October, 2016

The Slate

Anahuac

Independent School

District

The Anahuac High School Homecoming Parade will

be held October 12 and will begin at 5:30 p.m. sharp.

Line-up begins at 4 p.m. on Willcox Street in front of the

high school.

There is a charge of $5 an entry/float. The proceeds

will benefit AHS student council for homecom-

ing. Checks are to be payable to Anahuac ISD and

may be brought to the high school office before the

parade.

Checks brought to school the day of the parade

can be given to teachers Mrs. Green or Mrs. Broomas,

or to student Jonathan O’Banion.

Those who are paying are reminded to get a receipt

to present at the parade line-up.

There will be no set order in the parade entries ex-

cept for the parade marshal first, the band second,

and the horses last.

"Be sure to come with your group all together to en-

sure you are in the order of your choosing," said organ-

izer Rebecca Green.

Please contact Mrs. Green for questions and entries -

409-267-2013 or greenr@anahuacisd.net.

Plans Under Way for Homecoming Parade

Grant Pending for

School-Based

Health Clinic For the past five years, Anahuac ISD and the Ana-

huac community have enjoyed the School Based

Health Clinic (SBHC). The SBHC has been convenient-

ly located at the Anahuac Elementary School, serving

students and staff of all campuses.

In addition to receiving primary medical care, stu-

dents and staff of Anahuac ISD have been able to re-

ceive well-child examinations, sports physicals, vision

and hearing screenings, and behavioral

health/counseling services through the School Based

Health Clinic.

“The SBHC is an example of the great partnership

between Chambers Health and Anahuac ISD,” said

Chambers Health CEO Steven Gularte.

The SBHC was funded by a five-year grant. That

grant is now expired, and a new grant has been submit-

ted for approval.

“We are hopeful that later this fall, we will receive

favorable word that the grant has been renewed,” said

Kaley Smith, Chambers Health Executive Director for

the clinics.

In the meantime, Anahuac ISD Superintendent

James Hopper said that school nurse JoEllen Webb,

RN is still manning her office on campus for student

needs. “But the full-service SBHC will not be back in

operation unless and until we receive word that the

grant has been renewed,” he added. “We are obviously

hoping that this will happen.”

ANB Continues

Support of AISD

Ken Moore, President and CEO of Anahuac National Bank hands a $1,000 check to AISD Education Foundation Treasurer Mike Manders. Also pictured is AISD Superintendent James Hopper.

Anahuac National Bank recently gave a $1,000 donation to the Anahuac ISD Education Foundation. The donation was the culmi-nation of a new offer at ANB for Value Checking that benefitted the Foundation.

“Thanks to the overwhelming response from our community, we are pleased to present this check in the amount of $1,000 to the Anahuac ISD Education Foundation,” said ANB President and CEO Ken Moore.

“It was our pleasure to welcome many new customers to our bank who responded to our Value Checking offer of a $25 donation to the Anahuac ISD Education Foundation with every new account opened.”

"This campaign was a tremendously creative way to tie in the community, Anahuac ISD and one of our most consistent support-ers, Anahuac National Bank!" said AISD Supt. James Hopper.

Anahuac National Bank also served AISD staff a back-to-school lunch of fajitas, rice, beans and all the trimmings a few weeks ago.

Page 2 The Slate Athletic Projects Under Design

Architect Richard Crump with Claycomb & Associates told the

Anahuac ISD Board September13 that design of the new athletic

structures continue to be finalized as staff members give their

input. An upcoming meeting between the Board, architects and

construction manager at-risk company will include the construc-

tion/demolition schedule as well as budget for the $15 million in

projects. Bids for the computer servers to boost district technology

will be approved at another upcoming meeting.

In other matters, the Board recognized teachers and students

for outstanding performance in various areas.

Anahuac Elementary Math teacher RosalInda Campbell was

recognized for her being chosen as Elementary Teacher of the

Year.

“Not only does RosalInda teach Math, but she teaches charac-

ter ed, as well,” said AES Principal Mitzi Higginbotham.

