– More than 1,000 school leaders sponsored by Raise Your Hand since 2008 –

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUSTIN, TX (June 7, 2017) – Raise Your Hand Texas, a nonprofit working to strengthen and improve public education, is sponsoring 123 school leaders – including individual principals and school and district teams from 43 districts, and Education Service Center representatives – for summer leadership programs at The Principals’ Center at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

With this year’s group, Raise Your Hand Texas will have sponsored more than 1,000 school leaders to attend Harvard in the nine years of the program. This is the first year the organization opened sponsorship to teams.

“We know the Harvard program is transformational for many school leaders and we saw an opportunity to scale that impact by also sponsoring teams to attend,” said Cody Huie, director of leadership development for Raise Your Hand Texas. “This weeklong program serves as the launch pad for ongoing professional development, leadership and innovation events, and support through the Raise Your Hand alumni network.”

Raise Your Hand covers all expenses for those selected, including program tuition fees, travel, hotel and other discretionary funding – an average of about $9,200 per attendee, for a total of more than $1 million in sponsorships for 2017, and more than $8 million since the program’s inception.

Attendees will join education leaders from around the globe in one of the following six institutes, and engage in training and workshops led by international education and leadership experts.

1. National Institute for Urban School Leaders
2. Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
3. Leadership: An Evolving Vision
4. Closing the Achievement Gap
5. Family Engagement in Education
6. School Turnaround Leaders

Each Institute lasts for 5-7 days, between June 5 and July 27, 2017.

ABOUT RAISE YOUR HAND TEXAS

Raise Your Hand Texas is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that identifies and pilots promising ideas to improve public education, and supports the conditions and public policies needed to scale proven approaches to benefit all Texas students. Visit RaiseYourHandTexas.org to learn more.

Connect with us on Facebook: /RaiseYourHandTexas
Connect with us on Twitter: @RYHTexas
Connect with us on Instagram: /RaiseYourHandTexas

Contact:

Petri Darby, VP of Marketing
pdarby@ryht.org or (512) 617-2137

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AMARILLO ISD

Jay Barrett, Amarillo Area Center for Advanced Learning – Leadership: An Evolving Vision

ARLINGTON ISD

Rosa Orosco, Speer Elementary – National Institute for Urban School Leaders
Joshua Leonard, Blanton Elementary – Family Engagement in Education
Toyia Curry, Blanton Elementary – Family Engagement in Education
Chelsea Broughton, Blanton Elementary – Family Engagement in Education

BIG SPRING ISD

Phyllis Foley-Davis, Washington Elementary – National Institute for Urban School Leaders

BRAZOSPORT ISD

Marianella Moore, Griffith Elementary – Family Engagement in Education
Gina Aguirre, Griffith Elementary – Family Engagement in Education
Karen Matt, Griffith Elementary – Family Engagement in Education

BRENHAM ISD

Bryan Bryant, Brenham Junior High – Leadership: An Evolving Vision
Joseph Chandler, Brenham Junior High – Leadership: An Evolving Vision

BROCK ISD

Erin Griffith, Brock Elementary – Closing the Achievement Gap

CLIFTON ISD

Andy Ball, Clifton Middle – Family Engagement in Education
Tiffany Jones, Clifton Middle – Family Engagement in Education
Michele Sparkman, Clifton Middle – Family Engagement in Education

DUMAS ISD

Mary Rodriguez, Hillcrest Elementary – National Institute for Urban School Leaders

EAST CENTRAL ISD

Darlene Gorhum, John Glenn Elementary – Leadership: An Evolving Vision

ECTOR COUNTY ISD

Rachel Baxter, Odessa High – School Turnaround Leaders
Janet Weyant, Odessa High – School Turnaround Leaders
Roy Garcia, Odessa High – School Turnaround Leaders
Kendra Herrera, Ector Middle – School Turnaround Leaders
Michelle Norrid, Ector Middle – School Turnaround Leaders
Dollucy Grainger, Ector Middle – School Turnaround Leaders
Amy Russell, Ector Middle – School Turnaround Leaders
Ale Garcia, Ector Middle – School Turnaround Leaders
Gregory Nelson, Odessa High – School Turnaround Leaders
Summer Percifield, Odessa High – School Turnaround Leaders

