Decatur Impact

Decatur

IMPACT FALL 2019

ONE TEAM, ONE DREAM

Building Tomorrow Together The Official Magazine of the Decatur Independent School District

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2200 S. FM 51, Suite 300 . Decatur 206 W. Main St . Decatur

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Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

Table of Contents Campuses Carson Elementary.....................................20 Rann Elementary........................................22 Young Elementary.......................................24 Intermediate School...................................28 McCarroll Middle School............................30 Decatur High School...................................32 Decatur Impact is published by the Decatur Independent School District.

All rights reserved.

Reproduction or use without express written permission from DISD of any portion of this magazine is prohibited.

The Wise County Messenger retains publication rights to all Messenger photos and previously published articles used. The district does not have authority to permit use of Messenger photos and previously published articles. Use of these photos and previously published articles, without the express written permission of the Wise County Messenger, is prohibited.

ON THE COVER Regal the Eagle (sophomore Emma Boatright) fires up the crowd at Decatur's first football game. Photo by Richard Greene. Cover design by Joy Burgess-Carrico.

District News Board of Trustees................................. 4

Keeping DISD safe...............................17

Working in the interim.......................... 5

Silver Eagles....................................... 19

Administration.......................................7 DISD Ambassadors spread good news............................................ 8 Payne leads intermediate campus...... 9 EMT class jump starts careers.......... 10 DISD safety evaluated........................ 12 Check it out......................................... 13

Mr. 600................................................ 34 Eagles soar to new level.................... 36 Bodacious........................................... 38 Perfectly tuned................................... 40 Serving up success............................ 42

Show me the money........................... 15

Alumni Spotlight................................. 44

Going up.............................................. 16

2019-2020 calendar............................47

Decatur Impact âœŚ Fall 2019

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Board of trustees

Welcome aboard

Houchin eyes success for all students

Lowery excited about district’s direction

Thomas Houchin was elected to Place 1 on the Decatur School Board in the May election.

He ran to serve the students, staff and stakeholders of Decatur ISD and has relished the experience so far.

“I have really enjoyed getting to know the teachers, staff and administration that make this district great,” he said.

Houchin is an oil and gas landman, and he and his wife, Teri, have six children: daughters Kenedy and Kayelor, and sons Karter, Keaton,

Chris Lowery was elected to Place 2 on the Decatur School Board in the May election.

He ran to ensure that the best interest of the district and its stakeholders is always top priority.

“I ran because I felt there needed to be improvement with the way the board handled transparency, communication and finances,” he said.

“I’m excited about the direction our district is headed. I think there’s still a lot of work to be done, but I feel we are on the right path.”

Lowery owns Lowery Wholesale LLC in Paradise, and he and his wife Amy have three daughters: Caroline, Maclaine

Kimball and Kinsler.

His goal as a school board member is to see all students at DISD experience success.

“As a board member, I’m doing all I can to make that happen,” he said. ✦

Charlie Tibbels

Matt Joiner

President

Rex Hoskins 4

Vice President

Marsha Hafer

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

and Harper. Harper is a senior at Decatur High School.

Lowery’s goals as a school board member are keeping a close eye on the safety and security of the district and helping students be prepared for the next step of their journey when they graduate from DHS. ✦

Jennifer Wren Secretary

Thomas Houchin

Chris Lowery

Working in the interim Springston focused on improving Decatur ISD

BY RICHARD GREENE Reprinted with permission from the Wise County Messenger

rett Springston is not taking time to hang pictures or memorabilia on the walls of his office in the Decatur ISD Administration Building.

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He cautioned that decorating was not worth the effort for his short stint. And while his title is interim superintendent, he’s making sure everyone knows he’s not here to be a seatwarmer for the permanent hire. He’s in Decatur to improve the district in the short term.

“I don’t know how to work any other way,” Springston said.

Springston arrived in Decatur June 22 after finishing up a stint as the interim superintendent at Damon ISD in January. He was previously the superintendent at Bartlett on two occasions.

He was also the superintendent at Brownsville from December 2009 through July 2011, overseeing 57 campuses.

Decatur ISD School Board President Charlie Tibbels pointed out Springston’s

vast array of experience in big and small districts and in a number of roles from campus principal, assistant superintendent to leading districts as the superintendent.

“He’s really stressed being proactive,” said Tibbels following Springston’s first board meeting in late July.

“He’s looking at things in a different way. He was a superintendent over operations and has the experience dealing with the day to day operations.

“What I like is his positive energy.”

Springston indicated that a positive attitude is part of building relationships. It’s the first in what he calls the 3 Rs of education: relationships, relevance and rigor.

“The 3 Rs theory is pretty easy,” Springston said.

“You’ve got to have relation-

ships with the kids; because in today’s world we are trying to teach to inferencing.

It’s how to be creative. That is 40 percent of the test taking. How do kids think creatively? How can you get a kid to think creatively, if you don’t develop a relationship with them, and if you don’t know how they tick and where they are from? And in order to teach rigor, you’ve got to build relationships.

“The other part of that formula is making it relevant.

If you can make something relevant and you have a relationship with them, you can teach them rigor. Then instead of being a B district, you’ve just become an A district because you’ve intensified what we are teaching, and we’re teaching creativity all through relationships, relevance and rigor. Pretty simple.”

He said that approach gets away from “one size fits all” and takes the state curriculum and makes it relevant to the district.

His message to the staff is Decatur is a “good district,” pointing to the success in many areas, including athletics and academics. Decatur finished fifth in the UIL’s 4A Lone Star Cup in 2018-19.

Decatur High School earned seven academic distinctions — English/language arts, science, comparative academic growth, postsecondary readiness, mathematics, social studies and comparative closing the gaps. McCarroll Middle School qualified for three distinctions –— comparative academic growth, postsecondary readiness and comparative closing the gaps.

The intermediate campus earned a distinction in mathSee Springston on page 6

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

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Springston: Making improvements Continued from page 5 ematics. Carson Elementary had distinctions for comparative academic growth, postsecondary readiness and comparative closing the gaps.

But Springston said with all the awards and accolades one thing was missing to make the district great — an A rating. Decatur was rated a B in the 2018 and 2019 accountability ratings from the Texas Education Agency.

“I addressed the staff the other day and said, ‘You’re a good district, but why is it that I can’t say you’re a great district?’” Springston said. “No. 1 is you’re rated a B. Great districts are rated an A. You’ve got all these state awards and you’ve got all this advanced academics, but yet you are a B district.”

In his assessment, he’s found it came back to fostering the relationships to work together to reach the next level.

“From me being here briefly, I can tell you that there were some relationships where something didn’t work,” Springston said.

Building constructive relationships will lead into the secondary part of Springston’s job in Decatur. Along with serving in the role of the superintendent, he will also be leading the search for the person to fill the spot permanently. It’s a task he expects to take through November and likely into December. His goal is to have the new hire start the second semester.

Working in the district with the school board and staff, Springston said he will have some advantages in vetting candidates and finding the right fit for Decatur.

“With me being a part of the law firm

to hire the next superintendent and working with the board to find that right person, I need some person to take over with that same belief that we need to be great not good,” Springston said. “That’s the type of person we’re looking for.

“We want to make sure we’re jumping in with someone that is going to advance where we are today. Me being part of the process and looking at the district, evaluating the district, looking at the needs of the district and working with the board gives me an advantage in finding who we are looking for.”

He also expects plenty of candidates to vie for the job.

Once a person is hired, Springston said his experience here will provide a smooth transition.

“I can tell them what I see as far as the goods and the greats and things we need to take a look at to improve on,” Springston said. “It’s a head start for that person.

Until he does hand the job off, he’s ready to work and help Decatur strive for the next level.

“I haven’t found a district that I’ve ever been in that we couldn’t sit there and say that there wasn’t something we couldn’t correct,” Springston said.

“There’s always something we can find to improve on. People who are change agents like myself like to find those things and sit down and have those communications with people and ask, ‘What can I do to help you?’

“I’m not a hammer. But I want to come in, do what I can do to make you better and help them get there.”✦

H. Frank Thornton

Certified Public Accountant

2000 S. College • P.O. Box 690 • Decatur

940-627-1023

6

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

Superintendent search underway Decatur ISD posted the superintendent’s job in late August.

“We’re going to start taking applications,” said School Board President Charlie Tibbels. “Mr. Springston will be in charge of vetting those applications. The hope is to have someone here, ready to go, the second semester. We’re going to vet those people properly.”

Tibbels added: “You’ve heard me say before, if it takes two months to 12 months, we’re going to find the right person.”

Applications will run through Walsh, Gallegos, Trevino, Russo and Kyle. Springston said he will then receive them to check for qualifications and start the initial screening and contacting references. He said he will look through each application one at a time.

The school district held a public townhall meeting to gather feedback from the public on characteristics wanted in a candidate.

Citizens can also share their thoughts via the school district survey at wcmess.com/survey.

