July 2009 - Comal ISD

Transcription

SL July:SL July 12/7/09 4:14 PM Page 1
SBMS bands win big at the Lone Star Showcase of Music
The Spring Branch Middle School Varsity, Concert, and Symphonic
bands competed in the Lone Star Showcase of Music on May 22 in
Dallas. Both the Varsity and Concert Bands received “Superior Ratings”
and a “Best in Class” Award.
The SBMS Symphonic Band also received a “Superior Rating” as
well as a “Best in Class” award. Additionally, the Symphonic Band
was awarded “Overall Outstanding Group” at the entire contest.
Adjudicators at the contest complimented the SBMS groups on their
overall group sound, stage presence, attention to detail, and musicianship. This is truly a remarkable achievement for these very talented and hardworking musicians, who had to overcome being out of
school unexpectedly because of the Swine Flu scare and were still
able to turn in a first-rate performance.
Earlier in the semester, the SBMS Symphonic Band received a
“Sweepstakes” trophy at UIL Concert and Sight Reading Contest.
UIL was held on April 2, at Steele High School, where the SBMS
Symphonic Band received a “superior-first division rating” on the
Concert Stage and in the Sight Reading portion. Way to go SBMS
Band for a very successful year!
CHS Aristocats help “Stamp
Out Hunger”
Girl Power!
Females capture salutatorian, valedictorian spots at CHS, SVHS
It was a clean sweep for the top two academic spots this year at Canyon and Smithson
Valley high schools. At CHS, Rebecca Allen and Sarah Thompson walked away with top
honors as valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively. At SVHS, Brianna Guidorzi earned
valedictorian honors while Alison Pain was named salutatorian.
The two schools celebrated graduation day on May 30 at Strahan Coliseum at Texas
State University in San Marcos. Nearly 400 CHS graduates walked the stage that morning,
making it the largest class in school history, while 630 students graduated from SVHS, also
the largest number in school history.
The Canyon High Aristocats helped gather more than 700 cans of food going door-todoor in three different local neighborhoods on May 8 in the U.S. Postal Service “Stamp
Out Hunger” campaign. The food drive benefited the food bank in New Braunfels.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE
2009 4A & 5A
Rebecca Allen - CHS Valedictorian
Sarah Thompson - CHS Salutatorian
Brianna Guidorzi - SVHS Valedictorian
Alison Pain - SVHS Salutatorian
STATE CHAMPIONS
CHS Cougarettes
SVHS Rangers
See Back Cover
2 - SchooLife - July 2009
Grade Speed Parent Connection
Former SVHS salutatorian
graduates from UT, heads to
med school
Sawyer Croley, the 2005 salutatorian at
Smithson Valley High School, is making a
name for himself in the scientific research
community.
He is a Dean’s Honored Graduate in the
School of Biological Sciences at the
University of Texas. He is graduating with a
cumulative 3.9 GPA as he completes a
Bachelor of Science in Biology: Cell and
Molecular Biology Option with Special
Departmental Options. In addition to his
outstanding academic record, Sawyer is
being recognized for his exemplary research
in analytical chemistry under the direction
of Professor Keith Stevenson, who nominated Sawyer for Dean’s Honors Graduate.
Sawyer is one of the original participants
in the Freshman Research Initiative and
worked on a project that involved the synthesis of novel catalysts associated with
clean energy and environmental remediation applications. Sawyer’s talents were
quickly recognized and he was selected for
an elite Beckman Young Scholar Award.
“Sawyer is a truly exceptional student
who demonstrates tremendous potential…I
consider him to be one of the top undergraduates that have passed through our
research program,” said Professor
Stevenson. “His research is highly regarded
visit www.comalisd.org
by the scientific community and his contributions in this area have been significant.”
Outside the classroom Sawyer is a competitive hunter and shot the biggest whitetail deer in all of Mexico for the 2008-2009
season and won 1st place in the Mexico
Division of the Los Cazadores 23rd Annual
Deer Contest. This competition is widely
considered the premiere whitetail deer competition in the world.
In the fall Sawyer will attend medical
school at the University of Texas Medical
Branch in Galveston. His parents are Jim &
Karen Croley.
SchooLife - July 2009 - 3
Three alumni honored as CISD Outstanding Graduates
Three CISD alumni were honored with the prestigious 2009 Comal ISD Outstanding Graduate
Award during the Comal Education Foundation’s
Academic Recognition Banquet on May 19.
The award recognizes Comal Independent
School District alumni for excellence and notable
achievements since graduating. This is the 11th year
of the program. Each recipient received a specially
designed acrylic award and a photo plaque of each
honoree will hang on their schools’ Wall of Honor.
in the last year alone. Her humorous and creative
side also shows brightly through her Myspace
page and her blog on mysanantonio.com, which
has inspired thousands. She created “Kimmy’s
Ladybugs,” which became the center of her
fundraising efforts, and has inspired many members to participate in ALS walks, raffles and car
washes to raise money. Despite the effects ALS
has had on her physical life, Kimberley has never,
ever stopped giving or living.
The honorees are:
Kimberley Faye McSpadden (SVHS ’96)
had her sights set on making a difference for others. As a teen, she earned a Young Woman in
Excellence Award with the Girl Scouts, the equivalent of an Eagle Scout Award, which required
countless community service-project hours.
McSpadden’s instincts as a young adult stayed
true to the philanthropic ones practiced growing
up, as she embarked on an 18-month Spanishspeaking mission in New Jersey while attending
Brigham Young University-Idaho. Soon, however,
Kimberley’s life took a dramatic turn, as the
weakness she’d been feeling in her leg was diagnosed as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS),
commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
Kimberley was told by doctors that Lou Gehrig’s
Disease, which attacks the nervous system, is
100-percent fatal and her life expectancy was
only 3-5 years. Instead of saying her goodbyes,
Kimberley decided the day she was diagnosed to
do everything she could to educate the public
about this life-changing disease, and to raise
money to find a cure. “Kimberley decided she
wasn’t going to sit around and wait to die,” said
her mother, Nancigail Carroll. Now, eight years
later and counting, Kimberley has raised more
than $50,000 for ALS research, including $34,000
Ron Rittimann (CHS ’85) made believers
out of many following his athletic career at
Canyon High in the mid-1980s, and he’s continued to enjoy the same kind of success in his professional life. After being named All-District in
football, basketball and baseball, as well as the
best all-around male athlete in the school in
1985, Ron was also named to Canyon High’s
All-Millennium team in 2000. After receiving
inspiration from former Canyon High head football coach and athletic director Troy Burch, Ron
began a path toward coaching soon after leaving
high school. In 1991, he was hired at Madison
High, where he coached football, baseball and
basketball. He was named the offensive coordinator for the highly successful Mavericks’ football program in 1994, and was named assistant
head coach in 1999. He was then named the firstever head football coach and athletic coordinator
at Johnson High School in San Antonio when the
new campus opened in August of 2008, where he
impacts the lives of young people on an everyday basis. Ron is also active in the Northern
Hills Church, and volunteers his time to coach
both Little League and academic teams. He and
his wife Patti have two children. Ron has both
bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education
from Southwest Texas State University.
Helmuth “Slick” Schlichting (CHS ’64)
could have easily called it a career and drifted
off into the sunset after ending a 31-year Navy
career in 1994. He had already accomplished
enough in life to be recognized a hero, having
served his country so honorably – carrying out
important jobs like commanding the USS
Tuscaloosa, being deployed to the Western
Pacific seven different times, and being responsible for scheduling, training and deployment
of the Naval Surface Forces in the Pacific
shortly before his retirement. What Helmuth
did instead after retiring was to find way to
positively impact the youth in the New
Braunfels community. He joined the staff at
Canyon High, where he has been a math
teacher since 2000. He also was the coordinator
of Comal ISD’s GED program for 10 years,
beginning in 1994. If that’s not enough to
prove Helmuth isn’t afraid of hard work, he
also drove a Comal ISD bus from 1994-2008.
Helmuth credited former Canyon High teacher
David Gyure and counselor Robert Tays as two
people who helped instill dedication and a
strong work ethic in all he pursues in life.
Helmuth’s particular passion is to work with
high-risk youth, and his goal is to see each student he works with become educated and
employed. Helmuth is married to Patricia. He
Comal ISD’s 2009 Outstanding Graduates who were honored during the Comal Education Foundation’s Annual
Academic Recognition Banquet are (from left) Ron
Rittimann, Kimberley Faye McSpadden, and Helmuth
“Slick” Schlichting.
has two children and two stepchildren. He has a
bachelor’s degree in education from Southwest
Texas State University and a master’s degree in
business administration from National
University in San Diego.
Coming in the August issue of SchooLife:
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Hammond gets into
character
Comal County Honor Band members
Mountain Valley Middle principal Scott Hammond shows he’s not
afraid to get into “Marzano’s Mosh Pit” while presenting a classroom
session with Kristi Kahil during Comal ISD’s two-day staff development in early June. Staff members heard keynote speakers at the Tree
of Life Church in New Braunfels during the morning, before attending breakout sessions in the afternoon. The theme of the staff development was “Feel the Rhythm,” and speakers and sessions stressed
relationships, rigor and relevance in the classroom.
