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Dr. Walter G. Jackson Superintendent of Schools
Board of Trustees
David Janda, President
Russell Schoppe, Vice President
Jeff Martin, Secretary
Melissa Crutcher, Trustee
Danny Hanks, Trustee
Chris Murdock, Trustee
Dee Anne Thomson, Trustee
1002 San Jacinto La Porte, Texas 77571 281-604-7000 lpisd.org La Porte ISD Insider is a community magazine published by the La Porte ISD Communications Department to inform community members about La Porte Independent School District and its campuses.
Adam J. Holland Director of Communications & Community Relations
Kimberly Culver Communications Coordinator
Becky Debbrecht Technician
Diana Solis Secretary to Director of Communications & Community Relations
Luisa Rodriguez Clerk/Receptionist Communications
The La Porte Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, color, national origin, sex or disability in providing education services, activities, and programs, including vocational programs, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Title IX Coordinator is Angela Garza-Viator (garzaa@lpisd.org), executive director of human resources, 1002 San Jacinto, La Porte, Texas 77571, Telephone (281) 604-7110. The Section 504 Coordinator is Billye Trader (traderb@lpisd.org), executive director of special programs, 1002 San Jacinto, La Porte, Texas 77571, Telephone (281) 604-7034.
Today is a great day to be a Bulldog! It is hard to believe that we are beyond the halfway point of the spring semester. Our students and staff have worked diligently toward success on the state-standardized tests, which began in April. I am grateful to our staff for continuing so passionately to ensure that our students learn and succeed.
As you may know by now, the Board of Trustees unanimously called for a bond election to take place on May 6. District bonds reflect our communities’ goals and values, and these bonds support our vision and mission. The 2023 LP Bond addresses numerous student, staff, and facility improvements across the district. It will be divided into three propositions to increase safety and security, address aging buildings and facilities, provide laptops for students and teachers, and expand district learning space.
Did you know that Texas school districts do not receive state funding for renovating or building new schools? We instead rely on voter-approved school bond elections to provide these funds. There have only been two bond investments in our schools in over 20 years, in 2005 and 2014. In La Porte, we have traditionally called for bonds every nine years, which takes care of the maintenance and operations of the school district for the next nine years.
For many years, La Porte has worked to remain financially solvent and manage a fiscally conservative budget. The overall tax rate is lower today than it was 15 years ago, and it remains one of the lowest in the region. There will be no tax rate increase with the passage of all three propositions. Senior citizens with the Over 65 Exemption will not be impacted over their frozen dollar amount. Voters will see ballot language which includes the statement “THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.” Legislation passed in the 2019 Texas Legislative Session requires that school districts include this language, even when there is no tax rate increase as a result of the bond.
We are committed to making sure all voters get the information they need to make an informed decision. Visit our 2023 Bond page at bond.lpisd.org and follow us on social media to get more information. Early voting begins on April 24 and ends on May 2. Election Day is May 6. And please, go vote!
In your service,
Dr. Walter Jackson Superintendent of Schools
outstanding work ethic.
Isabella is currently involved in the Chatos Drill Team, National Honor Society, Senior Council, La Porte High School Musical, National Society of High School Scholars, Phi Theta Kappa and the ACE Program. She has been recognized as an AP Scholar with Honors, AP Scholar with Distinction, AP Capstone Diploma, and National Hispanic Recognition Scholar. She plans on attending Baylor University after graduation and majoring in Biology on the premedicine track.
Congratulations to 2023 La Porte High School
Valedictorian Isabella Grace Balboa and Salutatorian
Jorge Andres Vanegas Mendivil.
Isabella is the daughter of Sonia and Christopher Balboa. Isabella expressed her thanks to her parents for their constant love and support throughout her high school journey. She thanks her parents for teaching her an
Salutatorian Jorge Vanegas Mendivil was born in Barranquilla, Colombia, before coming to La Porte for kindergarten. His parents are Jorge Veneers and Liliana Mendivil. Jorge said his parents have been his support through every step of his life. He is honored to be La Porte High School’s Salutatorian for the Class of 2023.
