Ruth Ann Dickensheets has served Round Rock ISD schools for almost 15 years experience as a community volunteer.
A seven year board member for the Partners in Education Foundation, Dickensheets is one of 12,000 volunteers who support Round Rock ISD schools each year. The district is asking parents and community members to apply for its volunteer program this year by completing a five minute application online at www.roundrockisd.org/volunteer.
The Partners in Education Foundation raised $312,000 in 2013, which was dedicated to funding programs in Round Rock ISD schools. Dickensheets said her decision to join the PIEF Board was because of its grant program that allows teachers to bring creative ideas into Round Rock classrooms.
“I love raising money to give teachers funds to implement their innovative ideas,” Dickensheets said. “It really keeps their juices flowing to come up with out-of-the-box thinking, the kind of thinking that should be rewarded.”
At the school level, Dickensheets has been active in both the Spicewood Elementary School and Canyon Vista Middle School PTAs. She also was active in the Westwood High School football and baseball booster clubs between 2008 and 2012 while her son was a two-sport student athlete. While serving in multiple capacities across the district, her time as a booster club member provided a unique experience tied directly to her son.
“A lot of benefit that we got from booster club is that we got to know a lot of parents and as a community, we were able to keep our finger on top of what our kids were up to,” Dickensheets said. “Parents form this network and we want to keep our kids safe, engaged, and successful and I think when you have a team of parents as well as kids, it’s a good combination.”
Dickensheets has a long history of improving education through volunteer work and in-kind donations. During her time at Spicewood Elementary, she volunteered one hour each week to help with creative writing and in 2007, her family business, Dickensheets Design Associates, donated sound system improvements to the school.
With an aging school and low ceilings, Dickensheets realized many teachers were having to strain their voices to be heard in the school. All teachers at Spicewood Elementary now wear microphones that are connected to sound systems in each classroom, which help students stay engaged.
Dickensheets now has a daughter who is a junior at Westwood High School; however, her commitment to service with Round Rock ISD will extend beyond graduation day, she said. She plans on supporting the school district far past her time as a school parent.
“It’s very important to keep the quality of our education and to keep the integrity of the students that we send from our district onto further their education or careers,” Dickensheets said. “We need to make sure that opportunities continue to increase and provide the best path that our students can choose from. That’s the biggest gift we can give, whether you’re a parent or not.”