offensive MySpace page highly critical of the principal.6 It contained a picture of the principal from the school website. The school claimed the speech was lewd and disruptive and disciplined the student. The court overturned the discipline saying the speech was First Amendment protected because it was a private activity and was not shown to disrupt the school environment. On the same day, the same court decided J.S. v. Blue Mountain Sch. Dist. 7 Here an 8th grade honor roll student, on her home computer, created a fake MySpace page of the principal, which portrayed the principal in a highly offensive manner. The school found the speech to be lewd and disruptive and disciplined the student. The court said the First Amendment protected the speech because it was private, even if some students knew about it.

The courts have shown less tolerance when it comes to abusive, private speech directed at students.8 Also, the First Amendment will not protect a true threat.9

Truth, Opinion and SatireThe First Amendment will also protect truth, opinion and satire. You cannot successfully sue a parent or student for expressing their non-factual opinion that, “The principal is a jerk,” because it cannot be objectively proven true or false.10 But if a parent says, “In my opinion the principal stole PTA money,” that is not an opinion just because it is ► page 15


Fall Summit: A Day for LeadersNovember 5 | 8am-3:30pm | Grapevine Convention Center

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8-8:30am: Check-in and Coffee

8:30-11:30am: From School Administrator to School Leader with Dr. Brad Johnson

11:30am-12:30pm: Lunch (included with registration)

12:45-2pm: Breakout Sessions

2:15-3:30pm Breakout Sessions

Afternoon Sessions:• Grit Happens with Kimmie Etheredge• Genius Hour with Andra Penny• And more!

From School Administrator to School Leader: 15 Keys to Maximizing Your Leadership PotentialBecome a leader who truly empowers and inspires others, and move from being an administrator who simply gets things done to a leader who motivates others to succeed! Learn how to:• Develop your strengths and those you lead.• Influence school culture.• Communicate effectively.• Be flexible, adaptable, and creative.• Respond effectively to crisis.

Dr. Brad Johnson has more than 20 years experience in education. He has written several books and his articles have been published in Education World, Education Digest, HuffPost, and Teacher Gazette. He interviewed more than 30 top international leadership experts for the book From School Administrator to School Leader: 15 Keys to Maximizing Your Leadership Potential which

he coauthored with Julie Sessions.

RegistrationMember: $255 (Register by October 5, pay $205)

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Hotel InformationIf you require overnight lodging, the Comfort Inn is located near the Grapevine Convention Center at 301 Capitol Street.

Call 817-329-9300 or visit www.choicehotels.com/texas/grapevine/comfort-inn-hotels. Rate at time of publication is $129.

Register online at www.tepsa.org

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► I’ve Been Slammed on Social Media! continued from page 13

Kevin Lungwitz is TEPSA’s Outside General Counsel.

Note: Information from Legal Ease is believed to be correct upon publication, but is not warranted and should not be considered legal advice. Please contact TEPSA or your school district attorney before taking any legal action, as specific facts or circumstances may cause a different legal outcome. Archives of past columns are available to members in Legal Resources at www.tepsa.org.

couched as one. That is a statement that is defensible if true and actionable if false. Satire and humor is usually protected because an audience is less likely to assume the satirist is expressing fact.

Is a School Principal a Public Official? Public officials are expected to have thicker skin than the rest of us. If you have a public job that places you squarely in the public eye, the courts will give more leeway to those who criticize you, even when they play fast and loose with the facts. Instead of proving negligence, a public official has to prove the defamatory statements were made with malice; the statements were known to be false when made. A superintendent is most likely a public official. An assistant principal is a lot less likely to be a public figure. What about a campus principal? The courts are divided, though most lean toward the public official designation. 11 Where it is unclear, courts might be persuaded based on the principal’s authority, the size of the campus or the profile of the issue being debated. If the principal finds himself or herself in the middle of a contentious public issue, the principal is more likely to be considered a public official for defamation purposes.