“It is a privilege to have her on our campus.”

Anahuac Middle School Math teacher Melissa Means was rec-

ognized for her having been named Secondary Teacher of the

Year.

“Whatever she does works,” said AMS Principal Tammy Duhon.

“We are very fortunate to have her.”

Sixth grader Paighton Counts was recognized for her honesty

when she recently found money on the floor at school and turned

it in. The money belonged to another student who needed the

money for lunch.

Seventh grader Levi Langham was recognized for his role in

helping a new Vietnamese student. Mrs. Duhon said Levi works to

help and communicate with the student despite the language

barrier.

Each AISD campus received a boost to their budgets with the

donation of $500 each from Trinity Episcopal Church, a total of

$1,500.

AMS teacher Loy Garvey, representing the church, told the

Board she knows what it is like to operate on a tight budget in the

classroom and hoped the amount on each campus would be a

help.

The District student enrollment totals were given with 364 stu-

dents at AHS, 296 students at AMS, 652 students at AES and four

students enrolled in the Discipline Alternative Education Program.

The student numbers have been creeping up since the aftermath

of Hurricane Ike caused so many families to leave the area.

The Board approved the newest members to the School Health

Advisory Committee and District Education Improvement Commit-

tee. The committees are made up of parents, teachers, students

and citizens.

Loy Garvey, representing Trinity Epis-copal Church, gives a $1,500 donation to Anahuac ISD campuses. Also shown is AISD Superintendent James Hopper and Board member Lane Ber-trand.

Eighth grade Math teacher Melissa Means, below, was recognized by the Board for being named Secondary Teach-er of the Year. She is shown with Board member Chris Jircik and AMS Principal Tammy Duhon.

AES Math teacher Rosalinda Campbell was chosen as AES Teacher of the Year. She is pictured with Board member Kate Hampton and AES Principal Mitzi Hig-ginbotham.

Seventh grader Levi Langham was recognized for his efforts in helping a new student feel welcome at AMS. Also shown is Board member Kate Hampton and AMS Principal Tammy Duhon. Sixth grader Paighton Counts was recognized for her honesty. She is shown with Board member Chris Jircik and AMS Principal Tammy Duhon.

Page 3 The Slate HOW THE DRILL PLAYED OUT

‘Tornado’ Hits Anahuac High School The following scenario played out at Anahuac High School Sep-

tember 7 during a mock disaster drill:

It was a typical morning at AHS until disaster struck around 9

a.m. when a tornado struck the school. Hardest hit was the A hall-

way where several students and a teacher were struck down by

chairs and other debris flying about from the tornadic winds.

About 12 students were injured, some more critically than oth-

ers. AHS teacher Karla Dean, tragically, was killed during the disas-

ter when a ruler pierced her heart.

The drill continued to play out as EMS and VFD members from

across Chambers County converged on the scene to give help.

AISD nurses Joellen Webb and Jolyn Sullivan were already there,

assessing the injured.

Students with mock minor injuries were taken to the AHS Li-

brary to be treated there while the more seriously injured were

transported to Bayside Hospital by area EMS ambulances. Some

students were life-flighted to Houston hospitals, depending on

their injuries.

Parents of the injured students were notified as the remaining

AHS students were evacuated by bus to First Baptist Church. The

students waited there with their teachers until parents were noti-

fied to pick up their children.

The Tornado and Mass Casualty Drill was coordinated by Cham-

bers County Emergency Management, involving several emergency

services and law enforcement departments from across Chambers

County. Chambers County’s Mobile Command Center was sta-

tioned outside the high school as it oversaw the “emergency” re-

sponse.

“I am so pleased with the coordinated efforts of the Chambers

County Emergency Operations, Chambers Health, Trinity Bay EMS,

Anahuac EMS, Anahuac Volunteer Fire Department, and Chambers

County Sheriff’s Department,” said AISD Superintendent James

Hopper.

