CPI Refresher

2 Sessions at the Palestine Back to School Conference on Aug. 18th.

Section 504

Great opportunity to update your knowledge base on this topic-

Discipline and Data with Jim Walsh

Jim Walsh Session

Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn from the always informative and entertaining legal expert!

Standards-Based Grading

Standards-Based Grading

Grading and progress-monitoring is an important issue in Texas right now, so this is an upcoming session educators may want to check out!

Certification Exams

Certification Updates

Certification Updates with Keri Elzie, TEA Credentialing Specialist

This workshop will be a half-day session on July 24 from 8:30-12:30 with

Q & A to follow if needed. Topics include, but are not limited to: certification requirements: emergency/hardship certification/permits, renewal of certificates, verifying service records, contract void and certification records management.

Please register for session 051015   https://misweb.esc7.net/index.php/your-account/register-for-workshop

FitnessGram Texas Training Program

FitnessGram Texas Training Program

Calling all Texas Physical Education public school teachers! Get FREE, in-person FitnessGram training! Attendees will receive:

·       Hands-on, FREE FitnessGram training - in person with an expert!

·       Complimentary breakfast or lunch provided by US Games.

·       Each Texas school* in attendance will receive a FitnessGram equipment pack from US Games (value of $499)!

*Disclaimer concerning eligible schools: K-2 campuses, alternative buildings, teen centers and select magnet schools do not qualify to receive FitnessGram equipment packs. Only one free pack will be issued to schools from June 2014 through July 2015.  

Register online at:   http://www.cooperinstitute.org/youth/fitnessgram/texastrainings

Training includes FitnessGram 101:

FitnessGram updates and changes from past FitnessGram versions

Test administration

Texas education code for student fitness assessment

And…each training will offer an overview of:

Goal Setting and Utilizing Reporting Capabilities

Communication with Stakeholders and Advocating for Your Program

Questions? Contact Kathy Goodlett at Kathy.Goodlett@tea.state.tx.us.

FitnessGram Texas Training Program

1.    Boys Ranch: June 3, 10:00am-2:00pm at Diffel Activity Center

2.    Corpus Christi: June 5, 9:00am-12:00pm at Del Mar College

3.    Grand Prairie: June 8^th: 8:30am-11:30am at Adams Middle School 

4.    Beaumont: June 11^th 8:30am-11:30am at Blanchette Elementary School

5.    Waco:  June 15^th 9:00am-12:00pm at Connally Junior High School

6.    Seminole: June 17^th 8:30am-11:30am at FJ Young Elementary School

7.    El Paso: June 18^th 9:00am-12:00pm at Del Valle High School

8.    Conroe: June 22^nd 9:00am-12:00pm at Gerald D. Irons Jr. High School

9.    Bullard: June 25^th 9:00am-12:00pm at Bullard Elementary School

10.  San Angelo: June 30^th 9:00am-12:00pm Glenn Middle School

11.  San Marcus: July 13^th 9:00am–2:00pm Embassy Suites Hotel

12.  Odessa: July 16^th 9:00am-12:00pm Reagan Elementary School

13.  San Antonio: July 20^th 9:00am-12:00pm Scobbe Middle School

Engaged LOTE Classroom

Attention Spanish/Foreign Language Teachers:

Region 7 has a workshop just for LOTE teachers on August 12. 

The Engaged LOTE Classroom is a one day only event with master teacher Desiree Hanson.

This hands-on workshop will equip you with teaching tools and strategies that will engage your students and take your class to a whole new level.

For more information and to register visit: https://www.smore.com/xskgj-attention-spanish-lote-teachers  

TRIBES Learning Communities

TRIBES Learning Communities

There are still slots available for the TRIBES Learning Communities training being held here at ESC7, in June 2015.

Tribes Learning Communities is designed to provide a caring learning environment for all students and staff on your campus.

Please share this training opportunity with teachers, counselors, administrators, and others in your district who may be interested.

This session is limited to 32 participants.  Click HERE to register:

Days 1 & 2:  June 15-16, 2014 will focus on creating a positive learning environment in the classroom by teaching collaborative skills, establishing agreements, and using reflection to increase learning. 

Days 3 & 4:  June 22-23, 2015 will focus on embedding the Tribes processes into instructional delivery.

Please visit the Tribes Learning Communities website for more detailed information.

