​Dear Kappans,
I hope you are enjoying the nice autumn weather we recently received, and that your academic year is going well—despite the obvious and unprecedented Covid-19 virus.  If you were unable to attend our first general meeting on September 16th, you missed out on an incredibly special presentation.  PDK Chapter 12 was extremely honored to welcome native Austinite Dr. Erin Bown-Anderson, who represents the Austin Independent School District and serves as the Executive Director of Academics and Blended Learning.  Dr. Bown-Anderson has been the proud lead of a team of Technology Design Coaches who work daily to support teachers and leaders, making blended and personalized learning come to life through the thoughtful use of technology.  Dr. Bown-Anderson also shared her perspective on the impact of Covid-19 and teaching and learning, including navigating constant challenges by staying grounded in several stances or principles that put families and students at the center.
Do not forget to early vote by October 30th or vote on General Election Day on November 3rd.  As we vote for President, Senate and House seats, let us also keep in mind the other seats on the ballot such as Railroad Commissioner, State Board of Education, Supreme Court of Texas, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Texas Senate, and Texas House.  These soon-to-be elected officials will affect many aspects of our daily lives, so make sure to research the issues and go out and vote! 
Read for the Record is a global campaign that generates public support for high quality early reading and highlights the importance of building children’s vocabulary and love for reading.  On October 29, 2020, children and adults worldwide will gather to read ‘Evelyn del Rey is Moving Away’, the 2020 Read for the Record book.  This year, PDK Chapter 12 members will volunteer as virtual celebrity readers.  Thanks to principal Azucena (Susy) Garcia at Sanchez-Metz Elementary in AISD, we have the opportunity to read for Sanchez-Metz students.  Principal Garcia will set up two Zoom sites, in English and Spanish, and books along with video and PowerPoint will provide an interactive experience for all involved.  For more information on Read for the Record, go to https://www.jstart.org/read-for-the-record/, or to see how you can be involved, email me at pdkch12ryanhayes@gmail.com.  Evelyn del Rey is Daniela’s best friend.  They do everything together and even live in twin apartments across the street from other.  Daniela with her mami and hamster, and Evelyn with her mami, papi, and cat.  But not after today—not after Evelyn moves away.  Until then, the girls play amid the moving boxes until it’s time to say goodbye, making promises to keep in touch, because they know that their friendship will always be special.  The tenderness of Meg Medina’s beautifully written story about friendship and change is balanced by Sonia Sanchez’s colorful and vibrant depictions of the girls’ urban neighborhood.  I’m looking forward to this special event, as PDK Chapter 12 addresses important character education traits, including sharing, loyalty, and friendship!
              Our next general meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 18, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. by Zoom (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87653313147?pwd=aTlLRGNHci85YWs5TDkwcDJ3dUc1Zz09). In keeping with this year’s theme of “Trends in Virtual Learning,” we are honored to have Dr. Karen French, from the Office of Instructional Innovation at the University of Texas in Austin, join us as we take a closer look at Digital Learning in Higher Education.  Please save the date now and always feel free to invite one or more educator friends!  We’ll see you on November 18th, and just remember, it takes a village!
 
Be well, be safe,
 
Ryan Hayes
PDK Chapter 12 President, 2020-2022     

Dear Kappans, 
As your new chapter president, I am so happy to welcome all of you to the 2020-2021 academic year! Your executive board has been quite busy this summer as we move forward in planning this year’s speakers and our annual budget. 
            Education was already a hot topic at the local, state, and national levels. It has become even more of a hot topic due to Covid-19 and the unprecedented changes that it presents. Through this new journey of unforeseen circumstances, I am looking forward to hearing presentations during this academic year about the current trends in virtual learning, special education in virtual learning, and the future of public education in the State of Texas. All educators, retired and current, must stay informed on the issues that are affecting us today, including Covid-19, retirement pensions, standardized testing, school safety, and school finance.
            We ended the 2019-2020 year without a general meeting due to Covid-19, but PDK Chapter 12 could not be more prepared to continue its service, newsletter, and future events for the educators of Central Texas for the 2020-2021 year!
            PDK Chapter 12 will also be entering a new phase of fundraising and membership growth, but it means we will be counting on you to help meet our goals. I encourage all of you to invite at least one current or former educator to our first meeting on Wednesday, September 18th, that will be on Zoom. 
            Do not forget, it is an election year!  In Texas, there will be a total of 16 seats out of the Texas State Senate chamber’s 31 seats up for election in 2020. If you have not yet registered to vote, please make sure to do so, and either vote early or on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2020. Your vote makes a difference and is needed to support Texas students and educators.
            Please make sure to join me for learning and fellowship on September 18th for our first general meeting on Zoom. Together, we can make PDK Chapter 12 an even stronger and more distinguished organization!
 
