Local superintendents speak at Greater San Marcos Education Summit

The Greater San Marcos Partnership hosted the second annual Greater San Marcos Education Summit on Tuesday, where local superintendents discussed the ongoings in their respective school districts. 

The San Marcos High School jazz band began Tuesday’s event at the Embassy Suites San Marcos Hotel & Conference Center with a performance. GSMP President Adriana Cruz and Immediate Past Chair of the GSMP Board of Directors Patrick Rose followed with opening remarks saying that the partnership between school districts in Hays and Caldwell counties and the GSMP is vital. 

“The jobs of this century follow workforce, not the other way around,” Rose said. “And workforce is dependent upon both our quality of place as we attract that talent and the quality of our local educational infrastructure as we grow.”

Susan Dawson, president and executive director of E3 alliance, gave Tuesday’s keynote address and discussed the effects of legislation passed in Texas on education. 

Following Dawson’s address, the summit featured a panel discussion with superintendents Michael Cardona, San Marcos Consolidated ISD, Mark Estrada, Lockhart ISD, Eric Wright, Hays Consolidated ISD, Nola Wellman, Dripping Springs ISD and Erin Warren, Luling ISD, with Cruz moderating. 

Greater San Marcos Partnership President Adriana Cruz speaks at Tuesday's event.

Tuesday’s panel discussion began with the superintendents discussing how the school districts help prepare students for careers beyond high school. 

“We start in middle school,” Cardona said. “We try to match the kid with their (career) preference and then begin building a pathway … We put (our eighth graders) in algebra one because we felt that’s what was best for them. And so, that’s one of the examples … We have those kids that are going to Texas State (University) and getting career technology credit and taking classes with professors.” 

The superintendents also had an opportunity to discuss the challenges their districts are facing. 

Estrada said Luling ISD and all the districts face similar challenges of creating partnerships with businesses in the region. 

“You know success stories that you hear, there’s a constant theme of these partnerships with businesses in some type of industry and we share that struggle as well,” Estrada said. “We’re a growing district, fast-growing district just like everyone on this stage. And the more we provide our kids, the more kids come in and we have to provide more, so it’s a constant struggle. I think it’s a great opportunity with the region growing and everything that’s available for our kids. Again, it’s just tapping in and making those connections.” 

Cruz then asked what goals the districts have for the future. 

“We have a lot of goals. We want to be an A-rated district,” Cardona said. “We want to break down the perceptions that hamper Luling, Lockhart, Seguin and us. We’re doing wonderful things for our kids. We want to be above the state average in everything we do.”

Added Wright, “We are obviously in the people business. So our goal is to find the most qualified educators. One of our goals is to make sure that it’s cool to be a teacher again and we have to start paying our teachers better. Then we have to really look amongst our community to start growing and help with the shortages. And then from there we really need to make sure our foundational skills are in place so that we don’t have a gap so that our kids aren’t struggling in the middle and then have to forego certain pathways they want to just to try to be compliant.”

In closing remarks, the superintendents stressed the importances of partnerships. 

"We have amazing, talented kids," Warren said. "So, we can help you and you can help us."