Oliver takes 7th in state
in UIL competition
Congratulations to Smithson Valley High School University
Interscholastic League Academic Champion Kayla Oliver who took 7th
place in state in spelling and vocabulary. Oliver competed last in the State
UIL Meet at the University of Texas at Austin. At the regional level this year
she was touted as having the most “Tie-Breakers” during student academic
event competitions in recent years. Kayla was the only student to receive a
remarkable perfect “Tie-Breaker Score.”
Congratulations also to UIL spelling & vocabulary coach and
SVHS teacher Judy Barbee for her outstanding contributions to SVHS
academic excellence.
Twenty-four Church Hill Middle School band students auditioned for the first Comal
County Honor Band. Eighteen CHMS musicians qualified for this special band. These band
students are under the direction of Marc Lumley and Fredy Solis.
Market masters at CHS
Who says the market is down? Congratulations
are in order for these seniors in Beth Polk’s economics classes at Canyon High. Groups from
CHS took first, second and third place out of 469
teams competing in the grades 9-12 division of the
San Antonio Stock Market Game Program. Each
student received a cash prize and a certificate, and
Polk was presented with a plaque. The team of
Ryan Baeten, Chris Holcomb, Travis Kiers and
Derek Schonoff won first place and $75, the team
of Brittney Pannell, Ashley McCann, Blake Platts,
Matt Rauch and Josh Custard won second place
and $50, and the team of Desiree Ortigoza, Javier
Castilleja, Juan DeSantiago, Juan Arreguin and
Desting Preito won third place and $25.
Thanks for your
Baylor, Fox to attend
service, Dan Krueger! Harvard Leadership Institute
Only 100 principals across the state of Texas are selected each year to
attend the Harvard Leadership Institute, and two of them are from right
here in the Comal ISD! Both Church Hill Middle principal Dani Baylor
and Rahe Bulverde Elementary principal Merrie Fox received this prestigious honor. They will attend the Institute through a sponsorship from
“Raise Your Hand Texas,” a non-profit organization that focuses on issues
affecting Texas Public Schools. At Harvard, Fox will attend the “Improving
Schools: the Art of Leadership Institute” from June 29-July 7. Baylor will
attend “The National Institute for Urban School Leaders” from July 19-24.
Dani Baylor
Merrie Fox
Elementary school coming to Garden Ridge
Dan Krueger was recently recognized for 15 outstanding years of service on the Comal ISD School Board.
Dan has also served on the Board of Directors of the
Comal Education Foundation. Here, Krueger is pictured
with wife Becky and daughter Kirby at the May School
Board Meeting.
The Comal ISD had beautiful weather for the groundbreaking of its newest campus, Garden Ridge Elementary, on May 21. Here, students
from Comal Elementary that will attend Garden Ridge Elementary break ground at the new school, which is located at FM 3009 and Municipal
Pkwy, across from City Hall. Students included: Emma Falcone, Travis Zipp, Darren Zipp, Trevor Wong, Roland Olvera, Michael Martin, Ellie
Carlile-Washington and Joshua Houst. The elementary school is the first of three that will be built with funds provided through the $205.85 million Bond 2008. It is scheduled to open in August 2010.
Recognition for retiring district employees
Deep appreciation goes out to the Comal ISD employees who retired this past school year. Some
of them were present for a recognition dinner in late May. Pictured here (l-r) are Debra Fisher, Joyce
Alblinger, Manie Mann, Ron Hixon, Susan Schmidt, Charlene Wunderlich, Diane Winkelmann, and
Hope Monceaux.
Other retirees on hand for the recognition dinner were Larry Hooker, Roy Hargrove, James
Kasch, Susan Harrison, Ralph Behrend, Jan Kingsbury, Kenny Rotzler, Heidi O’Keefe, and Nancy
Lindley.
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students, staff and community, is designed to increase communication
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the intent and policy of this District to conduct its activities in compliance with all Federal and State laws prohibiting discrimination on the
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GradeSpeed Parent Connection. Visit www.comalisd.org
School Board Briefs
The following are highlights from the Comal
ISD May 14 school board meeting. They are
not written to replace official minutes.
School Board Election Update
Votes from the May 10 school board election
were canvassed by the school board. At the regular monthly meeting on May 28th, Carolyn
Miller, Carol Keller, and David Drastata were
each sworn in for three year terms.
Construction News
Action on the construction contract for the
Canyon Lake HS agriculture facility funded
through Bond 2008 was postponed until May
28th. The facility will be ready for the students
in the fall.
The majority of the board approved a $12.9
million guaranteed maximum price for the construction of the new elementary school in Avery
Park, officially called Clear Spring
Elementary. Ground has been broken on the
school and it will open in August 2010.
New School Names
After much discussion and consideration of
the school name committees’ recommendations,
the school board approved the following names
for two new elementary schools:
Garden Ridge Elementary School: Opening
in August 2010 at FM 3009 and Municipal
Parkway in Garden Ridge; and,
Clear Spring Elementary School: Opening in
August 2010 in the Avery Park subdivision off of
Hwy 46 East outside New Braunfels.
2009-10 Budget Update
Dr. Marc Walker, superintendent, updated the
school board on proposed pay raises for employees. As the budget looks now, he is proposing
pay increases for all employees in 200910. Final details are pending. In addition,
employees who worked in Comal ISD for at least
90 days this school year, and who return in 200910, will receive a retention bonus. And, because
of employees’ sound fiscal management of their
health claims in 2007-08, employees who had
health insurance then, and in 2008-09, and who
return in 2009-10, will receive a health insurance
rebate of approximately $900. Pay raises and
other details will be worked out during the budget process in the weeks ahead.
The following are highlights from the Comal
ISD May 28 school board meeting. They are
not written to replace official minutes.
Elected School Board Members Take Oath,
Officers Named
Re-elected school board members Carol
Keller and Carolyn Miller, and newly elected
member David Drastata were sworn in for threeyear terms. The new school board president is
Carol Keller, Frank Baker remains as vice president, Carolyn Miller is the new secretary, and
Donna Holmes is the treasurer. Bill Swint will
serve as immediate past president.
Board Recognizes Students
The board recognized numerous students
who qualified for state and national competitions
this school year. In addition, Dan Krueger, outgoing school board member, was recognized for
his 15 years of service to the district.
Board of Trustees Calendar
The board adopted a meeting calendar covering 13 months through July 2010. The calendar
is posted at www.comalisd.org/About_Us/Board_Of_Trustees_Information.asp
Increase in Meal Prices
To help offset rising costs, the board
approved a $0.05 increase for school breakfast
meals and a $.10 increase for school lunch meals
for school years 2009-10. The new prices are as
follows — elementary lunch, $2.20; secondary
lunch, $2.45. All breakfast meals will cost $1.30.
Ground Lease Agreement
with BSBVFD at SBMS
The board agreed to negotiate with the Bulverde
Spring Branch Volunteer Fire Department on 1.5
acres located on the northwest corner of the Spring
Branch Middle property that they wish to lease. The
BSBVFD is proposing a long-term lease and anticipates it will be approximately three years before a
new fire station will be built.
Graduation and Class Ranking Policy
After a long discussion and feedback from several parents, the school board voted 4 to 3 to
disapprove board policy EIC (Local) as presented.
The policy addresses class ranking, extra points,
and other graduation issues. This was the accompanying policy that contained the action taken by
the school board at its April board meeting when it
unanimously approved two new class ranking
scales (Dan Krueger was absent) involving AP,
Dual Credit, Pre-AP, and general education classes. One scale was for current high school students
and the second was for incoming freshmen and all
future classes and included the approved change
that pre-AP courses would no longer be weighted.
The school board did not approve the policy, however, that supports the action taken in April.
Smithson Valley High expansion project, which
is funded through Bond 2008. Phase 2 includes
major renovations to “A” wing, and renovations
to athletic facilities, including the field house,
practice areas, locker rooms and the softball
field parking area. The entire project, to include
a Phase 3, should be completed in 2011.
Construction Updates
The board agreed to accept CA Landry
Partners’ proposal to build an agricultural facility at Canyon Lake High for $594,200. The project will be funded through Bond 2008 and will
be finished this fall.
The board agreed to accept Merrell General’s
contracting price of $246,650 to add air conditioning to the gym at Specht Elementary. It is
funded by Bond 2008.
Comal ISD approved a contract with
Wastewater Tech to replace the existing wastewater disposal system at Spring Branch Middle.
This project is funded out of Bond 2008 with a
budget of $700,000.
The board voted to approve Bartlett Cocke
Construction’s guaranteed maximum price of
$13.8 million for the second phase of the
Other Bond 2005 and
2008 Construction Updates
All of the remaining Bond 2005 and Bond
2008 projects are on schedule. Oak Creek and
Johnson Ranch elementary schools open in
August. Next year, in August 2010, Garden Ridge
and Clear Spring elementary schools will open.
Rahe Bulverde Elementary School’s total
makeover is going well and is expected to be
completed by early 2010. Canyon and Smithson
Valley high schools’ projects are on schedule.
