Volume III, Issue 8 (August 2018)

ongview Voice “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” ― Nelson Mandela

THE

Sharing the good news about LISD!

Vol. 3 No. 8 August 2018

A publication of Longview Independent School District

Complimentary Copy

Soaring over Lobo Nation

LHS senior hopes to someday take to the skies during balloon race

By Jamey Boyum, KLTV When most teenagers are enjoying their first year on the open road, a senior at Longview High School is working towards getting his shot to “drive” all by himself: in the sky.

Blake Aldridge is a certified hot air balloon pilot who is working as a crew member during the 2018 Great Texas Balloon Race. One day, in the not-so distant future, he hopes to pilot a balloon in the race by himself.

“I’ve crewed for Dr. Bill Bussey for years, and my parents were really into it before that,” Aldridge said. “I’ve just kind of been around it my whole life, and now I’ve finally become a pilot.”

Aldridge is part of a group called the Young Guns, started by Dr. Bussey, the originator of the Great Texas Balloon Race and a Longview High alum.

The Young Guns are a group of young pilots in the East Texas area who hope to one day compete next to the seasoned pilots of the Great Texas Balloon Race, Aldridge explained, adding that his friends aren’t really interested.

“Most of them are scared of heights, or worried about getting their license... their normal driver’s license,” he said with a laugh.

Which, by the way, you have to be 16 to become a certified hot air balloon pilot.

For more information about the 2018 Great Texas Balloon Race, please visit the website: GreatTexasBalloonRace.com

Coming in for a landing...

Trustees approve pay raise for teachers, staff

Principals get ready for new school year

See-Saw to run Pre-K program

Last month the skies over Longview were filled with colorful hot-air balloons for the annual Great East Texas Balloon Race, and we had one of the competitors stop by the district Education Support Center on the morning of July 25th, in preparation for the weekend competition.

Longview ISD board members unanimously approved salary increases for district staff and adopted the 2018-19 tax rate during the July 16 regular meeting.

Recommended to the board by LISD Human Resources director Loretta Thompson Martin, the measure includes normal step increases for teachers, counselors, librarians and nurses, with a 3 percent from the midpoint raise for other staff.

The adopted tax rate is the same as the current rate: $1.04 for the maintenance and operations budget, 47.3 cents for the debt budget and $1.513 total.

School districts are required to provide legal notice of its proposed tax rate ahead of voting on it officially. Trustees and will formally adopt its 2018-19 budget and tax rate at a special meeting 12 p.m. Aug. 30.

In other action, the board approved renewing the annual agreement with SeeSaw Children’s Place for afterschool care at East Texas Montessori Prep Academy.

See-Saw will also have the option to provide all-day school care on holidays, teacher inservice days, and summer break.

Trustees meet in the boardroom of the LISD Education Support Center, 1301 E. Young St. The next regular meeting is tentatively scheduled for 12 p.m. Aug. 30.

For more information about the Longview ISD Board of Trustees please visit the district website at www.LISD.org/board/.

Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox addressed Longview ISD administrators on July 30th by recapping what was an extraordinarily successful 2017-2018 school year, and setting the tone for an even greater school year in 2018-2019!

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Longview Voice

Coming Events Registration

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Meet the Teacher Big Green Victory Line

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Sports Full STEAM Ahead

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE —

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August 2018

Time for a reality check on public education

By Chandra Villanueva, Houston Chronicle While teacher protests from North Carolina to West Virginia to Oklahoma earlier this year eventually came to an end, there’s still plenty of chatter about teacher pay and public school funding.

Since I often walk advocates and lawmakers through the intricacies of the Texas school funding system and what it all means for preparing today’s students to be tomorrow’s leaders, I am glad there’s a growing discussion about how we pay for public education.

Stepping back, it’s important to point out that the way we pay for our public schools is complex, outdated and underfunded.

T hese complex ities have compounded over time and hide how truly simple the school finance system was intended to be.

Money in education matters, as a visit to any school will demonstrate.

Well-funded schools can more easily offer high-quality teachers, reduce class sizes and provide computers, art studios and science materials. Teacher quality is often cited as having the largest impact on student success, but even the best trained and most dedicated teachers struggle to be effective in over-crowded classrooms.

Boosting teacher training, updating classroom technology and reducing classroom sizes all require better and more sustained funding.

Funding our schools is a shared responsibility between the state and local property tax payers. Using a set of formulas that take into consideration the particular makeup of each school district, the state determines how much total funding each school district is allowed to have.

The goal is to ensure that a student’s ZIP code doesn’t determine his or her educational opportunities.

Districts f irst use local tax

dollars toward meeting this allowable amount. If a district is unable to raise the allowable f unding level locally because it doesn’t have a wealthy enough property tax base, then state dollars fill the gaps. If a district is able to generate more funding locally than allowed by the state’s formulas, then the excess property tax revenue collected locally is “recaptured” or sent back to the state for redistribution to other school districts and charter schools. This is what’s known as the “Robin Hood” provision.

Because property values are rising in many parts of the state, school districts are increasingly able to meet their allowed funding levels with less help from state revenue. When local taxes go up, the state contributes less — it’s a zero-sum game, sadly, letting the state off the hook for funding public education.

Because of rising property values, the state will fund about 38 percent of public education through the school funding formulas by 2019, down from about 49 percent in 2008.

In real dollars, this means local property taxpayers will contribute $12 billion more than the state does to support our schools.

Property taxpayers across Texas have been seeing the amount they pay increase each year as their property values rise. But rising property taxes don’t mean a corresponding increase in the level of funding or the quality of education at their local schools.

Legislators in Austin could choose to improve decades of educational underfunding and add more to the system, but lately they have spent the money on tax cuts for businesses or to fund other neglected state obligations.

In essence, the state budget in 2008 hit the Texas state budget. benefits from rising property While lawmakers have restored values while our kids are some of this funding, inf lationbeing left behind. adjusted combined state, local, This trend in property and federal funding projected for taxes reminds us that if 2019 remains $413 per-student state leaders really wanted below pre-recession 2008 funding to reduce property taxes, levels. That’s equivalent to $12,390 then they would boost state less funding per classroom of 30 funding of public schools. students.

