Luling ISD ENews - October 2021
Go Eagles!
Dear Luling ISD Families,
What an amazing first 6 weeks of school! While I am surprised with the speed in which these weeks have flown, I am equally impressed with the amount of instructional and extracurricular opportunities provided to students by our staff. For a small district, we work hard to offer courses of study and activities that rival large districts!
September and October are months filled with Awareness observances (Suicide, Bullying, Self-Care, Breast Cancer, Domestic Violence, etc.). We are cognizant of the importance of these observances and incorporate them in to our district/campus activities as time allows (see list in newsletter).
With all of the things going on, it is easy for our students (and us!) to feel emotionally and physically exhausted. When I contemplate the ‘race’ we feel we are constantly running, I think about an article I read about runners. Just so you know, I am not a runner. I do not like to run unless I’m forced, and then I make it very obvious I do not enjoy it.
This article talked about marathon runners and how they ‘run the mile they’re in.’ I think this is great advice for all of us as we navigate life in general, but also life during a pandemic. “Focus on the things you can control” and “Celebrate the small wins” are two more valuable pieces of advice from runners. There will be grueling miles, but someday we will look at our situation in retrospect. Let the knowledge that there will be an end to this provide you comfort and fortitude when you need it most.
An essential ingredient for a successful school year is self-care. Never has it been more important for us to care for our own physical, emotional, and mental health. We cannot be what our students, families, friends, and community need if we are not finding ways to stay healthy ourselves. There are three very specific things we can each do to help with this: schedule time for our own wellness, seek support from others and be a support for others, have patience and understanding for what others may be going through.
Together, we’ve got this!
-Mrs. Warren,
Superintendent
SPOTLIGHT CAMPUS STAFF MEMBER OF THE MONTH
The Spotlight Campus Staff Member of the Month is Janey Towels.
Ms. Towles’ hard work and commitment to our campus is evident every day. She is working with students and preparing them for the State Cosmetology exam. Ms. Towles is working to open the salon to outside clients to help the students gain experience, while overseeing all safety protocols that need to be in place. She is pictured here with a few of her students in the LHS Cosmetology Lab.
SPOTLIGHT DISTRICT STUDENT OF THE MONTH
Cedrian is always upbeat and super positive and all of her teachers agree that she works really hard in her classes. She is friendly to everyone and pleasant to be around. During passing periods, Cedriana can always be seen walking to class quickly with a positive disposition. Cedriana is a model student and can easily be seen as a role model at Gerdes Jr High.
SPOTLIGHT DISTRICT STAFF MEMBER OF THE MONTH
Bryan is the LISD Director of Maintenance. He has been with the district 10 years. His team worked tirelessly during these last 10 months packing, moving , and cleaning the buildings preparing not only for the Shanklin move, but also summer school, the start of school, and the Grand Opening. The additional hours and positive attitude of his team did not go unnoticed. Bryan's leadership is truly appreciated!
SHANKLIN ELEM NEWS
Last month we had the honor of celebrating the Grand Opening / Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Leonard Shanklin Elementary on September 8, 2021. The ceremony was nicely attended and highlighted the beautiful construction of our campus. Our guests were able to tour the state of the art learning facility that resulted from the bond and the dedication of the community to the growth and advancement of our most precious investment, our students.
This month, our prekindergarten students will continue learning more letters and numbers, be introduced to shapes and their units of study will include “My Pets” and “My Relatives.” First grade students will focus on Story elements, adding details in writing, and understanding the part/whole relationships in math. Second grade students will work on building additional phonic skills, writing persuasive texts, and using the number line to expand math connections. Third grade students will use vocabulary strategies, multiplication/ skip counting techniques, and writing personal narratives. Fourth grade students will complete their Come To Your Senses module, and will be reading to answer the essential question, “What does it take to meet a challenge?” They will continue to use reading signposts to strengthen their comprehension. Fifth grade students will continue to study central idea, summarization, author’s purpose, text structure, literary elements, and decoding skills. In PE, students will learn about teamwork and the parachute as they continue their catching and throwing skills from Sept while in art students will learn pointillism and create artwork inspired by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. In music, students will observe performances and create music that celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month and will also begin preparations for the Veteran’s Day Program.
GERDES JH NEWS
Honoring our Students
Each week a student from each grade level is selected by their grade level teachers as the “Student of the Week”. Students who are selected as “Student of the Week” have demonstrated they have personally shown growth academically and/or behaviorally. The student also demonstrates kindness to their peers and their teachers. Our “Student of the Week” students are recognized on Mondays and given a certificate and medallion for their success. In addition, we also recognize students at the end of each grading period. We honor our students who have maintained As and Bs in their classes. We also honor students who have perfect attendance for the grading period as well. We are very proud of our students for their perseverance and hard work to ensure they do their best every day. Remember, all students have access to tutorials in the morning before school from 7:10 AM - 7:55 AM (daily) and from 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM each afternoon.