Endnotes1Diamond Shamrock Refining and Marketing Co. v. Mendez, 844 S.W. 2d 198 (Tex. 1992)2Hernandez v. Hayes, 931 S.W. 2d 648, 653 (Tex. App. - San Antonio 1996, writ denied)3Id.4See Bethel Sch. Dist. v. Frasier, 106 S.Ct. 3159 (1986); Hazelwood Sch. Dist. v. Kulmeier, 108 S. Ct. 562 (1988);

Morse v. Frederick, 127 S.Ct. 2618 (2007) 5Tinker v. Des Moines Sch. Dist., 89 S.Ct. 733 (1969);6650 F.3d 205 (3rd Cir. 2011) (unanimous decision).7650 F.3d 915 (3rd Cir. 2011) (8-6 decision), cert. denied, 132 S.Ct. 1097 (2012)8See Kowalski v. Berkeley, 652 F.3d 565 (4th Cir. 2011), where a high school student, on her home computer,

created a highly offensive MySpace page aimed at a fellow student. The MySpace page creator sued over her discipline claiming a free speech violation. In affirming the discipline, the court said, “There is surely a limit to the scope of a high school’s interest in the order, safety, and well-being of its students when the speech at issue originates outside the schoolhouse gate. But … the nexus of [the critical speech] to [the] High School’s … interests was sufficiently strong to justify the action … [to protect] the student body’s well-being.”

9See Ponce v. Socorro Indep. Sch. Dist., 508 F.3d 765 (5th Cir. 2007) (Student’s punishment upheld for fictional writing considered a terroristic threat.)

10See Borzellieri v. Daily News, 975 N.Y.S. 2d 365 (N.Y. App. Div. [Queens], 2013)11See Johnson v. Robbinsdale Indep. Sch. Dist., 827 F. Supp. 1439 (D. Minn. 1993), and Collins v. Taos Bd. of Educ.,

898 F.Supp. 2d 1193 (D.N.M. 2012). Both cases discuss whether principals are public officials and both courts hold that an elementary school principal is a public official.

ConclusionNo one has a right to defame your character. If you find yourself slammed on social media, whether you can discipline the student will depend on how close and substantial the disruption is to the school environment. Whether you can successfully sue a parent for defamation will depend on the facts of the case and may be tempered by the factors described above. You should preserve the evidence and consult legal counsel if you believe you have been unfairly injured. Most of the time, it will be best to let the controversy blow over and hope that short attention spans and the rapid-fire news cycle will quickly bump you off of the front page.


Association News

The September issue of Instructional Leader features the first article in a new six-part series on “Creativity in the Classroom.” The series will:• explore creativity crisis in education.• provide viable national and educational programs

to end the critical decline in creative skills.• highlight requirements for creativity-nurturing

classroom environments.• offer interdisciplinary activities and teaching

resources for their implementation.

The series is authored by passionate and involved educators, administrators, artists and business partners who believe the nation’s future educational, economic and entrepreneurial success depends on advancing the creativity of young people.

In the first article, longtime Texas arts educator and advocate, Patricia Barry, explores the creativity crisis and shares artist Brendan O’Connell’s response to the current dilemma. To learn more and participate in the Everyartist Initiative and Everyartist Live (October 29) visit http://www.everyartist.me. Both Patricia and Barry will be among a panel of experts presenting September’s Lunch and Learn webinar (see page 18) on “Sparking Creativity: A National Initiative.” Subscribe to Instructional Leader at http://www.tepsa.org/?InstLeaderHome.

CreativityNew Series and Resources

“It is the supreme art of the

teacher to awaken the joy

in creative expression and

knowledge.” -Albert Einstein

Resources to Share with TeachersEveryartist: http://www.everyartist.meEveryartist is a social enterprise devoted to igniting the creativity innate in every child. Website serves as a learning center, art exhibition platform and creativity space for young artists, parents, teachers and mentors.

edutopia: http://www.edutopia.org/blogs/tag/creativityIdeas and resources on creativity.

Do Schools Kills Creativity? Ken Robinson TED Talkhttp://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity

Education Web - Champion Creativity: The Power of Arthttp://www.edweb.net/creativity

te@chthought: 101 Ways For Teachers To Be More Creative http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/101-ways-for-teachers-to-be-more-creative/

ASCD’s Fundamentals of Creativityhttp://bit.ly/fiveinsightsFive insights to help nurture student creativity in ways that enhance academic learning.

Mind/Shift: How Integrating Arts Into Other Subjects Makes Learning Come Alivehttp://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/01/13/how-integrating-arts-into-other-subjects-makes-learning-come-alive/


Association NewsRecognize Excellence in the ProfessionTEPSA is currently seeking nominations for the 2016 Texas National Distinguished Principal (NDP) award. This prestigious award recognizes exemplary school leadership. The award recipient represents Texas at the NDP program in Washington, D.C. and receives $10,000 from Mentoring Minds. Nominees must meet all criteria for selection.

Following are opportunities to honor excellence in the profession. More information is available at www.tepsa.org.

Thank you TEPSA partners:

National Distinguished Principal Nominate a principal by Dec 20.Jan 11: Nominee Interest Form/

Intent to Apply dueJan 22: Completed application due

National Assistant Principal of the Year for TexasIn partnership with the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) one current TEPSA Region Assistant Principal of the Year will be selected as the National Assistant Principal of the Year for Texas.

