Meet the 2022-23 ATPE Top Recruiter: Amanda Fortenberry
Date Posted: 8/09/2023
ATPE’s recruitment challenge, One New = $10 for You, is designed to encourage new member recruitment by recognizing and rewarding successful recruiters. The 2022-23 Top Recruiter is Amanda “Mandy” Fortenberry, formerly of Hardin-Jefferson ISD, who recruited 39 new members. Fortenberry received $390 ($10 for each new member), plus $1,000 for being the state’s top recruiter.
Mandy spent the past 18 years in Hardin-Jefferson ISD where her recruitment efforts for ATPE have had a huge impact. She is starting a new position in Huffman ISD, and she hopes to continue that success in her new district.
ATPE caught up with Mandy to find out about how she got her start, her influences, and the secret to her success.
Tell us a little about your career as an educator.
I started in 2003 teaching theater and speech. That later evolved into also teaching debate. I have a communications degree and a little bit of a theater background. My first job was in Woodville ISD, which is a little town in East Texas. I taught three years there and then left for Hardin-Jefferson, where I spent the next 18 years. The majority of that time—with the exception of the last five years—was spent in the classroom teaching.
When they created the communications director job, I jumped on that and did it for five years under [current] ATPE Executive Director Shannon Holmes. He was the one who hired me, and then three weeks later, he told me, “Hey. You're putting out your first press release, and it's that I'm leaving to go to ATPE.” Afterwards, I cried because I felt like I got dumped at the prom. I've known Shannon a very long time, so I was ready to work with him in that capacity. But that's OK because we still communicate often.
I did that for five years, and then a mutual friend of Shannon and mine, the deputy superintendent in Huffman ISD, scooped me up. I never really thought I would leave Hardin-Jefferson, but now I'm at Huffman ISD, and It's been great so far. The transition has been amazing, and it's really nice to be working again with some old friends that I had started my career with at Hardin-Jefferson.
What influenced you to join ATPE?
I joined ATPE my very first year at 22 years old. The assistant superintendent and principal who hired me sat me down before I even walked on campus the first day. They said this is an organization you need to look into and really encouraged me to join. I'm glad that they did because when I moved schools, I was already a member, and I just continued being a member in my new school district.
Early on, associations weren't really promoted, so a lot of our people at Hardin-Jefferson didn’t know much about teacher organizations. I was really fortunate to have some excellent mentors when I was a baby teacher to really enlighten me on what ATPE can do for you. And not only on the legal side of things, but also just being able to network. They will either help you find a resource or answer your questions. And that's how I got started in ATPE.
When did you start recruiting people to join ATPE?
I always kind of talked about it, and our membership at Hardin-Jefferson was very small. When I was at the high school, I would tell people about it, and a lot of times it was because some kind of issue would come up in their career. I would ask if they were a member of ATPE, and they would always say “no.”
After I was a communications director for some time, I just decided that I was tired of having it put on the back burners with our new teachers and those who came from other districts. Most of our membership were teachers who had joined in other districts, and they were already members when they moved into ours. We weren't really communicating with our new staff about the importance of joining an association. So I reached out to the president who had been retired for some time and asked to take over the unit.
We immediately elected new officers, and Ginger Franks was amazing at helping us basically start over. That's really what Hardin-Jefferson needed. My small team and I met at a local diner and decided that we've got to get the word out. We had had some issues in our district previously—lawsuits and things like that—and every time we would ask if they were a member of an association. And they would say, “We've never even heard of that.”
I remember setting up at our convocation, and I didn't get a lunch break for about three days. I just gave one three-minute talk on what ATPE is all about and what it can do for educators. I reached out to our paraprofessionals because under $100 for a whole year of protection costs as much as you might spend on Starbucks. We have so many paraprofessionals who work in special education, and I just really thought it was important for them to have that protection and to be a part of an educational organization. (Learn more about ATPE’s legal benefits at atpe.org/protection.)
We just took it over, and our membership at Hardin-Jefferson went from 33 members to 143 members in a week. And that's in a district where there's fewer than 300 teachers. So I think there's still more work to do in that district, and I know that the ladies in charge now are going to make that push.
How do you construct your ATPE elevator pitch for recruiting new members?
I just aim to eliminate the confusion. For example, I had a teacher reach out to me for information on ATPE and then say, “Never mind. There's another organization offering free membership this week.” I was like, “I'm very sorry, but this is not the same.”
My spiel with our staff mostly centers around what ATPE stands for, and I mention Shannon Holmes. I say, “Do you remember that tall guy Shannon? This is the organization he left us for.” I also talk about the importance of the protection. I explain that the school or district attorneys are only going to work for them, and the ATPE Member Legal Services Department is made up of attorneys who will go to bat for you.
I also go into how ATPE is really two things in one. First, you pay this very small fee out of your paycheck—that isn’t even noticeable—for a professional organization to advocate for us at the Capitol and lobby for legislation that will improve our lives and careers as public educators. Second, if you ever find yourself in any kind of circumstance or have a grievance, they are your go-to. They will always answer the phone or respond quickly. It is so comforting, and they are just a joy to deal with. It's like always having a bunch of Ginger Franks at your disposal.