When the state doesn’t The majority of a school’s budget provide enough money, is dedicated to personnel costs, school districts have the so when legislators cut education option to raise additional funding, they are also cutting staff. funds to enrich educational programs Since the 2011 cuts, school or issue bonds to fund facilities. The staffing levels have varied greatly, optional tax increase is supposed to even within staffing categories. allow districts to supplement the basic Broadly, Texas still has not recovered educational program with offerings the number of teachers and other beyond the requirements of the Texas professionals it lost after the budget Essential Knowledge and Skills, the cuts. These staff members are the state’s academic standards. most directly involved with students But most school districts find they in the classroom, and neither schools need to increase the tax rate just to nor students can succeed without make ends meet. them. In recent years, support staff School districts are also able to has seen the most growth—this present bonds for voter approval includes special education staff to fund building construction or to that assist our neediest students renovate classrooms. There is no limit and teacher facilitators who work on the amount of a bond package, with teachers to improve classroom but districts must be able to show an performance. ability to make all bond payments with Many of the problems with a reasonable tax rate. All facility bonds our school finance system stem are local decisions, and these funds from how horribly outdated and cannot be used to provide educational underfunded our schools are. services — tax revenue generated can The last time lawmakers only be used to make bond payments. substantially updated the formulas So when a community decides to build used to fund our schools, mullets a high school sports stadium, no state were all the rage and songs like dollars are used, and no dollars are “Heaven is a Place on Earth” were taken away from the classroom. The topping the Billboard charts. state does provide minimal facility To ensure the state’s future support for districts with extremely competitiveness, the people of Texas low property wealth, though stadium deserve a simplified, remodeled, construction does not qualify for state and well-funded school finance support. system capable of providing a highOur students suffered starting in quality 21st century education to 2011 when lawmakers cut $5.3 billion every child. from the two-year public education — Chandra Villanueva is the Program Director budget, after the recession that began of the Economic Opportunity Team at the Center for Public Policy Priorities in Austin.

Changes loom over teacher pensions, retirees look to Legislature

By Sydney Greene, Texas Tribune After teaching for 36 years in the Rio Grande Valley, Rosalva Reyna looked at her pension and health plan in July 2016 and decided she could live a comfortable life and finally retire.

Reyes thought “no more work.” But that quickly changed, she said.

“At this point. I’m seriously considering going back to work,” Reyna said. “A retired teacher going back to work — so I can pay my medical [bills].”

Texas has a number of retired teachers now worried that their pensions may be lowered next year.

The state’s Teacher Retirement System board voted on July 27 to lower the expected rate of return on investments, meaning the state is predicting it will earn less money to use for benefits. Retired educators said they are now looking to the Legislature to make sure more funding is secured for the Teacher Retirement System pension fund in light of the recent vote.

At a time when the cost of living is rising, retired teachers are trying to survive within their fixed incomes — which has been difficult, according to several retired teachers who testified at the board meeting. The board’s decision to lower the expected rate of return on investments could signal a potential decrease in pension benefits and contribution rates, which are set by the Legislature — and retirees are looking to lawmakers to help offset the new expected rate, said Monty Exter of the Association of Texas Professional Educators.

“The burden is now on the Texas Legislature to step up and provide

the necessary funding to ensure actuarial soundness of the pension fund and give educators peace of mind that they will not face cuts in their pensions,” Exter said.

The decision to lower the rate was based on estimates from financial experts who predicted how the rates would operate in future economic situations. Exter acknowledged that the board had a “fiduciary duty” to make decision on the fund based on advice from experts.

“We have looked at a variety of forecasts,” said Brian Guthrie, Teacher Retirement System’s executive director. Guthrie added that it’s the board’s responsibility to look at what actions to be take in light of updated f inancial forecasts, a system of determining how current and future fiscal situations could impact policy and other decisions.

Despite the board’s decision, Ted Raab of the Texas American Federation of Teachers said he’s conf ident legislators will provide additional funding after the healthcare increases and budget cuts.

“We’ve known for many months that it was very likely that the board was going to lower their assumed rate of return,” he said. “We’re going to be taking our message to the Legislature that they need to make a substantial increase to the state contribution to the pension fund and also to health care for retirees and for other teachers.”

Raab said they already have allies

in the Legislature like state Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, who has already asked Gov. Greg Abbott to make funding for teacher retirees an “emergency item” for next session.

“My local teachers, who are on a f ixed income, are now paying hundreds of dollars more a month (sometimes more) for healthcare services and essential medications,” Canales wrote. “These Texas teachers, who have dedicated their lives to public service, have increasingly had to make a choice whether to pay their mortgage, buy groceries, or pay for their potentially life-saving medications.”

Among states that only pay into a pension plan, and not Social Security, for retirees, Texas is dead last in teacher retirement funding — and puts little more than the required minimum into the fund.

Retired teachers were moved to political action last summer, urging lawmakers to patch up an underfunded healthcare program with soaring deductibles and out-of-pocket costs. The Legislature added funding to the program, but it wasn’t enough to entirely tamp down the costs for most retirees.

But Reyna said she saw deductibles rise after the Legislature’s decision, which has caused her to struggle to pay her health care costs.

Under her current health care plan with the state, Reyna has a deductible of $1,500. But her premium for a year

is $2,400 — and her medical bills and doctor visits total $1,048. That means Reyna is paying $3,448 out of pocket for healthcare — on top of her deductible — until her Medicaid kicks in in four years.

Lawmakers say the uncertainty surrounding the budget makes it hard to allocate better benefits for educators. Many teacher retirees are already strategizing to get on lawmaker’s radars in order to secure the funding they need to keep their pension stable.

“Every candidate and every legislator needs to understand the contribution that retired school employees made and the obligation the state has to keep those promises,” Raab said. “There’s an entire community across Texas that supports public education and understands that keeping our promises to retirees is a part of that.”

Although the next step for many teacher retirees is to start the fight for funding at the Legislature, Rita Runnels said retirees just want “respect” from lawmakers when it comes to basic survival.

“We knew we would never become wealthy serving the state of Texas and the families, but we did expect to get decent respect,” said Runnels, who was a teacher for 32 years. “We thought that our healthcare would be fair pensions that would last us for a lifetime of serving the state of Texas and Texas families.”

