Outstanding Educators!

I had the opportunity to attend the Texas PTA state conference this past weekend. For those of you who don't know about Texas PTA, it's quite an amazing organization. When you think of PTA you might think, oh my kids school has one of those, they do the fundraising thing. Well, yes, that is true to some extent, however they do far more than what the surface may reveal. As a 23 year veteran of education, I've attended countless conferences over the years. All of them have had merit and furthered my knowledge base. I was so impressed with the number of people in attendance. I know Texas is a big state and we tend to do everything “BIG”. This conference was BIG. It’s easy to get people to go to conferences for work, education, and hobbies. To get volunteers to attend is a whole different matter! There were about 3000 attendees including vendors. That is a lot! So likely 2500 parents, grandparents, teachers and school staff were on hand to get their learning on. Yes, volunteers, giving up one of their last summer weekends to attend a conference on learning how to better support their schools.

My school has always had an amazing PTA. They work countless hours creating services for our families, raising money to support our teachers, and finding ways to support our kids in their learning. No amount of praise is enough for these folks. I know they also work full time jobs and are taking care of their own families, but they always find the time and energy to take care of our school family too. This past weekend, I was humbled and honored to accept Texas PTA's Elementary Principal of the Year award at this conference.

My success is greatly attributed to those around me and their unwavering support. I am forever grateful for their confidence and support. Next time your PTA comes asking for help, take a minute and think about the impact you can have. Yes, we raise money, but more importantly we build lasting relationships to support our kids, our greatest asset. Never underestimate the importance of your presence in the school community. Without you, the rest becomes far more difficult!