“If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” — Mark Twain
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Longview Voice Sharing the good news about LISD!
Vol. 1 No. 7 July 2016
A publication of Longview Independent School District
Complimentary Copy
ALWAYS IN OUR HEARTS
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he entire Longview Lobo community mourns the loss of a young life lost long before his time, and is praying for another one still fighting to recover from a car wreck that occurred on July 8. Travian Clayborn died in the crash. A 2016 graduate, Clayborn’s services were Saturday, July 16, at Longview High Coliseum, followed by burial at Jordan Valley Memorial Park in Longview. Meanwhile fellow fellow graduate and standout student-athlete Kybrin Sheridan is undergoing treatment at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. Sheridan was a defensive lineman and Clayborn a defensive back for the Lobo football team last season. Clayborn finished with 25 tackles and three interceptions. Sheridan, who signed with Texas A&M-Commerce, was the district’s defensive MVP in 2015. Both were selected to play in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Heart of a Champion AllStar Game held last month in Tyler. The Lobo Football Booster Club is accepting donations on behalf of each young man. Donations can be brought to the LISD Athletic Office at 201 East Hawkins Pkwy or mailed to: Lobo Football Booster Club 303 W. Loop 281 suite 110 box 224 Longview, TX 75605 During a candlelight vigil/balloon release on July 15 a large crowd of friends, family, and other supporters gathered to lean on each other, to mourn the loss of a young life taken far too soon and share their hopes for healing. They wept and embraced, laughed and remembered fond memories of better times. More than this, they prayed together... Attendees spoke of the importance for continuing to pray for Kybrin and he continues to recover, while lifting up Travian’s family during this difficult time. Once a Lobo always a Lobo, and always in our hearts.
See Pictures on Page 5 inside the
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Longview Voice
Clayborn’s services were Saturday, July 16, at Longview High Coliseum, followed by burial at Jordan Valley Memorial Park in Longview
Lobo tech teams triumph at Nationals
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ongview High School technology and engineering students finished at or near the top of eight different categories during the Technology Student Association’s national competition July 2 in Nashville. Finishing first in the country was the LHS Chapter Team of Ejehi Ihionkhan, Levi Grant, Uwa Ihionkhan, Stephanie Guck, Brady Miller, and Krisana Yuen. Winning silver in Children’s Stories competition was the team of Christopher Guck, Naomi D’Arbell, Rutvi Patel, Anthony Castillo, and Alexander Lammers. Taking third place in Photographic Technology was LHS junior Daniele Farren. Other results from the National TSA Contest in Nashville include: 6th Place, Manufacturing Prototype: Nitin
See Tech on Page 4
LISD early childhood receives top ranking from state
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laying For Keeps” child development center has been awarded a four-star rating by the Texas Rising Star program. Texas Rising Star is a voluntary rating system for child-care providers participating in the Texas Workforce Commission’s subsidized child-care program. Four stars is the highest achievable rating, and encompasses five grading categories. Dr. Jacqueline Burnett, Director of Early Childhood for LISD, said the honor is a testament to the quality professionals working at the facility. “We are so elated that we have
See Child on Page 4
Opinion Elementary News
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Middle School News High School News
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LISD News Sports
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THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
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July 2016
OPINION
Freedom is a right, and a responsibility By Mayor Andy Mack
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ear Lobos, Earlier t h i s month, I joined 10,000+ residents from East Texas at Longview’s Maude Cobb Convention Center in c e lebr a t i ng A m e r i c a ’ s Independence. It was a huge celebration and ever since, I have been thinking about the diverse group that gathered there. There were folks of all ages, races, creeds, economic status, and background – yet there we were together – enjoying freedoms that many in this world do not have. We were able to enjoy gathering together without fear of harm – to listen to live music and watch beautiful fireworks celebrating our freedom. I have been thinking, sometimes we throw around the word “freedom” loosely. With each generation that gets further away from wartime, it seems the meaning of freedom diminishes more and more. The
experiences of those that have fought, died, lost loved ones in those major conflicts that allowed us to have our freedom – saw the cost of freedom firsthand. In this world today, where we have random acts of terror – things that impact our lives, our communities and our countries – we don’t seem to value freedom the same way as those who fought in named wars for us. The really remarkable thing about those valiant soldiers is that they fought for us to have freedoms regardless of whether they agreed with them or not. They did not make sure that we all had the same religion or beliefs as them – yet, they fought to defend those freedoms to make your own decision. It has been said, “on the other side of fear, lies freedom”. Think about how much fear there had to be within our soldiers who jumped out of the boats on the beaches of Normandy on D Day. But yet, they knew to secure freedom, they had to do it. And they did so without asking why, without regards for themselves, but with high regard for the soldier next to them and those of us across the globe in America. Their gift of themselves was a pure act of selflessness. If those men had not overcome those fears, we would not have our freedom. For that, I am grateful and
it gives me pause. I think about the pilots in World War II who dropped atomic bombs destroying cities without fully understanding the depth of their actions – all to protect our freedom. Again selflessness. Then there were the men who crawled through the swamps of Vietnam to ensure our freedom. And then, upon their return to America, were oftentimes not welcomed home warmly. Yet they gave selflessly. Think about most recently in our history - the firefighters who rushed into burning buildings on September 11 to save others and in turn were unable to save themselves. Purely an act of selflessness. To our Veterans, we can never thank you enough for the sacrifice you have given of your time and your talents – and many of them – even their lives. Thank you. Those words are not enough. God willing, there will not be an act of war in your lifetime, but yet my hope for us all is that we continue to celebrate and appreciate the acts of selflessness given by those before us. And may that spirit of selflessness live on in you. Look for ways to serve your fellow man – especially those who believe differently than you. Look for opportunities
to unite people, rather than divide. Look for chances to extend grace to others, rather than expecting grace to be extended to you. And by all means, when bravery is required of you, step up to the plate. After all, it was surely given by others for you to enjoy so the least you can do is return the favor. It is not only your right, but your responsibility to ensure that future generations don’t forget the cost of freedom – and don’t forget those who laid their lives on the line. If you want a good dose of appreciation of those who gave their lives for us – take a trip down to Teague Park right here in Longview. There you will find a magnificent memorial for those soldiers who gave all for us. We are blessed in Longview to have such a memorial – and I believe you will find it to be a sobering experience. Study hard, have some fun, and say your prayers, Andy — Dr. Andy Mack is a 1978 graduate of Longview High School. An oral and maxillofacial surgeon for more than 25 years, he is currently owner-operator of East Texas Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Longview.
