INSIDE DSISD
The latest news from Dripping Springs ISD
WEEK OF MARCH 7, 2022
DSISD SEEKING COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON USE OF FEDERAL ESSER GRANT PROGRAMS
Dripping Springs ISD is seeking community feedback from stakeholders on the use of funds from the Federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Grant Programs, specifically ESSER III and ESSER Supplemental funds. ESSER funds provide additional resources to school districts for unreimbursed costs due to the coronavirus pandemic and for intensive educational supports for learning loss.
Dripping Springs ISD has met the criteria to receive the funds and was allocated 2.4 million dollars in ESSER III funds and 2.5 million dollars in ESSER Supplemental funds to be used by 2024. As required in the grant, school districts must expend a minimum of 20 percent of the grant fund on evidence-based interventions; and, ensure interventions respond to students’ academic, social and emotional needs, and address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on certain student populations.
DSISD is required to review and revise, as applicable, its plan every six months—including receiving stakeholder input. In an effort to obtain parent and community feedback, the district has developed a Community Survey. Community members are encouraged to share their input and opinions about how they would like the District to use these funds. The survey will be open to the public until Monday, March 14, 2022.
Community feedback will be reviewed and considered as the district creates and updates its plans. Community members are invited to learn more about the district’s use of ESSER funds through this page on the district’s website. Citizens can learn more about the ESSER program here on the Texas Education Agency (TEA) website.
PARENT UNIVERSITY SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 31
Dripping Springs ISD will hold a Parent University called "Understanding the Risks of Youth Substance Abuse" on Thursday, March 31, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the Dripping Springs High School Lecture Hall. Former DSHS School Resource Officer (SRO) Sirenna Cumberland and Dr. Brian Bobb will be the presenters. Click here to see the topics that will be covered. The presentation will be recorded and posted on the DSISD website for parents who aren't able to attend.
MARCH IS NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH!
We appreciate all of the hard work the DSISD Child Nutrition staff puts in to fuel our students for a day full of learning!
FOUR DECA STUDENTS QUALIFY FOR INTERNATIONAL CONTEST
A record 13 Dripping Springs High School DECA students advanced to the state finals in their respective events while four students qualified for the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) at the DECA state competition in Houston last weekend.
Dripping Springs had a school-record 43 students qualify for the state DECA contest in January. International qualifiers were Eli Craddock (Sports and Entertainment Marketing Series), Margot Heltzel (Business Finance), Perri Parnell (Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making) and Landry Puryear (Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making). Craddock and Heltzel will be making their second consecutive trip to the ICDC.
DSHS students advancing to the state finals were Luke Austin and Phillip Olson in Marketing Management Team Decision Making, Rebeca Avalos-Oviedo and Caitlyn Dorsey in Integrated Marketing Plan – Event, Chase Castillo in Automotive Services Marketing, Evelyn Chis in Apparel and Accessories Marketing, Gabriella Erb in Business Services Marketing Series, Teagan Krewson in Entrepreneurship Series and Deshawn Seneviratne in Restaurant and Food Service Management Series.
The ICDC will be held April 23-26 in Atlanta, Ga.
International Qualifiers:
Eli Craddock - Sports and Entertainment Marketing Series
Margot Heltzel - Business Finance
Perri Parnell - Travel & Tourism Team Decision Making
Landry Puryear - Travel & Tourism Team Decision Making
State Finalists:
Luke Austin - Marketing Management Team Decision Making
Rebeca Avalos-Oviedo - Integrated Marketing Plan - Event
Chase Castillo - Automotive Services Marketing
Evelyn Chis - Apparel & Accessories Marketing
Caitlyn Dorsey - Integrated Marketing Plan - Event
Gabriella Erb - Business Services Marketing Series
Teagan Krewson - Entrepreneurship Series
Phillip Olson - Marketing Management Team Decision Making
Deshawn Seneviratne - Restaurant and Food Service Management Series
DSHS STUDENTS QUALIFY FOR STATE VASE COMPETITION
Two Dripping Springs High School students have qualified for the state Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE) competition after earning all-area recognition at the regional meet.
A total of 40 DSHS students earned all-region medals with Isabella Fletcher’s ceramic piece and Ariana Flores’ colored pencil drawing titled “Can’t You See?” being named state qualifiers.
Each year student pieces from DSHS are entered in the VASE area/regional competition, where they can receive different levels of recognition. The event is sponsored by the Texas Art Education Association. Students present their work and defend their pieces in front of a judges' panel; entries then receive a score ranging from 1 to 4, with 4 being "Superior." A Superior rating also is considered to be an "all-region" winner. From there, entries can be selected as "all-area", which advances them to the state competition.
The state VASE competition will be held April 29-30.
HI-STEPPERS HAVE SUCCESSFUL COMPETITION SEASON
The Dripping Springs High School Hi-Steppers concluded their 2022 competition schedule on March 5 with the squad collecting numerous honors this season.
Most recently the DSHS dance team competed at the Galveston Island Festival, earning Sweepstakes and the Gussie Nell Davis Award for scoring 93 or higher from all nine judges on all dances. The squad was also awarded Best in Class Small Team and placed fourth overall in the 20-team competition. In addition, the team captured the Judges Award for averaging 94 or higher on lyrical and hip-hop dances. Dripping Springs also earned the American Academic Champion Award with a 3.91 overall team GPA.
In Galveston, the DSHS officers also racked up Sweepstakes honors for high scores on all dances and the Judges Award for jazz, contemporary and modern dances. They also earned Best in Class and the Platinum Award for technique, precision, showmanship and choreography. In Small School Duets, Samantha Heltzel and Leah Thompson captured first place.
In February, the squad was named Overall Grand Champion at the Crowdpleasers Hill Country Showcase in New Braunfels. Team Hip-Hop recorded the highest score of any dance at the competition while pom and lyrical dancers also earned high marks to be named Best in Class. The officers were named Best in Class for modern and contemporary dances and were first runner-up for Overall Grand Champion.
Dripping Springs opened up its competition season on February 5 at the ADTS Lost Pines Classic in Bastrop. The squad earned the Judges Award for Team Lyrical and Team Pom and was awarded the Best Overall Gold Award for technique, showmanship and choreography. They earned third place overall and Leah Thompson and Samantha Heltzel came away with first place in the Small School Duet.
The dance team will hold their annual spring show April 28-30.
DSHS WINS DISTRICT ONE-ACT PLAY CONTEST
The Dripping Springs High School Theatre production of “Describe The Night” won the District 26-5A One-Act Play competition on Saturday, March 5, at Veterans Memorial High School in San Antonio.
AJ Bergeron won Best Actor while Hannah Olsen was named to the Honor Cast and Ben Muscanere was selected to the All-Star Cast. Rounding out the awards was Audrey Lorenz who was named Best Technician.
The UIL One-Act Play contest is a competition where similarly sized Texas schools present an 18-40 minute play and may be adjudicated by a panel of three judges or a single judge. At each level of competition, a judge awards individual acting awards as well as selecting three productions to advance to the next level of competition up to the regional level where only two will advance to the state competition.
The bi-district competition will be held March 23 at Davenport High School in San Antonio.