Aldine ISD Spring 2023

AISD NEWS SUPERINTENDENT’S MESSAGE ALDINE ISD BOARD MEMBERS PREGAME

All Means All We are now in the last nine weeks of school, and it is full steam ahead. When I wrote this message, I reflected on what had transpired since my last entry here and the many good news items I am proud to mention. There are lots of upcoming opportunities for our students and families.

President

In January, we held our groundbreaking ceremony for the W.W. Thorne Stadium Replacement Project. It’s been 44 years since the district invested in the stadium. Everyone involved in this project has been fearless, from Board members to staff, engineers, and architects. Everyone has been fearless in their commitment to upgrade and re-imagine the fan experience at Thorne Stadium. The new state-of-the-art stadium will accommodate up to 10,000 guests with two tiers of seating, providing Aldine supporters and our students with a showplace. I am super excited that this dream is becoming a reality. I can’t wait for that first game at our new, improved Thorne Stadium. Giving students access to high-quality schools and learning experiences. It is with pride that I share that seven of our Choices Schools won National Merit Awards from Magnet Schools of America. Carter Academy for the Performing and Visual Arts, Drew Academy for Math, Science, and Fine Art; Grantham Academy for Engineering: Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, and Mechanical; Reece Academy for Montessori, Direct Instruction and Fine Arts; and Shotwell Middle School (a World IB ® School) all earned Merit School of Distinction Awards. Kujawa Education Center International Baccalaureate (IB ® ) Primary Years Program received a Merit School of Excellence Award and is among the 2023 Top Schools of Excellence Honorees. Aldine remains committed to creating choices and opportunities for our students. Earlier this spring, we announced that Eisenhower College Prep at Eisenhower Ninth Grade School and Eisenhower High School would launch in fall 2023. Eisenhower College Prep will provide students with a small high school model, offering a rigorous college preparatory curriculum and increased student support. Educating our students is rewarding and hard work. Aldine has so many great teachers. Rewarding their excellence is now possible since Aldine is a TIA-approved school district. Aldine is a Teacher Incentive Allotment-Approved School District. In June 2019, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 3, establishing an optional TIA with the goal of a six-figure salary for teachers who prioritize teaching in high-needs areas and rural districts. Aldine ISD has approximately 380 teachers who have earned designations awarded by the state through TIA. I look forward to TIA’s impact on recruiting, retaining, and rewarding Aldine’s most highly effective teachers. We also have a couple of firsts this school year and a return of a community favorite. During Women’s History Month, Aldine hosted its inaugural GIRLS Summit. The acronym GIRLS stands for — Grit, Irreplaceable, Resilient, Legacy, and Self-love. There’s nothing like having empowered women empower women. Our graduating female high school students heard from three diverse, inspiring women. Our goal is to have our young women leave the summit believing in their own powers and self-worth. Aldine ISD is committed to ensuring all our students have the opportunity to pursue their educational goals, regardless of residency status — all means all. On April 15, AISD hosted its inaugural Soñadores Summit. For my non-Spanish-speaking friends, soñadores translates to “dreamers.” The summit offered all our high school dreamers a college fair, a college admission and financial aid lab, and more. We will continue providing all students the resources and support they need to achieve their dreams. The district hosted our 2nd Annual Festival de Primavera on April 29 at the M.O. Campbell Educational Center. Once again, the event was entirely in español so that our Spanish-speaking families could learn about Aldine, like our programs and student opportunities. Another AISD goal in our strategic plan is to expand communication to meet our families’ needs — more than 45 languages are spoken in Aldine. The district has contracted with a company to provide telephonic interpretation in multiple languages for our families that need them. These services include 37 languages other than Spanish and ASL. This is a huge step forward in communicating with our families! Before I close, I must mention that families can pre-register their young learners in Head Start, prekindergarten, and kindergarten for the 2023-2024 school year. I urge families to visit AldineISD.org to pre-register their eligible children. Aldine offers many choices for eligible families, like our free, full-day programs for 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds. We have great neighborhood schools, Choice Schools with specialized programs, and schools that offer dual language instruction in English and Spanish. We know that kindergarten and first-grade readiness aren’t based on age but on a set of skills. Children start school with different language and literacy skills. Early childhood learning is the key to leveling the playing field and closing those gaps. With Aldine ISD Pride! Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney Superintendent of Schools

RANDY BATES

Vice President

DR. KIMBERLEY BOOKER

STEVE MEAD Secretary

ROSE AVALOS

Assistant Secretary

Member

CONCEPTION ESPARZA

Member

DR. VIOLA M. GARCIA

Member

PAUL SHANKLIN

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