March 2015 - Lake Travis ISD

March, 2015
Lake Travis Independent School District
School Matters
LT
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Students swing into Spring Break
QUICK LINKS
IN THIS ISSUE:
3
Lake Pointe Elementary
Food for Thought
Lake Travis Elementary
4
5
District receives grant to fund ‘Digital Divide’
project at LTE
6
Record-number Lake Travis HS visual arts students
advance to state
7
12
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Bee Cave Elementary
Lakeway Elementary
Lake Travis FFA attends Agricultural Education and Texas
FFA Day at the state capitol
Serene Hills Elementary
West Cypress Hills Elementary
Hudson Bend Middle
Lake Travis Middle
Campus News
Lake Travis High
Announcements and Upcoming Events
Featured Fundraiser
CALENDAR
March
Mar. 16-23
Mar. 24
April 3
Music in Our
Schools Month
Spring Break
School Board
Meeting
Student/Staff
Holiday
Food for Thought
contributed by Traci Miller, RD, LD, LTISD Director of Food and Nutrition Services
Our Extra Value Club Wrap features a whole grain, low sodium
tortilla; low sodium, low-fat oven roasted turkey breast; low fat, low
sodium shredded cheddar cheese; fresh spinach; 1/3 ounce bacon;
and Ken’s No MSG, low fat, light ranch dressing.
Did you know that at LTISD, our Food and Nutrition Services Department--better known as FANS--exceeds national nutrition standards at
the K-8 level?
We DO NOT serve food or beverages containing:
· high fructose corn syrup
· artificial dyes
· artificial flavors
· MSGs
Instead, all of our grains are whole grain. The tomato paste in our pizza is not counted towards the required vegetable offering. Dark green
salads are offered on ‘pizza day.’ All fruits are unsweetened (canned,
fresh or frozen).
District funds support many school food and nutrition departments
across the country, yet the LTISD FANS Department is self-supporting. As such, we must manage our budget to pay for labor, benefits,
food, and all other costs of doing business. In this way, district funds
directly support student academic programs and services.
LTISD FANS recently invested revenue in an interactive, online (and
mobile) menu platform to drastically increase transparency of our
high-quality and nutritious menu items. We are working with students
to display photos of all our food on this site. One such example is
from Sophia Alexander and Janessa Brito, two 5th grade students
and photographers at Serene Hills Elementary School, together with
school Fuel Café manger Angela McAfee, who completed a photo
project for our elementary Fuel Café.
PAID AD
Choose your child’s campus via the following link to see more great
photos and nutrition information about our Café choices: http://laketravis.nutrislice.com
For more information about the LTISD FANS Department, visit
www.ltisdschools.org.
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District receives grant to fund ‘Digital Divide’ project
at LTE
The Texas Education Agency recently awarded the Lake Travis Independent School District with a grant that
will help bridge the digital divide for students at Lake Travis Elementary School.
Specifically, the grant will fund 234 Chromebooks plus 21 ‘Chromebook Backpacks’ consisting of a Chromebook laptop and wireless access hotspot for school and home use by students in third through fifth grades at
the district’s sole Title I campus. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the federal Title I program
provides financial assistance to schools with high numbers or percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all students meet challenging state academic standards.
“Lake Travis Elementary is facing the obstacles of a digital divide within a district of digital-age learners,”
Becky Burnett, LTISD Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, said. “This creates some
unique challenges for LTISD as a Bring Your Own Learning Technology--or BYOLT district for students who
do not have any technology to bring to the classroom—much less, to use at home. We intend to leverage
this grant to help students create 21st century connections to their education.”
The digital tools to be provided by the grant would also enjoy the support of student-led initiatives like the
Peer Assistance and Leadership—or PALS—program and the National Honor Society at Lake Travis High
School, as well as from community programs such as LTlov, a nonprofit organization that works to identify
local needs, inspire community involvement, and distribute contributions through projects that assist and
empower families in the Lake Travis area.
“These groups will assist us in providing critical services to students and their parents like after school
tutorials on the use of technology that will help foster digital literacy at home,” continued Ms. Burnett, who
will oversee the project. “Working in conjunction with these groups, our district and campus leadership have
noticed the technology skills gap that exists among parents of economically disadvantaged and Limited
English Proficient students especially as it pertains to the growing number of district and campus online
resources like e-textbooks and other academic materials and web-based portals for student enrollment and
grades. The provisions of this grant will empower these populations to meet the necessity, not the luxury, of
bridging the digital divide within and beyond the 21st century classroom.”
