Curriculum News
October 2018
Happy New "School" Year!
It's hard to believe the first six-weeks is already behind us and another "back to school" is in the books! For me, this year marked my 23rd first day of school as an educator and my 41st first day of school if you include my years as a student....I guess you could say, I LOVE school!
I still love the school supply aisle, the smell of freshly waxed floors, and the anticipation I feel on the first day of every new school year because it means a fresh, new start.
I am still excited about the idea of new students and co-workers, new learning, and new ideas!
Even after 23 years in this profession, I still LOVE being a teacher. I still want to change lives, and I continue to believe that, even though at times it is very difficult, this is the greatest profession there is.
I hope that each of you experiences the same excitement that I feel at the start of a new school year, and I encourage you to hang on to that in the months to come.
--Shelly Landreth, Curriculum Director
Mentor Meeting, August 2018
Curriculum Priorities for 2018-2019
1. Curriculum alignment/TEKS Resource System Support for Science and Social Studies (each year we will focus on different contents as determined by campus and district leadership)
2. K-8 ELAR/SLAR Instructional Materials Adoption and preparation for new TEKS implementation in 2019-2020
3. Creation of a Professional Learning Plan for the district
4. RTI "Reboot" and handbook update
5. Instructional Materials Audit--this year we are focusing on K-8 ELAR in conjunction with the adoption. The audit will help us to determine gaps in and areas of overlap in our instructional materials.
Worth quoting....
Professional Learning Plan for New ELAR/SLAR TEKS
1. Five staff members are participating in a year-long cohort at Region 13. This cohort will meet periodically throughout the year to learn about the new TEKS, best practices for implementation, etc. These staff members will bring back and share information learned at these trainings.
2. ALL K-8 ELAR/SLAR teachers will attend a day long training with Region 13 during the January 8th In-Service day.
Grades 9-12 will implement new ELAR TEKS in 2020-2021.
Who's Who at LGISD
Pictured below are Barbie Ryza, LHS Science teacher, and 3 new members of her team, Tyler Macha, Kevin Obkirchner, and Kristie Kemp.
Tyler (top left) just had a birthday on September 6th! His hometown is Waterloo, Iowa, and his favorite place to visit is the Rocky Mountains. Tyler became a teacher because he enjoys helping people learn and he has a passion for science. His biggest accomplishment is completing his Master's degree and his goal for the year is to become involved in the community. He likes to fish (when he has time), and his hero is his dad. Welcome, Tyler!
Kevin (top right) is beginning his first year as a teacher! His hometown is Alamogordo, New Mexico, and both his parents are from Germany. Kevin became a teacher because he tried substituting and found it very rewarding. He also enjoys helping students learn. His biggest accomplishment is getting this job, and his goal for this year is to be as effective as he can be. His favorite subject in high school was Latin, and he enjoys working out and hiking. Welcome, Kevin!
Kristie's (bottom right) hometown is Taylor, Texas. She has 3 years of teaching experience and she says she became a teacher to instill a passion for science in students. She likes to read sci-fi and her favorite past time is arts and crafts. Her favorite subject in high school was...guess what? SCIENCE! Kristie's biggest accomplishment is raising twins, and her goal this year is to take things one day at a time. Welcome Kristie!
Lauren says she is absolutely thrilled to begin her first year at Hermes Intermediate. She grew up in Fredericksburg and earned both her Bachelors and Masters degrees at Angelo State where she met her husband. Together they enjoy spending time at the lake, camping, traveling and visiting with family, especially their nieces. This is her 10th year in education: she taught 4th grade in Brackettville and PK & K in Fredericksburg. She comes to us from Brazos where she taught PK, RtI, served as AP then Principal. She says that "Each of my experiences affirms what an incredible privilege it is to help students realize their fullest potential and achieve their individual goals and dreams. I am committed to establishing a foundation of academic success and student character development. I recognize the greatness of our students and their wonderful families and am so thankful to lead such an outstanding school community."
Kyle's hometown is Orange, Texas. He attended Hill College and Wayland Baptist University, and this is his first year of teaching. He became a teacher to make a lifelong impact on students' lives, and his goal this year is to learn as much as possible and impact lives along the way. He says his biggest accomplishment is "marrying WAY up"! His favorite place to visit is the Texas coast and his favorite hobby is fishing. Welcome, Kyle!
Marlene's hometown is LaGrange! She says she became a teacher because she loves kids and she wants to give back to her community. Her biggest accomplishment is being the first in her family to earn a college degree, and her goal for this year is to finish strong as a new teacher and grad student. Marlene loved her trip to London and she says she can do a pretty good British accent. Oh, and she's a lefty! Welcome, Marlene!