Volume V, Issue 22 (August 1, 2020)

“The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” ― Aristotle

Vol. V August 1, 2020

Sharing the good news about Longview Independent School District

Public charter amendments OK’d by board Longview Independent School District trustees authorized the amended and restated performance contracts with Longview LEAP, Texas Council for International Studies, and East Texas Advanced Academy for Longview ISD campuses, during their regular meeting July 13th.

Dr. Craig Coleman, LISD Chief Innovation Officer said the TEA was very COLEMAN complimentary of the contracts and applications that were submitted, “However, they did ask for clarity in a couple of areas.”

“Those areas include ensuring the partners have the autonomy to determine assessments utilized and to clearly show the first year operating budgets for the partners,” he said. “The contracts have been updated to include the recommendations.

Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox Board|Continued to page 15

RETURN TO LEARN LISD prepares for COVID school year

A

s the start of a new school year draws near, Longview ISD has created three back to school models for parents and students.

“We have the general ‘Return to Learn’ plan, and each campus may put their specific nuances onto that,” said John York, LISD Director of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction. “But that is the framework for our return (to school).”

Return|Continued to page 7

All plans stated here and online are subject to review and change per TEA, Gov. Abbott’s, and local officials’ guidance.

YORK

More incentive pay for district teachers The first rewards of the Teacher Incentive Allotment in Texas are due to hit some fortunate teachers’ bank accounts very soon.

For the first phase, LISD submitted 54 teachers from across the district for local designation considering. The Texas Education Agency is scheduled to notify LISD of provisional approval on Aug. 1.

“Provisional approval simply refers

THE

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ongview oice

to LISD being able to utilize only ‘student growth’ for years one and two when making local designation determinations (Recognized, Exemplary, Master) without the additional statute required teacher observation component,” said John York, LISD Director of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction.

Pay|Continued to page 19

Opinion Rep Dean

2 3

Marching Band 4 Senior Favorites 8-11

Sports Social

13 18

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE — August 2020

OPINION

We must change with the world

By Matthew Prosser

see the chaos and confusion of the days we are living in today. I wonder how he will see my actions in retrospect, and if they will seem wise or foolish.

world as it was.

would it not be best to accommoOUR LEADERS date our teachers in whatever My youngest son recently way we can to ease their already asked me, “When are things goMUST ACT onerous burden and best serve ing to be normal?”

I join the chorus of our students’ true needs?

“Probably never,” was my voices from administraAs I examine the challenges response, and I meant it. I don’t tors, teachers, parents, of our day, I cannot help but feel think we will ever go back to and even students across that COVID-19 offers us a treTHE WORLD where we were before the sudour nation who are callmendous opportunity for indiden intrusion of “Coronavirus” HAS CHANGED ing upon our leaders to vidual and collective evolution. I (COVID-19) into our lives.

Albert Einstein once PROSSER act in the best interests believe it is a time to “go back to Now, to be fair, my 8-year-old said, “The world as we of all and abandon (or the drawing board” so to speak, son was only asking me about have created it is a process of our at the very least suspend) these and possibly rewrite the next when we could do things like go to thinking. It cannot be changed outmoded processes. phase of our futures. Our sons Six Flags or go out to eat without without changing our thinking.”

What academic data can be and daughters are watching us, having to wear surgical masks.

So too is our philosophy of and gleaned during a global pandemnot only with the eyes of today’s But I wanted to make clear to approach to education. ic when educators are starting children but as future adults him just how unprecedented are Our current approach to public the school year already months with the benefit of hindsight. the times in which we live. education (flawed as it might be) behind, while districts are still They will someday read how Being on the youthful side of was adequately suited to the par- scrambling to serve our most we all fought to rise above this “Generation X” (those born from ticular rhythms and attributes of disadvantaged populations? How plague (with or without a vac1965 to 1980), I remember being our pre-COVID era. In a time be- can we even begin to close the cine) to overcome similar advera child when the scourge of HIV/ fore “social distancing” it probably gaps of academics when the ensities during their own times.

AIDS gripped our civilization. made sense to establish firm and tirety of public education is now Rabindranath Tagore once Though still quite young, I respecific parameters of instruction- tasked with closing the gaps of said, “Do not limit children to member the irrational fear and al minutes and teacher-to-student inadequate technology access due your own way of learning, for paranoia. I also remember how ratios and standardized testing to the vicious cycle of poverty? they were born in another time.” education about the virus was and accountability ratings and so Perhaps someday in the fuWill the lessons of history the only thing that (eventually) on and so forth. ture — on some blessed golden teach that we changed with the helped to calm the initial panic.

But that time has passed. day when the Coronavirus is no changes of our times, or will our But it seemed like it still took a We are now no longer living in more and children are free to obdurate unwillingness to grow long time for numerous pervathe same world we lived in this sneeze on each other with mortal and adapt make our age a causive myths about HIV/AIDS to time last year. Thus, we cannot fear — we can go back to these tionary tale? eventually be drowned out by continue to operate under the halcyon days of teaching to the Time will tell. scientific research and facts. same ontological assumptions test and of allocating funding — Matthew Prosser is an I wonder if that is how our that guided our previous modes based on which district best award-winning journalist and photogpresent-day will seem for my of instruction. games the system. But for now, rapher. Matthew is a Communications young son when he looks back. I We must educate our children while we all continue to stumble Specialist for Longview ISD and a wonder at how his older eyes will in the world as it is, not in the through this present darkness, born-again Lobo.

