Our Vision: Striving for excellence.Our Mission: The mission of the Beaumont Independent School District, as the unify-ing force of the community, is to guarantee that our graduates possess the necessary skills, values and knowledge to compete successfully as productive citizens in a diverse global society through an educational system characterized by:

•  Expectation of success for each person;•  Optimum application of  technology;•  An appreciation of various cultures;•  Full  involvement of  parents, teachers and the community;•  Respect and care for each other.

Dr. Chargois is official

Reaud Award winners

Beaumont Independent School D

istrict

A Weekly Em

ployee Publication

May 8, 2012

Beaumont ISD Named One of the

2011 Top 10 School Districts

In America by Business Review USA Magazine!

Excellence in Education Gets Noticed!

#23

Dr. Timothy Chargois signing on the dotted line on May 1.

Three Beaumont ISD teach-ers were among 15 area teachers honored at the Reaud Excellence in Education Awards banquet at the Mary and John Gray Library at Lamar University. Tangie D. Nelson, Jones-Clark Elementary; Jan Tekell, Vincent Middle School; and Stephan Malick, West Brook High School each re-ceived $10,000 along with the beau-

tiful award. The Reaud Excellence in Education Awards program, now in its fourth year, provides public recognition and financial rewards to educational professionals who are furthering excellence in education. Nelson, who has been teach-ing for 16 years, was named Good Apple Teacher of the Year in 2008, 2010 and 2011 while at French El-ementary, and was also named the

Tangie D. Nelson Jan Tekell Stephan Malick

continued on page 3

We can feel it in the atmosphere! Graduation is in the air. Se-niors’ testing and final exams are in the completion stage. Exquisite gowns and tuxedos are ready for the preliminary event to gradua-tion—prom night. Students have ordered senior portraits, gradua-tion invitations, caps and gowns. Parties, dinners and gifts galore are integral to the big day where hundreds of students will march across the big stage at the Mon-tange Center here in Beaumont. It will be the culmination of 12, 13 or 14 years of matriculation here in BISD. Those who started in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten or first grade more than a decade ago are now about to realize one of their life-long dreams: high school graduation. It won’t matter whether these young men and women are wear-ing Central’s burgundy and silver, Ozen’s blue and gold or West Brook’s red and blue, the emo-tions and excitement will be visible in each graduate. They will be ecstatic about finally getting the

opportunity to officially swing that graduation cap tassel from their left to their right. However, for a few who have not taken care of their academic business, they will face devas-tating disappointment. I am re-minded of a few shockers from the past. For the first time in her high school career, one father came to his daughter’s school the last Friday before graduation. When he learned from a counselor that his daughter would not be march-ing across the graduation stage because she did not complete all the requirements for graduation, he was livid. “You mean to tell me I have bought 50 pounds of craw-fish and she is not graduating!” Despite all we do, every now and then, one gets by us. One student who had attended two different high schools in his previ-ous four years, actually marched across the stage two times in one day. However, he was disappoint-ed to learn that his diploma cover was blank at both the graduations. His sneaking in line where he was not supposed to be was really just a waste of his and his family’s time. One year, one of the schools gave out the student robes earlier than normal. One of the graduat-ing seniors was inadvertently is-sued the robe for honor graduates. Despite not being an honor gradu-ate, the student insisted the robe was hers and she was not going to give it up. The student hung on to the robe for dear life as it was wrested from her grip.

She eventually accepted the non-honors graduate robe and sulked until her opportunity came to march across the stage before thousands of people filling the graduation audience. Then, she forgot all about the robe she didn’t earn and gladly walked across the stage in the one she did earn. Stories about the ones who didn’t or almost didn’t make it are only trumped by the stories of the thousands who have made it. I will share a few of those next time.

Dr. Carrol A. ThomasBISD Superintendent

Nuggets of Wisdom

Kudos to Regina Holmes and the Central Players!  Central returned home with the 1st place EDA state sweepstakes trophy-high school division.

A&M Club Outstanding Teacher of the Year in 2009 while she was at French. She is also an HEB Excel-lence in Education Award nominee for 2011. Nelson has taught at many grade levels and has been teach-ing fifth grade science for the past four years. She has the unique ability to connect with students as well as develop a positive rapport with people from all ages. One of her parents stated “I have been in her classroom nu-merous times and every time she is conducting an experiment. My daughter was constantly coming home excited about the lab they completed in science class that day.” A fifth grade student wrote “I used to think only nerds liked sci-ence but because of Mrs. Nelson I really think science is cool. Mrs. Nelson showed me how all things on Earth are important, even bugs, and I really don’t like bugs, but I know we need them because of the science experiment we did in Mrs. Nelson’s class.”

