Five Good Things in Spring
What's at the very tippity-top of our minds here in Spring ISD over the next few weeks? The STAAR tests! The majority of our students — from third grade all the way through high school — will be taking at least one of the exams this week through the beginning of May, and we are rooting for them all across the district! Want some proof? Click here for how Momentum HS was preparing, here for possibly the cutest parade ever at Thompson ES, here for a bit of "cheer" from Dueitt MS, and here for a messy (but fun!) pep rally at the School for International Studies at Bammel. And even Dr. Hinojosa got in on the game, offering up some words of encouragement just as the tests were kicking off this week. Y'all got this!
Every single one of our teachers are stellar, but a lucky few — 11 to be exact — were selected this week to be STELLAR. Aggie STELLAR, that is. And no, we're not declaring our stance in the UT vs A&M rivalry, but rather celebrating our partnership with Texas A&M and ExxonMobil that will send the aforementioned 11 teachers to a very special summer camp. Through a grant from the ExxonMobil Foundation, these teachers applied for and have been selected to take part in the Aggie STELLAR (STEM Teacher Education, Learning, Leadership and Resources) program. At a special institute this summer and through ongoing support next year, these teachers will have access to resources, strategies and support to engage students in meaningful hands-on STEM learning experiences. That means they'll be even better teachers. Head to the Spring ISD News Blog to read more, and see a full list of teachers that were selected.
April 15 may be Tax Day to a lot of us, but for baseball fans it's also the day set aside to commemorate Jackie Robinson. April 15, 1947 marked the Major League Baseball debut of Jackie Robinson. The baseball legend played for the Dodgers that day, making him the first Black man to play in the MLB, ending more than 80 years of segregation in the sport. Since 2004, all MLB teams have marked April 15 with Jackie Robinson Day. On its 20th anniversary, a few members of the Dekaney High School baseball team (and possible future MLB players themselves — just trying to manifest it) attended the game at Minute Maid Park to celebrate. In the process, they also got some photos with J.C. Hartman, the Astro's first African American player who just turned 90, who was on hand to throw out the first pitch. What a day!
Graduation season is about to be in full swing, and with that comes one of the biggest decisions of high school — what to do after graduation. Over at Westfield High School, representatives from various armed forces, universities, colleges, and vocational schools showed up at the school's College Fair on Wednesday to help with those decisions, and to answer questions from students. These Mustangs have a lot to look forward to, and we can't wait to see what comes next!
Have you ever thought about the history of origami? Or what it would take to live on Mars? How about the intricacies of saltwater fishing? And what about something called (checks notes) Koenigsegg? Yeah, us neither! But these Gifted and Talented (aka GT) students have not only thought about it, they've dedicated entire research projects to those topics and many, many, many more. They showed their work at the GT Expo, which went down at Dekaney High School with a record number of participants — 450 students from 34 campuses, in fact. You can get a full recap of the event over on the News Blog, as well as take a peak at some photos of the absolutely mind blowing projects. (And yes, before you ask, there is an exploding volcano.)