Convocation 2008

Superintendent Shares 'BIG Picture'

Dr. Doug Otto "When students remember their school years, I hope that you appear in many of the 'pictures' that make up the 'Big Picture' of their lives."

This was the message that Superintendent of Schools Dr. Doug Otto shared with the district's 7,000 employees at Plano ISD's back-to-school employee convocation held Tuesday morning, August 19, at Prestonwood Church in Plano.

The BIG Picture

Dr. Otto's keynote speech and visual presentation (1mg) outlined the school district's 2009 legislative priorities and Plano ISD's five-year strategic plan. He also discussed the state's accountability system, 21st century skills for students, and the need for a new focus on "value" versus "evaluation."

Employee Convocation at Prestonwood Church

Plano ISD's 7,000 employees gathered at Prestonwood Church.

'New in 2008'

"Best Places to Work Award" - Dr. Otto congratulated employees for voting Plano ISD among the "Best Places to Work in Dallas/Ft. Worth" in an online survey conducted by the "Dallas Business Journal." Plano ISD has been the only school district awarded both in 2008 and, previously, in 2006.
Student “and Family” Services Department - Dr. Otto pointed out that the former Student Services Department has been expanded to include family services, serving the community through campus-based parent education programs and the Family Literacy Program.
Employee Child Care Center - Opening this year is the Plano ISD Employee Child Care Center, located at the southeast corner of Coit Rd. and Spring Creek Blvd. The center serves approximately 90 infants and toddlers of classroom teachers.
“New” Meadows Elementary School - Students and staff at this longtime Plano ISD campus, located near Rigsbee Drive and 18th Street in east Plano, will learn together in a new facility, as the original structure was demolished to make way for the upgrade. Read more in our Construction Quarterly Report.

Legislative Priorities

Plano ISD leadership is prepared to discuss with state legislators during their 2009 session the following topics, among others.

Finance - State mandates have "frozen for three years the target revenue that each school district gets to retain ($5,408 in PISD)." He emphasized, "This is not the right signal for our state officials to send to our parents, students and communities."
Accountability - The state's "standards-based" movement has become a ‘test-based’ movement, under a bureaucratic system, noted Dr. Otto. In 1994, school districts were tested based upon 21 measures and a 70-page manual of standards. In 2008, 35 academic measures are the "standards," and they are presented to school districts in a 206-page manual . State mandates also include 24 financial accountability measures and 29 NCLB - "No Child Left Behind" measures. This has resulted in a "punitive" and "lowest-common-denominator mentality" across the state, Dr. Otto said.
21st Century Skills - Dr. Otto asked, "Are our schools going to be accountable to our government or to the public?" He emphasized the need for an accountability system of incentives and rewards and measuring:
- core subjects (including the arts);
- global and financial awareness;
- civic, health and economic literacy; and
- creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and
  information/media/technology skills.

Five-Year Strategic Plan

Dr. Otto reviewed with employees the school district's newly-adopted five-year strategic plan, which is the result of focus group sessions involving teacher, student, staff, parent and community-based groups. The plan includes a new "Vision Statement for the district and "Portrait of a Graduate" statement.

"Not on the Test"

Dr. Otto shared with employees a new music video by Tom Chapin singing Not on the Test, which resulted in hefty doses of laughter (and familiarity) from Plano ISD educators.

Top 10 Signs You're a Superintendent

Dr. Otto also shared with employees his annual (and hilarious) top 10 list, which ended on a serious note and one that's familiar to folks who know Plano ISD's top leader:

#1. "You love everyone else's children as much as you do your own."