Latest Updates

Make Plans For TCSS Fall Conference

It’s time to send in proposals to present at the fall conference in San Antonio, October 24-26, 2008. It’s also time to book your room at the conference hotel. Click here to access the latest information and online proposal form.

Nominations for Five TCSS Awards Due Soon

Nomination information is available online for the three awards for outstanding teachers, the NOVA Award, and the Billy Sills Service Award. Packets must be postmarked by May 15th.
Click here for more information and to download forms.

TCSS President’s Perspective

As I began to contemplate the topic of my first presidential message, I was struck by how the theme of next fall’s San Antonio conference and the theme of this issue of The Social Studies Texan parallel our current “Mission of Discovery” in social studies. This year will truly be a year of discovery for me as I explore this new leadership role during a time of potential turmoil in social studies.

The upcoming Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) refinement process could experience smooth sailing or encounter a very stormy sea. I am very glad that the helm of TCSS has had such great captains before me. Terry Cherry helped us chart some new and exciting territory by pushing us to utilize technology to make our system more efficient and accessible. He also kept educators who are new to our profession in the forefront of our planning and decision- making as he rightly recognized that they are the future of our organization.

I am extremely grateful that the TCSS Executive Committee is organized in such a way that many past presidents are there to provide institutional memory and ongoing guidance. My thanks go out to all of them for their support.

Just as Columbus had to convince Queen Isabella that he knew a better way to reach India, we must convince the State Board of Education (SBOE) that social studies professionals know what is best for our collective disciplines. Our colleagues in mathematics weathered the crossing over from “old TEKS” to “new” with few waves, but revision of TEKS in language arts has experienced great turbulence. We are hoping that our proactive approach will smooth any rough seas ahead for social studies

TCSS President, Amy Thibaut, assumed the duties of her office on January 1, 2008. Click here to read her complete “President’s Perspective” in the latest issue of The Social Studies Texan.

THE 2008 TCSS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
President	Amy Thibaut	Amy is the Director of Social Studies for the Spring Branch Independent School District in Houston.
Past President	Terry Cherry	Terry teaches 8th grade U.S. History at Memorial Preparatory Middle School in the Garland Independent School District.
President-Elect	Judy Brodigan	Judy is the retired Director of Elementary Social Studies, Lewisville ISD, and is now a social studies consultant.
Vice President	Kathy Uhlich	Kathy is the Secondary Social Studies Instructional Specialist with the Lewisville Independent School District.
Treasurer	Dr. Ned Moss	Ned is the Director of Advanced Studies for the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District.
Parliamentarian	Susan Locklear	Susan teaches Pre-AP World History at Pasadena Memorial High School in Pasadena ISD.
Recording Secretary	Robin Sabo	Robin is the High School Social Studies Helping Teacher in Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District
Executive Secretary	Stephen Johnson	Stephen teaches 11th grade AP US History and Senior Class sponsor at Monterey High School in Lubbock.
Director of Membership	Linda Massey	Linda teaches AP U.S. History at Seagoville High School in the Dallas Independent School District.
Editor of The Texan	Sharon Pope	Sharon is the retired Director of Secondary Social Studies for the Spring Branch School District in Houston.
Website Coordinator	Allen Reding	Allen teaches AP Economics and is the Social Studies Department Chair at Sam Rayburn High School in Pasadena.
Curriculum Liaison	Betty Barringer	Betty teaches 7th grade Texas Studies at the William B. Travis Academy for the Academically Talented & Gifted in Dallas.
Curriculum Liaison	Nancy Hester	Nancy is the Social Studies Coordinator for the Georgetown Independent School District.
TSSSA President	Tina Melcher	Tina is the Social Studies Coordinator for the Round Rock Independent School District.

The Texas Council for the Social Studies

P.O. Box 35761
Houston TX 77235