L-K High principal goes to Austin

From Staff Reports

LINDEN-- Linden-Kildare High School principal Keri Winters was chosen from 48 school districts in the Region 8 Educational Service area to participate on the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP) Legislative Committee.  
Only 20 school leaders from education service areas across the state of Texas were chosen to attend training and to visit the House Public Education Committee hearing during the 85th legislative session in October. 
In conjunction with these activities the Principals Legislative Committee helped develop a state-wide legislative platform that included four major areas of concern for educators: Ensure a quality education for all students; address Educator preparation, shortages and retention; support sustainable and equitable funding for public education; and affirm an authentic accountability for students and schools. 
Of special interest to parents and educators was the discussion about state testing. The Committee recommends testing for all students based on their individual needs, growth indicators that are based on the interests and abilities of the individual child and school accountability ratings based on multiple measures. “The House Committee was supportive of the needs of public education,” Winters stated, “and I think they are really listening to our concerns.” 
Along with her distinguished position with the TASSP, she has also been named as the TASSP Assistant Regional Coordinator for Region 8. She will serve in this position to increase membership in the organization for the purpose of maintaining a unified legislative presence and to provide opportunities for professionals to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to provide school leadership in the twenty-first century.
She was chosen to serve on the committee, because of her accomplishments and recognition in education. She was the Principal of the Year for the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP) for Region 8 in 2015, and was selected as the Principal of the Year for the Texas Rural Educators Association (TREA) in 2014. 
Since she has taken the helm at Linden-Kildare High School the campus has moved from an “unacceptable” rating to a “met standard with distinctions” rating in the state accountability system over the past five years.  
She is a graduate of Elysian Fields High School and a graduate with both a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master of Education from Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches.