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TEA Recognized School District

LCISD is a April 2012 www.lcisd.org

LAMARVIEW Highlighting proud traditions and bright futures of Lamar CISD

2012 Principals of the Year!

INSIDE:

Easter Bunny Visit Page 2

Seguin Gives Back Page 7

An “Uplifting” Day at Smith Page 8

Principals of the Year Briscoe Junior High’s Mike Semmler is Lamar Consolidated ISD’s 2012 Secondary Principal of the Year and Velasquez Elementary’s Heather Patterson is the 2012 Elementary Principal of the Year. Both were honored by their peers at a meeting of the District’s administrators. Semmler has been principal at Briscoe since 2006. Prior to taking the helm at Briscoe, Semmler served as an Assistant Principal at Foster High School and Briscoe, as a Technology Trainer for LCISD and as a science teacher at Wessendorff Middle School. Semmler has his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of South Dakota, where he was an All-Conference football player. He also coached for one year at his alma mater. Patterson has been at Velasquez since it opened in 2006, serving as the Assistant Principal before becoming the campus leader in 2010. She taught at Pink and Travis elementary schools prior to entering administration. She has her bachelor’s from Texas Tech University and her master’s from the University of Houston-Victoria. Velasquez is a 2012 National Blue Ribbon School nominee.

The Easter Bunny made his annual visit to Ray Elementary, delivering eggs to the kindergarten students. Mr. Bunny appears each year due to his close friendship with our Superintendent, Dr. Thomas Randle.

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Introducing.......... Mike Rockwood is the new Executive Director of Community Relations for Lamar CISD. Rockwood came to LCISD from Sheldon ISD, where he was the Communication Specialist. Prior to working in school communications, he worked in television, including positions at KIAH in Houston and television stations in Alabama, Alaska, Waco and Bryan. He is a 2004 graduate of Texas A&M University, with a degree in Speech Communications. He is currently working on his master’s in Strategic Public Relations from The George Washington University.

At its regular March meeting, the Lamar CISD Board of Trustees named David Jacobson as the District’s Chief Technology Information Officer. Jacobson has a degree in Mathematics from Northern Illinois University and a master’s degree in Administration and Supervision from the University of Houston. He has 23 years of experience in education, including as a teacher and as an Instructional Technology Specialist in Fort Bend ISD and as an Education Specialist for Instructional Technology for the Region 4 Education Service Center. He has been the Executive Director of Technology, Library Coordinator and Instructional Materials Coordinator at Friendswood ISD since 2006. Jacobson also serves on the Board of Directors of the Texas Computer Education Association.

The good news about Lamar CISD will be spread this summer by Wessendorff counselor Stephanie Potter. During the month of June, Potter will present at the National Innovative Counseling Strategies in Houston and at the National Girl Bullying Conference in Atlanta.

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Tommy Tune Awards

Two Lamar Consolidated ISD high schools received a total of 10 nominations for Theatre Under The Stars’ Tommy Tune Awards. Foster High School’s production of “Li’l Abner” leads the way, with nominations for Best Direction, Best Orchestra, Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design, Best Lighting Design, Best Ensemble/Chorus, Best Support Actress, Best Featured Performer and Best Supporting Actor. George Ranch High School’s production of “Little Shop of Horrors” is nominated for Best Direction. Emily DeForest, who played Mammy Yokum, is the Foster High nominee for Best Supporting Actress. Joey DeAngelis’ portrayal of Pappy Yokum earned him a nomination for Best Featured Performer. John Wilson, who played Maryin’ Sam, is nominated for Best Supporting Actor. The tenth annual Tommy Tune Awards will be held April 17, at 7:30 p.m. in the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Developed by TUTS, the Tommy Tune Awards honor musical theatre excellence at the high school level. Presenters this year will include the first ever Tommy Tune Award Best Leading Actress Stephanie Gibson, who was last seen on Broadway in The Addams Family. To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the award ceremony, the pro-

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gram’s namesake, Tommy Tune, will serve as a presenter. After reviewing and evaluating the 44 participating Houston-area high school productions during the 2011-2012 school year, a team of 32 Houston-based theatre professionals made 154 nominations in 15 categories. An additional committee considered 44 potential scholarship recipients. The Theatre Under The Stars Tommy Tune Awards are named for Houston native and Lamar High School alumnus, Tommy Tune. A performer, director, and choreographer with more than 50 years of stage experience, Tune received nine Tony Awards for his work in the following productions: Seesaw, My One and Only, A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine, Nine, Grand Hotel, and The Will Rogers Follies. He was also awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2003 by President Bush. The Tommy Tune Awards ceremony is open to the general public, and tickets will be available for purchase beginning on April 3. For information on tickets to the 2012 Tommy Tune Awards ceremony, call (713) 558-2600.