COVID-19 cuts coming to Texas state budget?

By Ross Ramsey The Texas Tribune The cuts come next.

The latest news from the Texas comptroller — that the state will have $11.6 billion less to spend in its current budget than lawmakers expected — leads straight to a conversation about which programs and services in the state budget are expendable.

That conversation is already underway. The timing is tricky.

A lot of the lawmakers who’ll make those budget decisions are campaigning for reelection in November. The Legislature will be in session in January — just six months from now — to revise the current budget and write the next one.

And the budgeteers are working without all of the information they’d like to have.

Despite their efforts, the

state’s forecasting flashty,” he said in the cover lights don’t shine very far letter to state leaders. into the darkness. CompThat’s a comptroltroller Glenn Hegar, ler’s way of saying, revenue estimator Tom “Hey, there are so many Currah and their crew things we don’t know, have the sales, franchise, and these numbers oil and gas, and other might be crazy. Good tax results from the last luck out there!” quarter to guide them, Lawmakers knew RAMSEY but everything else is they were going to be guesswork. When will the state’s in a financial bind as soon as businesses be fully open and businesses started closing in the operating? When will the oil and spring. Before most economists gas industry rebound? How is were willing to do so, Hegar said anyone supposed to know when the state’s economy was in a the pandemic will be effectively recession. He told lawmakers to controlled? When will schools expect a midsummer revision to open, and does that mean parthe fiscal forecast with billions ents can return to work? cut from his earlier projection.

The Texas economy is never State leaders asked agencies easy to predict. It’s worse now. to detail 5% proposed cuts in Hegar built that into his latest spending. projections. “It’s important to The current budget isn’t realnote that this revised estimate ly the problem. carries unprecedented uncertainWhat comes after the current

budget is the hard part. In January, lawmakers will write the 2022-23 budget.

Republicans in control of state government for most of the last two decades have written the last nine state budgets.

The programs that might be on the block this time have their support. And it’s safe to say the Democrats dreaming of winning a majority in the Texas House aren’t eager to cut services, either.

— Ross Ramsey is executive editor and co-founder of The Texas Tribune.

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — August 2020

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Rep. Dean talks education with area officials State Rep. Jay Dean (R-Longview) was at Longview Independent School District’s administration building Wednesday, July 22, hosting an open forum with superintendents and board members from area school districts.

Dr. James Wilcox, LISD Superintendent of Schools, said he was pleased with the constructive dialogue and insightful perspectives that the meeting produced. ”We appreciate Rep. Dean for being such a tremendous supporter and advocate for public education in Texas by hearing and trying to address the various concerns and questions facing schools during this difficult time,” he said. “As we continue to move forward, we hope to have more of these kinds of conversations with our state and local elected officials.”

The meeting covered the Texas Education Agency’s suggestions as well as reopening schools for the fall 2020 school semester.

“I know this isn’t easy and it’s taking a whole lot of effort on the part of you and your staff, but we won’t to commend you for the work you’re doing,” Rep. Dean said.

On the subject of campus safety and liability issues, Longview ISD’s Assistant Superintendent of District Services Dr. James HockDEAN enberry asked about the potential for inadvertent violations of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

“Especially when we are providing WILCOX synchronous learning and a potential incident occurs while ‘live instruction’ is taking place,” he said.

Rep. Dean said those are “precisely GUIDRY the sorts of detailed inquiries” that must be addressed from the highest levels of the state, in order for

local school districts to be able to adequately develop firm contingencies for the coming school year.

“That’s another example of the kinds of issues that must be discussed and seriously considered at the state level,” he added. “Because it’s an excellent question, and one that I’m sure is a very common concern among public school officials, as well as teachers.”

Spring Hill ISD Superintendent Dr. Wayne Guidry brought up the concern about Average Daily Attendance and how — during even “normal” times — it is a structural prob-

lem for funding.

“This past year my daughter showed up to class and a cheerleader showed up with pneumonia because she didn’t want to get demerits,” Dr. Guidry said.

“I don’t know if I have an answer, but to me, it seems like a problem.”

Dr. Guidry went on, stating that when ADA started, there was a lack of overall data.

“That was the only metric we had. ‘If students are in school every day, they must be learning.’ We don’t need that anymore,” Dr. Guidry said. “We have so much data now, we Talk|Continued to page 15

Great community leadership developed in JROTC Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Desiree Sanchez and Cadet Command Sergeant Major Jillian Doss were honorably recognized and given the awards of Daughters of the American Revolution and Daughters of 1812 during the 2019-2020 school year.

Cadets Sanchez and Doss exemplified the highest degree of leadership coupled with dedication while serving as the Battalion Commander and

Battalion Command Sergeant Major. No matter what the challenges were or how difficult the situation was, both cadets never wavered SANCHEZ in leading the Corps of Cadets to ensure high standards were consistently accomplished.

