November 2018
Leslie & Scott Milder
Co-Founders
Friends of Texas 
Public Schools
Est. 2004
CORPORATE PARTNERS
Schneider Electric logo









 






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.




Research has shown the importance of students being able to read at grade level by the third grade. STAAR scores from the 2017-2018 school year shows an increase for the third consecutive year in grade level reading levels to 76% for ALL third grade students in Texas.


Announcing "Great Things Happening in Texas Public Schools" Scholarship
This year, Friends will award two graduates $2,500 each with its inaugural scholarship/award. One for a student joining the workforce, continuing education through trade schools or other forms of post-secondary training and one for a college bound graduate.  
 
Steps to Apply:
1. Create a short video/multimedia file sharing your perspective about the Great Things Happening in Texas Public Schools.
2. Complete the short application form here including a link to your file.
 
Deadline: Friday, November 23rd, 5pm
 
(letters of recomenedations can be emailed to BCooper@fotps.org)
Dear Friends,
 
Thank you to the districts across the state that participated in School Priority Month.  This event takes place every two years prior to the November elections and we look for it to grow larger in two years when we do it again.  We must continue to build relationships with our local, county and statewide elected officials.  Invite them to your districts, to your administrative meetings, to your school assemblies!  The more they see our students and all the great things they are doing, the harder it will be for them to do things that harm our public schools. With the conclusion of the elections the sense of urgency will increase to "share all of the good things happening in Texas public schools".
  
 
The  2018 Friends of Texas Public Schools Gala  is scheduled for December 5 th .  The Gala is returning to McLane Stadium on the campus of Baylor University.  We will be recognizing three wonderful and very deserving people and are expecting close to 500 people to attend.  I hope you will make plans to be there.
 
In closing, as THANKSgiving approaches, I hope everyone will make the time to share with others how much you appreciate them and be THANKful for our challenges and our blessings!  
 
 
THANK you!

Blake W. Cooper

Executive Director
Friends of Texas Public Schools

LIMITED TABLES AVAILABLE

Friends of Texas Public Schools will honor three Texans at its 14 th  annual awards gala on December 5, 2018 at the Baylor Club, McLane Stadium in Waco.
 
TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS FRIEND OF THE YEAR
Michelle Smith, PhD, Director of Governmental Relations, 
Raise your Hand Texas
TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR
Bobby J. Rigues, Founder, Make Education a Priority & 
Trustee, Aledo ISD
FRIENDS OF TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDERS' DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Don Rogers, EdD, Executive Director, 
Texas Rural Education Association
 
Please continue reading for more information and career highlights on each of these honorees. For Gala ticket and sponsorship information, visit  www.fotps.org/FOY18  or email  jstorm@fotps.org . 


CORPORATE PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

Walsh Gallegos Treviño Russo & Kyle Celebrates 35 Years!! At Walsh Gallegos we believe that public education makes a difference.  That belief, and the desire to work toward making a difference in our communities, is why we are here today. We hope you enjoy this short video that celebrates the power of your work-because it matters.
 

 
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) - Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA) - TransCend4