December 1, 2016 - Dear CISD Board,
I want to thank the board, the superintendent, administrators, teachers, parents, students, and voters for allowing me to serve as a trustee on the Center ISD board for the past ten years. I have enjoyed every minute of it. Also, thank you very much for the beautiful plaque you gave me to commemorate my service.
I am very proud of the many things we have accomplished in the past ten years. We have achieved academic excellence, added facilities, upgraded facilities, expanded and grown our Career and Technology program and provided opportunities for students to get college hours at little or no cost to them. We have raised teacher salaries as much as we could and have kept our finances healthy.
I want to encourage this board to focus on academics. Every child needs to be challenged to think, plan, explore, problem-solve, and succeed. Extracurricular activities such as sports are very important; they boost morale, help kids identify themselves and belong to a group, and help them learn teamwork. But they must first and foremost learn their core subjects. Very few kids will become professional athletes or even play college ball. But every graduate needs to know how to read and write and spell and count. If we don’t teach them these things, we have failed them. When they graduate, they no longer have crowds cheering for them on Friday night and they must have the skills to make something of themselves in the world.
I think we need to hire the very best teachers we can and pay them as much as we can. The board needs to constantly evaluate what is working and what isn’t, keep developing new programs to reach each child, and providing opportunities for student success. Take advantage of every educational opportunity offered to you. Go to the seminars. Discuss what each of you learned. Think about what else we can do for our kids. Make strategic plans thoughtfully. Do not overlook the value of fine arts, because every study shows that academics improve when kids participate in fine arts. Talk to teachers and parents and kids. Trust Dr. Hockenberry to lead you in the right direction as you lead him.
These children are the future of our nation. They are the ones who will make decisions for you when you are too old to do it. They are the most precious commodity in our community. They are worth every minute you give to them. I am counting on you to take your duty seriously and uphold your responsibility to the best of your ability.
I commend you for your past and future service. Thank you and God bless you.
Sincerely,
Sharon K. Nelson
