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Lubbock Educators Association

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Lubbock ISD

Interested in joining LEA?  Please contact Clinton Gill, President, at cgill@lubbockisd.org for more information!  Dues for new members are only $140 for teachers or $75 for Educational Support Professionals!

LEA Welcomes New Officers

The 2010-2011 LEA officers began their terms on July 15 and are listed below:

President    Cherie Jenkins Iles Elem.
VP/Professional Rights Ernestine Cantu O.L. Slaton MS
VP/Legislative Stephanie Johnson Iles Elem.
VP/Membership Karen Wright Whiteside Elem.
VP/Public Relations Heather Gatlin Brown Elem.
VP/Professional Develop. Alice Keller Irons MS
Treasurer Sue Boyce Hutchinson MS
Secretary      Lynda Shelby Wolffarth Elem.

 

Lubbock Educators Association Applauds Dr. Garza and

LISD School Board for Employee Pay Raises

 

 

As a result of today’s meeting of the Lubbock ISD Board of Trustees, employees of the Lubbock Independent School District will receive a much needed increase in pay.  This raise will help Lubbock ISD become more competitive with other districts around the state.  The Lubbock Educators Association (LEA) applauds Dr. Garza and the LISD School Board for their tireless efforts to provide a raise while also adopting a balanced budget with no tax increase.

 

“Many of our new teachers graduate with a burden of college loans to pay off.  It is understandable that they look for the job that pays the best.  Lubbock ISD has ceased to be a top competitor in the job market.  Schools around the state are paying their beginning teachers a starting salary of $47,000 or more,” said Clinton Gill, President of the Lubbock Educators Association.

 

Gill adds, “Locally, it has become hard to compete with Amarillo, Midland, and Odessa as their salaries have kept more in line with other districts in the state.  As an educational organization, we want the very best teachers and support staff hired for the Lubbock schools as our district strives for excellence.  Our current educators have shown that they are willing to do the hard job as evidenced by the increased ratings on the state accountability system and the progress being made on the federal accountability system.”

 

The Lubbock Educators Association is excited that the new administration recognizes the importance of being competitive in the job market and is willing to address this issue early on.  The moderate increase in salaries is a good step in the right direction for attracting the best teachers coming out of preparation programs.  While Lubbock ISD is not on the same salary schedule with surrounding districts, LEA understands that the administration is making the best use of the dollars that are available.  LEA supports this increase in salary and appreciates the direction the new administration has taken.  Our community can take pride in the fact that the elected school board chose well in selecting the new leadership that will assist our schools in becoming some of the best in the state

 

New LISD leader: Kids are focus

By Joe Gulick | AVALANCHE-JOURNAL

Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Story last updated at 4/21/2009 - 2:02 am

Karen Garza, chief academic officer of the Houston Independent School District, was named as the sole finalist for the position of Lubbock Independent School District superintendent Monday.

The LISD board of trustees voted unanimously on behalf of Garza, who is second in command of the largest school district in Texas and the seventh-largest district in the nation.

Garza, 46, promised diligent focus on every child every day. She told parents of the school district that they and their children would always be at the center of every decision she makes.

The next LISD superintendent is a Canyon native with several West Texas ties. Her mother is from Spur, her father is from Littlefield and her parents have lived in Lubbock. Her identical twin brothers were born here.

"She has a unique blend of vision, technical skills and interpersonal skills that will serve her well here," school board president Gordon Wilkerson said. "She brings a proven track record of improvement."

Garza is believed by many to be the first female LISD superintendent, although Wilkerson said the district may have had a woman at the helm many decades ago.

She is scheduled to begin her duties as superintendent on July 1 but said she hopes to have moved here and be at work in June. By law, the school district must wait 21 days before executing the contract with the lone finalist.

"This is a huge loss for HISD and a huge gain for the Lubbock ISD," Houston ISD Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra said in a statement. "Karen has been a force for improving the academic standing of HISD and its schools. Her leadership, in working with the board of education, the regional superintendents, principals and teachers, has helped HISD to make very strong academic progress during her tenure."

She succeeds Wayne Havens, who is retiring after 41 years in education and serving as superintendent of LISD since 2003. Garza, who has known Havens for several years, thanked him and wished him well in his retirement.

