Kerrville ISD Six-Weeks Highlights Kerrville ISD, 1009 Barnett Street, 78028
January is School Board Recognition Month
January is School Board Recognition Month. During this month, Kerrville ISD is joining other districts across the state to thank these community volunteers for their commitment and contributions to our public schools. “School Board Trustees serve countless hours working to make public education the best it can be for every child,” said Dr. Troxell, Superintendent. “They make tough decisions on complex educational and social issues that affect the entire community and the lives of individual students.” KISD proudly salutes these educational advocates as they provide vision and leadership for student achievement, academic programs, district funding and school facilities.
Important Dates
Jan. 20 - MLK Holiday for Students and Staff Feb. 14 - End of 4th Six Weeks March 10-14 - Spring Break
January 7, 2014
Daniels, Tivy Participate in Hour of Code As part of “Computer Science Education Week, a national organization called Code.org launched “Hour of Code,” an introduction to computer programming designed to demystify code and show students that everyone can learn how to write computer programs. Daniels Elementary and Tivy High School participated in the event.
According to Challenge Lab Teach- Trei Gohlke learns how to manipulate characters during the Hour of Code event at Daniels. er Marilyn Mitchell, students of this generation are not digital natives. “Although we see them comfortable with playing video games, browsing the Internet, texting and messaging, they are not fluent. They can read technology but they cannot write it.” The organization hopes that by teaching children how to code, they will become more fluent in the digital languages of computer coding and programming.
BT Wilson Donates Books to Early Childhood
Clockwise from bottom left: Zabrian Levinson, Bella King, Regan Robertson, Nathaniel Lopez, MaKayla Waiser, Caitlin Jones and Alora Barzda
Each year, BT Wilson Sixth Grade students have a chance to earn a free yearbook by completing community service projects. This year, a group of students seeking to earn the free yearbooks requested their classmates donate gently used books. The donation drive was a success, garnering more than 200 books. The students decided to then donate the books to the Early Childhood Center’s Head Start and TCDC.
Any books that were not age appropriate for the young children have been sent to the four elementary schools. The Early Childhood Center plans to place some of the books in the library, while the others will be used for “Book Bag Buddies” a program that sends books home with children for parents to read to their child.
KISD Six-Weeks Highlights Kerrville ISD, 1009 Barnett Street, 78028
Tivy High School “PALS” Raise More Than $800 for Kerrville Salvation Army The Tivy High School PALS, under the leadership of teacher Donna Houston, presented the Kerrville Salvation Army with a check for $831.24 in support of the Angel Tree program. For twenty years, Houston has led her PALS students in collecting donations for the program.
According to Captain Jackson, the money donated by Tivy last year was used to purchase Christmas hams for families in need, and will likely be used in the same way this year. Great job Tivy PALS!
Left to Right: Shane Young, Nicole Fowler, Cheyenne Bryant, Mike Mullins, Executive Director, Captain Bobby Jackson, Senior Kroc Officer, Sarah Hayes and Veronica Cervantes.
www.kerrvilleisd.net
HPMS NJHS Hosts Holiday Concert Benefit Hal Peterson Middle School’s National Junior Honor Society students hosted a holiday concert on Wednesday, December 18, 2013. The Spike band, orchestra, and girl’s choir all performed in the traditional holiday musical. Students wishing to attend the concert were required to pay $2.00 per ticket, which gave them permission to miss part of 1st period classes. The concert raised $685.75, which was donated to the Kerrville Police Department’s Blue Santa Project. Officer Paul Gonzalez accepted the donation on behalf of KPD. The concert was the first-ever performance together for all three groups and the first time for students to play for their peers during the school day.
The students went around to all classes at Tivy High School on Thursdays for the last three weeks asking for donations. “When we started this program twenty years ago, we actually went and purchased turkeys and hand delivered them to the doors of families in need.”
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Left: Kerrville Police Department Officer Paul Gonzalez accepts the donation from NJHS President Will Zuber, eighth grade.