Some of their successes included marching in the Longview Christmas Parade and the Annual MLK Parade, giving special DOSS tribute for our Veterans during Honor American Night, providing valuable service at our Community

Ashtyn Jones earns Mayor Scholarship The recipients of the Mayor Mack Scholarship have been announced! Congratulations are due to our very own Ashtyn Jones! She was one of four recipients! We are so proud of you, Ashtyn!

We are sure you shall put the scholarship to great use.

The other 2020 recipients are: Bethany Rogers — Hallsville ISD, Camden Salser — Pine Tree ISD, Collin Castleberry — Spring Hill ISD.

Nursing Homes in observance of Veterans Day, participating in the Waco and Birdsville Drill Competitions, and representing the student body of Longview High School.

Both Desiree Sanchez and Jillian Doss achievements are in keeping with the highest standards of the JROTC Lobo Battalion and reflect great credit upon themselves and the United States Army JROTC Program.

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE — August 2020

MARCHING ON

Pandemic sees change to guidelines for when bands can start their seasons

By Alex Leroux KLTV

W

ith the announcement on Tuesday, July 21, about fall sports schedules, the UIL also gave guidelines for when marching bands are able to start their seasons.

“I was relieved that we had something concrete to go with from the UIL,” said Rhonda Daniel, the director of bands at Longview high school. “We’ve been anticipating that for a while and I was relieved we got some extra time with our kids to make up for the time we lost last spring.”

Reactions from East Texas band directors seemed mostly positive today after the UIL announced it’s new calendar for marching bands.

“Now, instead of the August 1 date

being the time we’re able to start our competitive drill and visual curriculum, now we have to wait until September 7 to do that,” said Paulette Tomlinson. The purpose is to keep everybody on an even playing ground and make sure no one is spending all summer on their competitive show while some are giving their students a break.”

The start date of competitive practices is pushed back a month but contest dates are also pushed back, allowing for ample preparation time.

“It does give us time to plan for the health and safety of our students, because that’s paramount above anything else,” said Tomlinson.

East Texas band directors said it’ll give their programs more time to work on their fundamentals, but they know it’ll be

a change for the students.

“The thing the students really enjoy is going to football games; experiencing the outdoor activity of marching band with their friends,” said George Little, the director of bands at Lufkin ISD. “They enjoy the community aspect of it and the family aspect of it. So, the biggest change that I can see right now, as far as them experiencing those things, is that they’ll be delayed in experiencing them.”

The band directors said they’re glad the UIL is keeping students’ safety in mind and they’ll continue to do so at their respective schools.

The UIL increased the amount of time students can practice band fundamentals during the summer, from 10 to 20 hours a week. That’s to help make up for time lost last spring.

Tips for staying connected in 2020

By Rev. Lamar Jones For our collective health and well-being, we must adhere to the requirements of social distancing. Physical distance, however, does not mean we need to remain socially disconnected or isolated. In fact, individuals, families, and communities can maintain the one thing we all need right now…social connection! Here are 15 clear, concrete tips for physically distancing while staying emotionally personally and socially connected: 1 — “Connect with family”—right now is a great time to connect with family members near and far by calling family members via Skype/FaceTime/ Zoom. 2 — Look at photo albums and discuss family heritage. 3 — Create a family tree. 4 — Write letters to/create cards for relatives (Perhaps an overdue thank you note for that really nifty gift

you received?).

5 — “Connect with friends and neighbors”—our social circles often serve as our greatest system of support, and there’s plenty JONES to do in lieu of play dates, shared meals, and group gatherings. 6 — Host a virtual meal.

7 — Attend a virtual concert (“cloud clubbing”), church service, exercise or a yoga class. 8 — Play an online game together.

9 — “Connect with culture”— with many schools closed and parents working from home, this is a great time for you and your children to connect with your culture, as well as cultural institutions. 10 — Read and research about your culture. 11 — Cook a meal together that reflects your

cultural heritage. 12 — Virtually visit more than 1,200 museums around the world via Google Arts & Culture. 13 — “Connect with yourself”—confronted with the constant barrage of information, uncertainty, and day-to-day realities of caring for children, family, and loved ones, it is critical to find ways to connect with yourself, stay healthy, and clean. 14 — Keep a Journal or diary. 15 — Talk about movies, sports, music, etc. with friends via zoom.

ACTIVE WITH FAMILY

design a marble run, or devise another fun STEM project. 5 — Sort through bookshelves, revisit favorite titles and make a pile to donate. 6 — Look at old family pictures and revisit memories. 7 — Make a photo book together. 8 — Perform a reader’s theater together—make up a play or production. 9 — Sing karaoke using YouTube, play piano or other instruments.

