BOARD COMMUNICATIONS MEMORANDUM
DR. BOBBIE TREVINO, SUPERINTENDENT | April 2024Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment & Accountability | Human Resources & Leadership Development
Business & Finance | Innovation & Technology | Operations & Support Services | Compliance & School Safety
ZCISD: EMPOWERING TOMORROW’S LEADERS
SUPERINTENDENT’S COMMENTS:
As we reflect on the accomplishments and milestones of the past month, I am filled with gratitude for your unwavering dedication to our district's mission Your guidance and support continue to shape the educational landscape for our students, ensuring that every child receives the opportunity to thrive In April, we celebrated numerous achievements, from academic successes to community engagements Your commitment to fostering a culture of excellence is evident in every decision made and every initiative undertaken As we look ahead, let us remain steadfast in our commitment to serve our students and community with passion and integrity Together, we will continue to elevate the standard of education and create a brighter future for all.
In the realm of academic excellence, our students have once again distinguished themselves through their hard work and perseverance. Many of our high school seniors have been awarded prestigious scholarships, showcasing their academic prowess and leadership qualities. Additionally, our students have demonstrated a competitive spirit in athletics, UIL and Fine Arts Students are still preparing for state competitions including our theater team with their rendition of Blood Wedding
Alongside our students, I must acknowledge the invaluable contributions of our dedicated teachers and administrators. Behind every student success story lies the steadfast guidance and support of our educators. Their unwavering commitment to academic excellence and student development is the cornerstone of our district's success. From fostering a nurturing learning environment to providing personalized instruction, our teachers go above and beyond to ensure that every student reaches their full potential. Similarly, our administrators play a pivotal role in shaping the educational landscape of our district. Their visionary leadership and strategic initiatives have propelled our schools to new heights of excellence. Whether it's implementing innovative programs or fostering collaborative partnerships within the community, our administrators continually strive to enhance the educational experience for all students
As we celebrate the successes of our students and prepare to bid farewell to the graduating class, I am reminded of the profound impact that education has on shaping the future leaders of tomorrow. It is through your continued support and dedication that we are able to nurture the talents and potential of every student in our district.Thank you for your unwavering commitment to the success of our students and for your invaluable contributions to our district's mission.
Strategic Goal #1
We will ensure innovative, relevant, and high-quality learning opportunities are provided to all students in pursuit of college, career, and military readiness April is the month when we see the culmination of all of our work and effort to ensure ZCISD is “Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders ” Our students, teachers, staff, and campus administrators, along with the support of our parents have prepared our students fully to take on our STATE ASSESSMENTS-STAAR and STAAR ALTERNATE 2 ZCISD successfully tested 1416 students in grades 3-8 RLA and 259 students in English I and English 2 during the week of April 15th. ZCISD
successfully tested 764 students in grades 5 & 8 Science, Grade 8 Social Studies, Biology and US History during the week of April 22nd. ZCISD successfully tested 1416 students in grades 3-8 Mathematics and 62 students in Algebra during the week of April 29th. We are proud to announce that we had 100% participation at all of our elementary schools and at our middle school. This is a collaborative effort from all stakeholders in our district, including teachers, campus administrators, and most importantly our amazing Attendance Recovery Officers. We must also give credit to our awesome TECHNOLOGY team who ensures our online testing goes smoothly and provides support on a daily basis to our campuses. STAAR Alternate 2 was also completed on April 26th, with 100% participation (122 assessments administered) During our assessment window, we witnessed our students focused and giving it their best For students, not testing, we witnessed continued targeted instruction without interruption We are very proud of our campuses and we KNOW that our results will exemplify the hard work and dedication of all our students and teachers
Strategic Goal #2
We will promote a safe, nurturing, and engaging learning environment to meet the needs of all students.
Counselor’s Update: The district’s LCD Counselors have continued to coordinate awareness campaigns of dangers of drug, tobacco and vape use. For example, in the month of April, students were presented with “Body's Response To Nicotine, Tobacco, & Vaping”. The curriculum being followed is called Mind Matters. Mind Matters is a series that explores the ways that different drugs affect your brain, body, and life. This month’s activity small group sessions covered information about How do you become addicted to nicotine? ; How do vaping devices work? ; What if someone I know needs help?
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Zapata County ISD campuses have continued to practice emergency drills and monitoring safety to ensure that students are provided with a safe and secure environment for learning. Exterior door sweeps are still being conducted weekly at all campuses and documented as mandated by TEA. On April 9, 2024, Zapata South Elementary was audited by a TEA intruder auditor and everything was found to be in compliance with state mandates.
Strategic Goal #3
We will create a strong student-centered partnership between families, teachers, administrators, and community to ensure all district initiatives are met.
PEIMS Update:
On April 10, 2024 the Department of PEIMS hosted a Pre-K Roundup for Registrations! This event involved multiple departments such as the Special Education Department, Federal Programs Department, Health Services Department and the Attendance Division of the PEIMS Department. The event successfully registered 70 soon to be 4 and 4 year olds for the upcoming school year.
Attendance Update:
The table below shows the attendance percentages by campus for the 6th Six Weeks.
Strategic Goal #4
Student Services:
Zapata County ISD, in partnership with PILLAR of Laredo, hosted their latest session of their Parent Learning Mini Series on April 3, 2024. The session focused on Student Anxiety This initiative began in January when the district hosted their Parent Learning Summit. The framework of the summit was created by parents - for parents District leadership asked our community- “what resources do you need to better support your child at home?” To build off the momentum of this summit, where over 600 parents attended, Zapata County ISD created the Parent Learning Mini Series - with the same goal - what resources will attendees leave with that can help support their child at home?
