“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest” - Benjamin Franklin
Vol. 1 No. 2 May 2018
The Pirate’s Treasure A publication of Pine Tree Independent School District
Complimentary Copy
East Texas Advanced Manufacturing Academy – Great Opportunities For Students and Community Members
T
he East Texas Advanced Manufacturing Academy (The Academy) will provide high school students an opportunity to obtain training in Instrumentation and Electrical Technology and Precision Machining Technology. This facility will be open to junior and senior students from Pine Tree, Longview, Hallsville and Spring Hill high schools. Other area high schools will have the opportunity to enroll students as well. Students are encouraged to be a part of this program for both their junior and senior years, however, they may join during their senior year if they desire. The Academy will not only provide high school students the opportunity to begin dual credit classes but will also provide courses that lead to certifications and/or degrees. The Academy is a partnership between local school districts, Kilgore College, Texas State Technical College (TSTC) and numerous local industries. The Academy will not only provide high school students to begin taking dual credit college courses that will lead to certifications or degrees, Beginning in August 2018, the East Texas Manufacturing Academy will offer two dual credit pathways from which students may choose. Each pathway is outlined below. The Academy will hold classes twice weekly and have two sessions to help in Continued on page 3, see “ETxAMA”
Board approves Innovation Showcase 2018-2019 Calendar Highlights
The 2017-2018 school year is quickly coming to an end but next year’s calendar is now in place. Classes will begin August 20 and end May 31. Important dates for next school year include: August 20, 2018 - First Day of School September 3 - Labor Day (observed) November 19-23 - Thanksgiving Break December 21-January 4 - Winter Break January 21 - Dr. Martin Luther King Day (observed) February 18 - Presidents’ Day March 11-15 - Spring Break April 19 - Good Friday May 27 - Memorial Day May 31 - Final Day of School
For more information about the 2018-2019 Academic Calendar, please visit the district website at www.ptisd.org or call (903) 295-5000.
Each year, Innovation Showcase promises to be a fun-filled night and this year’s event rose to the occasion. Simply put, it was fantastic. Crowds of people from across the district came out to celebrate the wonderful student work on exhibit at PTHS. The event was spread across the campus and each space was filled with smiling parents, and proud students, teachers and administrators. The Pirate Center was bursting at the seams with everything from catapults to bridges; while math and science work adorned the walls all around. As you made your way through the maze of student displays, you were captivated by the social studies, math, science and ELAR products sprinkled throughout. This was all intertwined with the new VEX robot demonstration and STEAM challenges. With just a short trip next door to the PTHS Theater, you were able to see some of the younger pirates putting on a show showcasing their singing talents. Continued on page 3, see “Innovation”
Beacon Award Winners Announced
The Pine Tree Education Foundation will honor the 2018 Beacon Award Winners, Regen Stiles Teaching Excellence Award Winner and Teachers of the Year at the annual PT Honors Award Dinner on Thursday, May 3, 2018 at the Summit Club in Longview. The Pine Tree Education Foundation established the annual Beacon Awards and Regen Stiles Teaching Excellence Award for the purpose of recognizing district employees who have made a life changing impression on a student during their time at Pine Tree ISD. The essays give students the opportunity to express their genuine appreciation to a Pine Tree employee who has impacted their lives. The Beacon winners are chosen based on the compelling nature of the teacher or staff members inspiring qualities, sincerity of student’s appreciation, and the quality of expression and writing. Students Kindergarten through twelfth grade write essays and winners are chosen from each campus. After receiving the essays, a committee made up of foundation board members, retired teachers and community members read hundreds of submissions to select the winning essays. Twelve were chosen this year and one of the honorees will be selected to receive the prestigious Regen Stiles Teaching Excellence Award. The Regen Stiles Teaching Excellence Award is chosen by founding board member, Judy Stiles, in honor of her son Regen Stiles. “Reading the essays is emotional, you laugh, and then you cry” shared Melissa Gonzalez, Education Foundation Director. “The greatest thing about reading the essays is learning about the various ways Pine Tree ISD employees make an impression on our students.” The Pine Tree Education Foundation board announces the award winners by surprising the Continued on page 3, see “Beacon”
THE
Pirate’s Treasure
PTA President Coming Events
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STEAM Senior Superlatives
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Sports Safety App
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May 2018
Pine Tree PTA Hosts PTISD Celebrates Masquerade Dance Volunteers Pine Tree students ages Prek-8th grade enjoyed a memorable evening of dancing, a variety of food truck menu items, and photo opportunities at the Father/Daughter A nd Mot her/ S on Masquerade Dance on Saturday, April 7th, at Maude Cobb Convention Center. Street-Licious, Mi Casita, and Kona Ice Food Trucks offered a wide variety of choices to temp every palate and Kona Ice added hot chocolate to help offset the evening’s chilly temperature. Another fun food item for the crowd was Koolicious Koolaid Pickles, with a variety of tempting flavors.
April is National Volunteer Month, and the third week of April is celebrated as National Volunteer Week. Pine Tree ISD joined The Longview NonProfit Coalition members and honored volunteers during National Volunteer Appreciation Week on Tuesday, April 17th, at Maude Cobb Convention Center. Volunteers were nominated and selected from campuses in addition to volunteers from The Pine Tree Education Foundation, Pine Tree PTA, and Board of Trustees. This year’s theme “You’ve Got A Friend” helped recognize and celebrate the generous contributions of volunteers across our community. It was an event that acknowledged time and talents for a great cause as volunteers exemplify the “You’ve Got A Friend’ theme to strengthen the schools and community.
The DJ, Michael Starling, with Last Night Out, had a great playlist prepared in addition to accepting many requests and was top shelf with his interaction with the crowd. A wonderful family representation of over 300 enjoyed an evening together and a lively dancing event. Décor was evident from the masks, beads and balloons adorning the tables. Girls in tiaras and party dresses, sparkling masks, and feathery masks were ready for the evening with their dates. The boys were equally dressed for the event in Phantom of The Opera and Masquerade masks, dressed in slacks, bow ties and suits for their dates. The mask backdrops, which offered the perfect photo opportunity, were graciously loaned by The Longview Museum of Fine Arts. By all accounts and dancing, the night was a success and enjoyed by all. Many thanks to all those that helped with this fun family dancing, style show event! Help support family events by joining PTA. Please visit joinpta.org and we will be excited to see what we can accomplish with your help!
Pine Tree PTA President Nominated for State Office
Andy Burnfield, President of the Pine Tree PTA, has been nominated for the office of Director-at-large for the Texas PTA Board of Directors. Elections for the Texas PTA Board of Directors will be held during LAUNCH, July 20-22, 2018 in Dallas.
