Viking Nation News
Check out the news and happenings in the Viking Nation!
Fall 2016 - Lago Vista, TX
2016-2017 is Off to a Great Start!
The year is off to a great start and we warmly welcome our new families and students to the Viking Nation. In Lago Vista ISD, our mantra is “Excellence in ALL We Do” and we are ready to continue proving it in the 2016-2017 school year!
Don’t Miss College Planning & PSAT Score Distribution Night on December 7th
College Planning & PSAT Score Distribution Night
Wednesday, Dec 7, 2016, 06:30 PM
5185 Lohman Ford Rd, Lago Vista, Texas 78645, United States
WatchDOGS Afternoon Bus Program Volunteers Needed
What is WatchDOGS?
WatchDOGS (Dads Of Great Students) is an innovative educational initiative to promote father involvement in schools. There are two primary goals of the WatchDOGS program.
- To provide positive male role models for the students, demonstrating by their presence that education is important.
- To provide extra sets of eyes and ears to enhance school security and reduce bullying.
WatchDOGS are fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and other father-figures who volunteer for at least one day each year at an official WatchDOGS school. During the day, WatchDOGS may read and work on flash cards with students, play at recess, eat lunch with students, watch the school entrances and hallways, assist with traffic flow, and any other assigned activities where they actively engage with students.
Lago Vista ISD is piloting a program to have WatchDOGS participants volunteer to assist on our afternoon elementary/intermediate bus routes.
Tell me about the Afternoon Bus Program...
WatchDOGS Afternoon Bus Program volunteers will assist our bus drivers by providing positive reinforcement for behavior expectations and safety procedures, helping students make the bus ride a continuation of school day learning, and providing a safe and respectful environment that will help ensure punctual transportation home in the afternoons.
Volunteers will be asked to be present on a weekday from 2:45pm-4:00pm.
How do I get involved?
If you are a current WatchDOGS participant and are interested in volunteering for the WatchDOGS Bus Program, please contact LVES Assistant Principal Eric Holt at eric_holt@lagovista.txed.net.
To become a WatchDOGS participant or learn more information about the program, please contact Mrs. Lisa Wolf at lisa_wolf@lagovista.txed.net.
Monthly Viking Character Traits
Lago Vista ISD provides character education enrichment through our Monthly Viking Character Traits. Each month, the campuses will provide a focus on these character traits through counselor lessons and coordinated District-wide activities. To learn more about the District's Character Education program, speak to your student's campus counselor. To see a list of the monthly character traits, please click here.
Red Ribbon Week Was a HUGE Success
As part of our character education program, Lago Vista ISD coordinated District-wide participation in the national Red Ribbon Campaign. Red Ribbon Week is the largest drug prevention campaign in the nation. It is an ideal way for our schools and community to unite and take a visible stand against drugs. Campuses participated in daily themed events, classroom presentations, and a District-wide Red Ribbon Pledge Signing.
We are proud of our students for pledging to respect themselves by being drug free. Thank you to all students, staff, and parents who showed their personal commitment to a drug free lifestyle by participating in our 2016 Red Ribbon Week activities!
Give Drugs the Boot!
National Red Ribbon Week
Red Ribbon Pledge
Lago Vista ISD Coat Drive from November 7th - December 2nd
For the month of November, our character education activities will focus on Giving.
Throughout the month of November, we are also holding the Lago Vista ISD Coat Drive to replenish our supply of coats in the Lago Vista ISD Clothing Closet and to donate to Austin Coats for Kids. Please drop your donation off at any campus between November 7-December 2. Click here for more information!
All Community Members Needing a Warm Coat Are Invited to our Community Coat Distribution on November 12th
LVISD Community Coat Distribution Day
Saturday, Nov 12, 2016, 10:00 AM
20801 FM1431, Lago Vista, TX, United States
Important Information on Texas School Funding: School Budgets, the Repeal of ASATR, and What You Can Do
What is ASATR?
When the Legislature reduced property tax rates by one-third in 2006, they guaranteed that school districts would have the ability to maintain at least the same level of per-student funding for weighted average daily attendance (WADA) by creating Additional State Aid for Tax Reduction (ASATR).
In 2011, the State significantly reduced funding for public education and some of those cuts came through a percentage reduction to ASATR. At that time the Legislature also enacted a repeal of ASATR effective September 1, 2017.
What Does It Mean for Lago Vista ISD?
The loss of ASATR funding for districts means less funding for the system as a whole and it carries negative consequences for districts like Lago Vista ISD who rely on ASATR funding. In 2016-2017, Lago Vista ISD's budget includes $872,761.00 in funding through ASATR that will be repealed in 2017-2018.