"A strong foundation has been laid. The future of Lubbock has so much promise and so many possibilities, and I am looking forward to being part of that," she said.

The smaller size of the Lubbock ISD will be a big change from her current position. In Houston, she is responsible for the teaching and learning of 200,000 students and the administration of 32,000 employees and more than 300 schools.

"Just about every issue you can imagine, I've faced it at the Houston ISD," she said.

Clinton Gill, president of the Lubbock Educators Association, said the board of trustees may have hit a real home run with the selection of Garza.

"The experiences she has had dealing with students who are a challenge to educate is a plus for the Lubbock ISD. It appears she has not only the experience but the judgment and skill to help Lubbock become a top-rated district," Gill said. "Our organization salutes the board for their courage and commitment to this community. I believe we need to watch and evaluate the results of her efforts and stand beside her as she begins her work."

Lubbock-Cooper ISD Superintendent Pat Henderson said, "I look forward to meeting her and working with her. We had a great relationship with Wayne. We all get along really well up here. We congratulate her and wish her well."

Frenship ISD Superintendent John Thomas said, "I am pleased to hear that Lubbock ISD has named a lone finalist. I look forward to welcoming Dr. Garza to the Lubbock area. I know she will do a great job leading their district and she will be an asset to all of us in Region 17 as we all work together to provide the best possible educational opportunities for our students."

Roosevelt ISD Superintendent Berhl Robertson Jr. said, "I don't know Dr. Garza, but it sure looks like they hired someone who is going to be super for academic programs. I look forward to working with her in Region 17."

Lisa Leach, Roosevelt ISD Assistant Superintendent, said "I'm thrilled that they are bringing in someone who has a strong academic background. Whether she is a woman or not doesn't matter with me. We don't have a lot of women superintendents in this region. We've been lagging behind the rest of the state."

Others agreed with Leach that the gender of the new superintendent is irrelevant.

"So what? If they think that's the person to do the job, that's all that matters," Henderson said.

Lubbock-Cooper has a female assistant superintendent, and all of the district's principals but one are women, Henderson said.

"There are a lot of excellent female administrators in Texas," he said.

"This is a district and a community that wants their children to be successful and no one is going to use gender in selecting the best possible superintendent," Gill said. "The leader we must have is one that has a clear vision for our city and the skills to fulfill that vision so that we can be sure that every student has a real opportunity for success. Being able to have that vision is not unique to any one gender, race, or culture.

Lee Ann Dumbauld, Lubbock's first woman city manager, said, "Gender has nothing to do with it. Opportunities are available for everyone. I don't think it's an issue about gender. I'm delighted that the search committee has found such a qualified and intelligent new superintendent."

 

Lubbock Educators Association Praises Mr. Havens Leadership

Lubbock Educators Association President, Clinton Gill, released the following statement to the media after the retirement announcement of Mr. Havens.

*For Immediate Release*

December 5, 2008

Lubbock Educators Association Praises Mr. Havens Leadership

The Lubbock Educators Association is disappointed that Mr. Havens has decided to retire, but it is an event that comes to each of us in our turn.  Mr. Havens has sought to lead the schools in such a way that the community could always be proud of their achievements.  He cares deeply for children and has always stressed putting boys and girls first in decision making.  Like any leader who is effective, he has made decisions that everyone could not agree with, but circumstances sometime demand those kinds of decisions.  He has tried to lead the schools with the same resources that the state gave the schools in 2005, which is an almost impossible task and certainly not one that can be accomplished without giving up a lot of things.  It has been a pleasure to have a man who is honest, ethical, and caring lead the Lubbock Independent School District.  The Lubbock Educators Association always appreciated the close working relationship with Mr. Havens.  We understand that 41 years of service is certainly enough time to ask of one man, nevertheless, his quiet leadership will be missed.

Join Raise Your Hand Texas!     Bumper Sticker Image

Please take a moment to join Raise Your Hand Texas!  It is FREE and will not take more than a few seconds of your time.  Please go to www.raiseyourhandtexas.org and sign up now.  This group is solely devoted to supporting public education and public school educators.  Once you sign up, please pass the website on to your friends and family so they can sign up as well! 

