2007
Diversity Leadership Awards
February 8, 2007
Plano
ISD's Diversity Advocacy Committee (formerly Multi-Ethnic Committee)
presented awards to groups and individuals within the school district
who foster the improvement of relations
and understanding between individuals and groups of different races,
cultures, ethnicities, or religions. Awardees were honored at Plano
ISD's annual Martin Luther King Tribute event held in January and
attended by approximately 1,000 students,
staff,
parents
and community members.
Mendenhall
Elementary School
Family Involvement Team
Sally
Silva, Geegee Thorn and Rita
Barsotta (center, l-r) are honored
by Diversity Advocacy Committee members Ayaz Malik and Rob
Stewart (left) and honorable mention winners Skaggs PTA President
Kristin Ingram (red print blouse) and Cara Mendelsohn, Huffman
PTA President.
Capturing
the group award were Geegee Thorn, Rita Barsotta and Sally Silva,
three educators who have been instrumental in
making new families feel welcomed and important at Mendenhall
Elementary School and in the community.
The
programs they offer include English Classes for Adults to assist
with job skills, Parents Crafts Class to promote camaraderie,
Computers for Families to aid with school needs, and Summer Family
Field
Trips to acclimate them to the community.
The team also works with the PTA board as multi-cultural representatives
to ensure that all families’ voices are represented in campus
decisions. These three educators are united by their creativity,
exuberance, passion and commitment to insure equality and dignity
for the children at Mendenhall and their families.
Group Honorable Mention Awards
- Huffman Elementary School PTA
- Skaggs Elementary School PTA
Barbara Salamone, Principal
Stinson Elementary School
Barbara
Salamone (center) is congratulated by Ayaz Malik and Rob Stewart
of the Diversity Advocacy Committee. Looking on are honorable
mention award winners Carmen Sifuentes and Sonja Bens Harrison.
The individual diversity leadership award was presented to Barbara
Salamone. The principal at Stinson Elementary School often
says it is the people, not the programs, which will make a difference
in
the
lives and
education
of our
students.
She believes that it is not a single activity, but what they do
everyday to recognize diversity that leads to greater understanding
within the Stinson school community. Through the principal’s
leadership, Stinson staff, students, and community have become
advocates for
harmony, respect, tolerance, acceptance, and understanding.
Mrs. Salamone is proud that 25 languages are represented at Stinson
and talks about diversity at grade level meetings. She includes
the English for Speakers of Other Languages program, which serves
110 Stinson students, as part of the annual presentations for the
Site Based Improvement Committee.
She visits with parents and shares
what she learns about diverse cultural backgrounds with the staff
in order to create an environment of understanding among the
teachers.
Individual Honorable Mention Awards
- Sonja Bens Harrison, Student Services Coordinator
- Mara del "Carmen" Sifuentes, ESOL Assistant
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