‘Bold Steps’
Four Texas School Districts Receive Honors in 2010 Magna Awards
Four Texas school dis- tricts—Valley View, Austin, Friendswood, and Mesquite ISDs— have earned national
recognition in the American
School Board Journal’s (ASBJ)
16th annual Magna Awards
program.
Valley View ISD was
selected as a first-place winner
in the under- 5,000 enrollment
category for its T-STEM (Texas
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Early
College High School. Developed to help realize the goal of
college attainment for students
in one of the poorest counties
in the state, the school collaborates with local colleges to
promote a college-going culture
and connections to post-sec-ondary education. Students can
begin taking college coursework as freshmen and can earn
up to 60 college credit hours at
no cost to the student or family.
More than 600 students have
earned at least one credit hour
from the school, and it boasts a
90 percent completion rate of
students progressing from ninth
to 12th grade.
Austin ISD was a first-
place winner in the over-20,000
enrollment category for its
“AISD UpClose” program,
which was designed to increase
the involvement of parents and
community members with the
school district and build leaders
and advocates for the schools.
Participants attend monthly
classes that detail how the
district and the schools operate,
as well as challenges and issues
they face. The program also
produces monthly television
shows on a variety of topics.
There was so much interest the
first two years that two classes
were formed this year to meet
demand, and most of the
participants from the first two
years are serving on district-
level and campus-level commit-
tees and task forces.
Fiction: Texas
schools aren’t
innovative enough.
FACT: Texas
school districts
earned national
recognition for
creative approaches
to learning.
Arizona, and St. Tammany
Parish Public School System of
Covington, Louisiana, earned
top honors in this year’s
competition, which is supported by Sodexo School
Services. All the winning
districts were recognized in
April at the National School
Boards Association’s (NSBA)
annual conference in Chicago.
The Magna Awards
program recognizes districts
across the country for outstanding programs that
advance student learning and
encourage community involvement in schools. This year’s
three grand prize, 15 first
place, and 15 honorable
mention winners were selected
based on three enrollment
categories: less than 5,000
students; 5,000 to 20,000; and
over 20,000.
“As school districts face
unprecedented financial
challenges, the Magna Awards
are an opportunity to showcase
innovation and the bold steps
that school leaders take every
day,” said Marilee Rist, ASBJ
publisher and NSBA associate
executive director. “This year’s
entries reflect the hard work of
school boards, superinten-
dents, and staff who strive to
meet their communities’
changing needs in creative and
innovative ways.”
“Our clients, like all school
districts, are looking for
innovative ways to help
students achieve their goals, so
we strive to find creative new
ways to meet their needs with a
focus on student well-being,”
said Lorna Donatone, Sodexo
Education Market president.
“The Magna Awards recognize
school boards and communi-
ties that share our passion for
innovation, and we are proud
to support the program again
this year.”
