insiderVol. 17 • No. 9February 28, 2018

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The halls of Jefferson High School hold so much history. Since opening its doors in 1932, Jefferson has graduated a large number of movers and shakers including politicians, academics, and sports icons. In addition to the campus appearing in two Hollywood films, the school has also been featured in national publications including Life and National Geographic. And as of Feb. 18, 2018, Jefferson has something else to be proud of – the high school has been recognized as only one of two SAISD schools to offer the prestigious International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP). “We strongly believe that the International Baccalaureate Diploma

Programme at Thomas Jefferson High School will provide students with a rigorous, comprehensive curriculum that takes the whole student into account, within a principled community, so that they can then become successful global citizens,” said Jefferson Principal Orlando Vera.The IB program is an internationally respected college-prep curriculum that

aims to help students develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills to live, learn, and work in a global world. Jefferson joins a community of more than 900 Diploma Programme schools in the United States, and only about 70 in Texas.“I am extremely excited that Jefferson is now an authorized IB World School

because I know the Diploma Programme will open up many more opportunities for our students,” said David Garcia, IB Diploma Programme coordinator at Jefferson. “I believe we are offering our students the most stable foundation for success not only in high school but also for college.”

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Jefferson HS achieves International Baccalaureate World School status

The International Baccalaureate (IB) World School banner hangs on the entryway to Jefferson HS.

Three outstanding educators were selected Feb. 22 as SAISD’s 2018 Distinguished Teachers of the Year.They are Andrea Greimel, bilingual

pre-kindergarten teacher, Carvajal Early Childhood Education Center; Adriana Abundis, 8th-grade mathematics teacher at Irving Middle School; and Michelle Grajeda, dual-credit, Advanced Placement English teacher at Young Women’s Leadership Academy. They will now be considered as nominees for a variety of outside honors.The educators were selected earlier

this year from a group of 91 teachers who were named Teachers of the Year for their school. Each school’s Teacher of the Year was selected by a vote of his or her peers. All had the opportunity to submit a written application for SAISD Distinguished Teacher of the Year, one each of which was selected for the elementary, middle and high school levels from a pool of outstanding candidates.

Andrea Greimel, Adriana Abundis and Michelle Grajeda were named the District’s 2018 Distinguished Teachers of the Year.

Distinguished Teachers of the Year selected

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insider February 28, 2018

Business, education leaders gather for State of the DistrictOn Feb. 16, 2018, in the historic

Pearl Stable, San Antonio ISD Superintendent Pedro Martinez compelled a crowd of more than 300 business, education and government leaders to stand together as a community and support San Antonio’s children during his 2018 State of the District address.“We are in the initial stages of a

transformation in our district,” he said. “We are setting this goal of becoming a modern urban school district, and we are obsessed with making sure our children are prepared for the best options possible for their future. If we work with our community, if we work with the parents, it is amazing what

our children will show us.”The event, co-hosted by the SAISD

Foundation, the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, and the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, marked Martinez’s third time on stage as he celebrated the District’s accomplishments and addressed the issues the District faces as an urban-serving institution. “He (Martinez) has brought a laser-

focus on improving our academic achievement and inspiring our graduates to greater heights,” said Ramiro Cavazos, president and chief executive officer of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Superintendent Pedro Martinez speaks to a full house at the Pearl Stable during his third State of the District.

Students from Twain Dual Language Academy, the District’s first 100 percent dual language school, showed off their language skills as they presented the Pledge of Allegiance in both English and Spanish before Superintendent Pedro Martinez took the stage.

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Sam Houston tuba player best in state Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) auditions for the All-State bands

took place Feb. 17 and Sam Houston HS senior Joel Rupard placed first chair in the tuba section. With this placement, Rupard is the best tuba player in the 5A classification in the State of Texas.“Joel is a very humble young man that we have had the pleasure of teaching,”

said Sam Houston HS Director of Bands Bruce Adams. “It has been truly a blessing to have been his director for the past four years. Mrs. Hughes (assistant director of bands) and I are truly blessed to have had a student such as Joel. He is a role model student, ranked in this year’s top 10 graduating senior class, and a solid leader in the Sam Houston Band Program.”Rupard received a music scholarship to Florida A&M University next year

where he plans to study music.

