RISD New Teacher Breakfast celebrates educators, recognizes businesses

(Rockwall) August 18, 2013 – New teachers and employees joining the Rockwall ISD gathered at RockwallHigh School this morning along with local dignitaries, business leaders, school board members and citizens to kick off the 2013-14 school year.

The 2013 New Teacher/Employee Breakfast, presented by Timpa Law Office and hosted by the Rockwall Area Chamber of Commerce and the RISD, featured an inspiring program presented by Superintendent Jeff Bailey and other school, community and Chamber officials.

Senator Bob Deuell, State Representative Scott Turner, Congressman Ralph Hall and Rockwall Mayor David Sweet were among the guest speakers.

Chamber president Dana Macalik addressed the crowd, expressing the Chamber’s excitement about once again partnering with the RISD to welcome the new teachers and employees.

“This annual event gives our business leaders the opportunity to celebrate the valuable service that administrators, teachers and education employees provide to the future of Rockwall,” Macalik said. “But this celebration is not only to show support and encouragement to the newest members of our community, but it also gives us the opportunity to introduce them to you – our businesses, our community, and our civic leaders.”

Superintendent Bailey welcomed the new employees and thanked all of the administrators and principals who work hard to support the staff members.

“We are also very fortunate to have a dedicated board that spends countless hours working for our children and the district,” he said. “I also want to thank all of our business partners. The support that we have as a school district is unparalleled by any other place that I’m aware of. Our businesses come to support us whenever we have a need, whether it’s for a student group, marketing, or the Education Foundation; they always step up, and we are very fortunate to have them.”

Bailey pointed out that many families move here because of the quality of the school system, which he believes is one of the best in the state – and in the nation.

The program emphasized the important role that teachers play in students’ lives, and how what they do and say can be life-changing for a child.

Representative Scott Turner said his “earthly heroes” were his coaches and teachers. “I was fortunate to play football for a long time, but I was even more fortunate to have great teachers…I thank the Lord for my teachers, because they saw that I was a broken kid from a broken home, but I had something down inside of me that they could develop, and maybe one day I could have a great future, too. Now I’m standing before you and it’s because of my teachers and coaches.”

Turner added, “Take it from me, because I’m a living witness. The influence and voice that you have is so very powerful. Each kid has been gifted, and they all have a unique talent – and it’s you, men and women, teachers and coaches, that develop and draw that talent out of them. You just never know who you are teaching today; you never know what they are going to be tomorrow….One day they may be standing up here talking about you…one of their favorite teachers.”