— Sydney Greene is a reporter for the Texas Tribune, where she covers politics and public policy through breaking news and enterprise stories.

THE LONGVIEW VOICE —

August 2018

Time for registration and Back-to-School!

School starts for Longview ISD on Aug. 27th and campuses have begun releasing information about registration, supply lists, and “Meet The Teacher” nights.

School supply lists and summer reading can be found at the district’s summertime website: lisd.org/summer.

Families are urged to contact their campus directly for more detailed information as specifics can vary

among the different sites.

Longview ISD is no longer using InfoSnap but Skyward’s Online Registration module. In order to register your returning student(s) for the 2018-19 school year, please login to Skyward’s Family Access at lisd.org/family and click the “Registration” link for your child.

For login questions please contact your child’s campus directly.

If you do not already have access to Skyward’s Family Access, or if you need your username or password for Skyward’s Family Access, please

contact your child’s campus directly.

After you submit the online registration, the process is not complete until the campus receives all required documents. New students must provide a birth certificate, shot records and Social Security card, as well as proof of residence (such as a recent utility bill or signed lease). Parents must have a state-issued photo ID. Each campus will schedule their own registration week to collect required documents, including proof of residence and shot records.

REGISTRATION On-site registration times and days are as follows: Montessori Prep Academy 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. & 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., July 24-26, 31, and Aug 6 -10 Information: (903) 803-5000 Bramlette Elementary 1st and 2nd Grades, 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. & 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., July 30th 3rd to 5th Grades, 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. & 1 p.m. to 4 p.m, July 31st Make Up All Grades, 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. & 1 p.m. to 4 p.m, Aug. 1st Information: (903) 803-5600 Hudson PEP Elementary 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. & 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., July 30-31, Aug. 1-10 Information: (903) 803-5100 J.L. Everhart Elementary All Grades Returning Students, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., July 2326 Information: (903) 803-5400 Johnston-McQueen Elementary All Grades Returning Students, 9 a.m.

to 4 p.m., July 23-25.

All Grades New Students, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., July 26th.

Information: (903) 803-5300 Ned E. Williams Elementary All Grades Returning Students, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., July 30-31, Aug. 1-3 Information: (903) 803-5500 South Ward Elementary All Grades Returning Students, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., July 16-31 PPCD, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Aug. 1-5 Information: (903) 803-5200 Ware Elementary All Grades Returning Students, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., July 30-31, Aug. 1-2, 6-9 Information: (903) 803-5700 Forest Park Middle 6th Grade, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. & 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Aug. 6th 7th Grade, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. & 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Aug. 7th 8th Grade 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. & 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 8th

MEET THE TEACHER

Various back to school events include: Montessori Prep Academy Back To School Night Head Start: 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 14 Pre-K /Kinder students last names N-Z: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 21 Pre-K /Kinder students last names A-M: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 22.

Bramlette Elementary Back to School Night 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 23 JL Everhart Elementary Meet The Teacher Night 1st-2nd Grades: 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Aug. 21 3rd-5th Grade: 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Aug. 23 Hudson PEP Elementary Back to School Nights 1st Grade: 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 16 2nd Grade: 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 20 3rd Grade: 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 21 4th Grade:: 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 22 5th Grade: 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 23

Johnston-McQueen Elementary Back to School Nights Grades Pre K-2nd: 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 21 Grades 3rd-5th: 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m Aug. 23 Ned E. Williams Elementary Meet the Teacher Day 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Aug. 25 South Ward Elementary Meet the Teacher Night 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 23 Ware Elementary Meet the Teacher Night 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 23 Forest Park Middle Meet the Teacher Day 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Aug. 25 Foster Middle Meet the Teacher Night 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 23 Judson Middle Back to School Bash 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 23 For other information about registration, supplies, or back to school events, please contact your child’s campus or call the main LISD switchboard at (903) 381-2200.

All Grades Make Up, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. & 1 p.m. to 4 p.m, Aug. 9th Information: (903) 446-2500 Foster Middle All Grades Returning Students, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Aug. 6-10 Information: (903) 446-2710 Judson Middle All Grades Returning Students, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Aug. 6-10 Information: (903) 446-2610 Longview High Registration will be at the high school, and students are requested to pick up schedules before the first day of school.

Seniors, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m., Aug. 8 Juniors, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m., Aug. 9 Sophomores, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m., Aug. 10 Freshman, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m., Aug. 13 Information: (903) 663-1301 Early Graduation High School All Grades Returning Students, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Aug. 6-10, 23rd Information: (903) 381-3921

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Coming Events

August 1 8 a.m. Tennis Advanced Summer Camp Match Play (Lobo Tennis Complex) 8 a.m. Lady Lobo Volleyball (Lobo Coliseum) 8:30 a.m. Lobo Football Camp (Lobo Stadium, Turf Room) August 2 8 a.m. Lobo Summer Strength & Conditioning (Lobo Stadium) 10 a.m. Lobo Summer Strength & Conditioning (Lobo Stadium) 5 p.m. Lobo Summer Strength & Conditioning (Lobo Stadium) 6 p.m. Lobo Football Parent Meeting (Lobo Coliseum) August 4 8 a.m. LHS Volleyball at Henderson Playday (TBA) August 6 8 a.m. Football Season Ticket Sales Open (Lobo Athletic Office) 8 a.m. Green Out Shirts on sale (Lobo Athletic Office) 8 a.m. Dragonette Dance Camp (Foster MS Gym) 8 a.m. Freshman Football Practice (Lobo Stadium) 5 p.m. Freshman Lady Lobo Volleyball host All Saints Dual (Lobo Coliseum) 6 p.m. JV Lady Lobo Volleyball host All Saints Dual (Lobo Coliseum) 7 p.m. Varsity Lady Lobo Volleyball host All Saints Dual (Lobo Coliseum) 7:30 p.m. Lobo Band Practice August 7 8 a.m. Dragonette Dance Camp (Foster MS Gym) 5 p.m. Freshman Lady Lobo Volleyball host Lindale (Lobo Coliseum) 6 p.m. JV Lady Lobo Volleyball host Lindale (Lobo Coliseum) 7 p.m. Varsity Lady Lobo Volleyball host Lindale (Lobo Coliseum) 7:30 p.m. Lobo Band Practice August 8 8 a.m. Dragonette Dance Camp (Foster MS Gym) August 9 8 a.m. Dragonette Dance Camp (Foster MS Gym) 8 a.m. LHS Volleyball hosts LHS Volleyball Tournament (Lobo Coliseum) 7:30 p.m. Lobo Band Practice August 10 8 a.m. 2nd Annual Viewette Garage Sale (PE Gym) 8 a.m. Dragonette Dance Camp (Foster MS Gym) 8 a.m. LHS Volleyball hosts LHS Volleyball Tournament (Lobo Coliseum) August 11 8 a.m. 2nd Annual Viewette Garage Sale (PE Gym) 8 a.m. LHS Volleyball hosts LHS