This is a $300 value being provided to our the Title I Complete Contract members, and Title I Focus campuses, at NO FEE.  Others may attend for $110 fee for all four days, and includes the 30^th Anniversary Edition of Reaching All by Creating Tribes Learning Communities, by Jeanne Gibbs.

Anne McCrady Session

Through a partnership with Region 7 and Young Audiences of Northeast Texas…

Award –winning poet and storyteller, Anne McCrady is back!

Falling in Love with Language – The Secret to Teaching Poetry

Don’t miss this opportunity to attend Anne’s workshop for ELA teachers!  Learn to teach poetry in a way that brings magic to writing by using metaphor, imagery, music, allusion, emotion and much more!  Please see the attached flyers for more information. Free to members of the Academic Content Coop and Fine Arts Coop.

K-5 Teachers register for Session # 050883

July 17, 2015

  

Grades 6-12 Teachers register for Session #050885

July 31, 2015

Fine Arts Summit

It’s not too late to register for the Fine Arts Summit 2015!

Join East Texas educators in “Shaping the Future” through the arts!

Registration is open for the 2015 Fine Arts Summit!

K-12 Music, Theatre, Visual Arts, STEAM

“Equal Partners in Shaping the Future!”

June 22,2015

Region 7 ESC

Register for  Session # 047525

May is National Foster Care Month

National Foster Care Month is an important time to reflect on students impacted by foster care. Continuing to work in new ways to promote school success, school stability and encourage students in foster care is of the utmost importance. Preparing students to be career and college ready and taking steps to encourage successful transitions to post-secondary for students in DFPS managing conservatorship is not only encouraged, but is required by state law (TEC § 25.007(7)). To that end, below are some up-coming opportunities, reminders and announcements that you don’t want to miss:

Reminder for Graduating Students:

May is a good time to help ensure students in foster care have items such as caps and gowns, senior pictures, yearbooks and are able to participate in all school-related graduation activities!

Paying for College:

• Remember, Texas youth in foster care may be entitled to a LIFETIME college tuition and fee waiver, as long as a student enrolls in at least one college credit before the age of 25. Students do not need to wait until graduation to access this benefit. Consider also how eligible students could use dual credit opportunities to complete high school required classes and transition successfully to a postsecondary institution. Check the qualifications to see which students may benefit from a verification letter provided by the Department of Family and Protective Services to the institution the student is enrolled in for postsecondary courses.

• The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Deadline is June 30. Individual institutions may have different deadlines. Please contact postsecondary institutions directly for more information. Below are some resources to assist students in foster care when filing the FAFSA:

• Providing Effective Financial Aid Assistance to Students from Foster Care and Unaccompanied Homeless Youth: A Key to Higher Education Access and Success: www.californiacasa.org/Downloads/Providing_Effective_Financial_Aid.pdf

• The National Association for Student Financial Aid Administrators compiled a handy guide to help students with unique circumstances fill out the forms correctly.

• Looking for more resources to help foster care students plan for college? Visit College for All Texans, Texas Youth Connection and the Texas GEAR UP portal for additional ideas!

Texas Colleges with Support Programs for Students Who’ve Experienced Foster Care:

http://www.educationreachfortexans.org/postsecondary.html

Foster Care and Student Success Guide Spotlight:

This is an excellent time to review chapter 13 of the Foster Care and Student Success Resource Guide. “Transitioning Out of Foster Care & Post-Secondary Education Opportunities” answers questions about documents students need for life after foster care, financial opportunities available such as the Education & Training Voucher (ETV) Program and describes resources to help students make a sustainable plan for their future. If you have any questions about the information in this chapter, please feel free to contact your local school district foster care liaison or fostercareliasion@tea.texas.gov and the Department of Family and Protective Services in your region for more information.

Encouraging Postsecondary – FREE Student Opportunity:

Prairie View A&M University Summer ACCESS Program – Academy for Collegiate Excellence and Student Success (ACCESS) is a seven week residential academic camp for graduating seniors and GED students which prepares and assists students for higher education attendance. $300 student fee is waived for students from foster care. ACCESS starts Sunday, June 14^th. The application deadline was originally May 1, but they are still taking applications and it is NOT too late to register. Students DO NOT have to attend PVAMU in fall 2015 to attend this program. ACCESS information: http://www.pvamu.edu/universitycollege/access/. You may also contact Dr. Vivian Dorsett at, fostercare.can@gmail.com, for more information.

