THE LEADER May 25, 2017
La Porte Independent School District Every Student’s Success Is Our #1 Priority
La Porte High School seniors prepare for May 26 commencement The graduation ceremony will also be video streamed on the district’s website, www.lpisd.org. The broadcast will begin at 6:45 p.m. Those who would like to watch the ceremony online should look for the LP Broadcasting logo.
The top 10 academically ranked students in the Class of 2017 at La Porte High School prepare for this year’s commencement ceremony, which will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, May 26, at Bulldog Stadium. Graduates and their class ranks include, seated from left, Kirsten Spacek, tenth; Izza Chatta, valedictorian; Kallie Juel, salutatorian; and Micaela Torres, seventh. In back are principal Todd Schoppe; Jadyn Reis, sixth; Rebecca Salinas, third; Chase Sellers, fourth; Casey Boriskie, fifth; Isis Hernandez, eighth; and Emma Bradstreet, ninth.
Members of the La Porte High School Class of 2017 will celebrate their accomplishments at the commencement ceremony planned for 7 p.m. Friday, May 26, at Bulldog Stadium. Those who plan to attend the ceremony are reminded that the start time for this year’s ceremony is 7 p.m., an hour earlier than in previous years. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m.
Due to limited parking at the LPHS campus because of construction, shuttle buses will be provided beginning at 5:15 p.m. until the start of the ceremony. Attendees may ride the shuttle buses from La Porte Elementary School, 725 S. Broadway; La Porte Junior High, 401 S. Broadway; First Baptist Church, 310 S. Broadway, the La Porte ISD Special Programs Center (former Neighborhood Center), 526 San Jacinto St.; Evelyn Kennedy Center, 618 San Jacinto St.; Sylvan Beach parking lot (by the skateboard facility); and the former Kroger parking lot next to Walgreens (Auto Zone). Shuttle buses will pick up at these locations and drop off at the north stadium parking lot across from the LPHS baseball field. Following the ceremony, shuttle buses will pick up guests at the north stadium parking lot and drop them off at the parking locations. In the event of bad weather on May 26, a decision will be made by 3 p.m. to postpone the ceremony until 8 p.m., relocate the LPHS ceremony to the main gym for a 7 p.m. ceremony, or postpone the graduation until Saturday, May 27, at 9 a.m. at Bulldog Stadium. Students and their families will be notified through phone calls, and information will be posted on the La Porte ISD website at www.lpisd.org A push notification would also be sent through the new LPISD mobile app, available for iPhone and Android devices, available at the Apple and Google Play stores.
Twenty-eight LPHS graduates earn associate degrees through ACE program Twenty-eight La Porte High School graduating seniors will have also earned their associate degrees from San Jacinto College as they walk across the stage to receive their high school diplomas on May 26. The group is the first from LPHS to complete the ACE (Accelerated College Education) program, having started taking college classes in the summer of 2015, just after their sophomore year of high school. Through the program, students who met expectations received both high school and college credit for the courses they took at San Jacinto College Central. They spent mornings taking courses at the college during their junior and senior years and then returned to the LPHS campus in the afternoon. An additional advantage for the ACE students’ families is that La Porte ISD pays for their tuition and books, thereby helping to offset the cost of their college education. LPISD also covers these costs for students who take dual enrollment courses at the LPISD/San Jacinto College Center located on Broadway. “Words can’t express the pride we feel toward our first group of La Porte High School ACE graduates,” said Dr. Kade Griffin, associate principal at LPHS. “The students in this program have worked tirelessly for the past two years, and overcome obstacle after obstacle toward their goal. This graduating class has completed a total of 1,746 credit hours toward each of them completing an associate’s degree from San Jacinto College. “The program is truly a blessing in these students’ lives, and has amounted to a two-year scholarship for all participants,” he continued. “Each one of the students will now be able to enter the four-year university of his or her choice as a junior.”
“We are extremely proud of our students who have earned their associate degrees at the same time they have earned their high school diplomas,” said Danette Tilley, executive director of secondary education. “What is especially impressive is that many of these students are among the top 100 academically ranked seniors, serve in leadership positions on campus and are actively involved in extracurricular activities. They have made many sacrifices balancing their traditional high school activities while carrying a full academic load, and we commend them on this significant accomplishment. They have truly set high standards for themselves and are an inspiration to those students who will follow them.” The ACE graduates include Gentry Blagg, Johana Campos, Alex Cantu, Payton Cavazos, Laura Ceron, Nathan Evans, Amy Frias, Celeste Garza, Donovan Goins, Lauren Gutierrez, Isis Hernandez, Marisol Hinojosa, Kallie Juel, Jordan Land, Karina Martinez, Angel Mascarenas, Shazeena Mohammed, Lizzett Mora, Abigail Ochoa, Kendra Ralston, Jadyn Reis, Olivia Robles, Savannah Rose, Lauren Sampson, Chase Sellers, Madison Smith, Kirsten Spacek and Bryan Yanez. They will be recognized for their achievement during the La Porte High School graduation ceremony set for 7 p.m. May 26 at Bulldog Stadium.
La Porte ISD schools participate in LyondellBasell groundbreaking
Newly elected trustees take oath of office during May 16 board meeting
Newly elected members of the La Porte ISD Board of Trustees take the oath of office at the May 16 Board meeting. From left are Dennis Slate, who was elected to the Position 3 seat; Kathy Green, who was re-elected to Position 2; and Lois Rogerson, who was re-elected to Position 1. Administering the oath is Ruth Lynd, LPISD administrative assistant to the Superintendent and Board of Trustees.
La Porte ISD Superintendent of Schools Lloyd W. Graham, left, introduces U.S. Congressman Brian Babin to La Porte High School Band members following their performance on the steps of the San Jacinto Monument. At right is LPHS band director Mark Nichols. The band performed as guests arrived for the LyondellBasell groundbreaking celebration for the world’s first commercial Hyperzone Polyethylene Plant on May 15 at the San Jacinto Museum of History. The LPHS JROTC color guard also presented the colors, and the Leo A. Rizzuto Elementary Choir performed the national anthem.