Joel Rupard, Sam Houston HS senior, and his mother, Shanell Rupard.

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insider February 28, 2018

All District JROTCs pass accreditationEvery one of the SAISD JROTC programs that participated in the 2018

accreditation process passed with flying colors. The District JROTC Office/Headquarters received a perfect score of 100 percent, and the other schools’ scores ranged from 94 to 99 out of 100. Brackenridge High Eagle Battalion, Burbank High Bulldog Battalion, Edison High Golden Bear Battalion, Highlands High Highlander Battalion, Houston High Hurricane Battalion, and Jefferson High Mustang Battalion were designated Honor Units with distinction, and Lanier High Vok Battalion was designated proficient.“I am extremely proud of our students, teachers and district staff,” said Jerry

Cheatom, SAISD director of Army instruction. “The planning process for this began in August 2016, and the cadets and staff worked all summer and up to the final day prior to the accreditation. I am so glad that I am allowed to serve the team and personally experience the transformations of our students developing into leaders, scholars, and better citizens.” Additionally, SAISD JROTC schools competed in the Fifth Brigade Drill

Championship Jan. 6. Only the top twelve schools advanced to the U.S. Army Cadet Command JROTC National Drill Championships. For the second consecutive year, Brackenridge, Jefferson, and Highlands High Schools will move forward and compete in the Army National Championship on April 14, 2018, in Louisville, KY.

Kudos

Academic Decathlon fares well at stateOn Feb. 22, the Sam Houston HS Academic Decathlon team, Region IV

winners among medium schools, received a grand send-off from classmates and special guests including the Spurs Coyote, the school drum line, cheerleaders, and Superintendent Pedro Martinez as they headed off to the state academic decathlon competition held Feb. 22-25 in Frisco, Texas. The team came home with five State Academic Decathlon medals. Senior Miguel Esparza (left) placed first in social studies, second in literature, and second in art history; Junior Sophie Zertuche (center) placed third in essay writing, and Junior Jerry Hernandez (right) placed third in interview.

Choudhury receives national recognitionMohammed Choudhury, SAISD chief

innovation officer, has been selected by Education Week and is profiled in the 2018 edition of Leaders To Learn From. The online newspaper, which covers K–12 education, publishes the annual special report that spotlights innovative school district leaders around the nation.“I am humbled to be named an

Education Week Leader to Learn From,” said Choudhury. “This honor, to me, serves as further reflection of the collective work that our educators, school leaders, students, and families have put into their public schools.”Choudhury was selected by

Education Week editors from a pool of hundreds of nominees from readers, staff reporters and other education writers, state school administrator groups, and experts in the K-12 field.Read Choudhury’s profile here.

The Brackenridge JROTC Battalion staff presented their slides during the JROTC Program of Accreditation to the U.S. Army Cadet Command Staff Merl Fuchs and Johnee Carr, and campus Administrator Blanca Rojas.

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Board of Trustees

Patti Radle, PresidentArthur V. Valdez, Vice PresidentDebra Guerrero, SecretaryEd Garza, TrusteeJames Howard, TrusteeSteve Lecholop, TrusteeChristina Martinez, Trustee

Superintendent

Pedro Martinez

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insider is intellectual property of SAISD. Content may be reproduced upon permission and with proper attribution.The San Antonio Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law.

San Antonio Independent School District141 Lavaca St.San Antonio, TX 78210 Page 4

February 28, 2018

Happeningsinsider

SanAntonioIndependentSchoolDistrict141LavacaSt.SanAntonio,TX78210phone:554-2250 Page 2

Board of TrusteesPatti Radle, PresidentArthur V. Valdez, Vice PresidentDebra Guerrero, SecretaryEd Garza, TrusteeJames Howard, TrusteeSteve Lecholop, TrusteeChristina Martinez, Trustee

Superintendent Pedro Martinez

Produced by The Communications Departmentinsider is the intellectual property of SAISD. Content may be reproduced upon permission and with proper attribution.

The San Antonio Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law.

Talented SAISD students excel in academics, design and music StartingtheNewYearoffonahighnotearesomeofthefollowing.