RE/MAX First Choice
Donna Vincent
REALTOR® 913 W. Loop 281, Suite 118, Longview, TX 75604 Cell: 903-452-0770 • Office: 903-291-1811 Dvincent@att.net Each Office Independently owned & operated
Those volunteers receiving special recognition were: Primary Campus - Jackie Brown Birch Elementary - Pastor Ricky Ricks Parkway Elementary - Dave Blazek Middle School Campus - Ashley Duncan Jr High Campus - Stacey Willadson High School Campus - Diane Oswald PACE Campus - Joe Manns ExCEL Campus - Stacie Magnuson Pine Tree Board of Trustees - Frank Richards Pine Tree Education Foundation - Terri White Pine Tree PTA - Brooke Cates Created in 1995, The Longview Nonprofit Coalition coordinates networking and training opportunities for more than 40 East Texas nonprofit organizations to help make them more effective in meeting community needs.
Full STEAM ahead at Birch Elementary! All-aboard the Birch Express! As we are chugging into the end of the year, our teachers and students haven’t hit the brakes on learning! All third graders at Birch worked diligently to write an original poem in their English class. They learned about the elements of poetry such as meter and rhyming. When all poems were completed, one young poet was chosen from each class to present their work at the Pine Tree Innovation Showcase. Those poets read their poems aloud to their guests at the Continued on page 5, see “STEAM”
ETxAMA|Continued from page 1
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May 2018
TWO: PATHWAY ONE: PATHWAY Instrumentation & Electrical Precision Machining Technology – offered by Kilgore College – offered by TSTC Many industrial firms now use automation practices that Students interested in becoming machinists should be mechanically inclined, have good problem-solving abilities, be able to work independently and be able to do highly accurate work that requires concentration and physical effort. Students will learn about the various materials used in today’s manufacturing industry, and use the following machines: horizontal and vertical mills, engine lathes, drill presses, shapers, surface and pedestal grinders. Students will participate in the following courses: Junior Year DFTG 1325 (Fall) Blueprint Reading & Sketching (3 credit hours) MCHN 1300 (Spring) Beginning Machine Shop (3 credit hours) Senior Year MCHN 1300 (Fall) Precision Tools & Management (3 credit hours) MCHN 2303 (Spring) Fundamentals of CNC & Machine Controls (3 credit hours) Course descriptions can be found on The Academy website – etxama.org.
require highly programmed electronic equipment to do work that used to be performed by people. Due to their complicated nature, automated devices frequently run into problems which electrical instrumentation technicians must solve. Electrical instrumentation technicians troubleshoot, repair and maintain the various parts needed to keep automated machinery running smoothly and effectively. Instrumentation and Electrical students will install, maintain and calibrate devices used in the automation of industrial processes. These devices measure and control the pressure, temperature, level and flow of processes used in automated manufacturing and production. Students will utilize piping process, chemical pneumatic, hydraulic, electrical, electronic, computer and networking technologies. Students will participate in the following courses: Junior Year INTC 1305 (Fall) Introduction to Instrumentation (3 credit hours) ELPT 1321 (Spring) Introduction to Electrical Safety & Tools (3 credit hours) Senior Year ELPT 1311 (Fall) Basic Electrical Theory (3 credit hours) INTC 1307 (Spring) Instrumentation Test Equipment (3 credit hours) Course descriptions can be found on The Academy website – etxama.org.
accommodating students’ high school schedules. There will be a 7:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. session, followed by a 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. session. Industry representatives will visit the campus frequently as they look for students to participate in apprenticeships/ internships. Komatsu, Nucor, Southwest Steel, Eastman, AAON Coil, NAPPS, LeBus Manufacturing and STEMCO have joined as industry partners as each one looks towards local students to fill future positions due to the aging workforce. Parents and students that are interested in knowing more about this opportunity are encouraged to visit the website at www.etxama.org or contact Bill Irvine at birvine@ptisd.org or via phone at 903-295-5031 ext. 205. Beacon|Continued from page 1 winning students and the employee. Parts of the essays are read aloud and the winners are invited to attend the award dinner. The 2018 Beacon Award Winners are: Claudia Ruiz, Primary Bilingual Teacher, honored by student Isabella Monreal Andrea Mabe, Birch Elementary Behavior Redirect, honored by student J’anthony Adams Kathielene Bolton, Birch Elementary P.E. Teacher, honored by student Julie Allison Kiki Fobell, Parkway ELAR Teacher, honored by student Daniel Solis Johanna Eppley, Middle School and Junior High Choir Director, honored by student Sahara Welty Coach Lisa Wilson, Junior High P.E. and Athletics, honored by student Gianna Spearman Jerri Hamilton, Parkway and Junior High Dyslexia Teacher, honored by student Jade Munoz
Summer Blackman, Transportation, honored by student Jadavion Osborn Carolee Musick, Head Volleyball Coach, honored by student Sarah Moore Tiffany Caldemeyer, High School English Teacher, honored by student Blake Couch Linda Thompson, High School Lead Custodian, honored by student Keelan Davis Cindy Anderson, ExCEL High School History Teacher, honored by student Tyler D’Elio
2018 SPONSORS Captain Sponsors
Pearl Sponsors
Jim and Leah Finley, Harper and Hudson Class of 1964
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Calendar of Events April 2018 Thu 26 • B-day • All day Spring Book Fair • All day 3rd grade field trip Fri 27 • A-day • 8:00A 11:00a Champs Celebration • 8:00A 8:00p HS Regional Track Meet - Region 2-5a track Meet @ UT Arlington • 8:30A 10:30a LPAC Parent Training Staff Development Room at Central Office • 4:00P 10:00p JV/V Baseball @ Texas High - away (JV @ 4:00; Var @ 7:00) *district • 8:00A 8:00p HS Regional Track Meet - Region 2-5a Track Meet @ UT Arlington Mon 30 • B-day •7:00P 8:00p High School NHS Induction Ceremony for new members in the PTHS Little Theater. Contact Katy Rue @ krue@PTISD.Org for more information.