Lago Vista ISD will do everything within our power to keep our students’ education from being affected, but there will have to be some tough decisions made as we approach a potential budget cuts in 2017-2018.
What Can I Do?
Imagine your already tight home budget being cut…that’s what the loss of ASATR will mean to Lago Vista ISD. The District has operated using resources that will disappear in 2017-2018 without legislative action. Make sure your representatives and senator understand what the loss of ASATR funding means for Lago Vista ISD.
Click here to find out who your representatives are in the State Legislature.
Meet the LVISD Student & Family Support Coordinator
For questions related to student and family resources or to find out ways you can help, please contact Mrs. Johnson at scottie_johnson@lagovista.txed.net.
Community and Business Representatives Needed
The purpose of the District Educational Improvement Committee (DEIC) is to advise the District in establishing and reviewing the District’s educational goals, objectives, and major District-wide classroom instructional programs. The committee serves exclusively in an advisory role. Parent, community, and business representatives are volunteer appointments. All representatives serve staggered two-year terms. Members are not limited as to the number of consecutive terms they may serve on DEIC. The DEIC holds 4-6 meetings each spring, typically on Wednesday or Thursday evenings.
This year, we are looking for at least one community representative and at least one business representative to serve on DEIC.
- Community representatives must reside in the District. Unfortunately, a parent may not be considered a representative of community members on the committee.
- Business representatives need not reside in the District and may operate a business outside of the District. Policy does not prohibit a business representative from also being a parent.
Please click here to access the DEIC application. Applications are due December 15th!
Stay Connected With These Parent Resources
Parents are valued partners in Lago Vista ISD, where we believe that successful learning is best achieved through collaborative partnerships with parents and families. Our Parent Connection page is a one stop shop of resources for parents in LVISD. Click here to check it out!
Stay Connected with ParentLink by Blackboard
Lago Vista ISD uses the ParentLink communication system from Blackboard to assist in alerting parents, families, and employees of important information, such as school closures. ParentLink communicates via telephone, SMS text message, email and push notifications from the ParentLink app. Be sure to add a filter to your inbox so that emails containing the word “Blackboard” are not delivered to Spam. Download the FREE ParentLink app from the iTunes app store or on Google Play.
LVISD Month-at-a-Glance
Each month, the Lago Vista ISD publishes a "Month at a Glance" calendar of events. This is located on the LVISD website under the "Parents and Students" tab. Here is a link to the November-at-a-Glance. To submit an event, please contact Holly Jackson at holly_jackson@lagovista.txed.net.
LVISD Publications and Forms
The District has a one-stop shop for all District publications and forms, including course catalogs, student handbooks, grading guidelines, and special programs information...and we are continuing to build this resource as documents and handbooks become available. Our "Publications and Forms" page is located under the "Parents and Students" tab, as well as on the "Quicklinks" menu on the right side of our homepage. Here is a link to the Publications and Forms page, as well as a few other key resources:
2016-2017 LVISD Student Handbook (Each campus has a supplement at the end!)
Come early, stay late, and wear your BLUE AND GOLD!
One Club, All Sports
You can also follow the Viking Booster Club Facebook page.
Follow LVISD on Facebook
Report Potential Bullying or Other Safety Concerns Using StayALERT
Lago Vista ISD uses StayALERT to help keep our schools safe. StayALERT is a bilingual, confidential website, e-mail, phone and texting avenue for students, teachers, staff, parents and community members to be able to confidentially report unsafe behaviors, suspicious activities, bullying, acts of violence, harassment, and a host of other potential disruptors to school safety.
Users may anonymously report concerns 24-7-365 via the StayALERT website, an e-mail, a phone call to a recorded and monitored line, or via a text message from a cell phone. Photos and video clips pertaining to the StayALERT report may be included. No special app required! Reportable information will be forwarded in a timely manner to a pre-designated school official for review.
To make a report, use one of the methods below:
Website: stayalert.info
Call or Text: (206) 406-6485
Email: report@stayalert.info
Are you looking for a fun way to contribute your talent to help the students in Lago Vista ISD? Then the Education Foundation Needs YOU! We are looking for enthusiastic parents and community members to help us plan our annual fundraiser that is currently planned for June 2017.
Please join us for our first fundraising committee meeting on November 30, 2016 at 6:30pm in Viking Hall.
Remember: All funds raised by the LVISD Education Foundation go DIRECTLY back into our schools through our innovative teaching grants...but we can't do it without your help! Please RSVP by emailing Dr. Suzy Lofton-Bullis at suzy_lofton@lagovista.txed.net. We hope to see you there!
