ongview Voice
“The past cannot be changed, but the future is yet in your power.” ― George Washington Carver
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Sharing the good news about LISD!
BIG GREEN MARCHING MACHINE A publication of Longview Independent School District
Vol. 3 No. 11 November 2018
Complimentary Copy
Band wins 69th consecutive UIL top marching honor
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The Longview High School Lobo Band on Saturday earned a first division rating from the entire judging panel to bring home its 69th consecutive SUPERIOR University Interscholastic League marching contest rating. With the top honor, the Big Green Marching Machine maintains the state record for consecutive superior ratings in a state contest. LHS has been ranked first division since the
inception of the UIL. Director of Bands Tommy Moore praised the discipline, perseverance, and
hard work his young people put into becoming the best they can be. “These are the hardest working young adults. Their work ethic, dedication and commitment to excellence is amazing,” Moore added that these students “are an example for us all.” “Students of all races, ethnic background, social and economic status - all shapes and sizes Band|Continued to page 3
PRINCIPAL PROFILE
Mr. James Gibson believes, ‘best is yet to come’ Judson Middle Principal James Gibson is another one of our new principals at Longview ISD, but already he’s taken an active role in shaping the performance and culture at his campus. An experienced teacher, coach, and administrator, Mr. Gibson shared his unshakeable faith in young people’s ability to rise to the occasion when presented with leaders who care enough to challenge them. Longview ISD spokeswoman Elizabeth Ross sat down with Mr. Gibson last month to talk about his goals and vision for Judson Middle.
When did you decide you wanted to work in education? The year was 1999, I was going to college to be a physical therapist, but while going to school I also worked with my dad doing electrical work. It was Christmas break and we were working a shutdown and a plant that created automobile parts. The plant was not in operation for a week so we could conduct maintenance. It was New Year’s Eve and we arrived at work around 6 a.m., we were installing generators for Y2K (students you may need to google that) because everyone was worried about the unknown effects of computers changing to the year 2000. We completed an 18 day (I worked about 90 hours that week) and were driving home barely saying a word because we were so exhausted. My dad told me of how he was 12 hours away from having a college degree when my mom became pregnant
Gibson|Continued to page 3
Foundation Honors Jordan White They say that good things come in threes, and anyone who doubts that wisdom should have a chat with Jordan White. White is a teacher at Longview High, as well as an assistant Lady Lobo Volleyball coach, and, thanks to a recently completed master’s program, she’ll soon be able to add a third title to her list: certified school counselor. For White, the blessings have also come in threes just recently. She was the recipient of a continuing education scholarship through the Longview ISD Foundation last year to help defray the
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Longview Voice
Coming Events Opinion
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costs of her college classes. And the financial help came at a very fortunate time for White, since she got married this past March, and the couple are now expecting their first child in April. “It felt awesome,” White said of receiving the Foundation scholarship. “Just being able to get some financial help, because I’m paying for it out of pocket, really helped me along. Any type of scholarship like that is a big help, and I really appreciate it.” Even with the scholarship assistance, there was still plenty of hard work between White and her goal. “It was difficult but I think I managed it really well,” she said. “I would go from a volleyball tournament or a game to completing an assignment. We would have practice or two-a-days and I would have to go home and finish up a paper. At one point, I was also planning a wedding. It was all pretty busy, but I managed it well and I got it done.” Foundation|Continued to page 3
Celebrate Diversity Judson Yearbook
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Freshmen Honors Sports
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THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
November 2018
OPINION
Seek relationships of substance By Mayor Andy Mack
Hey Lobos, what’s up? Bear with me this month as I write this column. Try to follow along because I am going to use a correlation between my everyday life and energy drinks. I know that may sound nuts, but it is something I have been thinking about of late. Bang, Monster, Red Bull, Nos. These are all energy drinks. Why do we drink them? One simple reason: because we think it gives us more energy. But if you look at ingredients of these drinks, they are all pretty empty. There is no sugar, there is no fat, there is no carbohydrates, there is no protein, there is a little bit of sodium, little bit of potassium and some caffeine. Basically, it’s just an empty drink. But yet many of us, cannot get enough of them. How do we relate that to our relationship with others? What do we look for when we look for a relationship with someone else? Do we look for the quick energy fix so it’s just going to come and go like these energy drinks or do we look for something that is going to be long lasting? Energy drinks just enter your system, give you a quick boost of energy and then they are gone, in a fleeting moment. Is that how we model our friendships? Our relationships? If it is, we are nothing but an empty, clear drink. So yes, as I look at these drinks, some of them have Creatine in them and some of them have CoQ10, which are antioxidants. Those are stimulants which are supposed to stimulate brain power and help with our overall general health. But in reality what we drink and absorb from these energy drinks probably doesn’t do us a whole lot of
good. Kind of like that friendship that we see and look at and we think that is who we want to hang around with or be a part of because they are the cool kid or the star athlete or the person that drives the nicest car. But in reality that’s probably a friendship that will never amount to much of anything. Why am I talking about friendships and equating them to energy drinks? Well, it’s because friendships are the basis of life, the basis of our existence. We strive for companionship in our lives. We were not put on this earth to be loners, to be individuals. We need interaction. We need to be able to talk and relate to people and listen and learn and understand from others and be able to spill out our feelings to others. That is what makes us tick. Finding that trustworthy person that you can confide in and that you can communicate with and that you can hold on to, that is the difficult part of this equation. It’s not like when you go to GNC or Jack’s or CVS and you look on the shelf and you pick out which energy drink you want based on the color, the can, or the flavor of the content. Picking a friend is much different. You have to examine the heart, their thoughts, their mind, their desires, their beliefs, their moral, their values, because as you pick your friends so you will mold into that same category as they are. So, what I am saying is pick your friends wisely, choose carefully. In life as you get older you will see that your friend group will become smaller
and smaller because your interests become more and more specific. While you are in high school and junior high you have a broad range of friends because you have a lot going on. You see people every day, you do things with them in class, in band or athletics or in your extracurricular activities and you have something in common. As you get older your focus changes and your friend group will change as well. You will narrow it down and if you’re lucky by the time you’re an adult you might have 4 or 5 really close friends. When I mean really close friends, I mean a friend that will be there through thick and thin, that will always have your back. That will always be there for you no matter what the cause or what the case may be. That’s a rare thing in life to have a friend that will stand behind you in all aspects. It’s kind of like family. The saying, blood is thicker than water, always holds true when it comes to having someone who will take care of you and be there for you when you need them. I know in my life my brothers are my closest friends (outside of my wife) because I know I can count on them for anything, whether I’m right or wrong makes no difference. They will always be there for me standing behind me supporting me and giving me their hand to hold when I need it. A friend needs to be the same no matter what the circumstance is. Remember this: to have a friend you have got to be a friend. That’s very important. So if you expect to have good friends in life, you have to be that friend to someone else. You have to be that drink in the
Texans say State leaders falling short on public education
By Ross Ramsey, Texas Tribune
issue facing the state. “This seems to be one of those situations where, you ask Texans about education, and Most Texans don’t they want it to be better, but approve of the way state how important is it when leaders and legislators are confronted with a broader handling public education, array of issues, possible according to the latest priorities and spending University of Texas/Texas priorities?” Tribune Poll. To examine attitudes Republicans aren’t as down on the state as RAMSEY about local control and taxation of schools, the Democrats, but it’s only a matter of degree. Where 20 percent voters were split into two groups, of Republican voters approve of each presented with different the state’s education work, only options to answer the same 10 percent of Democrats do. And question: “What do you think should where 62 percent of Democrats be the primary source of funding for disapprove, only 42 percent of public education in Texas?” Republican voters were more Republicans do. Women had a more negative view likely to say money for public of the state’s performance than education should come from local men, with only 12 percent saying school districts (46 percent) than they approve of the way leaders from the state government (35 and legislators are handling public percent); among Democrats, 68 education and 52 percent saying percent said the money should come they disapprove. About as many from the state and only 20 percent men — 50 percent — disapprove, said it should come from local school but more of them — 21 percent — districts. Those partisan differences largely said they approve of the job state disappeared, however, when a officials are doing. Jim Henson, co-director of the second group of voters were asked poll and head of the Texas Politics the same question but offered Project at the University of Texas choices that explicitly mentioned at Austin, said voters were “broadly taxes. Overall, 50 percent said the negative” on the state’s handling money for public education should of public education, but noted come from “existing state taxes” and that only 7 percent of them said 23 percent said it should come from education is the most important “local property taxes.” Republicans
(28 percent) were more likely than Democrats (20 percent) to say local property taxes were the preferable source of funding for public education. That said, every crosssection of the poll’s voters strongly preferred existing state taxes for public education to local property taxes. “Broadly speaking, you can say that Texans of all stripes disapprove of how the Legislature is handling public ed,” said Josh Blank, manager of polling and research at UTAustin’s Texas Politics Project. “The reasons may differ, but the overall sentiment is pretty clear.” “It’s incredibly rare to find Texas Democratic and Republican voter ratings of any institution to be moving in the same direction,” he said. “We expect partisanship to really drive differences.” — An award-winning journalist for more than 20 years, Ross Ramsey is executive editor and co-founder of The Texas Tribune.