‘Just enough’ is not good enough... and it never was
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recent column by San Antonio Express-News reporter Josh Brodesky criticized the Texas public school finance system for being just enough to meet the “minimum constitutional requirements.” One of the most notable sentiments expressed by the article is the idea that “sometimes you can meet the minimum requirements and still not get the job done right.” To make the point, look at the at the school districts across the state that have been or are in danger of being closed by the Commissioner of Education for low performance or deficit funding. Guess what? They are all ‘low-funded’ districts.
This is no coincidence, and it further proves that receiving the minimum acceptable funding does not guarantee that a district will be successful. Texans as communities continue to tax themselves at the highest level possible in order to make up for the mediocre (or worse) levels of funding that they are receiving from the State, but it just isn’t enough to provide what the words of the Constitution seem to require. Perhaps the Texas Supreme Court should read them again, a little more carefully this time. — The Equity Center is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization
of over 700 school districts across the state ranging in size, demographics, and location.
Barely meeting minimum requirements everywhere! By Josh Brodesky
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fter the Texas Supreme Court found the state’s school finance system “satisfies minimum constitutional requirements,” I couldn’t escape that particularly pungent phrase. In the three weeks since the May ruling, that bit of prosaic legal resignation has stuck with me at every turn. It’s in my cooking (sigh), a broken dresser at home, daily workouts, Netflix options and at least half of my daily conversations. This started at a gas station, naturally. Believe it or not, satisfying minimum requirements is particularly apropos language when it comes to describing most gas station bathrooms: Here is a toilet best not touched, and there is an empty soap dispenser! But even a gas station bathroom is still a bathroom, if we are talking minimum requirements. You could go there, if you had to. Just as you could go to some of our poorly funded public schools, if you had to. In my case, though, it was the often-overlooked gas station hot dog, greasy as one of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller’s “work” trips, that became a shining metaphor for our low threshold for public school funding. The two have a lot in common, upon reflection. They are cheap, and they might give you indigestion. While one might qualify as a “meal” and
the other as “equitable” public education funding, these are really just technicalities in the minimum sense. And in either case, the truth is hard to swallow. This seemed like a one-off, but then I hopped on Interstate 35 to run an errand, and that’s when I realized we live with barely meeting the minimum standards every day, and life usually goes on. Good old, I-35, with its lanes so narrow that you feel like a sardine squeezed into a can made out of 18-wheelers. It’s one of the most congested roads in Texas! As far as highways go, it is the transportation equivalent of public school finance. It meets the minimum requirements. It even has lanes and speed limit signs. But I’m doubtful Gov. Greg Abbott or Attorney General Ken Paxton would send out press releases praising I-35 here as a win for taxpayers. Still, I made it to my destination (Home Depot) … eventually. Along the way, I saw something curious. It was a blue highway sign for “North” and “West.” I can’t tell you more than that, though, because someone placed a big green “Randolph Blvd Park-Ride” sign directly in front of it (see photo), obscuring the highway numbers. North something. West whatever. Drivers would have to guess. It wasn’t exactly “L.A. Story,” where Steve Martin gets life advice from an electronic freeway sign, but the message was clear: Sometimes you can meet the minimum requirements and still not get the job done right. This was later emphasized back at home, thanks to my dog, Annika. We suited up for an evening walk. But Annika has
Tech|Continued from Front
Child|Continued from Front
Rangu, Soumya Donty, Krisana Yuen, Trevor O’Connor, Ben Taylor, Sam Pistone. 8th Place, Engineering Design: Daniel Bally, Rutvi Patel, Christopher Guck, and Neal Rangu. 9th Place, Biotechnology Design: Soumya Donty, Krisana Yuen, Kathryn Roper, Samantha Taylor, Surya Donty, and Uwa Ihionkhan. 9th Place, Prepared Presentation: Payton Schaap. 10th Place, Chapter Team (Written Test): Levi Grant, Sophomore. The Technology Student Association is a national nonprofit organization of middle and high school students who engage and compete in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. About 32,000 students in Texas take part in TSA. More than 50 LISD students traveled to Nashville for nationals after finishing among the best at state meets last month. Longview High School sent 25 students to the national competition, while Foster sent 33. Career Technology instructor Charles Mosley praised his students’ long hours and hard work. LISD Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox echoed Mosley’s sentiment, adding that such accomplishments would be impossible without “the support of education professionals like Mr. Mosley, and the many parents of our community who passionately support these exceptional young people.”