TEPSA Region Assistant Principals of the YearSelected by their peers at the TEPSA region level, this award recognizes assistant principals for their efforts to improve student learning. Recipients may apply for the national award. Contact your TEPSA region officers.

Region TEPSANs of the YearSelected by their peers at the TEPSA regional level, this award recognizes school leaders for outstanding service to the associa-tion. Contact your TEPSA region officers for information.

Character.orgRecognizes PreK-8 schools and districts demonstrating outstand-ing character education initia-tives that yield positive results in student behavior, school climate and academic performance. Application due December 1.

H-E-B Excellence in Education AwardHonors outstanding public school professionals. Completed applica-tion due January 11.

Horace Mann finds another way to partner with youNo one loves to form partnerships with educators more than Horace Mann. It’s why so many school districts welcome our agents into their buildings and why so many teachers take advantage of our insurance and retirement planning expertise.

A new partnership with DonorsChoose.org helps donors find teachers who need financial assistance for classroom projects big and small. Teachers post their projects, donors choose projects to support, and teachers and kids benefit with materials

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Contact your local agent today or visit horacemann.com

Becoming a Public School Ambassador: A How-to Book by Educators

“Although our public schools are performing better today than ever before, public confidence in them has hit an all-time low. So, the million dollar question is, how do we strengthen public confidence in our public schools with so many forces working against us?” (Milder & Braddock, 2012, page 9).

TEPSA’s Board of Directors have added the book Hello! My Name is Public School and I Have an Image Problem to their list of must-reads for the year. The book, by authors and educators Leslie Milder and Jane Braddock, provides a step-by-step approach to help educators become ambas-sadors of their schools and shine the light on all the good things happening on campuses across the country. The book offers strategies for restoring public pride, hope, optimism, and con-fidence in public schools and in public school educators.

Learn more at http://fotps.org/headlines/hello-my-name-is-public-school-and-i-have-an-image-problem/.

Source: Friends of Texas Public Schools.


Tech Lab/Trae Kendrick, Ed.D.

Dr. Trae Kendrick is TEPSA’s Chief Information Officer.

Read more tech tips in the Resources section at www.tepsa.org.

andLearnLunch

Grab your lunch and join us for online learning on timely topics. Free for current members! All webinars will be held from 11-11:45am Central. No registration required. Visit www.tepsa.org.

Upcoming Webinars: September 2 - Sparking Creativity: A National InitiativePassionate about creativity? Learn from artist Bren-dan O’Connell, TEPSA and NAESP lifetime member Principal Gale Parker, and long-time elementary educator Pat Barry how to empower your staff and students to be more creative in school.

October 7 - Redesigned Faculty MeetingsKaty ISD Principal Kris Mitzner shares ways to trans-form your faculty meetings to 30-minute sessions focused on professional learning, relationship building and problem solving. Use technology to redesign your time and enhance learning experiences for your staff.

Email overload is a reality in today’s fast paced digital world. According to The Radicati Group, a technol-ogy market research firm, the average person using email for business purposes now sends or receives 121 emails per day. Multiply that times 200+ days an elementary school leader works, and you have a mountain of email to manage. Here are two tips—one for sending and one for receiving—that are sure to help you work efficiently and effectively and keep you from being buried under the mail mountain.

Tip for Sending Emails:The subject line of your email is crucial if you want your email to be read by your recipient. Remember, if you are sending/receiving 121 emails per day, the person to whom you sent the email is likely doing the same. Your recipient is rapidly scanning subject lines to filter out unnecessary or irrelevant email.

Research from Constant Contact, a leading online marketing company, shows the education industry

has a 31.9% email open rate, which means that of the 121 emails you send/receive a day, only 47 of them will be opened. If you want your email to be read, then the subject line will have to capture your recipient’s attention immediately and accurately and concisely communicate its importance. The recom-mendation is 50 characters or less.

Tip for Receiving Emails:Microsoft Outlook is the most popular email client used today. In Outlook, you are able to set rules your email account will automatically perform based on guidelines you set. These rules are designed to keep the mountains of email you are receiving organized and assist you in not only responding efficiently, but also storing/retrieving old messages quickly.

Rules are set in the “Settings” of Outlook. Under Manage Rules, you will set the conditions and actions for incoming emails. For example: You want to group all emails from your superintendent in one folder so you can ensure that folder is checked and monitored daily. Once you are in Outlook, go to Settings > Man-age Rules > New. Then select the condition “Sender contains” and identify your superintendent’s email address, [email protected]. Then select an ac-tion, “Move to” and designate the desired folder.

