Wanke students raise more than awareness

At Wanke ES, students in Raquel Cataldo’s fourth grade class learned about Team Hoyt after reading a book about a girl who struggled with her school’s attempts at inclusion and participating in activities with peers. Rick Hoyt has a disability similar to the girl in the book and faced similar obstacles as a child. After years of effort by his mother and others, his home state of Massachusetts became the first state to mandate public education for

students with disabilities, and Hoyt entered school for the first time at age 13. He asked his father to push his wheelchair in a charity run, and Team Hoyt was formed when the younger Hoyt told his father, using a special computer, “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.”Today, the pair – now 70 and 50 years old – has completed more than 1,000 races to promote their “Yes You Can” message. Their latest race was the Boston Marathon held this past month, where Wanke ES fourth grade teacher Amy Halstead, who had qualified for the marathon prior to the fundraiser, joined the Team Hoyt charity team.Fourth graders Crystal Anunobi, Maya Hasberry, and Alyssa Doyle (pictured) were inspired by the book and Team Hoyt’s story and decided to do something to help bring attention to people with special needs. The trio held a fundraiser, and after only four weeks, raised more than $1,800 for the Team Hoyt Foundation.

Earth Day brings in bags to Leon ValleyAnnie Alejos (pictured), a first grade teacher at Leon Valley ES, may now be known as the “bag lady” after she coordinated a school-wide recycling contest.The mountains of bags pictured are the result of students and staff doing their part to help save Mother Earth by partnering with H-E-B to hold a bag recycling contest. Within a five-day period, 19,560 bags were turned in to the school. Alejos was assisted by fellow first grade teacher Becky Correa and art teacher Judy Benjamin, whose students painted brown bags for H-E-B to use on Earth Day.

Northside Independent School District, San Antonio TX 78238-1606

inside.nisd.net/weekly

May 2, 2012

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You are invited to attend The Fourth Annual

NISD Middle School Choral Department’s:

TOGETHER WE SING

Paul Taylor Field HouseSaturday, May 5 at 6 p.m.Together We Sing is a collaborative performance bringing more than

1,200 middle school choir students together in song and dance!

Folks’ KudosNISD schools receive Distinguished designationTen NISD schools have been recognized by the State of Texas as being State Title 1 Distinguished schools. Of the 25 schools receiving this distinction in the Region 20 area, 10 of them are from Northside. They are Adams Hill, Fisher, Glass, Hatchett, Knowlton, Lackland City, Linton, Myers, Passmore, and Powell elementary schools.

Jay HS band goes ArmyThe Jay HS Marching Mustangs were asked to perform during pre-halftime ceremonies at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Game this year. “This gave us an opportunity to be on national television, if only for a short time, before commercial breaks,” Band Director Frank Lozano said. “The students played their hearts out, and in fact, several students in the ‘honor halftime show band’ asked what university we attended.” This was the second time that Jay HS participated, and the band already has been invited back to play again next year.

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Kuentz celebrates Earth Day all yearApril 22 may be Earth Day on the calendar, but Kuentz ES has been celebrating it all school year as part of the PepsiCo Dream Machine Recycle Rally. The Echo-Friends Club, sponsored by Isabel Anaya, has collected and counted bags of #1 recyclable bottles and non-alcoholic aluminum cans each Wednesday for the contest. Recently, PepsiCo presented the school with a check for $3,000 for placing in the top five schools across the nation during one quarter of the contest. The school is still in the running for additional cash prizes, and is among the top three vying for the $25,000 prize, and currently is in eighth place for the $50,000 prize. The contest ended April 30. All prize money goes toward projects to help beautify the school, such as planting and maintaining a garden and making it more eco-friendly.Pictured (from l-r) are PepsiCo Representative Christine Garcia, Vice Principal Adriana Garza, Principal Lori Gallegos, fifth grade teacher Isabel Anaya, and Anna Palazij, manager of Environmental Sustainability for PepsiCo Beverages America.

NEF benefits two schools with one grantAlthough it was Friday the 13th, the day turned out to be a good one when Apple Eddie and his Prize Patrol surprised Leon Springs ES with a $10,000 Team Grant for their submission, “Leaders R Us!”The grant will help fund the Franklin Covey Program called “The Leader in Me” and will also benefit the school’s adopted Title I school, Mead ES. Once Leon Springs students receive lessons and complete activities on the “7 Habits of Happy Kids,” they will talk about student leadership with K-2 students at Mead via Skype, thus fostering meaningful student relationships between the schools.

Pictured (from l-r) are LeRoy Sanchez, Prize Patrol; Kim Reznicek, Reading Specialist; Apple Eddie; Vice Principal Manuela Haberer; and Dave Rohmfeld, Prize Patrol.

