VFW Essay – Story of a Veteran
Anna Hollingsworth, LVISD Student
December 27, 2008

Anna Hollingsworth is a student at Lago Vista High School. She wrote the essay below—which was an award winner in the annual VFW essay contest.

A young girl walks up to the podium. Not nervous, not confused. She walks with a purpose. To tell others the story of a man she knows, a man she loves, the very man that is her father. She begins. I listen. She speaks as though not talking to a gymnasium filled with students and teachers, but rather that she is sitting down with me telling me the story of the man that has greatly impacted her life, and come to find out, my life as well. She thoroughly described his war stories from approaching enemy lines to hanging with his comrades. It was a story so compelling, so fascinating that I could not for one second turn my head or stop listening. He lived through the Great Depression, World War II, and experienced the Vietnam War. He received many honors and had lived to see his accomplishments recognized and respected. His name is Ralph Erickson.

Being a veteran to me is one of the highest honors you can receive. To be recognized as a hero is so rewarding in ways most us will never know. They sacrifice their lives and put themselves in dangerous situations just to keep others safe and our country free. After their services, they tell their inspiring stories to their children and grandchildren, members of the younger generation. I am a part of today’s youth and have been deeply affected by the heroes of our great nation. No longer will I take for granted my life and the freedoms which I share with others, for all too quickly in an instant, they could be gone.

Last year at the Veteran’s assembly, there were several men and women sitting in the middle of our gymnasium. It literally brought me to tears to hear their accomplishments and only be able to thank them by handing them a rose. A single red rose to symbolize their duties, fallen comrades, honors, and those moments of shear adrenaline and perseverance in desperate times. I wanted so greatly to walk up to each and every one of them and just shake their hand as a way of saying “thank you for all your hard work, your sacrifices, and your unknowing love for me and my rights.” I have the utmost respect for veterans, especially one man in particular. His name is Ralph Erickson. He was not physically present at the assembly but was in each and every heart that filled the room and listened to his story. He passed away on the 25 of May 2006, but his story will live on always in those appreciative of all he has done. I consider Ralph Erickson one of the heroes that have deeply affected and shaped my outlook on my rights and freedoms that he fought so bravely to defend.

Ralph’s experiences affected me more than most others because I had a more personal connection with him. I have known Ralph for years through Girl Scouts as well as my mother’s lifeguard certifier. I would go over to his house all the time and listen in and watch as he taught my mom to become a lifeguard and always thought that one day that would be me in his pool doing the same thing. Although I had known him for as long as I did and held respect for him, I have no idea that he accomplished all that he had in the military. I was utterly shocked as I sat there in my seat and listened to Karina tell his stories and kept thinking, how in the world did I know him for so long and never wonder about his life and experiences. Having this knowledge for Ralph, even though he has passed on, has shown me to hold veterans with the highest respect and absolute gratitude in my heart. He has forever changed what I think about our veterans and what I truly hold dear in my life.

Every veteran has a story. Every story has a message. Every message should be heard. This is what Ralph Erickson has shown me. At all the veteran assemblies in the past, I always heard the stories but never listened to what they were trying to tell me. Their messages are what is most important to take from them and is all they really want you to learn from them. A story without message is a story with no backbone, a run-on mess of words on a piece of paper with no meaning whatsoever. Thank you, Ralph, for showing me through your experience that nothing can be taken for granted, that only through people like you and your fellow veterans do today’s youth know what it is like to truly appreciate and benefit from your sacrifices and duties.

Donna Larkin, LVHS Principal
November 13, 2008

Students at Lago Vista High School have the opportunity of acquiring university and college credits while they are attending school. We offer several programs that lead to successful attainment of college credit and are available to our students throughout their high school careers. The credit possibilities are combined with the accessibility for all students to be fully accepted to Austin Community College prior to graduating. We encourage our students, as well as their parents, to investigate, inquire and take full benefit of those opportunities.

LVHS students are able to accumulate articulated college credit hours at the same time they are taking high school courses. After a student has graduated from high school, the articulated credit-in-escrow courses can be transferred as college credits to ACC. Students are required to enroll within 24 months of graduating and successfully complete at least one course to be awarded all the credit hours they have accumulated during their high school careers. Students that take Business Computer Information Systems are awarded three ACC credit hours and those who take Business Image Management and Multimedia and/or Business Computer Information Systems II are granted four ACC credit hours each. Those who take Advanced Broadcast Journalism, however, earn three ACC credit hours. Our state-articulated agriculture courses, Entomology and Horticulture, are accepted at many state institutions and are also held in escrow until the student enrolls. All of these courses are transferred as college credits without any cost to parents or student.

Early College Start is an ACC program that is designed for students to get a jump start on the attainment of college credits while attending high school. Students can take advantage of this opportunity to acquire college hours at any ACC campus and through successful completion of online courses. The Early College Start program allows students to take two courses per semester beginning the summer after their sophomore year of high school. Students have the option to take courses at ACC that will satisfy both their high school diploma requirements while simultaneously accruing college credits.

The good news is while a student is attending LVHS, the ACC tuition is only $40 per course. The tuition for our students after graduating increases to over $400 for each three-hour course, so the savings are significant. Our students are also offered dual-credit U.S. History through ACC. Students are able to earn both college and high school credits while never having to leave our campus. The course provides students the chance to receive six credit hours and is provided at no cost.

Students are encouraged to take rigorous Pre-AP and AP courses throughout their high school careers. We offer 10 Pre-AP courses that build a strong foundation in preparation for the 12 AP courses that are available to LVHS students. Most colleges and universities award credit hours based on the student scoring a 3, 4 or 5 on each individual CollegeBoard AP exam.

College Connection is a part of the State of Texas' Closing the Gaps initiative. The initiative provides the support that can increase the number of graduating seniors who enter college. As part of this program, ACC staff members come to our campus to assist our students in applying for college admission and enrolling in courses. They also proctor college assessments and assist students in completing financial aid applications.

Our goal is to provide the opportunities and information that will make college a reality for all of our students. We will continue to explore ways of acquiring college hours and offering the support needed to graduate as an enrolled college student. Please contact LVHS if you would like more information on any of these programs.

Paul Bixler, Principal, Lago Vista Middle School
November 5, 2008

The students at Lago Vista Middle School are great.

Many people assume that since we live out in the hill country, can see the lake from the backdoor, are rural in nature and small—that we are removed from the concerns that frequent many of the larger, inner-city schools. This is not true. Lago Vista Middle School students face the same temptations and challenges as students at even the most desperate school. The difference is that our students make better decisions.

Lago Vista Middle School is already recognized as a model school for our ability to increase student performance while dealing with challenges that have caused most other districts to decline. Lago Vista Middle School is a leader in the use of the nationally honored SIM strategies. LVMS has achieved "Exemplary" recognition on the state of Texas accountability rating system. The students at LVMS are consistently better behaved than any campus, in my experience. However, as good as we are, we believe that we could still be better.

For the last two years, our Campus Improvement Committee has been researching strategies to improve the way we treat each other. The vision is to establish and continue an embedded culture of support and respect for our entire school community. The LVMS Campus Improvement Committee learned about the "Community Matters" program called "Safe School Ambassadors."

Community Matters began in 1990 California as a non-profit organization. Since then, the goals and objectives of Community Matters have been put into practice in hundreds of schools in the United States and Canada. As described in the Community Matters literature, Safe School Ambassadors is a research based, field tested, student centered, logic model. Trainers from Community Matters travel to participating schools and teach selected student and adult leaders in the use of intervention strategies. Ambassadors are selected from the entire student population for their "social capital." What this means is that the students' peers recognize the students as strong communicators, naturally outgoing, with a good sense of right and wrong, empathetic, and having the strength to stand up for others. Student ambassadors are not always the best scholar, the most popular student, or the best athlete. What the Student Ambassadors have in common is their high social capital as perceived by the other students. Schools have known for years that it is the students that are first on the scene of an incident or are aware of impending conflicts well before they come to the attention of the adult community. The goal of the Safe School Ambassadors program is to empower the students with proven techniques and strategies to actively improve the school's climate.

This all sounds pretty good. However, does it really work? To answer that question, we went to Lexington High School to see a Safe School Ambassadors program in operation. To say the least, we were impressed. In addition, the staff members and students at Lexington High School were unanimous in there praise of the program and the positive school climate changes that have occurred in the short existence of their program.

With this information in hand and with the full support of Dr. Barbara Qualls, we brought this information to the faculty at Lago Vista Middle School. After review, the LVMS staff was enthusiastic about becoming involved with the Safe School Ambassadors program. On November 11th and 12th, 35 to 40 LVMS students and 6 to 8 LVMS adults will complete the intensive two day, Safe School Ambassadors training. Then we launch.