Jorge was recently recognized as an AP Scholar and is a member of the award-winning LPHS Orchestra. After graduation, he plans on attending UT Austin where he will major in Chemical Engineering. His desire is to build a career in researching renewable energy technology as a chemical engineer.
Nine La Porte High School Academic Decathlon Team members competed at the State Academic Decathlon meet recently and brought home several honors.
Amy Du is the 2023 TEXAS runner-up and was awarded a $1,500 scholarship. Kennedy Marks and Bekah Gilmore also earned State runner-up spots in their events. Other team members are Jacob Joji, Carol De La Rosa, Keenan Urban, Lauranh Nguyen, Daniel Ortiz and Michelle Springer.
Academic Decathlon students qualified to compete at the state meet after winning eight medals, including the individual runner-up at the regional meet on Jan. 27-28. Jaime Licon coaches the team; Michael Karm is the assistant coach.
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Art Show’s Hayloft Gallery at NRG Arena featured seven works of art by La Porte ISD students in 2023.
Students from La Porte High School, Lomax Junior High School and College Park Elementary School earned Best of Show awards for their respective age categories in the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Art Show. Artists from all age levels were also represented in the Gold Medal category.
Each January, schools across the Greater Houston area
compete in the Rodeo School Art Program, with judging taking place at the district level. All work is eligible for the show’s School Art Auction, according to the Rodeo Houston website.
Christina Todaro is the art teacher for the La Porte High School winners; Marisa Medellin-Ortiz and Amanda Mattox teach art at Lomax and La Porte Junior High schools, respectively. Jami Lupold and Zaibu Ali teach art at Heritage and College Park Elementary schools, respectively.
Best of Show Top Row (L-R)
“Viva” - Breeyana Limon, La Porte High School
“Rusty Car” - John Stakes, Lomax Junior High
“Mr. Brown’s Farm” - Jacob Arnold, College Park Elementary
Gold Medal Middle Row (L-R)
“Ranch Hand” - Matthew Torres, La Porte Junior High
“A Short Ride” - Cash Lusk, La Porte High School
“Escorpio” - Dana Garcia, La Porte High School
“Desert Cosmos” - Madelyn Martinez, Heritage Elementary
La Porte High School is represented in both the brass and woodwind sections of the 2023 Texas Music Educators Association All-State Band. It is the first time since 2015 that a La Porte band student has earned All-State honors. Bass clarinet player Brandon Garza and tuba player Tristan Chavez were named to the elite band after Jan. 7 auditions. To reach the milestone, they had to audition multiple times along with thousands of other band students from across Texas. The road to All-State began in July when audition music was released to students. In December they competed for a chair in the All-Region Band. A select few of those students advanced to All-Area, where they competed for All-State.
“All-State Band students are the top 0.1% of Texas band students. Tristan and Brandon have both worked diligently and competed at the highest level to represent our band program, school, and school district. We’re all very proud that they represent us as members of the All-State ensembles,” said interim band director Michael Lehmann.
The TMEA All-State Band performed in February at the organization’s annual clinic/convention in San Antonio.
On April 1, the La Porte Indoor Drumline competed at Cypress Ranch High School in the TCGC Indoor Drumline AREA Competition. Twenty-eight schools competed in their classification, and the La Porte Drumline took third place! The Mighty Bulldog Drumline now advances to the State championships, competing at Reed Arena at Texas A&M College Station on April 15. Results of the State championships were not available at press time.
The La Porte High School Chatos Dance Team on March 4 was named the Grand Champions and Best in Category in every dance routine at the Showtime International Dance Competition, which was their final contest of 2023. Team Awards received included Sweepstakes, Judge’s Award, Grand Champions (the Chatos were the highest scoring team), Best in Category for every dance performed and the WOW Factor Award for their Team Jazz dance.