10 — Make puppets and put on a puppet show. 11 — Learn new dance moves, do fitness activities together, and play in the yard as a family. 12 — Write letters or make cards for a local senior center, the RFPD, RFFD, doctors, nurses, and/or first responders in our community. 13 — Do puzzles—make up number puzzles or riddles. 14 — Write stories and poetry and read them aloud (lots of encouraging

With the cancellation of play dates, birthday parties, and sleep overs/unders, your household calendar is likely wide open—this is a great time to do the following as a family: 1 — Play cards and board games 2 — Make art or do crafts together. 3 — Cook and bake together—talk about ingredients as you prepare the recipe. 4 — Build forts, Tips|Continued to page 17

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — August 2020

CHOOSE

R LONGVIEW

SCHOOL

APPLY NOW

ChooseLISD.org

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE — August 2020

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — August 2020

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How to manage stress and anxiety

By Rev. Lamar Jones Common Sense Media has an abundance of resources for de-stressing, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests numerous ways to manage stress and anxiety. Knowing the facts and the actual risks can help reduce stress in yourself and others. Take time to have

conversations with your kids about their questions, concerns, or fears.

Follow healthcare guidelines to model preventative care, and follow these tips and strategies to help structure your day: Temper your expectations, and be kind to yourself—Remember, most of us were not prepared for this. Anxiety, fear, worry, and grief—these are all NORMAL reac-

tions to abnormal circumstances.

Laundry piles, dirty dishes, messy rooms—do what you can. In addition, while we always suggest monitoring the use of children’s screen time, both how much and what they are watching, this may be a time where children have more screen time than they are accusStress|Continued to page 15

JONES

RETURN |Continued from page 1 All plans stated here and online are subject to review and change per TEA, Governor Abbott’s, and local officials’ guidance.

MODELS

All At School Learning — Students attend school daily in a traditional, face-to-face fashion Synchronous From Home — Students attend daily via Google Meets virtually in real time Asynchronous From Home — Students engage remotely in the learning materials on their own time, interacting intermittently with the teacher, through an online platform Regardless of the learning model that a student is to take part in, all students must register online. Please go to LISD. org to enroll.

All students will receive a district Chromebook, charger and internet access as needed to support learning.

With the school year starting in less than a month, LISD principals and some administrators met Tuesday, July 21, to discuss the Return to Learn plan. Over the course of the meeting, details were ironed out and questions were asked and answered.

“The meeting brought about some clarification, about what we need to be thinking about,” York said. “What the principals need to be thinking about, the who, the what and when. Those kinds of things.”

SAFETY

To ensure the safety of students and faculty, protective measures will be in place.

These measures include but are not limited to the following: Daily temperature checks of students and staff; All staff wearing protective masks or face shields daily; Students in grades 3-12 wearing protective masks daily; Temperature checks at the entry door for all visitors. Anyone with a fever of 100.0 or higher will be asked to leave the facility; Requiring hands to be washed or sani-

tized before entering the facility; Buses disinfected daily prior to students getting on the bus in the mornings and evenings.

All decisions are subject to change and will be reviewed daily based on the direction from the Texas Education Agency, Mayor Mack, Gov. Abbott.

To ensure the safety of students and faculty, protective measures are being put into place. These measures, including the use of face coverings, will be determined by the level of disease activity of COVID-19.

The district will rely on data from the Department of State Health Services, Gregg County Health Care Services and Gregg County Public Health to determine the disease activity level and the appropriate protective measures.

The district continues to develop a process to alert students, parents and staff of the disease activity level and when face coverings must be worn. All decisions are subject to change depending on the COVID-19 cases.

Students’ individual safety and health needs will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Requests for accommodations should be submitted to campus administration. Each campus will provide school supplies to students during the 2020-21 school year to avoid germs.

ON CAMPUS

For students attending school on campus, various measures will be in place. The district has guidelines that campuses will work from.

These classes will be recorded on Google Meets with signed permission to record from parents. The recordings will be uploaded to Google Classroom for access by asynchronous students.

The on campus model allows students to engage in a variety of learning experiences while still following all safety COVID-19 precautions.

Access will be available for

guidance and counseling services, media centers, and other student programs as needed.

If necessitated by COVID-19 conditions, students will transition to the online model. Teachers will continue to present new material while all learning is virtual for all students.

SYNCHRONOUS

Students who learn through the synchronous model are able to follow the same daily schedule of classes by logging on in real time and participating in Google Meets live lessons.

Attendance will be required via Google Meets in real time.

Students will check in for attendance with either Google Form or through attending the virtual meet.

Students in secondary will need to attend multiple Google Meets sessions, one per class.

Classes will follow the assigned campus class schedule at the assigned times per class period.

Work will be submitted via Google Classroom and students will interact directly with teachers and peers.

Students may access guidance and counseling services.

ASYNCHRONOUS

Students choosing to participate in the Asynchronous Model will watch the recorded Google Meets sessions and work remotely at a pace that fits family circumstances, while adhering to classroom assignment deadlines.

Students will attend school in a remote manner: 180 minutes for elementary grade PK5, 240 minutes for secondary grades 6-12 per day.

