Lake Creek’s Family, Career and Community Leaders of America competed in the TX FCCLA Regional Competition this weekend and eight students advanced to the state competition in Dallas this April. FCCLA is for students that are enrolled in Family and Consumer Science CTE classes at Lake Creek HS. There are a wide range of categories in which students can compete, making it possible for each student to find an area that meets their interest.

Lexi Zimmerman competed in the Toys that Teach category, placing 4th and advancing to state with her robot creation that helps students learn the alphabet.

Abby McKenzie and Makyna Trero partnered for a project in the Focus on Children category, addressing cyberbullying awareness. The pair placed 1st and advanced to state.

Lauren Dixson competed in Fashion Design, designing and making this beautiful dress.

Melonee Davis and Kalista Warnement partnered in a Chapter Service Project, placing 3rd and advancing to state with their project focused on mental health. The two met with teachers at Keenan ES, sharing their program “Breaking Chains, Building Connections” to bring awareness to the impact that quarantine has had on the mental health of students.

In the topic of Repurpose and Redesign, students were challenged to repurpose recycled material to better the environment. Abby and Emma Carswell partnered to repurpose old t-shirts to create a rug, plant holder and basket. Lauren Fellman repurposed t-shirts to make dog toys, earning 2nd place and a trip to state with her teammates.

In the category of Professional Presentation, Annie Hachtel received 1st place and a trip to state with her research and presentation on teen suicide awareness and prevention.

“Being a competitor in FCCLA gives our students a fabulous opportunity to learn presentation skills, networking abilities and work in an area that might interest them for a future career,” FCCLA sponsor Angela Alvarez said. “I’m so proud of the way these girls followed through on their projects and were able to build confidence and better their skills beyond a classroom setting.”

Students that compete in FCCLA gain employability skills and industry insight using what they learn in their Family and Consumer Science classes. Students explore career pathways and address important personal, work and societal issues and can even earn scholarship opportunities from their involvement.

Congratulations to the students that advanced to the FCCLA State Competition in April and to all of those that competed and are using their CTE classes to consider their career opportunities after their education at Lake Creek HS.

Due to inclement weather in the Montgomery area, and to ensure the safety of all students and staff, all after school events and activities will be canceled today, Thursday, February 3.

In addition, all campuses and offices will be closed on Friday, February 4. All events and extracurricular activities for Friday, February 4 and Saturday, February 5 are planned to remain as scheduled. However, we are closely monitoring the weather and will communicate if any changes are necessary.

Schools and district facilities are scheduled to reopen on Monday, February 7.

Please be safe, remain alert to weather conditions, and follow the advice of local officials. More updates will be provided as we receive information from the National Weather Service and city and county authorities.

Significant growth projections across district and strong community desire to enhance Career & Technical Education propels committee to recommend bond referendum to school board

A task force committee comprised of parents, students, teachers, school district staff and community members presented recommendations for a May 2022 bond election to the Montgomery ISD Board of Trustees during their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 18. Recommendations from the Community Bond Task Force include projects that will benefit all MISD students, teachers and staff, ensuring comparability, safety and security and growth needs are all addressed.

You can watch the video of the meeting here, or read the recap below:

The proposal contains the following projects:

• Construction of a centralized Career and Technical Education Center serving both high schools
• Construction of Elementary School #7
• Construction of a district Agriculture Science Center
• Construction of the second phase of Lake Creek HS
• Land needed for construction of new educational facilities
• Renovations of aging campuses with special attention to technology, safety and security
• Improvements to infrastructure needed to enhance technology in every district classroom
• Replacement and purchase of new school buses to update the district’s aging fleet and improve student transportation
• Purchase of new equipment needed to enhance Fine Arts programs
• Facility improvements to campuses to increase comparability across the district
• Enhancements to districtwide safety and security measures and cybersecurity
• Design and initial planning work for Junior High School #3
• Necessary compliance renovations at MISD Athletic Complex
• Expansion and comparability renovations at MISD Athletic Complex
• Campus athletic renovations

In September 2021, trustees authorized Superintendent Dr. Heath Morrison and district leadership to form the Community Bond Task Force to explore the need for a bond and make recommendations. The decision to form this committee came after trustees received the results of a district demographic study in 2021, which projected a significant growth in the student population over the next 10 years. Trustees also received a comprehensive assessment of district facilities that was performed by Huckabee Architects and approved a new district strategic plan during the 2020-21 school year. All were items that led to discussions surrounding the need for a bond to address growth and facility upgrades and to provide greater capacity to offer enhanced Career and Technical Education and Fine Arts programming.

