TBEC
Honor Roll Schools
October 20, 2006
Eight Plano ISD Schools Recognized for Gains
Pictured
following a December 12, 2006, school board meeting recognition
are Principals (l-r) Michael Novotny, Jasper High School; Jane
Ball, Mathews Elementary; Mary Ann Bargmann, Skaggs Elementary;
Susan Modisette, Frankford Middle School; Liz Kirby, Beverly
Elementary; Mike Collinsworth, Renner Middle School; Sarah
Watkins (associate principal), Plano Senior High School; and
Gail Stelter, Rice Middle School.
The
Texas Business and Education Coalition (TBEC) announced recently
that eight Plano ISD schools are among 268 public schools across
the state who have earned recognition on the
2006 TBEC Honor Roll. Congratulations to:
“Schools get on our Honor Roll the old fashioned
way,” said
Jack Lowe, Chairman of TDIndustries in Dallas and TBEC’s
Business Co-chair, “they earn it. For us the bottom-line
is results. These schools help all students do well in all subjects.”
TBEC identifies
the Honor Roll schools by analyzing three years of performance
data for all Texas public schools. A school must
have a high percentage of students meeting state standards on the
TAKS tests in all subjects for three consecutive years, with an
emphasis on how many students score at the state’s highest
standard – commended – on all tests. Selection criteria
account also for each school’s student demographics, the
number of subjects tested and the grades served.
“This year’s Honor Roll Schools have achieved performance
levels higher than any one could anticipate when the TAKS testing
began four years ago,” said Mike McGuire, President of Chemshare
Corporation in Port LaVaca who heads up TBEC’s Honor Roll
committee. “The success of these schools demonstrates that
setting high standards and raising expectations for all students
is an effective tool in raising performance.”
Representatives from the Honor Roll Schools will gather in Austin
on December 4 and 5, 2006, for a Sharing Seminar in which “the
best learn from the best,” followed by a reception and awards
dinner. Because of a significant increase in the number of schools
making the Honor Roll in 2006, TBEC found it necessary to hold
separate award events for elementary and secondary schools on successive
days.
TBEC volunteers will present the Honor Roll banner to each school
at a local ceremony so that students, parents, teachers and staff,
and members of the community can join in the celebration. The volunteers
also tour the school, visit classrooms and talk with students and
staff.
“We know there are great public schools in Texas,” said
John Stevens, Executive Director of TBEC, “but most of them
don’t get the recognition they deserve, even in their own
communities. We decided to find all of them that consistently perform
to very high standards. These 2006 Honor Roll Schools are models
from which the rest of the system can learn how to educate all
kids.”
In its seventh year, the Honor Roll program is underwritten by
HEB, IBM and Washington Mutual, with support provided also by other
business and education organizations that participate in TBEC.
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