WINTER 2024 MAGAZINE
NEISD students reach new heights
It’s new, it’s big and it’s one of a kind
NORTH EAST
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
David Beyer, President, District 4
Terri Chidgey, Vice President, District 6
Lisa Thompson, Secretary, District 1
Melinda Cox, Trustee, District 5
Marsha Landry, Trustee, District 7
Diane Sciba Villarreal, Trustee, District 3
Tracie Shelton, Trustee, District 2
EXECUTIVE STAFF
Sean Maika, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools
Dan Villarreal, CPA, Chief Financial Officer
Anthony Jarrett, Chief Instructional Officer
Rudy Jimenez, Chief of Schools and Leadership
Deb Caldwell, Chief Operations Officer
Aubrey Chancellor, Executive Director of Communications
Contents
Cover: Morgan’s Tower is NEISD’s new rappel tower.
Page 3: Pre-K and Kindergarten Round Up
Mark your calendar and sign up your little ones for the best foundation for success.
Page 4: North East Briefs
News and information from across NEISD.
Page 5: When art honors life and the spirit of the community
A new mural is unveiled at Roosevelt High School and it has a special story behind it.
Page 6-7: NEISD introduces “Morgan’s Tower”
Take on the challenge at Camp Henson
Learn how these facilities will benefit our students and the community.
Page 8-9: NEEF has record-setting semester
Our Foundation is charged with raising money for for our schools, and that they did!
Page 10: Our safety specialists are valuable resources
Find out the wealth of experience and knowledge they bring to our schools. It happened in an instant Students help save the life of their teacher on one fateful afternoon.
Page 11: Click it Closed! coloring page
Page 12: Edmundo Colorado is flying high thanks to his foundation in NEISD
See what heights this NEISD alumni has reached after graduation.
Page 13: NEISD Adult and Community Education Camps, classes and more
Page 14: You can send NEISD Staff Shout Outs Advertisements
Page 15: Advertisements
Back Cover: NEISD’s Camp Henson namesake, Retired Col. Robert Henson
Provide your child with an exceptional early learning experience in North East ISD with highly-qualified, state-certified educators at campuses across the District.
Pre-K and kindergarten round up
; Registration for Pre-K and Kindergarten for the 2025-2026 school year begins Jan. 6, 2025.
; North East ISD offers full-day, high quality Pre-K for all 4-year-old students who live within our District.
; We are accepting 3-year-olds at our Pre-K Academy at West Avenue.
; For more information on Pre-K and Kindergarten registration, visit: neisd.net/roundup
If you see something, say something. Online or by phone. North East Police Department
North East Tip Line
neisd.net/ tipline
Emergency Number 210-407-0911
Non-emergency Number 210-407-0925
NORTH EAST briefs
SCHOOL CHOICE APPLICATIONS
CURRENTLY BEING ACCEPTED
Under School Choice, a parent or guardian can request his or her child be transferred to another school within North East ISD other than the one serving their family’s residence.
The School Choice application window for the 2025-2026 school year opened on Dec. 2, 2024 at 7 a.m. and will close at 4:45 p.m. on July 25, 2025.
For any new student enrolling in the District for kindergarten through 12th grade, the window for School Choice is open for five (5) school business days from the student’s verified enrollment date.
NORTH EAST
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
For more information, please contact the Pupil Personnel department at 210-407-0070.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
To find the latest information on our NEISD Board of Trustees, including maps, policies, meeting dates, videos and agendas, visit: neisd.net/board
Get your senior stars club card
To qualify, you must be 65 years old or older AND live within NEISD boundaries.
• Get free use of NEISD swim facilities and tennis courts, and admittance to athletic and fine arts events.
• Receive a 20% discount on community education classes. Call 210-407-0556 for more information.
Applications to join North East ISD magnet programs in the 2025-2026 school year are open.
NEISD offers many focused magnet programs preparing students for in-demand careers after graduation.
The application deadline is Jan. 20, 2025. To learn more, go to: neisd.net/magnetprograms
When art honors life and the spirit of the community
The gym at Roosevelt High School is now more vibrant than ever, and that’s thanks to a dedicated community volunteer and an extremely talented art teacher.
A new colorful and massive mural features Rough Rider athletes from every sport, including basketball, track, softball, golf, football and more. The mural, which was commissioned by “Coach Ben,” is 70 feet long and 8 feet high. It’s called, “Mrs. Cynthia Freeman’s Legacy.”
“My first reaction to seeing it was – I can’t even put it into words,” said Ben Freeman. “It was emotional. I thought, ‘Darling, look at this. It’s your dream and it happened!’”
Mrs. Cynthia and Coach Ben are beloved on the Roosevelt campus. The two started out as big fans of the athletic program and offered up their support however they could from providing donations to cheering on the Rough Riders from the stands.
Mrs. Cynthia dreamed of adding a mural in the Roosevelt gym that reflected the spirit of the community. While planning for the mural, she was diagnosed with brain cancer and sadly passed away in 2023. Coach Ben was determined to make her dream come true, and the answer he was looking for was at Roosevelt all along.
