September Newsletter - September 1, 2023
MORE To See This Football Season!
Back to school also means back to the gridiron, and we’re not just talking about the return of the fabled Friday Night Lights. Of course, Friday nights are spent watching Amarillo, Caprock, Palo Duro or Tascosa at Dick Bivins Stadium. But Saturdays are looking pretty legendary too, with 11 Amarillo ISD graduates on the rosters of NCAA Division 1 college football teams. MORE in AISD means more student-athletes taking their game to the next level. This fall, we can’t wait to see our current athletes in action on Thursday and Friday nights and then tune in on Saturday to hopefully catch a glimpse of these grads:
AHS:
Mason Graham – #87 New Mexico State University
Luke Laminack – #99 Texas Christian University
Jameson Garcia – #8 University of the Incarnate Word
Erik Gray – #55 Stephen F. Austin State University
Davin Lemmons – #18 Stephen F. Austin State University
Cole Lemons – #89 Stephen F. Austin State University
THS:
Tayden Barnes – #17 New Mexico State University
Avion Carter – #98 Texas Christian University
King Doerue – #23 University of California-Berkeley
Major Everhart – #22 Texas Christian University
Joseph Plunk – #31 Texas Tech
Darius Sanders – #32 University of the Incarnate Word
BizTown is Open for Business!
This week, a ribbon cutting marked the official opening of JA BizTown at AmTech Career Academy. JA BizTown is the hub where commerce and the classroom collide. This fully functional, immersive experience for elementary students is a collaboration between Junior Achievement of the High Plains and numerous local businesses that sponsor “storefronts.” Students spend the day taking what they learn in school and putting it to work in BizTown, running banks, managing restaurants, writing checks, voting for mayor and more. View the BizTown post at https://www.instagram.com/p/CqtdymoNPQ-/ (Opens in new window).
Attendance Matters, Maybe Even More Than You Realize.
Did you know a student who misses two days of school a month will miss around 30 hours of math instruction over the school year? If that pace continues, that student will miss a full year of school by graduation. We admit Ferris Bueller was pretty funny, but when attendance becomes a chronic problem, the challenges it creates for students–and teachers and parents–are real. We legitimately enjoy seeing your student’s face every day, so here are some simple steps to start the school year off right:
Make Attendance a Priority. See that your child comes to school every day.
Start conversations. Show your child that their education is important to you by asking questions and learning about what’s going on in school.
Keep the communication lines open. Reach out to the school and your child’s teachers throughout the year and find out what you can do at home to support your student.
Good Things Are Happening Here.
There are always more choices and more cool things happening at AmTech Career Academy, and this year, there are even more students! 2,667 students are enrolled this fall, which includes the school’s largest senior class. 537 seniors will spend part of their school day at AmTech, but 25 of them have chosen to fill their entire school day with AmTech classes. That means more interns, more professional certifications and more college and career prep happening in AISD.
MORE
More in Amarillo ISD = more fine arts, more advanced academics, more certifications…We could go on and on, and we do over on our social media where there’s–you guessed it– even MORE to see. See it here at https://youtube.com/shorts/O57LMMiDZlY?feature=share (Opens in new window).
Getting InSync With Your Kiddo
You: "How was school today?"
Child: "Good."
You: "Good."
Repeat 'til the end of time. OR Try asking a different question! InSync has your back with some after-school questions to help you get to the good part. Try asking: "What’s something funny that happened today?"
Totally Awesome, Absolutely Real Reviews. Here’s What You’re Saying About AISD.
“We transfer into AISD. We love the culture and climate of this school.” - Elementary Parent
Check Out These Stories.
AISD has several intriguing alumni links to NASA Space Program and we were excited to see this Back-to-School message from Holly Ridings.
We’re with the band!
“I’ll get you there and I’ll get you back safely.” Meet the AISD motorcoach driver with a 32-year record of safety in our latest Short Stories series.
AISD grad wins top award among nearly 1,000 Navy recruits!
Calendar Highlights for September.
Amarillo ISD on Twitter https://twitter.com/AmarilloISD
Amarillo ISD on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AmarilloISD
Amarillo ISD Website https://www.amaisd.org
Amarillo ISD on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/AmarilloISDtx
Amarillo ISD on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/amarilloisd/