The Canyon Middle expansion drawings are
complete and bids have just come in. Spring
Branch Middle’s drawings are in progress and
the project will be ready for bid in July.
Bond information can be found at www.comalisd.org/Growth/Bond_2008_Status.asp or
www.comalisd.org/Growth/Bond_2005_Status.asp.
New board members take oath of
office
Two current and one new Comal ISD Board of Trustee members were sworn in during the May
school board meeting. (L-r) Secretary Carolyn Miller, board president Carol K. Keller and newly
elected trustee David Dastrata are seen here taking the oath of office.
School Board Meeting Calendar
July 15, 2009 Wednesday
Support Services
Board Meeting
Aug. 11, 2009 Tuesday
Support Services
Board Workshop/Budget
Aug. 27, 2009 Thursday
Support Services
Board Meeting
All meetings begin at 6:00 PM.
During the audience participation portion of each regular meeting, the public may address the Board
on any subject not posted on the agenda, provided they have followed the proper procedures.
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“Fantastic Four” make graduation history at Canyon Lake High
By Jason Gordon,
Comal ISD Communications Dept.
podium about each individual graduate before
the group walked across the stage.
Nabors said Skruhak was creative with a
strong sense of self, Parker was a hard worker
who always had a smile on her face, Holleck was
wise beyond her years, and Horton always had a
clear sense about what he wanted to accomplish.
“We can’t say enough about how extremely
proud we are of these students,” CHLS
principal Cheryl Koury said. “It seems
like just yesterday we were opening the
doors of this school and now we have
graduates. As you can see, it’s hard for
me to stop smiling. I can’t wait until
next year when we have a full class.”
Parker said it was a good feeling
walking around campus the last few
When Amanda Hollek, Sinjin Horton, Jamie
Parker and Tiffany Skruhak entered Canyon
Lake High when it opened in the fall of 2007,
the quartet didn’t intend to make school history.
That’s exactly what they did on May 27,
however, as the small group became the firstever graduates at CLHS, managing to complete
their required coursework in only three years of
high school.
The “Fantastic Four” as some dubbed them,
had their own unique, private graduation ceremony held alongside their family, admiring
CLHS students and teachers, and proud district
and school administrators.
Canyon Lake High won’t
have a full class of seniors until
next school year.
“I don’t think any of us
were trying to do anything out
of the ordinary,” said Holleck,
who took a few summer school
classes along the way to gain
extra credits. “When I realized
I had the chance to graduate in
three years, I figured I might as
well give it a shot. It’s pretty
cool we were part of such a
special group – not many students get to be the first to graduate in a school.”
So personalized was the
graduation ceremony held in
the school’s auditorium that
Comal ISD Superintendent Dr. Marc Walker proudly
counselor Susan Nabors was
shakes the hand of Amanda Holleck, the first-ever stuable to say something at the
dent to walk the stage as a Canyon Lake High graduate.
weeks knowing she was going to graduate.
“I think we were setting an example for next
year’s seniors,” said Parker, who will attend
Stephen F. Austin University in the fall. “We had
a lot of people in the school congratulate us the
more everyone heard about what we were doing.”
Canyon Lake High junior Shauna Miller was
definitely impressed with the graduates.
“What they accomplished is pretty awesome,” Miller said. “Oh my gosh, they worked
so hard. One of them is my really good friend,
and she was always cracking the books. I think
they were an inspiration to a lot of other students on campus.”
Canyon Lake High, which won’t have a full class of seniors until next school year, had four early graduates
that were honored at a ceremony on May 27. (From left) Amanda Hollek, Sinjin Horton, Jamie Parker and
Tiffany Skruhak accomplished the impressive feat of graduating in three years. An auditorium full of students, friends and family, as well as school and district administrators and school board members, were on
hand to make this a very special night.
Happy graduates all around
Memorial High kicked off Comal ISD’s
2008-09 “Graduation Week” on May 26. Fortysix students walked across the stage at the New
Braunfels Civic Center and overall, 56 students
graduated this school year from this self-paced
campus. Below, left: Student Jenna Cooper is
all smiles after the graduation ceremony.
At left: Canyon High senior Maranda
Farber shows off a big smile after receiving
her diploma from Comal ISD School Board
member Donna Holmes during graduation
ceremonies May 30 at Strahan Coliseum in
San Marcos.
Below, right: Smithson Valley High graduate
Lovely Lawrence can’t contain her smile shortly after walking the stage to receive her diploma during the school’s graduation ceremony on
May 30.
AR winners earn royal treatment at FES
To award students’ success in A.R. all year, Freiheit Elementary librarian Betty Jones came up with
a character named “Amelia Nair” (a wealthy lady who is president of “The Millionaires’ Club”). All
year long, she announced classes who joined her club by reading a million words while taking AR
tests....then prizes were awarded for each additional million words read. There was one 4th-grade
class whose students collectively read more than 17 million words this school year!! (This is quite an
accomplishment since the next highest are 2 fifth-grade classes who each reached 9 million.)
In addition, there were 14 students who are distinguished members of “The Millionaires’ Club,”
since they each read at least a million words individually! These students were awarded with a limo
ride with Amelia Nair on May 22 to receive free ice cream at McDonald’s. They were wearing Tshirts that asked “So You Want to Be a Millionaire?” on the front of the shirt and “Ask Me How” on
the back. Here, (left to right) students Andrea Miller, Megan Reynolds, Ryan Applegate, Jeffrey
Malone, Austin Miller, Juan Jose Ramirez, and Jessica Rebeles, members of the “Millionaires’ Club,
eagerly await their trip for free ice cream.
The studentteacher bond
Smithson Valley High senior Rebeca Clary
poses proudly with her former teacher Steve
Foster during the Comal Education Foundation’s
Academic Recognition Banquet in May. The top
20 graduates from both Canyon and Smithson
Valley high schools were able to select an educator that had a great impact on their lives, and both
the students and teachers were honored during the
banquet held at the New Braunfels Civic Center.
Smithson Valley Athletic Booster Club announces
2009 scholarship recipients
The Smithson Valley High School
Athletic Booster Club is proud to
announce its 2009 SVABC scholarship
recipients. Recipients are selected on a
points system based on grade point average
(GPA), athletic participation (including
awards), and community service. Also, athletes must have participated in high school
athletics for a total of four seasons, two of
which must have been at SVHS. The
SVABC is proud to recognize and award
a $1,000 scholarship to each of the following Smithson Valley High School athletes:
Brittney Balcar, Michael Daigle,
Cameron Erhardt, Courtney Herr, Kendall
Lasher, Garrett Lucas, Eric Madden,
Derek Moczygemba, Michelle Reich, and
Jessica Schreiber.
The SVABC encourages student and
community support of SVHS athletics and
provides financial support not provided
through the normal budgetary process.
The SVABC raises money in a variety of
ways: Club Membership Dues, Golf
Tournaments, SV Athletic Booster Club All
Sports Gala, Program Advertisements &
Sales, and generous donations from our
local community, parents and businesses.
The success of this organization is based
solely on membership participation.
For more information on the Smithson
Valley Athletic Booster Club, please
visit www.svabc.com.
SVMS students on “Who’s Who” list
Reading Olympians at
FES
Joshua Lux poses
with Olympic Gold
Medal winner Josh
Davis at Freiheit
Elementary. Davis visited the school to hand
out medals to successful students in the
school’s Accelerated
Reading Program during the “Closing
Ceremonies.”
Prom
King &
Queen
crowned
at SVHS
Congratulations to these students in Mary Hoffman’s Spanish classes at Smithson Valley Middle. They made the prestigious “Who’s Who in Foreign Language” list.
Smithson Valley High
students Will McLane and
Audrey Raley were named
2009 Prom King and
Queen. Congratulations!
Photo by Sam Roberts
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210-566-4511
3820 FM 3009 #140
Schertz, TX 78154
830-625-5402
2351 Loop 337 Ste. C
New Braunfels, TX 78130
Matthews
to play for
UIW
Smithson Valley High senior
Hunter Matthews is surrounded by
family and SVHS head coach
Jason Adkins as she signs a letter
of intent to play soccer at the
University of the Incarnate Word in
San Antonio. Photo by Sam
Roberts.
Erhardt headed to the University of
San Diego
Smithson Valley High distance-runner Cameron Erhardt is surrounded by friends, family and SVHS
coaches Louise Bell and Craig Wersterfer as he signs a letter of intent to continue his athletic career
at the University of San Diego this fall.
Canyon Lake
3159
281
I-35
H
46
Comal Education Foundation celebrates 5th annual golf classic
On May 29, 130 golfers gathered at the
River Crossing Golf Club to help the
Comal Education Foundation celebrate
“Great Golf for a Great Cause.”
In its fifth year, the Foundation’s
Annual Golf Classic, presented by SHW
Group, raised over $47,000 to support the
innovative educational programs that promote excellence, and help the Foundation
accomplish its mission and vision to
“Enrich. Expand. Excel.” the educational
experience in Comal ISD.
