Southwest ISD Points of Pride
August 22nd, 2023
October 27, 2023
Welcome to Points of Pride, our weekly district e-newsletter featuring highlights from around Southwest Independent School District. If you have a story or highlight that you would like to submit, email communications@swisd.net.
Harmony in Diversity: Legacy's 2023 Exceptional People's Pageant
The 2023 Exceptional People's Pageant, is an inclusive event that celebrates the remarkable individuals at Southwest Legacy High School. Hosted by the members of Best Buddies, this pageant is a shining example of unity, diversity, and the power of friendship, but above all the pageant honors the strengths, and talents of Southwest Legacy High School.
Kriewald School of the Arts Marks 25th Anniversary
In a heartwarming celebration of its 25th anniversary, Kriewald School of the Arts recently brought together the dedicated staff members who played pivotal roles in its establishment back in 1998. In the video below, they reminisced about the school's early days and reflect on its school's success over the years.
SWPD Promotes Red Ribbon Awareness
HCSA Takes a Bite Out of Crime
In honor of Red Ribbon Week Awareness Week, Hidden Cove STEAM Academy hosted McGruff the Crime Dog, on their campus. McGruff is from the National Citizen’s Crime Prevention Campaign. He hosts crime prevention campaigns and encourages everyone to “Take a bite out of crime.” He introduced tips and tricks on how to help prevent and report crime. The students and staff enjoyed his interactive visit. The presentation was educational and interactive.
SWISD Students Recognized With College Board Awards Under Friday Night Lights
Over the past two weeks, something unique has happened at SWISD. During the pre-game festivities, the Friday Night Lights shone extra brightly on several Titans, Dragons, and Cobras who were recognized for their excellent performance and high scores on their PSAT exams. Students from our three high schools were given yard signs to proudly display at home.
These high-performing designations propel these Seniors to be recognized as National Recognition Scholars, in the following categories: National African American, Hispanic, Indigenous or Rural, and Small Town Awards.
Along with their GPA of 3.5 or higher and scoring in the top 10% of all PSAT test takers in our region. These students will be invited to participate in the College Board’s National Recognition Programs, which will create beneficial pathways to college for these students by awarding them academic honors and connecting them with colleges and universities across the country.
SWISD is proud of all our Seniors who have worked so hard to achieve this recognition earning their place among the top 10% performing students in the region.
Our star scholar of this amazing group was Southwest High School Dragons Senior, Isaac Das, who scored in the top 3% in the nation and was designated as a National Merit Commended Scholar. Das was also recognized for scoring a three or higher on seven AP exams where the average score of 4.71.
Congratulations to all the honorees for their dedication to excellence in the classroom. We wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors. As always, we are SW!
Honorees from Southwest Legacy High School are:
Blanca Aranda - (National Hispanic Award)
Emma Bitela - (National Hispanic Award)
Dante Cortez - (National Hispanic Award)
Victor Davis - (National Hispanic & the Rural & Small Town Awards)
Michael Hernandez - (National Hispanic Award)
Crystal Jaramillo - (National Hispanic Award)
Kayla Ortega - (National Hispanic & the Rural & Small Town Awards)
Alexia Ponce - (National Hispanic Award)
Atyana Salas-Lopez - (National Hispanic Award)
Richard Uribe - (National Hispanic Award)
Angel Vazquez - (National Hispanic Award)
Honorees from Southwest High School are:
Kevin Baker - (National Hispanic Award)
Kathleen Bendele - (National Rural & Small Town Award)
Matthew Fernandez - (National Hispanic & the Rural & Small Town Awards)
Leah Gonzalez - (National Hispanic Award)
Jacob Hanson - (National Hispanic Award)
David Lara - (National Hispanic Award)
Mya Luna - (National Hispanic Award)
Eric Martinez - (National Hispanic & the Rural & Small Town Awards)
Hannah McOsker - (National Rural & Small Town Award)
Jacquelyn Morales - (National Hispanic Award)
Isabella Moreno-Sandoval - (National Hispanic Award)
Alessandra Natividad - (National Hispanic Award)
Jemima Navarrete - (National HIspanic Award)
Sarah Paez - (National Hispanic & the Rural & Small Town Awards)
Anthony Perez - (National Hispanic Award)
Juan Partida Ruiz - (National Hispanic Award)
Anisa Silva - (National Hispanic Award)
Jacob Singleton - (National Hispanic Award)
Za’khia Singleton - (National African American & Hispanic Awards)
Honorees from CAST STEM High School are:
Jon Bustamante - (National Hispanic Award)
Ava Fredericks - (National Hispanic Award)
Victor Hernandez - (National Hispanic Award)
Tyler Morales - (National Hispanic Award)
Jiveth Phillips - (National HIspanic Award)
SWHS Lady Dragons: Undefeated District Champs Head to Bi-District Showdown!
