Every Child Every Day

Summer can be a precarious time for youth and young adults. Guidance-Entrepreneurship & Outreach Center (GEO) encourages our participants and community members to remain engaged this summer to safeguard against boredom and the various temptations that boredom brings.

GEO is thrilled to announce our Summer Shark Tank Week, a weeklong crash course designed to ignite your entrepreneurial spirit! This incredible event will occur from June 3rd to June 7th at the Texas Tech Innovation Hub.

Event Highlights:
Entrepreneurial Crash Course: Learn how to start, operate, and sustain a startup business.

Workshops and various Hands-On Activities: Gain practical skills in Screen Printing, Photography and Videography, Drones, and Financial Literacy/Digital Literacy.

Inspiration from Local Business Owners: Hear firsthand experiences and tips from successful entrepreneurs.

Business Development: Walk away with your very own business plan.

Professional Headshot: Get a professional photo to kickstart your business identity.

Pitch to Venture Capitalists: Hone your pitch and present your business idea to a panel of investors.

Graduation/Pitch Day: Celebrate your achievements with a formal pitch day and an exciting evening of paintball sessions!

Who can Join?
This free program is open to students entering grades 7th through 12th. No prior knowledge is required—bring enthusiasm and a desire to learn!

How to register:
You can secure your spot by emailing us at [email protected]. Spaces are limited, so please don't wait!

Take advantage of this unique opportunity to kickstart your entrepreneurial journey and make lasting memories. We look forward to seeing you at the Texas Tech Innovation Hub this June!

3/4 of our Texas teachers have considered leaving the teaching profession, according to the Charles Butt Foundation 2023 Texas Teacher Poll. 93% of teachers who considered leaving have taken a serious step to leave the profession.

Teachers are pillars of society, shaping and inspiring the next generation, yet nearly 3/4 of them in Texas contemplate leaving. Let's prioritize their well-being, value their expertise, and keep them in classrooms with deserving compensation. Education is an investment we can't afford to neglect.

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Let Dustin Burrows and Carl Tepper know that we appreciate our teachers. Our representatives need to fully fund public schools (as is their duty under the Texas constitution)!

Teachers overwhelmingly prefer a significant salary increase as a retention strategy. Over 59% of teachers would consider staying in the teaching profession if a bigger salary was offered, according to the Charles Butt 2023 Teacher Poll.

Recognizing the value of our educators means giving them the compensation they deserve. Isn't it time we align their pay with their dedication and expertise? Let's invest in education by investing in our teachers, because a society that values education thrives! 📚💡

Raise Your Hand Texas invites you to a special after-school webinar on Thursday, May 9th, at 4:00 p.m. to listen to Texas teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week. RSVP here: https://go.ryht.org/txteacher

Appreciating our Texas teachers starts with hearing what they have to say about their classrooms and the solutions that would improve student learning. During this webinar, we will explore the challenges teachers face, the policies impacting their classrooms, and the importance of appreciating their expertise beyond one single week. We aim to provide a teacher perspective on how to best support our educators and the students they teach.

If you live in Lubbock ISD District 5 or have a child who attends school in District 5, please consider attending this Tuesday! Here is a map with school listings, as well as the meeting details:

When we started Every Child Every Day, one of the three changes we were advocating for was for trustees to hold town halls or casual meetings directly with their constituencies. We are encouraged that the district has organized upcoming town halls for the trustees. This will provide the opportunity for our elected officials to share information and to meet and listen to stakeholders directly. Please share with friends and consider attending. There is also a District 5 town hall this Tuesday the 28th at Rush Elementary with Trustee Kris Zapeda! Stay tuned…..

Check out how much money Lubbock ISD stands to lose from vouchers as outlined in HB 1. https://everytexan.org/special-session-voucher-analysis/?fbclid=IwAR2RvL4H48D5CzmTtCVXgrJPjSODjrw-b0c-xfgC0TXKvjiTY5kB8i3dSZI

Governor Abbott announced a 30-day special session beginning today, October 9, to provide private school subsidies, also known as vouchers or education savings accounts.

Texas public schools are underfunded by billions, and any available funding should be prioritized for teacher raises and to help schools pay the bills. We'll continue sharing updates to keep you informed as the session progresses. 📢

Good afternoon Lubbock! The rush is on! For all you parents/guardians attempting to get your children ready for those Back-To-School vaccine requirements, the Public Health Department is having a Back-To-School Vaccine clinic this weekend at Estacado High School from 10AM-2PM!

