A PUBLICATION OF PLEASANT GROVE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT Volume 34, No. 14 Fall 2011

Update is published periodical ly for the patrons of Pleasant Grove Independent School Distr ictVolume 34, No. 14Fall 2011

“Denim Day” Supports Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure for Texarkana

Denim Day was held on October 12, 2011 at PGISD. Faculty made a donation to Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure of Texarkana to wear jeans for the day. PGISD raised $643.80. Pictured are Kathy Harp, Middle School Counselor and Terrie Arnold, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure of Texarkana Representative.

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT No. 2 1 7

Texarkana, TX 75503

Board of Trustees Jeff Harris - President

Jay Davis - Vice PresidentMark Addington - Secretary

Billy DeLoachRobert Sheppard

John TidwellKathleen Young

Postal Customer

PleAsAnt Grove InDePenDent school DIstrIct

8500 North Kings Hwy. | Texarkana, TX 75503

Recognizing Alumni...

Jonathan attended Pleasant Grove graduating in 2007. He then graduated from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas in 2011 with a major in Journalism and minor in Sociology. While at the University of Arkansas, he was heavily involved with UATV, the student run TV Network. Jonathan was the station manager his senior year. In the summer between his junior and senior year of college he interned with ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut. After graduation he was offered a full time position with ESPN as an Operations Technician. His job function is to record and edit programming (live games, studio shows, etc.) for re-air on all ESPN networks. He says his love for the television industry stems from those countless hours in PGTV as a high school student under the direction of Charla Harris. Jonathan is the son of Bryan and Paula Weaver.

Jonathan Weaver

PG Newspaper Named Pacemaker FinalistThe Edge newspaper was named a Pacemaker Finalist last month by the National Scholastic Press Association. The Pacemakers will be presented November 18 in Minneapolis at the JEA/NSPA National Convention.

Previously, the Edge has received Silver Crown Awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the other national journalism organization.

Boomerang CarwashDonates $500.00 to PGISD

Pictured is Johnny Fazio with Boomerang Car Wash presenting Grover a check to PGISD for $500.00. Thanks to Boomerang Car Wash for supporting PG not only by donation, but through fundraisers with our school.

Junior AchievementWe would like to thank our Community Partners for helping to make our 8th grade Junior Achievement Program a success this year. All of our students benefit greatly from this program. We could not do it without your help.

Bill Cork TEX-Americas

Mark Damron Stifel Nicholaus

Chuck Sanderson Cross Trail Outfitters

Gene Erwin Guaranty Bond Bank

Jason Wilborn Red River Credit Union

Kayleo Owen Red River Credit Union

Liz Patterson Texas A&M Texarkana & Marlena Hensarling

ExxonMobil Educational Alliance Grant Awarded $500.00 to Pleasant Grove Middle School for the Math and/or Science areas. Fikes Inc., the parent company for Food Fast Exxon Mobil, has one location in Texarkana located at 2505 Richmond Road. (Richmond and I-30) The local Food Fast Exxon Mobil

sponsored the grant awarded to Pleasant Grove Middle School.

We would like to thank Fikes Inc., the local Food Fast Exxon Mobil, and the community for making this grant possible.

Pleasant Grove Middle School Awarded 500.00 Grant

Citizens of the Month

October

Chase Bolton, 1st gradeRachel Hemphill, 4th grade Claire Brazile, 6th gradeBilly DeLoach, Board Member

Nobember

Lauren Hornsby, KindergartenEmily Mowery, 3rd gradeHannah Giffin, 7th gradeLogan Young, 10th gradeJohn Altenbaumer, 11th gradeJohn Tidwell, Board Member

September

Sarah Lynch, 2nd gradeJacob Coon, 8th gradeCaleb Hemphill, 5th gradeSydney Jacobsen, 12th gradeKathleen Young, Board Member

In order to become Citizen of the Month, a student must be nominated by a teacher. All students nominated must have no less than an “A” in conduct, possess good leadership qualities, display a cooperative attitude, and show courtesy to teachers as well as fellow students. The nominee must also represent the district in a positive way to the community.

Teacher Amount

Shanna Griffis $596.00 Kay Coe $720.00 Melinda Shumaker $631.00 Middle School Math Dept. $581.90 Lisa Hurst $103.03 Charla Harris $887.65

Teachers Receive E-Z MART Education GrantsE-Z MART Education Grants were presented to six teachers in the district totaling just over $2000.00.

E-Z Mart has allocated funding for Education Grants to the school systems located in the communities where they operate. The purpose of the E-Z Mart Education Grants are to assist the educator in acquiring the tools necessary to keep the teaching of our children interesting, fun and up to date. The following teachers received grants:

Fall 2011 Volume 34, No. 13

Public Notification of Nondiscriminationin Career and Technology Education1. Pleasant Grove ISD offers career and technology education

programs in Business Education, Family and Consumer Sciences Education, Health Science Technology Education, Marketing Education, Science, and Technology Education/Industrial Technology Education. Admission to these programs is based on successful completion of prerequisite courses.