“I kept thinking about how I’ve got to find a muralist who can do this,” said Coach Ben. “I checked the mail one day and saw Sandra Gonzalez right on the cover of Discover Magazine and low and behold she’s the art teacher here at Roosevelt!”
The mural was crafted with care by Roosevelt art teacher Sandra Gonzalez and her husband Malachy McKinney. Both are muralists who have worked all over Texas, from Uvalde to Corpus Christi and the San Antonio International Airport.
Their latest piece in the Roosevelt gym is a tribute to the people in the Roosevelt community.
“My husband and I love transforming spaces through the power of public art,” said Gonzalez. “It was especially meaningful to have my students witness the process, with some even joining in to help create it. To all the student athletes, this mural is for you. We hope you see yourselves in it, as our goal was to celebrate your determination, discipline and competitive spirit.”
NEISD introduces “Morgan’s Tower”
Classrooms don’t all look the same these days, and North East ISD is always looking for ways to make ours innovative, engaging and ground breaking.
Thanks to months of planning and fundraising, NEISD is now the first and only Texas public school with a 50-foot rappel tower. The rappel tower will provide powerful life lessons for students and community groups for years to come.
“This is a classroom. Yes, the tower is fun, but this is a classroom,” said NEISD Director of Army Instruction Col. William LaChance.
“To see what happens with those kids, to see them totally terrified to go through the process, to gain confidence. That’s what this is all about. These are life lessons that carry these kids.”
Students now have access to a 50-foot and 25-foot rappel tower, as well as a 36-foot rock climbing wall.
“What an honor it is to have something like this,” said Legacy of Educational Excellence (LEE) High School senior Davis Martindale. “I am super excited. It’s going to be a lot of fun. It builds camaraderie and builds community. It’s just super massive! It’s awesome.”
The rappel tower was made possible by the NEISD Board of Trustees and generous donors like the Gordon Hartman Foundation. Hartman donated $25,000 to secure the naming rights of the tower, which will be known as Morgan’s Tower after his daughter Morgan Hartman.
The tower will serve several purposes including helping students overcome fear and self-doubt, teaching them about discipline and trust, and strengthening their physical skills and talents.
The tower will also be a resource for the community. Businesses, community groups, law enforcement teams and visiting cadets from across the country will have access to the tower for competitions, exercises and team building.
Taking the lead again, NEISD is providing our students and community an invaluable resource to test their limits and see what they can achieve.
Take on the challenge at Camp Henson
The tower is the newest addition to the District’s 22-acre JROTC training and competition facility known as Camp Henson, named after long-time JROTC director, now retired, Col. Robert Henson. The camp offers a 15-obstacle challenge course, a rope bridge course, running trails and more.
In addition to our students, Camp Henson proudly serves thousands of cadets from across an eight-state region. As the home of the 5th Brigade, U.S. Army Cadet Command JROTC Raider Championships and other regional competitions, we offer a high-energy environment where individuals can showcase their skills, build resilience and develop friendships.
FACILITY RENTALS
Do you want to build a high-performing team within your organization or improve morale with a uniquely fun and rewarding experience? If so, Camp Henson may be the ideal location for your organization’s next outing.
NEISD offers Camp Henson facilities and support to public and private organizations at very attractive rates. All proceeds from Camp Henson facility rentals support Camp Henson and student activities. For more information, visit: tinyurl.com/ NEISDRENTAL
NEEF has record-setting semester
School budgets have never been tighter, and without partners like our North East Educational Foundation (NEEF), many educational programs would not be funded. This semester, they have been working hard to raise funds for our classrooms, and it has paid off.
NEEF had an incredible fall semester thanks to the generous support of our donors and community members.
In September, NEEF and participating NEISD campuses raised $90,645 during the Big Give SA. The Big Give SA is an annual day of giving that brings together the San Antonio community to support local nonprofits. Because of our community supporters in this campaign, the Foundation made the top 10 list of participating organizations in San Antonio and had the second highest number of donors.
“I am proud to give to NEEF because it gives so much to our teachers and students throughout the District. It is their number one goal; therefore, all NEISD schools are enhanced through the teacher grants distributed each year,” said Cindy Fairall, District volunteer.
Following the Big Give, NEEF hosted the annual Jerry Comalander’s Fore! the Kids Golf Tournament and raised $123,155. Sponsors played a big role in this success, including Masters Sponsor, The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation.
Held at the Quarry Golf Club, students, including cheerleaders and JROTC, helped create a festive atmosphere on the course. Business partners, Maple Street Biscuit Company and Community Coffee, provided breakfast and coffee, while Madison High School’s BBQ team, the Cowboy Smokers, prepared a mouthwatering barbecue lunch.
The District also celebrated the ribbon cutting for NEISD’s JROTC Rappel Tower in October. The tower was made possible by the generous contributions of many, including NEEF who donated $150,000. Our Foundation is proud to support so many incredible initiatives in NEISD, and we look forward to another successful semester in the spring.
The North East Educational Foundation (NEEF) is a private, non-profit 501 (c)(3) charitable corporation chartered in 1986. Its purpose is to develop and expand educational opportunities for students in North East ISD. NEEF underwrites projects and programs that enhance the basic required curriculum and broaden the range of students’ educational experiences.
Make NEEF’s next event a success. Be a part of and contribute to the Big Dreams and Big Hearts Gala on March 1, 2025. For more information, visit: northeastfoundation.org
Our safety specialists are valuable resources
They are former law enforcement, military and security experts. And now, they are safety specialists working for North East ISD.
NEISD employs more than 40 safety specialists across the District who monitor school grounds, ensure doors are locked, security cameras are working, and fencing and parking lots are secure. They also lead safety drills and training.
Our safety specialist position fulfills the House Bill 3 requirement that an armed security officer is present at each campus. They are stationed at our elementary schools and are solely focused on security.
These men and women had to pass background checks, a psychiatric evaluation, physical performance test and go through various scenarios presented by our North East Police Department (NEPD) personnel and safety experts.
It happened in an instant
This training includes active shooter response, deescalation tactics and crisis intervention.
They include safety specialists like George Trevino who during his active duty career, served as part of Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He also spent 10 years in the National Guard. Safety Specialist Andrew Dettmers is also former military. He served eight years in the United States Marine Corps and was a security guard at U.S. embassies. Safety Specialist Clint Liles has 10 years of experience as an armed safety officer, including three years working for the Department of Defense. The list goes on and on.
What’s even more special is that in just the past year, they have become beloved members of our campuses. With high fives, fist bumps, morning greetings and smiles, they help their students and staff feel safe and secure.
At MacArthur High School, more than a dozen students spend their afternoons skateboarding on the JROTC drill pad with their history teacher and skate club sponsor Adam Compton.
It’s a time for the students to see him as more than just a history teacher, and it gives Compton the chance to get to know more about his students and really connect with them.
During one of their recent skate sessions in November, something unexpected happened that tested everyone’s resilience and quick thinking. Compton went into cardiac arrest.
“We told him to breathe, and then he just became unresponsive.”
The students jumped into action. A few tried keeping him alert, while others ran for help, retrieved an AED (automated external defibrillator) available at all campuses, and called 911.
MacArthur Athletic Trainer Amanda Boyd was in her office when the students ran in.
“They said, ‘Mr. Compton passed out. Can you help?’ And they took me right to him,” said Boyd.
Boyd immediately started CPR.
After several rounds of compressions, Boyd and one of the students placed AED pads on Compton and shocked his heart into rhythm. That’s when the paramedics arrived and took over.
Compton spent a week in the ICU recovering, spent much-needed time at home, and is now back at work.
“I am just, I’m insanely grateful. I’m 46 years old, and I’ve got teenage kids and a wife and, so it’s been a real sobering thought,” said Compton. “Just thinking about, like, what if you guys hadn’t been there? Thank you, guys. Pat yourselves on the back and everything. You can be very proud of yourselves.”
Compton still plans to skate with the club but will be taking it easier. He couldn’t be more thankful for the MacArthur community that was there when he needed them the most.
North East ISD is proud of the men and women who graduate from our District and go on to make a positive impact on the world.
Edmundo Colorado is flying high thanks to his foundation in NEISD
Learn as you fly, and fly as you learn.
Roosevelt High School graduate Edmundo Colorado has fully embraced that saying as a Lunar Flight Operations Engineer at Blue Origin.
“When you see the mission control room in movies, my team is basically developing all the panels, displays, operational products or layout in the control room,” said Edmundo.
Joining the aerospace company helped him live out his dream.
But he learned the courage to fly at North East ISD. Growing up, he attended Walzem and East Terrell Hills elementary schools.
He went on to attend Ed White Middle School and then Roosevelt, where he graduated as part of the Engineering & Technologies Academy (ETA) in 2015.
He still remembers the support and positivity he got from Grizelda Gentry and Bill Sturgis during his time at Roosevelt.
“They really pushed us to go for things. You won’t know until you try, so they really helped us dig and find our potential.”
He knew he wanted to pursue engineering, so ETA was the right fit at the right time for Edmundo. He was accepted to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Today, his work directly impacts missions to space.
“I never thought I’d make it to where I am today,” said Edmundo. “I thought maybe I’d try to be a pilot, but now to be able to say I work in a mission control room – I feel like I accomplished my dream.”
Edmundo Colorado goes back to Roosevelt High School and visits with one of his mentors Grizelda Gentry.
Do you remember the last time someone gave you an unexpected compliment or expressed their appreciation to you? More importantly, do you remember how that made you feel?
A few good words don’t just make your day; they also you give a sense of belonging and confidence to keep up the good work.
Help us spread that feeling to our amazing and dedicated educators.
Almost one year ago, North East ISD launched the “Staff Shout Out” campaign. In that time, more than 5,600 Staff Shout Outs have been sent to deserving NEISD educators, including teachers, administrators, bus drivers, custodians and more.
It’s a quick, convenient way to share a compliment and shine a light on a staff member who brightens someone’s day, inspires excellence or provides first-class customer service.
After you send your Shout Out, they will receive an email with your message, as well as your name if you choose to include it.
If you have a good experience and want to share a compliment with an NEISD employee, visit neisd.net/shoutouts
(210) 826-3015
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