 
Sincerely,
Ryan Hayes, PDK Chapter 12 President, 2020-2022

​Dear Kappans,
As we enter an uncertain future, I want you to reflect on First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt’s words to the 1940 Democratic convention. The world had been at war for almost a year at this point, and it seemed evident that the United States would soon be drawn into this global conflict. The convention had been divided, and delegates were fighting amongst themselves on FDR’s controversial decision to name a new vice-presidential candidate. The president and several of his advisors urged Mrs. Roosevelt to travel to Chicago to bring the party together.  She agreed to do so, and her words brought the convention to a standstill as she called for unified action, saying:
 
“You must know that this is the time when all good men and women give every bit of service and strength to their country that they have to give…
 
We cannot tell from day to day what may come. This is no ordinary time. No time for weighing anything except what we can do best for the country as a whole, and that responsibility rests on each and every one of us as individuals.”
 
Eighty years later, we are again dealing with no ordinary times. The PDK Chapter 12 Executive Board has had to make some very difficult decisions regarding our immediate future, but this comes with the “responsibility that rests on each and every one of us as individuals,” as Mrs. Roosevelt so eloquently stated during the major crisis of her lifetime.  Therefore, we are cancelling our April 22nd meeting and will be keeping the chapter informed of future events through emails. 
I am extremely disappointed that we will not be able to honor our scholarship and grant recipients at this last meeting, but safety must come first. Additionally, the new executive board has been sworn in through an emergency online meeting that took place on March 20 so that officers can move forward with their duties.
Please continue to exercise good judgement by practicing social distancing and self-quarantining when necessary. There are also various online resources to review regarding the recommended hygienic practices urged by health officials. The important thing is to stay safe.
I find it hard to believe that my two-year term as PDK Chapter 12 president is coming to an end and that this will be my last president’s message to you in our newsletter.  I wish it were on happier terms that I send this information, but this situation also provides me with the opportunity to reflect on the good work that our chapter has done and what we still need to do to make this an even better chapter.  I have been so fortunate to have had the guidance and support of an experienced executive board of dedicated educators to advise me as your president.  Their hard work has been invaluable as I discharged my duties as president. The camaraderie that has developed between this board over the past two years has been an added bonus to me as well.
PDK Chapter 12 has done so much these past two years to support teachers and students in the Central Texas area.  Because of this unforeseen and unprecedented crisis that has impacted our schools, we are extending our scholarship deadline to April 24 so that high school seniors have more time to submit their applications. We continue to fund and sponsor annual scholarships to two high school students who have expressed a desire to become teachers. We have also sponsored the annual Timy Baranoff Research Grant to support graduate students who continue to enlighten us with their studies on new trends in education. Thank you to Warren Faulkner and Dr. Bonnie Elliott for their hard work in coordinating the scholarship and research grant process these past two years.
I am also grateful to many speakers who joined us throughout these past two years as they shared their expertise with us.  We have learned so much about Pre-K programs, Dual Language, Ethnic Studies, pre-service education, and of course, our regular legislative updates.  I am excited that we will continue to offer opportunities next year that will continue to grow our own learning.
There have been opportunities where PDK Chapter 12 has gone into the educational community to provide our services as educators and mentors. I am especially grateful to Sanchez principal and PDK Membership Vice President Susy Garcia as she has invited our chapter to volunteer for Read for the Record and Read Across America days at her campus.  These opportunities have been so rewarding as we build relationships with her teachers and students and add to the bond that the Sanchez students and faculty are building with their new counterparts from Metz Elementary.  I want to wish her the best as Sanchez Elementary School transitions to their state-of-the-art new campus next year.
We still have much work to do, however.  PDK Chapter 12 needs to grow its membership.  I urge all of you to renew your dues annually and to invite educator friends and colleagues to join our chapter. Membership Vice President Ryan Hayes has done an outstanding job promoting membership and recruiting new members.  We also continue to pursue a 501 c 3 non-profit status thanks to Treasurer Norma Jost’s hard work.  I am also so appreciative of the dedication that Norma has devoted to our excellent chapter newsletter and her patience as she awaits and edits our submissions.
I extend my congratulations to new chapter president Ryan Hayes.  I am happy to welcome Teresa Razo to the new board as she becomes our new Vice President of Membership for the next year.  Thank you also to Marielo Arazoza Morales, Ann Margaret Hudson, and Debbie Sansom who will continue to serve as secretary, foundation representative, and historian on the new board. I also offer a special thank you to Dr. Rosemary Morrow, who will be transitioning off the PDK executive board after many years of service in various capacities, most recently as past president and chapter advisor.
This is not the end for me with PDK Chapter 12. I will move into the past president/chapter advisor capacity for the next two years. Thank you again for allowing me the opportunity to serve as your president! Most importantly, take care of yourselves and consider the responsibilities that we as individuals must take for the best interests of our nation. 
 Sincerely,
 