The Social Officers earned First Place Sweepstakes/Judge’s Award for their performance.
Dance Officers earned Grand Champion, Sweepstakes, Best in Category for every dance and the Applause Award for their Contemporary Dance.
Jeannine Watson is the Chatos director; Breeann Patek is the assistant director.
The La Porte High School Varsity Winter Guard competed at the TCGC State Winter Guard Championships at Reed Arena in College Station on April 1. They received ninth place in their class. This is the second consecutive year the guard has advanced to the state competition.
Team Awards
Dance Officer Awards
Social Officer Awards
Early voting begins April 24 and ends May 2; Election Day is Saturday, May 6
The La Porte Independent School District Board of Trustees at its regular meeting on Feb. 7 unanimously approved calling a school bond election for May 6, 2023. A committee of community members developed the proposal in conjunction with district staff and administration. Their task was to develop and present to the Board of Trustees a long-term plan that included a recommendation for implementation.
“I want to thank our board, staff, and community for their work over the past 18 months to help get us to this point,” La Porte ISD Superintendent Dr. Walter Jackson said. “This decision is based on carefully considering all areas of need around our district while balancing the expectations of our community. Texas school districts do not receive state funding for renovating or building new schools. Instead, they must receive funds through school bond elections. La Porte ISD has a Superior (financial) Achievement Rating “A” and has one of the lowest tax rates among surrounding districts.”
The 2023 Bond will ask voters to consider a $235 million package in three propositions:
• Proposition A ($164 million) – includes safety and security enhancements; facilities upgrades; furniture, fixtures and equipment; school bus replacement; educational center/field house
• Proposition B ($15 million) – 1:1 devices for K-12 students, teachers and staff; teacher technology docking stations, monitors, wireless access; technology upgrades in phases over 10 years
• Proposition C ($56 million) – Bulldog Stadium replacement; safety and security enhancements; fully ADA and UIL compliant
Homeowners age 65 and older will not be impacted by the passage of the bond propositions if they have filed for and received the Over 65 Homestead Exemption
with the Harris County Central Appraisal District. Their school district taxes will not exceed the frozen dollar amount. Ballot language will include the statement “THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.” Legislation passed in the 2019 Texas Legislative Session requires that school districts include this language, regardless of the bond’s impact on the district’s tax rate. For more information, go to bond.lpisd.org. There is no tax increase as a result of the bond.
& A’s
What is La Porte ISD’s tax rate?
A school district tax rate is made up of two different tax rates. The first is Maintenance & Operations (M&O) which covers the day-to-day costs of running a school district with most going towards salaries and utilities. The second is Interest & Sinking (I&S) which is solely used for paying down debt. LPISD’s 2022-2023 M&O tax rate is $.9746 and I&S tax rate is $0.2819 for a total tax rate of
$1.2565. Our school tax rate is significantly lower than the surrounding districts of Deer Park (1.2822), Goose Creek (1.3574), and Pasadena (1.3353).
How would a bond election affect my taxes?
It is important to La Porte ISD and our community stakeholders to find a plan that would not increase the school tax rate. We are working with our financial consultant to determine our bonding capacity ceiling and ensure we stay below that amount that would result in a tax increase.
Why do school bond ballots say “this will be a tax increase” even when the school district has said it won’t increase the tax rate?
Since LPISD’s last bond election, the legislature passed a new law requiring school districts to include the language “THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE,” even when the district is not expecting a rate increase. This is because the issuance of new bonds increases the term of the debt repayment at the current rate.
What about my property values?
La Porte ISD does not set your property values; the Harris County Appraiser determines that. LPISD can only set the school district tax rate and must seek voter approval to increase.
If my tax bill is higher, why isn’t the district receiving more money?
The district does not make more money when property values increase due to two factors:
Property Tax Compression: Property Tax Rate Compression was implemented in the 2019 legislative session under HB3 and SB2. As property values go up, the M&O tax rate goes down, resulting in neutral revenue for the district.
