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it!
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Sustaining Sponsors
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Show your public education
pride. Join our PROUD campaign!
May 2008
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Need
Your Help to Launch Friends PROUD Campaign!
Through our outreach programs, Friends has
the opportunity to work with talented
individuals who shape the future of our
state and nation. Believing that public
schools are the backbone to the great state
and country that we live in, Friends is
excited to launch our Proud campaign. The
goal of the Proud campaign is to highlight
individuals in various professions across
our state and draw recognition to the public
schools that provided the foundation for
success. These efforts would include
billboards/displays, posters/signage, web
site media, and speaking presentations.
In
addition to highlighting Proud Texas public
school graduates, Friends is asking that you
participate in the Proud program by
displaying your Proud car decal. To get
your Proud car decal, email Brandie Cleaver
at
brandie@fotps.org.
"I would like to challenge each of you
reading this article to put the Proud
concept to the test. The next time you are
with a group of colleagues, just ask how
many of them went to public schools. I've
never asked this question without a positive
response. Most share stories about a
difficult time in their life and a teacher
who made a difference," stated Brandie
Cleaver, Executive Director of Friends.
Are
you PROUD?
We are proud to be Texans
and truly believe that highlighting the
successes of our schools by recognizing
Texas public school graduates will make a
difference in our communities, state, and
nation. Don't miss your opportunity to
shine some light on those who made a
difference in your life or the lives of your
children. Visit
www.fotps.org and share your Proud
story. Help us launch our Proud campaign by
visiting our
website
and
making a contribution online with any major
credit card. Together, we can spread the
pride of being a product of public
education.
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Percentage of Texas 8th graders passing
math jumps from 71% in 2007 to 78% in
2008
Source: Texas Education
Agency Web site
As about 3 million
students across the state spent the day
taking a Texas Assessment of Knowledge
and Skills (TAKS) exam in math or
reading, the Texas Education Agency
announced the results of tests given
earlier this month. Eighty-three percent
of fifth-grade students and 75 percent
of eighth graders passed the math TAKS
on the first administration.
press release
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Mesquite
ISD features Friends message in District
newsletter
The
following excerpt is taken from an
article in Mesquite ISD's April
edition of In Touch
employee newsletter written by Cathy
Rideout, Ed.D - Associate
Superintendent, Instruction.
"What kills a skunk is the
publicity it gives itself!"
Those words spoken by Abraham
Lincoln can unfortunately be
used to epitomize public
education. Those of us within
the public education system too
often forget to share with those
outside the system the good news
about the successes we have
every day in our classrooms
across the state.
Unfortunately, the public too
often hears only the stories
that show the problems, the
failures, and the gloomy issues.
While the public doesn't need to
be aloof from all of the
difficult issues facing public
education, it does need to get a
frequent dose of the good news
that happens daily in our
schools. Getting the message out
that Texas schools are good and
improving every year is a job
for each person within the
public school system. There are
two organizations that are
working diligently for our
public schools by providing
positive information that will
influence public opinion. The
first organization is Friends of
Texas Public Schools (www.fotps.org).
read entire article
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Pasadena ISD Earns National Model School
District Designation for 2008
Friends congratulates Pasadena
ISD for being named National
Model School District for 2008
by the International Center for
Leadership in Education (ICLE).
Following is a note from
Pasadena ISD Superintendent Kirk
Lewis to members of his team and
community.
Dear Friends of Pasadena ISD:
I have some wonderful news I
want to share with you. Several
weeks ago we received
preliminary notice that Pasadena
ISD had been named the National
Model School District for 2008
by the International Center for
Leadership in Education (ICLE).
The designation was made
official today.
The ICLE recognized the district for
its ongoing effort to reform the
educational program in Pasadena ISD
to reflect higher standards and
greater rigor in its instruction.
The award is tied to Expectation
Graduation, the district's academic
initiative we've talked about in the
past. The International Center cited
as evidence for its award the
district's significant improvement
on TAKS over the past four years,
the decrease in high school failure
rates, its decrease in dropout rates
and its increase in student
attendance.