“We were able to practice our drill procedures,

communication system and evacuation/reunification

procedures in a coordinated effort, as it would be in

a real situation. The attention to detail and the per-

formance by each of these entities provides optimism in the case

for actual emergencies.

“This was a mass-casualty drill following a natural disaster,”

Supt. Hopper added.

“These events are by definition, crisis situations. Things will

never go exactly according to plan, because the plan has to have

built-in flexibility. Anahuac ISD Principal Eric Humphrey captained

a campus whose faculty and staff were well prepared. Transporta-

tion Director Rosie Womack and Director Willis Cormier set the

wheels in motion by evacuating the entire student body of Ana-

huac High School to a reunification site, where parent volunteers

simulated the process of picking their children up, post-

emergency.

“The drill accomplished a great deal of what we had hoped it

would. It affirmed areas of preparedness, and exposed some are-

as where we can improve. A very special THANK YOU to all those

who worked to make this drill a success,” added Supt Hopper.

Chambers County Emergency Management puts on a full-scale

mass casualty drill every three years, with the 2013 event held at

East Chambers High School.

Lori Sims, Safety Coordinator with Chambers County Emergency

Management, said last week’s drill was very successful.

“There was great cooperation amongst responding agencies

including law enforcement, Emergency Medical Services, Fire and

Rescue, the hospital, County Public Health and the County Office

of Emergency Management,” added Chambers County Emergency

Management Coordinator Kim Turner.

“A critique was conducted afterward to discuss what went well

and what could be improved.”

The drill would not have been possible without the cooperation

of many local agencies who participated: Chambers County Office

of Emergency Management, Chambers County Sheriff’s Office,

Anahuac EMS, Winnie EMS, Trinity Bay EMS, Winnie Volunteer Fire

Department, Anahuac Volunteer Fire De-

partment, Bayside Hospital, Chambers

Health and Anahuac High School students

and faculty.

At left are some of the “injured” students being treat-ed by local EMS members.

At top is poor teacher Karla Dean, downed by a ruler through her heart.

The “injured” were taken by ambulance to Bayside Hospi-tal.

Page 4 The Slate Your AISD Education Foundation In Action

Anahuac ISD Education Foundation

was born in 2012 with a mission - to gen-

erate and distribute resources to the Ana-

huac Independent School District to en-

rich, maintain, and expand programs

needed to meet the District’s stated mis-

sion of excellence in education – and

through the years, this mission has been

accomplished many times.

The AISD Education Foundation is a

501(c)(3) nonprofit tax-exempt philan-

thropic organization of citizens who share

a vision to enhance education in Anahuac

public schools. The Foundation solicits

and receives funding through many ave-

nues: local businesses, other civic organi-

zations and, most often, through individu-

al donations from citizens.

Since 2014, many grants have been

given out to educators for innovative pro-

gram to enhance learning.

Below is a listing, per year, of the

grants given out by the Foundation:

2014: AHS Band - $5,000, AES Music -

$2,500, K-2nd Grade Math Dept. -

$3,500, AHS Robotics - $1,000, and 6th

Grade Math - $3,000. Total: $15,000.

2015: AHS Band - $5,000, AHS Rocket

Club - $5,000, Digital-Performing Arts -

and $2,200, Science Field Trips - $1,000.

Total: $13,200.

2016: AES Science To Go - $1,200,

AES STEMscopes Science Kits -

$3,902.40, AMS Blended Learning -

$5,000, AHS Microscope Tablet Technolo-

gy - $5,000, AHS Electrophoresis -

$1,000, AHS 3D Printing - $2,500, and

AHS/AMS Library e-book collection -

$5,000.

Cherry Morris’s second graders have

begun enjoying their Science kits from a

recent award.

“We have them inventoried and are

processing supplies that are needed for

our physical properties units,” she said.

“The mealworms, ladybugs and cater-

pillars have certainly stirred interest in

our second graders. Students have defi-

nitely got an introduction into observa-

tion, collecting data, recording data, and

journaling. The investigating is develop-

ing young scientists.”