THE LONGVIEW VOICE —

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August 2018

LISD students, staff lead Community partners inspire creativity at Ware theatre production

The Junior League of Longview, along with the Longview Chamber of Commerce, Boys and Girls Club and Artsview partnered with Ware Elementary to host a Literacy Camp last month.

Each student was chosen by teachers as those who could benefit with extra reading help.

The goal for this summer camp was to empower students in fluency, comprehension and to allow them to continue their love for reading thru Reader’s Theater and to discover its elements in a deeper way.

Most importantly, students had the opportunity to be able to acquire the above in a fun learning environment.

As their final act, students performed a play. Parents and friends were invited to attend the performance at the end of the camp.

Thank you community partners for giving so generously of your time and resources to serve our students!

Come join the whole Peanuts gang and support some Longview ISD students and staff for a night of fun!

Theatre Longview is proud to present Charles Schulz’s beloved Peanuts comic in Clark Gesner’s classic musical, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”

Performances are 7 p.m. Aug. 2–4, and 9–11 with matinee performances at 2 p.m. August 4 and 12 at at Grace Crossing United Methodist Church, 1001 West Hawkins Parkway.

Tickets are $18 for adults; $15 for seniors, students, veterans, and first responders; and free for children 6 and under. A $10 group rate is available for parties of 10 or more by calling the box office at 903-4310224. Tickets purchased at the door will be an additional $2 each.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit theatrelongview.com.

Front Row: Current LISD students Josh Romero, Blake Sanders, and Zane Stout Back Row: Abby Jester (Class of 2017), Melissa Swallow (Foster teacher), Ruthie Romero ( JMQ teacher), April Sanders ( JMQ Secretary) and Jennifer Stout (JMS teacher)

We believe children learn leadership best when they begin at a young age. Klondike Leadership Academy is a program designed to do just that.

In this program we have 7 core values (listed below) which make up our skill sets. Each of the skill sets has a series of tasks the students can complete for points toward end-of-year prizes!

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Yes, I can!

Work comes before play Listen before you speak Together is better Help to inspire others Commitment Leaders are readers

Summer Activities Below are some activities you can kick off the KLA year with this summer for extra points!

COMMITMENT BOARD/KLA LAUNCH

THE PRIZES Our top two students with qualifying points will both recieve a Disney Cruise vacation with one parent. Other prizes include parties and awards for points!

HOW DO I Sign UP? This program is COMPLETELY FREE. To sign up, visit klabyhce.com and create an account. It’s as simple as that.

The 2018-2019 year will begin June 15 and will run through April 30.

So, don’t wait! We have some great summer activities—listed to the right—for the kids to participate in as well.

For more information, email longview@klabyhce.com.

PAINTING IN THE PARK POST-IT UP WITH LOVE MOVIES WITH A PURPOSE FOOD DRIVE MENTOR DAY CREATE YOUR OWN STORYBOOK YOU ROCK AT SCHOOL

If you’re interested in these activites text KLALONGVIEW to 64600 to be updated on the dates and directions for each task.

THE LONGVIEW VOICE —

Officer Brown honored by LPD

August 2018

Congratulations to Officer LaDarian Brown for five years of service to the City of Longview!

Not only is this Lobo alum a law enforcement officer, but an ordained minister and community leader.

We are thankful to have such a sterling example of servant-leadership and professional security walking the halls at Longview High.

FFA students stay busy over Summer Congrats to Natalie and Gregorio on receiving your Lone Star Degree July 11th in Fort Worth. So proud of the hard work you put in to receiving this prestigious award.

During Texas FFA Day of Service on July 9th students picked up litter at Trinity Park!

Keep up the great work FFA!

Page 5 Volleyball Tournament (Lobo Coliseum) August 13 8 a.m. New Employee Orientation 2 p.m. JV/Varsity Football Practice (Lobo Stadium) 7:30 p.m. Lobo Band Practice August 14 8 a.m. Poverty Conference (LETU Belcher Center) 4:30 p.m. LHS Volleyball host Beckville (Lobo Coliseum) 6:30 p.m. LHS Volleyball host Henderson (Lobo Coliseum) 6 p.m. Lobo Cheer Parent Meeting (LHS Cafeteria) 7:30 p.m. Lobo Band Practice August 16 8 a.m. Varsity Lady Lobo Volleyball at Berkner Tournament (Dallas) 6 p.m. - Park, Paint, & Tailgate (LHS Parking Lots) 7:30 p.m. Lobo Band Practice August 17 7:30 a.m. Staff Vendor Fair (Lobo Coliseum) 8 a.m. Convocation (Lobo Coliseum) 8 a.m. Varsity Lady Lobo Volleyball at Berkner Tournament (Dallas)

‘Green Out’ Night at Chick-fil-A set for September Chick-fil-A, near the corner of North Fourth Street and East Loop 281, will host the annual Green Out Night, the biggest Lobo party of the year, from 4-10 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11th.

KYKX will broadcast live from Chick-fil-A. At 7 p.m. the 2018 Lobos and coaches will arrive to meet fans and autograph their Green Out t-shirts. Throughout the evening, the Lobo cheerleaders and mascots, Viewettes, and majorettes will be on hand to meet fans and take pictures with them.

Fans always enjoy Green Out at Chick-fil-A. Join the Lobo party, dine at the beautiful newly remodeled Chick-fil-A, and support the Longview ISD Foundation as it supports LISD educators and students through its annual classroom and campus grant programs and educator and student scholarships. Chick-fil-A will donate a portion of the evening’s receipts from drive-through or inrestaurant dining to the Longview ISD Foundation.