achieved the 4-star rating,” she said. “Our staff believes and continuously strives to provide the best educational experiences from the infants to preschool.” A day-care center used by district students and staff, Playing for Keeps was established in 2008 with the intent of providing students who have children with a place for child care while they continue their education. Dr. Burnett said achieving this rating fulfills Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox and the LISD Board of Trustees’ vision of “Believing in Excellence for All.” “Our goal at Playing for Keeps is to provide a nurturing environment, that children learn from their own interests and discoveries,increasing their self-esteem and developing to their full potential. Wilcox praised Dr. Burnett and her colleagues for holding the highest standards for some of Longview’s youngest “stakeholders.” “Numerous studies demonstrate that the attributes of a strong education are often cultivated at the earliest ages,” he said. “It’s very rewarding to see our early-childhood professionals show their commitment to the children of our community by ensuring they have the best possible start to their education.”
become a bit stiff in the hips and long in the tooth. We made it two houses and then she turned around. The alternative was collapsing in the neighbor’s yard. It wasn’t particularly satisfying, but it met the minimum requirements for a walk, I suppose. Box checked. Pretty soon after that “walk,” I started getting text messages about Alamo Colleges Chancellor Bruce Leslie, who recently kicked back during a graduation and stared at his cellphone as if he had reverted to middle school math class and just discovered Angry Birds. Parents, professors and students were outraged. Hey, the man showed up, people. It was the least he could do. And so it keeps going. The phrase “satisfies minimum constitutional requirements” is so sad in its meaning and tone, it dawned on me that maybe I should ask San Antonio Poet Laureate Jenny Browne to compose something about the stagnant resignation of our public school predicament, lest we confuse meeting minimum requirements with equitable excellence. Poetic justice for a technical injustice. But that seemed too rich. So instead I wrote a haiku on the fly. It’s not very good, but at least it does fit the 5-7-5 pattern. Here goes: “Parents, teachers, kids! Who cares about funding schools? Not the Texas Lege.” — Josh Brodesky is an award-winning reporter and columnist for the San Antonio Express-News.
Chef’s Corner Fruit Medley with Mint and Lime
Summer is the best time of year for fruit salads; fruit is sweeter and fresher when it’s in season. All this dish needs is a little mint and lime to highlight the natural freshness of grapes and stone fruits. Ingredients: 1 cup seedless green grapes, halved 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved 3 plums, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges 2 peaches, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges 2 nectarines, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges 2 limes 1 cup water 1/4 cup sugar 6 mint sprigs 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon grated lime rind Mint sprigs (optional)
Chardee Snoddy
Preparation: Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; cover and chill. Carefully remove 6 (2-inch) strips of rind from limes using a vegetable peeler, making sure to avoid the white pithy part of the rind. Combine lime strips, water, sugar, and 6 mint sprigs in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 5 minutes). Discard lime strips and mint sprigs; cool. Stir in chopped mint, juice, and grated rind. Pour over fruit, tossing gently to coat. Garnish with additional mint sprigs, if desired. — Chardee Snoddy, a Longview High School graduate, is the Childhood Nutrition Chef for LISD.
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THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
LHS grad earns place on Rangerettes line
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ILGORE — Viewette Captain of the 51st Line, Alexa Blair, is now a member of the 77th Line of the Kilgore College Rangerettes. Surrounded by hopes, dreams and years of tradition, 36 young women became the newest members of the world-famous Kilgore College Rangerettes dance and drill team on July 15. The announcement, made in a closed ceremony in Dodson Auditorium on the Kilgore campus, culminates a weeklong process of 80 “hopefuls” vying for a coveted position on the 2016-17 Rangerette line. The new Rangerettes will join 36 sophomores to make a line of 72.
July 2016
The Rangerettes were the first of their kind when they began in 1940 as a vision of the late Gussie Nell Davis. The organization created a unique combination of dance moves and precision drills that quickly earned them the reputation not only as the originators of dance/drill teams, but as the best in the world. Known for their high kicks and the jump splits, the organization has traveled around the world, entertained millions and spurred a multi-billion-dollar dance/ drill team industry worldwide. For more information, visit www. rangerette.com.
Taking it to the next level!
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ykayla Fontaine was recognized July 11 by the Board of Trustees for achieving her Associates Degree by taking dual-credit college classes at the same time as her high school course load. Mykala will walk onto the campus of Texas Tech University as a junior, with superior academic standing. This exceptional student is the daughter of Tim and Debbie Fontaine of Longview.
Where are they now?