Additional Resources for Home
During the last week of September, all students have engaged in a new learning platform called Istation (for reading) and Imagine Math. Both of these programs provide additional opportunities for students to practice their skills in reading and math. These programs identify each student’s individual needs and provide targeted instruction to close their learning gaps. Students are able to access these programs outside of the school day using their district issued laptop. Although students are working on these programs during school several times a week, it will be important for parents to encourage their students to work through the lessons in these programs outside of school so they are able to maximize their growth in learning and close their individual learning gaps. Lastly, there is live teacher help embedded in these programs so if your student gets stuck they click a button and receive instant help.
ACE Program
The ACE Program at Gerdes Junior High has officially been rolling for 3 weeks! Students not only find themselves engaged in homework assignments and learning more about various academic subjects, but scholars are additionally offered an opportunity to participate in enrichment activities that are hands-on, creative, and exploratory. The morning session is held everyday in the GJH library from 7:00 - 8:00. The afternoon session begins in the GJH Library at 4:00 PM and ends at 6:00 PM. If your child could benefit from this free and expanded learning experience, please contact ACE Site Coordinator, Ms. Hernandez, (jade.hernandez@luling.txed.net) for more information on how to get your 6th - 8th grader signed up and involved!!
Students receive help with homework and daily assignments from an after school staff member before diving into a rich variety of activities such as Cooking Cub, Arts and Crafts Club, Sports and Recreation Club, and No Place for Hate Club. Many more clubs are still forming! In addition to serving 6th-8th grade students, we provide family engagement events and parent/guardian workshops for the families of our ACE Scholars! Daily, weekly, and one-time opportunities are available for parents and community members interested in volunteering and lending a helping hand in our program. We are looking forward to a wonderful school year filled with many learning opportunities!
-Mrs. Meshell, Principal
HIGH SCHOOL NEWS
Luling High School’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) department strives to expand learning, opportunity, and preparation towards a student’s more successful post-high school experience. One of the CTE pathways offered at LHS to help prepare students is the welding program.
The welding program prepares students for entry level job skills in the welding field or participation in a community or technical college program. Throughout the school year, students engage in safety, cutting and bending steel, ARC welding, project layout and construction, and daily maintenance of shop and equipment and employability skills.
In late-September, LHS administration met with the senior class to discuss post-secondary goals. During the presentation, information was provided regarding college-readiness assessments, graduation, and preparing for post-secondary including financial aid opportunities. Part of the presentation included information over completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.
The State of Texas requires students in their senior year of high school to complete the FAFSA to graduate. When a student files the FAFSA, they may become eligible for scholarships or grants (based on need and merit), work-study programs, or low-interest loans.
Luling High School will be hosting several FAFSA events throughout the school year. Campus staff members will be available during the event to provide information and assistance to students and parents to fill out the FAFSA application.
-Mr. Alvarez, Principal
Student Report Cards In Ascender
You can login to Ascender here: https://ascportal.esc13.net/ParentPortal/login?distid=028903
The district will no longer print out and mail report cards home for grades 1st-12th. Parents will have access to report cards through Ascender.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
During the month of October, we celebrate people with Down syndrome and make people aware of their abilities and accomplishments. It’s not about celebrating disabilities, it’s about celebrating abilities. We can learn all about what it’s like to have Down syndrome and to learn the real story of people with Down syndrome.
People with Down syndrome and their loved ones can spread awareness about Down syndrome by going to their local Buddy Walk® and we can speak out about our needs. This is how we advocate. Parents can teach us how to advocate for ourselves – and give us love, support and encouragement.
C&I NEWS
Professional Learning With Lead4Ward
Luling ISD is a part of the Central Texas Consortium of districts that come together with one main goal in mind: “to provide high quality, cost effective professional development to their districts.” The professional development this year included sessions that “provided ways to think about how we can redesign our thinking around intervention and ensuring that all students become successful, lifelong learners.”
We started the Lead4ward trainings at the end of July with “Leading Intervention.” Campus and district leaders collaborated to learn strategies to support teachers so that all students are successful. Campus and district leaders followed up the training in early September with “staar4ward for leaders.” According to Lead4ward, “The redesign of STAAR will require much more complex thinking for students. The 2021-2022 school year is an opportunity for leadership teams to have a renewed focus on data and instruction through the lens of the next generation of STAAR.”
Throughout August and September, special education, literacy, math, and science/social studies teachers had an opportunity to participate in a subject-specific Lead4ward professional learning about instructional strategies for student intervention. Lead4ward provided teachers with an opportunity to “explore how to help students reassemble the bits and pieces of learning and, through this process, gain greater understanding.” We look forward to continued practice and application of our Lead4ward professional learning.
-Mrs. Jennings, Director
COUNSELOR NEWS
October is full of awareness days and activities! As a district we will recognize and promote Bullying Prevention Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Domestic Violence Prevention Month and Red Ribbon Week. Also, the district character education trait is School Pride which will be taught through awareness activities, guidance class at elementary and during advisory periods at secondary schools.