High school artists advance to state The works of two Lamar CISD students have advanced to the 2012 Texas Visual Art Scholastic Event (VASE), to be held in Bryan. Terry High School’s Lora Koleva and Foster High School’s Samantha Luxenborg received the coveted invitation after having their art judged in the top 10 percent in the VASE Region 4-West contest. More than 1,300 pieces were entered in the region contest. The Texas Art Education Association (TAEA) has sponsored VASE since 1994. VASE is the only art event of its kind in the nation. Students are provided the opportunity to bring artworks created in their art classes to their regional event where they are interviewed by a certified juror who evaluates their work based on a standard based rubric and their understanding of the art processes involved in the development of their artwork. Only academically eligible high school students in grades 9-12 from throughout Texas can participate in VASE. Medals are awarded to those students receiving a Superior (Rating 4) rating in each division at the regional event and medallions are awarded to those students receiving a Superior (Rating 4) rating at the state event. The “Gold Seal” medallion is the top state award presented to Exemplary works of art chosen by the state jury panel.

Navarro sisters perform at rodeo A sister act from Navarro Middle School earned 2nd place at this year’s Rodeo Rock Star at the 2012 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Zoe and Molly Flores, who call themselves StarFlight when they are one stage, were in the Junior Division competition against five other singing acts. The girls and the other musicians perfomed at the Rodeo, on the Kids Country Stage. The 2nd-place finished earned the sisters $250. The Flores sisters auditioned for the competition with a YouTube video. A popular vote put them in the Top 10, which led to the Preliminary Round. The Preliminary Round and the Final Round were scored by judges with experience in the entertainment industry. Zoe plays guitar, while sister Molly is on drums. StarFlight performed“Dynamite” by Taio Cruz.

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Give your “threads” a second life Common Threads director Jill Duban, George Ranch High School librarian Donna Anderson and George Ranch junior Damon Martin pose with the more than 4,000 t-shirts Martin collected in just two weeks. Martin donated the shirts to Common Threads, Lamar CISD’s clothing recycling program. Common Threads is always gently-used or new clothing, sizes pre-k through xxxl. Common Threads also accepts maternity clothes and monetary donations. Clothing is being accepted through June 3 at all Lamar CISD campuses. Contact Duban at 832-223-0335 to donate, volunteer or for more information about Common Threads.

Foster High’s Marshall wins Inspireum Award Foster High School senior Addison Marshall is the winner of the 2012 High School Inspireum Football Award, given each year to the nation’s most inspirational high school football player. ESPN reporter Jenn Brown served as host for the award presentation, held in Foster High’s Rogers Auditorium. Parade Magazine’s Fred Johnson, former NFL football player Rico McDonald and John Ballatine, founder and CEO of Inspireum were on hand to present Addison with a plaque and his check. The Inspereum Award, formerly known as the Rudy Award, celebrates inspirational young athletes who embody the values of character, courage, contribution and commitment through the sport of football. Recog-

nizing and rewarding these outstanding players inspires other youth to pursue sports as a positive, action-oriented path to self-discipline, leadership, strong academic performance and a healthy lifestyle. Marshall’s fight against Leukemia began when he complained of sore ribs during spring workouts for the Foster Falcon football squad. It was the sub-

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sequent doctor visit that first discovered he was suffering from Leukemia. Since then, Marshall’s fight against the disease and his continued efforts for the Foster football team has been a source of inspiration to his teammates, students at Foster High and children in the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. A national selection committee, along with a fan vote, chose Marshall as the nation’s most inspirational high school football player. The selection committee included Troy Aikman, Drew Bledsoe and Leigh Anne Tuohy, the real mom from “The Blind Side.”