Tibbels said the survey and the townhall will give all stakeholders — parents, staff and taxpayers — a say in the new hire. ✦

Administration Brett Springston

Interim Superintendent

Mike Fuller

Craig Weston

Athletic Director

Brett Phipps

Dr. Shane Conklin

Assistant Superintendent

Principal, McCarroll Middle School

Dr. Jadie Matthew

Assistant Superintendent

Roby Nunn

Principal, Carson Elementary

Principal, Rann Elementary

Christopher Mogan

Troy Bagwell

Principal, Decatur High School

Jennifer Terrell

Director of Assessment and English Language Learning Services

Meradith Culpepper

Director of Human Resources

Lana Coffman

Director of Technology

Shelly Laaser

Cindy Tatum

Deputy Supt./Chief Financial Officer

Ulyana Payne

Principal, Young Elementary

Principal, Decatur Intermediate School

Stephanie Quarles

April Whisenant

Director of Instructional Technology

Director of Child Nutrition

Director of Special Programs

Sally Rodgers

Director of Communications

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DISD ambassadors spread good news Hear ye, hear ye Did you know that Texas Public Schools have never been more successful?

The truth is: ✦ The U.S. leads the world in global competitiveness. ✦ Texas kids beat national peers in college readiness.

BY SALLY RODGERS

reat things are happening at Decatur ISD, and thanks to a new program beginning this fall, ambassadors throughout the district will be happy to tell you about it.

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Decatur ISD is partnering with Friends of Texas Public Schools (FOTPS) through its ambassador training academy to address attitudes and mindsets pertaining to public schools.

The program is designed to mobilize educators to step up as ambassadors for themselves, their students, their campuses, district and the profession as a whole.

“Optimism breeds success,” said Leslie Milder, founder of FOTPS. “It motivates, inspires and unites. Children and teachers thrive in environments that are full of hope and encouragement.

Unfortunately, there is too little optimism and too much doom and gloom in the public

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debate about public education, generating a perception of widespread failure.”

DISD representatives will meet for three two-hour sessions starting in October. At the conclusion of the program, participants will have the resources available to ensure their influence continues to be positive and profound.

In addition, they will be asked to serve as the lead ambassadors on their campus, coaching colleagues about the importance of strengthening public confidence in the work they do.

Each session will begin with a celebration of the great things happening in DISD schools before the

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

group explores one of the major issues negatively affecting public confidence and identifies strategies for restoring the public’s faith and trust in our schools. Each session will close with an assignment that challenges participants to be ambassador leaders in their respective roles.

“Our ambassadors are campus leaders who welcome the opportunity to spread the word about how awesome Decatur ISD truly is,” said Dr. Shane Conklin, who will be leading the training sessions with an FOTPS representative. “They are such valuable assets to the DISD family and have a genuine passion for both the district and public education.”✦

✦ Texas ranks first in the nation for high school graduation rates. ✦ Math and science scores are at historic highs. ✦ Nine out of every 10 public school students entering the ninth grade earn a diploma. ✦ The State of Texas says schools are good stewards of tax dollars. ✦ The percentage of high school graduates entering college is up over the last 30 years.

Source: Friends of Texas Public Schools

Payne leads intermediate campus

BY KRISTEN TRIBE

Reprinted with permission from the Wise County Messenger

ecatur Intermediate School welcomes Ulyana Payne as the principal for 2019-20.

D Payne was previously the assistant principal at Fossil Hills Middle School in Keller. She also held other administrative roles in the district at elementary and middle school campuses. Before going to Keller, she worked as a math curriculum writer and instructional coach and teacher in Birdville ISD. Payne’s interest grew in Decatur ISD after talking with Carson Elementary Principal Craig Weston and Rann Elementary Principal Roby Nunn.

“We were friends from our Keller days, and they were singing Decatur’s praises,” she said. “They were talking about how amazing the district is, and I see what they mean because when you walk in everyone is so welcoming and so nice.”

Payne said even though Decatur is just a short drive from the Metroplex, the atmosphere is different.

“It’s truly a small-town feel,” she said.

Payne is working hard to get to know everyone.

“I like to feel in touch,” she said.

“I don’t want to be too far removed.

I want to know my kids, know my parents. I want to know when their birthday is ... that they have a sick puppy at home.

“It’s important to get to know all of them.”

To aid in that effort, Payne has started the school year by having a morning assembly every day in the gym.

“I really want to start every day with every student, every teacher, together face-to-face,” she said. “Maybe

later in the year we’ll transition to video announcements, but I think you lose touch.”

Payne said she also wants parents to feel welcome and hopes to build up the PTO. She plans for the campus to have a greater presence on social media to keep everyone informed, so even working parents, who might not be able to volunteer regularly, can still get glimpses of what’s happening in their kids’ classrooms.

“We want to bring everyone together and build a culture, making sure we communicate and tell our stories to parents and grandparents,” she said.

“We want traditions and things that are unique to us.

“Students are our customers, and everything we do is to benefit them.” ✦

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

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EMT class jump starts careers

BY KRISTEN TRIBE

or the first time, Decatur High School students can graduate not only with their high school diploma, but also with an EMT certification within reach.

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The school district this year partnered with the Decatur Fire Department to offer an EMT training class through the Career and Technical Education Program (CTE).

CTE Coordinator Sheila McCollum said she’s excited to offer the opportunity to students.

“It’s so cool to me that students will be able to graduate with an opportunity to put themselves through college or start a career,” she said. “These kids will have marketable skills.”

The program, open to seniors only, consists of 140 classroom hours, 24 hours in the emergency room and another 24 on ambulance ride-alongs.

The class is held at the high school and taught by the Decatur Fire Department. Deputy

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Fire Chief of Operations Nate Mara is lead instructor.

“I wish they would have had a program like this when I was in high school because I would have started earlier and maybe gone right into it,” he said.

Mara said several years ago the department previously taught the Skills USA classes CPR and first aid skills for competition, so they’re excited to expand the offering.

Deputy Chief Deroy Bennett said he and Mara are ecstatic about the program.

“We have high expectations,” Bennett said. “This gives them a tool to be successful and will allow them to get a good job as soon as they get out of school.”

The 2019-20 class has 10 students, and Mara said it’s different than the EMT

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

classes they teach at the fire department.

“No one made these kids come to this class,” he said.

“As a first responder, there are classes you’re mandated to attend, but these kids all made a decision that they wanted to serve at this level.”

That being said, Mara said he recognizes the EMT class is just a small part of the day for these students.

“They can only give so much of their time to studying our discipline because they have math, history, dual credit, extracurricular activities, among many other things,” he said.

“But they’ve taken it head on, and they’re asking really good questions in the classroom and bringing up good ideas.”

There are approximately 12 Decatur firefighters who may be lecturing or teaching the class at any point during the year. Mara said the instructor group will change depending

on the topic and again when the students begin to prepare for the state exam.

Students must have their GED or a high school diploma and be 18 years old to take the national registry exam, which must be taken within one year of completing the course. Once they’re certified, Bennett said the students have many options.

“EMTs have jobs all over,” he said. “There are lots of private ambulance services; Wise County EMS hires EMTs … and a lot of larger hospitals hire them as ER techs or an ER aide. It’s also a good step toward earning a paramedic license or to become a career firefighter.

“Really, the possibilities are unlimited.”

Mara noted an EMT certification also allows a person to work in a lab or in oil field or industrial safety.

“Being an EMT doesn’t

necessarily mean you’ll ride on an ambulance,” he said.

The two also said although the class isn’t a recruiting tool, it could benefit local fire departments or other agencies as it generates interest in this type of service among local students.

McCollum said the kids are enjoying the class.

“They love it,” she said.

“They’re getting to do hands on stuff every single day, and it’s so relevant to them. The few times I’ve been in there,

Nate just captivates them.

They hang on his every word.”

Mara said he hopes this class acts as an anchor for these types of programs in the public school system.

“I hope this becomes a year after year program, so the kids who are seeing the seniors this year can anticipate the opportunity and enroll next year,” he said. “I’d like this to cement into the curriculum so they can have something to look forward to as they move into their senior year.” ✦

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Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

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DISD safety evaluated

BY SALLY RODGERS

he report from last spring’s safety audit made Assistant Superintendent Jadie Matthew smile. Decatur ISD is going above and beyond to provide safety and security to its students.

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The audit, conducted last spring by retired Superintendent Don Newsom through Region 10, covered all Decatur ISD facilities. Newsom toured all six campuses, support departments and administration. He then met with key administrators before making recommendations and suggestions to improve safety and security.

“I would send my own grandchildren here,” Newsom told the DISD board of trustees last summer. “You’re doing a lot of things well in Decatur ISD.” Among the improvements made since the last school year are the implementation of lane dividers at the middle school. The creation of lanes has vastly improved the flow of traffic and lessened the likelihood of students getting struck by a bus or car.