Return|Continued to page 19

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE — August 2020

Dynamic Duos Sawyer Goram-Welch and Parker Cox Kerris Cameron and Kennedy Cameron

Most Musical Jaharious Jones and Quintana King

Most Changed Since Freshman Year Tim Polk and Adeline Langston

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — August 2020

Most Athletic Malik Henry, TyShawn Taylor and Jordan McClain

Best Personalities Kyle Ashley, Ava Loyd and Anna Burson

Social Media Stars Lulu Heichelheim and Danny Huynh

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE — August 2020

Most Talented Performing Arts Students Matthew Hanson and Carmen Vermillion

Future Picassos Ellie Duvall and Omar Arteaga

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — August 2020

Outstanding Leaders Drew Beltran and Moiya Toliver

Most Likely to Succeed Bobby Hough and Fatima Akilo

Mr. and Miss Lobo Haynes King and Abigail Archer

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE — August 2020

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE — August 2020

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SPORTS

SPORTS SCHEDULE SET

5A, 6A football delayed five weeks, 4A and below remain on schedule Coach King talks tickets

By Callie Caplan The Dallas Morning News

T

he University Interscholastic League announced Tuesday that it will delay the football and volleyball seasons for Class 6A and 5A teams, while keeping its original fall calendar intact for Class 4A and below.

The two highest classifications can start practices Sept. 7, rather than Aug. 3, but most will still play full seasons, pushing the volleyball state tournament to Dec. 11-12 and the football playoffs into January.

Teams in the UIL’s lower classifications will start on time, with practices Aug. 3 and games slated to start a week later for volleyball and Aug. 27-29 for football.

UIL|Continued to page 16

On Wednesday, July 22, Coach John King announced that football practice would start Sept. 7. The first Lobo game will take place on the weekend of Sept.

25 against Temple Wildcats.

The location has yet to be determined.

Seating capacity for games will KING be limited to 50 percent. Season tickets will not be renewed during the week of Aug. 3.

“Rest assured, if we are unable to sell season tickets this year, if you are a current season ticket holder from 2019, you will be given an opportunity to purchase or renew your season tickets in 2021,” Coach King said. “Our hope is that things will change during this fluid situation and we will be able to sell season tickets.

That will be reevaluated at a later date. Go Lobos!”

Jesus Mancha is back home!

The Mancha family are happy to announce that Jesus Mancha has left the hospital! Post COVID-19 diagnosis, Mancha returned home on Tuesday, July 7, a day before his birthday!

We are so happy for Mancha and his family in this trying time for them. Thank you to everyone for keeping the family in your prayers!

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE — August 2020

JOHNSTON-MCQUEEN

WARE EAST TEXAS MONTESSORI ACADEMY

JUDSON

601 W Garfield Ave.

259

EAST TEXAS MONTESSORI PREP ACADEMY

LONGVIEW HS

400 N Eastman Rd.

J.L. EVERHART

281

JOHNSTONMCQUEEN ELEMENTARY

BRAMLETTE FOREST PARK

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EARLY GRADUATION

BRAMLETTE STEAM ACADEMY

ETX MONTESSORI PREP S. WARD

WARE

422 FM 2751

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111 Tupelo Dr.

HUDSON PEP

31 20

NED E. WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY 5230 Estes Pkwy.

J.L. EVERHART ELEMENTARY

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HUDSON PEP ELEMENTARY 1311 Lilly St.

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1011 S Mobberly Ave. JUDSON STEAM ACADEMY 5745 Judson Rd.

FOREST PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL

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LONGVIEW HIGH SCHOOL

201 E Tomlinson Pkwy.

EARLY GRADUATION HIGH SCHOOL 410 S Green St.

Registration Begins Soon Now, it’s your turn to learn more:

Visit ChooseLISD.org or call 903-381-2200.

Paid for by the MSAP funds.

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — August 2020

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Preliminary results are in for survey Longview Independent School District is releasing the preliminary results of an ongoing survey for teachers and families about back-to-school plans.

Following a request from the Texas Education Agency to gauge sentiment from local stakeholders, the district asked our parents and staff to share their feelings about On-Campus, Remote, or Hybrid models of instruction for the 2020-21 school year.

As of Monday morning, July 13, more than 2,000 responses to STRESS |Continued from page 7 tomed to. Just make sure that your children are practicing safe online behavior. Here are some tips.

Find ways to stay informed—there is a constant barrage of information regarding COVID-19, and it is challenging to know what to think. Find trusted sources and limit your exposure to this material. Social media can be a major source of social support, but can also create feelings of fear, panic, and, for some, feelings of inadequacy.

If seeing pictures of well-organized kitchen tables, Pinterest boards of fun activities, from those who you perceive “have it all put together,” are causing you distress, reconsider your relationship with social media for the time being. Talk with people you trust about your concerns about how you are feeling.

See the world through your children’s eyes—do you remember what it was like to be a kid? Do you remember how boring it was to watch the news? Do you remember how cool it was when your parents did spontaneous things with you? Roast some marshmallows, or go “camping” in the living room, and why not create a nature scavenger hunt?

Learning can be fun—with uncertainty about the return to school, many parents are fretting about the potential loss of academics for their children. Fortunately, daily activities carry immense opportunity for learning: Cooking teaches science and math.

Yard work teaches about nature and can inspire creative art projects. Reading together enriches vocabulary and listening skills.

— Lamar Jones is the LISD parent liaison.

the surveys have been recorded.

To download the complete results, please go to LISD.org.

Dr. James Hockenberry, Assistant Superintendent of District Services, presented the LISD Board of Trustees with preliminary results, explaining that the Community Relations department plans to keep the survey “live” through the end of the week.

If you are a parent of a Longview ISD student or an LISD teacher, please go to Survey|Continued to page 17

Worsham takes reins at Ware Please join us in congratulating Josh Worsham, the new principal of Ware Elementary.