cooler that someone wants to choose, not because of the flavor, but because of the heart, because of what you represent, because of who you are and what you stand for. That’s what you want to be in life and that’s what you want to choose in life as well. Find people that you get along with because you have the same interests, same desires, same goals, same values and stick with them and be there for them as they are there for you. So, when you go to that store and look in the case where they keep on the drinks and you go to choose one, choose for the right reasons and let your friends be like your energy drink. Let them be people that lift you up that give you strength and energy and confidence and happiness and joy, all the wonderful things in life that make us better people because that’s what it is all about, being happy, helping others, being there for others and having others be there for you. Put some thought into this column as you read it. If you need to, reread it and realize that there is a lot in life that is based on decisions that we make. Make a good decision, choose wisely. PS: For me, it’s Bang Purple Haze. HA! HA! HA! Give it a try. 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.
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
Foundation|Continued from page 1 White is not sure yet what direction her counseling role will take her in the future, but says she was able to get a good look at the ins and outs of the job during her intern year. “I really love the high school level,” she said. “I did my internship with Mrs. Penny Champion here at the high school. I learned a lot under her. I was able to help with scheduling, help with ACT testing, and I was able to help with counseling students who were in ISS. I enjoyed the hands-on work that I was able to do with students at the high school level.” White said she was encouraged to pursue the counseling certification by her mother, who recently retired after working as a counselor and special education supervisor at Longview High. “I loved how she was able to be really hands-on with all her students,” she said. “She really encouraged me to become a counselor. I just decided one day to go for it, and she pushed and helped me along the way.” White said that, in addition to her mother, she is very grateful to the Foundation for helping support her goals. She would encourage any LISD employee who is interested in furthering their education to look into the Foundation’s scholarship program. “I have to say thank you to Mrs. Caroline Warren because she’s the one who encouraged me to apply for the scholarship,” White said. “I wasn’t even going to apply for it. I was thinking they would have other applicants (who would get the scholarship), but I filled it out, and loe and behold, I won it. I was just so appreciative. I appreciate her. “The worst thing they can say is no, so never doubt yourself. Don’t limit yourself. I’ve done that in the past and regretted it. I know now, don’t ever put limits on yourself.” For information on the Longview ISD Foundation and its grants or scholarship program, please visit: LISDfoundation.org
Band|Continued from page 1 working together for the greater good of their fellow students, their school and our community,” he said. “They should make us all feel very blessed and proud to be a LOBO.” The Longview High School Lobo Band specializes in military style marching that has distinguished them from other bands and has been a local tradition for more than 80 years. The 2018-19 band has 290 members and continues to grow each year. In addition to the various group events, Longview High School band members compete at UIL Solo and Ensemble Contest and also audition for The Texas Music Educators Region, Area and State bands. Assistant Band Directors Cody Sturdivant, Arri Moore, Leigh Ann
Gibson|Continued from page 1
want them to receive incorrect information, so I took all the male students to the locker room and told them Cody had passed away. What was your most rewarding moment in education? My first year as the high school principal at Mt. Pleasant. Before graduation, I remember calling one of my former teacher/ coaches to tell him how excited I was to pass out diplomas at the ceremony. It was a dream come true for me to be there in that moment and celebrate that milestone with each of my graduating seniors. The path each student took to get to that moment did not matter, but the feeling of pride and accomplishment was the same. Later that summer, we also found out the high school went from improvement required to receive five academic distinctions in one year. Who has been your role model/mentor through this journey, and how have they shaped this path? My parents have always been role models for me and I am very lucky to have them. In my professional role, my former coach, Jim Reid, was instrumental in my path to education. His example served as a motivator to consider education as a career choice. I always appreciated how he gave up so much of his time to help us become better young men. To this day, I still keep in touch with him. I also owe a great deal to my most recent mentor. For the past ten years, Judd Marshall, the superintendent at Mt. Pleasant has helped me a great deal. He is a great educator and friend that has given me many opportunities to grow as an educator. What would you say to someone you were mentoring to become a campus administrator? Look for the best in people and focus on the students. Always put their needs first. I would advise them to use their own children as an example when making decisions and if it is not good enough for their kids then it is not good enough for anyone else’s child. What would you say to someone who wants to become a teacher? Go for it! We need people in this profession that are passionate about helping kids be successful, not only in their academics but also in life. It is hard work to be a great teacher, but if you ask any great teacher they will tell you the rewards far out weigh the cost. When you become a teacher, you are going to make an impact on
with my older sister and he had to get a job to support his family. Construction was booming in the early 70’s so he started working in the electrical field. He also told me that if I ever dropped out of college, no matter how grown I thought I was, he was not going to let me do that. I assured him that would not be a possibility after that 90 hour work week. But it was time to make a change. I volunteered to coach youth league basketball because of an academic scholarship that required 16 hours of community service. The team won nine games and only lost one. I loved working with those young men and decided to change my major so I could become a teacher/coach. When I returned to school in January I changed my major and never looked back.
What was your most challenging moment in education? A tragic memory that will stay with me forever. I was teaching and coaching in my hometown, my first period class was junior high basketball. We received word some of our students were involved in an accident with a car and an eighteen wheeler. We let the students in class play past the bell because we wanted to find out more details about the accident. This is a small town of about 800 people and the students I coached had attended school together since kindergarten. We learned that one of our 6th grade students, Cody, was killed in the accident. We knew the students would find out as soon as we changed classes and we did not
November 2018
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Coming Events November 1 5 p.m. Foster at Forest Park volleyball
“Our young people are able to excel because our entire community believes in and supports our students,” he said. “The long hours
November 2 7:30 p.m. Lobos football at Tyler Lee November 3 8 a.m. Foster Math Science meet at Atlanta ISD November 4 Daylight Saving Time ends November 6 5 p.m. Forest Park at Foster football
put in my these students, their teachers, as well as the many parents and volunteers, is what keeps this tradition of excellence alive.” “Director of Bands Mr. Tommy Moore has shown that there will be no slowing down, but that the Big Green Marching Machine is still going strong,” Wilcox added.