August 20, 2008

LEA President Testifies before Joint Select Committee on Accountability

Today, the LEA President, Clinton Gill, testified before the Joint Select Committee on Public School Accountability.  LEA was one of only 2 education employee organizations that testified before the committee.  LCTA and Lubbock AFT did not attend the hearing nor provide testimony.  The testimony of LEA President Clinton Gill is below.

Testimony for Select Joint Committee on Public Education Accountability, August 20, 2008
Good afternoon committee members.  I appreciate the opportunity to provide testimony this afternoon on the issue of the public school accountability system.  My name is Clinton Gill and I am the President of the Lubbock Educators Association as well as a 5th grade teacher in the Lubbock Independent School District.  

Since public education is funded by tax dollars, I suppose it will always be a political football that will be kicked back and forth.  Many people running for public office have always said they were going to “improve” public education.  I think listening to good educators rather than to those who might have a special agenda might be helpful in fulfilling political promises.  What concerns me most as a teacher is the possibility that our children are sometimes forgotten about while we are making yearly improvements.  While the current accountability system has done much to improve instruction in our public schools, it has also had some negative side effects.   

Children are complex organisms and can demonstrate what they know in many different ways.  For us to have such limited thinking that one single test can tell us what a child knows and has learned is unforgivable in a time where we have many options.  If our desire is to know that a child is getting a well rounded education that will result in their being a life-long learner capable of critical thinking and good decision making, then I believe, we must evaluate our children with multiple tools.  Too much of what is needed in the development of a child is lost today to the focus of a single test, whether that test be during the year or at the end of a course. 

In my six years of teaching, I have seen student after student get so stressed about the TAKS test that they literally make themselves sick.  They know that if they do not pass the test, they face many consequences, including retention.  Take a moment to think about how you would feel if it was your child that had such high test anxiety that they could not perform well on the test.  I have always been someone that knows the information, but am not a good test taker.  I can assure you that classrooms all across this state are filled with very intelligent students that have high test anxiety.  Should this test be the sole determining factor of a student being able to move to the next grade level?  I hope you will take some time to reflect on that question and come up with an accountability system that is fair, but without such a high-stakes test.  Fair does not mean doing the same thing for all students.  It means striving to meet the individual needs of each student.  I also believe if students and schools are making progress from year to year, they should not be labeled as “Unacceptable” just because they don’t meet the standard set by someone in Austin. 

If the agenda of the state is to move from public schools to privatization of public schools, I believe the current test system has that agenda on target.  However, if the agenda is to improve instruction in schools, then we must have a system that does not penalize a good school that does well in every area but has a low score in one area.  It seems that test results are used more to highlight a fault in the school than to recognize the efforts of their success.  One area of instruction that is not successful for one particular group of students does not mean the entire instruction on that campus is failing to educate students.  I believe we can make better decisions for our students, for our schools, and we can stop trying to convince the public that some of their schools are failing. 

Many times I’ve heard the phrase that money is not the problem.  Well, to a large extent it is.  The legislature will increase the budget of any agency when costs go up except education.  I hope each of you understand that the costs go up every year in public schools.  They make the same purchases as any other business.  The numbers of students go up every year as well and that is an expense.  I think we need to bite the bullet a little bit in Texas and acknowledge that what many states are doing by putting more money into their children’s future would go a long way in “fulfilling some political promises.” 

Thank you again for your time.  I know the task before each of you is a very complex one, but I truly hope you will come up with an accountability system that will be a tool teachers can use to help children rather than a tool that merely tries to find out what a child knows on one specific day. 

Respectfully submitted by: Clinton Gill, President, Lubbock Educators Association/TSTA/NEA, 5th Grade Teacher, Lubbock ISD

April 28, 2008

TSTA honors LISD teacher and AJ Editor!

At the 129th annual TSTA state convention, Beryl Waddell from Brown Elementary, was chosen as the best Editor of a local association’s electronic newsletter.  In the picture, Beryl receives the award along with Lubbock Educators Association President, Clinton Gill, from Whiteside Elementary.  The award was presented by TSTA Vice President(on left), Ann Heuberger, and TSTA President(on right), Donna New Haschke.   LEA President Clinton Gill states, “Beryl does an outstanding job of editing our local newsletter to keep all LEA members informed on important education issues at the local, state, and national level.  It is an honor for her work to be recognized as the best in the state!”  One local association is presented with the award each year at the state convention.