The day began with a fajita buffet
lunch. Golfers enjoyed going to their golf
carts to find a light blue golf shirt and
goody bag waiting for them. At the conclusion of the day golfers enjoyed a reception and a door prize drawing featuring
great prizes donated from the following
companies: Fugro, Combs Consulting
Group, Hendrix Consulting Engineers, Ace
Communications, Air Craft Mechanical,
Texas Equipment Solutions, Mannington
Commercial, JMK Foodservice Consulting
and Design LLC, Baird Williams
Construction, DBR Engineering, and
Fibrebond Corporation.
Winners of the A and B flights
received MasterCard gift cards, sponsored in part by Gil Engineering. Flight
A winners were: Allen Hickman team,
Law Offices of R. David Fritsche team,
and GVTC team. Flight B winners were:
JD Kunz Concrete team, Walsh,
Anderson, Brown, Aldridge & Gallegos,
PC team, and HEB team.
The day concluded with a raffle drawing for these great prizes: Nike Driver
Set, Taylor Made Irons Set, and a Toshiba
laptop computer donated by Baird
Williams Construction; and 2 round trip
tickets on Southwest donated by
Southwest Airlines.
The following golfers won prizes for
the straightest drive- Craig Harris,
longest drive- Alex Ladage, longest putt
made- Jason Gordon, and putting contestRon Stacy.
The following companies and individuals sponsored teams for the tournament:
Allen Hickman; Baird Williams
Construction, Ltd.; Bartlett Cocke General
Contractors; Blue Cross Blue Shield of
Texas; Bradfield Properties- BK Buske;
FT Woods Construction Services; Fugro
Consultants, L.P.; GVTC; Hendrix
Consulting Engineers; HEB; Herff JonesThe Overall Graduation Office; Hunter
Industries; JD Kunz Concrete; KONE
Elevator; Law Offices Of R. David
Fritsche; Moore Erection, L.P.; Pfluger
Associates Architects; Randolph Brooks
FCU; Riata Financial Services, Inc.; River
Crossing Divot Divas; SAMCO Capital
Markets; SHW; Southerland Communities;
Texas Intrepid Ventures; Urban Concrete
Contractors; Walsh, Anderson, Brown,
Aldridge & Gallegos, PC; and Worldwide
Pest Control.
Plans are underway for the 6th Annual
Golf Classic presented by SHW Group on
Friday, April 23, 2010 at River Crossing Club.
To reserve your team, call 830-214-5010.
Coming in the August issue
of SchooLife:
SHW Group sponsored the Comal Education Foundation’s golf tournament at River Crossing Golf Club,
which helped raise more than $47,000. Pictured are (from left) SHW Group’s Tom Oehler, Comal ISD
Superintendent Dr. Warc Walker, SHW Group’s Walter Estay and Fiber Bond’s Todd Walker.
Randy Bade tees off on the short par-3 No. 2
hole on a beautiful day at River Crossing Golf
Club during the Comal Education Foundation’s
golf tournament on May 29.
The “B-Flight” champions during the Comal
Education Foundation’s golf tournament were
Randy Bade, Joey Carrizales, J.D. Kunz and
John Kunz.
Get Back-To-School
Information
Registration Dates/Info/School Supply Lists
Walk-in Immunization Clinics/Requirements
Whitening
Special
$99
tttt
Cosmetic Dentistry
Sedation Dentistry
Invisalign Braces
Extended Hours
Dr. Guy Peterson
Allen Hickman’s team consisting of (l-r) Jason Gordon, Hickman, Alex Ladage and Bill Baker captured the “A-Flight” championship in the Comal Education Foundation tournament after firing a
round of 56 at River Crossing Club.
Enjoy quality dental care
in a friendly, relaxed Hill Country setting.
GREG
CHANDLER
(830) 980-2869 • 2395 Bulverde Rd. #103
(830) 438-7969
Young Authors’
Celebration at
CES
Sabrina Brossman reads her book
“Animal Facts” to her neighbor, Mary
Rethman, during Comal Elementary
School’s Young Author’s Celebration
on May 26. Students in kindergarten
through fifth grade throughout the
school authored and illustrated their
own books, which were then sent off to
a publishing company for binding.
Family members and friends were
invited to the campus and were able to
tour classrooms as students told their
wonderful stories.
SVHS Ag
Sales team
advances to
nationals!
The Smithson Valley High Ag
Sales team of (l-r) Hesston
Krause, Skye Broyles, Kaitlyn
Craft, Madison Kelly and James
Applewhite recently beat out
more than 200 other high school
squads to win the state title at the
FFA State Convention at Sam
Houston State University. They
advance to national competition in
Indianapolis, Indiana, in October.
Canyon High top athlete awards for 2008-09
The following Canyon High athletic
awards were presented during the annual
Spring Sports Athletic Banquet this month.
Pictured left: Canyon High seniors
Michael Euresti and Lisa Bingham received
the Jimmy Muenich Scholarship Track Award
for excellence in track and field events.
Pictured center: Canyon High senior
Meredith Rogers, left, received the Ben
Hardy Award for excellence in school and
athletic activities. Canyon High’s 2008-09
Most Outstanding Athletes are Robert Clay
and Brittani Hackfeld.
Pictured right: The Canyon High seniors
who received the Cougar and Cougarette
Heart Awards are Tanner Luckemeyer and
Katie Korioth.
CISD School Board Student
Recognitions
CLHS junior Joshua Harris is writing a research paper on thrust vectoring that will be submitted for peer review
on the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics website. He will present his report to a group of engineers, pilots and aircraft mechanics in May 2009.
CLHS student Sigourney Tramont qualified for state in UIL Tech Theater. The UIL coordinator is Rhonda
Riali. CLHS art student Kristin Rainosek advanced on to the state level with her piece titled “Family Guitar.”
Only 182 entries out of 2,168 at the Region 13 Visual Arts Scholastic Event advanced on to state. Her teacher
is Claudette Cozzi.
CISD School Board Student Recognitions
Congratulations to the Canyon High Aristocats Dance Team on being named the National
Champion Small Team at the Champion Dance Nationals in New York City. Megan Nebgen is
the dance team instructor.
For the fifth consecutive year, Canyon High School Air Force
Junior ROTC has received the Air Force Junior ROTC
Distinguished Unit Award. Kevin Cregier and Ed Garcia
instruct this special group. In addition, Maj. Kevin Cregier
(USAF, Ret.) was selected as one of the 2009 Outstanding
Instructors for Air Force JROTC for the second straight year.
Our first group of Best of State winners all won for photography categories. They are: Ryan Aust, Michael Harris,
Kristen Anker, Shelby Chamberlain, Morgan Walley, Kaitlin O’Brien and Katrina Brisbin. Scott Henry won with a
project in Special Effects, Emily Grams earned her honor in 2D Animation. Ian Fennell, Dakota Birchfield, Phil
Stanley, Robert Montgomery won in 3D animation. Ethan Menebroker won for an entry in architecture. Teachers
Scott Stoore, Vicki Stewart, Chris Nisley and Wendall Lyons are their sponsors.
Brothers Matt Willis and Andrew Willis each won a Best of State Award in the Materials Division by
building boats. Teacher Rodney Swann is their sponsor.
The following Canyon High BPA students qualified for state competition this year: Philip Churchwell, Elizabeth Foster, Elizabeth
Coffey, Olivia Hobden, Dana Ogrin, Cameron Pawelek, Isabel Saenz, Will Cavanaugh, John Coker, Ryan Franz, Cory
Moczygemba, AJ Rice, and Courtney Martin. Three Canyon High students qualified for national competition: Elizabeth Coffey,
Elizabeth Foster and Olivia Hobden. Renee Martinez is the BPA coordinator.
The Canyon High Criminal Justice team had a very successful year. Nick Nutt, Chris Outterson, James Sanchez,
Matt Maher, and Megan Knetsch all qualified for state competition. Cami Cocke finished fifth in the Law
Enforcement Skills Contest. Joey Morales won first place in the Building Search Technical Test, and Lauren
Johnson, Ian Wofford, and Kassandra Leal were the first place Crime Scene Investigation Team. The Crime Scene
Investigation team will be heading to Nationals in June. Steve Parker is the criminal justice coordinator.
Church Hill Middle students Lauren Johnson, Justin
Proctor and Travis Whitney, and Canyon Middle student Heather Hall qualified for State Recognition based
on their scores on the SAT or ACT as part of the 2009
Duke University 7th Grade Talent Search.
The following Canyon High students’ automotive projects went to the SkillsUSA State contest:
James Gonzalez, Joshua Hodges, Irving Aleman, Paul Gomez, Robert Hansmann, Jeremy Helmke,
Wesley Hode, Marcus Salinas, Steven Sanchez, Holden Bradshaw, Samuel Hoffmann, Robert
Olivo, Cesar Ramirez, James Robles, and Sinbad Torres. In addition, James Robles and Joshua
Hodges went to the Ford/AAA State Contest. Wayne Kennedy is the automotive contest coordinator.
The following students qualified for the middle school State Science Fair: Smithson Valley Middle’s Charlie
Cevallos, Emmett Donnelly and Emily Schmalstieg; Church Hill Middle’s Luke Pickerill and Dakota Carley;
Mountain Valley Middle’s Maddie Holder and Fran Carle (Team); Canyon Middle’s Lauren Boyd, Cody
Krampitz, Ritt Givens, Kathleen Kinlin and Lauren Jack (Team), Erin True and Danielle Martinez; Spring Branch
Middle’s Rachel White, Ivan Sarran, and Joshua Lake.
