Posts By: ann_admin

Amazing Leadership. Amazing Accomplishment. Amazing Legacy.
Wishing you all the very best in your retirement.
Mel

Dear Ms. Goka – Thank you for your leadership in creating an outstanding environment for young women to excel, believe in themselves and position themselves for a hopeful and successful future. It has been inspirational to watch the evolution of the school over the last 10 years.

Bravo Jeanne !!
Congratulations on your phenomenal success as educator, visionary and friend. You set a standard of excellence that will be remembered and emulated for generations to come. It was an honor and privilege to work with you and I wish you much happiness in your retirement.

It has been a pleasure to meet you and get to see just a bit of the enthusiasm and dedication you have poured into this school. You have set the tone and prepared your staff for this next chapter and it will be pleasure to be a part of that in some small way. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors. Kelly & Jb Kolodzey

Jeanne, You radiate positivity and have been a beacon to many. I’m honored to have worked with you and see your impact. What a legacy you have! Wishing you only the best in your next chapter. Mahalo, Amy

Dear Jeanne,
What an incredible legacy. You have impacted positively the lives of so many young girls . Thank you.
Enjoy your retirement. Best Regards, Mary Marvin

Dear Jeanne,
Thank you for all that you’ve done to help educate our children during your long tenure of service! What you’ve accomplished at The Ann Richard’s School is truly spectacular and will make such a difference in so many young people’s lives! With best wishes to you on your retirement from, Donna Schmidt (a former Ann Richard’s Volunteer)

Dear Ms. Goka,
I am so blessed to call you friend! You were an amazing Magnet School Director and you have been an incredible Principal for the Ann Richards School. You created a jewel in Austin ISD’s school offering and it has been my privilege to work with you as first a parent at Kealing and then a Foundation Board Member at ARS. Thank you for your exemplary service to our children. May God continue to richly bless you and your family.

With love and admiration,

Jackie Hawkins

Dear Ms. Goka – THANK YOU for all you have done for education in Austin. Your career and the work you’ve done have had an enormous impact on countless teachers, students, and families. We are deeply grateful, especially, for your decision to launch ARS and lead the school for 10 years. Your achievement here has fueled achievements for young women that will span decades and generations. In our family, we are so glad that Alice has had the opportunity to be an ARS Star, and her time at the school has had an impact on all of us – including helping her younger sisters see all sorts of possibilities for themselves even as elementary school students. You have built a diverse, inclusive, compassionate community that spurs and fuels hard work and amazing accomplishments – and this has been a gift to our family, to Austin, and, ultimately, to the world. Thank you for your work, your leadership, your passion, and your commitment. Best wishes as you head into a new chapter of your life! Natalie, James, Alice, Lillian, and Eleanor Gray

Dear Ms Goka,

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your extraordinary leadership for the Ann Richard’s School. You have given not only of your considerable time, talent and treasure to making Governor Ann’s dreams a reality, You have given all who believe in women leaders someone to believe in.

We will miss you like a “front tooth”, but you will live on in the all the girls you have nurtured and inspired for years to come. May all the happiness you have showered on our community come back to you and those you love.

Gratefully,
Luci Baines Johnson

Dear Jeanne, Ann was the inspiration but you have been the heart and soul of this school. You have mentored these girls as if they are your own. You have developed one of the most relevant and current curriculums for today’s world. You have instilled a curiosity for learning, a desire for personal achievement and leadership, and grace in our young students that will stay with them forever. JOB WELL DONE!! BRAVO! all our best, Celina and Paul

Dear Jeanne:
High standards and high expectations were your signature implementations as you steered ARS through its first decade. You are not only respected and admired by your staff and students, but beloved as well. I thank you for your leadership at ARS and personally, for your guidance and support when I served as a teacher. All the best to you in retirement! Aloha! Love and hugs, Alison Rice

Dear Jeanne,
You are an inspiration to me and I will miss you terribly! It has been an honor and privilege to work with you! Your advice and guidance has helped me in my role as CEO of YWPN. YWPN is the strongest it has ever been and I owe a lot to you and your leadership for this! Thank you for helping so many girls all over the state of Texas change their lives forever!!