The students at Lago Vista Middle School are great—but we know that they will be even better.

Steve Elder, Lago Vista High School Assistant Principal
October 22, 2008

The harsh climates of the world are sparsely populated because the reality is that abundant life is unsustainable in such circumstances. One does not find large, diverse populations of anything thriving in places like the Sahara Desert or either of the polar ice caps. In other words, climate tends to play a critical role in the success or failure of diverse populations. Interestingly, the same concepts hold true in the climates established by human design. Schools, government offices, and businesses either thrive or suffer under the climate that drives the activities of the organization and affect its membership.

Unlike the natural occurrences that effect the ecosystems in the Sahara or Arctic, American schools are driven by the laws, policies, attitudes, and procedures established by people. The critical understanding is that human driven climate can evolve and be adjusted to improve the existence of its stakeholders. At Lago Vista High School and the other schools in the Lago Vista ISD, it is a mission to continually grow toward a positive school climate.

Significant research exists that demonstrates the importance of positive school climates on student and teacher performance in the academic environment. In an environment that fosters such values as trust, shared leadership, growth, respect, community involvement, and caring students tend to have fewer significant behavior issues, experience heightened academic success, and develop more lasting and quality relationships with others than peers that exist in less positive and nurturing environments. Additionally, teachers and other staff members may find more opportunities to share in school leadership, teach even more effectively, and experience continuing healthy relationships with co-workers, community members, and students in the school environment.

At Lago Vista High School there are consistent efforts made daily to foster continued growth toward a completely positive climate. First, teachers and staff set expectations for student–teacher/staff and student-student interactions by reflecting on management practices and developing new systems for respectfully managing student conduct in the classroom and the school. The students at LVHS have, in most situations, risen to the expectation for positive interaction and have demonstrated respect for the processes used. Secondly, the positive school climate at LVHS has continued to develop thanks to a commitment to character education programs that focus on some of the hallmark values that are included in a definition of positive school climate. For instance, the program features a “Word of the Month” curriculum which is displayed in classrooms and common areas around the campus. These concepts include trustworthiness, fairness, respect, responsibility, caring, citizenship, honesty, courage, diligence, and integrity.

These targeted characteristics are also supported by the inclusion of curriculum materials designed to be incorporated into lessons during the class periods. Finally, student activity groups such as the various athletic programs, UIL competition teams, and other student organizations are involved in a monthly pick-up day where the group helps take responsibility for maintaining an appealing physical environment.

Other programs offered at LVHS that foster the growth of positive school climate include the Freshman Mentor Program, where struggling students receive academic and behavioral support from our committed staff members, a Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO) that supports the daily mission of the school, the Viking and LVHS Band Booster Clubs, and the annual Veteran’s Day program and Career Day where professional people are invited to come and present information about the educational requirements and daily rigors of their chosen profession.

At Lago Vista High School, the people that are the organization are committed to continuing the quest for positive school climate. It is this commitment that will keep us moving in the right direction.

Alan Haire, LVISD Director of Athletics
October 14, 2008

I know you expect me to talk about all the wonderful things the athletic department is doing this year, but I am taking a different approach. I will be talking about a Championship team, but not one on the playing field or court. This team can be found inside the high school campus.

Everyday I am overwhelmed and honored to be able to work in such a great school district. In the high school, where I spend most all of my time, it is always "A Great Day to Be a Viking." I truly believe we have one of the best instructional staffs in the state. Whether it be in the classroom, on the athletic fields or just socially, our staff has a common cause to enhance our students' educational experience. The teachers and staff members have always been student-centered. In my sixteen year educational career, Lago Vista High School has been by far the best educational environment of any district I have ever worked for. The value placed on developing a well-rounded student is central to the school's mission.

Lago Vista High School is an amazing place to work. I have a hard time calling it work because when you do something you truly love for a living, it can hardly be referred to as work. As an educator, we have an awesome opportunity to mold and impact young people's lives. I have witnessed this over and over at Lago Vista High School. In the Science, Math, Social Studies, English and all other departments, the teachers rise above a reasonable expectation to engage and ignite a life-long love of learning. I witness the teacher's unyielding support for our students. Kids honestly could care less how much you know…until they know how much you care. Our teachers are notorious for creating a positive learning environment. There are days I walk through the hallway and wish I could be a student in their classrooms. Essentially, the teachers make it fun, which motivates the students and causes them to enjoy what they are learning. Our teachers work hard to make their subject matter relevant and interesting. You can regularly find these teachers on campus well before the sun comes up and sometimes after the sun has gone down. They do this in an attempt to make time for students to get some one on one help in this very demanding curriculum.

I would like to mention just a few other entities: the transportation, maintenance, food service and custodial departments also positively impact the educational experience of our community of learners. I am so proud to be part of this Championship Team.

In conclusion, I would like to acknowledge that I am excited about the future of Lago Vista High School. I, myself, have children who will be educated by this great team of teachers and staff. Each individual on staff fits into a different niche, which makes up an important part of Lago Vista High School. They all make the effort to provide their best talents and put them together for the sole benefit of our school. Many people wonder what's in store for them when they arrive at work, but for me, as always…tomorrow will be "A Great Day to Be a Viking!"

By Beth Mohler, LVES Principal Grades 4-5, Dir. of Federal & Special Programs
October 3, 2008

One of the latest terms to come out in education circles is Response to Intervention or RtI. It is basically a scientific approach to identifying students at risk of having academic or behavioral difficulties and providing them with research-based interventions to support their learning. It focuses on assessing students to help determine where concerns may lie and then working with them in a focused and intensive way to strengthen areas of concern.

What does that mean in practice in Lago Vista ISD? At LVES, we have a specific process that we use to help each student be successful. Teachers use a variety of assessments in core academic areas, such as math and language arts, to help determine the level of student performance. This year, thanks to the new math specialist Carrie Chilek, teachers are administering a Quick Number Screener to help teachers determine how students are functioning in math. They then use this information to tailor specific groups to help students master concepts. We use a similar process in reading by administering the Developmental Reading Assessment or the Qualitative Reading Inventory to provide information to teachers about student reading – including both decoding and fluency as well as comprehension and retelling abilities. Based on the results of these assessments and on teacher observations, class assignments and TAKS results, teachers identify areas of student strengths and weaknesses. They then plan structured, research-based interventions to help students who need intervention to be more successful. The math and reading specialists assist teachers in developing interventions and in working with students.

That is the intervention part. What is the response part? The response comes in when teachers chart student progress. Teachers provide a focused and specific intervention for a student for 4-6 weeks and chart the amount of progress that the student makes. We would hope to see the student making steady progress toward learning goals during that time. If that is the case, then the teacher continues to provide the intervention and monitor progress until the student has reached mastery and no longer needs support. In other words, the student responded to the intervention.

If the student did not make the expected gains during that time, the teacher proceeds to stage two of the process. The teacher asks for the support of the grade level team and intervention specialists. Together, they develop a plan with research based interventions to support the student. Again, the plan is implemented and progress is documented. At this point, most students who did not make progress at stage one begin to show progress. However, there are still some who are not responding to the intervention.

This is where stage three begins. The teacher asks for the support of the RtI team. The team, which consists of the principal; academic specialists like reading, math or ESL; a special education teacher and a classroom teacher; meets with the teacher, conducts assessments and provides more intensive interventions. The team then tracks progress and meets to re-evaluate. Generally, by this time, the student has had a great deal of support and assistance and has shown marked improvement. If not, the student will be referred for more intensive testing through our special education department to help pinpoint potential learning disabilities.

This process has improved teaching and learning at LVES as teachers have focused on specific learning objectives and helped students make gains. We have many wonderful success stories with RtI. It takes a great deal of time and energy, but the pay off is well worth the effort.

Valerie Guerra, LVISD Director of Special Education
September 28, 2008

The high school Life Skills students held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to promote the grand opening of their fully-stocked school store on Thursday, September 25th at 11:00. The anticipation of the students grew by the day as they waited to cut the ribbon. The store, Blue and Gold…Let’s Rock, is open to serve students at both high school and middle school lunches. The store will be stocked with various school supplies, drinks, snacks, specialty and seasonal items. The staff is ready to open their new business, as they have been intensely preparing this year. They have surveyed high school students to obtain feedback and product suggestions from their customers and they have created and posted advertisements around the high school campus. The students reviewed their bank statement from last year’s cookie sales and determined how much they could spend on uniform supplies. They were able to purchase aprons and paints to create their custom uniforms.