Happy climbing! May you reach the summit and still be breathing!

Climbing Mount Email: Two Tips To Ensure Success


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Contact InformationTEPSA does not sell or rent membership information. By joining, you give TEPSA per-mission to send you information by fax or email. You will have the option to opt out.

❑ New Member ❑ Current TEPSA Member ❑ I am already an NAESP member. NAESP membership ID# _____________

First Name MI Last Name Preferred First Name

School/Work Mailing Address

School Name/Adm Building

Address

City State Zip+4

Work Phone xxx-xxx-xxxx Preferred Email

Region School District

Home Mailing Address

Address City State Zip+4

Cell Phone xxx-xxx-xxxx

Preferred Mailing Address: ❑ School/Work ❑ HomeLast 4 Digits of Social Security #_____________(Used for ID purposes only)If new member, who referred you?___________________________________

Professional Status/District InformationGrade levels served: ❑ 1st ❑ 2nd ❑ 3rd ❑ 4th ❑ 5th ❑ 6th ❑ 7th ❑ 8th ❑ Kindergarten ❑ PPCD ❑ PreKPosition: ❑ Principal ❑ Assistant Principal ❑ Supervisor/Director ❑ Private School Administrator ❑ Teacher ❑ Other___________________________________

Optional Demographics InformationDate of birth (MM/DD/YYYY):_____________ Gender: ❑ Male ❑ FemaleDo you teach at a university/principal preparation program? ❑ Yes ❑ NoIf yes, program name ______________________________________________

Mail: TEPSA, PO Box 140843, Austin, TX 78714-0843Online: www.tepsa.org Fax: 512-478-1502

The membership year is September 1 - August 31.

Thank you for joining! Login to www.tepsa.org to start taking advantage of your benefits!

Texas Elementary Principals & Supervisors Association Serving Texas School Leaders www.tepsa.org

Membership Categories & DuesVisit www.tepsa.org for more details.

❑ TEPSA/NAESP — $479TEPSA comprehensive benefits plus National Association of Elementary School Principals membership.❑ Comprehensive — $373Includes professional liability and legal defense coverage & Instructional Leader.❑ Basic — $323Includes professional liability and legal defense coverage.❑ Aspiring Administrator — $65Must be paid in full. Excludes professional liability and legal defense coverage. Prep program name:________________________❑ Associate — $130For superintendents, full-time university professors, state agency and Education Service Center staff. Excludes professional liability and legal defense coverage.❑ Retired Member — $250One-time payment. Excludes professional liability and legal defense coverage.❑ Life Member — $2,500Must be paid in full. Billed annually for professional liability and legal defense coverage.

Subscription❑ Instructional Leader — $50Included in Comprehensive and TEPSA/NAESP memberships.

Total amount due $________

Payment Method Dues are a deductible business expense. Aspiring Administrator must pay in full.

❑ Full payment enclosed❑ Credit card (Login to pay online.)❑ Purchase Order (Attach PO copy.) PO#__________________________ Invoice will be mailed to your district. Payment due 30 days from renewal date.

Sept/Oct News

2015-2016 Membership Enrollment

Payroll Deduction You must send a copy of your membership form to your school district business office and submit the original to TEPSA. Allow up to eight weeks for your payroll office to begin sending payment to TEPSA. When deductions begin, ensure you are deducting the proper amount in order for your membership to be paid in full by June 30, 2016. TEC § 22.001 requires school districts to provide payroll deduction for professional or-ganization dues to employees who request it.

❑ I authorize payroll deduction.

______________________________Signature required for payroll deduction.


TEPSA Regional Meetings

TEPSA’s Student Council Leaders ‘R’ Us Workshop

presenters are ready to train your students and advisors!

(from left to right): Caren Edelstein, Deb Beasley,

Carolyn Solomon, Sue Jasper & Anne Loftin Ball

September8 Region 1 Meeting: 9-10am @ Hampton Inn, McAllen Information: Dianabel Gómez-Villarreal, [email protected]

21 Region 19 Meeting: 5:30pm @ Julio’s Cafe Corona, El Paso Information: Mike Mackeben, [email protected]

22 Region 18 Meeting: 4:30-6pm @ GreenTree Country CLub, Midland Information: Tanya Bell, [email protected]

23 Region 8 Meeting: 11am @ El Chico, Mount Pleasant Information: Ella Duren, [email protected]

23 Region 15 Meeting: NooN-1pm @ Region 15 ESC, San Angelo Information: Cheri Braden, [email protected]

24 Region 17 Meeting: 11:30am-1pm @ Lakeridge Country Club, Lubbock Information: Sherrie Warren, [email protected]

October1 Region 20 Meeting: 4:30-6:30pm @ TBD, San Antonio Information: Susan Peery, [email protected]

