Local Media Named to the 2021 Texas Association of School Boards Media Honor Roll

Fred Key (Foster Communications), Rick Mantooth (Foster Communications),  Rick Andrews (Foster Communications/KIXY FM), Carolyn McEnrue (KLST), Mark Brown (Fox West Texas), Shea Harris (Concho Sports Network), Carolyn Miller (Family Magazine), John Tufts (San Angelo Standard-Times), Joe Hyde (San Angelo LIVE!), Manny Diaz (San Angelo LIVE!) and in memoriam Gregorio Gutierrez (Conexion) were named to the 2021 Media Honor Roll, a program sponsored by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), by San Angelo Independent School District. The Media Honor Roll recognizes media representatives statewide for fair and balanced reporting of news about public schools. Media from newspapers, radio and television stations, and digital publications across the state were honored by their local school districts. 

Criteria for the district selection included the media representative’s efforts to get to know the superintendent, board president, and the district’s mission and goals; report school news in a fair, accurate, and balanced manner; give a high profile to positive news about schools; and maintain a policy of no surprises by sharing information with school officials.

This past school year, our local media partners played an important role in assisting the District in communicating critical information to our students, families and staff when we worked to keep schools open and safe not only during a pandemic but also during a water crisis and historic weather. The ability to rely on good media partners in times of crisis is vitally important, and SAISD recognized honorees for working with the District to keep San Angelo strong.

The District also noted in selecting honorees, SAISD simply could not recognize media honors without sharing our appreciation, respect and admiration of the late Mr. Gutierrez of Conexion, who founded the first bilingual newspaper in San Angelo and passed away in December 2020. His lifetime support of public education and enduring legacy of not only fair and balanced reporting but also ensuring consistent communication to and with our Spanish and bilingual communities in San Angelo is an immeasurable contribution to San Angelo and SAISD. We are proud to continue Mr. Gutierrez’s legacy and work in partnership with Conexion. 

TASB is a nonprofit organization established in 1949 to serve local Texas school boards. School board members are the largest group of publicly elected officials in the state. The districts they represent serve more than 5.34 million public school students.

Congratulations to our 2021 class of honorees, and thank you to all SAISD media partners for your service to our community and to the profession of Journalism. Follow the San Angelo ISD Facebook, Twitter, and website, www.saisd.org, for related updates and to stay up-to-date on San Angelo ISD.