Recapture: La Porte ISD is classified as “property wealthy” and subject to the state’s Recapture (”Robin Hood”) Tax. In the 2021-2022 school year, La Porte ISD’s Robin Hood payment was $48 million. This is more than 40% of our locally generated operating tax revenue.
What if I’m 65 years old or older and receive the “senior citizen exemption” and my home values go up? Would my school taxes go up?
For residents 65 years and older, their school district tax bill will not increase, even if their property values increase (excluding major property improvements) as long as an approved Homestead and Over-65 Exemption application is on file with the Harris County Appraisal District, and the property has been owned as of Jan. 1 of the tax year.
VOTE EARLY Apr 24May 2
What is a bond?
A bond is like a home mortgage. It is a contract to repay borrowed money with interest over time. Bonds are sold by a school district to competing lenders to raise funds to pay for the costs of construction, renovations, and equipment. Most school districts in Texas utilize bonds to finance renovations and the construction of new facilities.
How can bonds be used?
Bond funds can be used to pay for new buildings, additions and renovations to existing facilities, athletic structures, land acquisition, technology infrastructure and equipment for new or existing buildings. Bonds cannot be used for salaries or operating costs such as utility bills, supplies, building maintenance, fuel, and insurance.
When was the last bond?
La Porte ISD’s last bond was in 2014 for $260,000,000. Before that, the last bond was in 2005 for $203,108,000. Historically, each bond has been set up to support 8-10 years of facility and district needs.
Who was involved in exploring a bond election?
The district began exploring the idea of a bond election nearly two years ago with district and campus teams outlining needs. Since then, third party experts have conducted facility assessments, surveys, and financial reviews. LPISD then put together an advisory committee comprised of local community members, business
leaders, parents, and staff. The committee has met several times and is continuing to meet to evaluate and prioritize the district’s current and future needs.
How will you share more information about the bond?
Moving forward with a bond election, La Porte ISD has a duty to inform our entire community on the specifics of the bond, the projects included, and how it will impact taxpayers, but more importantly, how it will impact our students. The district hosted public meetings for anyone in the community to attend, presented information at each campus, and continues to share details via its bond website and social media, mail, and news outlets, to name a few.
If you want to make sure you are receiving information or have suggestions on how better to reach our community at large, please let us know using this email address: info@lpisd.org. It’s important that our community members be fully educated on the whole bond process and fully empowered to vote how they see fit.
2023 Bond Exploration Committee
More than 17,000 fans packed in Bulldog Centre to see the world-famous Harlem Wizards take on the LP Hoop Dogs on Thursday, Feb. 23.
The fun-filled evening consisted of contests, comedy, awesome slam dunks, audience participation, and merchandise giveaways.
The Third Annual Hoops Classic will go down as a win and a loss. It was win for the teachers and students in La Porte ISD. More than $31,000 was raised to fund innovative classroom grants for the upcoming school year. It was loss for the LP Hoop Dogs. Despite a valiant
$25,518
The 19th Annual La Porte Education Foundation Golf Tournament held on Wednesday, March 22, raised more than $25,000. The money will be used to fund innovative, creative instructional projects that benefit the students and teachers of La Porte ISD for the upcoming 2023-24 school year.
The Presenting Sponsor for this year’s tournament was the City of La Porte.
A total of 128 players from 32 teams took part in the tournament held at the Bay Forest Golf Course. Winners for the first flight were Newline Interactive –Americas, Channel Shipyard, and La Porte Tire Center. Winners for the second flight were INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Foremark Performance Chemicals, and The Bill & Helen Crowder Foundation.
Rudy’s “Country Store” and Bar-B-Q® was the Dinner Tournament Sponsor. PepsiCo was the Beverage Tournament Sponsor. Coastal Ice & Water was the Ice & Water Tournament Sponsor.
effort, the LP Hoop Dogs were outscored by the Harlem Wizards.