The district has also revamped the loading procedure at Decatur Intermediate and McCarroll Middle School.

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Car riders are now loading and unloading in front of the schools, which has greatly cut down on congestion in the parking lot.

“I’ve worked in several districts across Texas, and this, by far, has the strongest safety and security I’ve seen,” said Matthew, who oversees safety and operations for the district.

An additional student resource officer was added at the elementary level, bringing the total in DISD to six — two at the high school, one at the intermediate school and one at the middle school. Two cover the three elementary campuses, Matthew said.

So far this year, new employees have been trained on the RAVE Panic Button. The new teachers were also given Stop the Bleed training, and returning staff will get a refresher.

Regarding Standard Response Protocol, which is the source for all the safety drills practiced in the district.

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

New teachers were trained over the summer, and principals will be doing refreshers on each campus. Additionally, substitute teachers on every campus were trained in August on safety drills.

This fall, Stop the Bleed kits were installed at every campus. Stop the Bleed is a call-to-action that encourages bystanders to become trained, equipped and empowered to help in a mass casualty event before professional help arrives. All students in grades 7 through 12 will also be given Stop the Bleed training.

Over the summer, a number was assigned to every building entrance in the school district to make it easier for first responders to locate the site of an emergency.

“Most school districts do the minimum,” Matthew said. “We far exceed the requirements to ensure the safety of our kids.” ✦

Check it out

Public library cards available through student registration

BY KRISTEN TRIBE

or the second year in a row, Decatur ISD has partnered with the Decatur Public Library to offer library cards to students during school registration.

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DISD’s Library Services Coordinator Laura Highlander said the school district tried to make the process as easy and seamless as possible.

“We already had a collaboration with the public library,” she said, “so it was a natural fit. And I thought it was something doable for our community.”

Decatur Public Library Director Patricia Peters said the project was important to her and her staff because they wanted to get library cards in the hands of as many students as possible.

“We wanted to make sure they still had a place to go to read or for resources during the summer,” she said.

Peters said when the program first

started, the library was in its third or fourth year of issuing cards to every DISD first grader through programs at the elementary schools.

“So really, we were catching up everybody else, and now as we go through, we should have a small number of kids requesting cards, maybe transfer students or kids whose parents didn’t opt-in the first time,” she said.

Highlander said a benefit to getting the card through the school district is there are no fines levied on those accounts, unless items are lost or damaged — the same rules that are applied to their district library card.

It does take a significant amount See Library on page 14

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Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

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Library: Public, school join forces

Continued from page 13 of time to process the cards, but as soon as students received them, they were able to utilize the library’s online resources. Highlander said Dawn Wilbert, the public library’s youth services manager, visited DISD campuses to go over with students what all is available to them online.

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Peters said it was difficult to know of the cards issued last school year how many were utilized this summer, but she overheard a lot of conversations the last few months about “how great this will be” and “this will be your first time to use it.”

Peters thinks there were some summer regulars who used cards they received

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

through DISD, and she saw a bump in the library’s usage numbers for Mango Languages, which she said might be attributed to the students.

Both parties — DISD and Decatur Public Library — consider the program a success and plan to continue with it tied to school registration.

Peters said she had seen

the program in other libraries, although most were larger than Decatur’s, but from the outset, she could see how the program would benefit the community.

“If nothing else, it would get the cards in the hands of kids, who may not know we’re here and let parents know the services we offer are free,” she said. ✦

Show me the money Education foundation awards more than $30K in grants ue to the generous donations of sponsors since 2003, the Decatur Education Foundation has awarded more than $600,000 to local teachers, supporting initiatives that strengthen the quality of education in Decatur ISD.

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This year, DEF awarded $30,339 in grants at convocation in August.

Grant recipients included: Carson Elementary ✦ Jami Petty, Rayanna Terrell, Candice Owens, Curren Wicker, 1st grade — Make Your Mark in First Grade, $2,000 ✦ Clarissa Padron, Samantha Remington, Nicole Smith, Andrea Coleman, 2nd grade — Make Your Mark in Second Grade, $2,000 ✦ Kelley Galovich, Lara Wadlington — The Making of Me, $2,813

Rann Elementary ✦ Carmen Gonzalez, Stepha-

nie Fothergill and Rosa Alvarez, 2nd grade — Coloring the Future of 2nd Grade!, $2450 ✦ Jami Leonard — Morning Announcements on the Move, $519

Young Elementary ✦ Sarah Whetsell, Brittany Allred, Jennifer Jenkins, Chelsea McCurdy, kindergarten — Race to Engage, $2,622 ✦ Sara Flatt, Morgan Warner, Tracie Finstad, Paige Brittain, 4th grade — Re-

thinking Recess: Bringing in BIG Games for Brain Breaks, $420

Decatur Intermediate School ✦ Rachel Rangel — Lights, Camera, Communication!, $844

✦ DeDe Diaczenko — Monster Mugs: Containing Our Fears, $1,250 ✦ DeDe Diaczenko — Art for ALL and All for ART, $1,280

Decatur High School

✦ Rachel Rangel — STEAMing Toward the Future, $3,894

✦ Dusty Naumann — Agriculture Mechanics Project Trailer, $5,000

McCarroll Middle School

✦ Jim Allsup — Ribbon/Bow Machine, $3,000

✦ Kara Hays — Qball: Let Their Voices Be Heard, $393

✦ Audrey Micinski — Physics is Going Ballistic, $1,854 ✦

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

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➙

GOING UP

Pre-K numbers grow with all-day program

ecent legislation increasing pre-K from half to full days, resulted in a jump in enrollment for Decatur ISD.

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More than 100 students are enrolled in pre-K for the 2019-20 year with one class at Rann Elementary and four at Young Elementary.

Last year, only 69 children were enrolled in the half-day program with one class each at Rann and Young.

Dr. Shane Conklin, who oversees curriculum and instruction, said the full day offering assists families.

“When it’s a half of a day, they have to find somewhere for their kids to be the second-half of the day, and many daycares don’t accept half-day kids,” he said.

DISD officials anticipate the program continuing to grow. Conklin said depending on the numbers, pre-K could be available at Carson in the future. If a child’s home school is Carson, he or she can go to Young or Rann, if they qualify for dual language.

House Bill 3, passed by the 86th Texas Legislature in 2019, provided funding for the full-day program.

A district is required to offer a prekindergarten program if it identifies 15 or more eligible children. To be eligible, a child must be at least 4 years old by Sept. 1 of the current school year and meet at least one of the criteria listed below: ✦ Unable to speak and comprehend the English language ✦ Economically disadvantaged (eligible for the free or reduced-price lunch program) ✦ Homeless, as defined by 42 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section 1143a, regardless of the residence of the child, of either parent of the child, or of the child’s guardian or other person having lawful control of the child

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✦ The child of an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States, including the state military forces or a reserve component of the armed forces, who is ordered to active duty by proper authority or who was injured or killed in the line of duty ✦ In or have been in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) following an adversary hearing; ✦ The child of a person eligible for the Star of Texas Award as a peace officer, firefighter or emergency medical first responder The pre-kindergarten curriculum is based on the Texas Education Agency’s State-Approved Circle curriculum.

It allows children to learn through music, movement and hands-on activities. A typical day in pre-K includes time in a large group setting, partici-

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

pating in stories, songs and rhymes with classmates. There is also time for small group instruction where the teacher reinforces important skills.

Children also have time to choose their activities at learning centers.

These may include blocks, dramatic play, computers, or library and writing centers. Oral language, alphabet recognition and phonological awareness (awareness of language sounds) are emphasized in pre-kindergarten.

They develop observation and thinking skills through math, science and social studies.

Conklin said DISD’s pre-K program is designed to ensure school readiness and future academic success in young learners.

“We’re excited about the opportunity for our students who need it most to have an early start on their educational journey,” he said. ✦

Keeping DISD safe ecatur ISD has six school resource officers: two at the high school, one on each of the middle and intermediate school campuses and two that rotate between the three elementaries. Five are designated SROs and the sixth is Decatur Police Department officer working overtime.

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The five regular SROs include the following: Elementary schools

William H. (Bill) Brimmer Family: Married to wife Linda for 49 years, five kids, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren What do you like most about being an SRO? I enjoy working with kids. The daily contacts are powerful. We’re not just a protector and a safety provided, we’re a role model for many kids who only see things on TV. They learn to trust you and come to you for hugs and high-fives. While I watch over these kids, I pray other SROs are watching over my great-grandkids.

Experience: Served in the United States Marine

Corps from 1965 to 1970 Started in law enforcement in Bridgeport in 1972 and from there was chief of security at Runaway Bay until he graduated Texas Christian University in 1976 Started policing again in 1982 as a reserve in Bridgeport Worked last 10 years with Decatur Police Department Hobbies: We love traveling to visit our kids, which are living in Tennessee, Virginia and Florida. I love college football and snow skiing.