ELGIN ISD

April Wallace, Neidig Elementary – Closing the Achievement Gap

FORT WORTH ISD

Julie Moynihan, West Handley Elementary – School Turnaround Leaders
Priscila Dilley, West Handley Elementary – School Turnaround Leaders
Shaunda Morrow, West Handley Elementary – School Turnaround Leaders
Jessica Anne Gore, West Handley Elementary – School Turnaround Leaders
Terri Walker, West Handley Elementary – School Turnaround Leaders

GALENA PARK ISD

Bianca Shaughnessy, Woodland Acres Elementary – Leadership: An Evolving Vision

GALVESTON ISD

Cherie Spencer, Coastal Village Elementary – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Keri Launius, Coastal Village Elementary – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Stevie Gonzales, Coastal Village Elementary – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Sarah Sturrock, Coastal Village Elementary – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership

GARLAND ISD

Don Hernandez, Sam Houston Middle – Family Engagement in Education
Ramona Morin Aguilar, Sam Houston Middle – Family Engagement in Education
Jonathan Armstrong, Sam Houston Middle – Family Engagement in Education

GATESVILLE ISD

Scott Harper, Gatesville Intermediate – Closing the Achievement Gap

GEORGETOWN ISD

Brian Dawson, James Tippit Middle – Leadership: An Evolving Vision

GRAPEVINE-COLLEYVILLE ISD

Lance Groppel, Colleyville Heritage High – Leadership: An Evolving Vision

HARLINGEN CISD

Fernando Reyes, Harlingen High – South – Closing the Achievement Gap

HOUSTON ISD

Traci Lightfoot, Bruce Elementary – National Institute for Urban School Leaders

HUTTO ISD

Jorge Franco, Farley Middle – Leadership: An Evolving Vision

KIPP AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOLS INC

Nicole Seltman, KIPP Austin Leadership Elementary – Leadership: An Evolving Vision

LA JOYA ISD

Isabel Marichalar-Solis, Juarez-Lincoln High – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Blanca Sanchez, Juarez-Lincoln High – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Melinda Flores, Juarez-Lincoln High – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Clarita Fajutag, Juarez-Lincoln High – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Maribel Vigil, Juarez-Lincoln High – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership

LANCASTER ISD

Joseph Showell, Lancaster High – Family Engagement in Education
Mazie Leichman, Lancaster High – Family Engagement in Education
LaTasha Murry, Lancaster High – Family Engagement in Education

LOCKHART ISD

Luciano Castro, Lockhart High – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Matthew Altman, Lockhart High – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Kimberly Brents, Lockhart High – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Mark Hernandez, Lockhart High – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Lindsey Pilgrim, Lockhart High – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership

LUBBOCK ISD

Damon McCall, Slaton Middle – School Turnaround Leaders
Jeffrey Mitchell, Slaton Middle – School Turnaround Leaders
Doyle Vogler, Slaton Middle – School Turnaround Leaders
Britni Grandon, Slaton Middle – School Turnaround Leaders
Kris Ann Blodgett, Slaton Middle – School Turnaround Leaders

LULING ISD

Ashley Fredo, Luling Elementary – School Turnaround Leaders
Erin Warren, Luling Elementary – School Turnaround Leaders
Bethany Brooks, Luling Elementary – School Turnaround Leaders
Michelle Barbee, Luling Elementary – School Turnaround Leaders
Brittney Parrott, Luling Elementary – School Turnaround Leaders

MAGNOLIA ISD

Letty Roman, Cedric C Smith Elementary – Family Engagement in Education
Anita Hebert, Cedric C Smith Elementary – Family Engagement in Education
Dion Rivera, Cedric C Smith Elementary – Family Engagement in Education