Hats off to the Southwest High School Lady Dragons Volleyball team for an incredible season! Not only have they clinched the title of undefeated 28-5A District Champions, but they've also etched their name in history as the FIRST SWISD Volleyball team to achieve this remarkable feat.
Now, the Lady Dragons are gearing up for the next challenge in the UIL Conference 5A Bi-District round of the State Volleyball Playoffs, proudly representing District 28-5A as the #1 seed.
Our first showdown will be against Edison High School, and it's all happening on Tuesday, October 31st, at 6:00pm at the Alamo Convocation Center at SAISD.
Ticket info: $5 for Adults $3 for Students
Remember, tickets will be available exclusively in a digital format, and we'll share the link as soon as we receive it from SAISD. Let's show are pride and show up strong!
Titan Cross Country Team Triumphs!
A Huge Shoutout to the Titan Cross Country Team!
We're thrilled to celebrate tour Titan Cross Country team and dedicated coaching staff led by Joseph Arguello and Jessica Hall-Martinez. Our Girls Cross Country team once again proved their mettle by qualifying for the Regional Cross Country meet as a team, and they delivered a stellar performance. Annabella Zapata led the charge for the girls' team with her great spirit and determination.
On the boys' side, Anthony Zapata soared to new heights, securing a spot as an individual qualifier and 3rd place finish overall. This achievement earns him a second consecutive trip to the State Cross Country meet, which is set to take place on Friday, November 3rd at 9:10 AM in the beautiful Old Settlers Park at Round Rock. With his impressive time comparisons, Anthony stands as one of the top runners in the entire state! We're sending our best wishes and tons of luck to Anthony and our incredible coaches as they journey to Round Rock next week.
SWEF 17th Annual Golf Classic
The Southwest Education Foundation hosted their 17th annual Golf Classic last week. The tournament was held at the Golf Club of Texas. The foundation raised $66,000, the highest that has ever been raised to date. T All funds raised go back into the classroom. Every Fall, the foundation awards Teacher grants to SWISD teachers. These grants are used for items and experiences that can be used to enhance the learning experience for our students. Last year, SWEF awarded over $80,000 in grants. SWEF would like to thank everyone for their continued support. Click here to view more photos.
Where Passion Meets Potential: The Impact of Fine Arts at McNair Middle School
McNair middle school recognized their Fine Arts teachers this week and we wanted to catch up with a few of them to learn more about the importance of Fine Arts in education and how they believed it could benefit Southwest ISD Students in the future.
Joey Salinas is a first year teacher at McNair where he helps to lead band and music. He said that he hopes to accomplish a lot at McNair, but wants students to learn and take away as much as they can in his class. “As long as the students can take away more than just music, such as life lessons or just other things that they can learn about themselves or about how they interact with others, I think that's a that would be a success in my book”
Mr. Salinas also expressed how important music is in education today by saying that “music is exclusively a human thing to experience. And I think there's something special about that that all students should be involved with. It's really hard to be able to express some complex emotions, especially for younger kids in their development growing up about how they feel about certain things and being able to express their thoughts through music one way or another is far too special to not be a part of one way or another in an education.”
Karen Jones teaches theater arts and theater productions at McNair middle school and she says that fine arts is extremely important to the growth of students, especially at the middle school level. “At the middle school level, I think performing arts is very important. Whether that's mariachi, band choir, or theater, because it allows students to get comfortable being in front of other people so they can take that also into their other classes when they're having to do a presentation or something like that. In theater we talk about how to present yourself, body language, how to express correctly, how to speak clearly, and how to speak loudly. Those are all life skills that you can take with you as adults and to the working force. So I really think that theater is good for that, but also fine arts allows you to be creative and it gives you that creative outlet. I don't think that we focus enough on the imagination anymore, so when I get a lot of sixth graders, they're not used to having to play pretend or to make up things and it's all about getting them used to revisiting those creative roots that they had when they were little. Therefore, I think that all of the fine arts, including theater, mariachi, choir, dance, and band, all of them allow students to express that.”