The students of Seguin Elementary have been designing, building and planting for the past three years an outside discovery zone. The project has benefited from funding through L.E.A.F. grants and oversight and guidance, as well as donations from, Major Stevenson and Timothy Sandles of Prairie View A&M Cooperative Agency . The Discovery zone has been divided the area into several different zones. One zone for wildflowers, one zone utilizes the principles of Xeriscaping (using native plants for landscaping which minimizes the water since the plants are adapted to the area) to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. There are several different types of raised beds that the students use to grow herbs, vegetables and fruit. The students have also taken the opportunity to participate in philanthropy. They have experienced the great feeling of donating items from the discovery zone during the summer, fall and spring semester to Helping Hands. Seguin student Noah Rios stated during a recent donation trip to Helping Hands “This feels great to help someone else. I did not know that this place was so big and could feed so many people.” Their philanthropy has benefited their families and community members. Food grown in the garden has been given away to the students’ families and to those in the community surrounding the school.

Out In The Garden

Seguin students compete in Eco-bot 2012 Challenge

On March 3, the Seguin Robotic team competed in the Harris County Education Depart-

ment 2012 Eco-Bot Challenge. The students prepared for the competition for several months before school, during and after school. The robotic team nick named “Turbo” competed in three rounds of missions against students from Houston area schools between grades 4-8th. The missions consisted of six tasks that had to be completed within a two minute time frame.

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Each completed mission the team received points. The students and their sponsors overcame many obstacles just to be able to compete. Despite their lack of experience in the competition objectives the team was recognized for their tenacious efforts with a certificate. Team Turbo would have never been able to compete without the invaluable assistance of Timothy Sandles and Major StevensonPrairie View A&M Cooperative Agency. Seguin teachers Ruth Jackson, Rashana McDaniel and Tres Davis were the team’s sponsors.

T

eachers of the Month Sponsored by

FEBRUARY

Smith Elementary 4th-grade teacher Carolyn Anderson and 4th-grade student Briana Lewis get a lift before the beginning of STAAR testing from former pro football player Ekom Udofia. Udofia, who played with the New Orleans Saints was one of three athletes that visited Smith to provide encouragement and inspiration for the new standardized tests, State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR). Principal Mark Melendez also got “a lift” from the visit.

MARCH

AUSTIN JENNIFER BRENNER JULIE CANTU BEASLEY MELINDA ARD SCOTT PERHALA BOWIE MARK AUSTIN JACKIE SCHULTZ CAMPBELL SHEREE MAYO DEBORAH JANECEK DICKINSON WENDY RICE-HUGHES LOREN CARVER FROST DINAH SMITH LINDSEY ANDREWS HUBENAK SHERI LOPEZ EMILY ROCHA HUGGINS TARA FAITH LAUREN NDA HUTCHISON KEITH POPE CATHERINE BARTH JACKSON TIFFANY NIPP DARYL PERKINS LONG LISA CONTRERAS KIM LYBARGER MCNEILL LIZ CLARK MEYER PHYLLIS JANKE KARRAH MELENDEZ PINK TANAKA DIXON LISA HORSCH RAY LISA COOPER BETH WILSHER SEGUIN KAY ATKINS BRENDA KORT-SANCHEZ SMITH DONNA COLEMAN JENNIFER RORICK THOMAS TAMMY HUNTER SARA GERKE VELASQUEZ GAYE ZAHRADNIK TONYA BAILEY WILLIAMS DOUG BEDDINGFIELD LEEANN LUCKY

BRISCOE TIM BRISTOL JOHN MITCHELL GEORGE JH ELAINE RICE DEBORAH KORENEK LJH TAMARA ELLIS MARTHA SHOFNER READING JANE HLAVATY LA TONYA MEYER NAVARRO PETRA SMITH MONIQUE DIPPEL WERTHEIMER ROSELLE REED WENDY MELNAR WESSENDORFF REAGAN HABERMACHER JUANA “DELIA” SUMMY LAMAR ANDREA THOMAS PAT PELOQUIN TERRY SHANNON MEISTER TRUDY ROBERTS