The event could not have taken place without the support of the LP Hoop Dogs and the event sponsors. Thank you to the 2023 LP Hoop Dogs: Dr. Walter Jackson, Jeff Martin, Pastor Shane Klinkerman, Shannon Fanning, Casey Dixon, Brandon Gonzalez, Linda “Hoops” Hyde, Tracy Guidry, Michael Peralez, Emily Fasci, Jose “Layup” Lozano, Jade Brown, Jessica Meng, Justin Robbins, Consuela Lindsay, Stacy Joseph, and Delisha Brown.
La Porte High School Senior Ryleigh Elko has raised livestock since she was a fifth-grader. This year, she raised two steers, two lambs, one heifer and one pig. These are six of the 14 animals she has raised. She is a Second Vice President in the La Porte High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization.
After graduation, Ryleigh plans to attend Blinn College to obtain her Livestock Judging certification. She then plans to study large animal veterinary medicine at Texas A&M University.
Ryleigh’s favorite thing about raising an animal is the bond she creates with the animal. She said, “Even though it is just a few months, you build an unbreakable bond and go through a lot together that sticks with you forever.” She also said she has loved learning how to take care of a sick animal and about the medical side of raising animals.
If it weren’t for the Ag program, I might not have made it through high school.
Ryleigh Elko La Porte High School senior
Mornings at the La Porte ISD Ag Barn start as early as 6:30 a.m. Activities include mixing the food for each animal, cleaning out stalls and giving each animal food and water.
Ryleigh said, “Since I compete around Texas with other programs, I strongly believe that our La Porte FFA program stands out as one union. We are always representing the La Porte program by being respectful to other programs and always being good showmen in and outside the ring. Not many other programs will congratulate you after a big win, but La Porte most definitely always will.”
Ryleigh, along with Kaylee Soto, secured a sale slot at the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo with their Market Lamb. They earned got 9th place in their class with close to 50 in each class.
Ryleigh secured an auction spot with a third place Light Weight Simmental Steer at the San Antonio Livestock Show.
Ryleigh won Reserve Champion for her Market Lamb at the La Porte Livestock Show.
Crystal Elko, Ryleigh’s mother, said, “The advice I would give any parent with a student interested in raising animals or even just needing a good organization to belong to would be to join the FFA program and get involved as much as possible, not just with raising animals, but the program as a whole. The last piece of advice I can give as a parent is to support your teachers and reach out to them for guidance.”
Kelsey Elledge, who attends James H. Baker Sixth Grade Campus, said her favorite thing about raising animals is being able to learn new things. “Every animal you get is different, and you have to learn what works for them to grow to be good.” Elledge’s least favorite part of raising an animal is becoming best friends with them and then having to sell them at the end.
“As a junior FFA member, this program is special because they have good teachers helping us all along the way. The older FFA students include us in everything and it’s a fun program to be a part of. My favorite teacher in FFA is Mrs. Hicks,” said Kelsey.
Missy Elledge, Kelsey’s mother, said, “Showing animals has taught my children to be more responsible. It allows your child to be a part of a great group. It encourages them to be the best they can be and work hard for what they want. They learn responsibility and compassion.”
Showing swine could cost around $2000, according to Missy Elledge. This number includes the amount to purchase the pig and added cost for feed. However, it can be higher depending on how much a student wants to spend to get the animal. If students are successful with a project, and place high in an auction, they could profit from it a lot, she added.
Missy Elledge said, “My best advice is to always make sure your child is, above all else, having fun! That’s what it’s all about, win or lose.”
Carrie Hicks, Lead Agricultural Science teacher at La Porte High School, added, “My favorite thing is to see the bonds our students create with their animals and the close friendships that are made in the barn. Our students work so hard together raising these animals, and the excitement I see the students have for each other’s success in the ring makes a teacher very proud.”