“Growth in our district is here, and it’s very clear that more is coming,” Board President Matt Fuller said. “In our vision to be the Premier School District in Texas, we must take the necessary steps to ensure that our campuses and facilities meet growth projections and can offer the best educational programs our students need, expect and deserve. The work of this task force committee was a critical step to mapping the future of Montgomery ISD, and I’m thankful for the many hours each of them devoted to developing their proposal.”

Trustees will vote on whether to move forward with a May 2022 bond election at their regularly scheduled board meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 15.

The Community Bond Task Force was made up of parents and staff from each MISD campus, students from both of the district’s high schools, and Montgomery community members and business owners. The committee held six meetings during the fall semester, touring and evaluating facilities and critically evaluating data from the district’s 2021 facility assessment, as well as district growth patterns and projections. Members spent time studying the district’s Pathway to Premier Strategic Plan and discussing the needs of the rapidly growing district. During each meeting, district staff members were available to present information, answer questions and facilitate meaningful conversations.

“I could not be more pleased with how our committee developed the bond proposal that was presented to the Board of Trustees,” MISD parent MaryAnn Coleman said. “Whether the individual committee member was a Lion or a Bear, each person was very intentional in wanting to ensure that this bond would touch every campus and support every student in Montgomery ISD.”

After two of the six meetings, the committee unanimously agreed that, based on the data they had studied, Montgomery ISD is in need of additional capacity and educational facilities to serve current students enrolled in the district, as well as the thousands more projected to enroll over the next several years. The Community Bond Task Force spent their next four meetings developing the details of the bond proposal presented.

“The data and information presented to us made it abundantly clear that we need to responsibly plan for future growth in our school district,” Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director and parent to Montgomery High School graduates Shannan Reid said. “Additionally, our community has been vocal in its desire to enhance Career and Technical Education offerings to students to ensure that after high school, every student in our district is well-prepared to step from the graduation stage directly into the college or career of their choice.”

It was recommended that the proposed projects be submitted to voters in three separate propositions:

• Proposition A for school facilities, land acquisition and transportation, totaling $312,993.045;
• Proposition B for renovations and expansion of the MISD Athletic Complex, totaling $8,514,045; and
• Proposition C for technology devices, totaling $5,400,000; for a proposed total of $326,907,090.

The estimated property tax impact if voters approve all three propositions is projected to be less than a penny increase to the district’s debt service (I&S) rate. The district’s property tax rate is currently $1.26 per $100 of assessed value.

“This was a thorough process that resulted in numerous in-depth, meaningful conversations about what’s needed in Montgomery ISD to provide the quality education this community expects for every student,” Community Member Linda Chilcoat, who also served on the committee, said. “In the end, I’m very confident that the proposal put forward by our committee achieves this goal in a way that supports all students in a fiscally responsible manner to Montgomery ISD taxpayers.”

Montgomery ISD will host two Bond Town Hall meetings on Wednesday, January 26 at Montgomery High School and Wednesday, February 2 at Lake Creek High School. Both will be held in the campus auditoriums from 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Information reviewed by the committee and a list of frequently asked questions can be found on the district’s Paving Our Path: Bond 2022 webpage.

“I am incredibly grateful for the time, work and dedication each member of the task force committed to this important work,” Morrison said. “The work of this committee has laid the groundwork for projects that would have a significant impact on the lives of thousands of students, for many years to come.”

Local author participates in Montgomery ISD Mentor Program, encouraging students to follow their dreams

When you look back over your life and see the impact that others have had on your development, are you motivated to give back and make time to mentor other young students that could use that same kind of encouragement and support? That’s the motivation behind this month’s highlighted mentor, Alda P. Dobbs.