 Joe M. Ramirez
PDK Chapter 12 President, 2018-2020

​Dear Kappans,
Best wishes on a happy and productive 2020! I hope all of you had a safe and relaxing holiday break and that you are ready to begin the spring semester with renewed energy.
 
If you were unable to join us at our November general meeting, you missed a very enlightening presentation on the benefits of dual language by Dr. David Kauffman, Executive Director of Multilingual Education for Austin ISD.  Austin ISD is definitely setting the standard for dual language in Texas, and Dr. Kauffman did an outstanding job getting us up to speed on this current educational trend.
 
I invite you to join us at our February 19th general meeting, where we will be exploring another educational trend in our state – that of ethnic studies and multicultural education.  This subject is near and dear to my heart, as I served on the advisory committee that launched this program in Austin ISD in 2017. Austin ISD Assistant Director of Humanities Jessica Jolliffe and William B. Travis Early College High School social studies teacher Andrew Gonzales will be sharing information on ethnic studies with our chapter. I had the privilege of serving with both on the initial advisory committee that developed the curriculum for this program and am looking forward to seeing how the ethnic studies program has evolved since its initial launch nearly three years ago.
 
The February 19th general meeting will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Parker Room (Room 352) in the Sanchez Building at The University of Texas at Austin.  Free parking is available in the parking garage at the Bullock Museum but make sure to investigate the current road situation on MLK Blvd., Colorado Street., and 18th Street regarding construction in that area.  You can get to the Bullock garage, but it may not be the usual way that you’re used to getting there.
 
New officers for the 2020-2021 academic year will be nominated and elected at the February 19th meeting.  If you are interested in serving either as President, Vice President of Programs, Secretary, or Treasurer, please make sure to contact Dr. Rosemary Morrow this month, so that your name can be placed in nomination.
 
Finally, I urge you to participate in Read Across America Day on March 2nd, Dr. Seuss’s 115th birthday.  PDK Chapter 12 will be working with Sanchez Elementary to coordinate volunteers coming to that campus on March 2nd to read from favorite books authored by Dr. Seuss.  If you cannot join us at Sanchez, please consider volunteering at your neighborhood school on that day.  More information on Read Across America Day can be found at https://www.calendardate.com/read_across_america_day_2020.htm.
 
I look forward to seeing you at our February 19th general meeting!
 
Sincerely,
 
Joe M. Ramirez
PDK Chapter 12 President, 2018-2020

​Dear Kappans,
I hope you are enjoying the nice autumn weather we recently received and that your academic year is going well!  If you were unable to attend our first general meeting on September 18, you missed out on a very special presentation. PDK Chapter 12 was extremely honored to welcome State Representative James Talarico, who represents District 52 in the Texas Legislature. He is a former middle school English teacher and is currently serving on the House Committee on Public Education. Representative Talarico shared with us the key components of House Bill 3, including property tax reform and teacher pay raises, as well as other relevant topics related to education. Most importantly, he stressed the role of civic involvement and bipartisanship.  Don’t forget that the state of Texas will be having an election on November 5 to approve a long list of amendments to the current 474 amendments in our state constitution. While many people think it’s all right to sit out what can be considered a “nonimportant” election, any election is important.  These proposed amendments will affect many aspects of our daily lives, so make sure to research the issues and go out and vote!
 