May 2018 Tue 1 • A-day • 8:00A 4:00p Blood Drive - in the Pirate center foyer. For more information contact Caity Rutledge @ crutledge@PTISD.Org • 6:30P 7:15p 1st Grade Music program -Pine Tree District Auditorium -1803 Pine Tree Rd. Thu 3 • A-day • 6:00P 8:00p PT Honors Awards 2018 Beacon Award Winners Fri 4 • 11:30A 12:15p Presentation Coalition for Drug Free Youth Mon 7 • A-Day • 6:00P 8:00p Cheer Booster Meeting High School Library. Tue 8 • B-Day • 8:30A 3:50p STAAR Algebra 1 test • 6:00P 7:30p National Junior Honor Society Induction Ceremony PTJH gym • 7:00P 8:00p Band Booster Meeting
Buccaneer Sponsors
Wed 9 •A-day • All day Pre-k Ecoland - Melton, Zaragoza, Abrams • 8:30A 3:50p STAAR US History Test
Friend of Alumni
Thu 10 • B-day • All day Pre-k Ecoland - Hewitt, Wright, Coleman • All day STAAR Biology Test • 8:00A 8:00p HS State Track Meet@ UT Austin • 6:30P 8:30p HS Band Concert PTHS Theater
Bodacious Bar-B-Q 6th Street BTH Bank Dan and Traci White Gans & Smith Insurance Agency, Inc Hometown Hardware Spring Hill State Bank The Clowers Company Allied Trophy Company
Anchor Sponsor
Cynergy Technology Texas Bank and Trust Family of Regen Stiles Innovation|Continued from page 1 As you journeyed outside toward the cafeteria area, the atmosphere was filled with the most amazing sounds from the PT Jazz band performing and you could also smell the aroma of the food trucks wafting through the air. Everyone was thrilled over these new additions to Innovation Showcase this year. If you had a craving for something sweet, a short trip to the PTHS Bistro was just the ticket to satisfy your sweet tooth. Opening the doors to the cafeteria, a sea of parents and students engaged in interactive STEAM challenges could be seen. This opportunity was hosted by PT Primary and provided both parents and students with quality time together completing challenges. An abundance of student led displays were seen throughout the campus. Some of which included a living museum, alternative energy sources, crime scene investigations, and roller coasters. PTISD would like to thank all who participated in this year’s exciting event. Your dedication and hard work made this the best Innovation Showcase to date.
Fri 11 • A-day • 8:00A 8:00p HS State Track Meet @ UT Austin Sat 12 • 8:00A 8:00p HS State Track Meet @ UT Austin • 6:00P 11:00p HS Choir Pop Show Pine Tree HS Theater Mon 14 • B-day • All day 5th grade STAAR Math retest • All day 6th grade STAAR Math test • All day STAAR - Math 3rd & 4th grade • 6:00P 9:00p PTISD Board Meeting Pine Tree ISD Central Administration • 6:30P 7:30p 6th Grade/MS Band Spring concert - at PT Rd. Auditorium Tue 15 • A-day • All day 2nd grade field trip to Camp Tyler • All day 5th grade STAAR reading re-test • All day 6th grade STAAR reading • 6:30P Choir Pop Show concert PT Rd. Auditorium • All day Reading STAAR 3rd & 4th • 6:00A 9:00a Precision Drill Team End of Year Banquet @ Pinecrest Country Club Thu 17 • A-day • All day 6th grade band to Canton,
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May 2018
Expanding Your Horizons
Expanding Your Horizons began in 1974 when a group of women scientists and educators were concerned about low female participation in math courses. Members of this group began volunteering to strengthen their individual programs and to offer support to one another. These women developed the idea of conferences in which middle school and high school girls would come together to participate in hands-on activities in math, science, and engineering led by adult women in STEM careers. The established goal was for girls to have fun in their sessions while learning about STEM and STEM-related careers and receive the opportunity to interact with a positive female STEM role model. This dream has grown into more than 80 conferences in both America and Asia that serve numerous girls from various backgrounds. Over 100 female students from PTMS and PTJH registered this spring to attend the Expanding Your Horizons event at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches. The conference, held on March 3, is hosted by the Nacogdoches branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) each year. The girls were able to select their courses from a list of 26 career pathways. Anything from Agricultural Science to Hospitality to Zoo Specialist were on the list. While at the conference, the girls had the opportunity to listen to keynote speaker, Hunter Sowards, who works for KTRE as a multimedia journalist, news anchor, and producer. When Hunter completed her time, the young ladies in attendance had the look of inspiration in their eyes. They then went to three courses associated with their identified career interests. After attending their courses, the girls returned to the ballroom for lunch and a fun-filled time of door prizes. The anticipation from each young lady as the ticket numbers were called was almost unexplainable. Girls from schools from all over East Texas cheered for one other as numbers were called. We are proud to say that Pine Tree ISD left the conference with the award for the highest number of girls registered! It definitely was an exciting day for all of the young ladies that attended and we are looking forward to next year’s conference to be held March 2, 2019.
GT Summer Launch Event Pine Tree’s Little Library Working together to grow our students!
We have all heard the expression, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Pine Tree ISD Advanced A c a d e m i c s Programs are blessed to be sur rounded by a wonder f ul c o m m u n i t y dedicated to raising up extraordinary citizens in the East Texas Families browsed the booths area. This was exemplified at of these community partners the GT Summer Launch Night while munching on popcorn, through a community effort to pickles, and ice cream to discover provide learning opportunities different programs that would throughout the summer to interested, grow and challenge students. We were pleased to be their students. Highlights of the joined by Longview Public Library, night included animal specimens Longview Museum of Fines Arts, from the Caldwell Zoo, invisible Painting with a Twist Longview, ink painting from the Longview Artsview Children’s Theatre, and Continued on page 9, see “GT Summer” Caldwell Zoo.
Jim’s Trim Barber Shop
Proudly Supports the Pine Tree Pirates
Open 6 days a week Monday thru Friday 8-5:30 Saturday 8-1:00
Locally Owned
Come Get The Best Haircut In East Texas 223 Pine Tree Road Walk In’s Welcome • No Appointments Necessary
“Reading is important, because if you can read, you can learn anything about everything and everything about anything.” —Tomie dePaola Books open doors to the world around us by showing us things we never imagined possible. What wondrous worlds or exciting facts will your child learn about this summer through the joy of reading? Help them begin their journey with a book from Pine Tree Little Library. Pine Tree Little Libraries are located at Parkway Elementary 601 PT Parkway and Pine Tree Primary 1808 Silver Falls Road. These kiosk style, free, lending libraries are intended to get books into the hands and hearts of our pirates. Books are available in English and Spanish for readers of all levels. Students are encouraged to visit a Little Library and select a book or two that they would like to take home to enjoy. Once they have completed the book, the student may return it to the lending library and select a new book. Research shows that students who do not read during the summer lose reading progress that had been acquired during the school year. Sadly, the effects of summer reading loss are cumulative, long-term and impact struggling readers the most. An easy way to combat this loss is to have students read during the summer. If you have gently used children’s books that you would like to donate, you may bring them to Central Administration or leave them at a Little Library near you. “Reading should not be presented to children as a chore or duty. It should be offered to them as a precious gift.” —Kate DiCamillo
PTISD Robotics Program Strategy two of the new PTISD Strategic Plan states that, we will maximize learning through the use of advanced resources and digital literacy by creating a digital environment that engages and empowers all learners. With the current structure of our Robotics program, access to robotics has been limited to a small number of students. In order for our Robotics program to align with the district strategic plan, restructuring the program for the 2018-19 school year was necessary. Rather than limiting the exposure of building, programming and competing with robots to only a few, the robotics experience will be expanded to make robotics an option for all students enrolled at PTISD. Beginning fall 2018, students will begin programming robots as early as Kindergarten and will have the opportunity to pursue their passion for robotics each year until high school graduation. You may be asking yourself how the new Robotics program differs from previous years?