Tekell has been teaching for 25 years and was named the Good Apple Teacher of the Year at Vin-cent in 1997 and 2009. She was the A&M Club Outstanding Teacher of the Year Middle School Area Winner in 2002. Tekell believes that education is a process of development in each person. She believes that students learn best in an atmosphere of ac-ceptance and encouragement. She makes every student feel important. One of her co-workers said “She not only teaches art, but more extensively, she teaches how to behave, encourages others to be more accepting, how to become more successful in school and life, to be polite to others and many other life skills.” A former student of hers wrote “Mrs. Tekell wasn’t only an art teacher, she was a guidance coun-selor, a motivational speaker, a parent-like figure, and most impor-tantly, a friend to many.” Malick has been teaching for 14 years and received the Edith Fox King Award for Journalism in

Education in 2011. He was named the A&M Club Outstanding Teacher of the Year for West Brook in 2010 and earned the University Inter-scholastic League Coaching Excel-lence Award in 2011. Malick is the journalism and yearbook teacher at West Brook. He is extremely organized and respected by both peers and par-ents. He is known for his profes-sional demeanor, work ethic and leadership as a teacher. One of Stephan’s colleagues wrote “each year West Brook’s journalism department brings home many awards and accolades. These honors can be attributed directly to Stephan’s leadership; expects the best from his students and will accept nothing less.” Bill Daniels, the principal at West Brook, described Stephan as “amazing educator who has a posi-tive influence not just on his de-partment, but the entire school. He is one of the finest examples of an educator you will ever meet. West Brook is lucky to have him.”

Reaud Award winnerscontinued from page 1

  Dr. Carrol Thomas is one of 23 educators from across the state of Texas to be hon-ored at the Dean’s Roundta-ble at Texas A&M University on Friday night, May 4. Here, Dr. Thomas is shown with (l-r) Dr. Eddie Coulson, super-intendent of College Station ISD; Patsy Kirksey, member of the College of Education and Human Development Board (she is also from Lockhart and actually taught Dr. Thomas when he was in high school); Linda Thomas and Pat Kirksey, member of the College of Education and Human Development Board.

NJROTC’s Commander Normand at Central is proud of one of his students, an 11th grader who has been selected to attend the Naval Academy Summer Seminar (NASS) this summer. The selection process was more competitive this year than previous years. There were more than 600 students that were turned down from the state of Texas alone. Venisha Fontenot in the Insurance Department is proud of her son, Colby Tristan, who received a Certificate of Aca-demic Excellence in Computer Maintenance/Networking I and AP English 3 from the Taylor Career & Technology Center. Debra Allen in the Adminis-tration postal service is ecstatic for her son, Nathaniel Allen, a student at Marshall. He won first place in the 110m and 200m

hurdles and fifth in the high jump at the district track meet, seventh grade, boys’ division. Connie Robinson, kindergar-ten teacher at Martin Elemen-tary, has recently married her sweetheart, Frank Aiena III. YoLanda Thibodeaux, aide at Dishman, has announced that her daughter, Callie Thibodeaux, will be graduating this month from University of Texas at Tyler with a Bachelor of ScienceDegree in speech communications. She has a minor in psychology. Carrie Phillips, food service manager at King, is proud of her niece, Moyra Pillar, who was one of eight students from several Texas schools that were invited to send their top stu-dents to meet and take a photo with President Barack Obama. Marcel J. Walker, special education aide at Caldwood, will

be receiving a Bachelor of Arts & Applied Science Degree this spring from Lamar University. Debra Wilson, Smith Middle School is pleased that her son, Reggie Wilson, was named to the All-Conference baseball team at San Jacinto College. Reggie is a graduate of West Brook High School.

OneVision:Newsletter for the employees of Beaumont Independent School District3395 Harrison AvenueBeaumont, Texas 77706 (409) 617-5000 fax (409) 617-5181www.bmtisd.comemail onevision@beaumont.k12.tx.us

Board of TrusteesWoodrow Reece, PresidentJanice Brassard, Vice PresidentTerry Williams, SecretaryGwen Ambres Mike NeilZenobia Bush Tom Neild

Office of the SuperintendentDr. Carrol A. Thomas Superintendent of Schools Jessie Haynes, APR, Special Assistant for CommunicationsCraig Eichhorn, APR, Communications SpecialistJanice Teel, Executive Assistant to the

Superintendent for Board AffairsGeorgia C. Antoine, Executive Assistant to

the SuperintendentEugehia Simon, Office Clerk

Department of CommunicationsJoy James, Education Partnerships SupervisorBeth Rhoades, BPSF Executive DirectorLorna Coleman, SecretaryTodd Madden, Graphic ArtistRamona Young, Administrative AssistantChip Scott, Printing ManagerChris Gordon, Assistant Printing ManagerEvelyn Fontenot, Media Center ManagerVincent Fontenot, VideographerCamille Briggs, Videographer

http://twitter.com/#!/BeaumontISD http://www.facebook.com/bmtisd

The Beaumont Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, martial status, gender, age, or handicapping condition in its programs, services, activities, or employment practices as requires by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section5Q4 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975. The Beaumont Independent School District is committed to providing a free and appropriate public education for all students.

Congratulations to...

Lana Thompson from the Administration Building celebrates the Kentucky Derby with her husband Richard.