Decatur Intermediate School

Victor Monjaraz Experience: 13 years with Decatur Police Department

McCarroll Middle School

Cristina Schwabe What do you like most about being an SRO? Everything! I enjoy getting to know all the kids who I have the privilege of protecting and serving.

Why did you choose this profession?

I wanted to be a police officer because I wanted to help people.

Experience: University of North Texas — Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Licensed peace officer for the State of Texas for 14-and-a-half years Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Education — Master Peace Officer Certification Texas State University Texas School Safety Center — School Based Law See SRO on page 18

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

17

SRO: 6 officers on watch for district Continued from page 17 Enforcement Certification Texas Association of School Resource Officers — Basic School Resource Officer Certification Previously worked as the Decatur High School SRO for 4 years Previously worked as the Decatur Intermediate School SRO 1 year Hobbies: I love to play old school arcade games. Pinball is my favorite. I enjoy listening to 80s and 90s music and like going to concerts.

Decatur High School

Daniel Sandate Family: Married with three sons,

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one daughter and two grandsons What do you like most about being an SRO? Law enforcement in itself can be very stressful, but rewarding when you can make a difference in someone’s life. I have always been a kid by heart, which allows me to be myself with students. It’s even more rewarding when former and present students recognize me with or without a uniform, and I still get a high-five, fist bump or a hug from them. I want to leave a good and positive impression in these students’ lives in hopes they will make better choices and make a difference in their future.

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

Experience: 17-and-a-half years in law enforcement — patrol, middle school SRO, detective, Special Response Team, hostage negotiator, Emergency Medical Technician, certified firefighter and currently SRO sergeant.

Sandate is a Decatur High School graduate.

Hobbies: Spending time with family, vacationing at the beach, volleyball, golf, fishing and exploring new places

Amy Blankenship Family: Married to my best friend, three kids ranging in age from 17 to 9. My oldest is a senior in another district

and plans to enlist in the military after graduation. I couldn’t be more proud!

What do you like most about being an SRO? I have been an officer with the City of Decatur for almost four years.

When I decided to become a police officer, it was with the ultimate goal of working within the schools.

Working in the role of SRO was my dream, and I love coming to my job at DHS every day.

Hobbies: My hobbies now days are pretty limited since I stay busy running my kids to all of their activities and not only supporting them, but also supporting my Decatur Eagles kids. ✦

Silver Eagles Strong roots, powerful wings Decatur ISD has strong roots in this community, and a new program seeks to educate alumni about great things happening in the district and call on their collective power to spread the word.

The Silver Eagle program, open to alumni age 60 and older and retired teachers, launches with a kickoff meeting Oct. 1.

Based on recommendations from an advisory committee,

Kickoff breakfast 8:30 a.m., Oct. 1 Central Administration Building

the group will set a to-do list for the school year, outlining all the ways their presence and participation can positively affect the school district.

“Decatur graduates are passionate about their alma mater,” said Sally Rodgers, DISD director of communications.

“So many of them return here to live and to raise their own children. Who better to be ambassadors of this school district than the people who loved going to school here?”

The group will meet four times a year, and will be invited to tour schools, visit classrooms and attend other district meetings to learn more about the district.

For their time, ambassadors will receive a Silver Eagle

badge to help them gain admission to all DISD events.

“Our alums are one of our greatest resources,” said Assistant Superintendent Dr. Shane Conklin. “I’m excited about the role they will play in continuing the long tradition of excellence in DISD.”

If you’re interested in participating in the Silver Eagle program, attend the breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 1 at the Central Administration Building, 307 S. Cates. For more information, contact Rodgers at 940-393-7114 or sally.rodgers@decaturisd.us. ✦

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Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

19

Carson Elementary School

Carson REACHes for the stars

BY KRISTEN TRIBE

arson Elementary Principal Craig Weston was “just the guy in the bow tie” at last year’s Meet the Teacher, he said.

C

It was Weston’s first year in Decatur ISD, and understandably, the kids were at first cautious around their new principal.

“But this year it was a 180-degree difference at Meet the Teacher,” he said.

“It was hugs and high-fives left and right. It’s a really good feeling of continuity.”

Weston said he was excited this year to move past the introductions and build on things he started last year, “a real full implemen-

20

tation.”

“And not just in instruction, but my relationships with the staff, community and kids,” he said.

A campuswide program that’s being implemented on a higher level this year is REACH. REACH stands for respect, excellence, attitude, cooperation and honesty, all character traits that Weston and his staff want students to embody and that will help them as they mature and grow.

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

Weston explained the idea is to reward students when they see them practicing these things.

“It’s a way for us to accentuate the positive and not just focus on misbehavior,” he said.

The focus is on the common areas of the school, like in the hallways, at recess, in the cafeteria, restrooms and at assemblies. Weston said teachers still manage behavior in their individual classrooms, but this is a program that sets expectations across the entire school.

Kids who exhibit these character traits are rewarded with Star Bucks, which can be redeemed for prizes.

“It’s an issue of when we do this, are we going to smugly stand by and say, ‘Yeah, that’s how you’re supposed to be,’ or are we going to acknowledge it and reward it?” Weston said.

The principal said there are all types of prizes. Two Star Bucks might earn a pencil, but if a student saves up 20 or 30, he or she might get to sit in the principal’s chair for a day.

A new reward this year is the REACH room, put together with the help of Carson PTO. The game room is packed with arcade games, air hockey, skee ball and a basketball game. Weston said students will have to save up tickets to visit the game room, but it will provide a well-deserved break and give kids a chance to simply have fun.

Another element to character development and social and emotional learning is incorporated into the campus’ morning meetings. Each teacher holds a morning meeting in the classroom during which students can talk about almost anything, Weston said. They might discuss their performance, how they interact with each other, things that are bothering them or a bright spot in their day.

“It’s a pretty intimate group that knows each other well, so they’re willing to open up,” Weston said. “It’s trying to have a good, all around experience for kids.”

The campus also has a number of fun events planned for the whole family this fall. There will be REACH rallies, promoting the new program, Grandparent Days, a Veterans Day assembly, PTO trunk or treat and

movie nights, as well as Red Ribbon Week. Weston said to watch the weekly emails and communication from your child’s teacher for more information on dates and times.

If parents would like to volunteer, there are numerous opportunities.

Weston said the best way is to ask your child’s teacher what he or she might need. He said volunteers are always welcome in the front office, too, as there are often small jobs easily handled by volunteers. Of course, he also encourages parents to join PTO. “Some people think there are strings attached to joining, but no one will bother you if you don’t want to be bothered,” he said with a laugh.

“There’s no obligation.”

He noted that parents can join PTO at any time during the year, and even if you’re not available to volunteer, there are other opportunities to help the group by collecting box tops and the like.

Weston said one of his favorite things about his job is building community.

“I enjoy most where it feels like the school is an extension of home, and it feels like a partnership with what we do here and parents,” he said. “But also keeping school lively and fun.”

Weston said parents can best help what’s being taught at school by encouraging kids to read for pleasure at home.

“We’ve been intentional about making the homework load lighter, so although there’s no explicit homework to do, have them read and study math facts and things like that,” he said.

“Also, talk about school with your kids. Ask questions about how school is going and stay involved.

“Encourage them to be the best kids they can be and promote kindness.”

Weston said he and his staff are emphasizing building the whole child and honing in on not just academics but also social, emotional and behavioral development as well.

“That’s the part I like, the challenge of developing well-rounded kids,” he said. “We let them go when they’re 10, and they’re not finished products by any means, but we have to give the next school the best we’ve got.” ✦

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✦ Fall 2019

21

Rann Elementary School

Rann fosters social connection

BY KRISTEN TRIBE

s students file into Rann Elementary every morning, Principal Roby Nunn greets them with smiles and high-fives.

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Decatur Impact âœŚ Fall 2019

“It’s crazy to me how much love kids have and how excited they are to come to school,” he said. “I want every kid to love to come to school, and there’s no reason they shouldn’t in elementary.”

Nunn takes this to heart and considers it his responsibility and that of his staff to ensure this is the case for each child.

After everyone has been welcomed to school, each classroom holds a morning meeting where teachers address the needs of their students through special activities and group discussions.

“The activities could vary because the teachers have the flexibility to do what’s best for their kids,” Nunn said. “If there’s an event that happens that rocks the Decatur community or the world, then we try to frame the activity around that ... discuss how everyone is feeling, and discuss what we can do as a classroom community to ease individuals’ concerns or worries.”

New to Rann this year is clubs during the school day.

“I’m really borrowing from what Young did,” Nunn said, referencing the program put in place last school year at Young Elementary. “We want to find stuff that excites the kids and is potentially life building ... and fun for the teachers, too.

“I think it’s fun for the kids to see what we, as teachers, are excited about.”

Nunn said he looks forward to introducing topics and activities that some students don’t even know exist.

“I think for us it’s finding the right blend of what is exciting to the kids that also excites the teacher and do those things together,” he said.