Although students have been exposed to a variety of robots in our district, robotics competitions have been limited to the use of the LEGO EV3 robots beginning in 3rd grade. During the 2018-19 school year, students will restructure the use of LEGO EV3 robots and robotics competitions to include additional grade levels and students. The newly restructured Robotics program will include the introduction of VEX IQ and VEX EDR robots and robotics competitions to PTISD students. This exciting opportunity will empower our students with skills in technology, coding, engineering, mathematics, science, and problem solving beginning with our littlest pirates.
THE PIRATE’S TREASURE —
May 2018
Pine Tree ISD Gifted and Talented Program Overview “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.” -Albert Einstein
The ultimate goal of the public school system is to grow and develop productive, capable, and independent adult citizens for the future of our society. This holds true for every student regardless of their challenges, experiences, talents or background. Many believe that our most advanced learners do not need special help to reach this goal as they are already naturally equipped with talents and skills above their grade level peers. We at Pine Tree ISD do not buy into this ‘they will make it on their own’ philosophy and strive to challenge our brightest learners to be the leaders and thinkers of tomorrow here in our community, in our state, in our nation and in our world. In fact, we believe that the pace we set for our brightest students also sets the pace for our most struggling students. Think of it this way; is it easier to push a string along a table or pull a string along a table? If we have high expectations for all and reach Continued on page 7, see “GT Overview”
TX to sound post concert contest • 6:30 P.M. PT Rd. Auditorium • 5:30P 7:30p Parkway Elementary Art Show - Parkway Elementary School • 6:30P 8:30p Junior High Choir Pop Show - Pine Tree Rd. Auditorium Fri 18 • B-day • All day Kinder Ecoland - Campbell, Stroman, Timmons, Ruiz • 9:00A 2:00p Senior Walk & Senior Picnic (9-11:30) After the senior walk, seniors will go to McWhorter Park for the Senior Picnic. (11:30-2:00) Mon 21 • A-day •8:30A 12:00p 6th Grade Field Day -
PTISD Invited to Big TECHS Event
Would you want to build a working prosthetic hand? Visitors to the World of Wonders (WOW) on Big TECHS day were able to do just that. This year, PTISD was invited to participate in the Big TECHS event hosted by LEDCO and the City of Longview. During the event, Parkway Elementary, Birch Elementary, PT Junior High and PT High School had the opportunity to showcase some of the amazing STEM related activities that students participate in on a daily basis at the campuses.
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Pine Tree was honored to present alongside Kilgore College, LeTourneau University, and UT Innovation Academy at this year’s event. Visitors to the WOW center were able to experience Robotics in PTISD whether it was with programming the LEGO EV3 robots from Birch Elementary, PT Junior High and PT High School or previewing the new VEX robots that PTISD will be introducing next year for competitions. Visitors not only had the opportunity to have hands-on experience with Ozobots, Cubelets, IO blocks and littleBits with our elementary students, but they also had the opportunity to build a prototype for a prosthetic hand and build a bridge with PT Junior High students. PT High School students had stations for visitors to operate a Sphero robot, to play a musical instrument on a MaKey MaKey, to use student created interactive boards to learn about new technology from the military, and to view the amazing artwork called lithophanes printed on the 3D printer.
Tue 22 • B-day • All day 1st-4th CBA’s • All day JH Band Spring trip - Six Flags • 8:30A 12:00p 5th grade Field Day • 6:30 p.m. 8:30 p.m. Senior Awards Ceremony Assembly and Scholarships High School Theater Wed 23 • A-day •All day 1st-3rd CBA’s Thu 24 • B-day • All day 4th grade field trip • All day 5th & 6th grade Choir Splash Kingdom Trip • 7:30A 3:00p 1st & 2nd grade field day Fri 25 •A-day • 7:30A 3:00p 3rd & 4th grade field day Mon 28 •All day Memorial Day Holiday Tue 29 • B-day / 2nd semester exams • All day all day Reward Day! • All day mega bash party Wed 30 • A-day / 2nd semester exams • All day awards assemblies • All day end of year classroom parties Thu 31 • B-day/semester exams/6th six weeks/semester ends/early release • Early Release day 12:30 • All day kindergarten graduation day • Last day of school/early release • 7:30A 12:00p last day of school • 6:00P 8:00p ExCEL Graduation - @ PTHS Theater
June 2018
Full STEAM Ahead!
The most common use of the word “steam” is when a person is referring to the water vapor that rises from a pot of boiling water. In PTISD, steam has an entirely different meaning. You will most often see it as STEAM. Birch Elementary, Parkway Elementary and Pine Tree Primary are the STEAM Academies within the district. STEAM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. STEAM fosters an environment that supports the 21st century skills of collaboration and teamwork, creativity and imagination, critical thinking, and communication. Research states that without these skills, students will struggle to be able to participate in the global economy and they will not be adequately prepared for college and work. Simply stated, STEAM is a way to allow children to explore how all things are related to each other and the real world. Our STEAM Academies provide students with the opportunities to be challenged with activities that require them to think critically and collaborate with teammates. A big part of STEAM is the students being involved in the Engineering Design Process. The Engineering Design Process is a series of steps that engineers follow to come up with a solution to a problem. Many times the solution involves designing a product that meets certain criteria or accomplishes a certain task. Pine Tree Primary provides their students with STEAM time as a part of their daily schedule, while at Birch and Parkway STEAM is integrated into their lessons each week.
STEAM|Continued from page 2 Poetry Slam. Meanwhile, pulling into our math junction, Birch’s 4th grade math classes studied measurements and conversion just like real engineers. To put these concepts into real-life scenarios, the students created catapults at the end of the unit. Using the catapults to propel marshmallows, students measured the distance the marshmallows traveled in both centimeters and inches. They were then able to also make conversions from inches to feet and centimeters to meters. Coming soon down the lines is state testing, field trips, and field days! There are a lot more stops for exploration and fun before the final end of year whistle blows!