November 7 12 p.m. Career Inspire at Maude Cobb November 9 End of 2nd Six Weeks 6 p.m. Parents Night Out at Johnston-McQueen 7 p.m. Lobos football hosts Mesquite November 10 7 p.m. Honor America Night at Lobo Stadium
Dixon, Nathan Wise and Jonathan Martinez also help direct the Longview High School Lobo Band. Longview ISD Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox said this achievement is not only a testament to the high quality of students and staff, but the many parents and community members who support this program.
November 12 Beginning of 3rd Six Week November 13 4 p.m. Fourth Street Pep Rally at Sonic November 15 5 p.m. Foster at Forest Park girls basketball November 16 7:30 p.m. Lobos football hosts Waco Midway (Class 6A playoffs) your students….it is up to you to decide if it will be a positive or negative impact. What are your goals for your campus in 2018-19? My goal for my students is for them to grow academically, socially, and emotionally. We are challenging all students to perform 10 points higher than last year’s STAAR score on every assessment this year. We are striving to earn distinctions in all academic areas and to continue to reach for the district’s goal of 90/90. What is your advice for students (on your campus) to reach those goals in 2018-19? Through effort we will achieve mastery. Each student must give us their best everyday and when they do not know something they must ask for help. We are all on the same team and that team’s purpose is to help them be successful! If they cooperate and work with the teachers and the sky is the limit. What advice do you have for parents to assist their student(s) this school year? I would encourage all parents to communicate with their child about their day at school. Ask them how their day was and try to help them through any challenges they may be facing. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone
November 19 Thanksgiving Break (Nov. 19-23) November 22 Thanksgiving Day November 29 5 p.m. Foster vs. Moses Middle (Nacogdoches) girls basketball November 30 Texas TSA Leadership Conference (Nov. 30-Dec. 1) and call us. We all want the same thing, for your child to be successful! If you could have one speaker come to your campus (famous or not), who would it be? I would have to pick Les Brown. His story is very inspiring and hearing his voice is so captivating. I love his positive messages and often look to his videos when I am need of a little inspiration! I encourage everyone to google him or look up Les Brown motivation on YouTube.
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THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
November 2018
ELEMENTARY
Lemonade stand project yields STEAM skills
Bramlette STEAM Academy teacher Mesha London creates real world scenarios for her students to develop vocabulary, math and STEAM components. One such example is a lemonade stand in her classroom. “The discussion of a mere lemonade stand led into entrepreneurship, the creation of a product, supply and demand, fair pricing, free enterprise, and research of career options; the implementation of S.T.E.A.M. across curriculum,” London said. “This topic ignited my students’ interest and kept them involved in their learning.” “The next day I created a real lemonade stand, and the necessary items were purchased to make the lesson relevant to learning.” The problem of the day included one of her student’s name and a lemonade stand scenario in which students had to calculate the profit in a given situation. London’s students used a sales flyer to find the cost of the purchased items and then priced the cup of lemonade. “As part of my mini-lesson, I inquired and posed questions to solve their newly created word problem. Upon completion of the Problem of the Day, each group was given verbal and written instructions and a specific word problem in which they were entrepreneurs who had to calculate their business’s profit based on income and expenses. All students eagerly and actively participated and assisted within their group during the activity, because they were involved and took responsibility for their own learning.” As the exit ticket, the group had to present their problem to the class once it was completed. In the end, each student ref lec ted in their journal on their learning of the activity and the objective to close out the lesson.
‘Night Out’ brings community together for fun!
Hosted by Longview Chamber of Commerce, Buckner CFS East Texas, and Ware Elementary, this year’s National Night Out was so much fun! Thank you Longview Police Department, Longview Fire Department, Longview Citizens On Patrol, and American Red Cross of East Texas for visiting with our Raising Highly Capable Kids parents about various safety topics! Thank you to Curtis Blakely & Co., PC, AT&T, Chick-fil-A 4th Street, Texas Bank and Trust, and The Made-Rite Company for providing dinner and drinks for everyone! Thank you Gamesters Paradise and Space Walk Longview, along with some sweet community friends, for the entertainment tonight! Last, but certainly not least, thank you to our wonderful volunteers and the cleaning team at Ware for helping make this evening a success!
JMQ principal motivates students with sundaes, ?
slime
It was LLS Challenge Winner day at JohnstonMcQueen Elementary on Oct. 26th! Mrs. Harris’ K indergar ten class transformed JMQ Principal Dr. Jennifer Bailey into an ice cream sundae, and Mrs. Pfeffer’s 4th grade class slimed her. So fun! (and messy!)
Sales • Parts • Service We are proud to support the Longview Independent School District and their continued growth in the community!
Family Owned for 102 Years
200 Spur 63, Longview, TX • (903) 758-6211 pegueshurstford.com
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
November 2018
Ware teacher opens South Ward hosts minds, hearts of students community math event Kiley Taylor is fully embracing the “hands on” teaching initiative Longview ISD and Ware Montessori Academy has encouraged for the 201819 school year. “I have a lot of creative projects for my students to help them understand the lessons,” said Tay lor. “ M y students are really enjoying them and it’s keeping them engaged.” A project that has opened the students minds and hearts has been the Perimeter Dioramas. The students were tasked with creating dioramas that expressed who they were as a person. “What are your interests? What do you like to do? What do you like to watch, read, or talk about? These were the things I wanted them to bring in,” said Taylor. Next the students learned about perimeters, why their were important and how to measure them. The class was asked to measure their projects and decorate finding sheets in the same theme as their dioramas.
A community event featuring Math and STEAM projects drew crowds to South Ward Elementary on Oct. 10th. Each booth had a member of the Longview High School TSA team helping South Ward students with the hands on Mathnasium of Longview math games.
The games were challenging but fun for our students. Parents were excited for an engaging night of education for their kids. “This is just one of many initiatives we are doing this school year to engage our students as well as the South Ward community,” said Principal Joaquin Guerrero.
CELEBRATE DIVERSITY! Everhart kicks off science fair season J.L. Everhart Elementary hosted a program for National Hispanic/Latino & International Day on Tuesday, October 23. Esther Davis directed the inclusive program of 11 classes ranging from grades 1-5. “I want to thank all the parents for the early morning
practices, support, encouragement and all you continue to do for our school,” said J.L. Everhart principal Arthur Brown. Dance choreographers for the program were Griselda Rosales, Scarlet Lebron, Marisol Hilerio, Bitia Saravia, Stephanie Whitten, and Aura Djurisic. Costumes were created by J.L. Everhart teachers, parent s and grandparent s. T h e breathtaking scener y was created by Gaspar Nieto.
Target donates to Montessori Academy A HUGE thank you to Target Store Longview for donating two baskets FULL of uniforms to East Texas Montessori Prep Academy on Oct. 15th! Natalie Webb’s d a u g h t e r, J a d e , wanted to help the students w i t h uniforms and reached out to managers, Vernon Weaver and Jenna Harrison. They came through with this wonderful donation to help out East Texas Montessori Prep Academy
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J.L. Everhart hosted it’s 3rd annual science night on Oct. 25th to kickoff participation for science fair projects. “This is the largest event we have hosted, that wasn’t a musical performance,” said Arthur Brown, J.L. Everhart principal. “The parents and students are having a great time and excited about science.”
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Fall Fest delights Bramlette students
November 2018
The halls were full of games, laughter, and some spooky costumes during Bramlette Elementary Fall Fest on Oct. 29th.
Lobo Cheer entertains PEPsters
Great job Tommy! Hudson PEP 4th Grade student Tommy Carlisle, shown here with his family and Principal Mrs. Sue Wilson, led the Pledge of Allegiance and the Texas Pledge during the Oct. 8th regular board meeting.