Alejandra Telles teaches 6th, 7th, and 8th grade band at McNair middle school. She expressed how important fine arts is for students and how it can benefit the middle school experience. “I think it's important for students to have a way to express themselves, not only academically, but in another way. I have found that a lot of students enjoy coming to school because they're looking forward to the fine arts classes that they're involved in. We have very high expectations for those students and make sure that they push themselves to meet their own potential so that they can continue doing well not only in academics but as well in anything that they choose to pursue in their lives.”
Ms. Telles also expressed her appreciation for the administration team at McNair, because they always make sure to recognize their teachers and programs. “Our administration has been fantastic. They have been the most supportive administration I have ever worked with in 13 years, in three different schools, and two different school districts. The fact that they take the time to recognize each one of their teachers, not only fine arts, but also coaches and librarians really means a lot to us, making us feel valued and that we are appreciated for what we do.”
Alejandra Telles
Karen Jones
Homegrown: Stephen Salinas
We are proud of our SWISD graduates and want to share their great accomplishments. ‘Homegrown,' is our weekly segment where we highlight successful Southwest ISD alumni who grew up in the SWISD community. We also look at how SWISD ignited their success, goals, and career. This week we interviewed Stephen Salinas, Southwest Football/Track Coach.
Coach Salinas reflects on the coaches that helped influence his career. "It helped me become the coach that I am right now." He prides himself on supporting his athletes in everyday life. "They know they can come to me with issues they are facing everyday. My door is always open for them."
If you know of alumni that work in the SWISD district that you would like to nominate to participate in this segment, please email Dr. Sam Ruiz at sruiz9098@swisd.net.
SWISD Teacher Feature: Amber Aguayo
Welcome to the SWISD Teacher Feature, where we take a ‘behind the curtain’ look at some of the amazing teachers in the district.
In this week's Teacher Feature, we visit Spicewood Park Elementary to get to know 4th Grade Teacher Ms. Amber Aguayo. has spent her entire seven-year teaching career in SWISD.
Maya Angelou once said, “You can only become truly accomplished at something you love.” Ms. Aguayo found her love for learning and teaching at an early age. “It was my kindergarten teacher who inspired me to become a teacher myself. She would let me help her all the time, I remember back when we would have nap time she would let me stay up with her and continue helping her with all the things in the classroom. She told my parents that I would become a teacher someday and I wish I could tell her she was right,” said Ms. Aguayo. Ms. Aguayo completed her student teaching experiences at Spicewood Park Elementary and according to her, “That's when I knew I loved this community and this district.”
Thinking back on her own school experience, Ms. Aguayo describes herself as a teacher's pet. She loved everything about school and she remembered always getting awards for exceeding in her reading goals. “Reading was always my favorite subject in school, and part of the reason I decided to go back to school to get my Masters in reading and become a certified Reading Specialist,” said Ms. Aguyao. Ms. Aguayo is passionate about furthering her education, along with getting her Master’s degree, Ms. Aguayo is part of SWISD's inaugural group of teachers pursuing a National Board Certification, a renowned standard in teacher certification known for its potential to enhance student learning.
Ms. Aguayo loves building relationships with her students and building a space for them to feel safe, she believes that forming those relationships will allow for more positive opportunities to engage in the classroom. She states, “I love to find new ways for my students to interact with each other and collaborate.”
According to Ms. Aguayo, there are a lot of things that inspire her at school, but her main sources of inspiration are her students. She feels that “My students truly need me, I love knowing that I’m making a difference here at Spicewood Park. I know that I can go anywhere but the love I get from my students means a lot to me. They truly deserve my best and watching the students grow and learn is my biggest driving force.”
The one lesson that Ms. Aguayo hopes to pass on to her students is to remember that we are always learning and growing even as adults. Learn from yesterday and keep moving forward toward your dreams, the sky is the limit.
Ms. Aguayo says that the best advice about teaching is to, “Always be confident in what you’re doing. The students already think the world of you, just have fun and build those relationships everything will fall into place.”
Ms. Aguayo, thank you for all that you do. We wish you and your students all the best.
If you would like to suggest a teacher for us to feature, you can email your nominations to communications@swisd.net with the subject line: Teacher Feature.