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- Old Union Elementary
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Old Union Elementary Assistant Principal Lisa Walker
The Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA) named Lisa Walker of Old Union Elementary in Carroll ISD, District 11 Assistant Principal of the Year.
The peer-based award recognizes assistant principals for their commitment to student learning as evidenced by exceptional school leadership.Honorees will be recognized at the TEPSA Awards Reception Wednesday, June 11, at the Austin Renaissance Hotel.
“Assistant principals play an important role in their school’s success. This group of campus leaders is passionate about doing what’s right for kids,” said TEPSA Executive Director Harley Eckhart.
Walker, whose career in education spans 17 years, is in her second year as Assistant Principal at Old Union Elementary.
TEPSA, whose hallmark is educational leaders learning with and from each other, has served Texas PreK-8 school leaders since 1917. Member owned and member governed, TEPSA has more than 5,800 members who direct the activities of 3 million PreK-8 school children.
This past school year, 30 exceptional youth facilitators and 1,007 outstanding 4-8 grade students were selected to participate in Education in Action’s 2013 spring break and summer camps. Lone Star Leadership Academy camps took place in Dallas/Fort Worth (4-6 graders), Austin/San Antonio (5-7 graders), and Houston/Galveston (6-8 graders). Selection for the Lone Star Leadership Academy was based on each student’s demonstrated academic success and leadership ability, an educator recommendation, and involvement in school/community activities.
Carroll ISD had a total of 13 students participate. 10 students were from Eubanks Intermediate and three students were from Old Union Elementary School. The Eubanks students were: Lauren Salazar, Sophia Deras, Matthew Krekow, Leigh Loftin, Trey Mann, Jude Nejmanowski, Braden Pecora, Noah Schembri, Ryan Seltzer, Sahaj Singh and Nicholas Tornow. The OUES students who participated were: Mackenzie Korman, Juniper Nelson and Avery White. Click here for a complete list of all districts and students involved.
During the weeklong Lone Star Leadership Academy camps, delegations of distinguished students gathered to develop leadership skills while learning about the great state of Texas. Participants experienced what they are learning in school through visits to historically, politically, scientifically, and environmentally significant sites. Venues included places such as the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District, and the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza on the Dallas/Fort Worth program; the offices of participants’ state legislators at the Texas State Capitol, The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, bat watching on the Lone Star Riverboat, and The Alamo on the Austin/San Antonio program; and NASA, a boat tour of Galveston Bay with a marine biologist, the San Jacinto Battleground Monument, and Moody Gardens on the Houston/Galveston program. Career speakers introduced participants to a wide variety of unique career and internship opportunities. Click here to view pictures taken from various camp destinations.
The Lone Star Leadership Academy experience provides a unique opportunity for outstanding students to learn about Texas leaders and what it means to be from the Lone Star State. Participants discuss what they learn, complete problem-solving and decision-making simulations, exercise creativity, and practice presentation skills in Leadership Groups. In addition, participants have fun meeting other outstanding students and making new friends while adding to their resume of academic achievements, developing leadership skills, and bringing home a wealth of information to supplement what they are learning in school.
Education in Action is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to empowering young people to become informed and active leaders in their communities. Students involved in student government, service organizations, and gifted and talented programs are especially good candidates for Lone Star Leadership Academy camps. Educators may nominate their outstanding 4th-8th grade students for 2014 camps online at www.educationinaction.org. Facilitator/student ratio is one to 10 and all facilitators are Texas educators. For more information about the Lone Star Leadership Academy visit www.educationinaction.org or www.facebook.com/educationinaction.
Every school wants to foster a love of reading in its students, but how can one more reading activity fit into an already packed educational day? Old Union Elementary Principal Jon Fike and Assistant Principal Lisa Walker found the answer – a lunchtime book club. Students come in the office during their lunch period to eat and talk about the book they are reading.
The book club at Old Union was inspired by a grant the school received from the Carroll Education Foundation called “It’s Not Just for Oprah: Book Clubs for Kids.”
“Book Clubs are an engaging way to interact with our students in a small, relaxed setting. We eat lunch, discuss books, and build relationships,” Walker said. “The time we spend facilitating discussion is meaningful and impacts more than just reading scores.”
The students who participate agree that the book club is an opportunity to engage with peers and explore a variety of literary work.
Fourth grader, Arky Mouser said, “The book club lets me express my feelings about the book to others.”
“Book clubs are great, because I get to be with my friends, be with Mrs. Walker, but still learn,” said third grader Ellen Aughenbaugh.
There are approximately ten students at a time per book club with multiple groups per book. The girls meet with Walker and the boys meet with Fike. 
Mystery, adventure, historical fiction, and realistic fiction are some of the most popular choices among the students. For example, the third grade girl’s book club read Titanic by Gordan Korman while the fourth grade girls read Stepping on the Cracks by Mary Downing Hahn. Third grade boy’s book club read Infinity Ring by James Dashner while the fourth grade boys read Earthquake Terror by Peg Kehret.
“Our book club is great because I get to read books that take me on an adventure,” said third grader McKenzie Cutler.
“The goal is to encourage students to love reading and share their thoughts about what they have read with their peers,” Fike said. “It’s a great way to promote literacy and show students that reading can be fun.”
Old Union Book Club Recommendations:
Old Union Elementary’s Lunch Book Club is just one of the unique learning opportunities created by Carroll ISD educators to foster a life long love of reading in students. Throughout the 2012-13 school year the district has embraced this year’s academic theme: “Once Upon a Dragon” which emphasizes literacy. Click here to read more “Once Upon a Dragon” stories from other Carroll ISD campuses.