Charting the Course
with Dr. TJ Farler

January 2016
  

Heroes for Our Schools

Texas has more than 5 million students in its public schools. That is 5 million young minds from about 5 years old to about 18 years old, and our state is attracting even more. Every year, our student population increases by about 85,000 additional students.
 
In Texas, more than 7,200 generous people have offered to help. These are people who receive no pay for their dedicated efforts. These are people who not only volunteer but go through the process of standing up for public education. They are locally elected school board members. They are your neighbors, and they care.

These public servants donate their time and talents to ensure that ALL our children have the best public schools we can provide. These people sit through meetings, read detailed reports, listen to parents' concerns, and do the hard work to benefit the students and the community at large. And make no mistake about it, the whole community benefits from good schools.

Each January, we pause in our regular activities to say thank you to these dedicated volunteers. We appreciate their generous sharing of time and energy on behalf of our children.  The PTISD Board members have been invited to visit your campus and spend time with you.  Take a few minutes and thank your Trustees for their leadership and dedication to PTISD.




PTISD PIRATE PROFILES

WELCOME ABOARD!


Jack Irvin - Director of Transportation

PTISD:  What is your work background?
JI: In the mid 80's I retired from the Petro-chemical industry at ARCO. I started in school business at Huffman ISD in 1989 as their Director of Transportation. I served in that capacity until 2004 when I became the Director of District Operations which included Transportation, Maintenance, Custodial Services and New Construction. I left Huffman in 2007 and did some consulting work for TASBO, Region IV ESC and the Harris County Department of Education. I accepted a position at Montgomery ISD and served as their Executive Director of Operations. In this position I provided leadership for all support service functions excluding food service. In 2010, I accepted a position at Hays Consolidated School District and served as their Assistant Transportation Director. I have served on the executive committee for the Texas Association for Pupil Transportation (TAPT) as Area Director 2000-2002, I was selected to serve as Chairman of the TAPT Legislative Committee during three legislative sessions, and as a Texas Delegate for the 2000 National Standards. I was invited to serve as a Texas Delegate for the Southeastern States Conference on four occasions.  While at Hays CISD I served as the President of the Central Texas Association for Pupil Transportation and Chairman of the Region 13 and Region 20 Transportation Speech Contest. 

PTISD:  What is your educational background?  Degrees and certifications?
JI:   HS Diploma and two semesters at Kingwood College in Houston. I am a TAPT Certified Official and Teach Certification Classes for the State Transportation Association in Budgeting and Accident Investigation. 

PTISD:  Please tell PTISD about your family.
JI:  I have two wonderful sons and daughter-in laws, 2 perfect grandsons and 2 adorable granddaughters. My oldest son Jack  is an Assistant Principal at Bandera High School and his wife Keri is a Counselor at Bandera Middle School. My youngest Son Adam is a Computer Programmer for a data storage firm in Houston. His wife Wendy is a Corporate Sales executive for UPS. I am blessed to say my family is healthy and happy.

PTISD:  What do you do in your spare time?
JI:  Peggy and I love to garden and we have a great time canning fruits and vegetables (especially pickles). We enjoy camping, fishing and going exploring on our motorcycle, on overnight trips.


Salena Jackson, Director of Business Operations

PTISD: What is your work background?
SJ: I came to PT from Good Shepherd Medical Center where I served as Director of Accounting.  I worked at Good Shepherd for 10 years in the accounting department.  

PTISD:  What is your educational background?  Degrees and certifications?
SJ: I have a Bachelors degree in Accounting and a Masters degree in Business Administration from UT Tyler. 

PTISD:  Please tell PTISD about your family.
SJ: I have been married to my husband Steven for 10 years this June and we have one son, Kaylon, who is 15 and is a sophomore at Kilgore High School.  

PTISD:  What do you do in your spare time?
SJ:  In my spare time, I like to read, watch TV, travel and exercise (I know the last one sounds crazy but I really enjoy it!)