Montgomery ISD offers Project Impact, a mentor program for community members to give back to our secondary students that can benefit from an extra role model in their life. Mentors commit to one day a week for a 30 minute lunch period, providing food, conversation and a positive experience in their student’s week.

Alda has been serving as a mentor since 2019, in which she not only brought lunch and the commitment of visiting, but she also used her advanced math skills as a former engineer to help her student with their math homework, ultimately spending time with them as a tutor. COVID brought a pause to the mentor program in MISD in the spring of 2020, but when the opportunity was opened again this year, Alda was one of the first to commit.

“It’s more than just an opportunity to give back,” Dobbs said. “It’s the feeling I have each time I leave, the adrenaline rush of just joy and positivity. And it’s that child, that interaction with that student, that does that for me. When I leave here, I’m usually whistling or singing, and I’m always smiling.”

Alda has two kids in MISD, both elementary students that attend Keenan ES. She says the commitment is just an hour a week when you include travel time and picking up a lunch for the student, but the rewards are life-changing.

“To anyone that would even consider this opportunity, I would say, “Go for it!’ and encourage them to jump right in.” Dobbs said. “There are so many benefits from getting to see life from the perspective of another generation, from a different child. You learn and you grow, and you get to help that child grow as well.”

As a second career, Alda has become a 2022-2023 Bluebonnet Award nominated author with her first published book, Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna. She has a passion for storytelling and has recorded a piece of her family history in a historical-fiction children’s novel.

“It follows my great grandmother in 1913 and her experiences during the Mexican Revolution and how our family sought refuge in the United States.” Dobbs said. “It takes you on the journey, the trek, through the desert and the chaos of attempting to cross the border.”

Barefoot Dreams is book one of a two book series, with the sequel scheduled to come out next year. The journey will continue and follow her to a refugee camp, and then to San Antonio where 30,000 refugees ended up in 1913. These pieces of historical fiction share about the struggles of adapting to culture, learning a language, finding housing and being resilient.

Alda has been sharing her book with MISD students as a guest speaker at Montgomery JH and is scheduled to do the same at other campuses across the district this spring semester. More importantly, she shares her personal journey of how she followed her dreams of becoming an author, after not learning to speak English herself until she entered public schools in San Antonio as a child. She speaks of her research and the commitment required to follow the process of publishing a book and she also encourages the students to follow their dreams, proving that it’s never too late to put your passion into something you care about. In this regard, Alda is a mentor to so many students, and we are excited to honor her as a member of Project Impact.

If you’d like to learn more about Project Impact and becoming a mentor for students in Montgomery ISD, please contact Courtney Dyer, Director of Community Services for MISD at courtney.dyer@misd.org.

Twenty grants were awarded to bring creativity and innovation to MISD classrooms

The Montgomery ISD Education Foundation awarded a total of $43, 298 in grants for innovative projects to educators across the district today.

Members of the MISD Education Foundation Board of Directors, MISD Trustees, district staff, and foundation donors formed the MISD Education Foundation “Grant Express”, taking a Montgomery ISD bus from campus to campus surprising educators with news that innovative classroom projects they had applied for in the fall would be funded by the Foundation.  

The Montgomery ISD Education Foundation’s grant program is designed to encourage, facilitate, recognize and reward innovative and creative instructional approaches that will enhance the educational experience for students. Members of the Foundation spent the past several months developing an enhanced grant program that promotes collaboration between departments and a robust application process.

“Support from our Education Foundation is instrumental to enhancing innovative learning in our district,” Superintendent Dr. Heath Morrison said. “The creativity of our teachers and staff and the generosity of our Foundation to fund the dreams our educators have for students is an enormous benefit.” 

MISD Education Foundation Executive Director Tiffany Ortiz formed a grant sub-committee to evaluate and research nearly 40 grant proposals that were submitted through the application process. This committee included members of the MISD Education Foundation Board of Directors, district leadership and nine individuals who have children enrolled in the district or are local business owners actively involved in Montgomery ISD.