Battle of the brains champs HeadedbacktotheTexasAcademicDecathlonisSamHoustonHS. TheteamqualifiedforstatebasedonperformanceattheRegionIVcontest.AlsocompetingfromtheDistrictwereAdvancedLearningAcademy,Brackenridge,Burbank,Edison,FoxTech,Highlands,Jefferson,Lanier,TravisandYWLA.

TheSAISDteamscompetedagainstotherRegionIVmediumschoolssuchasBoerneChampionandAlamoHeightshighschools. SamHoustonplacedfirstoverallinadditiontotakingtophonorsintheteamSuperQuiz. AlsorankingwereTraviscominginfourth,LaniercominginfifthandBurbank

cominginsixth.YWLAtooksecondintheteamSuperQuiz.Individualstudentsalsoearnedmedals. ThisistheseventhtimeinnineyearsthattheHurricaneshavequalifiedforthestatemeet,whichwillbeheldFeb.22-25inFrisco.

Coloring book creations StudentsfromCASTTechHighSchoolarehelpingtobrightenthehospitalstaysofyoungpatientsbycreatingcoloringbooks

designedwithinputfrompatientsattheChildren’sHospitalofSanAntonio. OnJan.24,studentspresentedtohospitalstafftwoprofessionallypublishedversionstheycreatedforthechildren-oneforprimaryagesandtheotherforintermediateandadvancedage-levelartists.

TMEA all-state honors Forthesecond-consecutiveyear,BrackenridgetenorsaxophonistErik

GamezhasbeenselectedtoperformataconcertduringtheTexasMusicEducatorsAssociationConvention. JoininghimintheAll-StateBandwillbetubistJoelRupardofSamHoustonHS. SelectiontoperformatTMEAisthehighesthonoraTexasmusicstudentcanreceive. TheconcertwilltakeplaceFeb.17hereinSanAntonio.

Coaches (first row, far left and right, respectively) are Kathleen Sadler and Veronica Marines. Superintendent Pedro Martinez is center, top row.

Working with Erik is Brackenridge band director, Alfonso Alvarado.

CAST Tech students delivered a set of original coloring books they designed and published to the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio.

Sam Houston band director Bruce Adams goes over notes with Joel.

RUN FOREDUCATION RegisteR today!

Saturday, March 3, 2018 Race start: 8 a.m. at Alamo Stadium

Register at www.saisdfoundation.com under events, visityour campus or department coordinator, or call us at: (210) 554-2235

Photos with special guests Health festival with lots of FREE GIVEAWAYS

following the run at Alamo Stadium Chip-timing available $5 registration for SAISD Students (through 1/26) $15 for SAISD Parents and Employees (through 1/26) $25 for Community Members (through 1/26) Schools can win up to $1000

Employees can win individual prizes 100 race medals to be awarded Run Festivities begin at 7:30 a.m.

Tech tees and early registration rates guaranteed through January 26, 2018 when registering with campus or department run coordinators. Funds raised support SAISD campus health, wellness and education programs.

Final EPIC of semesterThe last EPIC series for

the school year is March 3 at Jefferson HS, 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The keynote speaker will be nationally acclaimed educator Dr. Douglas Fisher. His new book “Rigorous Reading in Texas” will be the focus at the EPIC event. The day will consist of conference-style events featuring a keynote address followed by break-out sessions lead by Association for Supervision and Curriculum Devel-opment (ASCD) speakers and district directors. Registration will begin at 9:30.

Energizing robotics Sam Houston HS Robotics Team,

FRC #2969, demonstrated their technology knowledge during a visit from CPS CEO and Sam Houston graduate Paula Gold-Williams and other CPS Energy employees and members of the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE). Starting this spring, members of AABE will begin to mentor the robotic team in the areas of programming, safety, building, electrical and professionalism.

Ride for Readers Saint Mary’s University students

rode their bikes from Saint Mary’s campus to SAISD’s Carvajal Early Childhood Education Center to deliver books as part of the Ride for Reading program. The program was started in San Antonio by St. Mary’s faculty member Stephanie G. Ward, associate chair and chair of management in the Greehey School of Business. For more information about the program, visit www.rideforreading.org.

Saint Mary’s University students drop off books at the Carvajal Early Childhood Education Center.