Joe Hughes, Lubbock AJ Editor, was also recognized at the state convention with a School Bell Award for Outstanding Editorial on an education issue.  LEA President Clinton Gill nominated Hughes for the award based on an editorial he wrote in November encouraging support of public schools during American Education Week.  LEA President Clinton Gill states, “Joe’s always been a positive influence on public education.  We wanted to recognize and thank him for his tireless efforts of promoting public education in this community.”

February 8, 2008

Lubbock Educators Association Endorses Delwin Jones!

At a press conference Friday, Delwin Jones was endorsed by the Lubbock Educators Association for his re-election in the House District 83 Republican Primary.  Representative Jones was presented with a $5,000 check from TSTA's Political Action Committee for his outstanding support of public schools!

 

TSTA honors Nancy Sharp and Haley Burks for Outstanding Continuous Coverage of Education Events!

At the annual TSTA Convention, Lubbock ISD Director of Public Information, Nancy Sharp, and Fox 34 reporter, Haley Burks, were honored with a School Bell Award.  Journalists from around the state choose the School Bell Award recipients each year based on very strict criteria.  This year, the Lubbock Educators Association nominated Nancy and Haley for their Outstanding Coverage of Education Issues.  LEA is proud to have a great working relationship with the local media!  Shown above is Haley Burks (Fox 34), Clinton Gill (LEA President), and Nancy Sharp (Lubbock ISD Director of Public Information).  Congratulations Nancy and Haley!

Legislative Political Action Team meets with legislators!

(Pictured above L to R: Russell Teeter, Representative Joe Heflin-District 85, James Harris, Clinton Gill, and Cherie Jenkins)

A team of local leaders attended the TSTA Legislative Issues conference January 5-7th in Austin.  While there, they learned about many important issues that will be brought up in the legislative session for 2007.  Also, they met with newly elected officials to the House and Senate.  Above,  LEA leaders met with Joe Heflin, who recently won the open seat of Pete Laney.  LEA worked very hard on Mr. Heflin's campaign and came out victorious!

LEA/TSTA honors local reporter with School Bell Award

 Fox 34 reporter, Christal Bennett, has been chosen to receive a School Bell award by the Texas State Teachers Association.  TSTA honors journalists from around the state each year for journalistic excellence in the reporting of public education news.

 The Lubbock Educators Association nominated Ms. Bennett for an award in Outstanding Continuous Coverage.  The nomination was based on a number of broadcasts dealing with public education and how the legislature tried to deal with those issues.  Each segment dealt with a variety of topics and how they would impact students and teachers in Lubbock.  Ms. Bennett conducted in-depth investigations into how proposed legislation could affect Lubbock and the surrounding communities.

 Lubbock Educators Association President, Clinton Gill, praised Ms. Bennett for her outstanding work.  Gill states, “Christal is always willing to air stories that will have a true impact on the lives of students and teachers. Whether the legislature was trying to pass bills that would be harmful to the educational community or LEA was conducting activities to make the public aware of important issues, Christal was always ready and willing to cover the story.  We value the close working relationship with Christal and the entire Fox 34 staff.”

 

 

To activate your TSTA membership card:

1)  Go to www.tsta.org

2)  Click on Member Benefits and go down to Educator Access.

3)  In the upper left corner, you will find a sample membership card with "9231" typed in.  Click in the empty box and type in the rest of the numbers that are on the front of your TSTA membership card.  (You may have to try it with the zeroes and without in order to gain access.)

4)  If it is your first time to log in, it will ask you to verify your personal information.  Once you have completed the information, click on "Next."

5)  Anytime you travel, be sure to go to this site and type in the city you will be traveling to in order to receive discounts on food, lodging, entertainment, etc. with your membership card.  If it says that a coupon is needed, click on the link and print out the coupon.

 

Contact Clinton at 687-2972 or Judy at 445-0098 with any questions.
 

 

Webmaster Clinton Gill - cgill@lubbockisd.org

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