Lubbock ISD schools and our community will only be harmed if the state legislature approves school vouchers. Why in the world should taxpayers subsidize private schools?

Unfortunately, big donors are pushing for school vouchers in Texas. After years of bipartisan support against vouchers, Carl Tepper plans to divert funding from public schools in order to support government subsidies for private schools. Who is his constituency--his donors or the citizens? Meanwhile, Texas public schools are struggling to recruit and retain teachers--why is this not the #1 priority for our representatives? Follow the money.
https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lubbockonline.com%2Fstory%2Fopinion%2Fletters%2F2023%2F01%2F19%2Fdrew-landry-responds-to-research-question-texas-school-choice-debate%2F69820871007%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2r8VO_5cQODzvvj4sBS77EhPVQwS-3FMrwwJ1CI0gNzNdf49iFnb4L-wo&h=AT0kBey3AAbHLoaZNr45M6DKadFxuiExx39H0nfPa5otnYMzcAKyJepF8JsVOyb7ygoSX9QBFdb5olQRDFeEi7yy0bWRtTubxGikIkm3qY2kaMMSZ3MS8HEk2MEWEzxsofE

Letter: Drew Landry responds to research question in school choice debate Drew Landry, a regular A-J columnist, responds to questions from regular A-J columnist Alexander Salter regarding school choice

Lubbock ISD Parents and Teachers: On Thursday, Dr. Rollo sent out a survey regarding next year's academic calendar. It's SUPER important (second only to block voting on education Tuesday if you haven't already) to complete this! Make sure you check your email and the link is there!

Today and tomorrow are the last two early voting days! The polls are open until 8 pm.

Vote Public education has never been more important to our local communities and state. Texas’ future success depends on how well we educate students today. It is crucial to elect leaders in 2020 who support investing in the 5 million+ public school students who will become the future of Texas.

Have you voted yet? If not, it's time to make a plan and get it done! Head out to United Supermarkets, Market Street, or Amigos this Saturday anytime from 8a-8pm! Let's elect representatives who will support public education!

Vote Public education has never been more important to our local communities and state. Texas’ future success depends on how well we educate students today. It is crucial to elect leaders in 2020 who support investing in the 5 million+ public school students who will become the future of Texas.

On Tuesday, September 6, the Texas PTA Board of Directors and Staff will wear maroon to stand in solidarity with the Uvalde ISD school community as students return to school.

We encourage the rest of our Texas PTA family to join us!

We want to see your maroon! Be sure to tag us in your family’s selfie on Tuesday.

The third annual statewide survey of Texas teachers - the 2022 Texas Teacher Poll: Persistent Problems and a Path Forward – will be released to the public on Thursday, September 8, 2022. Join this webinar to be the first to hear the key takeaways.

This presentation will amplify teachers’ voices, highlighting their experiences as educators regarding the barriers they face in being effective teachers coupled with a myriad of retention strategies to sustain and strengthen the teaching profession.

The 2022 Texas Teacher Poll: Persistent Problems and a Path Forward As our public schools face unprecedented teacher workforce challenges, listening to experts - our Texas public school teachers - is more important than ever before. The third annual statewide survey of Texas teachers - the 2022 Texas Teacher Poll: Persistent Problems and a Path Forward – will be r...

This is the last day to order the last round of free COVID tests! It only takes a minute to order them. https://www.covid.gov/tests?fbclid=IwAR2r-eVzO8NoyjRcWX1QQH9YLiJPUzF3lS7dJFGZUIysuiE6zMpbsra-2zQ

COVID.gov/tests - Free at-home COVID-19 tests Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order a 3rd round of free at-home tests. Order yours today.

Most teachers we have talked to--from many different schools across the district, feel supported by their campus principals. We are not looking for data about specific principals--but about staff morale, level of support (from the district, the campus, and the community) and work culture--to see how we might better advocate for our teachers and schools. What data are the trustees reviewing to determine how to keep teachers in our district? It's a stated goal of LISD to recruit and retain quality teachers....