Once product information was gathered, the students did the necessary shopping. To create a pricelist, they researched school stores in other districts, reviewed their purchase receipts and decided what would be an appropriate price for each item in order to make a profit and be competitive. Each student was assigned an item list which they are responsible for. They must keep inventory and know when additional stock needs to be purchased. The students also created a work schedule so each of them know the hours they are responsible for working and they must clock in and clock out by signing a time sheet before and after every shift worked, as accountability is a major skill to be mastered and maintained throughout life. Weekly paychecks are based on effort, sales, daily performance and attendance. Students may use this paycheck money when the group shops for store replenishments. This will typically include lunch at a favorite restaurant and a snack or fun item found at the store. Some students may choose to save their money, which is encouraged, for a special item or event. They also created their own set of expectations and behaviors that they will follow during their work week conversations.
The class has also taken advantage of the new technology the district has provided for all of the classroom teachers. The students produced a theme song and created a script for a commercial to promote the business. They made a video, uploaded it to the computer and chose music to add to the production. They then sequenced and edited the commercial. In order to get feedback on their advertising strategy, each student made out invitations to send to two of their schoolmates asking them to attend the premier of this creative production. When the guests arrived, they were greeted at the door and ushered to their seats. (What would a broadcast premier be without popcorn?!) The computer program was hooked up to the ELMO and shown on the big screen. The feedback from the twelve attendees was overwhelmingly positive and the class hopes to post the commercial on the district website in the near future.

The truly incredible thing about this undertaking is the incorporation of academics with daily living and social skills, all the while promoting creativity and responsibility which are character traits that are so necessary to be a productive member of society. The students are anticipating the great relationships they will build with their peers and teachers and are looking forward to earning that weekly paycheck.

Congratulations to our students and many thanks to Life Skills teacher Stacey Bingham and aide Vicki Iski for the fantastic job they do working with the Life Skills students.

Peggy Matthews, LVISD Director of Instructional Technology
September 25, 2008

Increased emphasis on the use of technology in education is being felt throughout the district, and I am very glad to be a part of it. As the new Director of Instructional Technology at Lago Vista ISD, I have conducted several staff development seminars and workshops at the various campuses. This training has included an all day session at the high school covering compressing PowerPoint presentations, updating websites, and introducing the faculty to the document camera and podcasting, a web based audio broadcast for playback. In addition, I started a Technology Academy in which I showcased several different technology areas, focusing on the use of the document camera, podcasting, PowerPoint presentations, and webpages. The Technology Academy will continue throughout the school year covering various subjects. Separate training was conducted at the elementary school, focusing on the use of podcasting software. Several excellent podcasts were created and uploaded to the teacher’s webpages that day. Promethean ActivBoard training has begun and web based gradebook training will begin soon. We continue to expand our use of technology by providing online training to teachers. An example is the Discovery Learning webinar later this month that will provide 12 hours of staff training. I am visiting each campus weekly to assist teams, small groups, and individual teachers with any technology integration or basic skills issues they may need help with. Middle school students are using response clickers to give immediate feedback during Math classes. High school students are using podcasting to record passages they read so they can work on fluency. Elementary students have made podcasts to share their feelings about the first day of school. As an example, the KLVE morning news, featured on the elementary school website, is broadcast through podcasting. In addition, fourth grade students created an internet video to demonstrate how to behave in the cafeteria. The teachers are extremely receptive to learning new ways of teaching with technology. I have also added online resources that offers students additional help with homework, games to practice skills, and enrichment activities.

We continue to review and revise our offerings of articulated courses with Austin Community College in the area of technology. The high school administrators are working closely with ACC to maximize the number of technology courses that we can offer that will allow students to earn ACC credit hours free of charge.

Innovative Grants were awarded to benefit technology near the end of the 2007-2008 school year. With these resources Alpha Smarts, Quizdom, and Tool Factory software were purchased for the benefit of the elementary school. The middle school math department was awarded a grant for Turning Point clickers. Additional grants will be forthcoming around the first of December, in anticipation that all items will be ready for use by the beginning of the second semester.

New servers and storage, a phone system upgrade, and increased bandwidth have also been budgeted for this year. Last but not least, the Technology Department will be creating a quarterly newsletter with the first issue set for publication in November.

As with any implementation of new ideas, there are always obstacles and challenges to be met. It is not always easy for everyone involved to make these changes. We have an extremely dedicated staff in Lago Vista ISD, so we are confident that change will take place. We have already seen many positive changes take place in just a short time. This is a journey that we will all take together and with the help and support of all, we can make these changes happen. Right now we are off to a rousing start.

Barbara Qualls, PhD – Superintendent, LVISD
September 15, 2008

It takes a very large event to take Lago Vista’s mind off an important football game, but Hurricane Ike was just such an event. Last week, the impending arrival of the extremely large hurricane caused a significant number of activity changes in Lago Vista. Let me thank all the many people who were involved in the quick response to change of plans and attempts to address the many details that are impacted with sudden change.

On Wednesday, the forecast called for serious weather in the central Texas area. Many schools that had Friday games in the south part of the region rescheduled or cancelled as early as Wednesday morning. The decision to reschedule the Lago Vista vs. Bartlett game came partly as a result of anticipated weather but also because Bartlett is in the evacuation path in Bell and Williamson counties. As a result, traffic and mobility is a serious problem there during a large-scale evacuation. Another consideration was the possibility that either Bartlett High School or Lago Vista High School (or both) might be activated as evacuation shelter sites. LVISD is part of a Travis County consortium for emergency management. The LVHS gym is designated as a possible evacuation shelter as well as a satellite site for other emergency services. Because Lago Vista is somewhat remote compared to other Travis County sites, the likelihood of activation is not high. The order of activation is Delco Center, some designated AISD schools, Pflugerville, Georgetown, Round Rock, Leander, and then if space is still needed, Liberty Hill and Lago Vista. On Friday, an accident on Interstate 35 caused the evacuation traffic to be re-routed through the Highway 183 corridor, triggering the activation of Leander schools before Pflugerville, Georgetown, and Round Rock were tapped. In the event that LVISD facilities would be used for evacuees, there are procedures in place to ensure the safety of on-site students. The LV Police Department and City of Lago Vista are in communication with the schools during times of high emergency possibilities so that efforts can be coordinated for the safety and efficient operation of all services.

Many of the area schools that cancelled classes or released early did so because of anticipated traffic problems. For example, New Braunfels and Comal ISDs both use I35 for regular bus routes. With evacuation traffic making those routes virtually a standstill, it would have been very difficult to get their students to and from school during the evacuation. Because RR 1431 is not a designated evacuation route, it is not likely that LV will suffer those kinds of traffic issues.

When there is an impending emergency, it is a completely normal reaction to call the school to find out what is happening. We welcome those calls, but often are unable to deal with a large number of incoming calls, all coming at the same time. You can always find recent information on the LVISD website, but the most certain method for up-to-the-minute information is through FlashNews. By enrolling in FlashNews/FlashAlert, a message will be sent to up to 5 different email addresses or cell numbers. We do not use that facility for routine announcements and the contact information is secure. Please consider using this free service.

September 10, 2008

Due to the weather forecasts concerning Hurricane Ike and evacuation efforts, the following activities are impacted:

Thursday September 11, 2008

RESCHEDULE: Pep Rally at 9:00 AM (originally Fri. 9/12/08)

CANCEL: 7th & 8th Grade football v. Waco-Reicher

CANCEL: MS SuperTeam to Bartlett

STILL ON: 9th Grade football to Stony Point – game at 5:00

CANCELED: JV Football to Liberty Hill – game at 4:30 Updated Sept. 11 - 12noon

RESCHEDULE: Varsity football v. Bartlett – here -- game at 7:30 (originally Fri. 9/12/08) NO HOMECOMING

STILL ON: Parents’ Night for Varsity Football

RESCHEDULE: Varsity Volleyball v. Florence – Here (originally Fri. 9/12/08) starts at 5:00pm - Varsity Only

Friday September 12, 2008

CANCEL: JV Volleyball (LV v Florence)

CANCEL: Freshman Volleyball (LV v Florence)

RESCHEDULED: Varsity Football (LV v Bartlett) moved to Thursday

RESCHEDULED: Varsity volleyball moved to Thursday

RESCHEDULED: Homecoming activities TBA for later date

Saturday September 13, 2008

RESCHEDULE: Homecoming Dance TBA, but cancelled for September 13

Please call your individual coaches or principals if you have questions.