7 Region 16 Meeting: 9am-NooN @ Region 16 ESC, Amarillo Information: Mike Word, [email protected]

8 Region 7 Meeting: 11am @ Traditions, Tyler Information: Cindy Tierney, [email protected]

8 Region 12 Meeting: 5:30pm @ Schoepf’s BBQ, Belton Information: Lance Malburg, [email protected]

13 Region 2 Meeting: NooN-1pm @ Harrison’s Landing, Corpus Christi Information: Annette Sanchez, [email protected]

14 Region 5 Meeting: NooN-1:30pm @ TBD, Beaumont Information: Julie Gauthier, [email protected] 14 Region 6 Meeting: 10:30am @ Smith Elementary, Magnolia Information: Leah Russell, [email protected]

15 Region 3 Meeting: 11:30am-1pm @ The Sendera, Victoria Information: Gabe Adamek, [email protected]

21 Region 9 Meeting: 9-10:30am @ Region 9 ESC, Wichita Falls Information: Blake Enlow, [email protected]

See the complete TEPSA Calendar at www.tepsa.org.

Educators need answers, tooDo you have financial questions? Our expert insurance professionals offer free, educational workshops

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501 East 10th StAustin, TX 78701800-252-3621www.tepsa.org

PRSRT STDU.S. Postage

PAIDAustin, TX

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Texas Education Agency’s Snapshot 2014 Additional information available at www.tepsa.org or 800-252-3621.

Calendar/Deadlines• SummerConferencecontentavailablein the TEPSA Live Learning Center. Visit http://tepsa.sclivelearningcenter.com.

•Free webinars for members - New seasons of Lunch & Learn and Legal Ease kick off in September!

•TEPSA Regional Meetings - Connect with local peers and get important up-dates at your fall regional meeting. See page 22.

•Student Council Workshops start September 24. Dates and locations vary.

• Assistant Principals Conference is October 4-6 at the Austin Omni Southpark Hotel.

• K-2 Learning Conference is October 13 at the San Antonio Convention Center.

• Fall Summit is November 5 at the Grapevine Convention Center.

• Schools of Character application deadline is December 1.

• TEPSA State Office deadline to declareintenttorunforofficeisDecember 1.

TEPSA Highlights

What the Annual Report Reveals About Texas Public Schools

Please recycle your TEPSA News copy.

Fall Summit: A Day for Leaders

See page 14.

Texas’ student population, currently at 5.1 million students, continues to grow at an incredible pace according to the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) Snapshot 2014, the annual statistical report on public schools in the state. The report shows that today’s student population is 39.9 percent larger than the 1994-95 school year, and since the 1990s almost all of the growth in the state’s public schools has been among low-income students (an increase of 81.9 percent in two decades).

The latest numbers also reflect the Office of the State Demographer’s forecast that Hispanics will outnumber Whites by 2020 and account for more than half of the state’s population by 2042. Currently, the student population is 51.8 percent Hispanic, 29.4 percent White, 12.7 percent African-American, 3.7 percent Asian. Additional findings show:• 51 percent of the state’s 5.1 million public school students are educated in 4

percent of its school districts.• Hispanics have large majorities in Houston (62 percent) and Dallas (69.8

percent) and 11 of the top 20 districts.• Only one of the state’s 20 largest districts, Conroe ISD, has a White majority

(52.7 percent). • 60.2 percent of the students are classified as economically disadvantaged;

17.5 percent are English language learners.

Sources: Texas Education Agency. (2015, July 9). “2014 Snapshot: School District Profiles now available on TEA website.” Available at http://tea.texas.gov/About_TEA/News_and_Multimedia/Press_Releases/2015/2014_Snapshot__School_District_Profiles_now_available_on_TEA_website/.

Ramsey, R. (2015, July 15). “Analysis: Texas schools, by the numbers.” The Texas Tribune. Available at http://www.texastribune.org/2015/07/13/analysis-texas-schools-numbers/.

Ramsey, R. (2015, July 15). “Analysis: Schools Changing, and Not How You Might Think.” The Texas Tribune. Available at http://www.texastribune.org/2015/07/15/analysis-schools-changing-and-not-how-you-might-th/.

2015 tepsa september/october news

Documents