McCallum PALS at Reilly ES

Although not on the original "44 in 4" tour, we went to Reilly Elementary to see the PALS (Peer Assistance Leadership Students) program at work. High school students take this leadership course and get credit for supporting and assisting elementary students. This is PALS 30th year of serving students!! Happy Birthday, PALS!

I got to meet the PALS mastermind, Grant Thomas, who founded PALS three decades ago at Crockett High School. He continues to be an advocate for education in the community. McCallum PALS teacher, Margaret Morgan, organized today's visit. Jane Nethercut, AISD PAL Coordinator, along with Principal Anna Garza, were proud show off our successful program and how it inspires younger students to strive to do their best. Adults are great role models, of course, but teens can have even greater credibility with elementary kids.

Ramona and I bumped into two wonderful high school students that we both adore. Mine is Olivia, who is a rock star drum major and fellow oboist from McCallum. She taught me everything I know about conducting a high school band during football season (we were in the newspaper together last fall). And, Ramona's is the beautiful and brilliant Paj, a former elementary student from Zilker who is about to graduate and attend UT next fall. Ramona was once her principal, so she's very proud.

 
Thank you, McCallum students for being a PAL - and to the many high school PALS all over Austin. I've said it before but it's worth saying again - it takes The Power of Us to make AISD great!

No school visit is complete without looking back into our history. I really didn't get a chance to find out about Ms. Reilly but I did get a snapshot of her portrait. I'll blog later when I get more information about her life and career.