Future Training Opportunities (see attached): 

• FREE - Trauma Informed Classrooms hosted by Texas Christian University’s Institute of Child Development (for educators in Travis County). August 4-5, 2015 in Austin, TX at the Holiday Inn Midtown, 8:30-3:30pm. Registration deadline, July 20th: https://tcu.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3C5SKcEQUJogN0x

• SAVE THE DATE - Texas is hosting the National Dropout Prevention Network Conference October 25-28^th, 2015 in San Antonio, TX. A special track with professional development for Texas Foster Care Liaisons and ESC Champions will be included during the regular conference schedule.

Call for Submissions:

We want to hear from YOU! Are you doing something innovative and outstanding in service of youth in foster care? Send your stories to TEA at fostercareliaison@tea.texas.gov so we can feature your hard work in the monthly listserv message!

• Save the Date Flyer (3), Dropout Prevention Conference.pdf
• TIC invitation 2015.pdf

"Teacher Excellence" with John Wink

Click image to enlarge.

District and Campus Leadership Teams

Plan the next steps for your Professional Learning Community!

Registration Now Open for  Teacher Excellence with John Wink

Registration is now open for Teacher Excellence on August 6-7, so please share with your staff! In this two-day session, John Wink will support campus leaders and leadership teams in developing campus plans to unleash the collaborative power of professional learning communities to help every teacher grow and gain the skills to become an excellent teacher. Register Now.

Don’t miss this opportunity to work with John as you develop a plan for supporting teacher growth.  Learn about moving your Professional Learning Community to the next step through a growth mindset model!   Begin now to develop frameworks and systems to support the transition to T-TESS, the teacher appraisal system designed to develop teacher excellence! 

For more information contact:

Betty Steele, M.Ed.

Associate Director, Curriculum Services

Region 7 Education Service Center

1909 North Longview Street

Kilgore, Texas 75662

Phone: (903) 988-6821

Project Based Learning Institute: June and July

Project Based Learning Institute

Join us for a Project Based Learning Institute July 20 and 21!  Participants will delve into the why behind PBL and the steps for implementation, as well as have the opportunity to design and share their own projects through immersion in an authentic PBL environment. The pre-requisite for this training is a 6-hour online course. Register Now.

Project Based Learning Institute

Join us for a Project Based Learning Institute July 20 and 21! 

Participants will delve into the why behind PBL and the steps for implementation, as well as have the opportunity to design and share their own projects through immersion in an authentic PBL environment. The pre-requisite for this training is a 6-hour online course. Register Now.

Click image to enlarge.

For more information, contact

Delinda Wall

Coordinator

Region 7 Education Service Center

dwall@esc7.net

Phone: (903) 988-6756

Delinda Wall

Coordinator

Region 7 Education Service Center

dwall@esc7.net 

Phone: (903) 988-6756

Are Your Students Ready for College?

Save the Date

COLLEGE READINESS UPDATES:  CHALLENGING STUDENTS TO OWN THEIR FUTURE STEPHEN F. AUSTIN UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE BOARD, AND REGION 7

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

9:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Stephen F. Austin University

Fee: $0

You and fellow staff members are cordially invited to meet with local districts on Tuesday, June 2 from 9 am- 11:30 am to discuss practices that develop a culture of college readiness and success in Region 7 districts. The focus of the meeting will be the first administration of the redesigned SAT®.  

The redesigned PSAT/NMSQT® will begin in October 2015. Campuses and school districts admission offices are planning for the changes related to the redesigned SAT® Suite of Assessments.

Registration information is coming soon.

A New Way of Learning and Being Together: TRIBES Learning Communities

Tribes Learning Communities is being offered at NO COST to Region 7 Priority and Focus campuses.

Tribes supports Critical Success Factor #6, Improving School Climate, and strives to build community within the classroom and throughout the campus.

This process builds inclusion, influence and community through research-based processes and instructional strategies.  Click here for an overview video or contact Glenda Hinsley for more information.

Nominate Businesses that Support Employee Volunteerism in Public Schools

The State Board of Education (SBOE) is currently accepting applications for the 2015 Employers for Education Excellence (EEE) Award. Texas employers who encourage and support employee participation in school activities are eligible to be nominated.