Two teachers will likely work together to lead indi-

vidual clubs.

“Our hope is to try to keep the clubs small enough so they can get to know each other on a different level, but also do the stuff kids want to do,” he said. “We’re going to bring in some gaming, like board games and try to recreate some of those social situations that we kind of grew up as adults being part of.

“We know that’s not how it’s always going to be, but I think it’s important kids have those actual physical social connections.”

Two other ways that social connections are fostered on the Rann campus are through the dual language and mentoring programs.

The school has dual language classrooms in kindergarten, first, second and third grade. Students in those classrooms are a mixture of native English and Spanish speakers, but the goal is for all the students to be fluent in both languages.

“I’m excited to see how the kids will interact with each

other,” Nunn said. “We won’t know the academic benefits until they’re older, but from a community standpoint, having English speaking kids and Spanish speaking kids in the same classroom creates a much better classroom community.”

Nunn looks forward to continuing the mentoring program, which assigns an adult volunteer to one student. The volunteer visits the campus once a week to eat lunch with the student and share a special activity.

Rann partnered with Decatur Intermediate School to expand the program so the mentors can move up with their students.

“I’d love to see it be a districtwide thing,” Nunn said.

Events to look forward to this fall include a a fun run, fall festival and a series of parent education events.

The first will be called “Nurturing Parent.”

Nunn said the programs will educate parents on how to best help their child with school-related issues.

“It’s changed a lot from the time we were in school until now, so we’ll give you some different ways to help your kid,” he said. “We try to have a well-balanced child — physically, mentally, socially and of course, academically, but if you don’t take care of those physical and emotional needs, you can’t really reach the kiddo.”

Nunn said it’s amazing to him how much love kids have and willingly share with others. The magnitude of this sometimes overshadows, but always ties together, the classroom, special programs, social interaction and physical and mental well-being of everyone on campus.

“When I’m outside, no matter how I’m feeling,” he said, “no matter what’s going on personally, professionally, or otherwise, every morning I’ve got 400 kids that walk through that door and high-five and smile and hug.

“It’s the best 30 minutes of my day.” ✦

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

23

Young Elementary School

Do-nut be absent at Young

BY KRISTEN TRIBE

s everyone here today?” Young Elementary Principal Lana Coffman called out across the playground.

“I

Deena Jordan’s second grade class swarmed Coffman and Assistant Principal Brian Smith. The duo held boxes of donuts for the second graders whose class had perfect attendance that day.

24

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

As they each grabbed their sweet reward, they squealed with delight.

“The district is really pushing for an increase in attendance, so we’re trying to do a fun, proactive approach to get everyone to school,” Coffman said. “We had 95 percent attendance overall last year, but I’d like to be at 97.”

Coffman said they’re coming up with fun incentives to motivate kids to be at school. As the year progresses, Coffman and Smith will just show up at a classroom with a prize, and if everyone is there, that class will receive it, but if not, the principals will move on to the next room, generating a little competition between the classes.

“We like a good ol’, friendly competition,” Coffman said, “and we’re going to do a better job of educating the parents so they understand their children have to be here. It’s the law.”

Smith said he thinks the prizes will help.

“I think incentivizing it with prizes is a positive way of saying we want your kids here,” he said. “It is the law,

but the kids want to be here and we want them here.”

Coffman said they work hard to build relationships with the students to further the cause, too.

“We stand out on the sidewalk every morning, calling each one by name and making eye contact as we greet them,” she said. “Brian high-fives them every

morning, and we have music playing.

“We try to always use the words, ‘we’re glad you’re here.’”

In only the first full week of school, it appeared their methods were working.

“There’s a lot fewer tears on day seven than on day two,” he said.

The school has also partnered with See Donut on page 26

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

25

Donut: Sweet incentives keep kids in class Continued from page 25 Kona Ice to offer incentives to the kids. Every six weeks, every student with perfect attendance will receive a coupon for a free Kona Ice snow cone. The truck will be at the school on the day of six weeks awards, and students can redeem their tickets during lunch or save their tickets to get a larger snow cone at a later date.

Kids can also bring money that day to purchase a snow cone.

Coffman said Young is the first campus in the district to partner with Kona, and in addition to the perfect attendance award, Kona is also giving character building awards that are affiliated with the district’s focus on social and emotional learning.

“In morning meeting, we focus on social and emotional issues, plus character building, and every six weeks we’ll have a word that goes along with that,” Coffman said. “The first six weeks the word is ‘integrity.’”

26

At the end of the six weeks, six Young students will receive an integrity award from Kona, which includes a certificate, Tshirt and Kona refill cup.

Every six weeks the name of the award will reflect the character trait discussed during that grading period.

Kona will also give trinkets representing that six weeks’ word to everyone who redeems tickets for a snow cone or buys a sweet treat that day.

Another new program at Young is Books on Buses.

Students who ride the bus will be allowed to visit a bookshelf right before they board to grab something to read on the road.

“We’ve got a whole rack of books here that we’ve been collecting,” Smith said.

“They’ll have a few seconds to exchange books. We’re not going to monitor it. It’s just grab it and go, then bring it back.”

Coffman said hopefully it will promote reading, but also reduce rowdy behavior on the bus. The principal

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

said the school is seeking donations of books for the program and needs material on all levels, from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade.

Also new this year, the Young library is opening at 7:15 every morning, which Coffman also hopes will promote reading for pleasure. Previously, students had access to the library only during class time, so this gives students freedom to check out books more frequently.

The school has more kids on campus all day this school year since it houses the district’s new, all-day pre-k program. There were 68 kids enrolled the first full week of school and some “waiting in the wings to enroll,” Coffman said. At that time they were in the process of hiring a fourth pre-k teacher and aide.

Smith said the pre-k population is more than double last year’s.

In other news, Coffman is excited to continue the campus’ special interest clubs, four mandatory 10-minute

breaks throughout the day and a no homework policy.

“The kids sit in a chair 8 to 3 all day, so go be a kid,” Coffman said of the students’ time at home.

“Parents haven’t had them all day, and the last thing I want is them arguing over homework. I want parents to enjoy them.”

Coffman said if parents would like to get involved on campus, joining PTO is a great way to do so.

“They have a volunteer coordinator who communicates with teachers about what they need,” she said.

“We also have class moms and lots of events parents can help with.”

Events to look forward to in the fall include Grandparents Day, the fun run, monthly music programs and karate instructor Stephen Starnes’ character classes.

“We want to have a warm, friendly place where they want to be, even the parents,” Coffman said. “We have a lot of great new staff, and we’re working hard to meet everyone’s needs.” ✦

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Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

27

Decatur Intermediate School

Intermediate campus builds a supportive culture

BY KRISTEN TRIBE

eamwork makes the dream work” may sound like just another catch phrase, but it carries meaning at Decatur Intermediate School.

“T

Principal Ulyana Payne said Decatur ISD’s theme for 2019-20, “One Team, One Dream, Building Tomorrow Together,” is an overarching umbrella for her campus, too.

“The theme is perfect for my school because it’s new, not the building, but the school,” she said. “Faculty, parents, teachers, students — just the whole idea of being one team is crucial.”

To reinforce the idea of teamwork,

28

working together and getting to know each other, Payne has created Eagle Time.

Every day the campus has AM Eagle Time in a morning assembly and PM Eagle Time during eighth period.

Payne said the morning Eagle Time is a good way to start the day.

“We’re all in this room ... right here, together,” she said.

During this time, the pledges are

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

recited, announcements are made, birthdays are announced, and there’s a moment of silence. Each day also has a theme that coordinates with a specific activity. They are as follows: Mindful Monday, where the counselor leads the kids in a mental wellness activity; Timely Tuesdays, alternating with Tech Tuesdays, during which they go over time management skills and/ or tech advice and digital citizenship; Workout Wednesdays, when the P.E. teacher leads the students in a physical activity such as stretching that can be done in their seats; Thankful Thursdays, during which Payne will lead a discussion encouraging kids to be thankful; and Fun Fridays, which could be sharing a joke or a Minute to Win It game between students and teachers. Payne also plans to have Flight Deck Fridays where teachers

recognize star students.

“This all sounds like a lot, but we’re done in 10 minutes,” the principal said.

PM Eagle Time is more focused on the individual student and conducted in smaller groups, their eighth period classes.

Payne said this segment is 12 minutes and will be used to teach life skills.

For example, on Mondays students will be led through the process of checking their calendar and the school’s calendar, and on Tuesdays, they will log in to Skyward to check their own grades. Wednesday is Word of the Week, during which students learn a new word, often related to a character trait. On Thursday, the kids participate in Circle Up, which is a classroom discussion that can range from ice breaker type activities to more serious discussions, depending on what’s been going on around campus and in the world. Fridays are for students to organize their backpacks and binders.

The principal said staff is also more active on social media this year, and she’s hopeful it will provide parents a glimpse into their student’s day.

