Happy Valentines’ Day! What better way to show you care in this month of love, than to show caring to our neighborhood children and concern for their education. We have so many things to celebrate about our local schools, and we have much work to do as they face challenges. February’s BHANA meeting will focus on our relationship with our community schools. An SAISD representative will come to speak on Superintendent Pedro Martinez’ Five Year Plan, the new goals and standards for our students. Principal Rodriguez will show a short slide presentation showing Cotton Elementary. We have invited our School Board Trustee, Olga Hernandez, to the meeting to answer questions and address concerns. We need more community involvement, more caring adults from the community in our schools. As little as one hour a week is all it can take for support. Let’s show some February love to our children. Come to the meeting on Monday, February 8th at 7:00 p.m. at Cotton Elementary cafeteria (on Fulton at Blanco Road) with concerns and questions for SAISD representatives. Before closing, I want to reflect on what a large and productive meeting we had in January. That neighbors coming together to discuss our issues is important. I want to thank Edward Gonzalez and Nancy Wilson from the Department of Human Services and David Huete from Haven for Hope and Assistant Chief Jose Banales for providing information and answering questions and addressing concerns of residents on the issue of homelessness at the January Beacon Hill meeting. Thank you for your service to the Beacon Hill community. I also want to thank Iris Duran and Operation Facelift for awarding grants to Beacon HIll and area businesses. It is great to see revitalization of locally owned and community responsive businesses. I also want to note with sadness that two very involved neighbors and board members, Celeste Wackenhut and Billy Lambert, will be moving and we accepted their resignations at the January Board meeting. They have worked hard on behalf of our community, and we will miss them and wish them luck. We hope to see them back someday soon! Remember, if you live, own property, or a business in the boundaries of Beacon Hill you are a member. We do not charge dues (although donations are always welcomed). Come visit with your neighbors and elected officials. This is what democracy in community looks like.
Cynthia Merla Spielman, President