Thank you Lobo Cheerleaders for stopping by Hudson PEP Elementary on Oct. 26 to greet students as they arrived to school and perform during the morning assembly.
CLEAR BAG POLICY Beginning in August 2018, clear bag policy will be in place for all Longview ISD athletic events. Approved and non-approved types of bags are shown below. LARGE To bring bags to a home athletic event, bags must be clear and not exceed 12 in. (by 6 in. by 12 in.) or be a clear one gallon resealable plastic freezer storage bag. One per person. Bags must be clear plastic, vinyl or 12” PVC and have a maximum of one logo imprint not exceeding 4.5 in. tall x 3.4 in. wide.
12”
12”
Backpack
Printed Pattern Plastic Bag
Large Tote Bag
Fanny Pack
6” One Gallon Clear Resealable Plastic Storage Bags
Branded
Color Logo
All non-clear and/or larger than those shown on the left.
Clear
12”
12”
NOT APPROVED
APPROVED
OR
Solid Color Cinch Bag
6”
12”
Logo must not exceed 4.5”x3.4”
Purse
SMALL BAGS The only non-clear bags permitted are small clutch bags (with or without a strap) that are the size of a hand. Exceptions will be made for medically necessary items after proper inspection at designated areas.
3.5”
4.5” 6.5”
Reusable Grocery Tote
Camera Case
Colored Plastic Storage Bag
Diaper Bag
Mesh or Straw Bag
4.5” 4”
4”
18 0 2 l l Fa Wednesday, November 7th, 2018 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
November 2018
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MIDDLE SCHOOL
Judson yearbook staff earns National award
Congratulations to the 2017-18 Judson yearbook s t af f ! They won the National Yearbook of Program of Excellence Award and were the ONLY middle school staff in East Texas to receive the award. Shown here are staf fers Jackie Ro d r ig ue z , A lexa Jor genson, L ainey Mc Fa r l a n d, Emily Branham, Jessenia Hunt, Dayanara Martinez, Kaylee Brown, Michaela Hayes, Kayden Turner, and Olivia Sherrow. Also pictured is Judson Yearbook Adviser Shanell Pullum.
Let's Talk! is right at your fingertips! Scan the QR code to download Let's Talk! for Apple or Android.
JMS students ‘step it up’
Way to go Ashton Cox, Andrew Tutt, Noah Partee, and Kadee Wilkins-Clark for winning Step-It-Up! challenge prizes! To participate go to www.stepitupkids.com/ Judson75605 to register and send out emails and texts if you haven’t already. Help us reach our goal! All cash and check donations can be turned in on Nov. 6th.
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THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
November 2018
HIGH SCHOOL
Freshmen earn academic honors Longview High recognized freshman boys and girls Oct. 22nd in a celebration of first six weeks achievements. Honors included; all A honor roll, A-B honor roll, perfect attendance, citizenship, and positive role model. Principal Mr. James Brewer introduced a new concept for the Class of 2022, the chance to earn an academic letterman jacket. Students will have the opportunity to earn an academic letterman jacket in various ways by their senior year. There will be more details to come. “You will not have the option to not come to LHS and not learn something,” said Brewer. “There is something for everyone here and we want you to find what your niche is and be successful.”
Thank you, Officer Mike! The V i e we t t e s surprised Officer Mike Grisham during the Lobo game Oct. 26th with a special presentation recognizing him for 30 years of service to the organization. “Officer Mike, we can never say thank you enough to you, or to your wife Karen, and your wonderful family for sharing you with us for so many amazing years! Blessed is an understatement.” In 1988 Longview Police Department, Officer Mike Grisham, began his first season providing protection and service for the Longview High School Viewettes. Officer Mike has traveled to over 350 games with the Viewettes by his side and is beloved and respected by all who have worn the Viewette uniform since he began. On behalf of the Viewettes from lines 24 through 54 we would like to honor Officer Mike Grisham for his 30 years of dedication, love, support, and being our number one fan. Thank you, Officer Mike!
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November 2018
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WAY TO GO MYLES! Lobo FFA teams sweep events at Harvest Festival Congrat ulat ions to Myles Meader for being named the Band Member of the week for the 104.1/105.7 High School Scoreboard show, presented by Pigskin Bob and Harlen the Sports Guy at the Pep Rally on Oct. 12th. Way to go Myles!
Officers selected for Lobo FFA team
Congratulations to our new 2018-19 Longview FFA officers: President: Savannah Humphrey Vice President: Natalie Green Secretary: Jennifer Barrios Treasurer: Daja Boyd Reporter: Yahir Gaona
SkillsUSA team leaders
There was an impressive array of awards handed out to Longview High School FFA students Oct. 26th during the Longview Harvest Festival. Cooper Mayes was selected as the Grand Champion Market Goat for his entry. Alexis Freeman was named Grand Champion and Best of Show Senior Division for her salsa, joined by Madison Adams (two white ribbons), Savannah Humphrey (white ribbon), and Kelli Owings (red ribbon). In the Fine Art division Savannah Humphrey was named Reserve Grand Champion and Best of Show Senior Division. Food Creations team member Kelli Owings earned two blue ribbons for her cookies, with teammates Breanna Hawkins and Kara Vial earned red ribbons. Madison Hunka’s pig took 8th in the Swine Show, and the Lobo Ag Mechanics team earned two red Ribbons. The Photography team earned two red ribbons for Natalie Green and Savannah Humphrey. Congrats to all of our kids and their accomplishments! We are very proud of all your hard work.
Congratulations and welcome the SkillsUSA New Officers for 2018-19 school year. We can’t wait to see the amazing heights will soar to this year! President: Victor Mendoza Vice President: Victor Soto Secretary: Alejandra Aguilar Treasurer: Anna Quintero Reporter : Christy Truong Parliamentarian: Isaac Steed
Welding Arts program ‘steel’ strong 15 years strong of support for Longview Independent School District and their welding arts program! Keep up the great swork Jeff Hull!
Interact Club ready for gametime
Lobo Nation appreciates this group of guys in the Interact Club. The Interact Club is a community and school spirit group sponsored by the Rotary Club of Longview. Most people recognize them for running onto the field carrying the L-O-B-O-S flags after every Longview touchdown.