Any Texas employer is eligible, including private businesses, nonprofit organizations and governmental and educational entities that meet the criteria. Employers will be eligible to receive an award at one of three levels: Bronze, Silver, or Gold. 　Eligibility is based on the business or organization meeting the following criteria: 

• Bronze – An employer that implements a policy to encourage and support employees who attend parent-teacher conferences. 
• Silver – An employer that meets the requirements of bronze, and implements a policy to encourage and support employees who volunteer in school activities.
• Gold – An employer that meets the requirements of silver, and implements a policy to encourage and support employees who participate in student mentoring programs in schools.

The EEE program requires a business to submit an application to the Texas Education Agency.　 The application form is available online; it can be downloaded and mailed to the address on the application form, or filled out online and submitted via email.

Graduation Requirements as Amended by Senate Bill (SB) 149 Announced

Governor Greg Abbott signed SB 149 into law on May 11, 2015, making it effective immediately. Region 7ESC has worked together to create the Senate Bill 149 webpage. You will find many resources, information, and contacts to assist you. Click here to view.

Texas Education Agency posted a letter to the Administrator Addressed on May 11th regarding changes in graduation requirements based on the signing of Senate Bill 149.

“There are immediate and significant changes to the state’s assessment graduation requirements, first effective with this year’s graduating 12th grade class. Emergency commissioner rules to amend the assessment graduation requirements have been filed with the Texas Register and are effective immediately.

The emergency commissioner’s rules can be viewed at the following link: http://goo.gl/sNV43P

Updates from Van ISD

Updates from Van ISD:

VAN SCHOOLS CLOSED REMAINDER OF THE WEEK
Due to storm damage, Van schools will be closed through May 15.


CAMPUSES SUSTAIN HEAVY DAMAGE
J.E. Rhodes Elementary and Van Intermediate sustain heavy damage. 

J. E. Rhodes Elementary School and Van Intermediate School sustained heavy damage from the tornadoes that came through Van on Sunday evening. We are in the process of assessing the damage and making a plan for our school children. For your safety, do not attempt to enter any Van ISD building. Please pray for our community as we recover from this tragedy.

Please make contributions to Van ISD Tornado recovery through this official donation site: https://t.co/mC3fYpWNWg @vechols @BakerLovesBooks

Don Dunn, Van ISD Superintendent posted on May 12, 2015 Facebook Post for Van ISD:

All Van ISD campuses will be closed for the remainder of the week. The first day for classes will be Monday, May 18. There is significant damage to J. E. Rhodes Elementary School and Van Intermediate School. We will not be able to have classes on these campuses for the remainder of the year. We are in the process of applying for waivers with the Texas Education Agency which would allow us to do two things. 

First, it would allow us to dismiss all pre-K through 3rd grade students from attending school the remainder of the year. Second, a waiver is being written to allow us to postpone the second administration of the 5th and 8th grade STAAR reading test which were scheduled for May 12. Pending approval of these waivers, please begin making plans for the care of your pre-K through 3rd grade child. 

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. This is a difficult time for our district and our community. Please be patient with us as we work to get back on our feet. As soon as more information becomes available, we will get it to you as quickly as possible through the VISD website at www.vanschools.org; Facebook (district and campus pages).

Statement of Commissioner Michael Williams regarding Van ISD

AUSTIN – Commissioner of Education Michael Williams issued the following statement regarding Van ISD:
"Over the past several days, I have had multiple conversations with Van ISD Superintendent Don Dunn regarding the storms that hit facilities within his district last weekend. I have assured him that the Texas Education Agency stands ready to assist with any issues he may identify. As the elementary school buildings have suffered extensive damage, agency staff has been instructed to approve the attendance waiver that will allow the district to cancel its classes for Pre-K through third grade students for the remainder of the school year. In regard to testing requirements, the circumstances provide us with the ability to work with Van ISD to provide the necessary flexibility. Superintendent Dunn has far more pressing issues relating to his students, staff and community. The thoughts and prayers of everyone at the Texas Education Agency continue to be with the city of Van during this time."

Ross Baker (@Edu2Change) tweeted at 8:41 PM on Mon, May 11, 2015:
Proud of the Van community. Love/compassion in action. Please keep praying. #edtech #vanisd #txed #VanTornado http://t.co/08KsKGti3W
(https://twitter.com/Edu2Change/status/597939738910150656?s=03)

HOW CAN WE HELP?