Fri 1 •All day Staff Development day •11:30A 12:15p CDFY presentation Coalition for Drug Free Youth •8:00P 10:30p Graduation - @ Pirate Stadium. If weather becomes an issue, will be moved to Pirate center. •1:30 p.m. End of Year Convocation Mon 11 •6:00P 9:00p PTISD Board Meeting - location: Pine Tree ISD Central Administration Building Tue 12 •7:00P 8:00p Band Booster Meeting all HS Band parents invited Mon 25 •7:45A 4:00p STAAR English 1 & US History retests Tue 26 •7:45A 4:00p STAAR Algebra 1 retests Wed 27 •7:45A 4:00p STAAR English 2 & Biology retests
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How to Prevent the Summer Slide
Pine Tree ISD has several exciting programs planned for summer 2018 to help prevent the “summer slide.” Summer slide occurs when students fail to receive summer learning opportunities during elementary school. Research indicates elementary students’ performance falls by about a month during the summer. One opportunity to promote summer learning is the Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment (CIA) team will be providing current Pre-K through 4th grade students with fun, engaging activities. For example, students will be provided the opportunity to practice handwriting, encourage reading by completing a reading log while discussing specific topics on what they’ve read, practice math skills, and write authentic stories. These experiences will help push students during the summer to be prepared for school in August by reading for more sustained periods, showing greater confidence as learners, and asking and answering more questions. Another learning opportunity Pine Tree is providing students this summer is the book bus. A converted bus will be filled with shelves of books of all reading levels for students to check-out. The book bus, to be named by an elementary student, will park in designated
neighborhoods so parents and students can visit the bus, browse the shelves of books, and checkout books to be read during the summer. The book bus will begin making the neighborhood rounds in May. Look for more details on Pine Tree ISD’s website soon. Also, the library at Birch Elementary will be open every week beginning the week of June 4. Students currently enrolled in 1st through 4th grades at Birch Elementary and Parkway Elementary will be able to checkout books this summer. In addition to checking out books, the library will invite community guests to read to students, and provide the opportunity for students to delve into makerspace. Makerspaces provide hands-on, creative ways to encourage students to design, experiment, build and invent as they deeply engage in science, engineering and tinkering. As you can tell, Pine Tree ISD is gearing up for summer learning opportunities to ensure the summer slide doesn’t impact our elementary students.
Custom Vinyl & More
May 2018
TMSCA State Math Science Meet 2017-2018
Pine Tree Math/Science Directors: Deborah Wait, Jennifer Cartwright, Angela Nelson Here at Pine Tree ISD our Math/ Gonzalez, Dalton Roberts, Dariann Science program has been promoting Munguia, Kalie Rhodes, Jack Cheng, student academic excellence in the Kia Miller, Callisto Davis, and Korbin field of mathematics (geometry, Davis and our juniors, Riley Stanley, algebra, and calculus) and the Jorge Juarez, Caleb Terry, Akshay sciences (biology, chemistry, and Peddireddy, and Shawn Naseiro. physics) since its initial founding by Their contribution has been James Stuart and Bonnie Edmund. instrumental in the success of the This year’s Math/Science Team has program. Building upon this success had yet another fabulous year. In were some promising freshmen who total, the team has competed in achieved placement on the topic of ten Math/Science meets. The team number sense. was led by our seniors, Samuel
C O M P E T I T I O N S
The teams have performed incredibly well in the competitions this year. In Math/Science there were two different organizations they were part of and competed in - TMSCA (Texas Math and Science Coaches Association) and UIL (University Interscholastic League). In TMSCA, students competed against same grade level students from other local schools such as Hallsville, Daingerfield, Mount Pleasant, Texas High, Whitehouse, and Sulphur Springs as well as students from Pine Tree. At UIL meets our students competed against
all grade level students from area high schools. High school students succeeded in their competitions, and consistently placed in the top ten for all four subjects. Schools from all around the state of Texas gathered with their best and brightest at the official TMSCA State Meet. It was here where students strongly competed in all four subjects. Additionally, there was a “Top Gun” competition for each grade where students competed for best overall. They are as follows.
State Meet Awards 2017-2018 Number Sense
Calculator
Math
Top Gun
Kia Miller 5th
Callisto Davis 2nd
Kalie Rhodes 5th
Callisto Davis 1st
Dalton Roberts 6th
Samuel Gonzales 5th
Callisto Davis 6th
Caleb Terry 6th
Callisto Davis 7th
Dalton Roberts 6th
Marilyn Shen 9th
Samuel Gonzales 8th Kalie Rhodes 9th Caleb Terry 4th Jorge Juarez 5th Riley Stanley 7th Shaun Ray 4th Marilyn Shen 6th
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District Meet Awards 2017-2018 Number Sense
Calculator
Math
Science
Shawn Ray 3rd
Callisto Davis th
Kalie Rhodes 6th
Korbin Davis 5th
Marilyn Shen 4th
Samuel Gonzales 6th
Callisto Davis 7th
Kalie Rhodes 7th
Kia Miller 6th
Team 3rd
Team 3rd
Shawn Naseiro Alt. Top Bio
Caleb Terry 7th
Kalie Rhodes nd Alt. Physics
Team - 2nd (wild card)
Team 2nd
Hosting UIL Math/ Science at Pine Tree High
Each year, on Pine Tree High School’s gorgeous campus, we proudly host the annual TMSCA and UIL Math/Science meets. During this year’s meet, the team placed 3rd and 2nd respectively in the district. At the event, there was overwhelming support from the incredible parent volunteers who assisted in managing
the competition and providing concessions for math/science directors from the other schools. The competition, held at Pine Tree, was early enough in the year for the team to “test the waters” which provided a good experience for sophomore and freshman members.
This summer, Math/Science students from all over the state of Texas will attend instructral camps in an effort to develop more in depth comprehension of particular subjects ranging from Number Sense to Calculator Applications.
The camps being attended are: “Here’s Your Sine” Math and Science Camp - Sabine ISD - Liberty City, Texas ( June 27-28 ) Texas Tech UIL Summer Math/ Science Camp - Lubbock, Texas ( July 10-14 )
Math/Science Camps for Students
Pine Tree Middle School & Junior High Pine Tree Math/Science Director: Michelle Randall
C O M P E T I T I O N S
PTISD participates in the Texas Math Science Coaches Association (TMSCA) competitions each year. This year, they had 58 participants from PTMS and PTJH who attended eight local competitions and hosted one. Competitors in these events included schools from Atlanta, Daingerfield, Hallsville, Queen City, Ore City, Sabine, Spring Hill, Texas Middle School and Foster Middle School in Longview. Although Foster Middle School is a 6A school, they were allowed compete against 5A schools in local competitions only. At each of the competitions, PTMS
and PTJH teams typically placed 2nd or 3rd. Fifth grade students competed in Number Sense at local competitions and even placed in the top 10 in the sixth grade division a few times! Last year at the TMSCA State competition, Pine Tree placed 7th overall out of sixty-nine 5A schools across the state. This year’s state competition will be on April 21st in San Antonio. Join us in wishing our students good luck at the upcoming state competition.
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Math/Science Campus for Students
Both seventh and eighth grade students will attend the “Here’s Your Sine” Math and Science Camp at Sabine ISD in Liberty City, Texas on June 27-28. Eighth grade
students will be allowed to join the PTHS Math/Science team when they attend the Texas Tech UIL Summer Math/Science Camp in Lubbock, Texas on July 10-14.
