AIM TTUISD TCPN

TACS COMMUNIQUE’
by Barry Haenisch, Executive Director

August 11, 2015

On a flight to Dallas a few years ago I read an interesting article in the Southwest Airlines magazine. It was titled, “Brag Like Jefferson”. The author mentioned that in his school years he had learned that Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States and that he had authored the Declaration of Independence. But later in life he learned that during Jefferson’s lifetime he never publicly touted his role in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence. Intrigued, the author began to study more about the life of this man and learned that even when he was campaigning for the Presidency, most voters had not a clue about Jefferson’s crucial role in writing the foundational document for America’s freedom! Jefferson’s attitude was not based on modesty as much as it was on the fact that in his mind, the Declaration of Independence was selling an idea; it was selling America; so America got the credit!
This discovery only fired a hunger in the man to learn more and more. For instance, he learned that when the draft of the document was completed, Jefferson submitted it to a review committee, and he accepted all of the suggestions the committee offered to improve the document – even the ones with which he disagreed. Jefferson made the changes because he already knew what Jim Collins revealed to us in his book GOOD TO GREAT, that nothing great is accomplished alone. Jefferson knew instinctively that you must first “…get the right people on the bus, and then get them into the right seats before you figure out where to drive the bus.” For this document Jefferson knew that the review team members were the “right” people if the Declaration of Independence had a chance of being sold to the citizens.
Jefferson never considered the Declaration of Independence to be “his”. It was the nation’s document! The ideas expressed were bigger than one person, so others were included in the editing to make sure that its ideas were inclusive and perfect.
Sometimes humility and hard work can create a nation. Many will argue that these characteristics will always build a strong team and a successful school. Good luck this year as you build your team for success!
LAST CHANCE FOR SAN ANTONIO!
Time is running out to register for the TACS San Antonio Conference. It is only a month away! The conference will be held at the Palacio del Rio Hilton on September 13th,14th, and 15th. You know the “drill” already:
1. Golf Sunday afternoon and a reception and dinner at the Casa Rio on the Riverwalk that evening. Always a lot of fun and good food!
2. A full breakfast on Monday morning, and a morning delving into Texas school finance with some of the state’s premier experts. A Q&A will be a part of the morning’s program.
3. A delicious lunch followed by fascinating information from Evan Smith, the CEO and Executive Editor of the TEXAS TRIBUNE, and our annual members meeting to end the afternoon.
4. Monday evening TCPN hosts everyone at a reception at the Lone Star Café on the Riverwalk. You have never seen a spread like the one TCPN lays out! See it to believe it.
5. Plenty of free time to explore the Riverwalk!
6. Another breakfast (mighty good!) Tuesday morning, and then a program by three of the most influential people who can get things done at the Capitol. The conference will end before noon on Tuesday.
7. Great door prizes both Monday and Tuesday, but you MUST BE PRESENT to win one. We will not tell you all of the prizes, but would anyone like to take a vacation or have a new 60” television?
8. All of this food, fun, and information is covered with your registration fee! What a deal!!
Here’s the catch: the last day to register is August 13th. That’s this Thursday! If you haven’t already, register today by going to our website and clicking the big red ball that says “Register NOW”.
I’ll see you in San Antonio!
WE’RE ALL FRIENDS. RIGHT?
When your school is not a part of our TACS group we know what Toni Braxton was feeling when she sang, “…and I can’t get you out of my mind. God knows how hard I’ve tried.” To be an effective organization, we need each eligible school district to join with us. For that reason, those who have not yet joined may be contacted by a superintendent friend. We have discovered that each year many think they have joined, but for some reason their membership never reaches us.
Invoices for membership have already been sent twice. However, if you cannot locate either of these invoices, don’t let that stop you. Just email me at and ask for another. We will email it to you immediately. We want you to be a part of our TACS “family”!
With your district’s membership, you gain a strong voice before the state legislature and the State Board of Education on issues that matter to you. During the 84th Legislative Session TACS was actively involved before legislative committees and in working with individual legislators to ensure legislation that benefitted our members. TACS opposes vouchers and any voucher-like schemes, and this session we were again successful in defeating bills designed to divert your resources to private schools. Additionally, we are a strong voice of support for your ESC before the legislature and in legislative committees. Also, your membership provides opportunities for your students to earn scholarship money through our Academic Challenge program and, with the help of corporate partners, the TACS competitive scholarship program. Your TACS membership also provides opportunities for you and you and your staff to gain quality professional development, and reduced rates for professional liability insurance.
If you haven’t already, why not join with us today?You make our voice louder and our Association stronger!
HELP TACS HELP YOU
As you know, Senate Bill 149 created individual graduation committees (IGC) for students who had not passed two or fewer End of Course Exams so that they could graduate with their class. The bill has a “sunset” provision and it will go away in 2017 unless the legislature has good data and good reasons to continue their use. There are powerful political forces working to force the legislature to end this graduation tool in the 2017 legislative session.
TACS will gather the data and present it to the legislators, to try to counter the work of those who oppose it. However, we must have your help! Please share this information about the IGCs that were convened in your district last spring:
1. How many IGCs did your high school(s) hold?
2. How many of those IGCs resulted in the student(s) graduating?
3. Where are those graduates now?
• University with scholarship
• University with no scholarship
• Community college/certification program
• Military
• Work
We must be able to demonstrate to the legislature that the law is working! We need your data to show that undeserving students are not receiving a high school diploma, but rather it is being used to clear a path to help deserving students move to the next productive stage in their lives. With good, comprehensive data we can be successful getting the sunset provision extended or possibly eliminated.
Over 30 of you sent me your schools’ data last week. Let’s try to beat that number this week. Just send your results to . Do it today while it is on your mind!!
Barry Haenisch
Executive Director