Canyon High senior Casey Pernsteiner was named a National Merit Finalist and Hailey Batterton and Rebecca
Allen were named Commended Students in the 2008 National Merit Scholarship Program. Canyon High seniors
Monica Quintanilla and Andrea Stanfill were recognized by the College Board’s National Hispanic Recognition
Program. Pernsteiner also qualified for the UIL state spelling competition.
Four Canyon High choir members, under the direction of Susan Bartos, qualified for the Texas State Solo &
Ensemble Contest. They are: Michael Kinney, LaVetta Keith, Maegan Fretwell and Julia Lewis. Twenty-seven
Canyon High band members, under the direction of Walter Sparkman, qualified for the Texas State Solo &
Ensemble Contest: Ivan Perez, Sharris Vader, Tanner Wilson, John Coker, Austin Curtis, Tyler Davidson, Andrew
Dionne, Peter Dionne, Paulina Gil, Ryan Hall, Adam Hallmark, Caitlyn Hanson, Rachel Hayward, Devin Jackson,
Ryan Kinlin, Aissa Maese, Brooke Meissner, Marissa Molina, Magen Patterson, Ivan Perez, Sarah Schwab,
Ashley Smith, Travis Smith, Tanner Thomas, Sam Tovar, Hilary Troyer, and Loriann Whitman. In addition, Julia
Lewis, Danny Holguin and Ivan Perez qualified for the Class 4A All-State Band. Three Canyon High twirlers,
Haylee Baeten, Samantha Turner and Allison Hatfield qualified for the Texas State Solo & Ensemble Contest.
Lisa Bingham qualified for the state track and field meet in the high jump, and Susan Marsh qualified in the 800meter run. Glenn Gamez is the track coach. Meredith Rogers, Shelby Becka, Kymber Drake and Robert Clay
qualified for state in powerlifting. John Mitchell is the powerlifting coach. Elizabeth Lewis and Scott Jonsson
qualified for UIL the swim meet. Kim Torres is the swim coach.
Smithson Valley High senior Rebekah Kreiger, under the direction of Gordon Ivers, was named to the prestigious
Class 5A All-State Choir team. SVHS senior Abel Alvarado was selected to play in the prestigious US Army AllAmerican game band. Jeff Lightsey is the band director. Canyon Lake High juniors Michelle Roberts and Dylan
Janak were named to the All-State band for the second straight year. Mark Watley is the band director.
Specht Elementary students Danielle Badiola, Nicholas Hamrick, Mason Walter, Angelo Badiola, and Thomas
Cevallos, Timberwood Park Elementary student Jessenia Enriquez, and Rahe Bulverde Elementary student Ruby
Smola captured the state chess club title this year.
The Smithson Valley High FFA Junior Skills Team finished 3rd at the state contest out of 194 teams, and the
Senior Skills Team finished 5th out of 261 teams in December. The junior team members are Harleigh Hill,
Taylor Walker, and Caitlin Simmons, and the senior team members are Josh Sims, Kaitlyn Craft, and Hesston
Krause. The SVHS FFA Meats Evaluation team of Shelby Martin, Keri Gillit, Josh Sims and Clayton Krause, and
the Ag. Sales team of James Applewhite, Madison Kelly, Hesston Krause, Kaitlyn Craft and Skye Broyles qualified for state competition this spring. Wayne Dietert is the FFA coordinator.
SVHS seniors Kevin Krumm and Ryan Howard won first place Network Design Team at the BPA State
Conference in Austin. One of the judges made a point of talking to them after they won and told them that they
had a great chance of winning at Nationals in May. Janice Balmos is the BPA coordinator.
The following SVHS FCCLA team members finished in the top six at regionals and advanced to the state meet in
Corpus Christi:
The SVHS Culinary Team placed first out of 43 teams across the region. The first-place culinary students were
Jessica Enriquez, Rosalina Gomez, and Miguel Anaya.
Another first-place winner was Elise Massey in the Job Interview Event. Audrey Raley took second and Lauren
Knuffke finished fifth.
In the Fashion Design event, first place went to Stacey Gonzales with Hailey Garcia taking sixth place. Hannah
James placed third in Recycle and Redesign.
Michelle Reininger took first place in Interior Design, while Ashlyn Holt finished third and Tori Benevides finished in sixth place.
Ashley Dicks and Krista Pruske took sixth place in the Life Event Planning category.
The Teach and Train event, which is new to the State this year, had several Ready, Set, Teach students place.
Jordan Wimberley finished in second place, Molly Jacobs was third, Abi Wood was fourth and Jessa Stone was
fifth. Gracie Hendrix placed third in the Entrepreneurship Event. Ann Massey is the FCCLA coordinator.
SVHS Volleyball player Paige Hamilton made the All-State Class 5A Team; Chelsea
Gibson was named to the Academic All State Volleyball Team; and, Lydia Werchan
was named a Texas Girls Coaches Association All-Star and played for the West
Team. Lisa Gombert is the volleyball coach.
Jessica Compere earned Academic All-State honors from the Texas State Athletic
Trainers Association. Thomas Petmecky is the athletic trainer.
SVHS had several senior girls in Cross Country that were named Academic AllState: Amy Anderson, Jessica Schreiber, and Courtney Herr. Louise Bell is the Cross
Country coach.
CLHS’ Emerald Dancers team, under the direction of Suzanne Schule, won the
Small Varsity National Championship Marching Auxiliaries National Dance
Competition in Fort Worth in March. The Emerald Dancers are Ashley Jones,
Chelsea Kincaid, Amanda Braden, Shelby Meyer, Kira Lowery, Kayla Ward, Ashley
Graham, Lorin Craft, Shellby Opperman, Julianna Reel and Marissa Herrera.
Schule names
Texas park
Smithson Valley High seniors Joseph Acevedo, Rosanne Canfield, Rebeca Clary and
Skylar Garcia were recognized by the College Board’s National Hispanic
Recognition Program. Fellow SVHS senior Markia Douglas was recognized by the
National Achievement Scholarship Program, which has provided recognition for outstanding African-American high school students since 1964. Smithson Valley High
seniors Noah Abolafia-Rozenweig, Tori Barnes, Alison Pain and Zan Walker were
named Commended Students in the 2008 National Merit Scholarship Program.
Smithson Valley Middle students Greta Dellinger, Oliver Fitch, Amber Thompson,
and Briana Zamora and Spring Branch Middle students Skyler Howell and Taylor
Senn qualified for State Recognition based on their scores on the SAT or ACT as
part of the 2009 Duke University 7th Grade Talent Search.
Smithson Valley Middle student Katherine
Schule won a contest to name a historical park in
West Columbia, Texas. Her entry “A Walk
Through the Birth of Texas,” beat out students
from around the state. Schule is seen here at the
park’s dedication.
Thanks to a revolutionary product from
Bayer, we’re liquidating fire ants by
the thousands. Everything from
workers to queens must go. Just one
application will get rid of fire ants
for an entire year. We bet by the
end of the year you’ll agree you
have never seen a deal work quite
like this. Soon you’ll be rid of
fire ants once and for all because
when they’re gone, they’re gone!
Canyon High athlete signs with Texas State CHS AFJROTC Earns Distinguished
Award
Lisa Bingham, a standout
Canyon High School athlete in
volleyball and track, has signed
her letter of intent to run track,
specifically the heptathlon, at
Texas State University in San
Marcos this fall. She was joined
by her parents, Kurt and Sara
Hintze, and CHS athletic coordinator Les Davis, back left, and
track coach Glenn Gamez during
the signing ceremony.
District students display G/T skills
Rahe Bulverde Elementary fourth-grade student
Lauren Williams shows off a real black-tip reef
shark for an independent study project she recently
completed. It was on display during the Comal ISD
G/T Showcase on May 20 at Mountain Valley
Middle. Students in all grade levels from across the
district participated.
Spring Branch Middle student Joshua Lake poses
in front of his project at the Comal ISD G/T
Showcase held at Mountain Valley Middle. It is a
design of a school he would like to see built in
Afghanistan using resources common to the region.
For the fifth consecutive year, Canyon
High School Air Force Junior ROTC has
received the Air Force Junior ROTC
Distinguished Unit Award.
The CHS Corps of Cadets are one of
only 393 units in 2008-09 to have earned
this prestigious award. The award recognizes Air Force Junior ROTC units that have
performed above and beyond normal expectations, and that have distinguished themselves through outstanding service to their
school and community while meeting the
Air Force Junior ROTC mission of producing better citizens for America.
The objectives of the Junior ROTC program are to educate and train high school
cadets in citizenship and life skills; promote
community service; instill responsibility,
character, and self-discipline through character education; and to provide instruction in
air and space fundamentals. Enrollment is
open to all young people who are in the 9th
grade or higher, are physically fit, and are
citizens or nationals of the United States.
“I am proud of our cadets and instructors,” said Canyon High principal Brad
Brown. “Their service to the school and
community has been outstanding.”