It is a comfort as an educator to know that there's going to be somebody on your side. Because the school's representation is going to look out for the best interest of the school, no matter what the outcome is, and you have to protect yourself as a teacher. I try to stay away from horror stories, but it is really an easy pitch with just those two things.
Also, ATPE feeds educators the information we are hungry for because we aren’t afforded the time with our crazy schedules to follow every detail of a legislative session or keep up with all the latest education news. ATPE not only keeps us informed of the things we need to know, but they also do it in a way that is easy to consume and act on. And that is another one of the huge benefits of being a member.
How do you plan to continue successful recruitment in your new district?
The first thing I'm going to do is to seek out the ATPE people in my new district. I am going to go to them and ask how I can help. Then, I want to go after new teachers to spread the word about what ATPE can offer them.
If they will allow me to, I would like to do exactly the same sort of things I was doing in Hardin-Jefferson. I want everyone to know that if you are interested in joining, then you can contact me, and I will literally walk to the door of your classroom and deliver an application. That's what I did before. When someone asked for an application, I made sure it was OK with my superintendent, and then took it straight to them.
As a communications director, I'm out and about on every campus. I would always carry a stack of applications in my car so if someone asked for one, bam! There it is. And that's exactly what I plan to do here—with permission, of course.
Do you have any tips for members that want to make a difference like you have?
I would just tell them to spread the word by constantly talking to people about ATPE. Tell new people and tell all of your friends. You won't ever even feel it come out of your paycheck, and everybody knows somebody personally who's used or needed the services ATPE offers at some point in their career. Also, get with your local ATPE organization and ask to become a campus rep. I have been working in education for a long time, and I can tell you from experience that when you volunteer for something, they typically say yes.
I would encourage them to put together some events or activities as well. But more important than that, the goal should be to build an ATPE team mentality that people want to be a part of. Once it becomes obvious that you are well-informed and well-equipped to handle anything, you will have everyone feeling like this is where all of the cool kids are.
Any additional thoughts or advice?
Tell people to “Sign up first and ask questions later. You're going to want that protection from day one.”
Fun fact:
Mandy knew there was an award for top recruiter, but she didn't know there was a monetary prize. “I’ve been in education for 18 years, and there are not that many things that have money tied to them,” Fortenberry says. “So that was a sweet surprise.”
Congratulations, Mandy, for earning the prestigious title of 2022-23 ATPE Top Recruiter!
Eligibility, terms, conditions, and limitations apply to the legal benefits available to ATPE members in insured categories. Visit atpe.org/protection to view important disclosures and current program details. Staff attorney services are provided separate from the Educators Professional Liability Insurance Program.
Mandy spent the past 18 years in Hardin-Jefferson ISD where her recruitment efforts for ATPE have had a huge impact. She is starting a new position in Huffman ISD, and she hopes to continue that success in her new district.
ATPE caught up with Mandy to find out about how she got her start, her influences, and the secret to her success.
Tell us a little about your career as an educator.
I started in 2003 teaching theater and speech. That later evolved into also teaching debate. I have a communications degree and a little bit of a theater background. My first job was in Woodville ISD, which is a little town in East Texas. I taught three years there and then left for Hardin-Jefferson, where I spent the next 18 years. The majority of that time—with the exception of the last five years—was spent in the classroom teaching.
When they created the communications director job, I jumped on that and did it for five years under [current] ATPE Executive Director Shannon Holmes. He was the one who hired me, and then three weeks later, he told me, “Hey. You're putting out your first press release, and it's that I'm leaving to go to ATPE.” Afterwards, I cried because I felt like I got dumped at the prom. I've known Shannon a very long time, so I was ready to work with him in that capacity. But that's OK because we still communicate often.
I did that for five years, and then a mutual friend of Shannon and mine, the deputy superintendent in Huffman ISD, scooped me up. I never really thought I would leave Hardin-Jefferson, but now I'm at Huffman ISD, and It's been great so far. The transition has been amazing, and it's really nice to be working again with some old friends that I had started my career with at Hardin-Jefferson.
What influenced you to join ATPE?
I joined ATPE my very first year at 22 years old. The assistant superintendent and principal who hired me sat me down before I even walked on campus the first day. They said this is an organization you need to look into and really encouraged me to join. I'm glad that they did because when I moved schools, I was already a member, and I just continued being a member in my new school district.
Early on, associations weren't really promoted, so a lot of our people at Hardin-Jefferson didn’t know much about teacher organizations. I was really fortunate to have some excellent mentors when I was a baby teacher to really enlighten me on what ATPE can do for you. And not only on the legal side of things, but also just being able to network. They will either help you find a resource or answer your questions. And that's how I got started in ATPE.
When did you start recruiting people to join ATPE?
I always kind of talked about it, and our membership at Hardin-Jefferson was very small. When I was at the high school, I would tell people about it, and a lot of times it was because some kind of issue would come up in their career. I would ask if they were a member of ATPE, and they would always say “no.”