LVISD Administration: 267-8300
LV High School: 267-8315
LV Middle School: 267-8305

Barbara Qualls, PhD – Superintendent, LVISD
September 9, 2008

Recently, the new AEIS (Academic Excellence Indicator System) results were released – and there is much reason to celebrate LVISD’s success. As has been reported, both Lago Vista Elementary and Lago Vista High School are Recognized campuses and Lago Vista Middle School earned the highest designation – Exemplary! While we are very pleased with the new AEIS report and the improvement the new designations represent, there are still several areas where we hope to register improvement in the upcoming year. The performance of the students who are economically disadvantaged is one area of concern and the academic progress of students with limited English proficiency is another area. Each year after the new designations are released, a public hearing takes place to review the AEIS report and answer questions about it. That meeting will be held when all AEIS data is released from the Texas Education Agency.

There is a great deal more ‘going on’ in the world of testing and student performance accountability than just the AEIS, though. With many acronyms and different tests, it is easy to get confused about how schools, campuses, and individual students are really performing. Let’s consider a few of those areas and what is happening in the field of accountability.

Nationwide, requirements for NCLB (No Child Left Behind) drive much of the accountability movement. NCLB is the popular name of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) that was adopted by Congress in 2002. While NCLB is omnibus legislation, there are four primary areas: accountability for academic results, emphasis on educational decisions based on scientific research, expanded options for parental involvement, and expanded local control and flexibility. Predictably, there are opponents who argue that all or most of those areas are not working – most notably the ‘local control’ part. Traditionally, there has been little federal control in education because the U.S. Constitution does not specifically address education as a federal function, thus state-level regulations have been the ‘law.’ For years, the ESEA was routinely reauthorized with little or no change. The primary force in federal education law was in the area of special education through IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and IDEIA-04 (Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004). NCLB was and is a new show of strength at the federal level and has met with considerable resistance, as states and local districts struggle to meet a new set of accountability standards that sometimes conflict with existing state standards. In Texas, one of the most significant areas of conflict between Texas standards and NCLB has to do with the testing at grade level of special education students.

Another trend in accountability has to do with how tests are administered and how often. There has been much criticism of the amount of time that testing takes from the instructional program. At one point, tenth grade students spent as much as 45 days per year taking tests. HST (High Stakes Testing) is sometimes criticized as not being appropriately used to assess student achievement. Opponents argue that major decisions such as promotion to the next grade level and graduation from high school should not be made on the results of just one measurement. To that end, several education groups are beginning a new effort to influence the accountability system in a positive way. Members of the American Federation of Teachers, some state legislators, the Texas League of Women Voters, the Texas Business Education Coalition, the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association, and Raise Your Hand Texas are meeting this week to craft a plan to introduce legislation that will address some of the criticisms of the current Texas accountability system.

Barbara Qualls, PhD – Superintendent, LVISD
August 25, 2008

Because of the publication schedule for the North Lake Travis Log, I’m writing this column before the actual event of the First Day of School–but I’m so sure of what some of the events will be that I can tell you about them before they occur! The brand new Kinders are wide-eyed and holding on to something secure – Mom’s hand or Dad’s pants leg. After the first bell rings, the kids are busy settling in, putting their stuff in their brand new cubbies, checking out the other kids doing the same thing. Mom and Dad are hovering out in the hall, dealing with tears with varying degrees of success.

This event – First Day of Big School – is a wondrous thing to watch. The youngsters may be jaded veterans of years of daycare, but their first foray into Real School is a watershed moment for the whole family. It gives me great pride to assure all the parents, grandparents, and interested others that your precious Kinders are in excellent and safe hands at Lago Vista Elementary School. Primary Principal Heather Stoner and Intermediate Principal Beth Mohler and their staffs will give your child the very best launch into the world of school that you can find anywhere.

At Lago Vista Middle School, the new sixth graders will spend a significant part of the first day wrestling with the mysteries of their combination locks. Solving that, they will hustle to change classrooms every hour, and not in an organized line of fellow classmates. The new freedom is intoxicating, but a little scary, too.

New ninth graders will look around at the sophomores, juniors, and seniors and realize that the eighth grade year of being BMOC is over – at least for three more years. LVHS football, volleyball, and band have been in operation for the last three weeks. In fact, volleyball is well into their 2008 season and football has completed scrimmages and is preparing for the first regular season game. As in the last couple of years, the season opener for the Varsity Vikings football will be at Round Rock Stadium on Saturday August 30 at 10:00 AM against the Regents School of Austin. For the rest of the season, ticket prices are $5 for adults, $3 for students for varsity games and $3 adult/$2 students for sub-varsity. For volleyball, ticket prices are $4 adult/$2 student for varsity, $3 adult/$2 student for sub-varsity. All athletic schedules as well as directions to out of town games can be found on the LVISD website. Lago Vista senior citizens are encouraged to come by the LVISD Administration Building to pick up your complimentary tickets – good for all District 25AA events.

LVES parents turned out in record numbers Thursday for Meet the Teachers Night. Thank you to the LVES PTA for hosting an ice cream party in the cafeteria prior to meeting the teachers. Parents also had an opportunity to visit with food service and transportation staff.

Junior and Senior Viking football players presented their mothers with a special treat last Saturday evening. The annual Moms Night Dinner is a great opportunity for the young men to honor and recognize their mothers, thanking them for all the many ways their moms support their efforts on and off the athletic field. In addition to the players, each LVHS coach shares his gratitude to his own mother for the help and support she has given him.

The new year is underway – lots of new faces, new technology, new programs in addition to the return of many old favorites. Best wishes to all – 2008, the Year of the Viking!

Barbara Qualls, PhD – Superintendent, LVISD
August 19, 2008

This week at LVISD is filled with teacher training and bustling preparation for the upcoming year. While many staff members have been working since the first of August, everybody is back now. Teachers and other instructional staff are engaged in intensive training in gifted and talented instruction, reading and literacy strategies, behavioral management, second language learning, and, of course, integration of technology resources in the classroom. Over the last several weeks, every day has brought the delivery of new hardware that has been inventoried, coded, and prepared for checking out to teachers. Every teacher will have for their use a laptop computer, a document camera, and digital display capacity in their classrooms. In addition, high school teachers will have the ability to produce podcasts for students and parents to use in review of lessons taught. The use of all the new technology is exciting and promises many new avenues for both teaching and learning.

The much-anticipated concession stand and public restroom project is underway. The building site and the areas for underground work for water and sewer access are fenced off for safety. Home football games at Sisemore Field this year will require a little more care than usual, but the end result should be a great improvement. The patience and cooperation of all fans is expected to make the construction period go smoothly. Also, an improved temporary restroom facility is installed near the central AC plant at the field.

One new event that is in the final planning stages is the student drug-testing program. LVISD will be working with ForwardEdge, Inc., a company headquartered in the Houston area. ForwardEdge, Inc. (FEI) has several client schools in central Texas and is highly recommended. On September 8, LVISD staff and a representative from FEI will meet with students and parents to discuss some of the plans and concerns about the program. A Frequently Asked Questions document is currently being prepared with specific adaptation to the planned LVISD program and will be posted on the District website. At the present time, the program proposal is posted and available to all students and parents.

LVISD’s assignment for UIL competition is almost identical to last year. Included in District 25AA are Jarrell ISD, Academy ISD, Salado ISD, Rogers ISD, Florence ISD, and Lexington ISD, in addition to Lago Vista. Gone are Troy and Rosebud-Lott ISDs and Lexington returns after a two-year assignment in a district further south. While travel is always a concern, most of the out-of-town trips that are required for UIL participation are relatively short distances with good roads. Complete schedules for UIL fall activities will soon be available on the District website. Some sub-varsity game schedules are still in the process of being planned. Some of the schools in District 25AA do not field the same number of teams as LVISD, so that other schools must be contracted to round out the playing schedules. As in the past, special senior citizen passes are available in the LVISD Administration Office for all LVISD senior residents. The passes will allow admission at all District 25AA UIL events – at home or out of town.

A new school year is always exciting, but especially so for the youngest members of the school community. Please exercise caution as you drive in the neighborhoods near Dawn Drive and Lago Vista Elementary School. Youngsters excited about getting to school may not be as alert as they should be.

This school year promises much and will deliver much. Thank you to all contributors, sponsors, supporters, patrons, parents and a special thank you to all the wonderful students who make LVISD the terrific school that it is.

