Southwest ISD Points of Pride
August 22nd, 2023
September 29, 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.
This Week's "Attend to Win" Winners!
We are celebrating students and classes with perfect attendance throughout the district. We want to extend a special thank you to the Southwest Education Foundation for generously sponsoring the excellent attendance prizes.
Virtual Victories: Student Clinches Oculus Prize with Perfect Attendance!
We are thrilled to congratulate one of this week's winners, who has demonstrated exceptional dedication to their education by attending school regularly. Seth Covaric from CAST STEM High School shared his excitement after winning an Oculus Virtual Reality Headset by saying, "Showing up to school is so important. You never know when something good could happen to you. I'm just also really lucky." Keep up the outstanding work, and good luck to all students in the upcoming week!
Students at Bob Hope Elementary and Elm Creek Elementary earn special treats.
Sun Valley Elementary 5th Grader, Sebastian Aguirre chose an X-Box game console as his perfect attendance reward.
Congratulations to all our students who have perfect attendance. Your dedication is commendable and we're excited to celebrate your achievements.
SWISD Parents Mark Your Calendars for the SWISD Parent Symposium
SWISD Community, register now for the inaugural SWISD Parent Symposium. SWISD Parent Symposium is scheduled for Saturday, November 4th, 2023, at Southwest High School. This event promises to be an invaluable resource for parents and guardians, offering various informative sessions to enhance their engagement in their child's education and well-being.
The Parent Symposium will feature diverse workshops, allowing attendees to choose three sessions that align with their interests and concerns. These sessions will cover crucial topics, including:
- Pre K - 5th Literacy & Math
- College Information
- Career and Technical Education
- SWISD Counseling
- Advanced Academics
- Attendance
- Drug & Safety Awareness
- Plus Other Exciting Topics
In addition to the informative sessions, Southwest ISD is pleased to offer a free Mini Medics Camp tailored for Kindergarten through 5th-grade students. This camp will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., providing a fun and educational experience for children while their parents attend the Parent Symposium. Please note that a limited number of slots are available for the Mini Medics Camp, and registration is required via the provided QR code on the flyer. Stay tuned for more details about the specific session offerings and registration information.
Important Reminder: Progress Reports and Report Cards Now Available Online
Bob Hope Elementary STEM Teacher Using Grant to Plant Seeds of Success for All Grades on Campus
Ms. Cynthia Alvarado-Cuellar, STEM teacher at Bob Hope Elementary, recently won an Eco grant from the City of San Antonio. Now, her students are receiving hands-on experience with hydroponic crop growing. Congratulations, Ms. Alvarado-Cuellar and to your students!
SWISD Curriculum & Instruction's Annual College & Career Fair
Calling all SWISD 8th graders to one of the year's most anticipated events – The SWISD Career & College Fair! 8th graders, get ready to explore a world of possibilities for your future.
- Discover Your Passions: Explore various career options, from medicine to technology, arts to engineering, and everything in between!
- Plan Your Path: Learn about different colleges and universities.
- Meet the Pros: Connect with professionals in various fields and get insights into what it takes to succeed in your dream career.
Mark your calendars, spread the word, and prepare to dream big! This event is your chance to kickstart your journey towards a bright and promising future.
Unleash the Spirit: SWHS Pep Rally
Southwest High School set the stage for a memorable Homecoming pep rally with an outstanding display of school spirit! The pep rally included performances from the Dragonfire Dance team, Cheer, Pep Squad, and the band. The pep rally concluded with the traditional battle cry, with the Seniors taking home the spirit stick.
In addition, SWHS Senior Isaac Das was honored for his commitment to the many extracurricular activities within SWISD he is involved in, including his role as a member of the Dragon Football team.
Isaac's achievements extend beyond the football field, as he was recently celebrated as a National Merit Scholar, a prestigious honor reserved for the top 3% of students nationwide in PSAT testing scores. His dedication and excellence serve as a testament to the potential within the Southwest High School community.
NIcky B. Foundation Volleyball Tournament
A Letter from the Nicky B. Foundation:
Nicky Bermudez grew up in the Southwest community. He attended Big Country Elementary and Scobee Middle School and graduated from Southwest High School in 2012. Nicky made community a priority and gathered people he loved together. In November 2017, Nicky was called to be with our Heavenly Father. Two years later, the Nicky B Scholarship Foundation was created. The foundation was created to give back to the community that’s given so much. A community that’s full of love, family, and Southwest tradition. As a foundation, our goal is to support the students of SWISD. Every year, we host a Sand Volleyball Tournament to raise money for scholarships to be awarded at the end of the year. We are excited to see this event and foundation grow every year. We would love the community to join us for our 3rd annual Sand Volleyball Tournament on Saturday, October 21st at 5:30 p.m. Meet us on the sand! #YaTuSabe
To register for the tournament, click here.