Read for the Record is a global campaign that generates public support for high quality early reading and highlights the importance of building children’s vocabulary and love for reading.  On November 7, 2019, children and adults worldwide will gather to read Thank You, Omu!, the 2019 Read for the Record book. PDK Chapter 12 members have a chance to volunteer as celebrity readers.  Thanks to our Vice President of Membership Azucena (Susy) Garcia, principal at Sanchez Elementary in Austin ISD, we have to opportunity to read at Sanchez, which is currently sharing its site with Metz at 84 Robert T. Martinez, Jr. Street, 78702.  Because our next general meeting is on the day before Read for the Record Day, an email will be sent out later in October to chapter members with more specific information on the times during November 7th that Sanchez will host volunteer readers.  More information on Read for the Record Day can be found at https://www.jstart.org/read-for-the-record/.
A celebration of generosity and gratitude, Thank You, Omu! tells the story of a woman who makes a thick red stew that smells so delicious it brings neighbor after neighbor to her door.  Time after time, Omu shares, until suddenly it’s dinnertime and there’s no more stew for her! When there’s one more knock on the door, Omu is surprised when her community brings her a special meal to show their gratitude.  I know I am looking forward to reading this book to Susy’s students and hope you can join me on November 7 as we address important character education traits including sharing, generosity, and friendship!
 
Our next general meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 6, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the UT Sanchez Building.  Remember that the Parker Conference Room in is our new meeting room on the third floor in Room 352. Free parking is available at the Bob Bullock Museum’s parking garage after 5:00 p.m.  In keeping with this year’s theme of Innovations and Trends in Education, we are honored to have Dr. David Kauffman, the Executive Director of Multilingual Education in Austin ISD, joining us as we take a closer look at Dual Language education.  Please save the date now and always feel free to bring one or more educator friends! Until November 6Th!
 
Joe M. Ramirez
PDK Chapter 12 President, 2018-2020

​Dear Kappans,
It is my pleasure and honor to welcome all of you to the 2019-2020 academic year! It is also hard to believe that I will be concluding my term as your chapter president after our last meeting in April. The PDK Chapter 12 Executive Board has been busy this summer planning some very informative sessions that I hope you will attend throughout the year. Because of the construction issues around the University of Texas, we will be meeting at the Travis Early College High School Library from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. for the first meeting.  The location of our other three excellent programs will be in the University of Texas Parker Conference Room 352 in the Sanchez Building.
Throughout my tenure as your chapter president, I have continued to stress the three goals that have been at the heart of Phi Delta Kappa since it was organized in 1906 at the University of Indiana – leadership, research, and service. As Kappans, I urge all of you to continue to exercise these attributes as we continue to grow as life-long learners and face the increasing challenges to the system of public education in this nation.
Leadership: Serve as a mentor to other educators on your campus. Set a positive tone and offer support to educators new to the profession. Bring one or more of your colleagues to a PDK general meeting and encourage them to join our organization. Get involved and contact your state legislators when issues impacting public education are up for debate and legislation.
Research: Continue to broaden your horizons. We are never too old to learn something new.  Volunteer to serve on our grants committee so that you can read some of the innovative research proposals that graduate students have submitted for potential funding from our committee. Take advantage of the 2020 PDK study trip in July and join me in South Africa and Zimbabwe to learn about different systems of education to see how they compare to our own system of public education.
Service: Volunteer for Read for the Record Day on November 7 at one of our local campuses.  This year’s selection is Oge Mora’s Thank You, Omu!, which addresses the concept of community. More information on Read for the Record and signing up to pledge to read at a campus can be found at https://www.jstart.org/read-for-the-record/.
These are just a few examples on how you can follow PDK’s goals. There are many other ones that can also support the concepts of leadership, research, and service.
Our first meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 18. State representative and former public educator James Talarico from Round Rock will update our chapter on education legislation recently approved by the 86th Texas Legislature.
Future meetings address two innovative programs based on extensive academic research. At our November 6 meeting, Dr. David Kauffman, Executive Director of Multilingual Education for Austin ISD, will address the dual language program that the district has been using for several years. Dr. Angela Valenzuela and Travis Early College High School teacher Andrew Gonzales will address the development of the ethnic studies course that was recently implemented in Austin ISD and other Texas school district when they join us on February 19. Of course, I always enjoy our traditional end-of-year meeting and dinner, which will be held on April 22, that recognizes our scholarship and grant recipients and is also the time when new chapter officers are installed.
With this in mind, consider broadening your leadership potential by volunteering to serve as a future chapter officer. Positions that will be filled in April include president, vice president of programs, secretary, and treasurer.  Think about it during the year and contact Dr. Rosemary Morrow, chapter past president, if you are interested in submitting your name for one of these offices for the 2020-2022 academic years.
I wish all of you the best as we begin this new academic year and hope that you can join us at this year’s meetings. As I stated before, bring one or more of your fellow educators to these meetings. We must continue to grow our membership if we want an organization like Phi Delta Kappa to remain active for another one hundred plus years.
Sincerely,
Joe M. Ramirez, PDK Chapter 12 President, 2018-2020