Thank you, Chick-fil-A and Chuck King, for hosting this fun night!

Sales • Parts • Service We are proud to support the Longview Independent School District and their continued growth in the community!

August 18 8 a.m. - Lobo Football Media Day (Lobo Stadium) 8 a.m. Varsity Lady Lobo Volleyball at Berkner Tournament (Dallas) 1 p.m. - Lobo Football Kick-Off Pizza Bonanza August 20 7:30 p.m. Lobo Band Practice August 21 4:30 p.m. LHS Volleyball at Springhill (Springhill HS) 6:30 p.m. LHS Volleyball at Pine Tree (Springhill HS) 7:30 p.m. Lobo Band Practice August 23 8 a.m. Varsity Lady Lobo Volleyball at Tyler Tournament 7:30 p.m. Lobo Band Practice August 24 5 p.m. Freshman Lady Lobo Volleyball host Grace (Lobo Coliseum) 6 p.m. JV Lady Lobo Volleyball host Grace (Lobo Coliseum) 7 p.m. Varsity Lobo Football at Texas High (Scrimmage) August 25 8 a.m. Varsity Lady Lobo Volleyball at Tyler Tournament 8 a.m. Freshman & JV Lady Lobo Volleyball at Pine Tree Tournament

Family Owned for 102 Years

200 Spur 63, Longview, TX • (903) 758-6211 pegueshurstford.com

August 27 Classes Begin 3:10 p.m Lobo Band Practice (Lobo Stadium) August 28 3:10 p.m Lobo Band Practice

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE —

Innovation through instruction-driven scheduling

August 2018

With the analytics we had available through School By Design, we were able to uncover hidden opportunities and we gained a new perspective.

Here are just a few design decisions we explored: • Disciplinary vs. interdisciplinary team structures, with teachers organized

By Melanie Pondant, Dr. Lee Killingsworth, Shalona McCray, Cindy Johnson by department as opposed to connecting multiple disciplines to deliver instruction; Educators are conditioned to see the school day in a certain way: it starts at a • Balancing the need to focus on core tested courses while giving students set time in the morning, ends at a certain time in the afternoon, and it has time for access to a rich variety of electives; each subject—whether 40, 50, or 90 minutes. In some cases, schools adopt new • Designing supports for all students, not just special education students; and types of schedules—such as block schedules—as they gain popularity. Either way, • Developing strong PD programs so teachers optimize the time they have to the school day is set. We mold teaching and learning to fit whatever time frame or improve teaching and learning. structure we’re given.

The scenarios didn’t give us the answers: they allowed us to uncover the numerous Historically, this was our district’s approach. Our district prides itself on offering its diverse student body a variety of opportunities, including IB, Early College, and hidden possibilities. They set up clear choice points for our leaders and school teams award-winning athletics. Many students are doing just fine in our traditional middle to think about, play with, and decide based on what made sense for our district and schools. But too many aren’t. The majority of our middle school students “approach” individual schools.

WHAT WE DID, AND ARE DOING ABOUT TIME grade-level standards, but too few “meet” or “master” those standards.

We’ve changed how we use time, but, more importantly, we’ve fundamentally CHANGING THE PERCEPTION OF TIME Most of the time, discussion about time management begins and ends in the changed how we think about time. We’ve turned our annual budget cycle into classroom. This isn’t surprising, as there’s typically a set amount of time available, continuous improvement for resource use that supports—not constraints—teaching a specific schedule by which to abide, and teachers must figure out how to teach and learning. We developed internal experts at our middle schools charged with strategic scheduling. We don’t have “school models,” but a dynamic process in which all the content within that schedule.

But this is a heavy lift and teachers felt significant pressure. They need time time shifts as needed and schedules change annually based on teaching and learning to create and find standards-aligned lessons, analyze student work, and match priorities and needs.

Going into the 2018-19 school year, here’s an example of the schedule emerging instruction to student needs and strengths. In our previous schedule, our schools allocated 45-90 minutes per week for Professional Learning Communities, which at Judson Middle School: • 140 minutes of STEM (Math/Science) and 140 of Humanities (ELA/Social Studies) was the right intent, but we found it was not the right amount of time for teachers at the beginning of each day with flex blocks that allow teachers to group and to leave their classrooms and have meaningful conversations.

We were in a vicious cycle: wanting to better support teaching and learning, not regroup students based on needs, strengths, and interests. The flexibility supports use of interdisciplinary units incorporating multiple standards and instructional having enough time to do so, and not having the option to add more time.

But what if we could look at time as a resource to be managed more efficiently strategies that require more continuous time.

• A full professional day each week for subject area teachers across grade levels. district-wide, not just in schools and classrooms?

We were introduced to Dr. Marilyn Crawford and School By Design in 2017— This provides significant time for teachers to analyze student work, develop strong and they, in business terms, “disrupted” how we view time. Dr. Crawford prompted lesson plans, align curriculum across grades, share instructional and classroom us to ask ourselves: Why are our middle school schedules the way they are? Our strategies, and contact parents.

• While teachers are in their PD day, students take elective classes such as art, answer—“Because that’s the way we’ve always done it”—is a common one, and it engineering or computers. wasn’t working anymore.

• Grade-level conferencing time is available to plan across the curriculum.

Instead of jumping straight to “What should we do for our middle school Getting Started And Keeping the Momentum schedules?” we needed to take a collective step back to take in the big picture. We We can’t give our schools more time, personnel, or money—the three things they had to ask, “What could we do?”

What are unexplored possibilities for how we can use our given resources—time, want. But we’ve discovered ways to help them make the most of what they have. staff, students, and courses—to design schedules that maximize time for teaching Based on what we’ve learned, here’s some advice we’d give to district leaders who want to rethink the use of time: and learning?

• Build the capacity of staff who can connect resource data to Important questions to ask included: instructional visions.

• What are the impacts of different base schedules on our class sizes and • Provide images of responsive scheduling and give people time to think. staffing numbers?

• Be sure to think through scenarios and play with a range of resource options.

• How could we align schedules across schools to fit the reality of shared staff Don’t just lock in on the first option or think that the first opportunity is while allowing schools to make their own schedule choices? “the answer.”

