WACO, Texas – Education Service Center Region 12 is pleased to announce the Corsicana Independent School District Board of Trustees has been named the Texas Association of School Administrators 2023 Outstanding School Board.
“We commend the Corsicana ISD school board for their exceptional leadership and dedication to quality education that prepares every student for the future,” said Jerry Maze, Ed.D., executive director of ESC Region 12. “We are proud to recognize these public servants’ commitment to students, staff and the community and are happy to see their work acknowledged at the state level.”
The Corsicana Board of Trustees comprises seven members: Dr. Seth Brown (President), Leah Blackard (Vice President), Barbara Kelley (Secretary), Cathy Branch, Jamie Roman, Kamar Chambers, and Brad Farmer. Each is elected to at-large positions for three-year terms, representing the entire community. Every board member has a strong connection to the ] district – whether a graduate, parent of a current student or lifelong resident of the largest city in Navarro County. Corsicana ISD is a 5A school district with approximately 6,000 students in grades Pre-K through 12 and has 842 employees. The district has one high school, a middle school, an intermediate school and five elementary schools.
“We educate, care for, and nurture some 6,000 students each day at Corsicana ISD, and as the District governance, these wonderful board members and leaders genuinely make each decision with those thousands of students in mind,” said Diane Frost, Ed.D., Superintendent of Corsicana ISD schools. “They serve without compensation and willingly give for the good of public education, making sure all of the students and staff members who support them in a variety of ways have the resources, systems, and policies in place to do so as effectively as possible.”
At Corsicana ISD, the focus is ‘Every Tiger, Every Day.’ CISD works to ensure students feel seen, heard, valued and loved by teachers, counselors, caregivers, educators and staff. A letter grade is not the measure of student success at CISD; instead, a student’s ability to adapt to their environment, collaborate with others, manage resources and be a responsible and contributing member of the community are the true measures of success in the district. The board is committed to preparing graduates for current and future academic, personal and professional goals. The district calls it #TCC or “Taking Care of Corsicana.”
“This group is passionate about Corsicana, its families, our children, the place we want to leave to them years down the road,” said Seth Brown, Ed.D, president of the Corsicana Board of Trustees. “We have seven different points of view, but one prevailing goal, and that is to outfit and provide for our staff in the best way to educate and develop our students to be productive, commendable adults.”
With a focus on post-high school readiness, CISD offers multiple programs and opportunities to prepare students for success post-graduation. In 2022, 18.3% of graduates earned their associate degree before their high school graduation through the CISD Higher Start program, and over one-third of graduates took at least one dual credit course. Additionally, CISD graduates exceeded the state average in career and military readiness, approved industry-based certifications, level I or II educator certificates and individualized education plan and workforce readiness.
The CISD Board of Trustees supports multiple educational improvement projects and school transformation initiatives. One program, The Penguin Project, empowers children with special needs through theater arts. Students with special needs fill every role in Penguin Project productions, but their regular education peers are not far away, acting as mentors to provide support and encouragement. CISD was the first district in the nation to adopt the program, inspiring other Texas schools to visit and implement their own productions. Board support for other initiatives includes updates to food services, supporting students participating in state and national-level competitions, and a technology plan to meet the needs of modern educational institutions.
The CISD Board of Trustees is dedicated to supporting modern ways to engage students. In 2019, the Board approved and funded an esports program at Corsicana High School, providing 11 complete, professional-grade gaming computer setups. Esports offers CHS students a way to participate in a competitive environment in a positive and modern format. Technology aside, the CISD Board encourages professional life skills in students through the Amazing Shake Competition. In the five-round competition, students learn the mechanics of a proper handshake, the art of small talk, how to give a good interview and how to handle themselves in impromptu situations.
Along with implementing various programs and initiatives to enhance student education, the CISD Board of Trustees works hard to operate in a way that benefits students, educators and community stakeholders. Due to their efforts, CISD received an exceptional grade on the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas. The recognition demonstrates the district’s commitment to fiscal responsibility, transparency and sound financial management. The board keeps a top focus on ensuring the effective and efficient use of taxpayer funds while aiming to keep the tax rate as low as possible.
The CISD Board and leadership understand that teacher salaries are pivotal in the success and quality of education in a public school district. To attract top employees, they prioritize offering competitive compensation and ensuring that teachers receive compensation based on their expertise and commitment.
Corsicana ISD is committed to transparent and effective communication to inform and educate all stakeholders. The CISD team supports the district’s efforts to connect with the community through multiple avenues to tell its story and maintain a consistent presence. CISD communicates through its website, social media, bi-weekly newsletters, a magazine, and its newest communication tool, Tiger Chat, a chatbot located on every page of the website to answer questions. CISD also has an open agreement with the local media, allowing various organizations to share anything posted on the district’s website or social media.
In 2021, CISD partnered with CESO Communications to conduct a Communications Assessment and has since increased its efforts using a four-step communication process, incorporating research, planning, implementation and evaluation. The CISD Board of Trustees is committed to supporting a proactive communications program that uses consistent branding and targeted messaging across areas, including recruiting and retaining top employee talent, student enrollment and other campaigns that support district goals and initiatives.
The board’s ongoing accomplishments, leadership and support show that it is a highly-involved and dedicated board focused on ‘Every Tiger, Every Day.’
ESC Region 12, a provider of professional development and services to educators and school staff in 12 Central Texas counties, will recognize the CISD Board and regional educators of the year this fall.
ABOUT TASA’S SCHOOL BOARD OF THE YEAR