​Dear Kappans,
It’s hard to believe that the 2018-19 academic year is drawing to an end!  It seems just like the other day that I took the oath to be your chapter president, and now, I am halfway through my term.  PDK Chapter 12 really has had a very successful year.  We have grown our membership, are in the homestretch to finalize our fundraising strategies by establishing our chapter as a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt non-profit organization and have had some very enlightening speakers on the status of pre-K in Texas, instructional strategies for pre-service teachers, and an update on the 86th Texas legislative session.
If you were not present at our February 20 meeting, you missed a very informative presentation by HillCo lobbyist David Anderson, who gave us a much clearer understanding of how school finance and property tax reform go hand-in-hand. Be sure to stay informed on current legislative issues.  The situation is not as bleak as in the 85th session when it comes to potential teacher/librarian pay raises and TRS pension increases, but you never know what the legislature may decide, which reminds me of a saying that one of my government professors at UT used to say: “There are two things that people should not watch while they are being made – sausage and Texas legislation!” Get involved and contact your local legislators if you have concerns about relevant issues or just want to thank them for their support. The Texas Legislature Online website at https://capitol.texas.gov/Resources/contactText.aspx can link you to your state representative and state senator as well as the committees on which they serve. 
Officers for the 2019-2021 cycle were also elected at the February 20 general meeting.  Congratulations to Membership Vice President Ryan Hayes, Foundation Representative Ann Margaret Hudson, Scholarship Representative Warren Faulkner, Research Representative and UT Liaison Dr. Bonnie Elliott, Historian Debbie Sansom, and Newsletter Editor Norma Jost for committing the next two years of their very busy schedules to serve on the PDK executive board.  I also want to extend a warm welcome to our most recently inducted chapter members:  Tammy Eutsey, Debra Hayes, Teresa Razo, and Lynn Reed-Campbell. 
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for our final meeting of this academic year on April 17.  We will be installing our new officers, inducting additional new members, and recognizing the recipients of our two $1000 PDK scholarships and our research grant.  If we expect students to put forth and sustain high levels of effort, then we must motivate them by recognizing their accomplishments regularly. Clear recognition of authentic accomplishment is a hallmark of an effort-based education for our students. Recognition of accomplishment can be tied to opportunities to participate in events that matter to students and their families, so I always look forward to this last meeting when we have an opportunity to recognize these achievements and meet our recipients and their parents. We will provide a catered sandwich dinner at $10.00 a person so I hope to see all of you at the Dean’s Conference Room at the UT Sanchez Building on April 17.
Your executive board will be busy this summer as we plan our programs for the 2019-2020 academic year.  Our goal is to continue to keep you informed on what the state legislature decides to do on educational issues as well as bringing in different speakers on instructional programs and trends. 
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your support this past year and to wish you a very safe and relaxing summer holiday filled with new adventures!
Sincerely,
 
