Bronco Blast
October 23rd Weekly Staff Newsletter
Staff Member of the Month - October
Siohauh Tang!!!!
Mr. Tang has been so helpful and kind to everyone. He always has a positive attitude. He is willing to help out and does his best to fix any and every problem. We honor his dedication to our school and assisting all of us each and every day.
When I first arrived, Mr. Tang worked endlessly to get me connected on every device as quick as possible. He was truly a life saver for me.
A little about Mr. Tang:
- He has been in the computer field since 2004.
- He loves to take things apart and fixing computers gives him plenty of opportunities to do that.
- He met his wife in fourth grade. They are best of friends and at times he refers to her as the "Boss" or the "Queen".
- They have two sons. 14 and 5 years old.
- His other hobby is discus fish keeping.
- He loves to eat and would like to learn how to cook Italian dishes someday.
AWESOME JOB Mr. Tang. We are so fortunate to have you here.
A note from Kimberly
On Monday, we will have our first round of Parent Learning Walks. Parents will be on a tour from 9-10 and on Thursday from 1-2.
We will have our October PTA meeting Monday night in the library starting at 6:30. Feel free to join us. :)
Great football this weekend, but even better baseball this past week. Hard loss for the Rangers, but I still believe!
Have a wonderful week,
Kimberly
Students of the 6 weeks!
Engineer Girl Essay Contest
The NAE is pleased to announce the annual EngineerGirl Essay Contest on theEngineerGirl website.
The National Academy of Engineering invites students (both boys and girls) in grades 3-12 to submit an essay about how they would protect the environment and the safety, health, and well-being of the public as a responsible engineer.
Cash prizes of $500, $250, and $100 are available for the best essays in each of 3 age categories.
We want to hear from you! Submit your essay by February 1, 2016 at 6:00 pm EST. (Note the deadline for 2016 has changed from previous years.)
Find out more atwww.engineergirl.org/2016contest.aspx
Who's Working at West? Get to know - Jennifer Valentine
Hi West Family!
This week I was chosen to share some things about myself and my life. I am originally from Escondido, California which is right outside of San Diego. My mother was a science teacher/researcher and my father was a hospital director. I have one sister who is three years older. They all currently live in Shreveport, Louisiana.
As a child, we moved many times for my father’s job. I have lived in ten states and in some of those states we have lived in multiple cities. Luckily, my family loved being mobile and viewed each move as the new, best, adventure. Whether it was fitting into a new school, new church, Girl Scouts, sports or activities, it was considered a positive learning experience.
I was involved in many activities and sports over the years. I was swimming at 18 months and have loved the water ever since. I was involved in swim team at an early age and competed all over California, Texas, and Louisiana. I also love to scuba and free dive, wind surf, kayak, sail, and cliff jumping… I love anything in the water or on the beach! I have also participated in biathlons and ran a marathon in Alaska. I am still swimming and trying to get back into running after sitting in a chair for the last 16 years.
After I graduated high school, I headed to Hawaii Pacific University to study Marine Biology. Hawaii was great and I loved every minute of it. I got married while I was there and had my son, Nick who is now 20. We ended up moving back to the states to be closer to family where I was able to complete my BS in Biology at Northeastern State University in Oklahoma.
We moved to Shreveport in 1998 and I got my dream job at the Crime Lab as a forensic biologist. I loved my work as a DNA analyst and was involved in many areas of the lab such as grant writing, research, and quality control. I also trained in the drug chemistry and firearms sections of the lab. While working, I received my MS from the LSU Health Science Center in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
We moved to Plano in 2006 when Nick was accepted into a private school in Dallas. I got a job with the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office in Fort Worth and worked there for almost 8 years. While there I was able to move the entire DNA analysis process to automation and robotics which didn’t go over well with the “old school” analysts because it was too much change. Luckily, they finally realized how much time it saved. Many people have asked why I would switch from forensics to teaching. I love forensics and hope to always have my hand in the field in some way whether it is teaching or consulting, but with the horrible commute, gruesome crimes, and unbelievable deadlines; I decided that I needed a change. You think parents can be bad... try district attorneys, police chiefs, detectives and even defense attorneys calling you daily to see if their case is done.
Even though I miss being in the lab, I absolutely love teaching! Everyone at West has been so great and helpful making the transition such an easy one. While teaching I feel like there is a new adventure every day. It is never the same, the interaction is fantastic! Every day brings a new perspective, a new challenge to say that life is the best adventure. Enjoy it! The author is unknown but I love this quote, “Life begins on the edge of your comfort zone.” Seize each moment and see where the adventure leads you!
Upcoming Dates - October
October 19—FLU SHOTS for STAFF 7:15AM
October 19 - Parent Learning Walks 9am
October 21 - Staff Meeting 3:45- 4:30
October 21—Hearing and Vision Screening (through ELA classes)
October 22 - Parent Learning Walks 1pm
October 23—Pay Day
October 26- Hispanic Heritage Night and Parent Technology Night
October 27- Pep rally and Tailgate - Pink out Theme
October 26-30—Red Ribbon Week