GT Overview|Continued from page 5 for the very best that all can do, the whole system functions more efficiently to meet its goal. So, what does Pine Tree ISD do that is so different than other districts for its gifted and talented learners? The current program is a product of an Advanced Academics restructuring from 2015. The explicit goal of this restructuring was to build systems that allowed opportunities and resources to challenge our gifted learners. These systems included a pullout program for elementary students with an Elementary GT specialist trained in working with this specific population, homogeneously grouped ELAR classes from 5th - 10th grade served by a certified GT teacher and supported by a secondary GT specialist, targeted professional learning to continue growing the capacity of our teachers for our gifted students, and consistent, intentional communication and interaction with gifted students and their families. Since this restructuring, the program has continued to grow and expand to meet the needs and requests of our gifted and talented students and community. In 2016, the 11th grade ELAR GT class was added by overwhelming student request and curriculum, and teachers were trained in the use of Dr. Sandra Kaplan’s Depth and Complexity model. This thinking framework focuses students on scholarly processing through the use of icons that are easily integrated into daily instruction. In 2017, the program was expanded to include homogeneously grouped science classes in addition to the ELAR classes at the secondary level with the intent to support scholarly advancement in science as many students had career goals in that area. Teachers were sent to study and be trained by the National Math and Science Initiative in their Laying the Foundations curriculum; a curriculum designed for college readiness from 3rd - 12th grades. Additionally, family meetings and communications have evolved to bring parents together as a GT family that experience and celebrate their children together. Elementary students identified as gifted and talented are pulled once a week for a 2-4 hour gifted and talented learning experience differentiated specifically for the needs and interest of that group. The strength of this pullout program is the focus in teaching thinking as a scholar and how to overcome challenges and obstacles. Students complete gifted and talented curriculum from the Texas State Performance Standards Project (TPSP), Laying the Foundations Curriculum from the National Math and Science Initiative, STEM design challenges, and robotics challenges. All of this is done in an environment that teaches them how to channel their energies and mental processing in the most efficient ways with other peers that also function at high levels of thought. A favorite experience this year has been the Everybody on the Move! TPSP experience. Students explored daily activities and their impacts on physical fitness then created a new physical education game designed to specifically impact a physical fitness goal of their choice. When students enter the middle school, they are placed in homogeneously grouped ELAR and Science classes. This means that the only students in those classes are identified gifted and talented students with the effect of a daily gifted and talented program delivered by a certified gifted and talented teacher. This teacher is supported by a Secondary GT Specialist with training and experience in creating challenging learning experiences and environments for these students with the intent of growing them into critical thinkers with a focus on college readiness. This model is carried through the 10th grade, uses the National Math and Science Initiative Laying the Foundations curriculum, and differentiates experiences based on student interest and need. Favorite experiences of these students include debates on literature and controversial current events and science topics, socratic seminars led by the students themselves, mock trials, and investigative science experiments intended to increase scientific thinking. When students enter the 11th grade they are invited to continue their advanced learning through the AP Capstone program. Pine Tree ISD is proud to say it is the only school in East Texas offering this College Board approved program that supports independent research, collaborative teamwork, and communication skills that will carry into college and career. The two courses offered within it are designed to complement and enhance the discipline specific study in other AP courses and allow students to explore fields they may be interested in as a college major or career option. Completion of these courses yield AP credits and are amazing credentials on a college resume. Pivotal to all this coming together is the communication that takes place between Pine Tree ISD and the families served. Regular communications are sent via email to families to inform them of instructional plans for their students and interesting opportunities that are coming up to to expand their student’s experience and thinking. This includes 6 weeks newsletters sent by the teachers and GT Specialists that work with these students and information on learning experiences and scholarships for gifted learners. Parents nights are also held to inform parents of the services available to their students, testing information, and to welcome new families to our community after GT testing is completed. Additionally, Pine Tree ISD hosts at least three GT Family Nights each year with the intent of bringing together families of GT learners to build a community focused on the advancement of this group of students. As an example of what these look like, this fall Get Out Escape Rooms took over a wing of the Pine Tree Middle School and families in attendance worked together to use problem solving and critical thinking to escape together! In the winter, a GT Summer Launch highlights summer learning opportunities for gifted and talented learners by partnering with community members who come and provide information about enriching experiences available. This winter, families spoke with representatives from the Caldwell Zoo, the Longview Public Library, Artsview, and many more! Further, each year a GT Showcase is held to celebrate and acknowledge the scholarly thinking and learning conducted by these students each and every day in this GT program. Student groups demonstrate for their parents their favorite challenges and activities and families are invited to come observe their child and the program as a whole to celebrate the growth of our gifted and talented students. This program is changing the way in which Pine Tree ISD works with their most advanced learners by bringing together, students, teachers, families, and community. The focus on the goal of preparing all students to great levels of success is the constant focus as students are challenged to be scholarly thinkers, problem solvers, and communicators that will be the leaders of tomorrow.
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May 2018
HIGH SCHOOL PTHS Senior Superlatives Announced
Within the next month Pine Tree High School will announce the 2017-2018 class Valedictorian and Salutatorian along with the top 10 students and the students in the top 10% of the class. Senior superlatives have been announced. Those selected include: Mr. PTHS: Mose Jeffrey Miss PTHS: Amber McKinney
Most Likely to Succeed: Jack Cheng and Amber Smith Best Car: Vasha Davis and Nicholas Delaurelle Best Celebrity Look-A-Like: Liliana Martinez (Raini from Austin and Ally) David Rivera(“Po” from Kung Fu Panda) Biggest Class Clown: Saida Pitre and Ethan Swain Best Class Procrastinator: Callisto Davis and Korbin Davis Best Entertainer: Kyersten Williams and Mose Jeffery Best Eyes: Morgan Jones and Trenton Altis Best Dressed: Jade Peoples and Dontravion Pruitt Best Friends: Dariann Mungia and
Stephanie Ramirez. Parker Jones and Dalton Roberts.
Friendliest: Norma Ortega and Kahli Grant
Best Hair: Keyana Kim and Dalton Roberts
Most Artistic/Creative: Amber Smith and Isaiah Perry
Best Laugh: Kelee Norris and Valentin Gimenez
Most Athletic: Jordan Fuller and James Yoder
Best Musician: Kalie Rhodes and Korbin Davis
Most Changed Since Freshman Year: Olivia Mitchell and Nathan Reese
Best Nickname: Sha’keimiya “Mimi” Johnson and Jacob “Pokey” Best Best Personality: Stephanie Ramirez and Nicholas Wood Best Sense of Humor: Sarah Moore and Seth Parker Best Shoulder to Cry On: Shelby Smith and Mose Jeffery Best Singer: Cyndi Ponton and Rontrell Damon Best Smile: Callie Lightfoot and Eric Villegas
Most Fun: Jacqueline Ramirez and Ethan Hearn Most Likely to Fall Asleep in Class: Charley Ober and Aaron Mays Most Likely to be Famous: Harper Finley and Gary Wiley Most Likely to be Late to Graduation: Alexa Brutchin and Alexis Valencia Most Likely to be President: Dariann Mungia and Wade Seidel
Biggest Bookworm: Petra Enloe and Jordyn Brown
Most Likely to Take Over the World: Shelby Smith and Randy Phan
Biggest Flirt: Haley Morgan and Jatavian Easley
Most Likely to Win a Nobel Prize: Charley Ober and Jack Cheng
Biggest Prankster: Claudia Oviedo and Seth Parker
Most Mature: Anahi Hernandez and Cody Tyson
Biggest Techie: Kaitlyn Harris and Ramon Rubio
Most Outgoing: Kalanisia Jackson and Jayden Bell
Cutest Couple: Ambreenique Williams and Isaac Wells
Most Random: Saida Pitre and David Ritch
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Amber McKinney - Miss Pine Tree
Most Sarcastic: Amber McKinney and Samuel Gonzalez Most Shy: Sidney Andrade and Hunter Brinson Most Unique Style: Angelina Davis and Kemaro Collins Worst Driver: Megan Oswald and Riley Blalack Worst Parker: Natalie Collins and Parker Jones.
