7,000 Employees Rally
at Back-to-School Ceremony

Thousands of Plano ISD employees gathered on August 21 for Convocation 2007, the school district's back-to-school employee rally held at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano. The annual event served as a major highlight of the school district's staff inservice week. Major event sponsors were Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano and THE HEART HOSPITAL Baylor Plano.

Highlighting the ceremony was the popular keynote address from Superintendent of Schools Dr. Doug Otto and a motivating speech from 2007 Plano Senior High Graduate Sunaina Suhag.

Thanks! ... Convocation Sponsors

Baylor Regional Medical Center and THE HEART HOSPITAL Baylor Plano sponsored Plano ISD's 2007 Employee Convocation.

Pictured are Superintendent of Schools Dr. Doug Otto (center) and School Board Secretary and Plano ISD Education Foundation Liaison Lloyd "Skip" Jenkins (left), who enthusiastically accepted a donation of $20,000 from sponsor representatives (left to right) Baylor Regional Medical Center President Jerri Garison and Board Chairman Roy Lampkin, and THE HEART HOSPITAL Baylor Plano Board Chairman Bob Mundlin and President Mark Valentine.

The sponsorship by the two hospitals was made possible through a partnership with the Plano ISD Education Foundation.

Convocation Program

In addition to Dr. Otto and 2007 PSHS Graduate Sunaina Suhag, stage guests included members of the Plano ISD Board of Trustees, Deputy Superintendent Jeff Bailey and Plano ISD's 2007 Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year, Beth Hubbard and Patt Henry, repectively.

Plano ISD's Staff Chorus performed a moving rendition
of the National Anthem.

Frisco RoughRiders' Matt Stamm got the party started by providing an energizing pre-program warm up. While employees filed in, he announced stage guests and quizzed the audience with Plano ISD trivia. Participants received t-shirts emblazoned with Plano ISD's new University Readywebsite logo.

The multi-talented members of the Plano ISD Staff Jazz Band and Plano ISD Staff Chorus provided musical entertainment. Students of the Plano Senior High School JROTC Color Guard posted colors and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

The event concluded with a video based on the 2007-08 school year theme, "Mindful of Education," and the random selection of door prize winners.

Congratulations, Door Prize Winners!

Computer Systems from M&A Technology

• East Cluster - Linda Becker, Williams High School
• Central Cluster - Kathleen Parnin, Andrews Elementary
• West Cluster - Charlie Hendricks, Jasper High School

Deluxe Home Digital Presentation Station from Optoma

• Christopher Tober - Murphy Middle School

"Plano is one of the first school districts to offer its students and parents a 'one-stop shop' of online tools and resources for becoming University Ready."

~Dr. Doug Otto,
Superintendent of Schools