For more information, contact the LTISD Office of Communications at (512) 533-6046.
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4
Lake Travis FFA attends Agricultural Education and
Texas FFA Day at the state capitol
Members of the Lake Travis FFA Chapter attended the 4th Annual Agricultural Education and Texas FFA Day
at the Texas State Capitol held February 24 in Austin. The event was hosted by the Texas FFA Association
and the Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association of Texas.
Lake Travis was one of more than 50 chapters accounting for approximately 850 FFA members and advisors
across Texas who participated in the event to learn more about the legislative process, specifically addressing agriculture and agricultural education through workshops and presentations conducted by key public
leaders in Texas. Resolutions regarding the Texas FFA were read in the Texas House and Senate. Lake
Travis FFA members were also able to have a one-on-one discussion with Deputy Secretary of State, Coby
Shorter, III. They also toured the Texas FFA Ford Leadership Center and heard from Texas FFA Foundation
Director Aaron Alejandro.
“FFA Day at the capitol is a great way for our state leaders to see the true impact of agricultural education
and the FFA,” Kelly White said, one of two Lake Travis FFA program advisors. “It also affords our members
the opportunity to see first-hand the legislative process and how they can affect change in their own communities.”
The Texas FFA is one of the nation’s largest state FFA associations with more than 94,000 members and
more than 1,000 FFA chapters. FFA gives students the opportunity to apply practical classroom knowledge to
real-world experiences through local, state and national competitions. In Texas, there are an estimated 1,700
agricultural science and technology teachers impacting approximately 140,000 students enrolled in agricultural education classes at the secondary level. For more information about the Texas FFA Association, visit
www.texasffa.org.
To learn more about the Lake Travis FFA program, visit www.laketravisffa.ffanow.org.
For more information, contact the Lake Travis ISD Office of Communications at (512) 533-6046.
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5
Record-number Lake Travis HS visual arts students
advance to state
Thirty Lake Travis High School (LTHS) students will have their artwork juried at the Visual Art Scholastic
Event—or VASE—state competition to be held April 24-25 in Dallas.
Students earned the trip to state after a successful showing at the Region 13 North VASE competition held
at Cedar Ridge High School in the Round Rock school district February 21. Approximately 1,300 pieces representing 28 area schools were scored based on student interviews with a judge and quality of the artwork.
Nearly one-third of the total pieces that qualified for state—33 of 107—were created by LTHS students.
Overall, 146 LTHS students received Superior and Excellent ratings at the regional show.
VASE is a state-wide curricular competition—one of the largest of its kind in the nation—for high school art
students that gives them the opportunity to develop creative works of art and to discuss and analyze their
artwork with professionals.
“This is the highest number of students we’ve ever had qualify for state,” LTHS art teacher Diane Wrinkle
said. “These students are to be commended for their passion, dedication and talent. Their success is a reflection of the support they receive from the LTHS art department, in particular, teachers Cha Asokan, Amber
Forgey and Kristen Kyger.”
Click here to learn more.
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CAMPUS NEWS
LTHS student-athletes
sign letters of intent
Legislative notes
LTHS student-athlete Katie Hearn signs letter of
intent to play soccer at the University of California at
Monterey Bay in Seaside, California.
The Lake Travis ISD Elementary Honor Choir, under the
direction of each elementary school music teacher, performed for state officials and visitors in the rotunda of the
Texas State Capitol on March 4.
Lake Travis High School DECA
advances to international
competition
LTHS student-athlete Aiden Rourke signs letter
of intent to play football at Concordia University in
Seward, Nebraska.
After competing against more than 6,000 Texas high
school students at the state DECA conference last month,
Lake Travis High School will send 20 students to Orlando,
Florida to participate in the International Career Development Conference April 25-28.
Formerly known as the Distributive Education Clubs of
America, DECA prepares emerging leaders in marketing,
finance, hospitality, and management with over 200,000
members around the globe. Led by LTHS marketing
teachers Jill Oates and Amy Johnson, DECA is one the
largest student organizations on the Lake Travis campus
with 120 members.
LTHS student-athlete Garret Stott signs letter of intent to play football at Southern Methodist University
in Dallas, Texas.
Learn more.