“The Foundation is extremely grateful to the members of the grant sub-committee who helped us with our final selections,” Ortiz said. “Their knowledge and support ensured that all grants are beneficial and in the scope of Montgomery ISD’s curriculum, as well as campus and district improvement plans.” 

In total, the twenty grants awarded will fund innovative classroom projects that will support thousands of students throughout the district’s ten campuses. The grant awards included eight individual educator grants, five instructional team grants, five campus grants and two multi-campus grants.

Lincoln ES received the following grants:

A New Spin on Learning- Campus Grant- $2,266

Future Scientists- Campus Grant- $1,525

Getting Back to the SWING of Things- Campus Grant- $621.09

Sensational Sensory Kids- Instructional Team Grant- $2,204

Montgomery HS received the following grants:

Wheels for Ceramics- Instructional Team Grant- $4,999.20

Men of Montgomery Choir Fest- Grant for All Secondary Campuses- $3,000

Montgomery ES received the following grants:

Learning Alive Rug- Individual Educator Grant- $468.96

Listening=Learning- Individual Educator Grant- $1,494.52

Oh the Things You Can Think- Multi-Campus Grant- $5,000

Relating Through Rhythm- Individual Educator Grant- $1,896.65

Keenan ES received the following grants:

Coders and Computational Thinkers- Individual Educator Grant- $1,518

STEM for ALL- Campus Grant- $3,449.98

Oak Hills JH received the following grant:

Choir Media- Individual Educator Grant- $1,407.95

Lake Creek HS received the following grants:

Improved Intonation for the Band- Individual Educator Grant- $600

Molecular Model Kits- Individual Educator Grant- $254.85

Madeley Ranch ES received the following grants:

Let’s Go with the FLO!- Campus Grant- $2,340

Flexible Seating for Flexible Learners- Instructional Team Grant- $3,166

Stewart Creek ES received the following grant:

Drums, Dance and Drama- Individual Educator Grant- $1,448.75

Montgomery JH received the following grants:

Our World and Beyond- Instructional Team Grant- $1,722.17

Leveling Up Literacy- Instructional Team Grant- $3,915.01

“The purpose of our foundation is to enhance what our amazing educators are already doing in their classrooms,” Ortiz said. “Today we were able to complete a process that was only possible thanks to the donations of our local business community, our Montgomery ISD families and every person that has played a part in our fundraising efforts this past year!”

Originally built to serve middle school students, Montgomery ES has been in need of an updated food distribution line for several years. Thanks to the resourceful management and planning of Montgomery ISD’s Child Nutrition department, the need for a more efficient and student-friendly experience came true over the winter break.

On a typical school morning, lines would be stretched through the length of the cafeteria. As Montgomery ES Bearcats came for breakfast this morning, the lines were shorter, the students were served more efficiently, and each child was able reach the self-serve items they desired.

“This is not only a beautiful new display that will provide a warm and inviting atmosphere for meal time,” Principal Bobby Ingalls said. “Being more efficient, it will give the students more time to sit and enjoy their meal, while also allowing our littlest learners to be served more easily, able to reach and see the food selections.”

Director of Child Nutrition, Lena Neugebauer, and Assistant Director Krista Scott, have been budgeting for this need and began the planning and development of this upgrade in the summer of 2021. Working with Chrane Foodservice Solutions on design, as well as ModuServe and Kommercial Kitchens for implementation, the former food line was demoed and the new install completed in just three days during our district’s winter break.

“The design and the details are not only more efficient for our students and staff,” Scott said. “The waterless wells and upgraded design are more cost effective, energy efficient, safer for our staff and will require less time when our employees clean up after each meal service.”

Montgomery ES serves about 350 breakfasts and over 400 lunches each day, making them the campus in Montgomery ISD that serves the highest percentage of their student population. This improvement to the service line will benefit them for many years to come.

“This is a big project for our Child Nutrition department,” Neugebauer said. “Serving our students nutritious meals is our top priority in contributing to their ability to learn each day, but it’s also very important that we do so in the most streamlined way possible. Seeing the efficiency and ease for the students this morning makes it worth every bit of the effort!”