August 2018
Leslie & Scott Milder
Co-Founders
Friends of Texas 
Public Schools
Est. 2004
CORPORATE PARTNERS




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Founded in 2016 by Margaret Kilgo, Standards First, Inc. seeks to place importance on the national and Texas state standards in Reading, Writing, Mathematics, and Science. Click to learn more about offered workshops and resources to help improve student education and change the make-up of current standardized testing!

DK Haney Roofing is a certified TIPS and TXMAS vendor dedicated to helping schools get roofing projects done. Schools have been our specialty for 23 years, so we can help you navigate insurance claims and board approvals. Our state-of-the-art roof management portal provides instant access to all your roofs and reports. Call 866-379-4846. 
ADVERTISE WITH FRIENDS 

With more than a million hits annually on our website and more than 60,000 e-news subscribers, we are pleased to offer advertising and sponsorship opportunities available to organizations wishing to reach school leaders across Texas who support Friends of Texas Public Schools. 

For information on getting your organization's message out to Friends of Texas Public Schools followers and readers, please email Jennifer Storm.  

OUR MISSION
By educating Texans about Texas Public Schools and their many strengths and achievements, we aim to:

* Underscore the significance of them;
* Unite Texans around them;
* Restore pride in them;
* Strengthen confidence in them;
* Lift spirits among them; and
* Inject resources into them...

...all of which will lead to even greater performance.


THE MOST BOGUS CLAIM I'VE HEARD IN MONTHS: THAT SCHOOL GRADES ARE FAIR
by: John Tanner, Executive Director, TestSense and Friends Board Member

Education Commissioner Morath in the great state of Texas is about to release grades for schools. His quote:
 
"The idea that the design of the system was meant to highlight both high levels of student achievement and high levels of educator impact makes this essentially the fairest system in the history of the state of Texas." (Article by Julie Chang in the Austin American Statesman, August 7, 2018--see it here--italics are mine.)
 
The claim in italics is bogus. And it is easy for anyone to see why.

Q.  As a public education advocate, can you share a little about yourself?
A.  I believe in and support the Texas Constitution and want the best for the future of Texas. These are the only two qualifications required to be an advocate for public education. Beyond that, I have invested most of my adult life in advocacy for public education, beginning as media relations director for Mesquite ISD 25 years ago. I served as public information officer for Galena Park ISD. I then joined Stantec Architecture where I've helped school districts win more than 100 bond elections over the last 20 years. In 2004, my wife Leslie and I founded Friends of Texas Public Schools, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening public confidence by promoting their achievements. I've acquired a deep understanding of the complexities of our public schools and the politics surrounding it.

Q. Make Education a Priority is a campaign under Friends of Texas Public Schools. MEaP promotes public education advocacy programs. School Priority Month-October 2018 is an example. Can you describe the program and its purpose?
A. School Priority Month is a biennium event where school districts invite elected officials from every level of government to experience the great work taking place in our public schools. The idea is to foster engagement, promote partnerships, and exhibit a shared responsibility.


MESSAGE FROM BLAKE COOPER

Dear Friends,
I hope you have had a restful summer as the excitement begins to fill the air. I remember my days as an educator, when the month of August arrived it was exciting to see students back in the building as practices began for band, cheerleaders, drill team, football, volleyball, and cross-country students. Teachers arrive to work and prepare their classrooms along with folks wanting to see their class schedules and teachers for the new year. 
As the new year begins, it is my prayer that we feel renewed in our desire to make a difference in the lives of the students that will cross our path in the days and months ahead. We MUST remember our role in supporting our students and each other as we share our knowledge and make a difference in our classrooms, campuses, and communities. There are a lot of great things happening in our schools and we must not be shy about telling our stories.
As the general election nears in November we need to make sure we are informed and VOTE! Our students, co-workers, and communities are depending on us.  We must "shout to the mountaintops" all we are doing to make a difference so we can drown out those that want to say otherwise.
Thank you for all you do for the students, campuses, and communities across our great state. Great things are going to happen as we embark on the 2018-2019 school year.

Sincerely,
 
Blake W. Cooper
Executive Director
CORPORATE PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

Your vision for your school district is within reach. At Schneider Electric, we've partnered with districts across the nation to modernize facilities, implement new technologies, enhance curriculum, and generate revenue that helps our clients reach their biggest ambitions.
 
As a champion for your students and faculty, you think big when looking for ways to create best-in-class learning environments that let your district shine. A partnership with Schneider Electric is a smart, fiscally responsible solution to big funding challenges. Our programs allow you to make transformational district-wide improvements that impact generations of students to come.
 
As partners, we start by identifying projects within the district's plan that increase energy efficiency and reduce maintenance and operations costs. The guaranteed savings generated through these improvements are leveraged to fund the project.  More importantly, the residual benefits of  these projects often directly impact learning environments by providing a more modernized facility, better lighting and a more comfortable classroom for students and staff.
 
Count on our 100 years of energy management experience to improve the efficiency and functionality of your infrastructure. We've worked with hundreds of school systems to implement new technologies that help fund top district's biggest priorities.
 

 
Thank you to our Affiliate Partners!

Belfor - Cornerstone - Government Capital - Pfluger Architects -  Powell & Leon - Right at School -  Symmetry  Turf - Texas Association of School Business Officals (TASBO)  - Texas Association of School Personnel Administrators (TASPA) - TransCend4
INTRODUCING NEW AFFILIATE PARTNER PROGRAM

Are you a vendor, an association, or business looking to get involved with Friends of Texas Public Schools?
Our new Affiliate Partner Program may be perfect for you! Partnerships help us promote Texas Public Schools and are used to assist with the costs of marketing, advertising, and the production of high-profile regional and statewide events.

To become a FOTPS Affiliate Partner, please click below. If you have any questions or would like to discuss additional partnership opportunities, please contact FOTPS Director of Business Operations and Fund Development, Jennifer Storm at 361-549-4339 or jstorm@fotps.org.

Affiliate Partnership benefits:
  • Company Name Listed at www.fotps.org
  • Company Name Listed in Friends Newsletter (distributed monthly to over 60,000 subscribers)
  • One-time recognition on Friends Social Media Outlets
  • Recognition in Friends Gala program
  • Discounted admission for one ticket to the Gala ($25 off)