A science teacher at Forest Park from 2014-20, Worsham has taken the reigns at Ware with clear goals in mind.

He breaks it down into two parts.

Part 1: “I want us to maintain the health and safety of our students and staff. That’s goal number one right now.”

Part 2: “Ware is a campus that is so close to making the jump to one of the top schools in the state. We’re so close. The WORSHAM teachers here are exceptional, the students are hard workers, the foundation is in place. My goal is

to take this campus to another level in terms of how we educate our students. I am a strong believer in innovation and 21st-century learning that pushes education forward.”

“Work hard and don’t be afraid to fail — remember failure is one of the best ways to learn,” Worsham said.

“You have teachers that care Ware|Continued to page 19

TALK |Continued from page 3 don’t know what to do with it all.”

Rep. Dean agreed that the ADA system needs to be looked at.

“We’ve got a 40-year-old funding mechanism that we’re still using. It doesn’t work like it was intended,” said Rep. Dean.

Another point that was brought up that can be an issue with the current pandemic is the STAAR testing.

“I just don’t really see how we can logistically, honestly do a STAAR test,” said White Oak ISD Superintendent Mr. Brian Gray. “It’s just going to be a challenge on so many levels. So I really don’t understand the push to keep that in place.”

Rep. Dean stated that he agrees, and believes that during even during a non-pandemic, “The STAAR testing needs to be looked at.”

“Forget about what we’re going through right

now; I’ve not heard anything positive about this whole program from my superintendents for the last three sessions,” Rep. Dean said. “We’ve got to come up with something that’s more suitable.”

BOARD |Continued from page 1 tains the authority to set the ground rules the added that the TEA has approved LISD’s partnership agreements that were submitted contin- partners have to follow.

Passed in 2017 by the 85th Texas Legislagent upon the changes. ture, under the leadership of Gov. Greg Abbott, “The contracts presented tonight include Senate Bill 1882 creates new incentives for trathose recommended changes,” he said. “In ditional public schools to partner with outside addition, we are recommending revision to the ETAA contract in order to ensure that we have entities to improve student outcomes.

For more information about the Longview consistency across the district.”

ISD public school charter program please visit Governed by a 2017 state law called Senate LISD.org/charters, call the LISD Department Bill 1882, the public school charter program of Innovation at 903-381-2200, or visit the TEA provides extra funding to traditional public school districts that contract with outside enti- website: TxPartnerships.org. ties such as charter networks, non-profits, and DISTRICT SURVEYS universities to run their schools as an in-disDr. James Hockenberry, Assistant Supertrict charter.

Board|Continued to page 17 In accordance with TEA policy, LISD main-

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE — August 2020

OBITUARIES Longview ISD offers our most sincere condolences to our extended Lobo family DORIS JEAN FARMER Doris “Dottye” Jean Farmer, 92, of Longview passed away peacefully in her home on July 18, 2020 surrounded by family.

Dottye was born on November 23, 1927 in Dallas to Richard and Frieda (Schaffner) Atkins. When she was born, her father exclaimed that “she was no bigger than a dot,” and she was referred to as “Dottye” from then on.

Dottye grew up in Highland Park and moved to Longview when she was 15. She graduated from Longview High School in 1945.

The same year, Dottye met her husband, Gerald, at a church function after he returned home FARMER from serving in the Navy during World War II. Dottye and Gerald were married on October 17, 1947 at First Baptist Church in Longview. In the early days of their marriage, they shared an apartment with other married couples due to scarce housing resulting from the thousands of servicemen returning from the war. They enjoyed the outdoors and taking family trips to national and state parks and remained happily married for over 32 years until Gerald’s death in 1980.

Dottye led a healthy and active lifestyle. She taught swimming and group fitness classes at the Longview YMCA for 25 years and instructed senior exercise classes, including yoga in the park, for the City of Longview for 10 years. She had a passion for reading books, learning about the world, and researching genealogy, making her a perfect fit for her 32-year career at the Longview Public Library. She retired only two months ago in May of this year.

Dottye relished spending time with her family and supporting them in various activities. She spent countless hours attending sporting events, scouting activities, music lessons, and church functions. Time at the family lake house on Lake Cherokee was always a special time for her with family, relatives, and friends.

She took pleasure in gardening, watching birds, and playing cards with her friends. She liked to follow her favorite sports and would

often amaze family members and others as she provided updates on the latest news and team statistics. Never intimidated by technology, she enjoyed keeping up with her family and friends through email and digital photos.

Dottye’s faith in Jesus and love of the Lord sustained her throughout her lifetime. She was an active member of First Baptist Church for over 70 years. Her favorite verse was Psalm 118:24 “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it,” which was displayed throughout her home on magnets, bookmarks, and wall art. Dottye made the most of the time given to her and served as a virtuous example for her children, grandchildren, and friends. She was joyful, even in times of suffering, and grateful, no matter what. She thought the reflection of sunrise on still water was one of the most beautiful sights in the world.