Melissa Saunders, Director of Pine Tree 
Education Foundation/Sports Marketing 

PTISD:  What is your work background?
MS:  For the past 4 years, I worked for the Longview Chamber of Commerce as the Business Development and Membership Director.
I am familiar with the operations of non-profit organizations, event planning and enjoy being involved with the community. I am a member of Junior League of Longview, Young Professionals of Longview and Legacy Longview. 

PTISD:  What is your educational background?  Degrees and certifications?
MS:  I am a Pine Tree Alumni.  I have an Associate of Arts from Kilgore College and a Bachelor of Business Administration from LeTourneau University. 

PTISD:  Please tell PTISD about your family.
MS: My three kids are all students at Pine Tree. I have two sisters, Mandy Jameson and Trista Roel, who also graduated from Pine Tree.  Mandy is the 8th grade counselor at the Junior High campus.  I am an aunt to four nephews and one niece.  My parents, Dan and Gay Tucker, have been married for over 40 years and still live in the Pine Tree area.  My grandparents and most of my aunts, uncles and cousins live in East Texas. 

PTISD:  What do you do in your spare time?
MS:   I spend most of my time with my kids, sisters and family. We love doing anything outdoors including going to the trail, cooking out or being any place that there is water whether it is the lake, the pool or the ocean.  If I am not outside, my head is buried in a book. I also spend a lot of time running my kids around to soccer games, birthday parties, church and anything else they are involved in. 



PT Basketball Crew - Taking It to the Net 

The PT Basketball crew is a new feature at our varsity girls basketball and boys basketball games. Thanks to Allison Wade (PTHS teacher) and Beeper Kraus (PTHS teacher and coach) over 180 young girls and boys are working on their basketball skills. 

These young people work on ball handling skills each week so they can show off their work at halftime of the varsity games. Come out and support the Varsity Pirates and the PT Basketball crew at the following games.

Pirates Games:
Tuesday, 1/26/16 - vs. Longview
Tuesday, 2/2/16 - vs. Texas High

Lady Pirates Games:
Friday, 1/29/16 - vs. Marshall
Friday, 2/5/16 - vs. Mt. Pleasant


                                    
The Great Debate at  PT Middle School
       
On December 16, 2015, the Gifted and Talented students at PT Middle School showed off their debate skills as they presented the events leading up to the American Revolution. These students researched various informational texts and historical sources to determine the point of view as a Patriot or a British citizen.  

The primary debate question was which side was more justified in the events leading to the American Revolution-the Patriots or the British. The fifth grade GT students argued the Patriot side and the sixth grade GT students the British side.

This was a challenge for our sixth grade students to assume the British perspective,but they soon found out that the actions of our ancestors were strong and daring. The fifth grade students worked so very well together to gather information and to truly understand the why behind the feelings of the Patriots towards the British. 

Both groups worked very hard to build solid cases by gaining a solid understanding of their issue. The issues were the Intolerable Acts, The Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre, taxation, and the quartering of soldiers.

Thank you to teachers Hayley Andress, fifth grade GT, Tammy Reeves, sixth grade GT, and Cyndi Nyvall, Secondary GT Coordinator for their work on this research project and debate.

Creative PTISD Students Take Honors the PTA Reflections Art Contest

The PTISD Board of Trustees recognized the winners from the PTA Reflections Art Contest. PTISD had three first place winners. Thank you to our PTA's at each campus and the parents and teachers who supported our students in this event. The Reflections contest was started in 1969 as a way for students to express themselves and giving positive recognition for the students' artistic efforts. Students in preschool through grade 12 may create and submit works of art in six categories: dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography, and visual arts.

Congratulations to the following  PTISD students!