“I want them to follow us on Facebook and Twitter,” she said.

“I want parents to have a sneak peek into what their kids do every day.”

A few new things on campus this year include recess for all students and they’re offering a couple of new classes — Tech Apps and Leadership.

“It’s a technology curriculum, but the range of it is pretty impressive,” Payne said. “Kids will be working on skills from basic keyboarding to doing programming, so we’re excited about that, for sure. In the leadership class, students are doing a book study and looking for ways to positively affect the school community."

Another great opportunity for students is Learning Lab every morning.

“Since the school opens at 7:15, the librarian is opening the library at that time, and students can check out books, work on homework or get things done online, if they don’t have internet access at home,” Payne said. “Students can also work on creativity in the Maker Space area.”

Payne said they also planned to start clubs after Labor Day. Other events to look forward to in the fall include Red Ribbon Week and Veterans Day activities.

“We want to bring students, teachers and families together to build a culture where we promote individuality and self-esteem while valuing community values and interdependence.” ✦

Decatur Impact

✦ Fall 2019

29

McCarroll Middle School

Finding the ‘WOW’ at McCarroll

BY KRISTEN TRIBE

cCarroll Middle School Principal Brett Phipps is a no-nonsense guy.

M

You present a problem. He seeks a logical solution.

The second year DISD principal said two significant problems were addressed last year — discipline and failure rate.

“Lots of kids were failing last year, so we put two programs in place,” Phipps said. “One was a really simplified discipline system, taking all the work off teachers and putting it on us because teachers should teach and administrators should handle discipline.

“And if you ask our teachers, I think they’d say we changed things.”

Phipps said to address the failure rate, a new homework system was put

30

in place.

“Because of that we decreased the failure rate by 50 percent in one grade and 70 percent in the other grade,” he said. “So we’re going to keep those two things.”

Since discipline and grades have improved, Phipps and his staff are focusing on best practices this year. He explained it as the “wow” factor.

“We’re focusing on some little things we do every day in the classroom to help us not only hold the interest of the kids, but also make sure we’re doing the things necessary as teachers to

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

improve our practice,” he said. “That’s our big focus this year, and we’re excited about it.”

Phipps said another area in which they’re focusing this year is improved communication.

“We don’t feel like we can get stagnant there,” he said. “We feel like we can always get better, so one of the ways we’re going to do that is through our teacher websites.”

Phipps said parents can expect to find more information on those sites, which should provide a guide to assist you in helping your child stay orga-

nized and focused on every task.

“Kids don’t fail because they want to fail,” he said.

“It’s because they’re doing a million things, and they lose focus. Helping them stay focused and learn how to plan ahead are skills that will take them far, not only here at school, but for a lifetime.”

If parents want to help on campus, Phipps encourages them to join the parent action team to provide safety support.

“It’s a way people can come up and help us with safety issues and be an extra set of eyes,” he said.

“Action team members can help us with big events, be chaperones ... things like that. It’s a way for us to

keep our kids safe.”

Parents are also welcome to join PTO anytime throughout the year.

Events to look forward to

include a talent show and the continuation of clubs.

“They will take a different turn this year,” Phipps said.

“They’ll be more service

oriented, and we’re going to tie it into the day of service that we did at the end of the semester. It will run through our clubs instead of something else.

“Hopefully, there will be a connection between what they’re trying to learn and their community.”

Phipps said many of the programs and opportunities at McCarroll are created to provide leadership opportunities for students.

“There’s lots of messiness that goes with that, and learning should be messy, if it’s going to be worthwhile,” he said. “Every kid has leadership skills, one way or another. If you can find your niche, you can find a way to lead.” ✦

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

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Decatur High School

DHS prepares students for next step

BY KRISTEN TRIBE

ecatur High School Principal Chris Mogan said with a laugh this is his sophomore year at the school.

D

In his first year at DHS, he established a foundation, and now he’s ready to build on that.

“I know a lot more about Decatur than I did a year ago, and I’m really proud of our kids and staff,” he said.

The principal is excited about a scheduling element in 2019-20 that he anticipates will help students in several areas. He and his staff have planned a 30- minute advisory period that will be built in after third period on the second and fourth Wednesdays every month.

“It will have a lot of uses,” he said. “We piloted it last spring for about six weeks and used it to prepare for the spring STAAR tests.

We got good feedback from teachers and the leadership

32

team.”

Mogan said this year it will not only be used for test prep, but also tutorials, especially for students who can’t stay after school due to work schedules or extracurricular activities.

“It gives them time to get extra assistance,” he said.

“We’re also going to use it for kids who could use enrichment, give those who excel at things more challenges and rigor unique to them.”

Mogan said the period will also be used for club and class meetings.

“It’s a time that we’re devoting in our schedule that

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

we think will be helpful comprehensively to our school,” he said. “It will shave off time from our instructional periods, but it will be time well spent in all different areas.”

A new event at the high school this year is a college and career fair in October.

“Our counselors are coordinating that effort, and we’re going to invite Texas colleges, universities and trade schools,” Mogan said. “It will be open to everyone in the county.”

The principal said he hopes this will grow in years to come and become a “must-attend” event for Wise County juniors and seniors. Along the lines of college and career readiness, the school is also going to offer the SAT during the school day on campus in March.

Mogan said this year they’re offering more ways for parents to be involved on campus, and he hopes several will volunteer for the site-based committee.

He also plans to hold informal meetings, like Coffee with the Principal, to give parents the opportunity to ask questions and give feedback.

“Electronic communication is so impersonal, and if we could actually dialogue about

these things, it could help,” he said. “It’s our school; it’s not just the kids’ or mine. It’s everybody’s, especially in a one high school town.”

Mogan said the thing he enjoys most about his job is being around the kids.

“If you let it, the job will isolate you. There’s lots of todos and paperwork and things pulling at you,” he said. “You have to remember what the heart of the job is and that’s education in general. You’re there to serve kids and help kids, so you have to remember to get away from your desk and out of your office.”

Instead of getting tangled in the minutia, Mogan’s vision is to give students the best opportunities and education so they’re prepared for that next step, whatever that might be.

“Our focus it taking responsibility for all our kids,” Mogan said. “We want all our kids to have the best experience comprehensively and give them the best chance to pursue their dreams, whether they’re a kindergartner and just starting or a senior and about to graduate, they’re all our kids, and they’re all Eagles.

“We take that very seriously.” ✦

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

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Mr. 600 Oberle reaches 600-win milestone

BY AUSTIN JACKSON

Reprinted with permission from the Wise County Messenger

s Decatur volleyball barrelled through the 4A competition on the road to a state championship last year, a number lingered in the back of coach Clark Oberle’s mind — 600.

A It would have been the cherry on top of a remarkable season for the coach, who’s dedicated his life to the craft since 1999. The round numbers become significant after two decades of coaching.

Oberle did the math as district play began. Due to a series split with his former team, Argyle, the milestone of 600 wins would have to wait. The 3-1 state championship victory over Needville turned out to be Oberle’s 599th career win. He would have to settle for a second state championship ring and put the milestone on hold for a few months.

“Halfway through district somebody asked me what my careers wins were at, so I checked and then I got to counting. And if we were to make it to state, and win, that would have been

34

my 600th win,” Oberle said. “But it didn’t work out that way. I ended the year at 599.”

Thanks to the 2019 Lady Eagles, who came into the season as the No. 1 team in Class 4A, Oberle didn’t have to wait long.

In its season opener Aug. 6, Decatur brushed past Lake Dallas with a fourgame victory. The Lady Eagles won 25-18, 26-28, 25-13, 25-21.

After the wait, Oberle was happy to get past the 599-win hump. Oberle spread credit for the milestone around.

“I’ve been really fortunate in my career to be in some good places with the support of the community and supportive parents and administrations,” Oberle said. “You got to have some good kids, too. The past 10 years,

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

I’ve just really been blessed with great athletes that love volleyball. They’ve made it fun to go to work every day.

They work hard. And when you enjoy what you’re doing and you work hard at it, you’re gonna win some games.”

There’s been some special seasons over the years for Oberle, who started the Argyle volleyball program in 1999.

He’s won a pair of state titles. He’s coached his daughter, Alyssa White, and gone on to see her join him as an assistant coach, helping lead Decatur to a state title.

Looking back over 600 wins, some games and some seasons stand out to Oberle.

“The years my daughter played for me were special,” Oberle said. “Really the first breakout season I was

ever involved with was her sophomore year, the 2003 season. The year before we didn’t win a district game.

The next year we made it to the region final. Nobody had any idea of who we were. We were just a new school that had never won. That was a significant year.”

Memories of the 2018 team are up there, too, Oberle said.

Fresh off joining Decatur in 2017, Oberle found himself competing against the Argyle program he started and won more than 500 games with.

“Last season was way up there,” Oberle said. “Being at a new school and being in the same district with my former school, and to win with the success we had last year, that was pretty special to me.”