In addition to grants, the Foundation

has established a scholarship program.

In 2016, the Anahuac ISD Education

Foundation proudly introduced its student

scholarship program, providing both fi-

nancial assistance to students in need

and recognition for our students’ academ-

ic achievements.

The Foundation is gearing up for an-

other school year and is excited about the

prospects of giving more funds to depart-

ments on each campus.

The Foundation Kick-off Event is not a

football game, but a Golf Tournament, set

for October 14 this year at Chambers

County Golf Course.

In addition to the tournament, the

Foundation board is selling tickets for a

monthly gun drawing.

For more information on these events,

call Rick at 409-277-2011.

A Fundraising Campaign is also in full

swing, to individually invite local citizens

to consider participating in the Founda-

tion grant program by donating funds.

Donations are accepted in any

amount, with rewards, such as golf tour-

nament hole sponsors and grants in con-

tributors’ names, for those donating at a

higher level.

A donor form is on Page 5 — feel free

to fill it out and send in with your dona-

tion — again, any donation is welcomed.

So, as the 2016-17 school year begins,

please consider the importance of having

the right supplies in the hands of the

teachers who work diligently for all of us

in educating our children, preparing them

for their future.

Shown here are just some of the many awards given to

teachers in the last two years.

…..

Page 5 The Slate

Page 6 The Slate Anahuac FFA Students Compete at TRF

Anahuac FFA competed in a number of events at Texas Rice Festival in Winnie. Marshall Bess placed 8th overall individual in the Rice Judging Contest and received an award. The Rice Judging Team placed

3rd . “This is our first year to compete in Rice Judging in a long time,” said FFA advisor Hilary Otto. “We are proud of the young men

who competed at the contest.” Landon Thompson placed 5th overall individual in Welding Contest and ACE Contest. The team consisting of Landon Thomp-

son, Marshall Bess, Chance Stephenson and Andrew Maddox placed 7th during the ACE contest. Katrina Swope won Grand Champion AOB Heifer during the Cattle Show. “We had many students who won 1st to 3rd place in their class,” said Otto. Saturday at the Livestock Judging contest Katrina Swope placed 3rd overall individual in the Livestock Judging Contest and the

team of Katrina Swope, Maci Bennett, Ashley Bennett, and Jack Hampton placed 1st overall.

Roots and Shoots sent 18 volunteers to Gatorfest to help

with over 20 hours of service. Students helped at the

Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge booth making art with

kids, passing out flyers, and helping at the 4-H watershed

booth.

Roots and Shoots member Joseph Cormier even took over

teaching the watershed 4-H booth for about three hours.

He was teaching about erosion and how to prevent it on

our local water sources.

Roots and Shoots

Help Out at Gatorfest

The Lady Panther and Panther Cross Country teams traveled to Liberty October 1 for the 32nd Annual Tony Munson Invitational. Highlights of

the meet included two Lady Panther athletes bringing home medals in the 4a and under Varsity division of the meet. Out of 51 runners,

freshman Karissa Jircik finished 4th place with a time of 14:15 and freshman Jessey Staner followed right behind with a 6th place finish with

a time of 14:25.

Top runners for the meet for Varsity boys were Joseph Cormier with a 30th place finish with a time of 21.10 and Christian Vargas placing 35th

with a time of 21:23. There were 61 runners in the Varsity boys division.

“I am very proud of all athletes who competed in the race,” said Coach Ashley Skinner.

Varsity Girls 4a and under division: Junior High Girls:

4th place Karissa Jircik 78th Jarelis Hernandez 17:22

6th place Jessey Staner 84th Sandra Hernandez 18:05

27th place Samantha Lopez

35th place Jessica Gonzalez 143 total runners

51 total runners

Varsity Boys 4a and under division: JV Boys:

30th place Joseph Cormier 104th Dylan Jircik 25:31

35th place Christian Vargas 114th Lavonte Holt

39th place Anthony Ramirez

43rd place Jonathan O’Banion 122 total runners

48th place Blane Daugherty

61 total runners

Junior High Boys Division:

29th Chase Herrington

74th Kyler Mckenzie

134 total runners

Cross Country Runners Compete Strongly

Page 7 The Slate

Helping Out

@ the Book

Fair Parent volunteers Jamie

Goins, Shannon Dye and

Brittany Evans gave a help-

ing hand at the recent Ana-

huac Middle School Book

Fair.