Barbara Qualls, PhD – Superintendent, LVISD
August 12, 2008

Each new school year, I marvel about the wonderful arrangement that educators have, in that we get two New Year experiences. That, of course, is the beginning of a new calendar year and also the beginning of a new school year. One of the many blessings that we get to enjoy is sharing the shiny new phase of life for first year scholars at Kindergarten, first time ‘big kid’ status of new Middle Schoolers, first time High Schoolers for freshmen, and also, the first year new-career teachers. While Lago Vista ISD doesn’t have a large number of first-year teachers, we are very impressed with the ones we do have. Last week, a major research study was released with a finding that in large school districts, inexperienced teachers were often assigned to schools with a higher proportion of at-risk students. The unspoken assumption was that first-year teachers were somehow inferior. Certainly, a veteran teacher who has worked out solutions for the most common teaching problems, who is familiar with federal/state/local policy and rules, is a resource that makes our schools great. But the first year educator, with her enthusiasm, idealism, and most of all, with her recent choice of teaching as a career is also a resource that contributes to the greatest of a school in a very tangible manner. Next week, we’ll introduce the 2008-09 LVISD staff, including the newbies, and hope you will join in welcoming them all.

Staff members at the Elementary School are aware that separation anxiety is often more acute for parents than it is for first-time Kinders themselves. On that first day, please feel free to escort your child to class and reassure him about how he gets home, etc. If you haven’t already done so, meet his teacher and walk the same hallway paths he’ll use each day. You both will feel better for doing that. For parents who are sending their ‘Tweens to sixth grade and Middle School, take pride in the idea that your child is joining an Exemplary Campus where high expectations are the norm. It is a little unsettling for your child to leave the orderly lines for movement and highly structured time lines of Elementary School for the Middle School campus, where kids move from class to class freely and have a higher level of personal responsibility. The LVMS staff is also aware of the special challenges that accompany the transition to Middle School and are prepared to help you and your ‘Tween be successful and happy. New high schoolers immediately see the advantages of being the driver of their own car – and if the lobbying to get one hasn’t already started, it will on August 26. For all parents, whether your child is starting a new phase or a new year, please take time to meet his teachers, coaches, aides, secretary, counselor, principal. These are the people who spend as much time with your child as you do – the home and school partnership is essential for the ultimate success of your child. I recently heard Head Coach/Athletic Director Alan Haire say “Some people go to work – we get to coach.” LVISD educators all reflect that ethic – we are honored to have the privilege of educating your children and thank you allowing us to do that.

Parent involvement with their children’s educational experience is one of the most important components of academic success. LVISD invites you to get involved --schedules for Meet the Teacher, Curriculum Night, PTA, PTO, Booster Club and many other opportunities for involvement can be found here on LVISD website. Visit it often – it’s a great year to be a Viking!

Barbara Qualls, PhD – Superintendent, LVISD
August 7, 2008

What a great way to begin the new school year – with a new and better AEIS rating! Ratings released last week confirm what we’d hoped—each LVISD campus moved up in the accountability rating system this year. Both High School and Elementary School earned Recognized ratings but the Middle School earned the highest rating of all – Exemplary! We are very proud of every teacher, aide, secretary, administrator, counselor, nurse, volunteer, and parent who helped LVISD student scholars improve their academic performance. In addition to the excellent AEIS ratings, Gold Performance Acknowledgements will be released in October. Gold Performance is a high designation that can be earned in several different academic areas and in some performance areas. Traditionally, LVISD schools earn many Gold Performance Acknowledgements and we expect that to be the case again this year. More detailed information about the new ratings is available by clicking here, as well as, the Texas Education Agency site.

For all practical purposes, the new school year for 2008-09 already has begun. Athletes are in and out of the weight room, coaches are reviewing competitive schedules and making travel arrangements, and teachers are beginning to drift back into their classrooms for planning. One of the biggest changes underway is the planned installation of digital projectors and document cameras in each classroom. The installation process is underway and we hope to be completed before students return on August 26. The projectors and cameras are a major component of a large technology initiative for the new school year. In addition, laptop computers will be issued to each certified employee. The purchase and installation of the new equipment is only the first step – extensive teacher training and practice will be necessary for full integration. One new staff member, Peggy Matthews, will be deeply involved in that training and practice. Mrs. Matthews is the District’s Instructional Technology Director. She has been invaluable in the planning and design of the new technology acquisitions and will be conducting hands-on training for teachers during Staff Development Week. Please watch the NLT Log for more information about the new technology initiative at LVISD.

A new school year means lots of things – for many kids, the new year involves a move to a new campus, different arrangements for getting to and from school, and opportunity for new activities. For all students, a new year means different teachers, different schedules, and maybe new friends. That can also mean a new beginning. Let’s consider the new school year an opportunity to start clean – with better study habits, better behavior, better attendance, and a new commitment to excellence.

Many LVISD staff members returned to their offices this week after a two-week vacation. All LVISD offices were closed from July 21-August 1. If you tried to contact any of the school offices during that time and were unable to leave a message, please try again. All offices are open and operating under normal office hours Monday through Friday.

For some time, Texas has participated in a national trend for designating a weekend or short period of time as tax-free. This year, the tax-free holiday is three days long and is August 15-17. As in years past, layaway plans also fall under the tax exemption. In general, state and local sales taxes are removed for all clothing or shoes that cost less than $100. The original purpose of the tax-free holiday was to allow parents a break in back-to-school shopping and that purpose is still valid. Much more information as well as lists of specific items that are tax-exempt can be found on the state comptroller’s website.

The new AEIS (Academic Excellence Indicator System) ratings are out and all Lago Vista ISD campuses earned an accountability rating of Recognized or higher.

Texas Commissioner of Education, Robert Scott, released the new ratings on Friday, August 1. For school year 2007-08, the rating assigned to the High School is Recognized, the Elementary School is Recognized and Lago Vista Middle School achieved the state’s highest rating – Exemplary! Last year, the ratings were one notch lower for each campus, but with a little extra effort, all three campuses moved up.

At the Elementary School, the rating is based on the TAKS scores of third, fourth, and fifth graders in Reading/English Language Arts, Writing, Mathematics, and Science. At the Middle School and High School, students are tested in same academic areas with the addition of Social Studies. Within each subject area and each grade level, scores are also considered for each demographic subpopulation of All Students, African-American, Hispanic, White, and Economically Disadvantaged. If the number of students in any subpopulation is less than 30 (or between 30 and 49 students and comprises less than 10%) of the testing population, the scores from that group are not used in calculating the overall rating. However, if there are at least 50 students within a student group, the group is evaluated. Student group size is calculated subject by subject. For this reason, the number of student groups evaluated will sometimes vary. For example, at each campus, the number of students in the Economically Disadvantaged subpopulation that took the Science TAKS test is small enough that it is not used in the calculation of the AEIS rating for any LVISD campus. However, when added together for the whole district, the Economically Disadvantaged subgroup does impact the District rating.

In the academic area of science, the number of students who did not meet the standard in Science was one percentage point below the Recognized rating. That means that while all three campuses are either Recognized or Exemplary, the District as a whole is rated Academically Acceptable. LVISD Superintendent Dr. Barbara Qualls said, “It is heartbreaking – while we’re unbelievably proud of all the campuses, if just one more student in that subpopulation had been successful on his or her science TAKS, the whole District would have been rated Recognized.”

The demographic face of LVISD is changing, and changing rapidly. In school year 2006-07, only 43 Economically Disadvantaged students District-wide were tested in science. In 2007-08, that number was 70. Those numbers don’t tell the whole story, though, because not all grade levels are tested in science. In fact, all grade levels are not tested at all – no grade levels below third are tested on TAKS and the senior class (grade 12) is not tested separately. All grade levels tested do take the Reading and Mathematics test. In those areas, the number of Economically Disadvantaged students jumped from 128 tested last year to 182 tested this spring. This school year, the overall Economically Disadvantaged numbers are 32.36% at Lago Vista Elementary School, 31.11% at Middle School, and 19.35% at High School. According to Dr. Qualls, the educational challenges that these changing demographics present includes the need for more aggressive early childhood intervention, enrichment opportunities at all grade levels, and support for families struggling with economic difficulties. See the summary here or get detailed reports at the Texas Education Agency website.

Barbara Qualls, PhD – Superintendent, LVISD
July 31, 2008

On July 10, 11, and 14, Lago Vista ISD teachers, aides, administrators, and substitute teachers added their fingerprints to the vast federal data bank maintained by various law enforcement agencies. Although Senate Bill 9 required the fingerprinting, LVISD has had a thorough background check program in place for many years. Background checks with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) have been performed on all new hires, substitutes, and volunteers. A few years ago, as volunteers and others were checked through the DPS system, increasing incidents of DUI convictions, felony arrests, and other items led the District to the create a more systematic set of guidelines for volunteers. There are currently three levels of volunteer service: day-to-day campus activities, field trips or other off-campus activities, and overnight trips. Each level has progressively more stringent requirements. At the lowest level, there can be no convictions or deferred prosecutions for any type of violence, drug use within the last 10 years, no convictions or deferred prosecutions for any type of sexual misconduct or for any crime against a child. Happily, it is a rare occurrence when a volunteer is not in compliance with the Guidelines. Volunteers are required to submit to a DPS name-based criminal history check before providing services. They are not required to submit fingerprints.