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7
Can Speech
you dig
it? makes good
LTHS
& Debate
on promise at state tournament
Three Lake Travis High School
students named National Merit
Finalists
Competing against more than 200 schools throughout the
state, the Lake Travis High School Speech and Debate
team did what it said it was going to do at the 2015 Texas
Forensics Association State Tournament held March 5-7 in
El Paso.
Lake Travis High School (LTHS) principal Kimberly Brents
is pleased to announce that seniors John Wacker, Morgan McMasters, and Meghana Gaur have been selected
as 2015 National Merit Finalists by the National Merit®
Scholarship Program.
Individual results are as follows:
Students entered the program by taking the Preliminary
SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT)
as high school juniors in 2013. They were chosen from
more than 1.5 million program entrants and represent less
than one percent of each state’s high school seniors. According to the National Merit® Scholarship Program, these
students show exceptional academic ability and potential
for success in rigorous college studies.
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·
·
·
Maxim Belov – Semifinalist, Congress House and Foreign Extemporaneous Speaking
Spencer Buckner – 2nd Place, Congress Senate
Kari Burns – Semifinalist, Oratory
Gage Krause – State Champion, Impromptu
Speaking
The night before the tournament, the team Tweeted (@LTDebate) “First night in El Paso for TFA State! We are planning on bringing home some serious hardware this week!”
Learn more.
Ms. Marilyn Myrick is the Speech and Debate advisor at
Lake Travis High School
District announces 2015-2016
Prekindergarten, Kindergarten
Round-up
Vicki Jones
512-848-7044
vjonestx@me.com
www.vjonestx.myrandf.com
The Lake Travis Independent School District will hold
registration for Prekindergarten and Kindergarten students
for the 2015-2016 school year during its annual ‘round-up’
scheduled from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 25
at each elementary campus.
Enter to win a FREE
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Include your email to be entered into the drawing.
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Parents and guardians should register their child at the
elementary school within the attendance zone associated
with his/her residence.
Learn more.
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HBMS State Geo Bee contestant Canion Hempel and school principal Mark Robinson
LTMS State Geo Bee contestant Anna Sentmanat
HBMS, LTMS students named Texas Geographic Bee Semifinalists
The Hudson Bend Middle School seventh-grader and Lake Travis Middle School eighth-grade student, respectively, will compete in the 2015 Texas National Geographic State Bee.The event will be held at the Pat May Center in Bedford on March 27 and
is sponsored by Internet search engine giant Google, Inc. and Plum Creek, the largest and most geographically-diverse private
landowner in the nation.
“We are so proud of Canion,” Hudson Bend Middle School principal Mark Robinson said. “He has a true passion for geography. He will be a great ambassador for our school, our district, and our state.”
Joe Kopec, Lake Travis Middle School interim principal, expressed his support stating, “Anna’s hard work and dedication have
prepared her well for this incredible opportunity. She will make a great contestant.”
This is the second level of the National Geographic Bee competition, which is now in its 27th year. School Bees were held in
schools with fourth- through eighth-grade students throughout the state to determine each school champion. School champions then took a qualifying test, which they submitted to the National Geographic Society. The National Geographic Society has
invited up to 100 of the top-scoring students in each of state, District of Columbia, Department of Defense Dependents Schools
and U.S. territories to compete in the state Bees.
Each state champion will receive $100, the “National Geographic Atlas of the World, 10th Edition,” a medal, and a trip to Washington, D.C., to represent their state in the National Geographic Bee Championship to be held at National Geographic Society
headquarters, May 11-13.
Learn more here.
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The Technical Titans
The Crafty Creators
Imagine Mustaches
‘Destination ImagiNation’ trio qualifies for state tournament
‘The Imagine Mustaches,’ ‘The Crafty Creators,’ and ‘The Technical Titans.’ While this may sound like a line-up of bands playing
Austin’s SXSW music festival, these are actually teams of elementary-age students from the Lake Travis Independent School
District who will put their creative talents on display at the Destination ImagiNation State Affiliate Tournament April 10-11 at Skyline High School in Dallas.
According to its website, Destination ImagiNation (DI) is a non-profit, school-based program devoted to helping students gain
practical life skills through interesting, entertaining, and mind-boggling challenges. Teams are tested to think on their feet, work
together and devise original solutions to satisfy community service, technical, scientific, fine arts, improvisational, and structural
challenges. Participants learn patience, flexibility, persistence, ethics, respect for others and their ideas, and the collaborative
problem-solving process. DI works with more than 250,000 children and young adults in 48 states and 50 nations. The program
is guided by parents, educators, and community volunteers who support the art and skill of creative problem solving.
