Wylie I.S.D.

Floresville Family:

On Friday, March 25^th I was named the lone finalist as superintendent for the Wylie Independent School District located in the Dallas Metroplex. I am working on the details  but this begins the mandatory 21 day waiting period before I will be named as superintendent.

Although I am excited about the new opportunity,  this decision is very emotional when I think about my friendships and working relationships established during my time here. Floresville ISD means a great deal to me and my family and will always hold a special place in our hearts. Thank you for making the last six years some of the best in my life. Together, we really made a difference. I look forward to hearing great things based on the strong foundations we built together.

State Qualifiers!!!

Floresville Middle School annually participates in the Texas Future Problem Solving Competition. This program is designed to teach students creative problem solving processes through competitive and non-competitive instructional programs so they learn to work with others in designing positive futures. 

A team from each grade level qualified for the Texas state finals. Congratulations kids and good luck at State!!!

The eighth grade students with Mrs. Lucio are  listed from left to right: Sean Moy, Samuel Santos, Scott Gonzales and Jared Kotzur (seated);Julie Rakowitz, Madeline Rodriguez, Morgan Beetler, and Sanam Bhakta.

The seventh grade students (four girls pictured by themselves) are from left to right: Sharon Halliburton, Malika Newman, Natalie Adams, and Kaitlyn Serna.

The sixth grade students (the four boys by themselves) are from left to right: Cole Gulick, Kolton Bippert, Guillermo Garcia, and Jared Labus.

Kid Cooking Contest

The first annual Future Chefs Cooking Contest was held on March 3rd, 2011 at the Floresville North Elementary School Campus.  Fourth and fifth graders from both elementary campuses were invited to submit healthy kid recipes. 

Twenty one students made the list of participants and what they produced was nothing short of amazing.  These future chefs prepared a display plate and 100 small portions for tasting.  Our Judges then chose the healthiest recipe, the most kid friendly preparation recipe and the most kid fun recipe.  All students received a chef coat and hat, certificate of completion, medal, and recipe book.  Our three grand winners also received a gift box with cooking equipment that has been donated by Ace Mart Equipment and Supply valued at $150.

The gift box from Ace Mart included:  1 heavy duty cookie sheet, mixing bowl, Texas cookie cutter, paste food colors, piping bag and tips, OXO fluid measuring cup, stainless steel dry measuring cups and spoons, whisk, spatula, flexible cutting boards,  and kitchen towel.

Studies have shown that children who participate in fixing their own meals will eat a wider variety of items, (including green things). Cooking also reinforces lessons learned in school like math, science, and history, (history of food within the family, grandmothers recipe etc, or the actual history of food down through the ages) not to mention the relationship built between the cooks who share this time.  Plus, it’s just fun. Here is a link to all the recipes the kids used to prepare the snacks:

http://www.fisd.us/2011kidscookingRecipes.pdf

Healthiest Recipe:                       Zachery Romero  “Salad Con Carne”

Most Kid Friendly Recipe:        Avery Heimer   “Ants on a Log”

Most Kid Fun Recipe:                Erica Campos “Chocolate Fondue (with Avocado and Carrots)”

This picture of Zach Romero explaining his dish to judge and board secretary, Neysa Choate.  Here is a link to photos of all our contestants and their wonderful creations.  http://www.fisd.us/KidsCook2011.htm

Congratulations to these kids and their amazing recipes. I tasted most of them.  Thanks to our Food Service Director, Ammie Whaley and our friends at Sodexo and Ace Mart Equipment and Supply. This will be such a neat way to create interest for our students who will take Culinary Arts at the early college.  I am already looking forward to next year!!! Parents, I am getting a separate website for the participants and lots of photos of the event.  Thanks for your patience. (Keep checking back for the link)

Wilson County Gardening Day

Spring is just around the corner and the Alternative school program is gearing up for the Wilson County Gardening Day and 5^th Annual plant sale. On Saturday, March 5^th you can stop by the alternative school and find trees, shrubs, bedding plants and a lot more. The sale is held from 9-4 and is sponsored by the Wilson County News, San Antonio Area Water System (SAWS) and KLUP Radio .

The Alternative campus is located off of Sutherland Springs Road/CR329 just behind the Wilson County Justice Center. Note that you will be assisted by the same young men and women that actually grew these plants. This program allows students who are currently attending the discipline alternative school a chance to learn values such as respect and responsibility through horticulture.  Mr. Johnny Hewell is their teacher and one of our shining stars that really makes a difference in the lives of these kiddos. 

I was told by their principal that a few years ago that  a group of students attending Mr. Hewell’s class had the opportunity to dress up the court house with a few plants and shrubs for an event. These same students were found guarding these plants (on their own time) during the event. This gets to the heart of what this program means to kids and shows us that a little success and “hope” go a long way in changing their heart.  Thanks Mr. Hewell for helping us build a community of character in Floresville.

National FFA Week

Last week was National FFA week.  FISD is proud to host the local chapter of the FFA at Floresville High School.  This chapter was formed in 1935 to address the farming and ranching needs of Floresville and the surrounding area. Even though there is a lot less farming and ranching in this area, the FFA mission lives on with a growing population of FFA students participating in a wide array of activities this program supports. FFA is more than planting and harvesting– it’s a science, it’s a business and it’s an art.
 