Senate Bill 9 and the fingerprinting program will add another layer of security for the safety and of all Texas school children. Austin ISD was one of the first districts selected to implement the required fingerprinting. It was chosen, in part, as a test case to work through problems in the fingerprint gathering and also to allow an opportunity to work through the problems of release that accompany the amassing of information as sensitive but also as important as the criminal background history of people who work with Texas school kids. TEA and SBEC (State Board for Educator Certification) worked through as many procedural and software problems as could be identified, but there were still legal challenges concerning the public release of the results of the fingerprint analysis. At the current time, Attorney General Greg Abbott has issued an opinion that shields the information on individual educators but allows ‘summary’ information to be released.

In Lago Vista, employees were required to register online for a FastPass – a document that contains rudimentary demographic data and establishes the person named as one who needs to be fingerprinted as a requirement through Senate Bill 9. One early point of confusion was about just that question: Who must be fingerprinted and who will the State of Texas pay for? The answer is that anyone whose employment requires certification through SBEC is to be fingerprinted plus substitute teachers. The initial fingerprinting of all current SBEC certification holders is financed by the State, but substitute teachers’ fingerprint fees were not subsidized. Because LVISD highly values its substitute teacher roster and would like to see it expand, the District paid for the fingerprinting of LVISD substitutes who had successfully worked in the District recently. As new educators enter the system and acquire SBEC certification, fingerprinting is part of the process required to get the initial certification. Therefore, it shouldn’t be necessary to have a widespread fingerprinting administration done again.

The new database is more extensive than the one previously utilized. For example, someone with an out-of-state criminal history is instantly flagged now where formerly a special request for national checks was needed.

In compliance with the new fingerprinting requirements of Senate Bill 9, the Guidelines for Volunteers, the DPS checks and the campus-based Raptor identification system, LVISD has taken a firm stand on student safety.

Barbara Qualls, PhD – Superintendent, LVISD
July 21, 2008

A few weeks ago, an article ran in the Austin American-Statesman that explored some aspects of a new requirement for the uniform calculation of GPA (Grade Point Average) for Texas high school students. That law, authored by Representative Jeanie Morrison (R-Victoria) has been under consideration by the Texas Legislature for several years and is a by-product of an earlier rule related to GPA – the so-called Top 10% Rule. At the present time, a student whose class ranking during his senior year in high school is in the top ten percent has automatic admission to Texas public universities. The initial intent of the Top 10% Rule was to expand diversity and allow opportunities for admission to traditionally under-represented groups of students. The practical reality, though, was that many deserving students were denied admission to some of the flagship schools in the state university system, such as Texas A&M and the University of Texas. Lago Vista High School students certainly fall in the area of students adversely affected by the Top Ten % Rule. With a typical graduating class size of around 85 students, only 8.5 LVHS kids would ‘qualify’ for automatic admission. In one attempt to address that inequity, the concept of a uniform GPA calculation was presented. While that may begin to address the inequity problem, it doesn’t come close to solving it. In fact, the uniform GPA ‘solution’ may create more confusion than currently exists.

Under current practice, individual schools establish policies for GPA calculation based on community values, including whether and how much weight to assign to advanced courses and whether or how to incorporate elective course grades. Other issues that impact calculation include courses taken in middle school, dual and concurrent college class courses, online courses, local credit courses, non-academic courses, summer school courses, credit-by-examination courses, and all the different ways that transfer students introduce other courses into the mix. Transfer students would include out-of-state schools, charter schools, and home schools, private schools – each of which may or may not be accredited according to Texas Education Agency standards. Clearly, the problem is a complex one.

Most students select their courses with several goals in mind: satisfying graduation requirements, adequate preparation for college entrance exams and for success at their desired colleges, preparation for post-high school goals, personal interests, but also to maximize their class ranking. That last reason may influence some students to select a very rigorous academic schedule in order to get the most value from a weighted grade system. If the new uniform GPA calculation does not mirror that assumption, a student who has taken very challenging classes may find that their formerly high class ranking is in jeopardy. The Commissioner of Higher Education, Dr. Raymund Paredes, is concerned about the potential harm and confusion that could occur if the new uniform calculation is implemented in the fall of 2008, as is currently expected. As of now, there has been no uniform calculation formula proposed, so schools are preparing for the 2008-09 school year using the various calculation methods that each has been using in the past.

Commissioner Paredes has appealed to the Texas Attorney General for an opinion on whether the new uniform GPA calculation requirement may be in conflict with the Texas constitutional prohibition of retroactive law. He also has expressed concern that because a new GPA calculation method will push some students out of the Top 10% for automatic college admission, there will be extensive legal challenge. Paredes hopes to work with legislators to push implementation of the uniform GPA calculation to school year 2012. In that effort, we wish Commissioner Paredes much success.

Barbara Qualls, Ph.D. - Superintendent, LVISD
July 17, 2008

This spring, Texas schools participated in a large-scale assessment that is the first of its kind in the country – a comprehensive measurement of students’ physical fitness. During this first year of implementation, the data may not be totally accurate but significant trends are discernable. The state’s press release as well as district-by-grade level data is available on the TEA website. Statewide, the results revealed that elementary students are generally more fit than their older counterparts. Over 2.5 million students were assessed, which constitutes a return rate of 83.66% of school districts and 70.32% of campuses. The number of participating students decreases with age and boys generally participate at higher levels than girls, although from grades 3-8 girls’ performance scales are slightly better than boys.

The assessment is a result of Senate Bill 350, sponsored by long-time advocate of student health issues, Senator Jane Nelson. The bill was co-sponsored in the Texas House by Representative Rob Eissler. The five components of SB 530 are:

Annually assess the physical fitness of students enrolled in grades three through 12

Adopt as assessment instruction to be used by school districts

Compile the results of the physical fitness assessment captured by school districts and provide summary results to the Texas Education Agency (TEA)

Analyze the results received for each school district to determine whether a relationship exists between student academic achievement, attendance, obesity, disciplinary problems, and school meal programs

Provide a report to the legislature no later than September 1, 2008

The first three components of SB 350 have been realized. The correlation of the fitness study results to other factors in currently in the process of being completed. The assessment is called FITNESSGRAM – and is the product of work performed by the Cooper Institute of Dallas. There are six parts to the assessment: aerobic capacity measured through PACER (Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run), body composition measured through a skin fold test or calculation of body/mass index, muscular strength and endurance measured through curl ups, trunk lifts, and push-ups, and finally, flexibility, measured through back-saver sit and reach or shoulder stretch.

Results for LVISD students in one respect mirror state results – declining HFZ (Healthy Fitness Zone) with age. However, a smaller proportion of older LVISD students participated in the study so that it is possible that the results are not indicative of total student fitness.

Physical fitness has many rewards and absence of fitness likewise has penalties. The Texas Comptroller has estimated that $3.3 billion was lost in 2005 on expenditures such as disability coverage, absenteeism, and healthcare. In recognition of the need for learning good fitness habits early, LVISD several years ago added a second full-time PE teacher position to the LVES campus and added a separate PE teacher position at LVMS. Next school year (2008-09), a second PE teacher position will be in place at Lago Vista Middle School to accommodate the increase in required physical education time for students enrolled in grades six through eight. A large percentage of LVISD secondary students participate in competitive athletics. For the last six years, the LVISD athletic program has required strength and conditioning training on a year-round basis. This summer, participation in the various Viking Camps has been strong.

The FITNESSGRAM is expected to yield significant data in helping state and local educators effectively blend physical fitness and student overall performance. It is important to note that in this initial year of operation, no state funding was spent on the fitness assessment. Approximately $2.5 million in private donations was collected to purchase software, develop assessments, and provide training. Local district staff administered the assessments.

Barbara Qualls, Ph.D. - Superintendent, LVISD
July 10, 2008

One of the many advantages of living in the Central Texas corridor is that nearby Austin and San Antonio are frequently the sites of national or even international professional organization meetings. Last week, the 2008 National Educational Computing Conference took place in San Antonio, with several LVISD staff members attending. Teachers and administrators got to see up close hundreds of new tech devices and learn new ways to use equipment that may be considered ‘old hat’ by some. One of the most exciting new pieces of equipment is the Promethean Board.

