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February 2010
"As immigrant workers, they didn't have the opportunity for education, but they really instilled in us a love for school," recalls Estrada, who officially is retired but still serves as business manager for Lackland ISD. "In the summer, we'd write book reports and play games like 'Name all 50 capitals.' Part of it was my mom keeping the four of us out of trouble, but I think it did create a path for me." This month Estrada became president of the Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO), tapping her years of experience in education to tackle the role. Estrada began working in education while attending Southside High School, in Southside ISD, in 1975. She worked as a clerical aide in the vocational education program during her senior year; after graduation, she became a bilingual teacher's aide at the school. Estrada then moved to Harlandale ISD to assume the role of continuing education secretary, followed by a promotion to auxiliary personnel secretary. She was taking classes at Palo Alto College at the time, but it was her autodidactic studies that truly made a difference in her next career move. "I'd taught myself how to use computers in the mid-80s, when everything was 'stop/start' commands," she says. When the director of Harlandale ISD's data processing center resigned, the superintendent put Estrada in the job, which she described as "crash training." In 1991, after getting her undergraduate degree from Incarnate Word College, Estrada returned to Southside ISD to serve as the director of data resources. A few years later, she expanded her skills by becoming the district's business manager and then the assistant superintendent for business and fiscal services. Even in a high-level position, her desire to keep learning didn't fade. In 2000, Estrada earned a master of business administration from Our Lady of the Lake University. When the opportunity arose in 2002 to become the business manager at Lackland ISD, she decided to make the leap, mainly because the district is so distinctive, Estrada says. Located entirely within the boundaries of Lackland Air Force Base, the district has about 950 students, as well as a number of issues that other districts may not face, such as a student population that's fairly transient. Most students only stay in the district about two to three years before a military parent is transferred. Lackland ISD administration, consequently, has to stay flexible in accommodating incoming students. It's a situation that presents a funding challenge, Estrada notes, especially because the district doesn't receive any tax money. Instead, it receives funds from the Department of Education. "Part of my excitement about coming to Lackland ISD was the different twist on the funding structure," Estrada says, adding that she enjoys managing so many different areas of business. "Because we're such a very small district, I handle accounting, such as payables, but also operational needs, like construction and food maintenance — and somehow they all come together." Although Estrada handles a wealth of tasks, she only works part time and is officially retired, having entered the Teachers Retirement System two years ago. While not working for the district, Estrada focuses on TASBO duties; she teaches numerous classes on financial and management issues, such as how to prepare a district for an IRS audit. "I love teaching and presenting and sharing best practices," she says, "but I also love being part of a district and covering all the crucial functions." Fortunately, Estrada can do both now, and she credits TASBO for giving her many of the resources that brought her to this point. As a member for a number of years, she has taken countless classes and networked through the organization; she calls TASBO "one of the best survival mechanisms" for school business officials. Estrada was first asked to teach a TASBO-sponsored class in 2002 with Pattie Griffin, who became past president when Estrada stepped up to bat. "It was so exciting to be given the chance to teach; I just really enjoyed it," Estrada says. The involvement brought her deeper into the organization, as she became part of research committees and helped develop curricula. She notes, "I got more involved in the mission of TASBO, and I wanted to be part of it more and more." Now as president of TASBO, Estrada intends to keep teaching, and to work with staff and the board of directors on growing the organization. She would like to further strengthen the group's curricula and certification courses, because she feels those areas especially are gathering momentum and recognition. "It's pleasing to see a job announcement for a business official that mentions they prefer a TASBO certification; it means that our training is being seen as valuable, and we want to be able to further develop that so it continues to be recognized," she says. A particular focus for Estrada will be making sure that TASBO is keeping up with the needs of members who are trying to get training, but who have limited budgets. Toward that end, the group is producing more Webinars and beefing up its online community so that members can stay in touch. Estrada says, "It's all about meeting the needs of members, and we think that the more we increase digital options for training, the more members we can reach." When asked about her hobbies and how she enjoys her free time, Estrada laughs. She notes that even her mother teases her about working harder now than she did before she retired. But Estrada did get remarried recently and she has grandchildren from a previous marriage, so her spare time is directed toward friends and family. Many years ago, Estrada was widowed, and she dealt with her grief by working long hours — sometimes up to 24 hours at a stretch. But Estrada now feels she has hit the right balance to keep up her personal happiness and her professional enthusiasm. "It's important to keep that balance, to laugh a lot and enjoy life," she says. "My goal is for nothing to ever become a burden, and I think I've done well in reaching that. I truly enjoy what I do every day." ELIZABETH MILLARD is a freelance writer who also contributes to nationally distributed District Administration magazine. |
When thinking back on her childhood, Rebecca "Becky" Estrada isn't surprised that she chose to enter the educational field at a young age. As kids, she and her three siblings often played "school," at their mother's prompting. Both parents placed a heavy emphasis on learning, even though neither of them had reached high school.