Page 7 - 2017 GPISD Honor Board Application

Dear SBOY Selection Committee,

In my search to define the qualities of an effective, caring team that is the Galena Park ISD Board of
Trustees, I was moved by the anonymous quote, “Unity is strength. Knowledge is power. Attitude is
everything.” As Superintendent of Schools, I bear witness daily to these unselfish volunteers from the
Galena Park ISD community, who give of their time and talents to collaboratively support the student,
parent and taxpayer stakeholders they were elected to serve.

Galena Park ISD is a great place to live and work. We take pride in succeeding against obstacles others
might deem insurmountable. In our mission to prepare over 22,500 students to become productive
citizens and lifelong learners, the Galena Park ISD Board of Trustees, along with the staff, embraces
the opportunity to educate our children, of which 80% are considered economically disadvantaged, by
providing them a quality education and experiences others may take for granted. The Board fully supports
programs and activities for our students such as Free Breakfast for All, after school violin programs, dual
credit scholarships, robotics programs and UIL academic programs at all levels, and one of a limited
number of Career and Technical Education Early College High Schools in Texas, to name a few.

While we have much pride in our District and surrounding community, I must admit we’ve had to deal
with aging facilities and very little available property for new construction. However, this did not deter our
Board from its desire to afford our students a chance to attend classes in state-of-the-art buildings. The
effort to plan, call, enlist support and pass a $290 million bond referendum provides an excellent example
of the collaborative leadership of these selfless community servants.

Board members served on committees and participated in numerous workshops throughout the process.
They presented a unified message to the community, speaking with ONE VOICE, to emphasize the need
for new facilities and accomplish this goal in a fiscally sound manner. The passage of the bond with 72%
support validates their efforts.

In light of major undertakings such as a bond referendum, the day to day duties of Board service can
be easily overlooked or misunderstood by those outside the boardroom. Active Board members must
balance a narrow scope of authority within a broad range of duties. Support to implement new policies,
reviews and/or revisions of existing policies and attending training and workshops require a great deal of
commitment. I am proud of our Board of Trustees for their dedication to understanding governance and
their willingness to lead where required, or defer to the superintendent when appropriate. The Team of 8
clearly understands our respective roles and operates effectively and efficiently in them.

This presentation provides a glimpse into our Board’s service to the students and community of the Galena
Park ISD, as well as their unwavering will to succeed on behalf of all concerned. The Board strives to be
proactive, to communicate effectively with all stakeholders, to plan strategically and operate professionally.
By their actions, they model our vision of Excellence in All, For All, By All. And for that, we are truly
blessed!

Respectfully,

Angi M. Williams, Ed.D.