It looks deceptively simple—somewhat like an ordinary white board—but outside appearance is where the similarity ends. The Promethean Board is connected to a teacher’s computer but also has intuitive capacity for teacher’s demonstrations. In addition, small handheld remote controls can be distributed to students for immediate response to questions. With that capability, a teacher can see immediately how many students have grasped a particular concept. The individual student answering devices also promote all students to answer independently. LVISD staff members were so impressed with the Promethean Boards that a representative was invited to Lago Vista a few days later to demonstrate the capacity of the Board to those staff members who were unable to attend the conference.

Approximately 400 vendors displayed their products at the conference, held in the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in downtown San Antonio. An estimated 18,000 educators from all across the country attended and had opportunity to participate in learning sessions, examine exhibitors’ products, and meet with other educators in ‘focus lounges’ – where idea and method exchanges can take place. The LV High School staff that attended concentrated their efforts on iPods and ways to incorporate podcasts into a teacher’s repertoire. The LV Elementary staff members were most enthusiastic about the Promethean Boards and the options for use at varying developmental stages. LVISD’s new Instruction Technology officer, Peggy Matthews, participated in several days of the conference and came back energized with ideas, including ways to use Nintendo DS in the classroom.

Over the past few years, LVISD teachers have incorporated a number of technological features. For example, student grades, attendance, and disciplinary records are all kept electronically. Parents can access their child’s grades and see how academic progress is going and also see whether or not their child has work not turned in. Most teachers have mastered the use of PowerPoint for some instructional presentations and several regularly utilize video and student-produced electronics for assignments. Each teacher has access to the material to construct a homepage for posting course syllabi, news, upcoming tests, and any other material that may be appropriate for communicating their classroom expectations. The District website is currently housed by netStartClass but we are in the process of upgrading to netStartEnterprise which will give more flexibility, capacity, and a new ‘look’ to the posted material. In addition, the District email facility, FirstClass, has many facets beyond simple email that allow interactive posting and sharing of files. Although there hasn’t yet been an emergency to test its use, LVISD is a subscriber to FlashAlert and FlashNews – a method for instantaneous release of emergency information via email or by robocalls. FlashAlert is used to notify parents of school closings or other emergencies. If you have not enrolled yet, please go to the Parent Information page of the LVISD website or click here and subscribe.

We are planning more and better use of technology in the instructional setting for school year 2008-09. The opportunity to participate in the National Educational Computing Conference was an awesome experience for the LVISD staff – we can’t wait to share it with everybody in August!

Barbara Qualls, Ph.D. - Superintendent, LVISD
July 2, 2008

School people are always surprised when parents and other citizens ask: “What do you do all summer?” For many of us, summer is an important time to accomplish three essential tasks: tie up the loose ends from the previous year, lay the groundwork for the upcoming year, and engage in renewal activities such as continuing education conferences. Summer 2008 is no exception to those tasks. Even though we just recently completed the previous year, all school administrators have already had opportunities to attend and participate in a variety of professional development activities ranging from school reform to governance. The ‘loose ends’ include completion of grades and report cards, checking in hundreds of textbooks, and completing building maintenance tasks that are best done without students in the buildings. Every morning, there are various sports camps in progress. Cheer Camp will be July 21-24. Softball Camp was last week (June 17-19), Volleyball Camp is coming soon (July 7-10), and Viking Strength and Conditioning Camp is ongoing all summer (June 9-July 24). In addition, a series of Viking football activities take place, including “Air It Out” and “Lineman Challenge” on July 25. Click here for information about the many summer opportunities for physical activities.

The most important of the many summer tasks is planning for the upcoming school year. Recently, LVISD administrative staff utilized a full day in planning for the most effective incorporation of the skills of two new positions: Secondary Literacy Coach and Instructional Technology Coordinator. The ‘new’ Literacy Coach is a well-known LVISD teacher, Mrs. Randenne Kelley. Mrs. Kelley is trained in the Strategic Instruction Model (SIM) and will be sharing how to use it with High School and Middle School teachers. The end result should be improved instruction for all students, but especially a stronger safety net for those students who do not respond well to traditional instruction. Even though she is preparing for her new responsibilities, Mrs. Kelley is also teaching summer school at Lago Vista Middle School. In addition, another new position for assisting students with developmental language challenges will be instituted at LVMS and LVHS.

The position of Instructional Technology Coordinator is another new one for LVISD. As technological advances and equipment acquisition increase, more staff is needed to use it well and help teachers get the most efficient use from technology. Peggy Matthews is already on the job and has provided a great deal of information concerning possible hardware purchases and evaluation of software. Several days of teacher training over the 2008-09 school year will be devoted to the use of technology in the instructional process – including pod casts, updated and interactive teacher webpages, and other innovations. Mrs. Matthews has a series of exciting and useful programs in the planning stages.

At each campus, principals are busy working through kinks in the scheduling process. Special challenges exist at each campus related to available space, lunchroom time and availability, and use of crossover teachers. Relatively small schools like Lago Vista Middle School and Lago Vista High School have special challenges working with ‘singleton’ classes. Those are courses that only have enough students interested in them to offer one time per day. Since there are a limited number of available time periods, it is inevitable that conflicts between singletons arise. The schedulers work very hard to eliminate as many conflicts as possible, but it is still likely that not all students will be scheduled in exactly the classes they would prefer. Opportunities to review and adjust schedules will take place before the beginning of school. We hope that the remainder of your summer is happy and safe!

Barbara Qualls, Ph.D. - Superintendent, LVISD
June 22, 2008

LVISD is in the first steps of planning a program that offers promise in helping students make better decisions about the use of illegal drugs. While we believe that most of our students have good information about the dangers of illegal drug use and that most of them make good decisions, it is a reality of our society that illegal drugs are part of the exposure that makes up the complex life of our students. By adopting the program, the District desires to:

1. provide for the health and safety of all students,
2. undermine the effects of peer pressure by providing a legitimate reason for students to refuse to use illegal drugs,
3. deter students from using drugs,
4. prevent injury or harm to students that may arise as a result of drug use, and
5. to provide resources for support and assistance to any student who may be using illegal drugs.

LVISD staff created a rough draft proposal for a drug-testing program that, if all target dates were met, would be implemented in the early part of the fall semester but not before the beginning of school. There are several areas in the proposal where additional material and detail must be provided. To that end, on July 1, LVISD will host a public meeting for parents and any others interested, where the proposal will be discussed. It would be helpful if those who may wish to participate will read the proposal and come to the July 1 meeting with comments and questions.

Schools in our central Texas area are generally split on the issue of whether to drug test or not. While there are many schools that do have drug-testing programs, our immediate neighboring schools generally have not done so. Most often, drug-testing programs are limited to students in extracurricular activities. The Texas University Interscholastic League (UIL) is the organization that provides regulations for much of public school competition, but there are some popular activities not under the umbrella of the UIL. The LVISD proposal includes all students grades 7-12 who participate in a competitive activity, including all UIL activities, but also including those competitive activities not governed by UIL.

The LVISD draft proposal recognizes that students need to be provided with strategies for making good decisions but that they also may need help and intervention in order to sustain good decision-making. In addition to the July 1 meeting, the following dates are important in the development of the LVISD program:

• July 14, 7:00 PM, Viking Hall - Board meeting for tentative approval (consideration);
• July & August – vendors researched and selected with information from vendor incorporated into proposal, detailed timelines added, forms and documentation determined;
• September 8, 7:00 PM, Viking Hall – parent and student orientation meeting. This will be an opportunity for final consideration of concerns or changes in program.
• In late September or early October, the implementation of the program should be in place.

There are a number of procedural considerations that LVISD is working through in the development of a student drug-testing program. These include discussions with parents and teachers, as well as the Lago Vista Police Department, about the extent of drug use in the community. Legal counsel will assist in approval of the final policy. Support and assistance from the entire community will be necessary for a drug-testing program to be successful. In addition, an advisory task force will be formed to help in monitoring implementation and providing guidance for improvement. We hope that all interested people will join us on July 1 to discuss this very important topic.

Judi Flores, Librarian - LVES, and
Heather Stoner, Primary Principal - LVES
June 12, 2008


Summertime brings the opportunity to spend time with family and take some time to relax and recuperate. Summer is also a great time to clean out all those places you stuck things during the school year because you didn’t have time to find a place for them! While you are cleaning out your bookshelves, closets, and attics, please be sure to put aside all of your gently read children’s books to bring up to our first annual Summer Book Drive! We will happily take any book that is appropriate for students between the ages of 5 and 11 to read. That includes board books, picture books, and even chapter books for our older readers. These books will be handed out to our students who are in need of reading material in the summer. It is our hope that providing our students with books will help keep their reading skills from regressing during the summer. The only “summer dips” we want our students to have this summer is in the swimming pool, not in their reading ability! So, when you do your summer cleaning please save those gently read books and bring them to the elementary school. The Lago Vista Elementary School office is open Monday – Thursday, from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm, through Thursday, July 17. If you have questions, please be sure to give the office a call at 267-8340.