Dottye is preceded in death by her husband Gerald Farmer, and sisters Evelyn Todd Taylor and Audrey Franklin. She is survived by her daughter, Gerrie Arnold and her husband, Warren; son, Richard Farmer and his wife, Nancy; son, David Farmer and his wife, Cathy; and grandchildren, Christina and Andrew Farmer.

Visitation was held at Welch Funeral Home (Judson Road) on Thursday, July 23. The funeral was at First Baptist Church of Longview on Friday, July 24.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations be made to one of Dottye’s favorite charities, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.

Teen Court renames scholarship The board of directors and executive director of Longview Teen Court is proud to announce they have voted unanimously to rename the Longview Teen Court Scholarship to the Duellis Alton Davis Scholarship in honor of all the many years of his dedication and volunteerism as a bailiff to Longview Teen Court.

A Longview graduate of the 1952 class, Davis passed away on July 6, 2019.

In 1974, Mr. Davis became a licensed peace officer and joined the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Unit as a deputy. He served in this volunteer role for over 42 years, including as captain at least the last 25 years of his tenure.

As a reserve deputy, he volunteered with the Great Texas Balloon Race, Longview Teen Court and other events and organizations. His favorite was the more than 20 years he served as security escort for the Longview High School Lobo

Band. All three of Mr. Davis’ grandchildren were in the Big Green Marching Machine.

This years scholarship recipient is Ashly James, a dedicated Teen Attorney.

Longview Teen Court is a nonprofit with the mission to “create opportunities for every kid from every walk of life in DAVIS East Texas.” Teen Court provides alternative solutions for teens who may have made a poor decision and get into trouble with the law, which can lead to misdemeanor criminal charges.

Teen Court serves a growing number of families in East Texas. About 90% of Teens complete the program and successfully have their charges dropped or expunged from their permanent record.

PUBLIC NOTICES LISD Board meeting set for August 10

Trustees usually meet in the boardroom of the LISD Education Support Center, but often set special-called meetings at various locations around the district. The next regular meeting is tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m. on August 10.

For more information about the Longview ISD Board of Trustees go to LISD.org.

UIL |Continued from page 13 Cross country meets and team tennis matches will start Aug. 17 for Class 4A and below and Sept. 7 for Class 6A and 5A with all teams. All classes will compete in the same state championships: Nov. 11-12 for team tennis and Dec. 5 for cross country.

The UIL’s split approach reflects the organization’s best attempt to “dichotomize metro Texas and rural Texas,” UIL deputy director Jamey Harrison said, as higher-population areas have experienced more rampant Coronavirus spread.

But the effort to resume sports after months of uncertainty and upheaval since the UIL’s mid-March suspension of practices and games calls into question whether the organization can balance competitive equity with the reality of Texas and the U.S. struggling to control a global health crisis.

“At some point in time, we’ve got to set dates, and we’ve got to say, ‘These are the dates.

We’re playing,’” said Rodney Webb, Denton Guyer football coach and president of the Texas High School Coaches Association. “It was going to be impossible to make it ideal for every school and every school district around the state.”

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — August 2020

Page 17

Poll finds strong ratings for district COVID response Respondents to a district survey gave high marks for the COVID-19 pandemic response, as well as for the quality of education students receive at Longview Independent School District.

LISD Community Relations held an online survey from June 9th through July 10th, asking students, staff, and families to rate the district in a variety of categories on a “star scale,” from one to five stars.

Respondents were also given the opportunity to rate other aspects of the district, from the administration and board of trustees, to departments like Transportation, Finance, Human

Resources, as well as how area residents prefer to receive information about Longview ISD, and even the Community Relations Department itself.

The three surveys received a combined 828 total responses, with the parent survey receiving 468 responses, the staff survey receiving 289 responses, and the student survey receiving 71 responses.

In response to the question about how well the district responded to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, with an average score of 4.1 stars (out of five stars) from parents, 4.2 stars from staff, and 4.0 stars

TIPS |Continued from page 4 applause, please). 15 — Establish routines—it is more important now than ever to create a sense of structure at home with device-free meal times, physical movement, and a balance between academics/work and enjoyable activities that can reduce stress, as well as time provide opportunities to connect with family and friends. In addition, eating healthy meals, exercising, and getting adequate sleep are essential to physical

from students.

However, results were a little divided when asked which method of communication the different groups preferred.

Parents said they prefer to get their information “automated emails/phone calls,” followed by “website/social media posts.”

LISD staff members responded with similar percentages.

But students selected “website/ social media posts” as their preferred medium, followed by “automated emails/phone calls.”

The poll was created by LISD Communication Specialist Matthew Prosser and presented to board members during the

Tuesday, July 13, regular meeting.

“Our goal for this survey was to give our board members a snapshot of public sentiment as we continue to prepare for the coming school year,” he said.

Prosser said the Community Relations Department will continue to develop more surveys and polls for the future.

“We are always looking for better and more efficient ways to communicate with our community, and better serve the excellent students and staff of our district,” he said.

To download the complete results, please go to LISD.org.

SURVEY |Continued from page 15 and emotional health.

Now, more than ever, families and communities need to grow stronger and have healthier relationships.

It all starts with a simple conversation. So, why not listen to, show interest, and learn about each family member’s hobby as a start.

This has proven to be a great ice breaker. Have fun trying these tips at home!