With appreciation and admiration,
Lynn
XXOO

Dearest Jeanne,
You uplifted, inspired, and empowered us all with your grace, compassion and dignity. Your legacy will live on in the many lives that you have touched. We look forward to seeing what comes next!
Much love,
Teri and Scott

You have been a valuable gift to the Ann Richards school. I will be forever thankful for what you’ve done for Jill’s life and career. Good luck and enjoy a lovely retirement.

You have made our entry and transition and living in middle school so much the better! Without you there would be no ARS and for this we are eternally grateful. Please enjoy Washington and all it has to offer, as it is a special place filled with history and newsmakers, as well as amazing people and neighborhoods [go Glover Park!].

We wish you very well in your next phase of life.

Much Love, Grace Slagle 8th, and family.

Dear Jeanne, Your spirit and dedication shone so brightly the day I interviewed you for the cover of AustinWoman magazine. All these years later, I still recall your passion, humanity, dedication, humility–and huge sense of fun. How fortunate this city has been to have you lead this outstanding, ground-breaking school and impact so many within our community. Austin and our city’s daughters have been given such a gift by your leadership.

Your vision, knowledge, skills, and persistence are topped only by your CARE for students, staff and families at ARS. Your gifts to the school will continue to grow. As you begin your next adventure enjoy every moment!

Jeanne,
Your work for, and your legacy to, our community and the world community has been a wonder and inspiration to behold. I had always thought I worked hard, and was passionate about my work, but you brought out an entirely different yardstick by which we all can measure ourselves. When asked years ago by a friend what I hoped my daughters would be when they grew up I answered that I hoped they would be people who want to take their parents out to dinner, that over dinner they would provide thought provoking conversation, humor, and a humanitarian and educated view of the world in which they live…and that at the end of the dinner they would be able to pick up the check. Thanks to you, I believe all that can happen now ( well, maybe not the wanting to take us out to dinner part ). Your work has formed them, and so many others, into truly amazing women.You have touched so many people’s lives, and like the pebble which drops into the still pond your waves of influence, inspiration, moral guidance and sense of justice will ripple out and positively change the lives of so many more. I wish you both the very best of times and wonderful health as you embark on this new journey. I really do hope you rest up…so you can be ready for the next amazing chapter of your life. It has been a real honor to be a recipient of all that you have given to me, my family, and the world.
Best wishes,
Joe Martin (Eliza’15, Julia’18)

Dear Jeanne,
I’m so delighted that my granddaughter, Nora, has had the opportunity to get to know you at the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, and I’m equally delighted that I got to know and share time with you at St. Michael’s. As an educator and wonderful human being, wherever you have gone in the broad Austin school community, you have made an incredibly positive difference to students and staff. May your retirement be happy, restful and event-filled when you determine the choice! May you continue to live in God’s grace . . .

Congratulations on your retirement – I know how much your broad smile and endless enthusiasm will be missed at the AR School – you have so very much to be proud of … what a legacy!!

It has been an honor and a pleasure to know you, and to work with you, as you put together an outstanding educational experience for so many wonderful young women! Thank you from my heart, Jean Rather

Dear Ms. Goka, You have seriously impacted my life in a great way. I will never forget the conversation we had back when I was in 8th grade. I was decided to leave Ann Richards to go to Austin High with my church friends. But you convinced me that Ann Richards was the best for me, and you were right. You know how I believe God guides my life and He is what inspires me everyday. I truly believe He put you in my life, specifically for that moment. So that I would not make the biggest mistake of my life and leave the school that helped shaped me to the strong student and woman I am today. Thank you for believing in me and for always continuing to cheer me on. Happy Retirement!

Dear Jeanne – You have inspired me from the moment I met you! I have loved watching you lead the Ann Richards School and can’t imagine where it would be without your leadership. Congratulations on a fabulous career and here’s wishing you your most wonderful years yet to come. Thanks so much for your service!! You’ve done an amazing job keeping Ann Richards’ legacy alive, and you’ve positively impacted the lives of so many. Thank you for that, too!!

Jeanne,
I hope you know you will be missed. Your leadership and spirt has made the ARS a model for student success. I (we) thank you for your dedicated service. Gov Richards knew you would be the one to take the school to levels beyond her dreams. Enjoy your next journey

Dear Ms. Goka,
We are going to miss you something fierce! Thank you for all that you’ve done to make our school what it is today. Congratulations on your retirement and we wish you the very best on your new journey!
Love, Stephanie V