• How could we balance the amount of time courses meet while finding time • Use resource analytics as a strategic process, not a one-time event. Resource for teachers to plan for improved instruction? analytics propels ongoing improvement that can’t otherwise happen.

• How much PD time do we really need?

• Be open to new discoveries, there are opportunities you may not have seen WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT TIME before, but working with a strategic partner can present new possibilities.

We uncovered a number of ways that we could move from schedule-driven We’ve learned a new way of thinking about resources that opened up insightful instruction to instruction-driven scheduling—without adding to our budget. opportunities to improve teaching and learning in our district without becoming bogged down in budget constraints.

Working with Dr. Crawford and School by Design showed us just how much untapped potential exists when we focus on our goals and analyze how we are using all available resources to meet them.

As our teachers and students will tell you, we have been able to make important changes by using resources on hand.

We are free to think and act on different possibilities.

— Melanie Pondant is LISD’s Director of Secondary Curriculum and Instruction. Dr. Lee Killingsworth is Assistant Principal of Judson Middle School. Shalona McCray is Assistant Principal of Forest Park Middle School. Cindy Johnson is Guidance Counselor of Foster MIddle School.

COMING Sept. 7th-15th 69th Annual Gregg County Fair

www.GreggCountyFair.com

THE LONGVIEW VOICE —

Is your PTA ready?

August 2018

Johnston-McQueen Elementary Principal Dr. Jennifer Bailey and her PTA officers learned a lot and had a wonderful time last month during the PTA Launch conference in Dallas.

Does your campus have a PTA or PTO organization? For more information about how you can help, please contact your campus directly.

Get ready for the 17th annual ‘Big Green Victory Line’

The Longview ISD Foundation, Inc. is sponsoring Lobo Green Out 2018 on Friday, September 14, when the Longview Lobos host the John Tyler Lions at Lobo Stadium at 7:30 PM. Everyone who wears a Lobo Green Out 2018 T-shirt to the Lobo/Lions game on Friday, September 14, is invited to form the pre-game BIG GREEN VICTORY LINE for the Lobos. The victory line will form at 7:10 PM on the track on the home side of the field.

Page 7 (Lobo Stadium) 5 p.m. Freshman Lady Lobo Volleyball host Elysian Fields (Lobo Coliseum) 6 p.m. JV Lady Lobo Volleyball host Elysian Fields (Lobo Coliseum) 7 p.m. Varsity Lady Lobo Volleyball host Elysian Fields (Lobo Coliseum) August 29 3:10 p.m Lobo Band Practice (Lobo Stadium) 4:30 p.m. Lobo Cheer Practice (Turf Room) August 30 3:10 p.m Lobo Band Practice (Lobo Stadium) 5:30 p.m. Freshman Lobo Football host Lufkin (Lobo Stadium) 5:30 p.m. JV Lobo Football at Lufkin (Panther Stadium)

Lobo fans, join the fun of Green Out 2018. The Lobos are 14-2 on Green Out Night at Lobo Stadium. Let’s help the Lobos keep winning! #greenout2018 #beastmode

August 31 3:10 p.m Lobo Band Practice (Lobo Stadium) 4:30 p.m. Varsity Lady Lobo Volleyball host Marshall (Lobo Coliseum) 5:30 p.m. Freshman Lady Lobo Volleyball host Marshall (PE Gym) 5:30 p.m. JV Lady Lobo Volleyball host Marshall (Lobo Coliseum) 7:30 p.m. Varsity Lobo Football host Lufkin (Lobo Stadium)

Ware earns top reading campus in Myon rankings For the second month in a row, Ware Elementary was atop the Myon rankings with 189,416 total minutes read.

Following a close second was Bramlette Elementary with 178,145 minutes read, then South Ward Elementary with 110,350 minutes read, Foster Middle with 89,241 minutes read, and Forest Park Middle rounding out the top 5 with 78,491 minutes read. Great job you Lobo readers! Keep up the great work!

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE —

August 2018

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE —

August 2018

SPORTS

Page 9

Friday Night... LIVE

Longview-Lufkin season opener to be broadcast live on Fox Sports The colossal East Texas showdown between Lufkin and Longview will, as always, be one of the biggest week one games in the state.

The Lobos and Panthers are moving their kickoff time to 8:38 p.m. Aug. 31 as the 82nd meeting between the two old rivals will be televised live from Longview’s Lobo Stadium to a regional audience.

Fox Sports, who shot promos both in Longview and Lufkin this past spring, will set up a stage on the north end of Lobo Stadium for the broadcast. Mark Followill will provide play-by-play alongside analyst Shea Walker and sideline reporter Jen Hale.

Texas Football Days, an event celebrating

the state’s unmatched passion for the sports, according to the UIL, began in 2017, the 98th season of UIL football.

The last time the two clubs met, we saw an epic battle in last year’s state quarterfinals. Longview outlasted the Pack 33-32 in an instant classic played at Homer Bryce Stadium in Nacogdoches.

Lufkin enters the pre-season as the top-ranked team in class 5A, with six starters back on each side of the ball.

Longview is ranked No. 9 in 6A with eight starters returning on offense, and three defensively.

The Lobos lead the all-time series 40-37-4, and have won five of the last six meetings. Three of those five wins have been one-point victories.

Lobos featured during ETSN ‘Photo Days’

Several standout athletes from the Lobo roster were featured during the annual ETSN ‘Photo Days’ photo shoot.

The Lobos sent 14 players to be the faces of their program for their work ethic on and off the field: DaQuavion Randall, Gavin Roberts, Haynes King, Jacob Johnson, Ja’Vontae Writt, Jaylon Allen, Jephaniah Lister, Jessie Anderson, Kamden Perry, Kaylon Allen, Keilyn Williams, Marcus Harry, Marcus Williams, and Tainique Taylor.

All of the players’ individual photos are available for purchase at our photos website, ETSNPictures. com and we thank Clint Buckley, Chandler Vessels, and the entire ETSN.fm team for their excellent coverage of Longview athletics!

THE LONGVIEW VOICE —

Page 10

Future is bright for Lady Lobo volleyball Lady Lobo Volleyball coaches hosted its annual volleyball camp for students in incoming grades 7-9 on July 30-31.