FFA continues to help the next generation rise up to meet those challenges by helping its members develop their own unique talents and explore their interests in a broad range of career pathways. These young men and women are the future biologists, chemists, veterinarians, engineers and entrepreneurs of America.

I graduated from Texas Tech and know many students received substantial scholarships to enter many different engineering and food science degrees.  One of the most important competencies FFA members learn is the art of public speaking.  Our chapter is known for this and their public relations team is a perennial state contender. Congratulations to the FFA students and Mr. Jarzombek and Mr. Billings for your work to make our FFA chapter so successful.

Friends of the Library Gift!!!

With all the terrible news about the state budget shortfall and results from belt-tightening it is great to see some sunshine through the clouds. We received a ray of sunlight from the Sam Fore Friends of the Library with a check in the amount of $7500. This incredible gift will be used by librarians for the library. FISD was not the only recipient, all other schools in the county also received similar gifts. 

This is a picture of our library friends, librarians and administrators.  You will recognize many of the friends as parents of FISD kids. 

Thanks again for your generosity; your focus on literacy is critical to the educational and economic success of our county.

Bad Weather Makeup Day: May 30th

As you know Floresville ISD canceled classes on February 4, 2011 due to dangerous weather conditions. The Texas Education Agency requires that the district make-up that day. The make-up day will be Monday, May 30, 2011. All campuses will follow their normal full day schedule. Sorry about that kids!

Parents, if you should have questions, please contact your child’s campus.

HOPE

I was in the high school a few weeks ago and struck up a conversation with one of our high school students. He was telling me how he passed his college entrance requirements to start in the aerospace academy at FHS next year.  If you don’t know, this is one of our workforce training academies in the new high school. It offers students a high school diploma, FAA certification in aircraft construction, internship with a company like Lockheed-Martin and ultimately an Associates Degree from St. Phillips College.

I was so happy for him and he was happy for himself too!  He talked about his plans after high school and the many opportunities this degree would offer him.  He didn’t know it but he was exemplifying the main predictor of college success according to Gallup Scientist Shane Lopez. That predictor is hope!  Hope is a belief that there is something out there for us in the future and if we just keep on trying, success will come. Gallup explains that hope is a better predictor of success than college entrance tests. Earlier this year, students from grades 5-12 took part in the Gallup Student Poll that measured levels of Hope, Well Being, and Engagement. Our schools ranked higher than both the state and nation. 

Gallup Floresville Student Poll Results

As we enter TAKS season it is important that our students remain hopeful about their future.  We have to get our kids to understand that a brighter future starts today! As the famous Journey song goes…”don’t stop believing.” Focusing on hope might just be the most important thing we can offer them.  It is the same caring attitude that has brought us this far.

Thank You School Board!!!

 

January  is Texas School Board Recognition Month and a good time to focus on the crucial role an elected board of trustees plays in our communities and schools. Our board is a group of extraordinary people who voluntarily tackle this enormous responsibility without pay. Please help me in honoring these extraordinary public servants:

• Tom Ray, President
• Ryan Bippert, Vice President
• Rachel Pena, Treasurer
• Neysa Choate, Secretary
• Larry Angle, Member
• John Raabe, Member
• Doug Shoemaker, Member

These seven men and women have made an extraordinary difference during their tenure. Five of the seven members who hired me in 2005 still remain as board members. They have accomplished so much during the six years I have worked for them. They have passed a bond election, built a new high school and elementary campus,  provided state of the art technology to our children, received millions in grants to provide innovation to our students and teachers, brought higher education to our community, achieved and maintained a recognized status on student performance, reduced teacher turnover by raising salaries to a competitive level and so much more.  In recognition of these achievements, they were chosen as one of five finalists for the 2009 Texas Honor Board recognition program. 

With so many public officials under scrutiny for their actions I can say that I trust this board.  Their intentions are pure and focused towards the best for this community and the students of our district. You might have heard me say this before, but I would let each and every one of them raise my own children. 

Please join me in acknowledging these seven public servants who make the time to share their vision and voice about the future of our children. They truly are preparing our students and community for a prosperous life.

Remembering Beverli Helmke

Last month trees and custom made benches were installed with funds dedicated to the memory of former teacher Beverli Helmke.  These gifts to the school district were originally supposed to provide enough support to purchase a single tree.  The outpouring of positive sentiment towards the memory of this beloved teacher was four times this amount.When we sometimes think the world doesn’t care and people are becoming more self-centered it is so heartening to see such warm displays of love and affection for a teacher.  The tree at the South Elementary was placed at the K-2^nd grade playground.  In fact, it is placed so that it can be viewed from the window of her former classroom. At the dinner table a few weeks ago my second grade daughter was concerned that kids were “climbing” on Mrs. Helmke’s bench.  I explained to her that Mrs. Helmke would want nothing more than for kids to enjoy themselves at school. She was just that kind of lady. A former student wrote on my blog that “Mrs. Helmke was an awesome teacher! I loved every single moment that I spent with her in her classroom. I know that she will be greatly missed and will always be in my heart. She was the best 3rd grade math teacher that anybody could ever have!”

This season many of us will receive and give gifts to those we love and care about.  Mrs. Helmke didn’t wait until Christmas, she gave the gift of herself to her students every day.  I hope these two oaks grow to be giant trees. They must be very tall to match the legacy of this wonderful teacher.