San Angelo ISD Principal, Former Educators Bring Literacy to Life with New Children’s Book

San Angelo ISD first-grade students are experiencing a story written by one of their very own school leaders as elementary campuses across the district host read-alouds of the new children’s book, "Principal Baxley’s Summer… Exactly!"

The book was written by Fort Concho Elementary Principal Lori Barton along with fellow former San Angelo ISD educators Tia Young Agan, Tami McIver Knight and Elaine Stribling.

Thanks to a generous donation from the Housley Group, every first-grade student across San Angelo ISD is receiving their own copy of the book to take home – making the experience even more special.

Read-alouds are taking place at several elementary schools across the district, including Fort Concho, Glenmore, Holiman, Crockett, Santa Rita, Fannin and Bonham elementary schools, where principals and campus leaders are sharing the story with students and adding their own personality along the way.

The first read-aloud took place at Fort Concho Elementary, where Mrs. Barton and her co-authors hosted a fun and lively read-aloud in the gym, as a very excited group of kindergarten, first, second and fourth grade students gathered to listen, laugh and join in on the story.

And join in they did.

As Mrs. Barton read, her co-authors held up signs prompting students to shout “Exactly!” followed by the twist, “Well… not exactly,” on the next page. The call-and-response had students laughing, guessing and fully engaged from start to finish.

“Principal Baxley’s Summer… Exactly!” offers a fun and meaningful look at what school principals really do during the summer months. Through imaginative scenarios, students guess what their principal might be doing – from going on vacation to visiting local attractions – only to discover that, in reality, principals are actually hard at work preparing for the upcoming school year.

The idea for the book came from the authors’ shared experience as school leaders, giving students a glimpse into the often unseen responsibilities of principals while also celebrating their dedication to students.

By blending humor, imagination and real-world connections – including references to familiar locations around San Angelo – the book highlights the heart of school leadership and the commitment principals have to creating a positive learning environment for students.

Moments like this bring reading to life, showing students that stories can come from their own community – even from the leaders they see every day on their campuses, and maybe even from themselves one day.

The read-aloud events not only celebrate a unique accomplishment by SAISD educators but also reinforce the district’s commitment to literacy by placing high-quality, engaging books directly into the hands of students.

San Angelo ISD extends its sincere appreciation to the Housley Group for making this opportunity possible for first-grade students across the district.

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