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Friday Night Howl’ honors Lobo football history
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labor of love for a Lobo grad lives on, even after his life was tragically cut short. “Friday Night Howl: The History of Longview High School Lobo Football” was written by Jeremy Cotham, a 2004 Longview High School graduate, who worked on the book until his death from leukemia in March 2015. Cotham was a member of the sports staff at The Flare, and also wrote for other local sports media. Before his death, Cotham enlisted the aid of his former Kilgore College journalism instructor, Bettye Craddock and her husband (noted East Texas historian) Van Craddock to finish the book. Although the family is still grieving, Jeremy’s parents David and Sharon Cotham said it has been a way to help them begin to heal. “You try to make sense out of tragedy and why things happen, and this is just one way to help us out,” David
said. “It’s going to keep his memory alive, and all the influence he had on other people.” “(Friday Night Howl) was a real joy for us to help complete. I really think Jeremy would be proud of the finished product,” said Van. “David and Sharon have been terrific to work with. They can’t wait to get the book into the hands of Lobo fans.” The 180-page hardcover book sells for $40 and features more than 300 photos covering the 106-year history of Lobo football teams along with a preview of the 2016 season. A portion of the book sales will benefit the Longview ISD Foundation and the Lobo Football Booster Club. The book will be available at the LISD athletic office and at all Lobo home games. To reserve a copy, visit the website at CothamPublishing.tk, email David Cotham at cotham75605@ yahoo.com or call (903) 736-4637.
ach month The Longview Voice features a former LISD student who has an interesting story. This week we talk with 2007 graduate Spencer Mack. Since you graduated from Longview High School, what have you been up to? After graduating from Longview High School, I attended Texas A&M University where I majored in Biomedical Science. After 3 years, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science and went on to pursue a career in the dental field at Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas, Texas. Following that I earned my D.D.S. degree and decided to further my education in the specialty of orthodontics. I moved to Houston, Texas where I began a 26 month orthodontic residency at UT Health Science Center School of Dentistry. I will be graduating in just a few weeks and will be moving back to Longview to begin practicing orthodontics! Did Longview ISD help prepare you for the path you chose to pursue? Longview ISD helped prepare me for my career path in more ways than one! The core classes at Texas A&M are considered to be some of the more difficult courses that greatly affect one’s GPA. I knew it was of utmost importance to do well in these classes as my GPA would play a crucial role in my acceptance into dental school. Had I not had the preparation during my years in the LISD school system, I would have struggled to maintain A’s in these classes. Instead, I was prepared incredibly well from my beginnings at Hudson PEP, Foster Middle School, and then on to Longview High School. Many teachers were large influences in my education- a few that come to mind include Ms. Hettie Pollock, Ms. Becky Supercinski, and Ms. Gwen Skinner (Hudson PEP); Ms. Janice Royal, Ms. Sheryl Thompson and Ms. Amy Allen (Foster Middle School); and Ms. Nelda Mancha and Ms. Judy Grubbs (Longview High School); and Nancy Morgan. I could not have hoped for better
college preparation. Why did you decide to come back to Longview instead of starting somewhere else? I decided to come back to Longview because my roots are in this town. The majority of my family lives in Longview, and many of my friends live here as well. I think it is a great city to raise a family, to grow up in, and it has a very special place in my heart. I want to be able to have a positive impact on the community that had such a large impact on me. Longview is where I want to serve my community and get involved in organizations that can positively influence the lives of the younger generations. What are your future plans? I will be joining SBW Orthodontics mid-August where I will have the privilege to work alongside Drs. Darrel Sherman, Patrick Briscoe, and Andrew Hansen. I plan to get involved in the different organizations Longview has to offer, and I hope to be able to serve my community in whatever ways I’m able to do so. Do you know someone you’d like to be featured in “Where are they now?” Please contact slebus@lisd.org
Longview, Let’s Talk! If you’ve got questions, comments, compliments, or suggestions for Longview ISD, we want to hear them! Click the Let’s Talk! tab at www.lisd.org to start a conversation about whatever’s on your mind. With this innovative, online communication solution, we're always listening 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
‘Green Out’ shirts go on sale Aug. 1
July 2016
he LISD Athletic program will host the 2016 Lobo Football Camp for students entering 1st-9th grades Aug. 1-3 at Longview High School. Registration is set for 5:30-6:30 p.m. Aug. 1 in the Lobo Turf Room. Cost of the camp is $30. Also all campers entering grades 6th -9th (Fall 2016) will be provided a free Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) compliments of former Lobo and NFL Player Trent Williams.
Football is coming, get your tickets now!
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counseling and guidance, character education, and physical and health education. In addition to these grants, since 2008, the Longview ISD Foundation, Inc. has funded twenty-five Campus Initiative Grants for a total of $65,738.62 to improve overall student achievement on LISD campuses.