He and his wife were the only people who knew the significance to the start of

this year’s season and the personal milestone that was within reach.

“I’m really not one to call attention to myself about

these things, so I didn’t say anything to anybody,” Oberle said.

The coach plans to have his team sign a volleyball

and place it on a bookshelf to commemorate the milestone. Following the Aug. 20 match, the team held a celebration for their coach. ✦

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

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Eagles soar to new level

Decatur captures two state titles, finishes fifth in Lone Star Cup

BY RICHARD GREENE

Reprinted with permission of the Wise County Messenger

rom the first steps of the cross country season to the final pitch of the seventh inning of the last softball game, Decatur athletes enjoyed unparalleled success in 2018-19.

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Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

Decatur teams won a pair of state titles, grabbed one silver medal, qualified two more squads for state tournaments and landed its football team in the state semifinal. The dynamic year culminated in a fifth-place finish in the UIL’s 4A Lone Star Cup standings. The Lone Star Cup is awarded annually to schools in each classification based on their overall team achievement in athletics, UIL academics, one-act play and robotics.

“It was a pretty special year.

It was good for the community, school and everyone involved,” said Decatur Athletic Director Mike Fuller. “I hope everyone uses it as motivation for future years.”

Throughout the year, the suc-

cess of one team seemed to fuel another as the school kept piling on success after success. Every team made the postseason and the school captured league titles in boys and girls cross country, volleyball, boys basketball, softball and boys and girls track.

“We had a talented group with good athletes, but you don’t have to be the most talented team to be successful,” Fuller said.

“When you see the volleyball team win a state championship and the cross country team and the football team make the state semifinal, it opens the mind to the possibility. It does feed off each other.”

The boys cross country team started the year off on the right foot. The team of Derrick Bible, Lenin Blanco, Anthony Rodri-

guez, Oscar Palomo, Gabe Embree, Matthew Ashmore and Triston Read held off Andrews by two points to win the program’s fifth state title.

The Decatur Lady Eagles cross country team joined the boys team on the podium finishing second.

Decatur had to wait only a few weeks to celebrate another state title. The Lady Eagles volleyball team took down defending 4A champion Needville in four sets, 25-12, 21-25, 27-25, 25-18, to capture the program’s third state title. Sophomore setter Makenna Gantt finished with nine kills. She hit .350, dished out 16 assists and made three blocks to earn MVP

of the final.

After going 4-6 in the regular season, the Eagles football team headed into the playoffs as the fourth seed out of 4-4A Division I. Getting several injured players back in the lineup, the Eagles caught fire starting with a 48-21 win over Dumas in bi-district.

Decatur followed with victories over Andrews, Wichita Falls Hirschi and Hereford to reach the state semifinal before falling to eventual champion Waco La Vega.

“It was a unique year.

We hit our peak in the playoff and got to be the team we thought we could be,” Fuller said. “It was more rewarding fighting through the adversity to get to where we were.”

The Lady Eagles basketball team reached the third round of the playoffs before falling to district rival Bridgeport.

The Eagles basketball team put together one of the program’s best seasons, going 37-4 and sweeping 8-4A. The Eagles defeated Levelland 59-32 in the Class 4A Region I final to secure their first trip to the state tournament. Decatur nearly made it to the 4A final, falling in a thriller to Liberty Hill, 53-51.

The success wasn’t over after basketball season.

Both soccer teams reached the postseason.

The track squads won district titles and qualified the sprint relay and 800 runner Triston Read

for the state meet. Read captured the bronze medal in the 800.

The baseball team made the region quarterfinal before falling to Iowa Park.

The softball squad capped the year with a sweep of 8-4A before rolling to a 4A Region I title to reach the state tournament. Anna squeezed by the Lady Eagles in the 4A semifinal.

With several athletes returning in every sport, Fuller said the door is open to more success.

“It’s dangerous to get ahead of ourselves and think about going to state from the beginning. It’s more about the short-term goals and what can be done on a daily basis to get back there,” Fuller said. ✦

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BY AUSTIN JACKSON

Reprinted with permission from the Wise County Messenger

Decatur’s Rascon selected by San Diego Padres in 2019 MLB draft ecatur pitcher Bodi Rascon felt the eyes of the scouts lining the bleachers as the pop of the catcher’s mitt grew louder last baseball season.

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As his velocity increased, he also felt the pressure to perform. But Rascon kept delivering and sending murmurs through the stands as the radar guns hit 95 mph.

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Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

The southpaw, who grew into his 6-foot-5 frame during his junior and senior years, had scouts’ attention. As the 2019 MLB draft drew closer, Rascon fully expected to be selected.

What he didn’t expect was how real it all became June 5 as he read his name next to the San Diego Padres pick in the 14th round — the culmination of a dream that started the first time he wrapped his hands around the laces of a baseball.

“I kind of knew I was going to get picked after all the attention I got this year,” Rascon said. “But having that feeling of getting a chance to be a professional baseball player,

it felt really nice to get that pressure off my shoulders.

“I’ve had this dream since I picked up a baseball to be honest,” Rascon added. “To see big guys hitting bombs and throwing hard, who wouldn’t want to be there?”

Rascon is the first Decatur baseball player to be drafted since catcher Joe Staley was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2010. Staley was drafted twice, starting in 2007 after the Tampa Bay Rays selected him out of high school and three years later after playing college ball at Stephen F. Austin and Lubbock Christian.

Rascon faced a similar decision.

He could have joined Decatur teammate Wilson Hicks and played ball at Oklahoma State University, entering the draft again in three years. Or he could sign with the Padres.

In early July, he did just that. With the signing bonus, he received $432,500.

In his senior season, Rascon helped lead Decatur to a 28-7 record and a Region I area title, before falling to Iowa Park in the region quarterfinals in May. The lefty finished the year with 94 strikeouts, a 1.85 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP. Opponents hit .147 against him.

He came to Decatur his junior year, earning 2018 utility player of the year honors after hitting .415 and driving in 30 runs and stealing 11 bases. On the mound, the lanky southpaw shut the opposition down, sporting an ERA of 1.70 over 39 innings.

While playing for both Decatur and in the Perfect Game Baseball Showcase this year, Rascon said the velocity on his fastball increased about 5 mph, resulting in more eyes and attention from MLB scouts.

“Freshman and sophomore year I was a guy who was hitting mid 80s to high

80s,” Rascon said. “Junior year, I was maybe touching 90. This year, it just climbed all the way up,” he said this summer. “I was hitting 94-95. From a lefty, I think that’s pretty good.”

From a lifetime of baseball, and with his parents and coaches pushing him to excel, he discovered his potential on the mound. He said he knew he had a chance to play professional ball one day, when he saw his fastball climb to 95 mph.

“I had gotten a lot of college attention. Once I started pulling scouts, that’s when I knew I had a chance,” Rascon said. “They wouldn’t just look at me for nothing.”

Decatur baseball has had no shortage of pitching talent over the past few years. Rascon joined a team that saw Bryce Elder go on to become the ace for the Texas Longhorns, and joined Hicks in a rotation of potential Oklahoma State Cowboys.

After growing up in El Paso, and eventually moving to Norman, he came to Decatur his junior year. Along with joining a talented Eagle pitching staff, he got to face top talent, in teams like

rival Argyle.

This year Rascon faced Argyle, a team that just capped off its second straight title and a 77-1-1 record over the past two seasons, twice. Rascon pitched two gems against Argyle but lost both, 2-0 and 2-1.

“Since moving out to Decatur, the competition was a lot better than where I came from,” he said. “So I got to compete against really good people and teams like Argyle and really good baseball teams. That competition pushed me even more.”

Beyond the competition, Rascon said he found a home in Decatur.

“When I moved here, I was just out of the box, but everybody welcomed me,” Rascon said. “The support, the team was amazing. Parents, grandparents, everybody just boosted me. There’s no bad sport around here, and that really helped.

“Being 18 and dealing with all this is kind of crazy,” Rascon said. “I definitely [can envision myself in a Padre uniform] now. I maybe couldn’t before. But definitely now that they’ve given me a chance to play for them.” ✦

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

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Perfectly tuned

Two Decatur musicians receive elite awards

BY RICHARD GREENE

Reprinted with permission from the Wise County Messenger

or two months, Decatur High School Band Director Eric McNiel fought the temptation to pull out the state medals sitting in his room to present to his gifted musicians, Eric McNiel Jr. and Caleb Yurasek.

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Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

At the Aug. 19 Decatur ISD School Board meeting, McNiel and colleague and choir director Chris Yurasek finally were able to present their younger sons their medals from the UIL state solo and ensemble contests. The younger McNiel and Yurasek received the Outstanding Performance awards from the state competition in the spring. They are the first Decatur students to earn the honors.

“This is the highlight of my career to get these two boys there,” McNiel said.

“I’ve been teaching [Caleb] since the sixth grade and been teaching [Eric] his whole life, I guess.”

