Be Uncommon

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

Best of luck to all our students showing their projects at the Young County Livestock Show today and tomorrow!

Our Graham Steers basketball teams will be playing Hirschi at home on Saturday morning beginning at 11:00 a.m.  Good luck!

AG Center Update- Graham Ag Science Animal Project Center Update- The Graham ISD Board of Trustees and the City of Graham City Council have approved an Interlocal Agreement for the purpose of partnering to construct an animal project feeding facility. Detailed plans are currently being developed. The goal is to have the project center completed by the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year.

Voting- Don’t forget you have the opportunity to complete the Oath to Vote.  I have received a few questions regarding what educators are allowed to do regarding political advocacy.  Practical voting guide information is outlined in the “Care Enough to Vote” document. You will find this document on the website here: http://texaseducatorsvote.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/voters-guide-9_30_15.pdf under the heading “What Texas Educators Can/Can’t Legally Do.”

Here are a handful of Do’s and Don’ts:

• Public resources, no matter how small, cannot be used to advocate for or against an issue or candidate.

• Do not use a school district’s email to advocate for or against an issue or candidate.

School email may be used to inform staff and patrons of elections, dates, and times for voting early and on Election Day, and to encourage a culture of participation. You may certainly use your personal email account to advocate, but be sure you don't access your personal account from a school computer or device.

• Do not use a school district’s social networks to advocate for or against an issue or

candidate. School social networks may be used to inform staff and patrons of elections, dates and times for voting and to encourage a culture of civic participation. You may certainly use your personal social network accounts to advocate, but again, be sure not to access your social network account on a school device.

• Do not use a school district’s computers, photocopiers, telephones, facsimile, electronic printer or any other machine to advocate for or against an issue or candidate. You may use your personal equipment for this use.

• Do not use state or local government time or state or local government equipment to work on an individual’s political campaign. You may advocate for or against an issue or candidate before or after work hours.

• Do not use public funds in connection with a political campaign.

• Officers and employees should not use their official authority to interfere with or attempt to influence the outcome of any election.

Observations about Voting Patterns:

• In recent years, many elections for state representatives have been won or lost by 100 votes or less. Every individual’s vote does matter. In 2010, State Representative Donna Howard (D-Austin) won re-election by only four votes out of about 52,000 votes cast.

• Texas ranks dead last in voter turnout according to a study done by the Annette Strauss Institute at The University of Texas at Austin. This means that a small minority of citizens are making decisions about our representation. This is especially true in the primary elections.

• About 90% of the time, the legislative candidate who wins the Early Vote wins the election. Promote voting early, especially the first week when the lines are short.

• Teachers often find it difficult to get to polling places on Election Day. Early voting

provides an easy opportunity to vote at a convenient time.

• There is a difference between encouraging civic participation and advocacy. Discussing or celebrating our democracy, right to vote, freedoms of expression and association is not prohibited. Public employees do not shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.

Be Uncommon

Common courtesy isn’t so common today.  I encourage you to be uncommon.

Unfortunately, we live in an age of accepted rudeness, abrasive language and offhand remarks.  In large part, it seems that we have lost the expressions “please,”  “thank you,”  “excuse me” or “your welcome.”  We forget to silence or turn off cell phones when we are in meetings or in conversation with others.  Or even worse, we answer calls and conduct loud phone conversations regardless of the setting or whom we may disturb.

As adults, we want our children to be nice, polite and courteous people so we preach to them about the virtues of displaying desired characteristics.  With that said… What is the example we are setting with our personal actions? Kids are smart; they see our actions betraying our words and they soon realize that all the talk is just lip service.

Everything you do makes an impression on people. Lead by example… Be Uncommon!

Corny Joke of the Day:

Q: What is a snowman’s favorite breakfast?

A: Frosted Flakes!