District Celebrates School Board Recognition Month
The elected officials are outstanding volunteers and champions for public education and children.
Aldine ISD Trustees pose with Superintendent of Schools Dr. Wanda Bamberg.
[dropcap color=”#888″ type=”square”]J[/dropcap]anuary is School Board Recognition Month in Texas. This is a great time to honor school board members for their untiring dedication to public education.
Trustees are outstanding volunteers. They provide a passionate voice of advocacy for public schools. 
These “Super-heroes” bear great responsibility as they oversee the welfare of school children.
School boards play an important role in local education systems. Trustees have many duties. For example they make policy, approve contracts with employees, and they choose curriculum as well as adopt budgets.
Serving on a school board is often described as the ‘toughest job in America.’ Public school board members dedicate countless hours to serving students, staff and the community. They attend meetings and school functions. Trustees spend hours reading and preparing for the decisions they make. On top of that, many pursue their own professional development. The training helps them stay on top of the ever-changing education landscape.
Local school boards also work closely with parents, education professionals and community members. They’re dedicated individuals committed to the continuing success of our schools and students.
Trustees serve as a vital link between community members and their schools.
Rose Ávalos
The collaboration helps board members create the educational vision we want for our students. As such, the board formulates goals and defines results. It sets the course for an adequate and equitable educational program for all students.
According to the [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Texas Association of School Boards, there are 1,030 Texas school districts. Membership also includes 20 regional education service centers and 50 community colleges. The association represents the largest group of publicly elected officials in the state. This includes more than 7,000 school board members. TASB members serve more than five million Texas students. Every year, the state’s student population increases by approximately 85,000 additional students.
In Aldine ISD, seven individuals serve as [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]school board representatives:
Rick Ogden
Rose Ávalos, President — Position Three
Ms. Ávalos was elected in 2006
Rick Ogden, Vice President — Position Four
Mr. Ogden was first appointed in 1990
Patricia Ann Bourgeois, Secretary — Position One
Ms. Bourgeois was elected in 2013
Merlin D. Griggs Sr., Assistant Secretary — Position Six
Mr. Griggs was first appointed in 2007
Patricia Ann Bourgeois
Steve Mead, Member — Position Five
Mr. Mead was first appointed in 2004
Paul Shanklin, Member — Position Two
Mr. Shanklin was appointed in Dec. 2014
Dr. Viola M. García, Member — Position Seven
Dr. García was first appointed in 1992
Voters elect each board position to a four-year term. Board members are at large Trustees. This means that Trustees can live anywhere in the District and are elected by all the voters in the District. [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Aldine voters returned incumbents Bourgeois, Shanklin, Griggs and García on Nov. 3, 2016. The four were up for re-election. Griggs and García ran unopposed.
School Boards [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Work Hard to Benefit Students … The Whole Community Benefits From [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Good Schools
Aldine ISD Trustees Are Responsible and Oversee:
Merlin Griggs
Superintendent Dr. Wanda Bamberg lauds the District’s Board. She praises Trustees for making the time to share their vision and voice. Their actions and decisions affect the present and future lives of our children.
“Serving on a local school board is no easy task,” said Bamberg. “Aldine Trustees develop policies and make tough decisions that help shape the future of our education system. They tackle a difficult job and shoulder enormous responsibilities in the community they serve.
Steve Mead
“Trustees take their leadership roles seriously by attending meetings. Board members broaden their knowledge at conferences and seminars. They talk about the schools with business leaders, parents and neighbors. Trustees also reach out to state and federal lawmakers on behalf of children.
“We proudly join educators and community members in saluting these education advocates as they provide vision and leadership for student achievement, academic programs, district funding and facilities. Board members have demonstrated their unfailing commitment to the success of all students. Our Trustees are helping shape a better tomorrow.”
Paul Shanklin
Over the years, the Aldine ISD Board of Education has earned recognition. In 2013, AISD’s board was named a finalist for H-E-B’s Excellence in Education Award. The award recognizes school boards that demonstrate real leadership in the community they serve. As a finalist, AISD received a $5,000 grant to fund programs in the district. In 2013, Region 4 ESC named Aldine the Outstanding School Board winner. That same year, the Texas Association of School Administrators named Aldine a finalist for the Texas Outstanding School Board honor. Trustees also garnered the Region 4 Honor Board recognition in 1973 and 1998. During those two years, TASA bestowed AISD Trustees with the Texas Outstanding School Board honor. The American School Board Journal also honored the AISD Board of Trustees with a Magna Award in 1998.
Through the Board’s leadership, Aldine ISD continually earns the state’s top financial rating under the [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Schools Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) and the [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Financial Allocation Study of Texas (FAST).
Looking Toward the Future
Dr. Viola M. García
During the [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Aug. 18 meeting, Aldine ISD Board of Trustees unanimously passed an order to hold an election. Trustees sought voter approval for the sale of schoolhouse bonds. On Nov.3, [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Aldine voters overwhelmingly approved the $798 million bond referendum. The proposal includes the construction of new schools, renovations, enhancements and other projects. The bonds will help meet the district’s growth needs over the next five years. The student population reached the 70,000-student marker in the fall of 2015. A study shows the district will continue to grow. By 2020, projections indicate AISD will reach nearly 80,000.
Community members will have a chance to voice their appreciation. The next School Board Meeting is set for Jan. 12. Campuses and students will show their appreciation throughout the month.
We applaud Trustees for their vision and voice to help shape a better tomorrow for our students today.
Contacting the School Board
Citizens are welcome to bring a topic or issue to the attention of the school board. There are two primary ways to do so:
[ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Write to the school board[/li] [li]Public comment at school board meetings[/li][/ul]
Want to see the School Board in Action?
The AISD school board conducts meetings on the third Tuesday of each month in the Administration Building (14910 Aldine Westfield Rd., Houston 77032). The date only changes if there are conflicts with other important dates. The monthly board meeting begins at 7 p.m. The Trustees conduct all meetings in the Board Room.
About the Author: Leticia Fehling