Mose Jeffrey - Mr. Pine Tree
THE PIRATE’S TREASURE —
Seniors Ready to Walk Across Graduation Stage One minute they were getting their first crayons in Kindergarten, and now, within one month, nearly 300 young men and women will walk across the graduation stage and end their 12 years of schooling with Pine Tree Independent School District. “It just seems as though it has gone by so fast,” Senior Jacqueline Ramirez said when thinking about her life and how quickly she has reached her senior year of high school. “We learned to walk, then we learned to be with others in school, then we figured out - as best we could - who we are and who we want to be, and now it is time to graduate and become adults.” Ramirez said it “has not really sunk in quite yet” that she is a graduating senior, but she said it will once she hits the final week of school and has no more classes to attend. “Then, it will get real,” she said. “I am sure it will be emotional, but I feel Pine Tree has prepared me to be ready to go out into the world.”
than finishing out course work and completing final examinations, seniors have finished the requirements that will allow them to participate in graduation ceremonies on June 1.
“I see people in the hall, and then I think that, hey, within a month or so, I will not see them on a regular basis and, quite possibly, I may not ever see them again,” Caroline Curfman said. “These are the people I have grown up with, gone to school with and made memories with for all of my life. And, now I may not ever see them again. That is surreal.” For most seniors, getting out of high school is a relief. They set a goal either early in life or during the first year or so of high school on a graduation path, and now they are reaching their goal. From here, some will go to college, some to the military, some to trade school and some to the working world. For all, it is the culmination of years of hard work, dedication and a persistent attitude to better themselves.
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S ome a re scared by the next chapter in their life, while others look at it as an excellent challenge to live the greatest life possible. “I look forward to graduation and the next chapter in my life,” Jennifer Galvan said. “We have waited for this moment for 12 years, and now it is here. It is our time to spread our wings and fly, and that is an exciting thing to think about.” Nearly 300 Pine Tree students have prom behind them, Senior Breakfast and Senior Picnic in front of them and then graduation practice and the actual ceremony to go.
For most seniors, school is winding down quickly. The Valedictorian, Salutatorian, Top Ten and Top Ten Percent are being named in the next week or so, and that means that, other
“We come to high school looking for answers about who we are, who we want to be and where we are going,” Senior Yolitzi Archundia said. “Now, it is time to answer those questions, move on to new things in life and become the people we have always wanted to be.”
“Graduation still seems like a long way off - six or seven weeks- but it is not that long compared to where we have come from,” Senior Deysy Cantero said. “You talk to people who have graduated already, and the one thing they say is how fast their senior year went. Then, boom, you are ready to move on with life.”
Classes at Pine Tree prepare students for a lot of different careers and jobs, and students can also get valuable experience while enrolled in classes on the campus. The Audio Visual classes, yearbook classes and other programs have volunteered to help community and college events be successful this year, allowing students to use things they have learned in the classroom in a professional venue. Over the past two weeks alone, the Audio Visual courses taught by Brent Simmons and Greg Collins have provided valuable assistance at the district track meet, the area track meet and for the Red River Conference College track meets. Students manned cameras, videos, the sound board and other technical products to help make those events successful. All of their work and training occurred during class time during second period at Pine Tree High School. They also successfully helped the Pirate football team during games with videos, replays and highlight films after each game. “I believe the students should
learn things that will allow them to have a full experience with the technology,” Simmons said. “That way, they can work outside of school on technical jobs that allow them to improve their skills and make money at the same time. Even if they do not ever go into the audio visual field, they will have learned professionalism, deadlines, and other skills that will help them in any career they undertake.” Like the audio visual classes, the yearbook staff has been working for several months to collect data and get the information ready for the senior slide show at graduation. Students were assigned seniors to contact, work to do to make sure their pictures and quotes were production ready and communication training to follow up with students who might be a bit slow in responding to deadlines. “I am proud, year after year, of the yearbook staff for doing this job,” Collins said. “They have just finished the eight month job of finishing the yearbook, and then they jump right in to data collection for the senior slide show. Because of their work,
all audio visual has to do is copy and paste their work and put music to it. It makes for a good joint effort of classes and a memorable show for seniors and their parents on graduation night.” Culinary is another group that is using its talents and class time work to benefit the community and the school district. Student enhancement days have allowed Culinary to produce meals for teachers and students to enjoy, and they have also been asked to prepare meals for several community events which bring guests to the campus for a day. “I want students to know their work is appreciated not only by me but by the people they serve on these different events,” Ann Broyles, Culinary Arts instructor, said. “They work hard in class, and that work is not lost on the events in which they participate.” Principal Cindy Gabehart is a big fan of the elective classes, and said it is good for students to not only excel in the core classes - English, Math, Social Studies and Science - but to also have the opportunity to select
Elective classes help run community, college events
Seniors said they will miss Pine Tree, mostly because they will not get to see the people they grew up with on a daily basis. “The classes have been good because I have learned so much,” Ramirez added. “But, to be truthful, the real thing I will miss about Pine Tree is the people I have grown up with.” It happens every year, and each senior class looks at graduation exactly the same. The story writes itself. Students end their high school days and make preparations for the rest of their lives. The fact that it individualizes itself to each student is a magical thing that makes graduation a milestone for every person. June 1, magic happens once again at Pine Tree High School. Blessings to each student and family who will celebrate this occasion.
a craft where they can learn and be creative at the same time. Audio Visual allows students to learn how to handle different pieces of equipment, to produce quality videos and audios of events, to write scripts, to edit journalistic pieces and to meet deadlines. Yearbook allows students to learn to write stories and captions, to take and edit photos, to design and create pages and then to collect data and get it publication ready for the slide show. Culinary allows students to learn nutritional facts, to plan and budget events, to cook food to perfection and then use people skills to serve it to people outside of their classes. And, lucky for students, not only does Pine Tree have these courses but it has so much more. Medical classes, pharmacy classes, digital photography, engineering, Robotics, welding, auto mechanics,
GT Summer|Continued from page 4
Museum of Fine Arts, and an amazing visual display of possible artist projects from Painting with a Twist. Artsview Children’s Theatre entertained all by showcasing the fun to be had as actors, and the Longview Public Library informed families how to participate in the available reading programs this summer to be immersed in experiences they can only imagine. Additionally, Pine Tree ISD provided families with information about summer reading projects for GT and advanced classes, and provided scholarship information from Region 7 for Gifted Learners. We are thankful to these community partners for coming and taking the time to talk with our GT families. It is a passion to engage our students all year long, and we are so thankful for the support you showed us that night. Happy summer to all and here’s to a year full of great learning!