Here are some dates to put on your calendar:
October 1st is Pink Out day for Breast Cancer Awareness (Oct 1st-8th Penny Wars for each classroom-fill a jar with change/bills etc)
October 15th is Purple Day to recognize Domestic Violence Awareness (Oct 15th-19th Toiletry Drive on each campus)
October 20th is Unity Day and we wear orange to unite against bullying.
October 25th-29th is Red Ribbon Week. Each campus will participate in activities to celebrate a drug free life!
10/25 Monday - “Hats off to being drug free!” -Wear a hat
10/26Tuesday - “We must ask you to be drug free!” -Wear a mustache
10/27Wednesday - “Sock it to drugs!” -Wear your craziest socks
10/28Thursday - “Be a Jean-ious!" -Wear your jeans
10/29Friday - “Team up against drugs!” -Wear your favorite team shirt
The Counselors have also started to support LISD Teachers through Think Tank Thursdays. This is time teachers can share and learn together.
R-Zero Cleaning and Sanitizing
Luling ISD custodians are now being trained in the use of the R-Zero cleaning system. The vacant rooms are cleaned in 7mins. A cleaning schedule will be developed so that all campus areas are cleaned with this system regularly.
As part of our commitment to protecting the health of our students, faculty and families, Luling ISD has partnered with biosafety company R-Zero, to incorporate hospital-grade UV-C disinfection to our health and safety protocols. R-Zero’s UV-C system, Arc, provides a critical layer of added protection to all indoor spaces across our district. R-Zero UV-C: Backed by Science
The gold standard in hospitals, UV-C has been used for over 100 years, and is proven to be one of the most effective ways to destroy viruses, bacteria and mold. UV-C is both sustainable and eco-friendly, disinfecting surfaces and air without the use of chemicals -
EAGLE NATION NEWS
The school year has kicked off with tremendous success in the Luling Eagles athletic department. The Cross Country, Volleyball, and Football teams are in full swing and rolling at 100 mph. The Gerdes Junior High athletic programs have started competing as well.
Starting with volleyball, August started with scrimmages in Navarro, Cuero and Roundtop Carmine. We started with a win in Pettus on Aug 10. We had varsity tournaments in Columbus, Floresville and Cuero where we worked really hard to find our groove and understand roles in each rotation as well as execute a new defense and offense. We lost to Yoakum Aug 17 in 4 sets then beat Waelder in 3 sets on Aug 31. We had a rough start on Friday Sept 10 against Nixon-Smiley, but rallied back on Tuesday to beat Great Hearts Monte Vista in 3 sets. We have come a long way since Aug 2 and are currently 1-1 in district play.
The Jr High volleyball program got its first taste of competition on September 13th vs Nixon-Smiley. Coach Magallenz, Hoch, & Almaguer have been diligently pouring into these young lady Eagles since school has started. The future looks promising for girls athletics in Eagle Nation.
Coach Campos and the Cross Country team are blazing the trail this season. This year, the standout runner is Miguel Silva Hernandez. Miguel has won 2 of the 3 invitational meets that the XC team has attended those far. He is on pace to make a run at State if his numbers continue to improve. On the team side, the Boys won the Dilley meet and got second in the Moulton meet.
The football team had a delayed start to the season. Due to COVID, the Varsity football team was unable to play their season opener at home vs Columbus. The team fell short the following week vs YMLA, with the score of 6-2. The Eagles regrouped and broke the 3rd longest running losing streak in the state of Texas on September 10th vs Weimar. It was an electric game and the Eagles soared to new heights with a score of 17-7. The Eagles hope to build on their new-found confidence and continue to compete for more victories.
The talent on the sub-varsity squads is overflowing. Luling had a clean sweep of Weimar’s football program. 7th, 8th , & JV football teams all posted impressive victories versus the Wildcats.
It is important to know that for all Luling ISD athletic events, you must purchase tickets online. This will be for all Junior High games and High School games. There will be no exchanging of cash at the gates. You can find tickets to all Luling ISD athletic events at
https://lulingisd.hometownticketing.com/embed/all
On behalf of all the coaches & student-athletes, we want to thank Eagle Nation for all the support for all of our sports programs. We appreciate the energy, enthusiasm, and dedication the community has shown towards us. Thank you.
Win The Day,
Coach Langford
HIGH SCHOOL THEATER
The Curtain is Going Up!
October 8th - 1st EVER Community Auditions. Come tryout for the 3 adult roles in Little Women!
October 22nd & 23rd Performance of "Too Many Frogs" from the adaptation of the book.
October 21st and 22nd student matinees of "Too Many Frogs".
LISD INFORMATION ONLINE
Erin Warren, Superintendent
Email: erin.warren@luling.txed.net
Website: https://www.luling.txed.net/
Location: 212 East Bowie Street, Luling, TX, USA
Phone: (830)875-3191
Facebook: facebook.com/LulingISD
Twitter: @LulingISD