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THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
November 2018
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6/27/18 8:08 AM
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November 2018
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SPORTS
STATE-RANKED, UNDEFEATED
Lobos continue their winning ways Led by a powerhouse offense and a shutdown defense, the state-ranked Longview Lobos have continued their winning ways through the month of October. Blasting district opponents Mesquite Horn, Rockwall-Heath, and North Mesquite in consecutive weeks, the Lobos head into the final stretch of the regular season with the momentum to make a deep postseason run. Here is a round-up of the games Longview has played this month, provided to us by the excellent staff of ETSN.fm and their talented photographers, as well as our own proud Lobo alumna Ginger Elder Cannon/Shot By Cannons Photography! LOBOS 50, Mesquite Horn 3 The Lobos returned home Oct. 12th and turned in a dominant showing at Lobo Stadium. With touchdowns through the air, on the ground and a solid defensive night, Longview rolled to a 50-3 win against Mesquite Horn in a District 11-6A clash at Lobo Stadium. Haynes King totaled 175 yards through the air with three touchdowns and Keilyn Williams and Jessie Anderson fit the bill with a pair of first-half scores as Longview took a 35-0 lead at intermission. Anderson had 78 yards while Williams tacked on 75 for the 6-0 Lobos. Kamden Perry had a touchdown snag of 60 yards, Daquavion Randall had a six-yard scoring catch and JD Williams had a touchdown run and catch for Longview. Perry finished with 129 receiving yards, including a few long scampers after the catch. LOBOS 48, Rockwall Heath 10 ROCKWALL – Longview got a strong start in its latest big win. The fourth-ranked Lobos scored on the first snap and rolled to a 48-10 over Rockwall-Heath in District 11-6A action Oct. 20th at Wilkerson-Sanders Memorial Stadium. Haynes King connected with three different receivers in a five-touchdown night overall. He had four passing touchdowns and scampered for another. Kamden Perry was on the receiving end of two of those passes for a 103-yard night receiving. King totaled 275 yards through the air for the Lobos (7-0, 3-0), who led 27-10 at intermission. Jessie Anderson had a rushing touchdown to go with 69 yards rushing. Keilyn Williams
tallied 87 on 13 totes. JD Williams and Kevin Jones had a touchdown grab each as well. JK Martin had two field goal boots. The Lobos held Heath (2-6, 1-3) to one score and a field goal in the win. King hit Perry on Longview’s first snap then Jones before Anderson’s touchdown run for a 21-0 lead. Heath found the end zone on a long passing play early in the second quarter. Martin’s kicks made it 27-10 at halftime before the Lobos scored 21 unanswered in the second half. LOBOS 63, North Mesquite 3 With another total team effort, No. 4 Longview built a commanding first-quarter lead and rolled from there in a 63-3 thumping of the North Mesquite Stallions in District 11-6A on Oct. 27th at Lobo Stadium. The Lobos, who moved to 8-0 on the season and 4-0 in district play and clinched a postseason spot as a result, had two touchdowns through the air, two more on the ground and a safety to build a 29-0 lead after the first stanza, a margin that blew up to 50-0 at intermission on the way to the 60-point win. Haynes King had three passing touchdowns on tosses of 67, 14 and seven yards and finished an efficient 8-of-11 for 172 yards. Kamden Perry, Kaden Kearbey and Keilyn Williams were on the receiving end of those scoring strikes. Jessie Anderson blasted a pair of touchdown runs to the tune of three and 16 yards, leading a Lobo rushing attack that saw six different players score on the night. Longview forced two fumbles in the win, turning both Stallions (3-4, 1-3) miscues into points. King connected with Kearbey and Williams on the first two Lobo drives before back-to-back scampers from Anderson and a safety off a punt in North Mesquite’s end zone made it 29-0l in the first quarter. King and Perry connected to start the second, which was rounded out by scores from Kevin Jones and Jordan Malone. Longview finishes the regular season 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9th with Senior Night against the “Skeeters” of Mesquite High.
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KING NAMED
John King took over as head coach of the Longview Lobos more than a decade ago. In those years, he has put up more than 150 wins, the most in school history. “One word how I coach: Passionate,” King said. “Football means so much to everyone, [especially] me personally. There’s a passion for it.” There is little doubt that King is a winner. He’s been to the playoffs in each of his 14 seasons with the Lobos. He has won 12 district titles and made it to the state finals twice. “This head job is the only one I wanted,” King said. “I’m proud to say I’m the head coach of the Longview Lobos, and I want to keep it as long as I can.” King looks poised to win his way toward another playoff berth. Longview is undefeated and stateranked going into last weeks of the regular season.
Future of Lady Lobo volleyball looks bright!
November 2018
Once A Lobo, Always A Lobo
Congratulations are in order for LHS alums Victor McGee and Carlos Lee. These two former Lobo luminaries were presented with rings in recognition of the 1980 Kilgore College Rangers they helped lead to a league title. Bot h of t hese gentlemen were induc ted into the Kilgore College Football Hall of Fame on October 7th, 2018.
Tennis teams power into playoffs
Congratulations to Lobo Tennis for their Bi-District playoff win against Copperas Cove on Oct. 15th. The win put them at 13-6 on the season and sent them to face the winner of Garland Sachse vs McKinney Boyd. Standouts were Chris Holyfield and Nitin Rangu who won doubles for Longview High. Freshman, Rachna Edalur and Gowri Rangu won a tough 3 set doubles match at #1 girls doubles for Longview. Boys Doubles Chris Holyfield/Nitin Rangu vs Chapman/Samarripa: 6-1, 6-2 Austin Greifenkamp/Zach Fasang vs Diaz/Fernandez: 6-1, 6-1 Connor Gilliland/Matthew Nguyen vs Alejandro/Whitney: 6-0, 6-0 Girls Doubles Gowri Rangu/Rachna Edalur vs Abraham/Manuel: 5-7, 7-5,10-7 Kelsey Quiett/ Elizabeth Wall vs Kinere/Purdum: 7-6(3), 6-2 Delia Acuna/Bhavna Singh vs Gray/Pollot 7-6(3), 4-6,10-6 Mix Simran Kortikere/Elliot Murphy vs Derosia/Harris: 6-1, 6-1 Boys Singles Zach Fasang Vs Noah Samarripa: 6-1, 6-2 Nitin Rangu vs Noah Chapman: 6-1, 6-2 Chris Holyfield vs Ben Fernandez 2-1 dnf Girls singles Simran Kortikere vs Zamira Manuel: 6-0, 6-1
Congrats to our LIL’ SPIKERS on playing in their first tournament vs Tatum LIL Bumpers on Oct. 13th. Our 5th/6th grade MINT ICE team won the championship, and out 5th/6th grade Pink Panthers won consolation! Congrats girls and keep working hard!
Get your Lobo yard signs!
We can make a sign for any organization, don’t miss out! Email us at lobomajorettes@gmail.com if you missed us!
THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
November 2018
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THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
November 2018
Lobo University events Get your holiday in November, January poinsettias now HIGH SCHOOL
continued
It’s poinsettia time! The Viewettes have begun our annual poinsettia fundraiser. Poinsettias are $10 and come in red, white, and pink! All orders are due November 9th and poinsettias will be delivered the week of November 29th! Contact your favorite Viewette or message us to help your home, church, or business get ready for the most wonderful time of the year!
Board OKs applying for ‘District of Innovation’ status
LISD trustees unanimously approved LISD staff developing a plan to apply for designation as a “District of Innovation,” during Monday night’s regular meeting. The Districts of Innovation program was passed by the 84th Legislative Session in House Bill 1842 in 2015, and Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox said receiving this status can “give us some operational flexibility and some local control, which will allow us to better serve our students.” Each district that is part of the program must apply for specific types of ideas and methods. Districts are eligible for the designation if certain performance requirements are met and the district follows certain procedures, as described on the Texas Education Agency website. The program allows traditional school districts the opportunity to use flexible operation strategies similar to open-enrollment charter schools. District of Innovation status also exempts the district from certain sections of the Texas Education Code, as determined by the school district’s Innovation Plan. Dr. Jody Clements, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources & Community Relations said the district will immediately begin developing policies and procedures “to address implementation for the exemptions included in our plan.” One of the exemptions, Dr. Clements added, concerns the requirement to hire certified teachers. “Obviously it is our top priority to hire the most skilled, talented, and exceptional certified teachers, at every level,” he said. “At the same time, this program offers us some flexibility to certify teachers for positions that are traditionally harder to fill. For example, those within the career and technology field.” Trustees meet in the boardroom of the LISD Education Support Center, 1301 E. Young St. The next regular meeting is tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. Nov. 12th. Lobo Football History Book
Going, Going, Almost Gone! F R I D AY
FRIDAY L W O H T H G NI
OWL N IGH T H 90000>
301933
Take a journey through the Longview (Texas) High School football program – all the way back to the beginning in 1909.
ot h am B y Je re m y C
0193-3 8-1-5323-
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NGVIEW HIG
Y OF LO THE HISTOR
Jeremy Cotham’s dream of publishing a complete history of Longview High School Lobo Football is a reality. In 2009 the Lobos helped him battle leukemia and eventually helped inspire him to create this book. Jeremy lost his battle with cancer in 2015, but his legacy remains alive with this publication.
am
By Jeremy Coth
This one-of-a-kind 180-page, hard-cover yearbook-style collector’s item features each season (all 107 of them), including the scores of each game, season summaries, information on coaches, players, photographs, rosters and more!
