Paolo Castagnoli, new Frank Black Middle School Principal, Interviewed

Aug. 12, 2014 - PRLog -- “Education changes lives for the better.  Education – in the form of school – has to have community support in order to thrive,” proclaims Paolo Castagnoli, the new Principal at Frank Black Middle School in the Oak Forest.  He was recently on "Make It Happen with David Lorms.”

Castagnoli came to head up Frank Black after a long and interesting Tour of Houston Education.  Coming from a mostly musical family, he began at North Texas University studying Music Education, but transferred to University of Houston to study Political Science after getting married.  While planning to go to graduate school, bilingual Castagnoli took a “day job” teaching at a Houston charter school that predominantly served Hispanic at-risk students. His experience there led to joining “Yes Prep” which prepares low-income students for college.

"My time at ‘Yes Prep’ taught me that if you put the right ingredients together and give kids something to grab on to, you can make great things happen for them" Castagnoli  says.  He is right.  Seventeen students from that first graduating class went on to attend Ivy League Universities!  During his tenure at the school it was rated as one of the Top High Schools in the state of Texas.  “I also learned that the Classroom Teacher has the toughest job," says Castagnoli.

Next came a teaching and then an Assistant Principal position at Scarborough High School.  Then on to East Early College High School, a partner to Houston Community College.  There students can earn an Associate Degree during their high school years.  “It was great to see these bright, hardworking kids be able to step into college as a Junior!” exclaims Castagnoli.  That led him to his current post at Frank Black.

“I have lived in Forest Oak for 15 years, so when this position became available, I was very interested.  After interviewing with the staff, I became excited about the opportunity to be the Principal at this school!” says Castagnoli.  An Academic Vanguard Magnet school, Frank Black has funds that are available for the gifted and talented. "We focus on the whole child experience, the whole child education" says Castagnoli. "We are looking to build a well rounded school". He has plans to start Creative Writing, Public Speaking and Debate classes as electives. Supporting sports and band programs as well as adding technology are some of his high priorities.

Before he dedicated his life to educating Houston youth, Castagnoli was a professional musician, playing with the award-winning American and Latin Pop singer Vikki Carr.  In fact, he met his wife while playing in his band “Beat Temple” in Houston.  The couple, both educators, have been married for 21 years and have a son and a daughter.

Castagnoli plans to continue and build community support for Frank Black Middle School, which includes a fund raising campaign for a new fence. Monetary donations are always welcome, and community members may donate their time to help with gardening or painting if that is a better fit for them.

Be sure to like the "Friends of Frank Black" facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/FrankBlackMiddleSchool

Make It Happen With David Lorms is all about entrepreneurs, business owners, and successful people, their challenges and failures turned into success, and advice for people to better their lives and careers.  The show runs live every Wednesday at noon (x-apple-data-detectors://1) onwww.kbrzsports.com.   Past episodes are available by pod cast athttp://www.spreaker.com/user/7420120, on Lorms’s web sitehttp://www.lormsinsuranceservices.com and on iHeartRadio.

David Lorms, an Award Winning Insurance Expert, Best-Selling Author and President Of Lorms Insurance Services is a Farmers Insurance Agent in Houston, TX. He has won numerous media awards, including the Quilly and the EXPY Awards for his shared industry knowledge.