This was an allskills volleyball camp that helped a t h le t es hone their skills for the upcoming school year and volleyball

August 2018

season.

It was a fun and educational time for all our athletes, and we’re excited for the future of Lady Lobo volleyball!

IB lead tennis camp fundraiser for Boys & Girls Club We can’t say enough good things about these Longview High School International Baccalaureate students who presented the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Big Pines with the money their IB service project, a tennis tournament, made.

Thank you for choosing the Club Nitin Rangu, Anna Ward, Ben Taylor, and Austin Greifenkamp!

Big Green Marching Machine rocks Band Camp It can be hard sending your kiddos away to band camp for a week. But our Lobo parents did it with style.

We look forward to seeing how our band members have grown and progressed when the Big Green Marching Machine takes the field this fall!

Don’t forget: Lobo Band Boosters are selling hoodies!

I know it’s hot right now but the Lobos are looking to make a deep playoff run this season. What better way to keep warm during the cold weather games than with a Lobo band hoodie?

For more information call Jody at (903) 917-2189 or Kristen at (903) 576-9810. They are $25 for small through XL, and $30 for 2XL and larger. Help support our band kids!

LOBO PRIDE ISN'T LIMITED TO FOOTBALL, BAND, ART, OR BEING ON A TEAM. IT INCLUDES MAKING SMART CHOICES THAT WILL POSITIVELY IMPACT YOUR FUTURE.

D O N ' T L E T A L C O H O L A N D D R U G S G E T I N T H E W A Y O F W H A T Y O U W A N T T O B E

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August 2018

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE —

August 2018

Tennis standout Simran Kortikere has busy summer As her junior year of high school approaches, LHS junior Simran Kortikere is putting the wraps on a busy summer of tennis. She’s finishing up the 16 zone nationals in Southlake on Monday before boarding a plane to San Diego for the USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 16 National Championships later this week.

The opportunity to compete in the prestigious USTA Hardcourt Nationals is something Kortikere has really looked forward to. She’ll get the chance to match her tennis talents up against some of the best the United States has to offer.

College tennis coaches from across the country will be in attendance at San Diego’s Barnes Tennis Center for the week-long event. This is where Kortikere hopes to attract attention and draw the interest of college suitors.

Kortikere’s two-year singles record at Longview is a staggering 108-12. She attributes a great deal of her court dominance to high school coaches Issac Anders and Tom Faulkner along with personal coach Carlos Cardona.

Read the entire story by reporter George Whitley at ETVarsity.com!

2nd annual Viewette Sale set for Aug. 3-4 You don’t want to miss this MASSIVE multi-family Summer Sale! Clothes, shoes, home goods, boutique items, furniture, and much MUCH MORE! Pre-Sale is 5:30 p.m. Aug. 3 (cash only at the door) with the regular sale starting bright and early Saturday, Aug. 4th.

More than 40 Viewette families have contributed items to this massive sale, you do not want to miss this! Support your Viewettes!

Please support our advertisers who make this publication possible.

THE LONGVIEW VOICE —

August 2018

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Angelica Hernandez leads by quiet example She is everything you think of when you picture a future nurse; calming, compassionate, friendly, and knowledgeable. Angelica Hernandez is so much more than you might realize when you walk the halls of Longview High School’s CATE building. Yes, she is a student. Yes, she is everything you want in a future nurse. The young lady with an inviting and contagious smile is also a mom.

As Hernandez quietly describes how she was so nervous to begin high school, what comes to mind is the freshmen who will walk on campus in August. She is a Pre-AP student who just got off the bus at the high school terrified to look anyone in the eye.

She is the star athlete who is ready to make her mark but not sure how and if she will get the chance. She is the choir student who goes down the wrong hall only to end up near the Viewette Dance Studio. Don’t be ashamed, we have all done it.

Angelica is every freshman on her first day — scared.Her time flew through sophomore and junior year when she could finally start taking the classes she found most exciting — nursing with Mrs. Collins. It was during her junior year that she discovered she was pregnant with her son. Her first thought was “no more band, I have to prepare for having a baby.” She was due in October of her senior year. When most girls in her class were thinking about homecoming or what they were going to do during Thanksgiving Break, Hernandez was giving birth to her sweet boy, Javier.

“I am proud to say that through all of this my grades didn’t drop,” said Hernandez.

Special ED Overhaul

By Aliyya Swaby, Texas Tribune The Texas Education Agency is starting the search for organizations to help school districts overhaul special education following a federal finding that the state had effectively denied students with disabilities access to needed services.

Agency officials July 9th put out a call for applications for more than $20 million in grants, with applicants limited to Texas universities and the 20 state education centers set up to assist school districts. The TEA had included many of the action items in a strategic plan it submitted to the federal government in April detailing how it would ensure students with special needs were being educated.

After a long investigation, the federal government concluded earlier this year that the state was effectively incentivizing school districts to keep their special education numbers low, causing Texas to provide special education services to a small percentage of students compared to other states.

Each of the year-long grants, across 12 major categories, will be funded through discretionary federal funds provided to states for special education, implemented either in the 2018-19 or 2019-20 academic years. While the TEA has made it clear it cannot do much more without additional state or federal funding, school administrators have argued the state’s plan is an unfunded mandate and would require they make cuts in other crucial areas of their budgets.

Several of the contracts will go to organizations that can help schools educate some of the most vulnerable and neglected students with special needs, including those with cognitive disabilities, those who are deaf or blind, those with autism and those who are in small school districts with limited resources. Another is intended to help school districts train staff to evaluate which students are in need of federally funded special education services. The federal government found that many educators misunderstood the legal requirements around educating students with disabilities.

The TEA tried and failed to address some of these issues last year when it awarded a contract to overhaul special education to a relatively young, private company without letting others bid for the task.

When parents of students with disabilities argued the contract was unfairly bid and would not help their students, the agency terminated it, losing $2.2 million in federal funding.

“I maintained an A/B average. In fact, when I returned it went even higher!”

She told me everything she does is so Javier can have the best life experiences possible. Her hard work will make their lives better and she will be a role model for him.

She knew her time at LHS was drawing to a close, but that is not the end of her educational journey. Angelica started applying for scholarships and earned three, two from Kilgore College for $2500. “My parents were so proud,” she said. “All our hard work paid off.” She feels prepared to continue her education because of her time in the nursing program and working with her role model, Mrs. Kendra Collins.

