It was a whirlwind day on Wednesday for Argyle ISD teachers, administrators, Board of Trustees and parents. They traveled to the State Capitol to advocate for public school funding and express the need for support during the 89th Legislative Session! They did an incredible job representing the district in face-to-face meetings and had crucial dialogue with our state legislators!

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Argyle ISD Representatives in Austin included:

• Argyle South Elementary teacher Maddie Fairchild and Argyle High School teacher Steven Orlowski
• Argyle South Assistant Principal Katie Haydin
• School Board of Trustees - Josh Westrom & Leigh Ann Artho
• Parents & Community Members - Jen De La Porte & Hannah Robinson
• District Administration - Superintendent Dr. Courtney Carpenter, CFO Liz Stewart & Chief Communications Officer Rick Herrin

The mission was clear—advocating for strong partnerships and essential public school funding to retain highly qualified educators and ensure exceptional educational opportunities for all students.

During the visit, AISD met with...

• Senator Creighton’s Staffer, Steven Santoyo
• Representative Richard Hayes’ Staffer, Brandon Moore
• Representative Brad Buckley, Chair of the House Public Education Committee & author of the recent filing of HB 2
• Representative Mitch Little
• Representative Andy Hopper
• Senator Tan Parker

What They Said About the Experience in Austin

Katie Haydin, South Elementary Assistant Principal

"I left the Capitol feeling inspired and this opportunity reinforced the power of educator voices in shaping policy. I walked away with a new awareness of how we can work alongside our representatives to push for meaningful change that supports our students, teachers, and schools. I am ready to use my voice and new understanding to educate others I work alongside with."

Steven Orlowski, Argyle High School Teacher

"This experience was one of the top highlights of my educational career. It was incredible to have AISD teachers, administrators, board members, and community members united in support of public education and also to get the opportunity to have meaningful dialogue with our elected state representatives. I left knowing that there is so much more work to be done, and at the same time, I know we effectively communicated what our district and students need. The most important thing we can do from here is to stay in contact with all our representatives and continue to advocate for all AISD and public school students and personnel."

Maddie Fairchild, Argyle South Elementary 5th Grade Teacher

"Going to the Capitol was refreshing because I got to really see some of the ins and outs that go into school finance and public education legislation. The Congressmen and staffers that we met with were eager to hear our personal experiences as teachers. It was empowering to explain to them the impact that the budget cuts this school year have had on teachers and students. I left Austin feeling motivated to stay in touch with our representatives and SO proud to work in a district that articulates our specific needs with grace and decorum. Argyle ISD has some of the finest staff, board members, and families who support public education and seeing that first hand as a teacher was incredibly powerful. Knowing that we have such a strong community not only championing our students, but also our teachers filled my teaching cup to the brim.

So well said by our Eagles! We will continue to TAKE ACTION for our beloved district!

#TogetherWeSoar