Teacher Major Kevin Cregier (USAF
Ret.) and teacher MSgt Edward A. Garcia
(USAF Ret.) are the two Canyon High Air
Force JROTC instructors.
Canyon High teacher Major Kevin Cregier (USAF
Ret.) poses with student, Cadet 1st Lt. Shineese
Martinez, Group Commander, as they accept the
CHS AFJROTC Distinguished Unit Award at the
May Comal ISD School Board meeting.
“This award belongs to the cadets for
their hard work and dedication,” said
Cregier.
Air Force Junior ROTC is located in 879
high schools across the United States and at
selected schools in Europe, in the Pacific
and Puerto Rico. Junior ROTC enrollment
includes more than 102,000 cadets.
For more information contact the Air
Force Junior ROTC department at
(830) 221-2447 or 221-2407.
CEF awards nearly $45,000 in classroom grants
The 11th Prize Posse from the Comal Education Foundation was busy on Tuesday,
March 31. A great surprise coming back from Spring Break, the Foundation awarded 13
grants totaling $44,386. The grants reach 15 different campuses in the Comal ISD.
“We are always impressed with the commitment and dedication of the teacher in the
school district. It is our pleasure to help them engage students in learning through the
Teacher Excellence Grants,” said Julie Garcia, the Foundation’s Grant Committee Chair.
Since 2001, the Foundation has awarded 145 Teacher Excellence Grants totaling
$484,372. The Comal Education Foundation began its signature program of Teacher
Excellence Grants in the Spring of 2002. Grants are awarded to classroom teachers for
innovative and creative learning projects that are above the normal operating budget.
The grants that were handed out will be implemented during the 2009-2010 school year.
Below is the list of grants that were presented during the Prize Posse.
(Note: The other eight grant presentations were featured in previous issues of SchooLife.)
Smithson Valley High School
Making Science Click with Math ($4,650)
Teachers: Kathy Wilson, Carl Arbogast and Ann Alexander
Taking “clickers” to the next level, will help student incorporate physics, chemistry and
astronomy into math. The enhanced student response systems allow for numbers to be entered for
free response questions where numbers are required to complete calculations.
Smithson Valley Middle School
Increasing Fitness with GeoMotion ($4,915)
Teachers: Tracie Hammond, Amanda Custy, Wayne Rushing, Brad Biesenbach, et al.
GeoMotion is a hip and happening way to get in shape. Incorporating physical benefits,
with math, health, science and music curriculums will benefit all students. Students will have fun
and be asking for more.
Timberwood Park Elementary School
Discovering a Lifetime of Enjoyment with Disc Golf ($2,449)
Teachers: Summer Gault, Kathlyn Gordon and Dr. Sean Maika
Disc golf is a fun, outdoor sport that engages children’s minds and bodies. The
Educational Disc Golf Experience (EDGE) is a program developed for schools that incorporates
physical education, with math and science concepts. Disc golf will become part of our family nights,
as we encourage families to play together.
Elementary Schools—Bill Brown, Goodwin Frazier, Morningside, Rebecca Creek, Startzville,
and Timberwood Park
The Nintendo Wii: Benefitting Children with Special Needs ($685)
Teacher: Andria Nittinger
Special needs students have a diversity of physical needs, and keeping them engaged in
physical activities is important to their well being. Special needs students will use the Wii to
improve coordination skills, sequencing skills, spatial awareness, balance and more while having fun.
Startzville Elementary School
The World at My Finger Tips ($3,680)
Teachers: Laura Mendez, Mary Silvers, Theresa Ricker, and Jenny Wahlstrom
Students learn best through direct experiences. Through the use of iPod Touch devices,
students will use technology to access the world in a controlled and safe environment. Student will
learn how to use a handheld computer , learn about digital etiquette including protocol for accessing
information and what not to share about themselves.
An Olympic-sized reading reward
Former Olympic swimming gold medalist Josh Davis visited Comal Elementary in late May and
handed out medals to the school’s champion readers. Here are CES’ fifth-grade medal winners. Front
Row: (l-r) Kirsten Payne, Jacqueline Johnson, Erin Hunter, and Kayla Cochran. Back Row: Jack
Stinger, Erika Emmons, and Taylor Boyd.
First State
Bank sponsors
writing contest
Two Comal Elementary students were recently selected by
First State Bank as winners in a
writing contest. Carolina Norton
and Jacqueline Johnson wrote
about “What They Liked Best
about New Braunfels.” Two students were chosen from each
district, Comal and New
Braunfels ISDs. Pictured here
with the award-winners is Gavin
Lynch, president of the bank.
Eighth-grade
athletes at
MVMS
Isaac Pruna and Lilimae Daily
were named 8th-grade all-around
athletes at Mountain Valley Middle
School for the 2008-2009 school
year. Keep up the good work,
Hawk athletes!
Afterschool program benefits from
JCPenney donation
MHS students
quilt for a cause
Cindy Moore from Memorial High
School presents 21 baby quilts in a
variety of colors and themes to
Crystal Moon at the Options for
Women, a crisis pregnancy
center. The quilts were made by her
students as a project for the 2008-09
school year. This brings the number
of baby quilts and lap quilts made by
her classes as donations over the last
few years to almost 100!
Putting his skills to good use
The Comal ISD 4-H Afterschool Program was the proud recipient of a $5,000 donation from
JCPenney. Pictured (left to right) are Karla M. Friesenhahn, County Extension Agent-4-H & Youth
Development, JCPenney manager Roxie Perez, Freiheit Elementary students Aden Supak, Emma
Ransom, Justice Becka, Emily Miller, Austin Supak and Austin Miller, and CISD Community
Education Project Managers Charlotte Muniz and Matt Walker.
Learning to ride safely
Morningside Elementary School held its first bicycle rodeo this spring, with the help of the Pilot
Club of Canyon Lake. Eighty-three children in kindergarten through third grade tested their riding
skills through a confidence course. MES staff, parents, and Communities in Schools personnel kept
score and guided the students to each event. Pilot Club members reminded the students to wear their
helmets, while New Braunfels police officers performed detailed safety inspections of each student’s
bike. Winners in each grade level received gift certificates. The day was a great success, and a good
time was had by all.
Bryan Hernandez, center, pictured with Ed Salinas, computer
repair teacher and Canyon High
principal Brad Brown, received
this certificate of appreciation for
his outstanding efforts in the
computer repair class. He has
been an asset to the community,
staff, and other students with the
skills he has learned at CHS in
the computer repair class. He has
made several service calls to
local community citizens and has
set up networks (wired and wireless), repaired computers, and
consulted. He has showed an
enormous positive attitude all
year and passed this attitude off
to the people he helped.
2009 SVHS
Summa Cum Laude
Smithson Valley High School’s summa cum laude graduates:
Noah Abolafia-Rosenzweig • Amira al-Qarqaz • Amy
Anderson • Brittany Balcar • Tori Barnes • Kaitlyn
Bernal • Rosanne Canfield • Rebeca Clary • Michael
Daigle • Hallie Davis • Derek Dubois • Taryn Dykes •
Megan Ecell • Skylar Garcia • Brianna Guidorzi •
Justin Jimenez • Zachary Kopec • Kendall Lasher •
Jeffrey Ledford • Chelsea Logsdon • Ethan
Menebroker • Stephen Nesloney • Alison Pain • Ashley
Parr • Audrey Raley • Shannon Samples • Elizabeth
Schmitt • Jessica Schreiber • Katie Vincent • Zan
Walker • Madison Wallender • Ryan Wood
Photos by Sam Roberts
2009 SVHS
Magna Cum Laude
Smithson Valley High School’s magna cum laude graduates:
Abel Alvarado • Kaitlyn Axell • Lauren Cheek •
Cameron Erhardt • Tyler Flavin • Stephen Fox •
Shelbie Green • Cody Herr • Courtney Herr •
Rebekah Kreiger • Michelle Lewis • William Garrett
Lucas • Eric Madden • Hunter Matthews • Blake
Matthys • Briana McCauley • Derek Moczygemba •
Maria Montemayor • Bradley Nasis • Alyssa
Perryman • Christian Petitt • Michelle Reich • Austin
Richardson • Molly Rupp • Geoffrey Salazar • Alex
Simmons • Malinda Skinner • Jeremy Smith •
Christine Thorpe • Holly Zbitowsky • Lauren Zuehl
2009 SVHS
Cum Laude
Smithson Valley High School’s cum laude graduates:
Sean Abrams • Joseph Acevedo • Devin Baker • Keely
Bearden • McKinnley Brownstone • Kati Castillo •
Mackenzie Coggins • Jessica Compere • Lindsay
Geiwitz • Allison Haby • Jason Heimbecker • Scott
Henry • Ashlyn Holt • Brian Huynh • Phillip Ingraham
• Lauren Jackson • Kimberly Jones • Victoria Keller •
Travis King • Jacob Laubach • Rachelle Luehfling •
Shelby Martin • Dana Monroe • Gilbert Noriega •
Hannah Perry • Julia Pyle • Michelle Reininger •
Robert Rios • Forrest Stovall • Bailey Watts •
Christopher Wemmert • Samantha Wittie
The 10th Annual Bulverde “Run for
the Hills” smashed many records
Over $17,000 was raised by 274 runners, as
well as participants in the health fair and silent
auction during the 10th Annual Bulverde 5K
Walk/Run for the Hills event. A record-breaking
68 sponsors received a large consumer turn-out
for the products and services they were promoting. The Health Fair was very popular, with key
sponsor WellMed offering health screenings in its
mobile unit. The San Antonio Blood and Tissue
Center bus was on hand to accept blood donations. The Spring Branch/Bulverde Lions Club
conducted numerous health checks, at no charge.
