TASA Announces Five Texas Honor Boards for 2022
Five school boards from across Texas have been selected as Honor School Boards as part of the 2022 TASA School Board Awards. Each year, the program recognizes outstanding Texas school boards for commitment and service that has made a positive impact on Texas public school students.
The five Honor Boards were selected by a committee of Texas school superintendents, chaired by Aledo ISD Superintendent Susan Bohn, whose school board was named the Outstanding School Board for 2021. The selection committee’s decisions were based on criteria that include: support for educational performance, support for educational improvement projects, commitment to a code of ethics, and maintenance of harmonious and supportive relationships among board members.
The five school boards selected as 2022 Texas Honor School Boards are:
East Chambers ISD Board of Trustees, Region 5, Scott Campbell, nominating superintendent
The School Board Awards Committee was impressed by the East Chambers ISD board’s two-meeting policy process and their commitment to confronting areas of weakness. They also noted that while the district has experienced more challenges than many others (Hurricane Harvey and Tropical Storm Imelda as well as COVID-19), the board has remained focused on student success and student wellness, partnering with the hospital district to ensure students had additional counseling and medical care. They were also impressed by the district’s perfect FIRST rating.
In his nomination, Superintendent Scott Campbell said of the board: “While every board member who serves on the ECISD Board is heavily involved in the community, each of them have been very adept and skillful about not allowing the EC Board to become politicized. They enjoy such gravitas in this community that they do not find themselves in a position where they must defend their support of the school through a political lens. In short, they have earned the respect of the community.”
Goose Creek CISD Board of Trustees, Region 4, Randal O’Brien, nominating superintendent
The School Board Awards Committee stated that the Goose Creek CISD board was notable for a number of reasons, including the well-developed long-range plan they have created for the district and their policy for gaining community input. The board also seeks and incorporates feedback from the district’s student advisory council on some policy matters. Overall, the committee was impressed by the relationships that Goose Creek Board members have cultivated and how well-integrated they are into the community.
Superintendent Randal O’Brien said of the board in his nomination: “While it was a difficult school year for all of us, we continue to receive positive feedback from our families about the stellar efforts of our campus and district teams. Without the dedication of our board and absolute commitment to do whatever it takes to ensure our students’ success, we would not have been able to have completed the school year so smoothly.”
Lubbock-Cooper ISD Board of Trustees, Region 17, Keith Bryant, nominating superintendent
The School Board Awards Committee was impressed by the Lubbock-Cooper board’s ability to navigate divisive issues within the community and stand by their decisions. They also observed that the board is student-focused, having recently begun the development of a community-based accountability system. Committee members also noted how the district stands up as a regional leader, sharing what they have learned by hosting events for districts in their area.
Superintendent Keith Bryant said of his board: “This group of seven leaders are highly focused on maintaining the district’s mission of ‘building the future, one student at a time.’ They each understand their position in the district, and they conduct their roles with professionalism, dignity, and dedication so that the organization can thrive. Even though they each have different ideas and opinions on issues, they have shown their ability to come together to benefit students and staff.”
Lyford CISD Board of Trustees, Region 1, Kristin Brown, nominating superintendent
The School Board Awards Committee was impressed by the Lyford CISD board’s focus on college and career readiness and robust career and technical education program, especially considering that the district’s smaller size. They also noted the board’s solid policy-making process and the fact that board members prioritize professional development for themselves as well as for district staff.
Superintendent Kristin Brown wrote in her nomination of the board: “A foundational piece of the LCISD Board of Trustees’ effectiveness is their commitment to maintaining constructive and amicable relationships with each other. This harmony creates a steady, positive baseline tone at board meetings and at the board’s frequent appearances at student competitions and other district events. In meetings, board members are able to ask direct questions about serious problems. LCISD is fortunate to have a stable board made up of members who have a personal stake in the district. Hometown heroes we call them, and hometown heroes they are.”
Quinlan ISD Board of Trustees, Region 10, Jeff Irvin, nominating superintendent
The School Board Awards Committee was impressed that, despite Quinlan ISD’s small size, the board has worked to ensure students have an array of innovative courses and college and career readiness options. Many students earn an associate degree during high school at no cost to them. The committee also noted that the board has worked to take care of staff, increasing teacher salaries by $10,000 during the past few years.
Superintendent Jeff Irvin said of the board: “This group of individuals has worked together cohesively to achieve enormous impact within the district at all levels and in all aspects. The cooperative efforts of this board have proven to be a benefit to the educational programs of Quinlan ISD in addressing the unique needs facing the district. They have provided support, direction, stability, and a foundation for the future of the district.”
While this is the first time in the award program’s history that the boards of East Chambers ISD, Goose Creek CISD, and Lyford CISD have been selected as statewide honor boards, Quinlan ISD’s board was chosen as an honor board in 2002, and Lubbock-Cooper’s board was an honor board in 1997.
The five boards are now finalists for the program’s highest honor: 2022 Outstanding School Board. They will be interviewed September 23 at the TASA|TASB Convention in San Antonio, where one board will be named Outstanding School Board later that day. The other Honor Boards, as well as the regional winners, will also be recognized at that time.
The eight boards to be recognized as 2022 Regional Honor Boards are:
Region | Nominee | Nominating Superintendent |
2 (large district category) | Robstown ISD Board of Trustees | Jose Moreno |
2 (small district category) | Santa Gertrudis ISD Board of Trustees | Veronica Alfaro |
3 | Victoria ISD Board of Trustees | Quintin Shepherd |
6 | Navasota ISD Board of Trustees | Stu Musick |
11 | Joshua ISD Board of Trustees | Francesca Marek |
13 | Lockhart ISD Board of Trustees | Mark Estrada |
16 | Highland Park ISD Board of Trustees | Jimmy Hannon |
20 | Seguin ISD Board of Trustees | Matthew Gutierrez |
Since 1971, the TASA school board awards program has honored Texas school district boards of trustees that have demonstrated dedication to student achievement and that put students first. The program is sponsored by Google for Education and Raise Your Hand Texas for the 2022-23 school year.
TASA is the professional association for Texas school superintendents and other administrators. The mission of the organization, which focuses on professional learning, advocacy and member engagement, is to promote, provide and develop leaders who create and sustain student-centered schools and develop future-ready students.