More than 2,400 students comprising 385 teams in multiple categories of competition took part in the Capital Area Regional
Destination ImagiNation tournament held March 7 at Hendrickson High School. LTISD fielded 22 Challenge-based teams and
six Rising Stars teams for the early learners. In all, the teams were comprised of 172 students from Lake Travis, Lakeway, and
Serene Hills elementary schools, as well as Hudson Bend and Lake Travis middle schools. The event was the largest for the
Capital Area region
Learn more.
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Cavalettes director named
Texas Dance Educators
Association president-elect
Bucs battle books
Lake Travis High School dance instructor/Cavalettes
director Abigail Payne took the oath of office in January as
President-Elect of the Texas Dance Educators Association,
the statewide organization for dance education.
A group of ‘book worms’ from Hudson Bend Middle School
took part in the Second Annual Battle of the Books held
February 27 at Educational Service Center Region 13.
Teams were comprised of five students and an alternate,
and each team in the competition was asked to read all 20
books on the 2014 Lone Star List, a recommended reading
list developed by public school librarians from the Young
Adult Round Table. The purpose of the list is to encourage
students in grades 6, 7, and 8 to explore a variety of current
books. The competition consisted of two rounds of 25
questions each directly from the books on the list. For each
question, teams had 25 seconds to discuss their response
and write the correct answer with correct spelling and
capitalization on a white board. HBMS team members Ellie
Rose Mattoon and Zarah Taufique described the experience
as “intense.” While another school took top honors in the
competition, the ‘Book-aneers’ from HBMS won 1st Place
in the Team Poster Contest. It was Hudson Bend’s first
year in the competition. The ‘Book-aneers’ was comprised
of sixth-grade students Veronica Cabeza de Vaca, Luke
Lovelace, Ellie Rose Mattoon, Zarah Taufique, Katie
Transou and Taylor Uremovich. The team was sponsored
by HBMS librarian Nikki Hendricks.
Since then, Ms. Payne has been serving TDEA in furthering
the positive impact that dance education makes in schools
across Texas. As a member of the executive board, she will
attend monthly meetings, representing the organization at
various state and national conventions, and will be actively
involved in the planning and carrying out of the association’s annual convention to be held January 6-9, 2016 in
Houston.
“We are excited about having Abby represent the organization as it enters its 36th year,” TDEA president Sara Nash
wrote. “Her leadership and dedication to this organization
continues to serve educators around the state by promoting
quality instruction in dance and providing excellent professional development opportunities through TDEA.”
A native of Corsicana, TX, Ms. Payne earned a Bachelor’s
of Science degree in Dance with a minor in Theater Arts
from Texas State University. She is married to Dustin
Payne, a teacher and coach at Lake Travis Middle School,
and they have a two-year old daughter, Penelope.
For additional information about the Texas Dance Educators
Association, visit www.tdea.org.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS
Tickets are $15 (on the day) and $12 (pre-sale) and go
on sale 24 March. Tickets include all entertainment
and attractions! Watch your Tuesday Folders &
the PTA website to purchase!
There will also be food, games, prizes,
silent auction and much more!
Please support our generous Sponsors!
1800SolarUSA * Artemis Solutions Inc. (Friends of LTE Natalie & Maclain Brown) * Assassin Pest Control
Becker Wright Consultants * Cho Sushi Japanese Fusion * Gracie Barra * The Healthy Home Company
Lone Star Pediatric Dental * Luxe Salon * Nitro Swimming * Rapid Runway Repair Inc. * Primrose School of Bee Cave
The Little Sunshine Playhouse & Preschool * Partners in Building * Champion Martial Arts * Kid-E-Shack
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LTISD 2015 Summer Camp Catalog
ENROLLMENT BEGINS MARCH 12TH
TM
Se habla Español 512-533-6011
click here for more information
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LTHS Has
Talent!
First Ever Talent Show!!
March 27th, 2015 at 7:00pm
LTHS Performing Arts Center
Hosted by Harrison Cardwell and Brody Volpe
Tickets Available Online and the Night of
the Show for $5-$8
All Seats Reserved. No General Admission.