The parting thought she wants to leave with everyone is that they can do it. Whatever it is they want to achieve, it is doable. “Don’t give up. It may be hard, but do your best. Keep your grades up, you will have up and down times, but set your goals. All you can do is your best.”

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August 2018

Carter Sorrells leaves legacy for future Lobos Goals. You are never too young to set them, work toward them, and accomplish them. Goals can help direct us, shape us, and motivate us. They don’t have to end; they can grow as we do. Once one is accomplished another is there staring us in the face. This was a lesson Carter Sorrels learned early; set a goal, work toward a goal, accomplish a goal.

His academic career is one that every parent dreams of; IB student, top 2% of his class, former National Honor Society student, great athlete. But Carter was setting his sights on something much higher: the Naval Academy in Annapolis.

He started out like every freshman does, nervous and excited. “You show up that first day and you look around and feel so small,” said Sorrels. He admits to getting lost his first day because of the sheer size of his new campus. It’s good to know I and others are not the only one. But once he got settled in and made some new friends, he breezed through his freshman and sophomore years.

His junior year he joined the IB program. Teacher expectations were high and the work was intense, but with support of teachers and others in the program he faced and met this goal head on. “IB helped prepare me for my next steps because it is high level thinking, a LOT of essay writing, and time management.”

Junior year can be a challenge for students because this is when you have to get serious on your “next steps.” Kids may have an idea of WHAT they want to be when they grow up, because we start asking them in elementary

school. But your upperclassmen now have think about HOW to actually start those next steps to reach that “forever goal.” What the majority of the students in high school also start worrying about is, “How will I pay for these next steps?” The Sorrels have a lot of Texas A&M Aggie alumni pride, but with the rising cost of tuition, this was not something Carter wanted to burden his family with. So now what?

Opportunity knocked when Sorrels received a pamphlet in the mail with information about the Naval Academy Summer Seminar. This is a week-long program for potential incoming cadets to speak with cadets in the Academy, go through training classes, workouts and get a sense of life in the Naval Academy. With encouragement from his father, he applied. After a week in Annapolis, Sorrels knew this was his path. Goal set. Time to apply.

In September, he received his letter of assurance into the Naval Academy.

This stated that as long as he could secure a nomination from a U.S. Senator, he was in. New Goal. In January, he got the call from Senator Ted Cruz’s office saying his was their top nomination for the Naval Academy. Goal met. “I was in class when I got the call and when they told me, I couldn’t process it,” Carter said. “I was thinking, ‘I don’t know what to do with this, I am in class right now.’” This year alone close to 16,000 people applied to the Naval Academy and there were only 1,300 that received appointments.

Cater is grateful to the people who helped him down this new path to the Naval Academy. He worked with a Blue and Gold officer, Marshal Brown, from the Kilgore Recruiting Office. Kay Ray helped him prepare for the ACT/ SAT test and made him aware of scholarship opportunities. He values how she went out of her way to help him. Stacie Wheeler showed him dedication in the workplace, coming to school with a smile on her face no matter what was happening around her. Carter was happy to have Bryce Standridge for his sophomore, junior and senior year. “It’s weird to say a teacher is a friend, but that is what he is to me.”

His parting thoughts to the underclassman would be try new things.

“Don’t be afraid to make changes. Don’t change for any one person, but don’t be afraid to accept new experiences because you are capable of more than you know. Don’t be so set in your plan that you ignore other opportunities.”

For those future Lobos, Carter says what you are doing now sets you up for your future. “Don’t slack off, do your best. Be diverse, look for new opportunities to find what works for you. “

KIDS WHO READ NEWSPAPERS

DO BETTER Research shows that students who use newspapers in the classroom score better on standardized tests, continue reading into adulthood, have greater civic understanding and are more engaged in their communities.

Higher test scores, improved reading skills, greater civic awareness.

The Longview Voice

THE LONGVIEW VOICE —

Full ‘STEAM’ ahead!

August 2018

Page 15

LISD touts new academic offerings for diverse students Just as dif ferent students have varied interests or abilities, Longview Independent School District is working to provide a variety of educational options for

parents to consider for their children.

During their regular meeting April 16th, LISD trustees approved measures to develop new in-campus elementary magnet schools, as well as transform an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school from traditional programs to magnet programs.

Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox said, thanks to support from the U.S. Department of Education’s Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP), the district is developing schools “that create critical, independent thinkers who will succeed academically and become productive members of society.”

“We are expanding Montessori and International Baccalaureate programming that infuses science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) education,” he said. “Our goal is to build students’ skills so they are able to meet the workforce needs of local, regional, and global markets.”

In addition to the new East Texas Montessori Prep Academy (for Pre-K and Kindergarten students) that opened its doors in 2017, Ware Montessori Academy will start in the 2018-19 school year for 1st Grade students. Eventually, the Ware campus will house a Montessori program all the way through 5th Grade.

Bramlette Elementary and Judson Middle will both become engineering-focused STEAM charter schools, with Ned E. Williams being designated as a STEAM magnet school with an emphasis on Fine Arts, and Forest Park Middle will be designated an International Baccalaureate magnet school with STEAM integration.

Of course, Longview ISD already has current magnet campuses like J.L. Everhart Elementary (International Baccalaureate), Hudson PEP Elementary (Gifted & Talented/Project-Based Learning), and Longview High also has IB and Early College charter programs within their campus.

Dr. Wilcox said an important priority for this initiative is to reduce minority group isolation and increase socioeconomic integration “by promoting systemic reform, developing innovative educational practices that promote diversity, and providing equitable access to high-quality educational programs.”

“We have charter schools with a STEAM focus, magnet schools with a focus on International Baccalaureate, Gifted & Talented, Project-Based Learning, or STEAM,

and traditional Pre-K and Kindergarten programs,” he added.

So what does all this mean for parents and their students?

“More access, opportunity, and options for parents to consider as possible,” said Dr. Wilcox. “Our students have different intellectual abilities and career aspirations, so we want to meet them where they are in order to better help them get where they want to be.”

Are you interested in more information about how your child can enjoy the benefits of these progressive educational opportunities?

Please call at (903) 381-2200 for more information.

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