Hicks went on to say the La Porte program is special because it is a well rounded program. “We have something for all students−anything from raising animals in our state of the art district Ag Barn, to public speaking in English and Spanish; we work hard to find ways for each student to excel,” Hicks said. “Additionally, La Porte FFA is very competitive in leadership development events, career development events, public speaking and raising animals. Our students have the opportunity to show the livestock they’ve raised at the Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeo, Harris County Livestock Show, La Porte Livestock Show and Rodeo and all major livestock shows in Texas. Furthermore, we are so lucky to have a tight-knit community and school district that supports our students and the La Porte FFA program.“
Kelsey Elledge mixes food for her pig. Kelsey Elledge raises and tends her livestock at her family’s home in Lomax. Here she is feeding her heifer, a daily after-school activity. Elledge won Grand Champion Rabbit Trio at the La Porte Livestock Show.The 2022-23 Lady Dawgs Basketball Team won the Bi-District and Area Playoff rounds and advanced to the Regional Quarterfinals. More recently, eight team members earned All-District honors, while 10 team members earned Academic All-District. All-District honorees are Addisyn Parker, 18-5A Most Valuable Player; Keely Cummings, First Team; Chloe Paul, First Team; Kera Arrington, First Team; Makayla Bellot, Second Team; Kaylee Mericle, Second Team; Sophia Rodriguez, Honorable Mention; and Angelina Goynes, Honorable Mention. The Academic All-District honorees are Kera Arrington, Makalya Bellot, Keely Cummings, Angelina Goynes, Sarah Green, Bailey Jackson, Kaylee Mericle, Addisyn Parker, Chloe Paul, and Esme Soto. The Lady Dawgs head coach is Elisha Thompson. Assistant coaches are Connie Linday, Tonia Thomas and Miranda Thornton. The team managers are Kloe Stone and
Congratulations to La Porte High School junior Avari Singleton, who won the Jan. 23 Clear Brook Girls Golf Winter Invitational at Timber Creek Golf Club! She beat 33 competitors and shot a personal best 88.
The La Porte Bulldogs Football Team received a high honor on Jan. 26 from The Touchdown Club of Houston as a Sportsmanship Award finalist. Head Coach Kevin Berneathy and LPHS senior Dayshaun Wooley represented La Porte at the luncheon during which they were presented with the award.
More than 100 students from La Porte ISD elementary schools and the James H. Baker Sixth Grade Campus are learning about entrepreneurship through the Lemonade Day program sponsored by the district, La PorteBayshore Chamber of Commerce and Amegy Bank. Lemonade Day is a nationally recognized fun, experiential program that teaches youths how to start, own and operate their own business—a lemonade stand. This is the second year for Lemonade Day in La Porte ISD, and this year’s activities will culminate in a community-wide event hosted at Bulldog Stadium on May 20.
Business leaders from the La Porte-Bayshore Chamber of Commerce began working with student participants and teacher sponsors from each campus the week of April 10. The six-week curriculum covers topics such as being an entrepreneur, making a plan, and working your plan. At the May 20 Lemonade Day celebration, students will operate their own lemonade stands, with judges awarding prizes for Best Lemonade, Entrepreneur of the Year, and more. Other activities will take place as the young entrepreneurs sell lemonade,
making Lemonade Day a fun family event for the La Porte community. La Porte ISD appreciates the efforts of La Porte-Bayshore Chamber of Commerce representatives Frank Nance, Jeff Martin, Adelina Gomez-Abshire, Rick Helton, Amanda DeAlejandro, Carol Spruiell, Ryan Mathis, Tiffany Mathis, Brandon Lunsford and Kelly Moses, who are serving as mentors for the Lemonade Day teams.
A B C
It will allow us to keep our tax dollars in our schools and community.
LPISD has one of the lowest tax rates in the area yet the largest recapture (Robin Hood) payment . Last year, LPISD was required to send over $56 million of our local tax dollars to the state. Approving this bond and investing in our schools allows us to keep more of our tax dollars in our community.