N.E.W Professional Career Day
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r. Cynthia Wise, principal of Ned E. Williams elementary school invited Dr. Ralph Steele of Dallas to keynote their recent career day. Steele explained to students his work as a lawyer, mediator and professor. He has established himself as a topnotch mediator, successfully carrying out more than 8000 mediation cases of various types. He has taught workshops far and wide at such schools as SMU, Dallas Community College, El Centro, UCLA, University of North Texas at Dallas and Richland College in Dallas. In addition, he taught his craft to more than 500 student mediators. As a member of the Texas Association of Mediators, his teaching travels have taken him to Spain, Atlantis, the Bahamas, Berlin, Memphis, Houston and San Antonio. He also oversees a mediation fellows program for new and intermediate level mediators helping them hone their skills. His talents are not limited to mediation. He is a fellow with the American Psychotherapy Association, and serves on the editorial board for the magazine The Annals. Moreover, he is a member of the American Bar Association and the State Bar of Texas. He took his law and mediation degrees from Oxford University in England. He is an in-demand lecturer at the World Mediation Organization’s conventions in Berlin, and is a member of the Association of Mediators, Assessors, Trainers and Instructors in London. He even owns his own law firm---Mediation Worlds, PLLC in Las Colinas. Students sat quietly and listened attentively as Steele unpacked the importance of education in one’s career. “I had such a good time at school,” he told students. “I can remember the names of my teachers from 1st to 12th grade.” According to Steel, career is what you do that makes a difference and education is the art of learning. Education means learning how to study, how to listen and how to use it to benefit yourself and impact society. In addition, learning is a life-long adventure. For example, Steel said he reads about 20 books a month. Therefore, he encouraged students to become avid readers. Furthermore, he asked students to choose a career, a college then, research and learn everything about their career of choice. Several students signified their career choices by raising their hands when Steele asked who wants to be a doctor, nurse, engineer computer scientist and more. Steel informed students their career choices require college education therefore, they need to read often.
Camp for 1st-9th graders starts Aug. 1 at LHS
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he Longview ISD Foundation, Inc. will hold its 15th annual Green Out T-shirt sale beginning Monday, Aug. 1, at the LISD Athletic Office on the corner of Hawkins Parkway and Airline Road. Green Out T-shirts are $15 each, payable with cash, check or credit card. Shirts are available in sizes youth extra small through adult 3XL. All Lobo fans wearing their 2016 Green Out shirt are invited to form the Big Green Victory Line at the Green Out game at Lobo Stadium on Friday, Sept. 9, when the Lobos host the Oak Cliff Golden Dragons for the first home game. The all new Green Out T-shirt will be on sale from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 1-5 at the LISD Athletic Office. Shirts will also be on sale at the following locations and dates: Longview High School student registration: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 8-10 Foster Middle School student registration: 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 8-10; and at Meet the Teacher Night, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 30 Judson Middle School student registration: 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 8; and 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Aug. 9-10 Longview ISD Convocation in Longview High School Coliseum at 8 a.m. Friday, August 12 Hudson PEP Elementary School Back-to-School Night: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Aug. 15-18 Johnston-McQueen Elementary School Back-to-School Nights: 5:30-7:00 PM August 18 and 20 All proceeds from the Green Out event fund the Longview ISD Foundation’s annual Great Rewards for Great Ideas Grant Program and the Campus Initiative Grant Program. Since 1996, the Foundation has funded 626 grants, returning $626,468.30 to LISD classrooms. In addition to strengthening academics, the grants have also funded projects in art, music, technology,
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But that is not all. Steele discussed human relations and financial investments [J1] with students. He encouraged them to be nice to one another and listen to their teachers. Equally, Steele explained how to grow money. According to Steele, many people over-spend. Hence, he advised students to spend some and save some in addition to keeping the wealth. But, that is not all. He discussed risky and conservative investments and getting out to debt. Students could follow the discussion because Ned E. Williams has its own version of Wall Street. They asked the following questions which Steele answered: •What is negotiation? •What is mediation? •What are the benefits of mediation? •What are the roles of a mediator? •Is it difficult to stay neutral as a mediator? •What questions do you ask at mediation? •What do you do to get out to debt? •How do you keep wealth? Is there a limit to the number of times you can file for bankruptcies? At the end of the career session, students learned the importance of choosing a career, finding details about the career, getting out to debt and wealth management. They memorized the acronym A for acquire, M for manage, G for grow and K for keep it – AMGK. Steele was recently selected for a seat on the 2016 National Small Business Administration’s (NSBA) Economic Development Issue Committee. The Economic Development Committee is one of four primary NSBA issue committees. As such, it oversees all matters pertaining to small business finances and access to capital, which includes credit cards, lending, bankruptcy law, securities issues and venture capital. This organization also assists with federal small business programs overseen by the U.S. Small Business Administration and with federal procurement initiatives along with innovation and technology matters like patent reform. He is also an author of five books five books, which are available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Finally, Steele is a military veteran. He served his country as a U.S. Navy officer. He hopes to make a positive impact on the upcoming generation. As a graduate of Lincoln Aviation Institute, one of his favorite past times is flying.
eason ticket sales begin on Aug. 1 at the Lobo Athletic Department. All season tickets will be $40 for a five-game home schedule. Current season ticket holders may purchase tickets from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Aug. 1-5. Swap days are from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Aug. 9-10, and remaining tickets will go on sale to the public from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Aug. 15-19. After season ticket sales are over, football tickets will be sold the week of the game: 8 a.m.4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 8 a.m.-noon on Friday. All tickets for home side (reserved chair back seats) are $8 in advance or at the gate. General admission tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students in advance and $6 at the gate. General admission seats is located on the visitor’s side next to the Lobo band and Viewettes.