Joe M. Ramirez
PDK Chapter 12 President, 2018-2020

​Dear Kappans,
The PDK Chapter 12 at The University of Texas at Austin Executive Board and I hope that each of you had a safe and festive holiday!  It is hard to believe that half of this academic year has come and gone!  Now, it’s time for our chapter to start focusing on the scholarship process as we support graduating high school seniors who are interested in pursuing a career in education with two $1000 scholarships. Seniors interested in completing our scholarship process are required to respond to the question “Why do you want to be a teacher?”  As I attended the Austin ISD 4th Annual Scholarship Fair with several other executive board members on January 23rd, this question prompted me to think back on my own reasons on why I decided to devote a life career to education.
I had already decided that I would be a teacher before I ever enrolled as a student in the public school system.  You see, I was influenced by two very powerful role model educators with close connections to my immediate family – Mrs. Fé Benavides, who was my maternal grandmother’s next-door neighbor, and my paternal grandfather’s first cousin, Mrs. Carolina Allan Guerra, known to me as “Aunt Carrie.” By the time I first came to know them as a very young child, they both had served long, distinguished careers as elementary teachers in rural South Texas. Both women overcame the challenges Hispanic females pursuing higher education faced in the 1930s when they first enrolled in college and went on to earn not just their degrees in education but also master’s degrees. Our family always placed a value on achieving a proper education and these two women exemplified the success and respect associated with teaching.
During the summer of my elementary grade years, I would often hold class in my paternal grandparents’ free-standing garage, which would later become the site of some great high school parties.  My cousins and younger brother would sit in chairs arranged in this wide-open space as I used caliche stones from their long, tree-lined driveway to write out math and grammar lessons on the wood-paneled walls of the garage, too late to realize that I had made permanent scratches with these stones on the long wall.  My grandparents merely overlooked that, and many years later after I had begun my teaching career, my now-widowed grandmother would walk her guests out to that long driveway as they prepared to leave her home, and she would often take them to the garage, with its scratched walls and tattered scraps of crepe paper still tacked on to the rafters, and tell them “This is where it all started; this was his very first classroom!”
Mrs. Benavides, who was a primary school teacher in Falfurrias, Texas, would often come and have lunch with Mamá Clemencia, since both lived a block from Lasater School.  If I happened to be at my grandmother’s home when Mrs. Benavides came to have lunch, she would take me back with her to her classroom for her afternoon classes, where I learned to finger paint, do basic math problems, and began to grasp the fundamentals of reading with her much older first graders.  I especially loved how she would sit me on her lap as she read aloud to her students in the late afternoon!
Aunt Carrie was perhaps one of the last one-room school teachers in Texas when she retired in 1971 after an over 40-year career in the Ramirez CISD, which is in rural Duval County.  Her classroom was made up of students from grades 1 through 8.  I first remember meeting Aunt Carrie during the New Year’s holiday in 1971, when she came to the “big city” of Falfurrias to spend several days of her winter holiday with my paternal grandparents.  I was in awe that we had a real teacher in our home! First, I was impressed with a delicious pinto bean candy that she made…I have never been able to find such a delicious treat again.  Then, she shared a New Year’s family tradition with me…going around with my grandmother and opening every window in the house a few minutes before midnight to let in the new year’s air and let out the old air.  My grandfather also had me recite to her the states, their capitals, and  the presidents in sequential order.  That must have really impressed her because that summer, she sent me the first package that I ever got in the mail along with a beautiful letter telling me she had decided to retire from education.  The package consisted of flash cards sets of the presidents and the 50 states as well as several maps of Texas, the United States, and the world.  In her letter, she told me to learn these facts by heart so that I could become a great teacher.
Ironically, both Aunt Carrie and Mrs. Benavides passed away during my first year of teaching, a sort of passing of the torch. Mrs. Benavides continued to teach after being diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer and managed to remain in her own classroom until just about a week before her death, a month before the end of her 43rd year in education. 
Many of my own teachers at all grade levels had a tremendous influence on why I wanted to become a teacher, but these two grand old ladies were by far the first.  They truly exemplified the goals of our chapter – service, research, and leadership.  I am optimistic that the lifetime careers they served are repeated in prospective educators who our chapter can support through scholarships.
I look forward to seeing you at the February 20th General Meeting, 6:00-8:00 p.m., Cissy McDaniel Parker Dean’s Conference Room 238, George I. Sanchez Building, The University of Texas at Austin. The gates are up at 5:00 in the Bullock Texas State History Museum for free parking.
Sincerely,
 