Cost $40 Top-Quality Yearbook-Style Book Published by Herff Jones ®
Perfect Book for All Lobos – Past & Present – And for Every Lobo Fan! LIMITED NUMBER OF BOOKS REMAIN BUY YOUR COPY BEFORE THEY SELL OUT email: Cotham75605@yahoo.com • Call David Cotham: 903-736-4637 NOTE: Books will be sold at the LISD Athletic Office during season ticket renewals. Books also on sale at Louis Morgan Drug No. 4 during regular business hours.
It’s never too early for high school students to start preparing for college and the LHS College and Career Center is hosting a series of events to help spur students to consider their options now that the school year is underway: Session 3: Monday, November 12, 6:30 PM Greater East Texas College Night at Maude Cobb Activity Center sponsored by the Greater Longview Organization for Business and Education (GLOBE) 6:30 PM. Free admission. Target Audience: 9th through 12th grade parents and students Representatives from over one hundred colleges, universities, and technical schools and the military will be present to answer questions about admission, financial aid, and academic programs. This is a great opportunity to be added to the schools’ mailing lists and to visit with college recruiters. Session 5: Wednesday, January 16, 2019, 6:30 PM, outside the LHS College and Career Center on the second floor of the main building Topic: “The PSAT, SAT, ACT and Getting Juniors Ready to Apply to College” Target Audience: 9th-11th Grade Parents First, Kay Ray and Linda Buie will explain the components of the October 2018 PSAT score report. All freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who took the October 2018 PSAT and their parents are encouraged to attend. Next, Kay Ray, scholarship coordinator, and Tieraney Beall, academic advisor, will explain all that juniors need to do during the spring semester so that they are ready to apply to college in fall 2019 of their senior year. Information will include taking college admission exams, writing college admission essays, and meeting college deadlines. Session 6: Wednesday, January 23, 2019, 6:30 PM, outside the LHS College and Career Center on the second floor of the main building Topic: “Earning College Scholarships” Target Audience: 12th Grade Parents Kay Ray, scholarship coordinator, will explain how students can earn thousands in scholarships from local community organizations, businesses, churches, and school organizations. Mrs. Ray will also explain the importance of the student resumé, giving examples to follow so students can create an outstanding resumé, and the importance of letters of recommendation. She will have a list of all the local scholarships LHS students won by the Class of 2019. Visit the Longview High School Counseling and Guidance Website for information about college, college visits, college recruiters visiting LHS, college admission testing, and scholarship resources and available applications for LHS students. Please check the daily announcements for the latest information.
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November 2018
A teacher’s work is September never done... Chromebook winner! Everyone knows teaching is not an 9-5 job. It’s not even close. It is getting to campus at 6:45 a.m. for drop off duty, it’s staying late for a conference with a concerned parent, it is working until 7 p.m. for that program to show parents what your students have been working on, it’s working weekends to get those papers graded so your students can see how much they improved from Friday’s test, it’s working late hours after their own kids go to bed to finish lesson plans (or grade papers, projects, etc), and the list goes on and on and on. This is why we need to thank a teacher every week for what they are doing and how they shape our students. For example, these teachers stayed until 7 p.m. Oct. 18th at Bramlette to help parents work with their 3rd Grade students in preparation for the STAAR test in the spring. Thank YOU to Nikita Mumphrey (Principal), Ashley Oden (3rd Grade Team Lead), Kentrell Brittentine (3rd Grade), Kelsi McNeill (3rd Grade), Yolanda Juarez (3rd Grade Bilingual), Mabel King (4th Grade), Kasey Stewart (1st Grade), Debbie Warner (2nd Grade), and Mesha London (4th Grade Team Lead).
Way to go, Mr. Beard!
Congratulations to Kasie Koonce who was awarded a set of Chromebooks from the LISD Instructional Technology Department. Each month our Instructional Technology team holds a drawing for six Chromebooks to to incentivize using technology in the classroom through the badge program. When a teacher uses one of the 15 technology tools and documents three lessons using the tech tool with their ITS, they earn a badge and an entry into the monthly Chromebook drawings. Teachers may gain one entry per tool.
Announcing the Longview ISD Foundation’s Pecan Sale
The Longview ISD Foundation brings you freshly shelled Azalea Brand Pecans, golden, meaty pecans from one of the South’s finest Georgia orchards at a great price for a great cause! You will love these pecans for snacking and cooking! Longview has enjoyed Azalea brand pecans for many years, and now the Longview ISD Foundation, Inc. is bringing them annually to you for your holiday and every day enjoyment. The Longview ISD Foundation is offering one-pound bags of fresh, golden, delicious Mammoth Pecan Halves and onepound Azalea Gourmet Mix of toasted and salted pecan halves, cashews, brazil nuts, hazel nuts, and large almonds for delivery to LISD campuses during the week of November 5-9. Complete the order form below and return cash or check or money order made payable to the Longview ISD Foundation by one of two ways:
Congratulations to LISD board member Ted Beard who was elected to TASB Board of Directors. Beard will be serving as second VicePresident.
(1) Mail to the Longview ISD Foundation, Inc., Attention: Kay Ray, P. O. Box 2807, Longview, Texas 75606 no later than Monday, October 22, 2018 OR (2) Give to your child’s teacher or campus clerk to return by school mail to Kay Ray, Foundation’s executive director, at the LISD Education Support Center no later than Monday, October 22, 2018.
Please print CLEARLY! Name of Person Placing the Order__________________________________________ Telephone Number ______________________________________________________ Email address ___________________________________________________________ Name of LISD student and LISD campus where delivery _______________________________________________________________________ Number of Bags Ordered
Item Description
should
be
made
Price Per Bag
One-pound bag Mammoth Pecan Halves
$15.00
One-pound Azalea Gourmet Mix
$13.00
Total Payment Enclosed The Longview ISD Foundation is an education foundation that requests, receives, maintains, and uses funds to maximize the quality of education available to all students in LISD. Since 1996, the Foundation has returned $792,000 to LISD classrooms and campuses to fund programs and learning tools that are beyond the district’s budget. Every day students enjoy programs and equipment made possible through the fundraising efforts of the Longview ISD Foundation. Thank you for your support. Enjoy your delicious pecans!
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Thank you ETPCU! LISD seeking ‘Distinguished Alumni’ nominees November 2018
Congratulations and happy Monday to the winners of Longview ISD Convocation East Texas Professional Credit Union gift cards! Longview High School: Laura Horn and Debbie Thompson Judson Middle School: Danita Means East Texas Montessori Prep Academy: Silvia Barrera Hudson PEP: Susan Gary Early Graduation High School: Rochelle Ceballos
The Longview ISD Alumni Association is accepting nominations for distinguished alumni to be honored by the district next spring. The deadline for
nominations is 4 p.m. Dec. 7th, 2018. Nomination applications can be picked up at the district’s administration building at 1301 E. Young St. or by downloading them from the district website: www.LISD.org All nominees must be alumni of Longview High School, and they must have graduated at least 10 years ago. For more information, please contact LISD Community Relations at (903) 381-2200.
