Avinger ISD welcomes new principal

Terry Giddens has joined the faculty at Avinger School as the new principal, and the Avinger ISD Board got a chance to meet him at their regular meeting August 11. Giddens has extensive experience in the education field, both as a teacher, and as an administrator. His resume includes school districts in the Dallas area and Tenaha, as well as Mt. Pleasant and Hughes Springs. Giddens’ area of special interest is Career and Technology Education, or CTE. “I believe that we should make sure that every child is prepared for the next step in life when he or she graduates -- whether that’s college, a trade, technology, the military or whatever.” Giddens is looking forward to getting to know the students and their families throughout the coming school year.

In other business, the Avinger ISD board approved action to partner again with Good Shepherd Medical Center on its Concussion Oversight Team (COT) and Protocol. COTs have been the law in Texas since 2011, and every school district must have one. The primary purpose is to have written guidelines in place to address the management of concussion in high school student-athletes.

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), “A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that interferes with normal function of the brain. It occurs when the brain is rocked back and forth or twisted inside the skull as a result of a blow to the head or body. What may appear to be only a mild jolt or blow to the head or body can result in a concussion. The understanding of sportsrelated concussion has evolved dramatically in recent years. We now know that young athletes are particularly vulnerable to the effects of a concussion.” In addition to following a comprehensive protocol for identifying and managing concussions, the liaison with Good Shepherd includes a “baseline” evaluation of all athletes, which will be indispensable in the assessment of a suspected concussion later on during the year.

The board also voted to place the purchase of security cameras on the agenda for next month’s meeting, which is scheduled for Sep. 8. Before adjourning, the board approved the hiring of April Grogan for Business Education.