For more information about the tournament or community involvement, click here.
Paving Pathways: Igniting a Passion for High School in Future Titans
This morning, student representatives from Southwest Legacy participated in morning greetings, read-aloud, and small pep rallies at their feeder schools. This event was created to promote attendance and expose future Titans to the many organizations offered at SW Legacy High School. The inception of this idea was developed by Sky Harbor Elementary Principal, Ms. Sylvia Acuna. “This is being done to promote attendance. Having SWL students welcome our students to the school will show school community support.”
Southwest Legacy Principal Roxie Freeman was also actively involved in planning the feeder pattern campus tours. She gathered 48 students representing various student organizations: football, volleyball, tennis, dance, cheer, and student council.”
The students at each campus had a great time meeting Legacy student representatives. They were hyped up for attendance and their future as students at Legacy.
Gathering for Good: United Way Luncheon Kicks Off Campaign
Homegrown: Miranda Vargas
We are proud of our SWISD graduates and want to share their outstanding accomplishments. 'Homegrown' is our weekly segment highlighting successful Southwest ISD alumni who grew up in the SWISD community. We also examine how SWISD ignited their success, goals, and career. This week, we interviewed Miranda Vargas, Southwest High School Health Teacher/Volleyball Coach.
Vargas shared what influenced her to come back to work for SWISD. "What influenced me to return to the Southwest was the community." She appreciates the 'family' culture that is shared throughout the district. "We support each other as a family." Vargas continues to motivate her athletes to be successful on and off the court.
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.
In this week's edition of Snippets, we enjoyed visiting Ms. Megan Hernandez, a fifth-grade teacher at Spicewood Park Elementary School. Ms. Hernandez was teaching her students about "Prime Numbers," a topic many of us might remember from our math lessons. Although it's her first year as a teacher, Ms. Hernandez is no stranger to SWISD. Ms. Hernandez is a proud graduate of Southwest High School, and she's finding her first year of teaching to be even better than she expected.
Ms. Hernandez appreciates her students' eagerness to learn in her classroom, making her school day enjoyable. She takes pride in knowing that she's helping her students to excel academically. Teaching at SWISD means a lot to her, and she's grateful for the support she's received from the district's administrative offices, Principal Tanya Velasquez, and all her wonderful colleagues at Spicewood Park Elementary School.
Ms. Hernandez, we wish you and your students the best of luck for the remainder of the school year. Thank you for allowing Snippets to share this glimpse into your classroom.
SWISD Teacher Feature: Gilbert Pardo
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 Scobee Middle School to learn about Aerospace and Aviation Teacher Mr. Gilbert Pardo. Mr. Pardo has spent his entire eighteen-year teaching career in SWISD.
When you step into Mr. Pardo's classroom, you'll immediately notice two remarkable qualities about him. Firstly, his aviation lessons are incredibly captivating, and secondly, he treats his students with exceptional respect. Teaching is his true calling in life. Interestingly, back in 1983, when Mr. Pardo graduated from Southwest High School, teaching was never part of his career plan. His interest in education developed later in life after he had already embarked on a corporate career. He explains, "My wife decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an educator, and seeing her happiness and passion for her work inspired me. So, when it was time for me to change careers, it was an easy decision – I wanted to become an educator, just like my wife."
During his middle school years, Mr. Pardo admits that he was still discovering his identity. His involvement in athletics played a pivotal role in shaping his character. He recalls a significant moment when one of his coaches had a candid conversation with him because he felt Mr. Pardo wasn't giving his best effort. Initially, Mr. Pardo was surprised and upset, but that conversation ultimately changed his perspective. From then on, Mr. Pardo always gave his utmost effort, learning a valuable life lesson. Athletics proved to be a transformative experience for him, setting him on a path to becoming a leader and a more accomplished student.
The life lesson of always striving to give your best carries over into his teaching philosophy. Mr. Pardo continuously researches and incorporates the latest data and information into his curriculum to ensure it captures his students' interest. His students serve as a profound source of inspiration for him. He affirms, "Seeing them embrace challenges in my instruction motivates me to keep pushing them to reach their full potential. I have a message for all students: take your education seriously! Don't waste your youth on pursuits that won't matter in the long run. Your education is the key to unlocking a brighter future in all aspects of life."
Mr. Pardo, 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.