Another exciting first for Lago Vista Elementary School is our summer library program. This summer, our library will be open for checking out books to all of our current LVES students. The library will be open once a week, every Thursday, from 11:00 am – 7:00 pm, from June 12 – July 24 and on August 7 and 14. Our librarian, Judi Flores, has planned lots of fun, neat activities to keep kids excited about reading during the summer months. One activity for students to participate in is a Weekly Reading Contest. If students read or are read to at least 15 minutes a day (for students entering PK through 1st grades), 20 minutes a day (for students entering 2nd and 3rd grades) and 30 minutes a day (for students entering 4th and 5th grades) they can earn prizes. Come by and pick up a reading log next Thursday and get more information on this event. Another activity for students in grades 3 through 5 is the opportunity to get a head start on the new Bluebonnet Books. There are twenty nominated books for the 2008-2009 Texas Bluebonnet Book program. Some of the titles include Atheron: The House of Power, by Patrick Carman; The Middle of Somewhere, by J.B. Cheaney; Tall Tales, by Karen Day; Comet, Star, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings, by Douglas Florian; Toys Go Out: Being the Adventures of a Knowledgeable Stingray, a Tough Little Buffalo, and Someone Called Plastic, by Emily Jenkins; and many more. The library will also have several new books on the shelves this summer. Just before school let out, Mrs. Flores got in many new graphic novels, such as the newest Jimmy Sniffles series and the new Jake Maddox books. Also, just in are some new non-fiction books full of great pictures of volcanoes, earthquakes, and photosynthesis! There are also books on tape for those long car trips! There are many reasons why you and your child should visit the library this summer. Above all, make sure your child is reading or being read to on a daily basis! You can give Mrs. Flores a call on Thursdays from 11:00 am – 7:00 pm at 267-8370 if you need more information.

Barbara Qualls, PhD – Superintendent, LVISD
June 9, 2008

Last week marked an annual rite of passage for literally hundreds of LVISD students as they graduated and promoted – from elementary school to middle school, middle school to high school, and high school to the wide world beyond ‘required’ school. The fifth graders, who are looking toward Lago Vista Middle School in August, are beginning a seven year adventure as secondary students where new experiences will be an almost daily event. Eighth graders who are now officially high school students will embark on four of the most fun-filled and memory-filled periods of their lives. All of us at LVISD wish each adventurer/scholar the very best that life has to offer and are grateful for the opportunity to share.

The 2008 LVHS graduates who are the recipients of special scholarship funding have received more than a gift of dollars – they have been entrusted with an investment in the future. We are thankful to the many area businesses, civic organizations, and foundations that support our graduates through scholarship funding. These include the following:

Lago Vista Rotary Club

who presented scholarships to

Ashley Adams, Kayla Currie, Corey Hendrix, and Brooke Walker,

the Lago Vista Women’s Club

Panida Allers, Amanda Ambrose, Courtney Cantu, Katelyn Holleyman, Erica Hollingsworth, Lindsay Jackson, Elizabeth Joslin, Jennifer Kunze, Danielle Richter, Rebecca Roque, Leah Sneed, and Brooke Walker).

The Lago Vista Lions Club recognized

Amanda Ambrose and Rosvel Alvarado.

The Point Venture Women’s Golf Association presented scholarships to

Lindsay Jackson and Kayla Currie.

The Point Venture Lions Club recognized

Xavier Allred and Katelyn Holleyman

.

The LV Chamber of Commerce presented scholarships to

Rebecca Raines and Brooke Walker.

Super S recognized

Ryan Monahan.

Lago Vista Athletic scholarships went to

Amanda Ambrose, Katelyn Holleyman, Jenny Kunze, Brooke Walker, and Alex Murphy.

Students who have excelled in UIL activities and received UIL scholarships are

Xavier Allred, Paige Cline, Ryan Monahan, Nikolette Moreau, and Rebecca Strohacker.

The LVHS Career and Technology Scholarship was awarded to

Brandon Becker

.

The Theron Rose Memorial Scholarship was presented to

Ryan Monahan

;

the Rooster Andrews Memorial Scholarship was presented to

Patrick Delahoussaye and Brooke Walker

.

The Rhett Butler Memorial Scholarship was awarded to

Corey Hendrix.

St. Mary Our Lady of the Lake recognized three students with scholarships

:

Ryan Baranek, Priscilla Sanchez, and Lindsay Jackson.

The annual Pedernales Electric Cooperative scholarship was awarded to

Tony Foianini.

A new scholarship from Domino’s Pizza was awarded to

Nikolette Moreau

.

The Girl Scouts of Central Texas Founders Scholarship was awarded to

Erica Hollingsworth

.

The Austin Community College Connection Scholarship was awarded to

Kayla Currie.

In addition, many students received scholarships from their colleges for academic achievement through class ranking and exceptional SAT/ACT scores and others received athletic or other performance-based university scholarships. Most of the athletic scholarship winners also received academic awards in connection with the athletic scholarships.

While this list of names and awards is important to each individual student mentioned and to their family, it is also important to our community to see that in a class of just 84 young scholars, a large proportion of them are high achievers and have been recognized for that achievement. Thank you to the organizations that work with our kids every year to distribute thousands of dollars of assistance. In addition to the contributing organizations, LVHS counselor Cindy Slaughter works tirelessly with all seniors and their parents to maximize their college experience. LVISD Director of Athletics Alan Haire works with each college-bound athlete to utilize their athletic ability at the college level. Thank you to all the LVISD staff who created the nurturing atmosphere that has launched this latest class of scholars into the next great adventure of their lives.

Barbara Qualls, PhD – Superintendent, LVISD
June 2, 2008

Last week, I had the opportunity to be on site at the launch of a new educational transformation initiative, the E³ Alliance – The Blueprint for Educational Change. The Alliance is a large-scale cooperative effort between education and business in the Central Texas region. The name of the organization is shorthand for Education Equals Economics—E³ Alliance. The Alliance’s slogan is Because Graduates are Made. Not Born. The event took place at the Erwin Center on the UT campus. It was noted that in just a few days, many area high schools would be using the Erwin Center for their graduation ceremonies. The most memorable part of the program was a spotlight moving over vast areas of empty seats, which symbolized the large number of people in Central Texas who were not part of a high school graduation ceremony. While Lago Vista ISD enjoys a very high rate of student high school completion, that is not true across the economic area of which we are a part. The Blueprint for Educational Change is a fluid document that represents the effort of many area school superintendents, the Region Service Center, staff from the University of Texas as well as business support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, and Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, Austin Community College, and all area colleges and universities.

The four major goals of the Alliance are simple to articulate but quite complex to execute. Goal 1 is that children will enter kindergarten school-ready. Goal 2 is that Central Texas will eliminate the achievement gap while improving overall student performance. Goal 3 is that students will graduate from high school college-and-career ready and prepared for a lifetime of learning. Goal 4 is that Central Texas, as a community, will prepare children to succeed.

While all these goals are important, I would like to concentrate on the third goal of preparedness. The Action Strategies identified by the Alliance are to define college and career readiness standards, develop programs to simplify high school to college transitions, expand higher education capacity in the Central Texas region, develop/promote industry collaboration to link core subjects and skills to careers, identify business skills and high need occupations to students, and systematize emerging best practices in high school redesign. The Blueprint notes that today’s economic world is very different from that of our parents. Not long ago, it was possible to get a good job and earn a livable wage without a high school diploma. It is estimated that today, 90% of jobs in the fastest-growing segment of business require education beyond high school and that more than 80% of new careers created within the next decade will require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. Those statistics were generated by a major study on high school completion, The Silent Epidemic: Perspectives of High School Dropouts (Bridgeland and Morison), which serves as a basis for much of the strategic planning in Goal 3 of the Blueprint. For a student to be prepared for college or career, he/she should graduate from high school having completed, at a minimum, the RHSP (Recommended High School Plan), which is the default for LVHS students.

As we in Lago Vista send another group of LVHS graduates on to their next life phase, we are very proud to have played a role in helping prepare them for that phase and are committed to improving the process. It is hoped that the effort of the E³ Alliance will help in making all Central Texas high school students more prepared for the next phase of their lives.


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