Retiree & service ceremony set for May 9Mark your calendars. NISD will recognize employees with varying years of service and all retirees at our 2012 NISD Employee Recognition and Retirement Celebration on Wednesday, May 9 at Marshall HS.Invitations to our honorees are in the pony mail now, but if you think you should be honored and you haven’t received an invitation, check with your supervisor, or call the Benefits Office at 397-8620. Friends, family, and colleagues are all invited to honor employees who have 20, 30, 35, 40, and 45 years of service to the District. This represents 6,495 years of service to NISD students! In addition, more than 270 retirees will be honored.The ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m.

AROUND THE DISTRICT

Brennan students test emissions on electric carAP Environmental Science students at Brennan HS extended their laboratory experience to the outdoors by testing an electric car. As part of the air pollution unit, students tested four traditional combustion engine automobiles for carbon monoxide emissions. And, in an effort to explore non-traditional combustion possibilities, the group tested the emissions from a Chevrolet Volt. John Wommack, owner of Wommack Chevrolet, brought the Volt to the school to explain the technology behind the electric car. As expected, the Volt gave off no carbon monoxide. To find out how high the emissions on the other cars tested, check out the rest of the story.

Sign-up to “Golf for Gerlach”The annual Walter Gerlach Livestock Show Golf Benefit will be held Monday, May 21 at The Hyatt Hill Country Golf Club. Proceeds from the tournament will provide scholarship opportunities for students in the O’Connor HS FFA Agriculture Science program. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m., followed by lunch at noon, putting contest at 12:30 p.m., and shotgun start at 1:30 p.m. For more information, email gerlachgolfbenefit@gmail.com.

Digi Awards set for May 16 & 17Hundreds of tech-savvy students will compete for a “Digi Award” at NISD’s Kelly Smith Digital Media Fair 2012, which will be held at 6 p.m. at Marshall HS on May 16 for elementary students and May 17 for secondary students. The Digital Media Fair, named for former Assistant Supt. for Technology Services Kelly Smith, recognizes and celebrates student work created through the use of technology. A total of 697 projects have been submitted in 13 categories by NISD students. The top three projects in each category will be showcased at the ceremony. For more information, please visit the Digital Media Fair website: http://technews.nisd.net/digitalmediafair/.

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In his 10 years at NISD, Dr. Folks has presided over 97 back-to-school Convocations!

WOW!

OF THE WEEKFeel like it’s time for some stress relief?NISD employees can receive a 60 to 90-minute massage initially for only $25 from Optimal Health Therapeutic Bodywork. Subsequent sessions will run $50. Licensed therapist Ed Quisenberry will also waive the fee for every 5th massage. Call 383-3687 for an appointment.

NOW HIRINGYear-Round NISD Swim InstructorsWill Train • Part-time • $10 hour

397-7523

Hoffmann treats soldiers to breakfast

Hoffmann ES held a “Bring a Soldier to Breakfast” day recently.

Students were asked to bring a family member who currently serves or once served in the military. The result was a resounding success, so much so that the school has decided to make it an annual event.

Pictured are third grader Jasmine Hovsepian with her father, Maj. Steven Hovsepian.

Colonies North “mobs” the STAARStudents at Colonies North ES were surprised by a flash mob, STAAR-style.Their STAAR pep rally began as a “SuperSTAAR” show with a Superman-themed skit complete with Lois Lane and Clark Kent. And, just as the “Super” Cougar was reminding all the third, fourth, and fifth graders about important test-taking “STAAR” strategies, a commotion began building as a flash mob of people danced to Shining Star by Earth, Wind, and Fire. Teachers, secretaries, assistants, administrators, and custodians joined in on the dance, showing the students that they are all “shining stars” in their eyes.Pictured are some of the superstars (from l-r, front row) Cindy Zahodnik, fifth grade teacher; Jennifer Wray, fifth grade ESL teacher; Leighanne Woodlee, kinder teacher; Manon Gonzalez, first/second grade ESL teacher; Krissy Solis, fifth grade team leader; and Andrea Colwell, second grade team leader and ESL teacher; and (back row) Stephanie Rigby, counselor; Lulu Maldonado, Super Cougar; Victor Raga, vice principal; and Kris Cotton, principal.

Burke Bears get fit with NFL Play60Students at Burke ES returned from Spring Break full of energy and ready to get fit.PE teacher James Callahan launched NFL Play60, a national youth health and fitness campaign that encourages young fans to be active for at least 60 minutes a day.“Students are motivated to pursue activities that are enjoyable, exciting, and challenging and NFL Play60 is exactly that,” Callahan said.Students are encouraged to go to the gym and walk or run before school starts. Pictured with Callahan promoting the event are (from l-r) Morgan McCluskey and Thelia Mata talking to (from l-r) Isaac Gutierrez and Chase Taylor.

Principal for the day is hard workMadison Almarez, a second grader at Powell ES, served as Principal for the Day. Her parents won the silent auction prize at the school’s fall festival. On an early release day in April, she became Principal Almarez, taking over the duties from Principal De’Ann Upright. She spent her day monitoring all of the Bike Rodeo sessions in between organizing progress reports, filing paperwork, answering phone messages and emails, and conducting informal walk-throughs. When asked if she would like to be a Principal some day, she replied, “I don’t think so. It’s hard work!”