Primary Division (PK - 2nd Grade) Visual Arts Category:
1st Place - Kila Collins - 2nd Grade, Title of Artwork - Kila's Sunset
2nd Place - Ryland Roedel - Kindergarten, Title of Artwork - Rainbow Reflection
3rd Place - Andrea Mabe - 1st Grade, Title of Artwork - Happy Rainbow

Musical Composition Category:
1st Place - Ryland Roedel - Kindergarten, Title of Artwork - My Lion

Literature Category:
1st Place - Ryland Roedel - Kindergarten, Title of Artwork - My Swings and the Sky

Intermediate Division (3rd - 5th Grade) Visual Arts Category:
1st Place - Dandrae Howsman - 3rd Grade, Title of Artwork - Boat is Fair



Pine Tree Education Foundation Accepting Beacon/Grant Applications

The Pine Tree Education Foundation is now accepting grant applications.  The deadline to submit the application to your campus principal is Friday, March 4, 2016.

Tips and Suggestions:

Make sure your goals and objectives are clearly stated.  Just like in a lesson     plan, we would like to look at 1-2 sentences and know exactly what you're trying to accomplish.

It is very important that you share your idea/project with your campus principal.  They will be able to tell you if it is something that meets instructional goals and is something that can work for your campus/students

Be realistic with the amount you're asking for, our recommendations are as follows:
  • $1,500 for a single teacher/classroom
  • $2,500 for a team of teachers
  • $5,000 for a campus
  • These are not hard-and-fast amounts, but we want to be able to award at least 1 grant to every campus in the district.  These are reasonable amounts for us to be able to accomplish that goal. 



Please contact Melissa Saunders for more information or questions at [email protected] or 903-295-5021.


Beacon Essay
The Pine Tree Education Foundation is requesting teachers in the grades below to have their students write an essay or story telling about ANY Pine Tree educator or staff member who has played a particularly meaningful role in their lives (does not have to be a current teacher).  

Kindergarten; 2nd grade; 4th grade; 6th grade; 8th grade; 10th grade; 12th grade; ExCEL/PACE

Winning students and staff members will be honored at the PT Honors Banquet on Thursday, May 5th, 2016. Students will receive a personalized trophy and staff members will receive a cash award & personalized plaque from the Education Foundation.  
Please send your essays to Melissa Saunders/PTEF via school mail to [email protected] by Friday, March 4, 2016.  If any submissions are written in a language other than English, please attach the translation with the essay. 



October Pirate Pride Winners

Sheila Granzin
Prmary
        
Jennifer Ingram
Elementary

Laurie Taylor
Intermediate


John Squier
Middle


Gisel Saumat
Junior High


Greg Collins
High School


David Quinn
PACE


Daniel Francis
ExCEL

Hunter Hopkins
Transportation

Joycelyn Ward
Child Nutrition

Tim Collins
Facility Services


Stephen Taft
Central Office
 


Growing with PTISD through Anchor Academy

Anchor Academy provides ongoing support for our Zero Based teachers. PTISD currently has 22 first time teachers who are supported by a mentor teacher as well as campus and district administrators. 

Teaching, during any year of our careers, is a complex process. Teaching and supporting our first year teachers is a critical part of our profession. Most of us have rested and are ready for the Spring semester.  

Take some time to visit with the first year teachers on your team and listen to their needs and concerns. Let's work together to make this a positive experience for our new teachers. Let's work together to continue growing our new members to our profession. Let's make their second semester a little easier than the first one.

Thank you for all you do for our new PTISD teachers/staff!






Future-Ready Academies 
@ Pine Tree High School

Last fall, PTHS administrators proposed a universal free dual enrollment program for all PTHS students. 

The Future-Ready Academies @ Pine Tree High School are completely attainable and costs for enrollment will be incorporated into the PTHS budget planning. Over the four years of projections contained in this plan will allow our students to earn over 2,800 dual credit hours from Kilgore College, KC-Longview, 
UT Tyler-Longview, and LeTourneau University in dozens of course and program options.

Programs in the Career Technology Education areas include aviation, culinary arts,diesel technology, HVAC, industrial maintenance, mental health, and nursing.

Academic areas include College Algebra, English, US Government, US History, and Statistics.

PTHS continues to find innovative ways to create a college going culture among our students. 
This opportunity provides our students the opportunity to experience the rigors of college level courses with the support of the local faculty/staff. Additionally, this opportunity creates a college pathway for students who want or need to attend college locally.