2008 Diversity Leadership Awards
February, 2008
Plano ISD’s Diversity Advocacy Committee presented Diversity Leadership Awards to individual and group winners, during the school district's annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Tribute event held on January 24 at Plano Centre.
 Individual Winner Donna Hartman
Ms. Hartman serves as Plano ISD academic diversity specialist, conducting cultural sensitivity meetings with faculty and staff across the school district to promote tolerance, acceptance and understanding of different ethnic groups. She has initiated this in addition to her role of organizing and developing programs to encourage and challenge minority students to excel academically.
Ms. Hartman formerly served as a teacher at Skaggs and Wells elementary schools, where she helped organize cultural diversity programs to help students and parents learn about various cultures and traditions. She organized events such as multi-cultural nights, which included "readings" of literature written my authors of various backgrounds. Skaggs PTA elected her a lifetime PTA member, and she was voted by her peers as Teacher of the Year in 2003.
She has presented at the state conference for the Texas Association for Gifted and Talented, with her program, "Recruiting and Retaining Diverse Students in Your Gifted & Talented Program." Ms. Hartman is a volunteer at Hope's Door women's shelter and Forest Manor, a long-term health care facility in Dallas.
Group Winner McCall Elementary School
“Parents United Around the World”
"Parents United Around the World" has increased parent involvement at McCall Elementary School. The power of teamwork is exhibited as they motivate staff members and parents to join their mission to reach families and address their diverse needs.
The organization is led by four master teachers: Margie Flores, Ginny Kivel, MaryLynn Pick and Blanca Saenz. The group has organized ice cream socials, game nights, literacy nights, multicultural events and adult ESOL classes at the school to promote parent/staff communication.
By providing the adult ESOL classes each week, the group helps parents learn to speak English and gain self-confidence to communicate with school faculty and staff more effectively.
Principal Cathy Taylor said, " As classroom teachers, they exhibit excellence in teaching every day. Quality of instruction and their talents have been extended to a wider audience."
Honorable Mention Awards
Also honored by the Diversity Advocacy Committee were the following individuals: Jimmy Moses, Haggard Middle School special education teacher; and Uzma Siddiqui, Jasper High School World History teacher.
Special Recognition was presented to the Plano Senior High School Multicultural Club and Frances A. Griffin Brown, founder of Club Generation Success, a student leadership group that has, for 12 years, assisted minority students with college, career and life success.
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