Schreiner Brings K.I.D.S. Program to Starkey Schreiner University students conducted a special science project at Starkey Elementary on Thursday, December 12th. The program is called K.I.D.S. – Kids Interested in Discovering Science. The Schreiner students were tasked with identifying something they deemed needed more attention in the community. The students, all science majors, felt After mixing water, borax and glue, Eddie Maldonado and Bella Barziza play with the slime they created. students should have more exposure to science activities at a young age to encourage them to pursue degrees in science. All of the presenting students cited examples from their childhood of an event that piqued their interest in pursuing a science degree. During the event, Starkey 4th graders learned how to make slime, create water-repellant sand, and extract DNA from a strawberry.
KISD Six-Weeks Highlights Kerrville ISD, 1009 Barnett Street, 78028
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www.kerrvilleisd.net
Tivy High School Class Baking Homemade “Tivy Treats” for Dogs The Tivy High School Life Skills Class has found new purpose this year in the form of dog biscuits. Michelle Baus, an Occupational Therapy Student from UT Health Science Center is completing her internship with Kerrville ISD this school year. She suggested the class make homemade dog treats to thank the district’s service dog, Spenser, owned by Dr. Kyle Busing. Spenser was happy to test the treats out for the kids, and apparently, he loved them! Soon, Tivy employees and students were asking to purchase the treats, which came to be known as “Tivy Treats.” What started as a thank you gift has turned into a cross-curricular vocational program for the Life Skills students. The students make the all-natural treats using flour, oats and peanut butter. The recipe, product name, and logo were all selected by the students via a class vote. Tivy Treats are then produced, packaged and sold – all by the students. All proceeds benefit the students directly, through student-selected class trips and other fun activities.
Above: The Tivy High School Functional Living students pose with Spenser during a recent visit. Below: Hannah Watson feeds Spenser his first Tivy Treat.
“This program has been so amazing for our students,” said Stephanie Drake-Woods, OT. “The students love making the treats – it’s exciting and gives them purpose, and we love it because there is so much hands-on learning involved.” The main goal of this program is to provide the life skills students with academic enrichment, social engagement, vocational skill development, and therapeutic benefit. Assisting the students regularly in the process is the Kerrville ISD special education teachers, paraprofessionals, Occupational Therapist and OT Intern, Physical Therapist and Speech and Language Pathologist. The teachers have aligned each step of the process with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. The Tivy Treats program is meeting TEKS in English, Math, Science and Social Studies. For example, the students are practicing the English TEK of “following multi-dimensional instructions from a text to complete a task, solve a problem, or perform procedures” when they follow the recipe to make the treats. In math, the students are measuring, multiplying and maintaining graphs of progress all through the process. One of the most important lessons for life skills students is to practice vocational skills that will help prepare them to be successful, contributing members of society. This program is helping the students identify personal preferences, aptitudes and limitations as it pertains to jobs, communication skills, and work-ethic. The students have already raised more than $1,000 selling Tivy Treats. They hope to make them available for sale to the public in 2014. For more information, contact Tivy High School at 257-2212.
KISD Six-Weeks Highlights Kerrville ISD, 1009 Barnett Street, 78028
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www.kerrvilleisd.net
Spreading Holiday Cheer Throughout KISD In the weeks leading up to the Christmas Holidays, schools around the district held concerts, parties and events commemorating the holidays. Often what we saw was schools and children experiencing the gift of giving.
Tivy High School Senior Kylie Flowers helps Taylor Lidiak (left) and Brody Vanacker (right) make ornaments and decorate a tree to donate to local agencies. The Tivy Antler Leadership Team partnered with Mrs. Wrase’s first grade class at Daniels Elementary to decorate and donate a tree to The Kerrville Kroc Center, JCPenney, Edgwater Nursing Home and Peterson Regional Medical Center.
Starkey Elementary third graders conducted a non-perishable food drive to benefit the Christian Assistance Ministry. Left to Right: Avery Martin, Dharma Dinkla, Noah Pfeister, Jordan Clayton, Carson Grimm, Hazel Wellborn, Chris Rendon.
Tally Elementary held a Holiday Show featuring the fourth grade Honor Choir and, pictured above, the entire third grade class. The students sang and acted out songs honoring many different cultural celebrations.
Students in the Tivy High School English Department wrote personal holiday greetings to military personnel as part of a Veteran’s Tribute for the Red Cross. More than 350 students wrote out cards and added artwork for the project.