AMS is always looking

for volunteers to help in

various ways. If interested

in helping out, call Janie

Morehead at 267-4042.

SY@TP Observed Students gathered at the flagpole in

front of Anahuac Middle School Sep-

tember 28 in observance of the national

event, See You at the Pole.

Students read Scripture and offered up

prayers.

Free and Reduced Lunch

Applications Now On Line! Parents now have access to complete Free

and Reduced Lunch Applications on line!

Go to anahuacisd.net. Log in to Skyward Par-

ent Access and select the "Food Services"

tab.

Next, select the "Applications" tab and

there are step by step instructions for com-

pleting the application.

We Want to Know What You Think!

Attention All Anahuac ISD Parents:

Please take a moment to take a brief

Parent Survey to let us know how we are

doing!

Survey expires October 18. Thank you!

Go to

https://goo.gl/CSiamF

The Slate

Oct. 10: Student holiday — teacher conference day.

Oct. 11: AISD Board meeting 6 p.m., Administration Build-ing. Public welcome to attend.

Oct. 12: Homecoming Parade, begins at 5:30 p.m. at AHS.

Oct. 14: Homecoming game vs. La Marque 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 17: PRO-Active Community meeting, Hankamer Community Building, 6-7 p.m.

Oct. 24: PRO-Active Community meeting, Double Bayou Community Building, 6-7 p.m.

Oct. 25: PRO-Active Community meeting, Oak Island Community Building, 6-7 p.m.

Anahuac ISD Administration Office

804 Mikhael Ricks Drive

Anahuac High School

201 S. Kansas Street

Anahuac Middle School

706 Mikhael Ricks Drive

Anahuac Elementary

905 Ross Sterling

District Phone: 409-267-3600

Anahuac ISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, nation-al origin, gender, sex, or disability in providing education services, activities, and programs, including vocational programs, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amend-ed; Title IX of the Educational Amend-ments of 1972; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

The following district staff members have been designated to coordinate compliance with these legal require-ments:

· Title IX Coordinator, for concerns regarding discrimination on the basis of sex: James Hopper 409-267-2001.

· Section 504 Coordinator, for con-

cerns regarding discrimination on the basis of disability: Cindy Bertrand 409-267-2017.

The Slate is published by

Anahuac Independent School District

P. O. Box 369 Anahuac, Tx. 77514

Superintendent

James Hopper

Board of Trustees

Ken McGraw …………...…....…. President

Kate Hampton ….……..…. Vice President

Chris Jircik ……………………...…. Secretary

Calvin Hill Dr. John Redman

Lane Bertrand Cris Stephenson

Sue Hawthorne, Editor

The Anahuac High School Roots and Shoots

organization took 20 kids September 23 to

help clean the one-mile radius of Chambers

County Beach for the nationwide Adopt A

Beach Program.

"Some odd items that our students found

included a Walmart shopping cart, lots of

shoes, a bike, needles, and several items of

clothing," said sponsor Corena Fitzgerald.

"The students worked over three hours filling

a total of 36 trash bags full of garbage. The

students were very thankful for our Cham-

bers County Sheriff's Department providing

transportation up and down the beach and

free water and gloves."

AHS Students Help Clean Up Local Beach

AISD Teachers of the

Year RosaLinda

Campbell and Melis-

sa Means were hon-

ored recently at a

Region 4 event in

Houston.

They are shown at

left with Superinten-

dent James Hopper,

AES Principal Mitzi

Higginbotham and

AMD Principal Tam-

my Duhon.

Important AISD Dates To Remember: