Indian Pride District Mailout 22-23

Table of Contents

D aff, parents, and community,

Welcome back to the 2023-2024 school year! We hope you enjoyed a restful summer break. It is such an exciting time for us as we welcome back over 4,000 students and 720 staff members to Santa Fe ISD Our overarching theme of, “Our Community, Our Legacy, Our Future,” remains a key focus for our school district. As always, we want to make sure that we do everything possible so that every Santa Fe student is safe, successful, and prepared for life after graduation. We are so thankful for our supportive parents and community

Here are a few important updates for you as we begin the new 2023-2024 school year:

New Website – Our district has released a new, updated website! We hope that you have an easier time getting important information and updates about our district. If you have any specific questions about the site, please contact us.

School Bond – The SFISD School Board called for a Bond Election this summer on Monday, July 24th, 2023. You can access all of the facts and info about this Bond on the SFISD website or at www.sfisd.org/about-sfisd/bond-2023

Student WiFi Update - In our continued efforts to minimize classroom distractions and secure our SFISD network, our students will no longer have access to district WiFi on their personal devices during the school day. This includes cell phones, personal laptops, smart watches, etc. District laptops for students will not be impacted by this change.

Podcasts – We invite you to follow us on social media as we continue to increase our communication with the public. We will be incorporating new podcasts with the Superintendent, school staff, and community members throughout the school year!

We look forward to seeing all that we will accomplish with our students and community here in Santa Fe. On behalf of our SFISD School Board, we invite you to partner with us as we work diligently to provide every student in Santa Fe ISD with the best education possible Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions. We are always happy to help.

We wish all of you a safe and blessed school year!

Sincerely,

Kevin M. Bott, Ed.D.

Eric E. Davenport Vice President

J R "Rusty" Norman President

Clay Hertenberger Trustee

Dr Kevin Bott Superintendent

Matt Crable Trustee

James Grassmuck Secretary

Patrick Kelly Trustee

Angie Lambert Trustee

Rusty Norman 2011-2026

Eric E. Davenport 2016-2024

James Grassmuck 2018-2026

Patrick Kelly 2016-2024

Matt Crable 2020-2024

Clay Hertenberger 2018-2026

Founded in 2010, the Santa Fe TX Education Foundation raises money to support the students, teachers, and employees in Santa Fe ISD. Your partnership makes a difference and allows us to implement innovative resources to give students opportunities they might not otherwise have.

Who Are We?

We are a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) tax deductible organization with a volunteer board of directors and community volunteers assisting on committees. We host an array of fundraising initiatives and two large events - the spring Gala and the fall Clay Shoot. These activities provide funds to give back to teachers through grants, summer programs, and various additional support initiatives! Your donation makes a difference!

What Do We Do?

We provide an array of programs all dependent on support from our community and partners

Grants for Great Ideas - in October 2022, we awarded $140,264 in grants for teachers

Tribe's Closet for students/families in need

Indian Innovation Lab (mobile book/STEM bus) - over $275,000 raised Classroom Wish Lists - 76 wish lists fully funded at the annual spring Gala Scan the QR code to access more information on our website

How Can You Help?

Donate to support a specific project or program! We are working hard alongside Santa Fe ISD to ensure that exceptional educational materials and experiences are available for our students. All donations come with a receipt for tax deduction purposes.

If you are interested in volunteering, email Gina Welsh below!

Total grants awarded over 12 years to educators in SFISD:

$553,084

Destini Martin

Fritz

Michelle Pourchot

Roy

J. Wollam Elementary

Karlee Custer

Santa Fe High School

Barnett Elementary

Dr Florence Adkins

Santa Fe Junior High

Casey Adoor

Dan J. Kubacak Elementary

Academics, Clubs, and CTE

2 Texas Workforce Commission Grants totaling $324,000 in new equipment

32% increase in CTE enrollment (more options due to an 8th period added)

120+ seniors graduated with Industry Certifications

106 TEA-approved Industry Certifications earned

15 Advanced Animal Science

53 American Welding Society

52 Floral Design

15 OSHA 30-hour

16 Patient Care Technician

1 Culinary Meat Selection & Cooker

1 Equine Management & Evaluation

HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) qualified for state in “Medical Art”

Competition

TAFE (Texas Association of Future Educators) qualified for state in “Impromptu Speaking”

DUAL CREDIT

A record of 47 students in Collegiate HS

82 Dual Credit Students earned a total of 918 college hours

47 Collegiate HS students earned 606 college hours in the fall and 573 college hours in the spring, for a total of 1179 college hours earned

8 associates degrees earned

FFA

Our livestock judging team placed 6th in Area III CDE Contest

118 students participated in the Galveston County Fair and Rodeo

2 overall Grand Champions, 3 overall Reserve Champions, 3 Division Grand Champions, 5 Breed Grand Champions, 6 Breed Reserve Champions, and 25 first-in-class, with an SFISD auction total of over $300,000

Students were awarded $8,000 in scholarships

Bowling

SFHS Girls’ Varsity Bowling Team was undefeated and earned the district title

They finished 2nd at Regionals, where Freshman

McKenna Corbett won the Reginal Singles

competition

Both McKenna and the Girls' team advanced to the State Finals

We had 7 bowlers awarded with All-District Honors

Athletic College Signings

Texas Tech - Makenna Mitchell

Howard Payne - Kiana Chastain

University of Washington - Sidne Peters

SAGU- Caston Kennedy

Stephen F. Austin - Laney Bland and Emma Wallace

Grayson College - Brice Smith

Galveston College - Kyeler Thompson

McMurry - Jackson Stroud and Nick Jaco

Fine Arts

Art

SFJH student, Lily Lawyer had her artwork displayed at the TASB conference and the Bullock Texas State History Museum for the month of March

Her artwork was also selected to be a part of the 2023 Texas Art Education's Youth Art Month Exhibition

Band

Patrick Hayes won a gold medal at the 2023 Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest

Choir

2 students were invited to perform at the TMEA All-Region Choir in December Varsity Treble Choir and Varsity Mixed Choir received Excellent ratings on stage

Dance

The Tribal Belles participated in the Showmakers of America Competition and here's how the team did:

Judges and Sweepstakes Award

Showmanship - Jazz, Modern, and Pom Choreography- Modern

Best in Category-Jazz 1st place, Modern 1st place, Pom 2nd place

Best in Class- 2nd place

Theatre

SFHS One Act Play, Crimes of the Heart, advanced to bi-district

Athletics

Cheer

JH Cheer placed 1st at the NCA Regionals in November and made the top 6 NCA Dallas Nationals in January

HS Cheer placed 3rd at the NCA Regionals and placed 6th at NCA Nationals

They attended the UCA Camp and received the following awards:

1st Place Overall Game Day

2nd Place in Sideline

2nd Place Camp Routine Leadership Award

UIL STATE Finalists

Volleyball Boys Soccer

Varsity made it to the 1st round of playoffs

Softball Baseball

Varsity made it to the 4th round of playoffs

JV had an undefeated season

Varsity made it to the 1st round of playoffs

Finished 3rd in the district

First playoff birth in 9 years

Coach Kluka was 18-5A Co-Coach of the year and 5A Region III Coach of the Year

Girls Soccer Track

Girls made it to the first round of playoffs

Regionals:

1st Place - Nate Williams

2nd Place - Johnny Wright

3rd Place - Bri Edgley

4th Place - Bella Briesh

Freshman Boys: 18-5A District Champs

Nate Williams placed 5th at State in Pole Vaulting

Girls Varsity placed 3rd at the Indian Invitational

Freshman A Team 7-3 season

Freshman B Team 3-7 season

JV Team 4-6 season

Varsity 6-4 season

Powerlifting Football Girls Basketball

Girls made it to the first round of the playoffs

Lauer Barnett

Cromie

SFHS

Collin

Fogle

SFHS

Miley

O'Bright

Kubacak

Tiffany Etzel

J Wollam

Thad

Skipper Barnett

Dixie Mueller

SFJH

Kimberly Wylie Kubacak

Angela Hill RJ Wollam

Laurie Wilson SFJH

Teagan Hughston SFHS

Alyssa

Hovey SFJH

Nathalie Granda Barnett Dewey Kubacak

Ana Balle RJ Wollam

Bonita Hyatt Barnett

Ava

Martinez SFHS

Bryce Thompson RJ Wollam

Hayley Spinn SFHS

Dennis Franklin SFHS

Sandra Agundez Barnett

March

April

Madison Tinney SFJH

Emily Corley Kubacak

Gienevieve Hunt Barnett

Kloee Vanier

RJ Wollam

Ean Bedard SFHS

Jessica Ramos Barnett

Mason Bruce Barnett

Mandy Tinkle SFJH

EXTRA

Jenna Locke

SFJH

Megan Ott SFJH

Kadence Rodriguez Kubacak

Tiffany Houston Kubacak

Sandra Hawkinson STRIVE

Marilyn Ott Cowan

Richard Summerville STRIVE

In Santa Fe ISD, we value the partnerships that we build within our community. We are currently working with two focus groups, real estate agents and senior citizens. These individuals learn firsthand all about the amazing things our students are doing and can help spread the word about the programs SFISD offers. Follow us on Social Media and check our website for meeting dates and information.

Last year, over 120 Santa Fe High School seniors graduated with Industry Certifications! The high school saw a 32% increase in CTE enrollment. These programs continue to grow and truly do prepare our students for careers after high school. To learn more about the programs offered at Santa Fe ISD, please visit our website.

At Santa Fe ISD, we believe in creating a vibrant and inclusive learning environment that goes beyond academics. Our innovative House Systems at Barnett, Kubacak, and RJ Wollam Elementary are a testament to our commitment to nurturing a positive school climate and building lasting connections among students This exciting program, with its unique approach, promotes unity, character development, and a sense of belonging for all.

Santa Fe ISD utilizes Character Strong , a research based Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum that is an effective component of a comprehensive bullying prevention approach (Smith & Low, 2013). SEL core competencies (e.g., social awareness, responsible decision-making, relationship skills, self-management) and student-level school climate and culture perceptions are highly related to students’ experiences at school.

Research in elementary and secondary schools shows that increases in student SEL competencies contributes to a strong, positive school culture and helps to better prepare students for life after graduation. Visit

Around the bus :

Stop Arm Cameras - These have reduced the number of stop-arm violations by over 60%

Fusion Wingman Accident Avoidance technology on new buses

Fogmaker Fire Suppression System to smother fires and allow more time for student evacuation

Multiple exterior cameras for driver coaching and improvement

360-degree surround view cameras to keep eyes on loading & unloading students

Inside the bus :

Multiple interior cameras for student behavior management, student safety, and driver accountability

80% of route buses are equipped with 3-point seatbelts

Highly trained drivers

409-925-2775

Free & Reduced Meal Benefits Application

Households must apply annually for free or reduced-price meal benefits. You can complete the digital application at www schoolcafe com

More than just a free meal

Families who qualify or think they may qualify are encouraged to apply. Filling out the application may help our district receive increased funding in a variety of ways. Certain academic fees may be discounted or waived for eligible students.

School Cafe App

Apply for free or reduced meals

Make payments with a credit card

View purchase history

Meal Prices

Breakfast (All) $2.00

Elementary Lunch (PK-5) $3.00

Secondary (6-12) $3.50

The Santa Fe ISD Technology Services department is responsible for the planning, implementation, operation, monitoring, and maintenance of all information systems in the District. This includes the communications network, hardware and software infrastructure, as well as numerous other systems that are necessary to support student learning

Technology Services continually strives to provide top-notch support and assistance for all the district’s technology needs. Our staff works hard to stay updated and trained on the newest innovations and digital tools to make sure the curriculum is delivered in the classroom as easily and efficiently as possible

'22-'23 Tech Stats

At the heart of Santa Fe ISD lies a dedicated team that goes above and beyond to ensure the safety, security, and overall well-being of the students, staff, and families.

The Santa Fe ISD Police Department is not just a law enforcement entity; it's a supportive community presence that fosters positive relationships and provides a nurturing environment for children to thrive.

Santa Fe ISD has a strong tradition of community engagement and events that bring everyone together. Tradition plays a significant role in fostering a sense of belonging and unity among students, families, and the community at large

Here is a snapshot of some of our favorite traditions here in Santa Fe ISD.