For education nerds, here is an article about Organizational Health Surveys and how they can be used to improve campuses. We have discovered that some Lubbock ISD campuses do indeed share the OHI results with their staff---so why does the school district say the results need to be kept confidential-and that it is so important to keep them confidential they are suing Ken Paxton so they don't have to release them? This doesn't make sense, does it? The Trustees do realize the schools are public and funded by taxpayers, right? Did the trustees even understand what OHIs were before they voted to pursue a lawsuit, or did they just go along with the Trustee Brady, a lawyer and president of the board?

AASA | American Association of School Administrators When I was hired seven years ago as superintendent of a suburban Chicago school district, the board made it abundantly clear that one of my top priorities was to improve implementation of the district's strategic plan. My charge was to get Community Consolidated School District 146 “to the next le...

Here is an example of what an organizational health survey (from Spring Branch ISD) looks like:https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1530039054/springbranchisdcom/hielhslistykbhnvvxed/sbms2014-15OH.pdf

Lubbock ISD does not want us to see their own campus surveys, even with school names redacted. Ken Paxton says these surveys need to be released under the freedom of information act, yet the trustees have decided to sue the AG instead.

resources.finalsite.net

Here is Kristi Barrett Giemza's opinion article regarding the Lubbock ISD lawsuit against Ken Paxton and the lack of transparency around the trustee appointment process:

Giemza: Lubbock ISD trustees and community engagement In this commentary, Kristi Giemza wonders about several recent decisions of the Lubbock ISD Board of Trustees

There are two articles that came out in the A-J today. Everyone who cares about Lubbock ISD should read them. Is this how you want our taxpayer dollars spent? If you hit a paywall, let us know and we will see what we can do. Better yet, support your local paper! https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/news/education/2022/08/21/lubbock-isd-sues-texas-ag-to-block-release-of-records-after-request/65404477007/?fbclid=IwAR3WmVjHyO5dZzJWbVGsDMeZgKtwF80_B5C3oxKDtGEZdb-Vf3VTe4W7zNs

Lubbock ISD sues Texas AG to block release of records after request

We would like to see the trustees advocate for teachers at the district, regional, AND state levels. When you take district size into account, Lubbock ISD still has significantly more vacancies than surrounding districts, despite higher salaries for Lubbock ISD teachers. It is important for the community to know what specific issues are affecting the district's ability to recruit and retain teachers so we can best support and advocate for them.

"Lubbock ISD, with more than 26,000 students, has 172 openings for full-time teacher positions just 21 days before the first day of school. Lubbock-Cooper ISD (7,095 students) has about 18 openings, and Frenship ISD (3,036 students) has 5."

"The Texas State Teachers Association says Lubbock ISD lost more than 700 people to resignations and retirements in the last year, and Ector County ISD in Midland-Odessa lost over 1,000."

“A dire situation:” Teacher shortage leaves Texas districts short hundreds of positions LUBBOCK, Texas — Just weeks before students return to class, school districts around Texas are struggling to hire enough teachers. Seminole ISD superintendent, Kyle Lynch, testified about the…

https://baptistnews.com/article/public-schools-need-churches-as-supporters-and-advocates-cbf-panelists-stress/

Public schools need churches as supporters and advocates, CBF panelists stress The ongoing attack on public education is prompted by fear, orchestrated across state lines and fueled by money, participants at the 2022 Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly learned. But supporters can make a positive impact for the greater good on multiple levels, Sharon Felton, Rachel

Raise Your Hand Texas (RYHT) has created a survey to gather feedback from Texans regarding our current assessment and accountability system, and they need parent feedback. RYHT reached out to Texas PTA with a special invitation to all of you to take the survey.

Your feedback will help Texas PTA and RYHT understand attitudes on accountability and assessment in Texas public schools. Join the conversation by taking the survey and make your voice count! measurewhatmatterstx.org/survey

Make sure you complete the survey below! It’s important that citizens give feedback about expensive high stakes testing and how schools and teachers are assessed.

Raise Your Hand Texas (RYHT) has created a survey to gather feedback from Texans regarding our current assessment and accountability system, and they need parent feedback. RYHT reached out to Texas PTA with a special invitation to all of you to take the survey.

Your feedback will help Texas PTA and RYHT understand attitudes on accountability and assessment in Texas public schools. Join the conversation by taking the survey and make your voice count! measurewhatmatterstx.org/survey

This is music to our ears! Great work Dunbar College Prepratory Academy! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

During this week of state testing, remember that you are not your score, your worth is not related to performance on a test, and a test can’t measure any of the most important parts of who you are ❤️