APS Teacher/Parent Selected to Represent New Mexico at National Conference on Fighting for Better Schools

VVHS English Teacher Anne Gibson will attend annual conference at Georgetown University along with concerned moms from across the country.

April 24, 2012

Parenting magazine has selected Anne Gibson, an APS parent and teacher, to represent New Mexico at the annual Mom Congress held to celebrate and connect parents fighting for better schools.

Gibson teaches English and is the department chair at Volcano Vista High School. She also is mom to Wesley, age 20 and a student in Texas; Ian, a sophomore at Volcano Vista; and Audrey, a sixth grader at Tony Hillerman Middle School.

The magazine selected one parent from each state and the District of Columbia to attend the conference April 29-May 1 at Georgetown University. Participants will receive round-trip airfare, a two-night hotel stay and the opportunity to connect with national leaders in education, Parenting editors, and past Mom Congress delegates from across the country to share success stories, challenges, and concerns as they work to improve our nation’s schools.

"Education is the key to growth and success in New Mexico. It is important that we put our children ahead of ourselves," said Gibson. "The Congress will provide contacts with others from across the United States from which I can learn from. I look forward to bringing new ideas back to New Mexico." 

Participants were chosen from essays submitted at Parenting.com.

During the event, the women meet with the country's most prominent education and advocacy leaders to discuss the importance of family engagement in helping American achieve its education goals.  

Driven by the ever-increasing role that parents play in advocating for positive change in the education system, Parenting magazine launched the Mom Congress initiative in March 2009. 

The theme of the 2012 conference, “Teach Me Something New,” is dedicated to fostering the crucially important relationship between parents and their children’s teachers. As in each of the previous two conferences, the 2012 delegates will participate in a town hall-style discussion focused on parental engagement in education with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. 

"It is my sincere hope that New Mexico can adjust its priorities and put aside differences to make education a priority. What we have today is simply too little too late, and it is time our state put its money in our children's future," said Gibson.