This bond will provide devices for every teacher AND every student.
Currently, teachers and staff must buy their own laptops for work and instruction.
Bulldog Stadium has reached the end of its useful life and must be rebuilt .
TO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS SAFER
TO MAKE OUR STADIUM SAFER TO GIVE OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO SUCCEED
Over $19 million worth of repairs have been done on it since 2006, but it has still grown less and less safe for students and attendees, especially for those with disabilities. Originally built in 1958, the time has long passed for a new stadium. Over 875 kids use the stadium weekly - if we want everyone to be able to use our stadium and do so safely, we MUST rebuild. It is simply a matter of compliance with safety, UIL, ADA, and Title 9 requirements. $
BONUS: We can do everything without increasing the tax rate!
EARLY VOTING: APRIL 24 - MAY 2
ELECTION DAY: MAY 6
Learn more
Thirty teams with more than 100 students competed in the district’s 6th Annual Battlebots competition in April at La Porte High School. The events included a Robot Design Challenge, and two Programming Challenges. Siblings were invited to participate in the Robotics Playground, where they made Bristle Bots and interacted with the Dash Robots that are present in every STEM lab. Event judges included several members of the La Porte Education Foundation, and more than 24 educators and community members volunteered. After the event it was announced that the Foundation would fully fund a special grant request submitted last summer to provide two additional Spike Prime robots per campus. Also competing in Channelview in April was the La Porte High School Robotics Team - The Spicy Chihuahuas. This is the first year the high school has competed in robotics in the FIRST Competition. Texas is a nationally ranked state in FIRST, with competitors consistently competing in and winning the international competition. This first year, the team placed 21st out of 34 teams and won the coveted Jack Kamen Imagery Award, which celebrates attractiveness in engineering and outstanding visual aesthetic integration of machine and team appearance.
The La Porte community has stepped forward in a big way to make a positive impact on the children of our district. As of April 12, 52 volunteers are participating in the HELPS (Helping Empower La Porte Students) mentoring program that began last fall at La Porte ISD elementary schools and started at the James H. Baker Sixth Grade Campus this spring.
The program was initiated by La Porte-Bayshore Chamber of Commerce volunteer Frank Nance with Jeff Martin, president of the La Porte-Bayshore Chamber of Commerce and La Porte ISD trustee, and Dr. Walter Jackson, La Porte ISD superintendent and a Chamber Board member.
The focus of HELPS is to create a safe space for the student to experience warm, supportive encouragement from a caring adult. Student participants are selected by their school counselors, and they are paired with mentors who have similar interests or hobbies.
“I love how the community has responded to the opportunity to become mentors in La Porte ISD,” Nance said. “Individuals, businesses and our churches have really stepped into these opportunities and students’ lives. This program wouldn’t be possible without the community’s desire to help these students feel seen, heard and loved.”
Mentors make the commitment to spend 30 minutes each week with their student during lunch or elective time. They can bring lunch for themselves and their student or buy
lunch at the campus. During their time together, they might play Uno, do an art project, work on a puzzle, or toss a ball back and forth—it all depends on what the mentor and student enjoy doing.
Because consistency is important, mentors are asked to communicate with the school when they aren’t able to attend. Mentors must also participate in training sessions 2-3 times per school year and meet all La Porte ISD and campus guidelines for conduct, including a background check.
“I highly encourage the HELPS mentoring program for the bonding experience that we get with our students,” said Brenda Thompson of DuPont, who mentors a student at Bayshore Elementary. “The quality time spent together makes a big difference to both sides when the match is made right.” Thompson gave her mentee some zinnia seeds earlier this spring, and one of her favorite moments is when the student excitedly showed her photos of the buds after she planted them at home.
Additional mentors are still needed, and volunteers can sign up now in preparation for the 2023-24 school year. More information on becoming a HELPS mentor, as well as a link to the district volunteer application/background check, is available at lpisd.org/our-district/partners-ineducation or by calling 281-604-7084.