— Lamar Jones is the LISD parent liaison.

LISD.org to take the survey.

“Our administration is working diligently in the planning process for the coming year, and this survey is going to be an invaluable resource,” said Dr. Hockenberry.

“We’ve had some great turnout [to surveys] recently, and we look at this as an indication that we’re asking the right questions.

Dr. James Wilcox, Superintendent of Schools, said the administration will continue to monitor the ongoing situation and follow guidance from federal,

state, and local officials.

“As we continue to navigate through uncertain and uncharted waters, we remind our community that decisions are subject to change,” he said. “But what won’t change is our commitment to keeping our community informed through every means possible.”

To keep track of the latest developments within the district, please check our LISD Coronavirus information portal at LISD. org/COVID.

BOARD |Continued from page 15 intendent of District Services, presented board members with the results from recent surveys given to Longview ISD families, staff, and students.

In addition to the district calendar survey that was presented to the board (during the June 24 special meeting), LISD Community Relations has gathered results from the annual “approval rating” survey that went out June 9th, as well as a new “back to school” survey that went out July 9th.

“Our administration is working diligently in the planning process for the coming year, and this survey is going to be an invaluable resource,” he said. “We’ve had some great turnout [to surveys] recently, and we look at this as an in-

dication that we’re asking the right questions.

FUEL STORAGE TANK

Board members also approved a change order for the Above-Ground Fuel Storage Tank Installation Project at the LISD transportation facility.

Joey Jones, LISD Chief Financial Officer, said cost for the additional work is $40,000 “We’re requesting this change order to enhance the scope of the project to include the reorganization of the fuel island,” he said.

ment for the Fiscal year 2020 Financial Audit; Minutes from meetings on June 22nd and 24th; the 2019-20 Third Quarter Investment Report; Budget Amendment No. 11; the Board Time-Use Tracker, and a $1,000 donation from the WalMart on Estes Parkway as part of the STEAM Fair Community Grant Program.

FOR MORE INFO

Trustees usually meet in the boardroom of the LISD

Education Support Center, but often set special-called meetings at various locations around the district. The next regular meeting is tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m. Aug. 26th.

Due to public health protocols currently in place, the public will not be admitted into the trustees’ boardroom. The meeting will also be streamed online at LISD.org/Board roomLive.

IN OTHER NEWS

Board members also approved Student Accident/ Athletic Insurance Coverage and Catastrophic Coverage for 2020-21; Letter of Engage-

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE — August 2020

SPOTTED ON SOCI AL

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — August 2020 RETURN |Continued from page 7 The secondary grades 6-12 minutes per day must be documented with support from parents on a Google Form or in the preferred manner as instructed by the subject area teacher.

Parents must support remote learning by following a regular schedule appropriate for the family’s needs and provide guidance for student success.

Teacher’s will act as an

academic coach for students, providing support via email, virtual meetings, phone calls, and through Google Classroom during teacher office hours.

Students may access guidance and counseling services.

FOR MORE INFO

To see the Longview ISD Return to Learn document in full, please go to LISD.org/COVID.

WARE |Continued from page 15 about you and know how great you can be so listen to them and trust them to push you to new heights.”

With becoming principal for the fall of 2020, Worsham is leading a campus in a very unique time for schools.

“This will be a very interesting year for teachers, students, and parents. Clear and open communication will be key,” Worsham said. “Consistent encouragement from our parents will be huge. I hope that parents spend time and take a real interest in your child’s learning experience and participate in our school activities.”

The page also contains important links such as the Texas Education Agency’s COVID-19 resources as well as frequently asked questions.

UIL

As long as UIL events are still taking place, students in all three models will participate in UIL sponsored activities on campus.

A part of your past.

A partner for your future.

PAY |Continued from page 1 Created by the Texas Legislature as part of House Bill 3 — passed by the 86th Texas Legislature in June 2019 — the incentive program is designed to provide a realistic pathway for top teachers to earn six-figure salaries and to help attract and retain highly effective teachers at traditionally hard-to-staff schools.

The TEA informed the district that Phase 1 teacher designees will receive two payments during this upcoming 2020-21 school year. Funds to be awarded in December 2020 are for the 2018-19 school year, with an additional payment award disseminated to designees in August 2021 for the 2019-20 school year.

York said this single year dual-payment scenario “is due to the lag time in the initial startup of the program. In years 3 and beyond, awards will be current and expended by the end of August annually.”

LISD’s Phase 2 application was submitted on Tuesday, July 7, and York said this application “expands eligibility to include K-3 reading and math teachers.”

TEA approved local designations are good for five years and identified on the receiving individual’s teaching certificate.

Page 19

“Funding annually moves with the teacher should they change campuses or districts,” said York.

If you are a Longview ISD teacher who would like more information about this program, please contact the district’s Curriculum & Instruction department at 903381-2200.

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LONGVIEW POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICE AREA REPRESENTATIVES & POLICE OUTREACH SERVICES TEAM

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Sgt. Kendric Montgomery 903-619-0124 PAR SUPERVISOR

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Ofc. Allan Whitlock 903-331-1979

Ofc. Ronald Duncan 903-331-1870

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE — August 2020

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