LTHS Talent Show sponsored by the Lake Travis High School PTO
Email: talent@lthspto.org
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Texas Dept. of State Health Services requires Returning students
be current with all required immunizations prior to the first day
of school, Monday, August 24, 2015
Students whose immunization records are incomplete—or do not
have a current immunization exemption certificate on file by the
first day of school—will not be admitted to class
To verify that your child’s immunizations records are current,
please contact your child’s physician or school nurse today
additional info regarding school immunizations, including a
complete listing of required immunizations, exemptions, and free
or low-cost immunization clinics, is available online
www.ltisdschools.org/healthmatters
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2015-2016 Immunization Requirements
Grades 7-12)
What immunizations does my child need?
NUMBER OF DOSES
GRADE LEVEL
1 Tdap/Td booster in last 5 years
Grade 7
1 Tdap/Td booster in last 10 years
Grade 8-12
Meningococcal
1 dose
Grade 7
Varicella
2 doses
Grade 7
VACCINE REQUIRED
Tetanus-diptheria (Td)
or
Tetanus-diptheria-acellular
pertussis (Tdap)
*Dosage/type of vaccine must be clearly documented. For a full schedule of required immunizations
or information regarding exemptions, visit: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/immunize/school/default.shtm
Where can I GET immunizations for my child?
Bring current vaccine record to your appointment to ensure all immunization requirements have
been met.
•
YourPediatricianorFamilyPractice
Doctor
•
Walgreens(LTISDpartner)
2401 Ranch Road 620 South
Lakeway, TX 78738
(512) 263-7887
•
•
LakewayRegionalMedicalCenter
(LTISDpartner)
100 Medical Parkway
Lakeway, TX 78738
(512) 571-5000
CareVan
Free vaccines for uninsured children
http://www.carevan.org/
or for local dates at LTISD www.ltisd
schools.org/Page/328
•
CVS
2306 Ranch Road 620 South
Lakeway, TX 78734
(512) 263-6000
•
VIKMedical
2303 Ranch Road 620 South
Lakeway, TX 78734
(512) 524-2290
•
ShotsforTots
Free vaccines for uninsured children
http://www.austintexas.gov/immuniza
tions
For more information, contact your child’s school nurse or the LTISD Health and Social Programs
Coordinator at 512-533-6041
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6
TH
GRADERS
Are you ready for 7th grade?
Got Shots??
FREE IMMUNIZATIONS
Tuesday
March 24, 2015
4:30-6:30pm
Hudson Bend Middle School
15600 Lariat Trail
Austin, TX 78734
Please contact your school nurse for more information or call
(512) 217-1220
Vaccines are provided by Texas Vaccines for Children (TVFC) and
these are the eligibility guidelines of the program:
Medicaid
No Insurance
Underinsured
Care Van is a Registered Mark of the Caring for Children Foundation of Texas, Inc
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Coming to LTHS Black Box
Theatre April 9
Register Today: www.eventbrite.com (search: The ONE Thing
Event (Lakeway, TX)- Lake Travis Chamber of Commerce) Enter
PROMO code: JrChamberVIP to get FREE tickets.
The ONE Thing Fundamentals is a powerful 3-hours based on The
ONE Thing, a book designed to teach us all how to build a big life
through simplicity.
TIME: 6-9 PM
TIME
DATE: April 9, 2015
LOCATION: Lake Travis High School
PRICE: $99 $0
sponsored by:
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FEATURED FUNDRAISER
Upcoming Fundraisers* :
•
•
•
•
•
LPE PTO / Box Tops for Education / Sept. 2014 - June 2015
LTHS PTO / District Directory Sale / July 2014 - Dec. 2015
LTHS NHS / Handmade bracelets sale (benefitting the International Justice
Mission) / Dec. 2014 - May 2015
LTHS Speech and Debate / Letter Writing Campaign to the Community /
March 1 -25
LTMS Interact Club / Sole Hope Blue Jean Drive / March 25 - April 29
* Please note list does not include all approved fundraisers; please contact the LTISD office of community programs for more information.
School Matters is an electronic magazine produced during the school year by the LTISD Office of Communications. Content includes news and updates on district-wide programs, services, events, and student achievement. Please encourage your friends
and neighbors to subscribe to our E-News service on the home page of the District Website. For questions or comments regarding School Matters, please contact the LTISD Office of Communications at alvaradom@ltisdschools.org, or at 512-533-6046.
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