The silent auction was the largest ever, with 49
items offered to the public. Perfect Slice Pizza
entered a record-setting team of 45 runners in various age categories to win the Business Division.
The race winner in the Male Division was Shane
Clinger, who completed the course in 5 minutes
and 38 seconds. In the Female Division, Shelby
Polasek won with a winning time of 6 minutes
and 45 seconds. The oldest person to complete
the entire 5K course was 90-year-old Gloria
Bandy. The Smithson Valley ROTC entry took
top honors in the School Division.
Individual winners by age category are as follows:
MALE:
FEMALE:
Age 1-14 - William Sean Herrers - 7:35
Age 1-14 – Madison Loveday – 8:25
Age 15-19 – James Polasek - 5:47
Age 15-19 – Shelby Polasek – 6:45
Age 20-24 – Michael Zito – 6:22
Age 20-24 – Erika Castro – 11:27
Age 25-29 – Patrick Howard – 7:35
Age 25 – 29 – Megan Wenzel – 8:01
Age 30-34 – Andrew McHenry – 6:23
Age 30 – 34 – Shauna Douglas – 7:23
Age 35-39 – Shane Clinger – 5:38
Age 35 – 39 – Sheryl Fey – 7:17
Age 40-44 – Robert Welsh – 6:18
Age 40 – 44 – Christine Jenkins – 8:05
Age 45-49 – Martin Sanchez – 6:35
Age 45 – 49 – Teresa Lake – 8:15
Age 50-54 - Jeff Robin – 7:06
Age 50 – 54 – Jan Tilley – 8:43
Age 55-59 – Bruce Tilley – 8:38
Age 55 – 59 - Gail Savage – 12:22
Age 60-64 – Sony Robensen – 8:51
Age 60 – 64 – Carolyn Scott – 12:51
Age 65 – 69 – Dave Schumaker – 11:09
Age 65 – 69 – Lucy Bobik – 13.00
Age 70-74 – Theodore Wilcox – 11:08
Age 70 – 74 – Anna Mae Studney – 21:39
Age 75-79 – Emond Corley – 12:29
Age 75 – 79 – Jane Hamyin – 15:57
Age 80-99 - Arthur Owens – 15.39
Age 80 - 99 – Gloria Bandy – 24:18
The top five primary supporters of the event,
WellMed, San Antonio Federal Credit Union,
Brumley PEO, Bulverde Oaks Office Park and
GVTC will be honored by the Bulverde/Spring
Branch Chamber of Commerce and the Bulverde
GVTC golf tournament raises $65,000
for local nonprofits
More than 100 golfers helped the 5th Annual
GVTC Foundation Charitable Golf Classic raise
money for area education, literacy and service
organizations.
The tournament — held May 4 at the
acclaimed River Crossing Golf Club — raised
$65,000 for The GVTC Foundation, the nonprofit affiliate of GVTC Communications.
“The golf classic is The GVTC Foundation’s
primary fundraiser, and once again it was a success,” Foundation President Ola Armstrong said.
“We are pleased with the amount of money we
were able to raise this year.”
Since its inception, the GVTC Foundation
Charitable Golf Classic has generated more than
$400,000 for area nonprofit groups. Foundation
funds support education, literacy, volunteer
emergency services and youth and service organizations across GVTC’s 11-county, 2,000-mile
service territory.
About 60 GVTC volunteers helped organize
and staff the event.
To learn more about The GVTC Foundation,
visit www.gvtcfoundation.com.
About GVTC
Headquartered in Smithson Valley, Texas,
GVTC was formed in 1951 as a telephone cooperative for the residents of the Texas Hill
Country. GVTC is now the largest telephone
cooperative in the state, with more than 32,000
members, in eleven counties, across a 2,000
square mile area. GVTC also is a full-service
communications company, offering high-speed
Internet, digital cable TV and home security
monitoring. GVTC was the first company in
South Central Texas to use fiber-to-the-home
technology. Broadband Properties magazine recognized GVTC as one of the Top 100 broadband
providers, and the company received the Fiberto-the-Home Council’s 2008 Chairman’s Award.
www.gvtc.com. www.mygvtc.com.
Senior Center, co-sponsors of the event, later
this summer.
The exact date of the 2010 5K Walk/Run will
be announced soon, but it is normally held the
first Saturday in May.
Are you aging successfully?
By Kelly Meyer,
Anytime Fitness
What does it mean to age successfully? My
first thought when asked this question was to try
and be healthy and happy. Could it really be that
simple? As I found out from my mentor, Dr.
Marc Lochbaum of Texas Tech University, there
is more to it than that. Aging is progressive, not
just one point in time. Can you be healthy and
happy your entire life? This question immediately made me think of quality of life. I used to
think of quality of life as cheating on your diet
or going out and having a good time instead of
working or studying, but it is so much more.
I generally break down quality of life into
two groups; general and health-related quality of
life. General quality of life includes health,
recreation, culture, values, beliefs, aspirations,
and the financial conditions to support the essentials. Health-related quality of life reflects a personal sense of physical and mental health and
the ability to react to factors in the physical and
social environments.
So how can you have a high quality of life
and still age successfully? My top 10 for anyone
to accomplish this is:
1 Finances for essentials
2 NO tobacco use
3 Healthy diet with lots of exercise
4 Minimal alcohol consumption
5 Normal body weight
6 Absence of depression
7 Warm, stable relationship
8 Social network
9 Ability to cope
10 Ability to manage stress
Most people will have a majority of these
items checked off, and many of these characteristics seem simple. However, there are three that
have a larger effect on health than most might
realize. No tobacco use, good diet combined
with lots of activity, and minimal alcohol consumption should be on the top of everyone’s list
if they plan to not only live a long time but be
healthy as well.
According to the Center for Disease Control,
tobacco use is the number one cause of death in
the United States. Poor diet and a lack of exercise is number two, but not far behind. Alcohol
is in a distant third. If you add up all other causes of death: toxic agents, car accidents, firearms,
illicit drugs, sexual behavior, and microbial
agents, they don’t even come close to tobacco
use and poor diets combined with lack of activity. With this evidence it makes sense why the
leading cause of death in the US is heart disease
followed closely by cancer. So in order to be
healthy enough to be happy in the long term,
don’t use tobacco, don’t drink too much, and get
lots of exercise.
Running a fitness club, of course I am going
to say exercise is important, and if you do exercise and resistance train it’s hard to go wrong,
but there is nothing more important than staying
active. Not everyone can make it to the gym
every day, so it is important to stay moving. It is
as simple as taking a walk after a meal, playing
with the kids, gardening, and just plain getting
off your bum. If you can get in 30 minutes to an
hour of activity in your day, you can increase
muscle and bone strength, increase lean muscle
that helps decrease body fat, aid in weight control, enhance physical well-being, reduce risk of
heart disease, diabetes, and reduce the risk and
symptoms of depression.
I could talk health all day, but where my job
usually ends, the other half of aging successfully
begins. How do you handle the tough day-to-day
grind? Do you explode with frustration when
you get cut off, or yell at someone you love
when they have done nothing wrong? How you
handle your every day stress can have an influence on your happiness and your health. A little
stress can be good, but more often than not it
becomes too much. Stress can prevent you from
sleeping, increase your heart rate, blood pressure, and weaken your immune system. My rule
of thumb for stress is, if you are stressed for
more than an hour, you need a break. My
favorite break from stress is laughter, but it is
hard to always have a good joke ready, so you
need options. If you are too stressed to sleep and
you just can’t get your brain to shut down, journaling dominates. If you can’t get thoughts out
of your head, put in on paper. If Oprah says it is
true then it must be. Reading can also offer a
needed escape. Talking to a significant other or
friend is great, but if you’re going to vent, warn
them in advance or it can sound like your taking
everything out on them. Listen to or play music,
or just plain take some time for yourself. Most
important, you have to have an outlet. As you
would probably guess, mine is exercise.
Hopefully this all seems simple; the hard part
usually comes with situations you can’t control.
You can’t always control your health, you definitely can’t control if someone is going to cut you
off, but you can control the choices you make.
Anytime Fitness is open 24/7. If you would
like help aging more successfully, Kelly and her
crew can get you off on the right foot. Give them
a call at (830) 438-8971, visit the Anytime
Fitness location in Spring Branch at 18670C
Hwy. 46 Pkwy, or check out anytimefitness.com
RANGER
FOOTBALL
SEASON
TICKETS ON
SALE
Football Season Tickets for 2009
Smithson Valley Rangers are on sale.