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Survey finds teacher stress higher than average
By Madeline Will, Education Week Teachers are feeling especially stressed, disrespected, and less enthusiastic about their jobs, a new survey has found. The survey, released by the American Federation of Teachers and the advocacy group Badass Teachers Association earlier this year, included responses from about 5,000 educators. It follows a 2015 survey on educator stress—and finds that stress levels have grown and mental health has declined for this group in the past two years. AFT surveyed a random sample of 830 of its members, and the rest of the respondents took the survey online after the survey was pushed out on AFT and BAT social media channels and email lists. It’s worth noting that the respondents who follow these channels might be more likely to feel more passionate about social justice in schools, and because they chose to take the survey, might be more disgruntled with their working conditions. The survey also cites 2014 national stress data from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health for comparison to average U.S. workers. The survey found that educators find work to be stressful 61 percent of the time—and nearly a quarter of respondents said work was “always” stressful. Meanwhile, workers in the general population report that work is stressful 30 percent of the time. Respondents in the AFT random sample reported an average of seven days in the last month that their mental health was not good—and respondents to the public survey reported 12 bad mental health days. Meanwhile, the majority of U.S. working adults reported zero days in the last 30 that their mental health was not good. Why are teachers feeling so stressed? The survey points to several factors. While most educators report having control over classroom-level decisions, like teaching techniques and homework and grading policies, they have less inf luence over schoolwide decisions. Most teachers have minor or no influence over school budget decisions, nearly half have little or no say in determining professional development content, and 40 percent said they have minor or no influence in establishing curriculum at their schools. (A different study released last week found that when teachers have more control in schoolwide decisions, student test scores are higher.) The AFT/BAT survey also found that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed, and threatened at work than other workers. About 26 percent of respondents in the random sample said they were bullied at work
in the last year, and 43 percent of respondents in the public survey group said the same. Meanwhile, only 7 percent of U.S. workers experience workplace bullying. They noted that 50 percent of teachers identified a student as a bully; 35 percent identified a principal, administrator, or supervisor; 31 percent identified a parent; and 23 percent identified a co-worker. Finally, many teachers reported not feeling respected by the media and state and federal elected officials—and 86 percent said they felt disrespected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. AFT President Randi Weingarten pointed out in a press call that the uptick in teachers’ stress and anxiety corresponds with the presidential election and President Donald Trump taking office. “A different, newer stressor is becoming more clear—the sense of coarseness, division, and polarization that is coming directly from the White House,” she said. “All of these outside stressors—topdown requirements, [policymakers] not listening to their voice, tweets every single day from the president, the enabling and increasing in bullying—all of that is seeping into their classrooms every single day.” A recent study from UCLA’s Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access found that not only are high school students negatively impacted by the national political divisiveness, but 67 percent of teachers surveyed said their stress levels increased during the 2016-17 school year, with almost half of the teachers pointing to the election as a cause. Teachers said they struggled to create classrooms that are safe and welcoming for all students. As part of an Education Week Teacher special report on teachers’ social-emotional competencies, I reported that self-care is essential
November 2018
for teachers— educators and researchers both agree that happy teachers lead to happy students. One award-winning teacher wrote that it took a trip to rehab to make him realize that he needed to set boundaries as a teacher to stave off burnout.
“No more giving ‘whatever it takes,’ but giving ‘what I can give within the context of my health, finances, and family,’” he wrote. “Treat teaching as a calling and a career. This is sustainable. This is how you last.”
Promoting creative expression of grassroots artists. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3rd Join the Board of Directors of Keep Longview Beautiful in celebrating our glorious grassroots friends and family! Enjoy live music, food and drink, hands-on entertainment for the family, shop merchants for the holiday season and take part in friendly tournaments of Jenga and Cornhole.
For sign-up information or vendor applications go to KeepLongviewBeautiful.org The Green is located at the entryway of Highway 31 and Spur 63, Longview, Texas.
Free to the public! Holiday shopping at its best! PO Box 552 • Longview, TX 75606 (903) 212-4552 • klb@longviewtexas.gov
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Retired teachers struggle to afford healthcare DALLAS – Most public school teachers did not get into the profession to get rich but for their years of service, the Texas government promised teachers a small pension at retirement and affordable healthcare the rest of their life. That was the deal. Teachers say they have made good on their part but say Texas is no longer
holding up its end of the bargain. This year more than 270,000 retired teachers in Texas saw their health insurance costs skyrocket. The dramatic increase has forced some retirees back into the workforce and others to forgo filling their prescriptions. After nearly 30 years working as a teacher and coach at Grand Prairie High School, Randy Heisig spends a lot of his time at the golf course. Most days, however, Heisig is not playing golf instead; he is working as a course marshal. Heisig said he enjoys his job but wishes he could work 20 hours a week not the nearly 40 hours he now needs to. “When I left teaching, I was ready to give up the full time stuff,” Heisig said. Without working the extra hours along with working two other part-time jobs, Heisig, who is diabetic, said he could not afford his two insulin shots. For years with the insurance the state provided him as a retired teacher, his insulin shots cost him $50 a month. This year he is paying $900 a month until he meets his $1500 deductible when his cost will go to $180 a month. Heisig said, “It’s a huge difference when you are on the fixed income.” Heisig said he is fortunate he is able to earn extra income. For other retired teachers their health limits their options.
November 2018
Valerie Babbitt spent 23 years teaching high school in Bells ISD before having to retire early because of a debilitating autoimmune disease. Babbitt said last year she spent roughly $30 a month on her prescriptions. This year those same drugs with insurance, she said, will cost her more than $1,300 until she reaches her deductible. “I can’t afford that,” she said. So Babbitt is now skipping doses and against her doctor’s advice said no to a pricey infusion therapy “I’m going to lose my life because I have quit taking some medication that I need to stop the progression of the disease and I’m upset about that,” she said. State Representative Dan Flynn is the Chairman of the House Pension Committee. He passed the legislation that changed the health care coverage for retired teachers. He said he had to. “It would have gone broke,” the Republican lawmaker from Van explained. “It was unsustainable.” With an increase in health care costs and with retired teachers now living longer, state lawmakers last year added more than a half-billion dollars to the retired teacher health care system to keep the system afloat. That was not enough, however, so the state raised deductibles and premiums on retired teachers. Flynn said, “It may not be what a retired teacher likes or wants but we are doing what we can. We’ve even taken money out of the rainy day fund and we’ve never done anything like that before.” The retired teachers’ health system faces a projected shortfall of $400 million by 2021. This means it is only going to get harder for those struggling to pay for their medicine. “If I had known this from the very beginning at day one, when I retired, I also could have planned better for that kind of situation,” Heisig said. “I feel let down by a lot of people.” Many retired teachers want lawmakers to combine the retired teachers health insurance with the health insurance plan that most other retired state employees are covered by, including retired state lawmakers. Flynn said the state employee plan, known as the ERS, may look different but is not necessarily better.
To Join The Booster Club You may choose from five levels of membership: Fans are anticipating an exciting year of football in 2018. After going to the 6A Division II Semifinal round in the playoffs last year, we are looking forward to another successful season in District 11-6A. Please join the LOBO Football Booster Club and support this effort. The proceeds of the Booster Club’s work will go to improving LOBO football - for the players, coaches, and fans. We fund uniforms, equipment, and supplies. An important source of our funding comes from supporters like you, who join the Booster Club, advertise in the Friday night football program (Printing Deadline July 18, 2018), and/or advertise on the Jumbotron/stadium signs. To join the Booster Club, select an appropriate level of support from this brochure, complete the membership form, and then return it to the address provided. If you are interested in advertising, please visit www.lobosfootball. com and click on the Booster Club link for more details.