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May 2018
SPORTS Coach Darby to Speak at Coaches Convention
Pine Tree Coach Michael Darby has been asked to speak at the Texas High School Coaches Association convention this summer. The state convention will be held in San Antonio this July. Coach Darby has coached at Pine Tree ISD for 36 years and is our head cross country coach and our track and field coordinator.
Athletic Camps
Pine Tree Athletic department has several camp opportunities coming up this summer. JH and HS summer strength and conditioning program runs from June 11th through July 26th, each Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Calendar can be found online @ www.pinetreeathletics.com. Youth camps to include football, basketball, volleyball, softball, baseball and soccer. Check websites for more information. All summer camp information will be posted online by the 3rd week of April @ www. pinetreeathletics.com.
Pine Tree Hosts Area 15/16 5A Track Meet Pine Tree hosted the Area 15/16 5A track meet on Thursday, April 19th. The top four finishers from the district track meet held on April 4th & 5th advance to this meet. Pine Tree’s qualifiers are: BOYS – 100m dash Rontrell Darden Sylvanda Stewart 4x200m relay Rontrell Darden Sylvandan Stewart Jatavian Easley Davon Coleman 300m hurdles Micah Chapman Pole vault Wade Seidel High jump JJ Sparkman Long jump Gabe Nelson Discus Nathan Sharp Kalvin Hutchings Shot put Mose Jeffery
GIRLS – 100m dash Necey Jackson 200m dash Necey Jackson 4x100m relay Necey Jackson, Jacayla Ingram, Kendall King, Destiny McCray 4x200m relay Jacayla Ingram, Kendall King, Tashiana Gray, Donazia Harris 4x400m relay Tashiana Gray, Sam Sommerfeld, Sierra Reese, Jacayla Ingram High Jump Jacayla Ingram Discus Kayla Monk Shot put Kayla Monk
THE PIRATE’S TREASURE —
May 2018
Pine Tree Math-Science Team Advances to Regionals Pine Tree competed at UIL District Academic competition on March 24th, 2018 at Hallsville High School. The Math-Science team had one team, Number Sense, advance to regionals as the wild card team. “I was very pleased with the effort of all students,” Deborah Wait, one of the Math-Science team coaches, said. “Our younger students did very well in Number Sense, which shows a promising future. Our Science team did the best they have ever done, earning second,” Wait said. The Number Sense team placed second and will advance to the regional meet with members Shaun Ray placing third, advancing to regionals, and Marilyn Shen placing fourth with Kia Miller placing sixth. The Science team, consisting of Korbin Davis, Kalie Rhodes, Jack Cheng, Shawn Naseiro, Callisto Davis, and Conner Nasiero, placed
second, with Korbin Davis placing fifth individually. Shawn Naseiro took second place in Top Biology and Kalie Rhodes took second place in Top Physics. The Calculator team, consisting of Callisto Davis, Samuel Gonzalez, Akshay Peddireddy, and Jorge Juarez, placed third. Callisto Davis placed fourth individually and Samuel Gonzalez placed sixth individually. The Math team, consisting of Kalie Rhodes, Callisto Davis, Riley Stanley, and Samuel Gonzalez, placed third. Kalie Rhodes placed sixth individually. “I was pleased with the senior leadership as well. I would have liked to have seen more people go to regionals, but sometimes it doesn’t go the way you would like for it to,” Wait said. It is important to note as well that at the TMSCA (Texas Math and Science Coaches Association)
State meet the following students earned the “Top Gun” or best overall in their grade. Callisto Davis won first place and Caleb Terry placed sixth. Collin Robertson, Pine Tree High School’s UIL coordinator as well as the coach of the Current Events team and Social Studies team, was proud of all the students who competed at district. “We are in a very challenging district, and I am very proud of how everyone competed. I am hopeful that next year we will have better results,” Robertson said. Ryan Stokes, the coach for the speech and debate teams, was also very proud of his students. “District went very well, and we are very excited for next year. Speech took two medals and debate took one. We missed qualifying for regionals by one round, but we are hopeful for next year,” Stokes said. The Ready-Writing team, who is led by Terri Davis, did not advance but their members, as well as the others, are already excited for next year. “We have three incredible writers who will return and hope to do better next year,” she said.
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Jacob Hartman, the Literary Criticism coach, was happy with the results at district even though his team did not advance. “Pine Tree performed woefully in all humanities subjects, but we can do better next year,” Hartman said. The Journalism team, under the direction of Greg Collins, also had a lot of beginners in competition this year due to the graduation of three writers. Rose LaBay was in her second year of competition, while Mackenzie Newman was a beginning member of the squad. “For having new people, I was very proud,” Collins said. “Rose is a promising journalist who will not only win medals in the future but will also have a future for a career in the field, and Mackenzie is willing to learn and work hard to be the best she can be.” Pine Tree UIL will begin work for next year in September and will have five or six meets from November until District in April. With so many returning people, there is a lot of optimism in the academic camp for the next few years. “I think we have a bright future, and I am ready, even though this year has just been completed, to get going for next year,” Robertson said.
Pine Tree ISD Deploys App to Combat Bullying Pine Tree ISD announces the implementation of a new state-of-the-art safety and bullying reporting app called Anonymous Alerts®. The app allows students, parents and other school personnel to maintain their confidentiality while calling attention to situations like bullying, safety concerns, student depression, drug and alcohol issues, family problems, or other situations that may warrant immediate attention by school officials. The system allows for 1-way or 2-way anonymous encrypted communications between submitters (students, parents or community members) and district administration and/or school staff. Users of the system have the option to remain anonymous or reveal their identity when submitting a report. How does it work? To use this revolutionary new app, students, parents or other school personnel can simply visit the Pine Tree Independent School District website and click on the “Anonymous Alerts” button or text link to submit a report expressing their concern. Anonymous Alerts® mobile applications can be downloaded directly from the Apple, Google Play or the Chrome stores.
Pine Tree Independent School District supplies students a simple username and password activation code, making the app remarkably easy to use and students select which school the message should go to. In addition, informational posters explaining how to use the app will be displayed throughout schools and offices in the district. To send reports from the Web/Internet go to: https://www.anonymousalerts. com/pinetreeisd/ To send a report from your phone: · Download the Anonymous Alerts® app for free from the Apple Store, Google Play store, or the Chrome store · Start the App, enter login: pinetreeisd and password: pinetreeisd · Send important reports to school officials · Add a screenshot, photo or video about the incident
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May 2018