After I was a communications director for some time, I just decided that I was tired of having it put on the back burners with our new teachers and those who came from other districts. Most of our membership were teachers who had joined in other districts, and they were already members when they moved into ours. We weren't really communicating with our new staff about the importance of joining an association. So I reached out to the president who had been retired for some time and asked to take over the unit.
We immediately elected new officers, and Ginger Franks was amazing at helping us basically start over. That's really what Hardin-Jefferson needed. My small team and I met at a local diner and decided that we've got to get the word out. We had had some issues in our district previously—lawsuits and things like that—and every time we would ask if they were a member of an association. And they would say, “We've never even heard of that.”
I remember setting up at our convocation, and I didn't get a lunch break for about three days. I just gave one three-minute talk on what ATPE is all about and what it can do for educators. I reached out to our paraprofessionals because under $100 for a whole year of protection costs as much as you might spend on Starbucks. We have so many paraprofessionals who work in special education, and I just really thought it was important for them to have that protection and to be a part of an educational organization. (Learn more about ATPE’s legal benefits at atpe.org/protection.)
We just took it over, and our membership at Hardin-Jefferson went from 33 members to 143 members in a week. And that's in a district where there's fewer than 300 teachers. So I think there's still more work to do in that district, and I know that the ladies in charge now are going to make that push.
How do you construct your ATPE elevator pitch for recruiting new members?
I just aim to eliminate the confusion. For example, I had a teacher reach out to me for information on ATPE and then say, “Never mind. There's another organization offering free membership this week.” I was like, “I'm very sorry, but this is not the same.”
My spiel with our staff mostly centers around what ATPE stands for, and I mention Shannon Holmes. I say, “Do you remember that tall guy Shannon? This is the organization he left us for.” I also talk about the importance of the protection. I explain that the school or district attorneys are only going to work for them, and the ATPE Member Legal Services Department is made up of attorneys who will go to bat for you.
I also go into how ATPE is really two things in one. First, you pay this very small fee out of your paycheck—that isn’t even noticeable—for a professional organization to advocate for us at the Capitol and lobby for legislation that will improve our lives and careers as public educators. Second, if you ever find yourself in any kind of circumstance or have a grievance, they are your go-to. They will always answer the phone or respond quickly. It is so comforting, and they are just a joy to deal with. It's like always having a bunch of Ginger Franks at your disposal.
It is a comfort as an educator to know that there's going to be somebody on your side. Because the school's representation is going to look out for the best interest of the school, no matter what the outcome is, and you have to protect yourself as a teacher. I try to stay away from horror stories, but it is really an easy pitch with just those two things.
Also, ATPE feeds educators the information we are hungry for because we aren’t afforded the time with our crazy schedules to follow every detail of a legislative session or keep up with all the latest education news. ATPE not only keeps us informed of the things we need to know, but they also do it in a way that is easy to consume and act on. And that is another one of the huge benefits of being a member.
How do you plan to continue successful recruitment in your new district?
The first thing I'm going to do is to seek out the ATPE people in my new district. I am going to go to them and ask how I can help. Then, I want to go after new teachers to spread the word about what ATPE can offer them.
If they will allow me to, I would like to do exactly the same sort of things I was doing in Hardin-Jefferson. I want everyone to know that if you are interested in joining, then you can contact me, and I will literally walk to the door of your classroom and deliver an application. That's what I did before. When someone asked for an application, I made sure it was OK with my superintendent, and then took it straight to them.
As a communications director, I'm out and about on every campus. I would always carry a stack of applications in my car so if someone asked for one, bam! There it is. And that's exactly what I plan to do here—with permission, of course.
Do you have any tips for members that want to make a difference like you have?
I would just tell them to spread the word by constantly talking to people about ATPE. Tell new people and tell all of your friends. You won't ever even feel it come out of your paycheck, and everybody knows somebody personally who's used or needed the services ATPE offers at some point in their career. Also, get with your local ATPE organization and ask to become a campus rep. I have been working in education for a long time, and I can tell you from experience that when you volunteer for something, they typically say yes.
I would encourage them to put together some events or activities as well. But more important than that, the goal should be to build an ATPE team mentality that people want to be a part of. Once it becomes obvious that you are well-informed and well-equipped to handle anything, you will have everyone feeling like this is where all of the cool kids are.
Any additional thoughts or advice?
Tell people to “Sign up first and ask questions later. You're going to want that protection from day one.”
Fun fact:
Mandy knew there was an award for top recruiter, but she didn't know there was a monetary prize. “I’ve been in education for 18 years, and there are not that many things that have money tied to them,” Fortenberry says. “So that was a sweet surprise.”
Congratulations, Mandy, for earning the prestigious title of 2022-23 ATPE Top Recruiter!
Eligibility, terms, conditions, and limitations apply to the legal benefits available to ATPE members in insured categories. Visit atpe.org/protection to view important disclosures and current program details. Staff attorney services are provided separate from the Educators Professional Liability Insurance Program.