The band director said the duo were among only 2 percent of the 15,000 competing at state to earn the outstanding performer designations. The pair also received ratings of 1 and first division ratings during the competition.

“Eric was one of nine, and Caleb was one of three,” McNiel said about the honors.

After finishing his performance on the snare drum of “Tornado” by Mitch Markovich, the same solo his dad performed at state in high school, the younger McNiel had a good feeling.

“I don’t remember much of the performance. I went in and started playing and

realized I was at the end at one point,” he said. “‘Til the end I didn’t really know what was going on. When I got out, everyone said it sounded good.”

He was blown away by the honor.

“It was hard to get, and I worked hard for it,” Eric said. “I’m glad I got it and went in and performed.

“It’s going to give me a lot of opportunities down the line. I can use it for scholarships for college.”

Yurasek got his OP for his solo performance of “It’s Time” in the tenors category. The freshman was surprised by the honor.

“I was happy with how much work that I put in that that was the outcome,” Caleb said. “I was aiming at the outstanding player, so I could at least get a 1. It was like shooting for the stars and landing on the moon.

Landing on the stars makes me very happy.”

While they are both proud of the individual honors, they enjoyed the opportunity to share the stage together to celebrate.

“I’m very happy that both of us got it,” Caleb said. ✦

LIVE UNITED

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100% of contributions to our annual campaign are distributed to local agencies to help local residents.

We bring about positive impact to improve the lives of our residents by mobilizing the caring power of the community. For more information on your local United Way and specific funded programs visit the website at www.wisecountyunitedway.org

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Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

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Serving up success Teen favorites available at high school

BY KRISTEN TRIBE

moothies, Domino’s Pizza, a Santa Fe wrap, or chicken wings — the menu options sound like what you’d find at a shopping mall food court, but in fact, they’re available at Decatur High School.

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Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

Since closing the campus at lunchtime two years ago, Decatur ISD’s Director of Child Nutrition Shelly Laaser and her staff have worked hard to expand the campus’ food offerings, providing teen favorites, along with traditional meals, all within the federal nutrition guidelines.

Every day about 425 meals are served at the high school during three lunch periods.

Laaser said there are two regular serving lines, which includes two traditional cafeteria entrees, a hot grab-andgo item, a cold grab-and-go item and pizza.

A hot grab-and-go item might be an order of chicken wings and Texas toast, while a cold grab-and-go might be a salad or a wrap. Each line also serves two vegetables.

“All of these items are available to paid students and those on free and reduced lunches,” Laaser said. “They’re also reimburseable,” meaning the federal government gives the school district money back for every meal purchased.

Laaser said her staff is always brainstorming new menu ideas, too.

“We follow other school districts on Twitter and Instagram and come up with ideas,” she said. “We have a spreadsheet in Google docs always going where we can share ideas.”

Some new menu items this year include a Hawaiian chicken salad, the Santa Fe wrap and an Italian chopped salad. They’re also trying new vegetables like a cucumber and tomato salad and roasted butternut squash.

“The sleeper hit has been the Korean meatballs,” Laaser said. “Who knew? We were especially surprised because they were up against crispitos at an elementary campus and hung on for the win.”

Laaser looked forward to

serving them to the high school students to get their thoughts.

Options at the high school outside the regular food lines include the snack bar and the new cafe.

At the snack bar, students can purchase more expensive entrees, like personal pizzas or premium chicken dishes, plus ice cream, chips and other snacks.

The new cafe opened last May and has been well received, Laaser said. Open 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., it serves breakfast and lunch. The most popular item on the menu is smoothies, but they also offer coffee, hot chocolate and a fountain with diet and calorie-free sodas. Food options include pastries, yogurt parfaits, assorted bagels and cream cheese, breakfast breads and granola bars with a salad, wrap or sandwich available for lunch.

Laaser said the cafe has appealed to a group of students who previously did not utilize food services. She said the staff also frequents the cafe as it’s closer to their classrooms.

“Mr. Mogan and all the administrators at the high school have been amazing, working through all these things,” she said, referencing students being allowed to visit between classes.

New furniture will be installed in the cafe later this fall. Laaser said dual purpose tables and booths with charging stations have been ordered, giving students a place to sit and eat, but also work on group projects.

The child nutrition department operates as an independent business. Local tax dollars are not used to fund it.

Instead, it operates on federal funds based on the number of meals served and revenue from cash purchases.

Laaser and her staff have worked hard to devise menus that are not only nutritious, but tasty to teens, while also creating innovative space where students enjoy hanging out.

“We want to remove the stigma of the old hot lunch line,” Laaser said, “and have a number of options for all students.” ✦

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✦ Fall 2019

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Alumni Spotlight Patrick Sean Smith Class of 1993

atrick Sean Smith is the creator and was executive producer of “Greek” for four seasons and was showrunner/executive producer of “Chasing Life” for two seasons.

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He’s also showrunner/executive producer of “Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings,” a Netflix series to be released this fall.

Smith has written episodes for “Supernatural,” “Summerland,” “Everwood” and “The Chronicle.”

Before he hit Hollywood, Smith lived in Decatur for 12 years, although his family goes back generations in Wise County.

He graduated from Decatur High School in 1993 and attended the University of Texas, graduating with a degree in radiotelevision-film.

Smith has been working in TV for more than 20 years now. He and his husband, Carter Covington, who is also a television writer/showrunner, have been married 11 years. They have a 6-year-old son, Cormac.

1. What was your experience in high school like? Have you been able to pull material from your small-town roots in your career?

My experience in high school was incredibly formative, as well as supportive.

I was involved in a lot of student clubs and organizations, which I think helped spark some ambition for me. I participated in theater with Jana Woodruff and Tami Adams, which back then was as

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close as I could get to any aspirations I had for working in entertainment.

Growing up in Decatur in the ’80s and ’90s and not necessarily being athletically inclined (or to be more specific, sucking at every sport known to man), television and film were my windows to the world outside of my everyday.

Every weekend I would rent VHS movies from JB Book and Video up on the square. By my senior year,

Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

ern connection, which helped us form a rapport for sure. But as I got to know her, I found her to be so inspiring as an artist and a human being.

To have achieved all that she has in her lifetime and still want to give more, and do more, to be positive and inclusive, to care so much about people and show by example that if you lead with love, the world can be a better place. So getting to play any part in immortalizing her legacy in this TV series has been both an honor and a dream come true.

I was lucky enough to get an after-school job at Eagle Video from Don and Joyce Ogle.

I had a fantastic high school experience, but the greatest gift that came from my 12 years of school in Decatur are the friends I made along the way and who still remain some of my closest friends today. And those relationships inspire my writing for sure.

2. Did any particular teachers at Decatur ISD make an impact on you? Who first recognized your ability as a writer?

Growing up I didn’t necessarily love writing as much as I just loved television and film. It was later, once I started working in entertainment, that I began focusing on a career in screenwriting.

Growing up though, I think some teachers probably knew who I was better than I did back then, and they supported me and encouraged me. I’m eternally grateful to them for that.

I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.

3. You hear so many stories about people moving out to L.A. and chasing a dream. Many don’t

make it. What were those initial years like and how did you get your foot in the door to make a career as a writer/producer?

I’d worked hard networking with LA-based executives who came to speak at UT, and it was through those folks that I secured summer internships in LA my last two summers in college. So when I finally moved to Los Angeles permanently, I already had some connections. But it was a few months of unemployment and waiting nervously before I finally landed a job as a production assistant for Dick Wolf’s production company.

After that, the initial years were all dues-paying.

It was years of running errands, making copies, getting lunches, answering phones, taking notes. But I always did it with a smile and a gracious attitude, because nobody is obligated to help you out at the end of the day.

4. Is Dolly Parton as cool as she seems?

Dolly Parton is definitely cool, but she’s so much more than that. I think initially she and I had a good South-

5. Any advice for Decatur High School students who might want to follow in your footsteps?

Don’t follow in my footsteps. Make your own path.

There are a million different ways to get to where you want to be. Just don’t lose sight of where you’re

headed. Devote yourself fully. Work profoundly. And don’t forget to enjoy it along the way. That sounds easy.

It’s not. But it’s possible.

And I guess I’m living proof of that.

6. Where do you like to eat when you visit family and friends in Decatur? Do you go for Sweetie Pie’s, Casa Torres, Primo’s Taqueria or somewhere else?

It’s all about the food for me when I’m back in town visiting family and friends ... Leeper Creek, for sure.

Can’t pass up Sweetie Pie’s and Rooster’s either. A friend introduced me to Down the Alley for lunch recently, which was so charming.

I love all the locally-owned businesses that keep popping up in town. I’ve always felt Decatur had its own special personality, and it’s so great to see the town embrace that and support it. ✦

2201 S. FM 51 • Suite 300 • Decatur Double Creek Capital Building 940-626-0003 • rosenbaumdental.com Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

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Decatur Impact ✦ Fall 2019

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