Please make contributions to Van ISD Tornado recovery through this official donation site: https://t.co/mC3fYpWNWg 

Online donations to an account w/Adventures in Learning for Ts to purchase supplies: https://goo.gl/kUl6bQ

Donations may also be mailed to Van ISD - PO Box 697, Van, TX 75790. Note specific purpose of donation. Thank you for all of the support!

Are Children Safe In Preschool? The Harsh Reality Requires New Skills

Are Children Safe In Preschool?

 The Harsh Reality Requires New Skills

Every year countless children are being expelled from Preschool for behavior challenges that result from a lack of skills. Teachers and Administrators are overwhelmed and the children who most need these basic skills taught are slipping away.

Often, when one of these children are expelled, they literally have no other place to go and thus a cycle of violence and poverty increases. In this video, narrated by Dr. Becky Bailey, you will learn about the problem and see the solution in action that can dramatically reduce the rates of Preschool expulsion and lessen the burden on school staff. 

Learn more about Conscious Discipline from Donna Holt, Special Education Specialist, Region 7 ESC:  dholt@esc7.net. 

Principal Survey

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is collecting information from surveys that campus principals across the state are required to complete regarding the performance of first-year teachers and the effectiveness of educator preparation programs in preparing first-year teachers to succeed in the classroom. The surveys are currently available for principals in their Educator Certification Online System (ECOS) which is accessed via TEAL at the Texas Education website:  http://tea.texas.gov/  The Principal Survey is only for first- year teachers who went through a Texas Educator Preparation program and certified as a teacher (standard certificate OR an intern on a Probationary certificate) and taught for a minimum of five (5) months.  All surveys must be submitted by Monday, June 15, 2015.

Please visit the Principal survey website for additional information including training modules and Frequently Asked Questions to assist you in the completion of surveys.  Principals will receive Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits for viewing training modules and completing surveys.  Please follow this link for more information: 

http://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Educators/Preparation_and_Continuing_Education/Principal_Surveys_to_Evaluate_Educator_Preparation_Programs/

For all questions or assistance please send an email to principalsurvey@tea.texas.gov

TEA identifies more than 400 Title I Reward Schools

Texas Education Agency (TEA) has identified more than 400 campuses across the state as high-performing and/or high-progress Title I schools for 2014-2015. Title I schools are defined as campuses with a student population of at least 40 percent low-income.

The identification of high-performing and/or high-progress Title I schools is a part of the state’s conditional waiver from the U.S. Department of Education for specific provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (commonly known as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001). The identification of high-performing and/or high-progress is based on statewide reading and mathematics assessments under the State Accountability System in the 2013-2014 school year and graduation rates.

"While we talk of the need to close the education achievement gap, the real work in accomplishing that goal is already taking place on these campuses," said Commissioner of Education Michael Williams. "Whether identified as high-performing, high-progress or both, we should be proud of what’s taking place at these schools and what it means for the future of Texas."

EcoLand Summer PD is Open for Registration

Please share the following information with all PreK/ Headstart/ PPCD/ Kindergarten Teachers at your campus.

EcoLand

Attention PreK/ Headstart/ PPCD/ Kindergarten Teachers!

Region 7ESC is excited about a new opportunity available to your students!

EcoLand is an early childhood learning center located in the city of Kilgore and is available for use by Region 7 teachers. The center features nine multi-sensory interactive learning centers where children are able to learn about the earth through investigation. EcoLand’s exhibits are paired with activities that will prepare students for higher level critical thinking that is crucial in the classroom.

To learn more about the EcoLand experience click here.

EcoLand is currently open to PreK/ Headstart teachers, however, in the fall of 2015 the center will host Kindergarten classes as well. As this is an extended learning experience for your students, teacher certification is required in order for your class to attend in the 2015-2016 school year. Teacher certification training is now online and will fill up fast!

Click here to register today! Teachers will receive 6 hours of CPE credit for attending.

2014–15 Reporting Requirements for Community and Student Engagement

TEA recently distributed a reminder that Texas Education Code §39.0545 requires each district and charter school to annually evaluate its performance and the performance of each of its campuses in the area of community and student engagement. Each district and charter must assign a performance rating of exemplary, recognized, acceptable, or unacceptable to itself and to each of its campuses. Ratings are to be assigned for overall performance as well as for each of the following categories:

•    Fine arts
•    Wellness and physical education
•    Community and parental involvement
•    The 21st Century Workforce Development program
•    The second language acquisition program
•    The digital learning environment
•    Dropout prevention strategies
•    Educational programs for gifted and talented students

Districts and charters must designate local committee(s) to determine the criteria that districts and charters use both to evaluate performance and assign ratings for community and student engagement and to evaluate and indicate compliance with statutory reporting and policy requirements.