2. It is the policy of Pleasant Grove ISD not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex or handicap in its vocational programs, services or activities as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

3. It is the policy of Pleasant Grove ISD not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, or age in its employment practices as required by Title VI, of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

4. Pleasant Grove ISD will take steps to assure that lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in all educational and vocational programs.

5. For information about your rights or grievance procedures, contact the Title IX Coordinator, Margaret Davis at 8500 North Kings Highway (903) 831-4086, and/or the Section 504 Coordinator, Sherry Young at 8500 North Kings Highway (903) 831-4086.

TRAHC’s WRITE! On Art - Winners 2011Congratulations to our students and staff who are winners in the TRAHC’s 2011 Write! On Art Competition. The Awards Ceremony will be held on December 1,2011. Listed below are the winners.

7th/8th PoetryCindy Chiang, 7th Grade“What Immigrants Do”

Emily Engstrom, 8th grade“Picnic on the Fourth of July”

Bethany Simmons, 8th grade“Strong, Silver Arms”

7th/8th ProseKaeden Kelso, 8th Grade

“Prayer of the Chief Warrior”

Hannah Rainer, 8th Grade“What I Love”

Hannah Reed, 7th Grade“Chance”

High School ProseNatalie Irwin, 10th Grade

“ Chains”

Jace Ryan, 10th Grade“Torn Fabric and Lost Leaves”

University/Adult ProseArmenia Hawkins, English Teacher Middle School

“Bethany”

Charla Harris received the Trailblazer Award from the Texas Association of Journalism Educators at the state convention in San Antonio Oct. 22, 2011. It’s given annually to journalism teachers/publication advisers who have expanded the scope and capability of high school journalism in Texas.

Pictured are Charla Harris and Scott Winter, a journalism professor at the University of Nebraska.

High School Teacher Receives Trailblazer AwardScience Teacher Attend Institute in Colorado

Laurie Gross, Lori Wilson, Rebecca Young and Leah Poe attended a week long science institute in Silverthorne, Colorado in July that was paid for by American Electric Power Company. The power company sponsored and paid for the airfare, hotel, institute fee, most meals, and gave each teacher $500 in science lab kits that will be used with students during the school year.

Career and Technical Department’sAnnual Business Success SeminarsThe Career and Technical Department hosted the Annual Business Success Seminars on November 21 and 22. The annual event provided students with a glimpse of knowledge and skills needed to be successful in today’s business world. Thank you to all the speakers that participated in this event. The speakers included the following:

Pam Dennington, Education Coordinator, DVP Kelli Ashbrook, State Farm InsuranceAnnette Veal, Dierksen Hospice Carol Giesel, RN, Surgical Services, Christus St. Michaels Sgt Derik Johnson, PFC Mixon, US MarinesThomas McKinney, Director of Blood Services, Christus St. MichaelKristy Whisenhunt, Scott Lilis, Crime Scene InvestigationDerrick McGary, Magness Financial GroupTony Windham, Radiology Technician from Christus St. Michael’s Mark Burgess, Attorney at Law

PTA BounceHouse PartiesPleasant Grove PTA sponsored Bounce House Parties at the Elementary and Intermediate Schools as a reward for meeting their Signature Fundraiser Goal of at least $8,000 in total sales. Both campuses surpassed this goal with the Elementary having over $10,000 in total sales and the Intermediate having over $9,000 in total sales. Special thanks to all the volunteers who helped with the Bounce House Parties, P.E. Coaches, and “Bounce-A-Lot”.

PG RecyclesInk & Toner Cartridges

PG-PTA is proud to coordinate a recycling program that will provide supplemental funds for everyday supply needs.

How can you help? Instead of throwing away your used printer ink or copier toner cartridges… send them to a PG campus to be placed in our “recycled ink & toner” bin!

What will we do with it?For every ten cartridges donated, a PTA Volunteer will return them to STAPLES© and your child’s campus will receive $20 in STAPLES© Rewards! This can really add up and benefit our school district.

Get others involved...Check to see what your Grandparents, relatives, neighbors, friends, and coworkers are doing with their empty ink or toner cartridges. Maybe you work for a business that would contribute empty ink or toner cartridges? Ask around!

Thanks for your support!

Pleasant Grove I n t e r m e d i a t e School XLT centered in on the “L” part of XLT with a leadership unit the past six weeks. Students researched and put together presentations on famous leaders, solved problems leaders face daily in the real-world, and even created recipes that render a good leader. To conclude this unit of study, Josh Davis, a local city councilman spoke to the students about what it means to be a leader in the community. He shared his experiences in a leadership role and let the students try their hand at making decisions as well. Mr. Davis brought a mock city council meeting skit for the

students to perform. Students played parts ranging from the mayor, city councilmen, and director of finance all the way to concerned parents and reporters. Students left the presentation with a deeper understanding of what it means to be a community leader and of the process leaders go through to make good decisions for the community.

Councilman Josh Davis Speaks on Leadership