The week of August 10 – 13, all
remaining seats in the reserved
section will be up for sale on a first
come, first serve basis. Tickets will
be sold Monday through Thursday
between the hours of 8 AM and 12
PM at the fieldhouse ticket office.
ALL SALES CASH ONLY.
Bulverde Spring Branch
Area Scholarship
Foundation recipients
The Bulverde Spring Branch Area Scholarship Foundation has now
awarded 99 scholarships to graduating seniors that live in the old Smithson
Valley High School attendance area. The 2009 recipients are, from left,
Michael Daigle, Courtney Herr, Alyssa Perryman, Victoria Reynolds,
Montana Moeller, Lauren Cheek, Briana Guidorzi, Megan Eccell, Katie
Vincent and Ryan Wood. Graduating seniors that live in the SVHS and
Canyon Lake High School attendance areas are eligible to apply, whether
they go to public school, private school or are homeschooled. Applications
may be obtained from the school counselor or from the Bulverde Spring
Branch Library.
Bulverde/Spring Branch Area Chamber of Commerce ribbon cuttings
Great Clips has opened a salon in Bulverde
and held a ribbon cutting with the Bulverde /
Spring Branch Area Chamber of Commerce on
May 18th. They are located at 115 Old Boerne
Road, Bulverde (next to Starbucks). Great Clips
provides hair cutting and styling to men and
women of all ages. Owners Danny Fuller and
Nancy Watson invite you to check out their services. No appointment needed! They are open 7
days a week. Call (830) 438-7006.
The Hope Center Outreach and Food Pantry, established in November 2004, has opened a new office at
4476 Hwy 281 N, Ste E, Spring Branch, next door to
their Thrift Store. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held
May19th with the Bulverde/Spring Branch Area
Chamber of Commerce. The Center serves residents
of Spring Branch and Bulverde and has recently partnered with the San Antonio Food Bank. Director Pam
Barquist works with many agencies to help those in
need. The Thrift Store helps provide income for the
Center. The Outreach Center is open Tuesday through
Friday from 9am to 4pm. The Thrift Store is open
Tuesday through Friday from 9am to 4pm and
Saturday from 9am to 3pm. Donations of food are
accepted at the Outreach Office. Donations for the
Thrift Store are accepted behind The Loft (4400 Hwy
281N) Tuesday through Friday from 9am to 4pm.
Contact The Hope Center at (830) 980-4673 or
www.rchopeministries.com for more information.
Dok-It Online, LLC has opened an office at
18534 Forty Six Parkway, Ste 1A, Spring Branch.
The ribbon cutting was held on June 4th with the
Bulverde/Spring Branch Chamber of Commerce.
Dok-It Online, LLC, owned by Billy & Janette
Johnson, is a web-based, fully secure site for maintaining an inventory of your home or business
valuables and assets. Contact the office at (830)
980-3653 for more information or check the website at www.dok-itonline.com.
(Attached photo is courtesy of
DLW Software LLC)
American soldier returns to Normandy for D-Day remembrance, award
By: Tom Hotaling
Bulverde resident
Gordon K. Smith of San Antonio
received the French Legion of Honor
Award on June 6; the highest award given
to a non-resident for his heroics on June 6,
1944 (D-Day). During his travels to
Normandy, France for the 65th anniversary,
he was able to enjoy receptions at both
Amfreville and Gourbesville. The people of
these small towns treated Smith with great
respect and dignity. He was made an honorary citizen of Gourbesville in 2006.
On June 6, 1944, Lt. Colonel Smith
(then Maj. Smith) parachuted into
Normandy with his unit, 507th P.I.R. (parachute infantry regiment). He landed outside of Fresville. He was able to gather a
small group of men and proceeded to the
ordered location. Carrying $50,000 with
him, his mission was to establish a supply
depot, using the money to buy needed supplies from the locals. Coming up to a
bridge near Amfreville, he and his men
were able to overtake a bridge and continue
on to their objective.
When the group came up to an apple
orchard, Smith was shot by a hiding
German sniper. The bullet pierced through
his arm and stomach and exited his back,
just missing vital organs. Bleeding profusely and with more Germans in pursuit,
Smith ordered his men to leave him and
rested underneath an apple tree.
His first thoughts were the lyrics, “Don’t
sit underneath the apple tree with anyone
else but me,” as he thought of his young
wife Martha and two-year-old daughter
Sandra. To this day he tears up if he hears
that song.
After passing out, he later woke up in a
German aid station with a German doctor
standing over him. The older doctor pointed
to the young soldier standing guard over
Gordon and other POW’s, and said “this is
the sniper who shot you.”
The doctor broke open a bottle of wine
and shared it with Gordon, stating that during WWI he himself was wounded in action
and saved by an American doctor, vowing
to return the favor if the opportunity ever
presented itself. Sitting next to Gordon was
a private, Robert Lewellen, who lost his
hand in battle. Maj. Smith and Pr. Lewellen
didn’t know each other, but Pr. Lewellen
always talked about the unknown Major to
his son over the years.
On June 4th of this year, Private
Lewellen was being made an honorary citizen of Gourbesville with his name being
memorialized on a plaque next to Smith’s.
Sadly, Lewellen died Monday, June 1st,
2009. Accepting the award on behalf of
Lewellen was his son Randy, who met
Smith for the first time.
It was an unforgettable, emotional
moment that will stick with me for a life-
time. During my time in Normandy there
were many emotional moments like this.
You drive through the countryside and find
more American Flags flying than you do in
most American neighborhoods. The people
in this region treat these veterans and their
families with all the graciousness and love
that is becoming of them. It is truly a humbling and moving experience that can’t help
but make you realize how precious liberty
and freedom are that these brave men
fought and died for.
Gordon Smith with R.B. Lewellen’s son, Randy Lewellen
and French dignitaries at ceremony in Gourbesville,
France. June 4,2009
Own a business? Put retirement, succession plans in order
If you own a small business, you probably laugh at the notion of a “9 to 5” workday. Unfortunately, many small-business
owners work so hard, and are so focused on
the “here and now”- increasing sales, controlling costs, attracting new customers, etc.
- that they forget to plan for their own
retirement and for the fate of their business.
Don’t make those mistakes. No matter
how hectic your schedule, take the time to
set up a retirement plan for yourself and a
succession plan for your business.
Let’s consider retirement plans first.
These days, small-business owners such as
yourself have several good retirement plans
from which to choose as well as other
options that may provide even more opportunity. If your business has no employees
except you (and possibly, your spouse), you
can choose a SEP IRA, an “owner-only”
401(k) or an “owner-only” defined benefit
plan. If you have employees, you might
want to explore a SIMPLE IRA or a “Safe
Harbor” 401(k). All these plans have at
least two things in common. First, your
earnings can potentially grow tax-deferred.
Second, you can fund any of these plans
with virtually any type of investment:
stocks, bonds, certificates of deposit, government securities and more. You can even
create a mix of investments to reflect your
time horizon and risk tolerance.
Beyond these similarities, though, these
plans have different requirements and features, so, to find the one that’s right for
you, consult with a financial advisor who is
experienced in helping business owners.
Once you’ve established your retirement
plan, it’s time to think about succession
planning. Here are a few general recommendations to keep in mind:
Always know what your business is
worth. Your succession plan may involve
either selling the business or passing it to
your heirs, so it’s essential you know the
sales price or its inheritance value. Once
you have this information, you can help
draw up plans for selling the business or
helping your family pay estate taxes.
Integrate your succession plans with
your estate plans. Many small-business
owners just plan on leaving the business to
their spouse - a move that could cut off
other heirs from an inheritance. This can be
particularly troublesome if all your net
worth is tied up in the business - a situation
you’ll want to avoid by having some outside investments, in addition to one of the
retirement plans mentioned above.
Include key employees in your planning.
If you’d like to keep some key employees
on after the business is transferred, let them
know your plans while you’re still in
charge. Of course, if you plan on selling
your business to one of them, you’ll need to
invest and organize the proceeds in such a
way that they can be efficiently passed on
to your family.
Plan for “what if?” A good succession
plan must also include plans for contingencies. To cite just one possible complication,
what if you want to leave your business to
an adult child, but that child dies before
you? You may need to take many “what ifs”
into account when you construct your plans.
You invest your heart and soul into your
business. To protect that investment, work
with your financial, tax and legal advisors
to create the appropriate retirement and succession plans. Even as busy as you are, it
will be time well spent.
Robert Zito, your local
EdwardJones Investment
Representative, has an office at 160
Creekside Park, suite 400 in Spring
Branch. For more information, call
him at (830) 980-1812 or email at
robertz@gvtc.com.
Additional EdwardJones Financial
Advisors: William Pringle @ 830.964.4744
and Barry L. Dodd @ 830.885.3953 are
also available to visit with you about your
financial needs.
Join Dodd every Wednesday morning at
Chicki’s Coffee Shop from 8:30-9:30 a.m.
for free financial investment discussions.
He’ll buy the coffee!
Coming in the August issue of SchooLife:
Get Back-To-School Information
Registration Dates/Info/School Supply Lists | Walk-in Immunization Clinics/Requirements

July 2009 - Comal ISD

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