As with last year, the locally-assigned district and campus community and student engagement ratings information will be collected through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) summer collection on the following timeline:

1.    The PEIMS Summer submission reflecting the data from the 2014–15 school year is due on June 25, 2015.
2.    The PEIMS Summer resubmission reflecting the data from the 2014–15 school year is due on July 23, 2015.
3.    For schools operating on a year-round track, the PEIMS Summer submission is due on June 25, 2015, and the PEIMS Summer resubmission is due on August 20, 2015.

The following summarizes the key points of the required PEIMS submission:
•    Districts and charters are required to assign locally-determined performance ratings and compliance statuses to itself and each of its campuses, including alternative campuses, pre-kindergarten campuses, and alternative education campuses evaluated under alternative education accountability (AEA) provisions.
•    Budgeted (non-instructional) campuses, Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP) campuses, Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program (JJAEP) campuses, and facilities operated by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department are excluded.
•    The submissions must be made through PEIMS; there is no alternative data collection system.
•    Districts and charters are required to post the ratings and compliance statuses for the district and each campus on the school district’s website by August 8, 2015. For campuses that operate on a year-round calendar, the information should be posted on the school district website no later than the last day of August.
•    TEA is required to report the local performance ratings and compliance statuses on its website no later than October 1, 2015.

In addition, each district and charter must indicate whether it and each of its campuses has complied with statutory reporting and policy requirements. Beginning with the 2014-2015 submission, a new code table, STATUTORY-REPORTING-AND-POLICY-AND-COMPLIANCE-INDICATOR-CODE (C200), will be used for this indicator. Districts indicate either a “0” or “1”, as defined below, and cannot leave the field blank.

0 – No (Not In Compliance)
1 – Yes (In Compliance)

Please address questions about the PEIMS submission requirements to TEA Statewide Education Data Systems division by emailing peimscustomersupport@tea.texas.gov. Please contact the Performance Reporting division at 512-463-9704 if you have any questions about the reporting requirements for the community and student engagement indicators.

Contact Information
Texas Education Agency
Department of Assessment and Accountability, Criss Cloudt, Associate Commissioner
Division of Performance Reporting, Shannon Housson, Division Director
Division of Performance Reporting, Ester Regalado, Director
(512) 463-9704
performance.reporting@tea.texas.gov

Get Inspired by the Texas Teacher, Named National Teacher of the Year

Shanna Peeples worked as a disc jockey, medical assistant, pet sitter and journalist prior to becoming a teacher -- a profession she says eventually chose her. She taught seventh-grade English Language Arts for six years before moving to the high school level. Peeples now teaches AP English and English III, and she serves as the English department chair as well as an instructional coach for other teachers. At Palo Duro High School, many of Peeples' students are immigrants, who come from as many as 20 different countries in some school years.  Read more at Twitter Teacher of the Year, and her professional webpage, which includes her coaching philosophy as a teacher leader.

"My students, survivors of deep and debilitating trauma, have shaped the kind of teacher I am," said Peeples. "They have taught me to never make a promise I can't keep, because so many already have learned to see the world through suspicious eyes. To be the best teacher to them, I have to remember this and honor their background. I remember so I can gain their trust because I want them to read and write their way out of where they are."

Read a letter from President Obama recognizing Shannon Peeples and his fifth-grade teacher.

Amarillo ISD teacher named National Teacher of the Year

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott, Commissioner of Education Michael Williams and Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) Executive Director Johnny Veselka today congratulated Amarillo teacher Shanna Peeples who has been named 2015 National Teacher of the Year. Peeples, an English teacher at Palo Duro High School in the Amarillo Independent School District, is the first educator from the state of Texas to earn the national honor since 1957.

The National Teacher of the Year program identifies exceptional teachers in the country, recognizes their effective work in the classroom and empowers them to participate in policy discussions at the state and national levels. The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), which oversees the National Teacher of the Year program, today announced Peeples as this year’s winner.