Last week, Pampa Learning Center Director Carrie Williams and Pampa ISD Social Worker, Suzanne Pingel traveled to Austin to attend the annual Texas Association of Alternative Education conference where they were one out of three schools in the state that was chosen to showcase their school.
“It made me so proud of PLC because we’re a smaller alternative school,” Williams said. “But when you go to that conference, you start to understand very quickly that there are just tons of different ways to do alternative school. It’s amazing when you talk to the people about the different make up of their campuses.”
“When I first became the director, Tonya Larkin told me you need to go to this conference. I’m telling you, you will find your people. I was the only director of an alternative school at that time. I called her about mid-morning on that first day when I went that first year and said I’ve found my people!” Williams laughed. “It’s just the mission and the focus on doing whatever it takes. So everybody there, no matter what we’re doing, those are my people.”
Carrie and Suzanne had an hour time slot to present the Pampa Learning Center program to a group of directors and educators of other alternative schools, also participating in a roundtable discussion where ideas were shared among them.
“The thing is when we go there, we all share with each other,” Williams said. “You can give and take with people that are like-minded.”
“We shared positivity. That is it-checking judgments and our own opinions at the door and just having a place that’s safe in all ways. It’s safe physically, emotionally and making ourselves a safe haven for kids. It’s a place for your 4-hour session and we just envelope you in that positive environment. That’s the big thing. But we also talked about the challenges we face too.”
Each and every principal and director that attended the conference all had the same goal when it comes to what they strive to accomplish within their schools.
“It’s all about the kids. It’s all about the students and meeting them where they are and getting them to life after school. So they can go on and do whatever they find to be their definition of success.”
“I always look at as this is our community in the future and so what do I want to see for Pampa in the future because I’m preparing these kids for that. It really is meeting them wherever they are-academically, socially, emotionally-all of those and finding a way to make it work.”
Special guest, Tyler Jamal Smith spoke at the conference, telling his story of how the alternative school that he had attended, as well as his faith, changed his life and put him on the pathway to success, veering him away from the dark road he had been traveling at the time.
Carrie spoke about a time several years ago when she had a student who ended up incarcerated at the Gray County Jail and to help him earn the only credit he needed to graduate, she willingly and voluntarily visited him and helped him receive that credit.
“Our mission is still the same. We will find a way to make it work. That is at the core of us, that is what we’re about and that will never change.”
Carrie was also nominated and elected to serve on the board of the Texas Association of Alternative Education dealing primarily with memberships, a surprise that she least expected and is excited to jump right into.
“I was really excited to share PLC in Austin with everybody and people were very complimentary and inquisitive, and then honored to be elected to the board. That was just something I wasn’t even expecting,” Carrie laughed. “I just look forward to serving on that board with others that are like me and have that mission and try to encourage others to join the organization. Alternative schools don’t have a lot of support, so there’s a lot of work to be done on membership and getting the word out there that there is a place for you.”
“I live and breathe PLC. I’ve spent so many years in alternative education, more than 20 years. That’s where my heart is. I couldn’t be happier being right here doing what I’m doing.”