The gains are impressive reminders
of the work our principals and
teachers are doing each day to
change the depth and quality of
instruction to meet the demands of
today's educational expectations.
They are truly adapting to a new
testing environment and the higher
expectations of our leaders in
government and business. Be sure and
congratulate every teacher,
principal, staff member and board
member you know. It's a huge honor.
The district will be recognized at
the ICLE's Model Schools Conference
in Orlando, FL, in June. Dr. William
R. Daggett, president of the ICLE
said, "We are delighted that this
exceptional district will be sharing
its best practices, which mirror the
International Center's mission of
providing a rigorous and relevant
education for all students."
Please share the news with your
friends and neighbors and thank you
for your continued support of THE
National Model School District for
2008.
Kirk Lewis
Superintendent, Pasadena ISD
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Friends welcomes new board members
The board of directors took action on
board membership during the May 7, 2008
meeting. Members voted unanimously and
with great enthusiasm in favor of our
two nominations for board director.
In addition to participation in board
activities, each board member is
expected to participate in fund
development, serve on a board committee,
and participate in the annual board
planning. "Our board members serve as
advocates for Texas public schools and I
am honored to work along side each
member of the Friends board", said
Brandie Cleaver, Executive Director of
Friends.
For more information on pledging your
support, email
brandie@fotps.org.
Cody Cunningham,
Board Member
Communications/PR, McKinney
Independent School District
Cody received an M.A. in Communication
Studies from the University of North
Texas and a B.A. in Speech
Communications from Texas A&M
University. "It's easy to stand on the
banks of the river, speculate on its
path, and skip rocks across the top
every now and then. I see Friends of
Texas Public Schools as a vehicle to
encourage the public to step into the
water and to play an active role in
learning about and partnering with
school systems. It's much easier to see
the great things that are happening if
you are willing to move from the
periphery and stand in the middle of
it."
 Brenda
Jean Patrick,
Board Member
Master Consultant, Region 10
Education Service Center
"My
philosophy...If increasing student
achievement is the goal then start by
building relationships with their
teachers. An educator who feels
supported will perform at the level
necessary to increase student
achievement. We must be a friend of the
educator to reach the student." Brenda
Jean Patrick is a dynamic speaker and
nontraditional trainer. She is an expert
in the areas of expectations, customer
service, climate intervention, and image
coaching. Most of her clients refer to
her as "A Force of Nature".
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This month's featured sponsor
 An
independent, not-for-profit professional
association, the Texas Association of
School Business Officials (TASBO) is
dedicated to serving as the recognized
source of accurate, objective school
business and operations information,
educating its diverse membership and
constituency in professional best
practices, and promoting high standards
of conduct and professional ethics in
the industry.
TASBO South Plains Chapter invited
Friends President and CEO Scott Milder
to be their featured speaker at this
month's luncheon in Lubbock. In return,
TASBO South Plains made a $500
contribution to Friends of Texas Public
Schools.
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Test your TAKS readiness
The following question is taken from the
11th grade TAKS test.
Sickle-cell anemia is a disorder
resulting from a mutation that leads
to the production of an abnormal
protein. Which component of the DNA
molecule provides instructions for
the production of the protein?
A. The phosphate groups
B. The sugar molecules
C. The sequence of nitrogen bases
D. The bonds that hold the sugars to
the bases
answer: C. The
sequence of nitrogen bases
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Breaking down the dollar
Three cents of every education
dollar is spent on curriculum that is
aligned with state standards and that
builds on information the student
learned the year before.
To see how one full dollar is spent on
education, read Tracking the Education
Dollar by clicking
here.
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Remember to forward to coworkers,
friends and family!
Friends of Texas Public Schools
Scott Milder, President & Chief Executive
P.O. Box 3526
Harker Heights, Texas 76548
Phone:
214-497-6411
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