Brownwood teachers, faculty, and administration welcomed the new school year by meeting in the Dorothy McIntosh Fine Arts Center at Brownwood High School Monday, August 20th for the annual convocation.
Before introducing the guest speaker, Brownwood ISD Superintendent, Dr. Reece Blincoe (pictured left) introduced a slideshow entitled “Looking Back” which highlighted several events, activities, and achievements from each campus throughout the last school year. “I wish I could show this to the legislature,” said Blincoe. “This represents what real education looks like.”
Blincoe continued to explain that the district is allotted much less than the average amount of state funding per student. “We receive about fifty-two hundred dollars per student in state dollars,” said Blincoe. “The state average is around seventy-two hundred.”
Acknowledging that Brownwood ISD is successful utilizing new technology and remains ahead of the game incorporating that technology in the classroom, Blincoe noted that the district is only able to do so through applying and qualifying for grants and that the availability of those grants is becoming more limited.
Blincoe reminded everyone of the importance of exercising their right to vote, and also explained what it is he believes is the most important job of a superintendent. “After thinking long and hard about this, I believe the most important part of my job is to make connections with people, the community, and to build those partnerships,” said Blincoe. “To take care of those that work here and enable you to do the best job you can do.”
Looking to the coming year, Blincoe also charged that we should not diminish the value of diversity, but to embrace it as one of our district’s great qualities.
After a brief introduction from Dr. Blincoe, Mary Gordon Spence took to the stage to deliver a fun, light-hearted presentation outlining her more entertaining experiences in life, education, and the quirks of growing up in Brownwood. Having been crowned “Miss Friendly of Brownwood High School,” graduating from the University of Texas, and later obtaining a Master of Arts from the University of the Americas in Puebla, Mexico, Spence had many experiences to share, most of them comical. Spence has taught in Nicaragua, Mexico and at Tarleton State University in addition to spending 14 years working for the State of Texas where she directed environmental programs and drafted legislation for an on-site childcare center in the capitol complex.
Spence had the audience laughing out loud many times throughout her presentation which she wrapped up by encouraging the teachers to “Look for the magic moments” they experience as educators and remember them as they work throughout the year.
Pictured below: Guest speaker Mary Gordon Spence humorously drives home the point that many educators are not in it for the money by holding up the cover of the book “Odd Jobs,” illustrating the jobs some people are willing to take after their experience working in education.