We will provide effective and efficient operations through a transparent, fiscally responsible budget and an equitable distribution of resources in support of organizational processes Services and Operations Monthly Report
The construction projects are moving along smoothly. Below you find the completion status of the projects:
● FARVES parking lot lights project completed
● Elementary HVAC projects in progress
● Secondary HVAC projects in progress.
● Decorative fencing campus projects will start with construction in May 2024.
● Fencing project for the Creek, Alamo St. and High school (ongoing).
● DAEP canopy in progress.
● Fencing project for Anselmo Trevino Jr Life skills center in progress
● ZHS field house landscaping project completed.
● We continue with disinfecting our schools 3 times a week and dressing rooms being done daily The services and Operations department continues to complete daily work orders in the areas of Maintenance, Transportation and HVAC district wide
Child Nutrition Program Update
Operations
● Conducting Daily Walk-throughs at all campuses that include breakfast, lunch, and supper programs. (Thorough inspections of inventory and food labeling, and reviewing food production records in detail to ensure meal pattern compliance was added to walk-through monitors)
● Weekly Manager Meetings to discuss any issues observed during the week (Fridays)
● One to one meeting with Managers observed with deficiencies that need immediate attention and corrective action.
● Conducted interviews for the new Cafeteria Manager position at F A R V E S
● All cafeteria health inspections completed for the year
Administrative
● Prepared, consolidated, and submitted monthly claim reports for NSLP and CACFP programs.
● CEP monthly uploads for Direct Certified Students
● Worked on food transportation vehicle specs.
● Applied for grant equipment funds to implement smoothies at all campuses for next year (Dairy Council)
● Planned and prepared summer menu
● Began Summer Seamless Application (due May 21st)
● Collected and processed all summer employment applications
Campus Events
● The CNP department celebrated National Grilled Cheese Day
● The CNP department conducted a Taste Testing Event at Zapata High School
● The CNP department prepared special treats for students in celebration of all birthdays for the month of April
Planning
● May Events (School Lunch Hero Day, Senior Lunch Celebration, CNP Employee End of the Year Luncheon).
● Summer Seamless Program Training for all summer employees
Technology Update:
Completed Projects:
● All technology staff in the department have completed the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) Certified Training program for information security and cybersecurity awareness Ongoing Projects:
● The department is currently undergoing an online course from the Texas School Safety Center to assist with the development of a Cybersecurity Annex to the Emergency Operations Plan. Growth & Connections:
● The department's technology specialists have started scheduling live streams for school events They're mastering the nuances of effective live streaming techniques while highlighting the talents of our students.
Technology Service Requests for the Month of April
Human Resources:
The Department of Finance and Department of Human Resources co-hosted a Pre-Retirement Seminar on April 12 This virtual event allowed for a live interaction with a TRS Specialist, Ms. Mia Gehringer on Retirement Planning and provided many resources and materials for ZCISD staff to better prepare for retirement Resources and materials included Planning on Retirement, EAR Brochure, Member Education Videos, Financial Awareness Videos, and 2024 TRS-Care Highlights
Teacher and Instructional Assistant of the Year:
Each year we ask our campuses to nominate teachers and instructional assistants that have made a difference in the lives of their students and who have demonstrated the skills in the District's Educator Profile.
In order to be nominated for Teacher of the Year, the teacher must:
● Have been employed in a ZCISD school for a minimum of two years (at least be in his/her second year in ZCISD)
● Be a classroom teacher
● Hold a Standard Teacher's Certificate
● Plans to be employed in ZCISD for the 2024-2025 school year due to obligations this position will have for the following year.
Each nominated teacher will receive a Teacher of the Year Application Form. These forms will be evaluated by a committee of Central Office and Campus Leaders. One elementary teacher and one secondary (Middle and High School) will be selected by this committee to represent Zapata County ISD. The nominated individuals for the 2023-2024 School Year are as follows:
Zapata High School
Teacher of the Year Marie Gutierrez IA of the Year Maria G. Garcia
Zapata Middle School
Teacher of the Year Olga Guzman IA of the Year Brianna Del Bosque Arturo L. Benavides Elementary Teacher of the Year Maria Isabel Solis IA of the Year Ester Garcia
Project LIFT!
Zapata North Elementary Teacher of the Year Frances Campos IA of the Year Ana Rodriguez
Zapata South Elementary Teacher of the Year Cassandra Barrientos IA of the Year Blanca Ramon
Fidel and Andrea R. Villarreal Elementary Teacher of the Year Lydia Garza IA of the Year Silvester Bustamante
Wanda Lee Perez, Project LIFT Coordinator from the Office of Counseling and Mental HealthRegion One Education Service Center, visited the district on April 19th to meet with counselors and principals from Zapata High School and Zapata Middle School. The meeting’s purpose was to Meet and Greet with our new found partners in the five year grant project We are excited to partner with their team of experts in the field of counseling and mental health support. As we begin the process of transition, the team will work on a needs assessment of trainings and a rollout plan of a mental health support curriculum A unique part of Project Lift! is creating a Mindful Meditation Room. A Mindful Meditation Room will be a room designed for staff and students to provide a serene, tranquil room where children who are feeling emotionally dysregulated can go to calm themselves down The team will be working closely with the Department of Operations and Support Services in the design and implementation of these rooms in Zapata High School and Zapata Middle School.
Resignations and New Employment:
NewHiresforApril2024
● MayraCantu,ChildNutritionWorker:4-9-2024
● MicaelaGonzalez,Custodian:4-9-2024
● FrancoArce,PEInstructionalAssistant:4-15-2024
● RaquelRamirez,ChildNutritionWorker:4-19-2024
● AbelVillarreal,Custodian:4-30-2024
ResignationsforApril2024
● NeldaSolis,Custodian:4-19-2024