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THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
July 2016
Our thoughts and prayers are with you
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
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July 2016
Summit brings educators, legislators together
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ongview ISD hosted an education summit on July 13 at the Mickey Melton Center at Longview High School, bringing together school district leaders and our Texas Legislators to develop a shared understanding to ensure equity and excellence for each Texas educator and student. Dr. James Wilcox, Superintendent of Longview ISD, said the event provided an opportunity for school district leaders “to have a rich dialogue about what solutions they see for addressing public education funding for Texas schools, educators and students.” “Ultimately, these discussions provided insight to our legislators about where Texas school funding really stands,” he said. During his remarks to those in attendance Wilcox said one of the main goals was to encourage dialogue and allow both sides to understand the other’s perspective. “Were doing this to try to help you understand more about school funding,” he said. “We know we’re not going to be able to do everything we ask, we just ask you listen with an open
mind and just try to do what is best for the future of Texas, that is the only reason we’re here.” Representative-Elect Jay Dean and Representative Gary VanDeaver launched the idea of the summit. “This whole summit is about readying our ship for the challenges ahead,” said VanDeaver. “We have some great experts lined up to speak to us today. I think we have a good formula here to really do something and do something that matters for the kids of this state.” Dean and VanDeaver launched the idea and convened a group of 12 other elected officials to listen to the education leadership’s vision for our schools and to develop recommendations about how our elected officials can best support and represent our schools when session starts. “Obviously we’re all on the same side,” said Dean. “We all want to do what’s best for the public, who we serve. So open lines of communication and dialogue are a priority for all of us in what we’re trying to do.” Included on the expert panel was Daniel Casey of Moak, Casey &
Educator of the Year
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AACP Longview Branch President Branden Johnson congratulates South Ward Elementary Principal
Associates, Catherine Clark from the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), Tom Luek of Huckabee & Associates, Inc., Wayne Pierce, Ed.D, Executive Director of Equity Center, and Scott Milder, Founder and CEO, Friends of Texas Public Schools. Other government officials in attendance included Rep. Matt Schaefer, Rep. Byron Cook, Rep. Chris Paddie, Rep. Travis Clardy, RepresentativeElect Ernest Bailes, Rep. Dade Phelan, Rep. Trent Ashby, Senator-Elect Bryan Hughes, Sen. Robert Nichols, and Dr. Kevin M. Ellis, State Board of Education-Elect. The presentations consisted of topics on how Texas public school funding works and how students get different funding. Other presentations included: “Fixing the System/ Without a Wrecking Ball,” “How Funding for Texas Public School Construction Works,” and “Great Things Are Happening in Texas Public Schools!” The event was very optimistic, said Daniel Casey, Partner at Moak, Casey & Associates. “I think the representatives will be able to relate more with their
Students talk school success
Dr. Carl Briley. Dr. Briley was awarded the Educator of the Years Award on July 15 at the NAACP Annual Image Award.
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Hometown boy still doing good
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FL all-pro (and Longview High School grad) Trent Williams was in town June 12-13 for his third annual football skills camp at
schools and representatives now that they have some insight and understanding.” It is very unusual for elected officials to give this kind of time for educators,” Executive Director of Equity Center Wayne Pierce said. “It was a remarkable event on several levels.”
Lobo Stadium. More than 100 players attended the Sunday camp, featuring position group drills, one-on-one drills and capped with a tug-of-war.
Kennedy Jeffery, Claire Stokes, Allison Reed, Aditya Pulipaka, Campbell Williams, Aiden Johnson, 4th graders from Hudson Pep
he school year is finally coming to a close. Hudson Pep Pepster reminisced on the activities of 2015-2016 school year and are eager to dive into summer. One of the most important things for 3rd grader Traivon Kempson was the STAAR test. He said, “I was ready for the STAAR test and pretty confident I made a hundred.” According to Traivon, the teachers do their best to make learning fun. From Star Wars task cards to the division monster, there were endless learning games. Jordan Allen 5th grader had several reasons for coming to school. “Being taught different things every day in many different ways makes it easy for me to come to school with a driven attitude,” he said. A cheerful Makayla Police 5th grader said, “My fondest moment was when I meet my teacher Ms. Kiser, she is the absolute best.” According to Jay Dunway 5th, grader, books give life. “I like to read a lot of magic books so in spare time my teacher always lets me read.” Allison Reed 4th grader prefers math. ”I liked learning about fractions and how to add and subtract them, “ she said. Surprisingly 4th grader Campbell Williams adored the thrill of writing. “Writing in our journals and learning to write expository essay was always fun,” he said. In addition, learning does not stop because school is about to close. Jay Dunaway 5th grader states his plan for summer. “I made a deal with my dad to read two books of his choice and he reads two of mine. My main goal however is to read twenty books before summer is over.” Rachel Dejong 5th grader had a variety of reason to be excited for summer. “I will be traveling this summer with family to San Francisco,
Europe, and then Camp Tejas” she said. Not to mention Addie Soape 3rd grader will also do some traveling. “I will be attending Space camp, and a NASA tour with the girl scouts,” she said. Mostly all the students will be spending time with family, doing different activities such as swimming, fishing, going to amusement parks, and playing with summer league teams. One thing about your school everyone should know. “I’d say this is the best school ever,” said an enthusiastic Diego Freire, 3rd grader. Elle Delafuente felt preparation was the best thing about her school. “My school is preparing me to go to a really good college, such as Harvard in which I want to attend someday,” she said. Furthermore, South Ward Elementary students not only but also are excited about the school drawing nearer to a close. One important thing for 5th grader Brayleigh Mitchell is her support system. “I like how amazing my teachers are and how they encourage me to keep going when I just want to give up,” she said. Brontravis Williams 5th grader added “Principal Briley is very inspiring and encourages all the students to their best no matter what. Learning is fun for 3rd grader Reyna Arredondo. “I enjoy when my teacher show us new reading material and different games to learn,” she said. Brontravis Williams, 5th grader expresses his plan for summer. “I would really like to read a lot more this summer. My mom will take me to the library to get books. I love going to the library, it is a very peaceful place,” he said. A student’s love for their school runs deep according to Davionne Pickrun kindergartener. “My teacher loves us and we love her back,” she said. At the same time, Jarian Fitts kindergartener added, “The teachers here teach well.”