MIDLAND ISD

Brian Sparks, Lamar Elementary – Leadership: An Evolving Vision

PASADENA ISD

Stacy Frenchwood, Miller Intermediate – Leadership: An Evolving Vision

PEWITT CISD

Amy Barron, Pewitt Elementary – Family Engagement in Education
Holly Tucker, Pewitt Elementary – Family Engagement in Education
Natalie Inman, Pewitt Elementary – Family Engagement in Education

PHARR-SAN JUAN-ALAMO ISD

Michelle Cardoza, Berta S Palacios Elementary – Closing the Achievement Gap

RICARDO ISD

Cynthia Flores, Ricardo Middle – Family Engagement in Education
Lisa West, Ricardo Middle – Family Engagement in Education
Magda Reyna, Ricardo Middle – Family Engagement in Education

SAN ANTONIO ISD

Malinda Villalobos, Young Women’s Leadership Academy – Leadership: An Evolving Vision
Luz Martinez, Highlands High – National Institute for Urban School Leaders

SAN MARCOS CISD

Richard Duvall, MILLER MIDDLE – Closing the Achievement Gap

SANTA ROSA ISD

Sylvia Ramos, Elma E Barrera Elementary – Family Engagement in Education
Annabel Villareal, Elma E Barrera Elementary – Family Engagement in Education
Julie Harris-Jones, Elma E Barrera Elementary – Family Engagement in Education

SEALY ISD

Lisa Svoboda, Sealy Junior High – Closing the Achievement Gap

SOUTHSIDE ISD

Manuel Ornelas, Losoya Intermediate – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Kendra Blackmon, Losoya Intermediate – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Shyra Williams, Losoya Intermediate – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Donna Wong, Losoya Intermediate – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Genese Bell, Losoya Intermediate – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership

SOUTHWEST ISD

Krista Nail, Spicewood Park Elementary – Family Engagement in Education
Betsy Barrera, Spicewood Park Elementary – Family Engagement in Education
DeVonna Friesenhahn, Spicewood Park Elementary – Family Engagement in Education

SPRING BRANCH ISD

Karen Liska, Hollibrook Elementary – School Turnaround Leaders
Jennifer Parker, Hollibrook Elementary – School Turnaround Leaders
Anabel Taylor, Hollibrook Elementary – School Turnaround Leaders
Jessica Licarione, Hollibrook Elementary – School Turnaround Leaders
Stephanie Haack, Hollibrook Elementary – School Turnaround Leaders

VAN ISD

Shelby Davidson, Van Middle – Leadership: An Evolving Vision

WAYSIDE SCHOOLS

Mary Brinkman, Sci-Tech Preparatory – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Hope Astor, Sci-Tech Preparatory – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Chelsea Schauer, Sci-Tech Preparatory – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Jennifer Goldin, Sci-Tech Preparatory – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Ethan Peters, Sci-Tech Preparatory – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership

YSLETA ISD

Dana Boyd, East Point Elementary – Family Engagement in Education
Adriana Arenas, East Point Elementary – Family Engagement in Education
Maria McNulty, East Point Elementary – Family Engagement in Education
Claudia Ureno-Olivas, Ascarate Elementary – Closing the Achievement Gap

ESC Region 1

Ruben Degollado – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership

ESC Region 11

Sharon Howell Norwood – School Turnaround Leaders

ESC Region 13

Adrienne Leslye Gratten Aldaco – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership Dixie Lynn Binford, STL
Kendra Monk, AOL
Michael Wayne Greenwalt – School Turnaround Leaders

ESC Region 18

Roberto Cedillo – School Turnaround Leaders

ESC Region 20

Shannon Susanne Allen – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership

ESC Region 4

Ingrid Marisa Lee – Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership
Rachel Walker – School Turnaround Leaders