Each level of membership is tax deductible and receives a Booster Club T-Shirt and Rockin’ L along with your name listed in our Friday Night Program.
1ST & GOAL - $25 2ND & GOAL - $50 3RD & GOAL - $100 Receive one reserved parking pass
4TH & GOAL - $200 Receive two reserved parking passes
TOUCHDOWN CLUB - $300 Receive three reserved parking passes
All Booster Club members are welcome to attend our meetings, which are held the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the remodeled area of the press box.
Lobo Football Booster Club Board President: Don Reeves First Vice-President: Dan Sorey Second Vice-President: Chuck King Secretary: Ginny Powell Treasurer: Debbie Knutson Assistant Treasurer: Jesus Mancha Football Program: Crystal Hill, Becky Beltran, JoCarol Cox & Tracey Goram-Welch Membership: Alicia Farr Merchandise: “Open” See Website Visit our website: www.lobosfootball.com
Merchandise Lobo merchandise can be purchased in our Lobo store located inside the athletic office on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8:00 am until noon and in the merchandise trailer at each varsity home game.
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November 2018
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Board approves ‘School Choice’ After the lifting of a 1970 federal desegregation earlier this year, Longview ISD has developed a plan to ensure equitable access to education opportunities. During their regular meeting Monday night, the LISD board of trustees unanimously voted to adopt a Voluntary Desegregation Plan for magnet school programs in accordance with the United States Department of Education Magnet
Schools Assistance Program Grant. Under the federal desegregation order, the district was required to submit reports and documentation to the Justice Department, and any changes to school attendance zones or campuses required court approval. Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox explained that, while Longview ISD is no longer under the direct federal oversight, the district “will continue to ensure all of Longview’s students have fair and equitable access to our best educational opportunities.” Wilcox said the voluntary desegregation plan is designed to support the district’s efforts to: • Provide instruction and experiences that foster understanding and that further integrate students of different backgrounds together. • Remedy the separation of minority students in one or more schools within the district; • Prevent, reduce and/or eliminate social, racial, ethnic or economic isolation; • Ensure equal educational opportunity and access for all students; and • Cultivate student integration and diversity. On Jan. 20, 1970, the Longview Independent School District became subject to a court-ordered desegregation plan designed to eliminate one-race schools and achieve racial balance between the district’s black and white student populations. In the years that followed, the district implemented numerous measures to achieve its desegregation goals. Due to the success of the district’s court-ordered desegregation efforts, Longview ISD achieved unitary status on June 15, 2018. When granting LISD unitary status, the court looked to the enrollment data in the October 2017 annual report submitted to the court. This data established that as of the Fall of 2017, the district’s overall enrollment was 38 percent black, 33 percent Hispanic, and 26 percent white. Interestingly, the most current U.S. Census Bureau statistics show the white population of Longview as 71 percent white and 22 percent black. While the district celebrates its success in achieving the desegregation goals ordered by the court, research shows that segregation rises when court orders end. LISD Magnet Grant Director Dr. Craig Coleman said the district has a compelling interest in preventing resegregation, eliminating the negative effects of past racial isolation of black students, and achieving the educational benefits of diversity. “By bringing together students of different racial, socioeconomic and family educational backgrounds, as well as making challenging, yet attractive curricular programming available to traditionally under-represented students, LISD seeks to prevent minority group isolation and any loss of the gains it achieved while under the desegregation order,” he said. “Further, we also seek to attract students to the district to offset minority group isolation, and better reflect the makeup of the community.” How It Works The principal strategy used by Longview ISD to prevent, eliminate, and/or reduce the isolation of minority students is through the establishment of and continuation of existing magnet and charter schools. A magnet school as defined in Sec. 5302 [20 U.S.C. 7231a] is a public elementary school, public secondary school, public elementary education center, or public secondary education center that offers a special curriculum capable of attracting substantial numbers of students of different racial backgrounds. Under LISD’s Voluntary Desegregation Plan, a magnet school is experiencing minority group isolation if the Black student population exceeds 53 percent. Theme-Based Magnet Schools In response to a strong community desire — established through a series of town hall meetings throughout the community, strategic planning workshops, and stakeholder feedback — the Board of Trustees is focusing magnet school expansion on four key areas: • STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) • International Baccalaureate (IB) • Early College High School • Montessori Education These themes will be developed and provided at the following magnet schools:
In addition to existing magnet school programs, the district reserves the right to establish additional programs as needed in order to better foster diversity. Student Selection Magnet school programs are open to all students. Schools will not use academic performance criteria as admissions criteria to gain entrance into the magnet schools.
• Automatic Admission: Students currently enrolled in a magnet school shall be able to continue at the school without application, though interdistrict transfer students must annually submit an out-of-district transfer form in accordance with Texas Education Code 25.036. Students who reside in the school’s attendance zone, whose sibling(s) attend(s) the school, or whose parent or guardian work at the school shall be automatically admitted. • Weighted Lottery: After automatic admissions have been placed, for each grade level where the number of applications received exceeds the number of spaces available, a student lottery shall be conducted. The lottery will be weighted with priority given to the following: - Programmatic Continuity from Feeder School A student who attended a magnet or charter campus will be given priority to continue the thematic pathway at the next campus level. - Make-up of Geographic Area An analysis of geographic areas within and outside the district, based on the percentage of single parent households, household income, homeowners, and educational attainment shall be conducted to determine the area’s demographics. Based on this analysis, priority shall be given to students, regardless of the individual student’s race, from geographic areas that would prevent or reduce minority group racial isolation. School-Choice Timeline The district’s Office of School Choice has established a timeline to ensure consistency with recruitment fairs, applications, lotteries, and acceptance letters as follows: November-February — information/recruitment sessions; March — applications are due; April — lotteries are held if necessary and notification letters are sent via U.S. Mail to students selected through the lottery; May 1st — commitment letters are due to the Office of School Choice; May — Registration and Commitment meetings. The Office of School Choice maintains a database of all applicants and enrollees by school/program. Schools shall be responsible for providing information to parents. The Office of School Choice shall provide support to parents in the magnet school selection/ assignment process. Marketing and Awareness Efforts The magnet program director will work closely with LISD’s Office of School Choice and the individual magnet schools for an informational and recruitment campaign to solicit intra- and inter-district magnet school candidates throughout the year. The annual marketing and recruitment campaign will advertise programmatic themes of each LISD campus, explain the transfer process, and publicize a campus informational tour schedule with accessible tour dates throughout the school year and summer months. Monitoring and Accountability The district will annually monitor and assess the effectiveness of its efforts to foster diversity at all sites and efforts to avoid minority group isolation. This will include an analysis of: • The percentage of socio-economically disadvantaged students at each school • The number of new applications to the magnet school each year • The percentage of black/non-black students at each school • The effectiveness of the district’s choice programs • The effectiveness of the district’s magnet schools • The district will continue to collect and maintain data necessary for such analysis and will take any necessary corrective action through race-neutral outreach and recruitment. The administration will monitor implementation of the magnet program and demographic indicators and shall make periodic reports to the board regarding implementation. Non-Discrimination Policies Longview ISD is committed to providing an equal opportunity for all students to learn through the curriculum offered, regardless of a student’s race, color, creed, disability, religion, sex, gender, ancestry, age, national origin, or socioeconomic background, or any other legally protected characteristic. No person shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination by the district on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, age, disability, or relationship or association with an individual with a disability. Information and questions regarding the Voluntary Desegregation Plan can be addressed to the Office of School Choice at (903) 381-2200.
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THE LONGVIEW VOICE —
November 2018