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Hearts of Champions
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t was one more chance for 13 former Lobos to wear the rockin’ L on their helmets June 11 for the annual FCA Heart of a Champion All-Star Game at Rose Stadium. Lobo standouts Braylynn Anthony, Tim Clay, Travian Clayborn,
Bryson Davis, Ameron Dean, Bryan Gilliland, Zach Gipson, Keenan Madden, Tylan Miller, Austin Moore, Marcus Polk, Michael Ross, Kybrin Sheridan and Johnathan Sneed were among the players on both the red and the blue teams.
July 2016
Kids For Wish Kids program engages students
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ongview ISD students of any age can participate in the Kids for Wish Kids program. KFWK encourages students to fundraise for Make-A-Wish North Texas™ to help grant wishes while learning teamwork, promoting philanthropy, giving back to the community, supporting their peers and engaging in strategic learning and leadership. Any group of students can pick a project. Some schools participate as a whole. On other campuses, student organizations, such as a service club or academic club, pursue a project. Sometimes it’s a grade level or
School nurses can help make wishes come true
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school nurse can refer a student for a Wish through Make-A- Wish North Texas.™ Make-A- Wish grants wishes to children with lifethreatening medical conditions to enhance the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Any student with a life-threatening medical condition is eligible to receive a Wish. While a school nurse can refer a student for a Wish, it is ultimately the job of the child’s physician to determine whether his condition qualifies as “life-threatening.” Who is eligible? • A student between the ages of 2 ½ and 18 (must be referred before the day of their 18th) with a life-threatening medical condition.
• A student who has never received a Wish before from Make-A- Wish or any other wish granting organization. Who can refer a child for a Wish? • The child himself. • A parent or legal guardian. • A medical professional familiar with the child’s case, for instance, a school nurse who administers medication daily. How does a school nurse refer a child? • Ask the student’s family. Make-AWish does not “surprise” a family with a referral. • Fill out the Referral Inquiry form online http://ntx.wish.org/refer-a-child/ referral-inquiry Call the local office at (903) 597-9474 and a staff person will be happy to assist you.
classroom endeavor. A KFWK project could be almost anything the students envision: a car wash, a bake sale, penny wars, a field day, button/star sales, or anything else that inspires them to work hard, give back and have fun. Students execute their own projects (with support from Make-A- Wish, of course) and see how their fundraising helps grant a wish. Projects are great for service hours, too. For more information on Kids for Wish Kids, contact Amy Pearson, Development Officer, at (903) 597-9474.
JUDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL FISH CAMP 2016 AUGUST 8TH 1-3 pm Fish camp is for students entering 6th grade at Judson Middle School. Similar to fish camps at major universities, this program is designed to help students feel at ease on their first day of school while providing the parents with important information. Fish camp consists of a 2 hour program including the following Tour of Judson Middle School Getting to know you activities Taking pictures for school IDs Introduction of the principal, assistant principals, and counselor Explanation of dress code • Questions to follow
Sign the “Pledge to Graduate” banner that will be hung at the entrance of the 6th grade hall
Texas Commissioners to revise STAAR test By Sarah Navoy, KEYE News
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Texas committee voted to approve nine recommendations to restructure the STAAR test Wednesday. The test has been widely unpopular in Texas. The Texas Commission on Next Generation Assessments and Accountability was tasked with advising Texas lawmakers on standardized tests for public school children. That commission met for the seventh time July 27 at the American Institute for Research to revise the draft of recommendations. Those recommendations are to be given to Governor Greg Abbot by the start of September and could be taken up by the Texas legislature next year. Recommendations in the draft include restructuring the STAAR test to include a series of tests students would take via computer throughout the year. Commission members also recommend reducing the material students are tested on, using national tests like the SAT or ACT to evaluate students, and allowing school districts to develop their own writing assessments. All but one member of the committee, Theresa Trevino, voted to approve the nine recommendations. Trevino is the parent representative on the board and believes the recommendations don’t do enough to overhaul STAAR testing. “My son had tremendous anxiety and difficulty on test day,” said Trevino. “Seemed to be a lot of pressure.” She advocates for fewer tests and the elimination of high stakes testing. High stakes testing essentially determines whether students are allowed to graduate to the next grade. “I really thought we needed to take a step back and put the breaks on so much testing,” said Trevino. “Testing was driving curriculum.” Austin resident Hillary Procknow, who doesn’t make her kids take the STAAR test, said the tests are “a
measure of our income and our education level and not a measure of what students are doing.” She said breaking it up into small chunks is a step in the right direction but creates overlap. “That’s great but that’s what teachers do. We don’t need to pay person a half billion dollar contract,” said Procknow. Bill Hammond from the Texas Association of Business says there is already a skills gap with around 9,000 IT jobs in the Austin-area unfilled. “The kids who fail the test are passed on anyway. So where is the draconian outcome in all of this so called accountability,” he said. Hammond said business owners need to know Texas students are learning and end of the year tests are the way to do it. “Superintendents have led the charge against accountability because it’s showing what’s actually happening in Texas. And a few years ago they told mom that this testing regime is going to cause Johnny not to go to UT, and mom got upset, and mom came down against testing,” he said. The STAAR test can put a lot of pressure on students. They start taking the STAAR test in the third grade, and the test can determine whether they move on to the next grade. Students have to take two or more tests each year until they complete 8th grade. In high school, the test stakes get higher. Students have
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to pass five STAAR tests in order to graduate. But complaints from parents led state lawmakers to create a way for students to graduate without passing the STAAR. The law lets school districts create committees which decide if a student who does not pass the exam can get his or her diploma. The law affects around 28,000 high school seniors. “If all the state does is take the paper, pencil star test and put it on a computer, they’ve essentially done nothing,” said Monty Exter from the Association of Texas Professional Educators. He thinks there are changes that could improve the test, it goes beyond changing the way students participate. “So instead of individual baseline you get an minimum baseline we get a real understanding of where students are on individual concepts,” he added.
Judson Middle School presents the 2016-2017
Who: 6th-8th Grade Students & Parents/Guardian Date: August 18th, 2016 Time: 5:00p.m-7:00p.m Where: Judson Middle School Campus
Registration Scheduling Campus Tour Meet the Faculty/Staff Discuss Campus Dress Code School Year Expectations School Supplies Sale FOOD WILL BE PROVIED
Judson Middle School Longview Independent School District 5745 Judson Rd. Longview, TX 75605 (903)-446-2610
William Houff- Principal Lee Killingsworth- Assistant Principal Sheri Perry- Counselor
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House Speaker Straus calls for better education funding formula
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lthough the Texas Supreme Court decided that the state’s public school funding system was acceptable, it also called it “undeniably imperfect.” Texas House Speaker Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) ordered Texas representatives to review the school finance policies and recommend reforms before the 2017 legislative session.
“We can improve educational quality while also making our school finance system more efficient,” Straus said in a news release. “Ignoring some of the problems in our current system will only make them worse. School finance reform never comes quickly or easily, which is why this work needs to continue sooner rather than later.” Straus asked the House Public Education and Appropriations committees to look at a soon-to-expire provision that has designated dollars to compensate for mandated property tax cuts. He also requested that the legislative panels study “the use of local property taxes to fund public education and its effects on educational quality and on Texas taxpayers.” A news release from Straus explained
that because property taxes have gone up, more districts have had some of their local property tax funds sent back to the state to give to schools with lower property wealth, which is called recapturing. The release included the fact that the number of districts paying these monies to the state has increased since 2006 from 142 to 238. Strauss is the first leader in Texas to call for reform following the state Supreme Court’s unanimous decision to uphold the school-funding system as constitutional. He is also appealing to lawmakers to create “transformational, top-to-bottom reforms that amount to more than Band-Aid on top of Band-Aid.” A Star-Telegram editorial says that Straus wants to know what will happen when a finance provision, the Additional State Aid for Tax Relief (ASATR) adopted in 1996, stops delivering its $350 million to districts next year. Still, this amount is tiny compared to the $51 billion in state, federal, and local funding that goes to schools in Texas. Straus also wants to know how to reverse the growing reliance on recapture payments to support public education across the state. Recapture money amounts to $1.2 billion in 2014, which is the last time figures were published by the Texas Education Agency. Houston’s district, the largest in the state, is one of a growing number of involuntary donors and is looking at a payment to the state of $175 million for the next academic year. This sort of situation may be the first step toward getting rid of the recapture, or as some call it the “Robin Hood,” policy. Speaker Straus believes that it is crucial for the state to keep local tax dollars in local districts, while providing quality public schools to all students in Texas, reports the Houston Chronicle’s Mike Ward.
Despite the fact that big-city districts like Dallas and Houston have their individual share of low-income and non-English speaking student, the cities still have to transfer some of their property tax money to the state so that it can redistribute the funds to property-poor districts. Apart from the homework that Straus gave lawmakers at the end of the legislative session, there were
more issues the speaker had assigned to legislators for review last fall. They included having the Public Education Committee to study the Cost of Education Index, a critical component of the state’s school funding formulas. He also asked the committee to research schools’ facility maintenance and debt, especially in areas that are fast-growing.
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