Stacey McDowell is La Porte ISD’s new chief financial officer. She succeeded Rhonda Cumbie, who retired at the end of December 2022 after 14 years in the district. McDowell, a 1995 La Porte High School graduate, has worked the past 17 years in the Deer Park ISD Business Office. As its director of finance, she was responsible for the financial audit, cash and investments, budgets, grants, bonds and the general ledger.
“Not only does Mrs. McDowell bring exceptional school finance skills, but she and her family also have deep La Porte roots,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Walter Jackson said. “She fully respects and understands our district’s importance to the La Porte community.”
Prior to graduating from La Porte High School, McDowell attended Jennie Reid Elementary and Leo A. Rizzuto Elementary schools and Baker Junior High School.
“It is really nice to come home,” McDowell said. “The people in this department have worked very diligently through the years to ensure that everything has run smoothly and efficiently, and I am fortunate to be working with such a knowledgeable team.”
McDowell graduated with cum laude honors from the University of Houston, where she earned her Bachelor of Business Administration. Prior to moving into the public education sector, she was an oil and gas accountant for ExxonMobil for six years.
“Mrs. McDowell’s expertise will enable us to continue our focus on managing a financially responsible budget while supporting the growth and development of our students and teachers,”Dr. Jackson said.
& Field Cross Country Coaches Association. Schoppe’s achievements in the classroom and on the track continue to serve as models to inspire and challenge today’s
La Porte ISD honored Ryan Schoppe with its first Alumni Spotlight award at the Board of Trustees meeting on March 7. His father, Board Vice President Russell
La Porte ISD campuses named their Teachers of the Year for the 2023-2024 school year. Campus honorees are chosen by their peers for their ability as skilled teachers and a love for teaching and learning, among several other characteristics. A committee of community volunteers will select the 2023-2024 elementary and secondary District Teachers of the Year from the group, and district superlatives will be announced at the annual La Porte ISD Service Awards ceremony on May 18.
Dr. Kade Griffin and Linda Hyde have been named as the 2022-23 La Porte ISD Principals of the Year for secondary and elementary, respectively.
Dr. Griffin is principal of Lomax Jr. High School; Mrs. Hyde is principal at Heritage Elementary School. District administrators select honorees based on several criteria, including a multitude of attributes that contribute to staff and student success.
“We are thrilled to honor Dr. Griffin and Mrs. Hyde as the La Porte ISD Region 4 Principal Recognition recipients,” said Deputy Superintendent Dr. Rebecca Brown. “They are dedicated leaders who work collaboratively with all staff and administrative colleagues, and they are committed to continuous improvement efforts that support student performance.”
Region 4 Education Service Center honored Dr. Griffin and Mrs. Hyde, among other Greater Houston principals, at a luncheon on April 5.
Emmerizza Cervantes Bayshore Elementary Elisabeth Ulsh College Park Elementary Soni RodriguezFernandez Heritage Elementary Chelsea Garza La Porte Elementary Michael Newman Lomax Elementary Deon Williams Jennie Reid Elementary Jennifer Vargas Leo A. Rizzuto Elementary Amy Lashley James H. Baker Sixth Grade Campus Jessica Meng La Porte Junior High Stephen Mabry Lomax Junior High Kristin Balistreri Academy of Viola DeWalt High School Thomas Markiewicz Core Subjects La Porte High School Ashley Stewart Non-core Subjects La Porte High School Aldo Vidal Secondary District Alternative Education Dr. Kade Griffin Lomax Junior High Linda Hyde Heritage ElementaryLa Porte ISD uses the Anonymous Alerts system, which empowers students, parents, and community members to submit critical concerns related to incidents such as bullying, cyberbullying, drugs/alcohol, fighting, weapons on campus and other important or time-sensitive concerns directly to school administrators.