P.S. Don't forget to like the LVISD Education Foundation Facebook page!
LVISD Education Foundation Fundraising Committee Meeting
Wednesday, Nov 30, 2016, 06:30 PM
8039 Bar K Ranch Road, Lago Vista, TX, United States
The Lago Vista ISD Clothing Closet is operated by the students and teachers in the Special Education Department through the Functional Academics and 18+ programs. Our goal is to teach valuable life and job skills to our students while providing services to support the families in our community.
The clothing closet is located behind the Lago Vista Intermediate Campus in portable building 6. Hours of operation are from 12:00pm to 2:00pm on Mondays and the third Monday of the month from 4:00pm to 6:00pm. Please note: We follow the school calendar. The store is only open on regular school days.
During the school day, all visitors must check in to the front office of the Intermediate Campus. We ask that you bring a state identification card because visitors are asked to sign in using our Raptor security system. Visitors will receive a visitor badge from the office, then receive directions to portable building 6 at the back of the campus.
Vouchers worth $20 in merchandise are available through the campus counseling offices, Student and Family Support Services, or through area churches. For more information on how the Lago Vista ISD Clothing Closet can assist your family, please contact Scottie Johnson at scottie_johnson@lagovista.txed.net.
If you would like to donate to the Lago Vista ISD Clothing Closet, please contact Emily Miller-Peña at emily_pena@lagovista.txed.net.
Lago Vista ISD is continuing our participation in the Central Texas "Missing School Matters" Attendance Campaign. Students in Central Texas miss more days of school than their peers across the state in every grade. The problem worsens in high school, when Central Texas students are absent far more than in other parts of the state. Over half of absences in Central Texas were potentially preventable, including routine medical or dental checkups, traveling, or just skipping school.
Student absences are costly to our region in a variety of ways:
- Students can’t learn: If a student is not present at school, they are missing opportunities to learn, to socialize, to gain confidence, and to be inspired.
- Teachers can’t teach: It is much more difficult for teachers to teach effectively when they are “catching up” students who have missed.
- Lost funding for instruction: Many parents are unaware that the state funds schools based on daily attendance - so every day missed costs schools money. This means missing out on teachers, sports programs, and electives due to lack of funding. Each day your student misses costs the District about $38.
Last year, our overall attendance rate in Lago Vista ISD was 95.7%, which is below the state average, but is a slight improvement over the 2014-2015 rate of 95.57%.
Our goal is to increase our attendance District-wide to 97% at each campus, or an average of two school days per student. An increase in student attendance will ensure that more students will be in their classrooms, learning and preparing for their futures - and that’s the most important thing!
How Can I Help?
Absences from school may result in a serious disruption of a student’s mastery of the instructional materials. We understand that there are times when an absence in unavoidable, however, we encourage students and parents to make every effort to avoid unnecessary absences.
- Help your child get into the habit and learn the value of regular routines.
- Teach your child that attending school is nonnegotiable unless they are truly sick.
- Schedule appointments outside of school hours as much as reasonably possible.
- Avoid picking up your student early on a regular basis, which results in missed opportunities for learning.
- Remember that, even though absences may be excused or unexcused, all absences count for the 90 percent state requirement for earning credit or a final grade. This rule applies in grades K-12.
- Punctuality is a vital life skill; it is very important that your student be on time everyday. Official state attendance is taken every day at 10:00am (9:50am at elementary).
Regular school attendance is essential for students to make the most of their education—to benefit from teacher-led and school activities, to build each day’s learning on the previous day’s, and to grow as individuals.
Need More Information?
Please visit www.missingschoolmatters.org to learn more about the Central Texas Attendance Campaign. For information on policies and procedures related to absences, please refer to the LVISD Student Handbook.
Thanks to Our Amazing Sponsors!
Thank you to the following businesses and organizations for helping to sponsor our 2016 New Teacher Orientation and District Convocation:
Blue Corn Harvest
Bush's Chicken
Chili's
City of Lago Vista
Compass Bank
Lago Vista Golf Course
Lago Vista ISD Education Foundation
Lago Vista & Jonestown Area Chamber of Commerce
PDQ
Phoenix Automotive
Raising Cain's
Snap Fitness
Sonic
Tessera
Zoe’s Kitchen
Lago Vista ISD appreciates your support...we couldn't do it without you!
About Lago Vista ISD
Website: http://www.lagovistaisd.net/
Location: 8039 Bar K Ranch Road, Lago Vista, TX, United States
Phone: (512) 267-8300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LagoVistaISD