Joe M. Ramirez  
PDK Chapter 12 President, 2018-2020

Dear Kappans,
I cannot tell you how excited I was about our first chapter meeting last month!  We had a fantastic presentation from TEA Director of Early Childhood Education Jacquie Porter, who immediately joined our chapter at the end of that meeting!  Jacquie’s presentation enlightened us all on what early childhood education looks like in Texas and the challenges that school districts and educators face as they move forward with offering a quality education to our youngest students in the public school system.
I am also excited to let you know that we are growing our membership, largely in part because of the efforts of our Membership Vice President Ryan Hayes.  I want to take this opportunity to welcome seven additional new members, retired special education educator Lynn Reed-Campbell, who spent her career in Austin and Round Rock ISDs. Del Valle ISD’s Dailey Middle School is well represented with Susan López, 6th grade master social studies teacher, and Matthew Holley. I am very happy to see that our chapter now has several new elementary teachers:  Jenna Reynolds from Blake Manor Elementary in Manor ISD and Teresa Razo from McBee Elementary in Austin ISD.  We even have a long-distance member as Bilalah Turner from Glenn York Elementary in Alvin ISD joins.  We are also so happy to welcome Professor Blanca Loya from Texas State University in San Marcos!  The chapter looks forward to collaborating with all our new members as their talents enrich our organization!
Please get involved in PDK Chapter 12 as well as our local community.  The three components of Phi Delta Kappa are “service,” “leadership,” and “research.” As the November midterm elections approach, apply our PDK components to the election as you research the issues and the candidates, making sure to consider what is best for public education.  Voting is both a right and a privilege and participating in the electoral process is a fundamental part of the service and leadership that we give back to our country, state, and local community.
Our nation has a long history of public education. In the 19th century, most Americans came to believe that they could not rely upon church-run schools to create the literate citizenry that our democracy requires and that schools had to be supported from public taxation. School had to be non-sectarian, free, compulsory, and universal; and education had to be a function of the state.  We have to assure that these goals continue to be met as we vote for wise leaders to tackle long-deferred questions about the public schools’ proper form of governance, their relationship to private and parochial schools, and the best way to protect local decision making within complex modern bureaucracies. Although schools do have other purposes, such as preparation for higher education and work, these purposes must remain secondary to educating students to be effective participants in our democratic society.  
Please join us on Wednesday, November 14, for our second general meeting, where we will be learning about nine effective strategies that we can apply as we work with pre-service educators.  Your leadership in mentoring our future educators is essential to sustain our school system.  We hope to see you at the Dean’s Conference Room on the second floor at the Sanchez Building at the University of Texas at Austin beginning at 6:00 p.m., and we urge you to bring at least one friend who might be interested in joining PDK Chapter 12.
Because our next newsletter will not come out until January, I want to take this opportunity to wish all of you a safe and happy holiday season.  I also want to extend my appreciation to Newsletter Editor Norma Jost for all the dedication and hard work she puts into to producing this great piece of communication that keeps all of us connected. Take time for yourselves and your families as you reflect on this past year and set goals for 2019!
Sincerely,
 
Joe M. Ramirez
PDK Chapter 12 President, 2018-2020

​Dear Kappans,
As your new chapter president, I am so happy to welcome all of you to the 2018-19 academic year! Your executive board has been quite busy this summer as we move forward in planning this year’s speakers and our annual budget. 
Education is very much a hot topic at the local, state, and national levels. I am looking forward to hearing presentations during this academic year about the current trends in Texas Early Childhood education, pre-service education, and a legislative update in February.  All educators, retired and current, must stay informed on the issues that are affecting us today, including health care, retirement pensions, standardized testing, school safety, and school finance.
We ended the 2017-2018 year with a great meeting on April 18th with a wonderful banquet. We inducted two new members and gave the following awards:

1. Scholarship awards of $1000 each to two amazing students: Cory Gunter from Hendrickson High School in Pflugerville received the Edward Vodicka Prospective Educator Scholarship that is awarded by the local chapter, and Amelia Gollub from Pflugerville High School received the University of Texas Endowed Prospective Educator Scholarship.
2. Timy Baranoff Research Grant Award of $500 to Catherine Lammert from The University of Texas at Austin. Her dissertation focuses on methods of inquiry both as pedagogy and for improving teachers’ work as practice-based researchers. 
3. L.D. Haskew Award to Norma Jost, current PDK Chapter 12 Newsletter Editor, Treasurer, Web Mistress and former Chapter President.

 
PDK Chapter 12 will also be sharing some new ideas on fundraising and growing our membership, but it means all of you will need to pitch in so that we can meet our goals.  I urge all of you to bring at least one prospective new member to our first meeting on Wednesday, October 3, at Sanchez Elementary School.
Remember, our country will be going through midterm elections in November.  In Texas, we will be electing a U.S. senator, governor, lieutenant governor, and other state-wide positions.  If you have not yet registered to vote, please make sure to do so and either vote early or on Election Day, Tuesday, November 6, 2018.  Your vote makes a difference and is needed to support Texas students and educators.
Please make sure to join me for learning and fellowship on October 3 for our first general meeting.  Together, we can make PDK Chapter 12 an even stronger and more distinguished organization!
Sincerely,
Joe M. Ramirez, PDK Chapter 12 President, 2018-2020