No Class
Hays CISD schools will be closed Friday, April 6 through Monday, April 9.
History contest winner named
The Jacob’s Well Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Wimberley presented Collin Charles Weeks, an 8th grade home-schooled student in Kyle, with a certificate of participation and a bronze medal as their winner of the American History Essay Contest, which was entitled, “Youth Takes a Stand: The War of 1812.” The presentation took place at the Texas Pie Company, located on Center Street in Kyle.
DAR Chapters throughout the United States conduct the American History Essay Contest in public, private, and parochial schools, and registered home-study programs for students in grades five through eight.
Essays are judged for historical accuracy, adherence to topic, organization of materials, interest, originality, spelling, grammar, punctuation and neatness.
There’s a Hays CISD app for that
With large swaths of Hays CISD students using mobile technology, the district now has an iPhone app, with one for Android coming soon.
According to Christie Rickert, distance learning specialist for the district, Hays CISD is one of the first to have such an app. The primary purpose of the app, says Rickert, is to provide a mobile friendly version of the district’s website.
Rickert said students will have easier access to gradebooks, calendars, school news and more. They can add events directly to an iPhone calendar, log on to the student portal and quickly get district phone numbers and email addresses.
“We are really trying to tune in to what our students and parents need,” Rickert said.
District officials said Mobicip, a company that develops internet filtering software to keep kids safe online, donated their time to develop the HCISD app.
The district’s iPhone app is now available for download in the iTunes store online.
Rebs excel at debate meet
Hays High School junior Tad Klamert and senior John Ayala added another championship to their impressive resume for the 2011-12 academic year. Together they placed as UIL State Quarterfinalists in March at the UT tournament. The UIL State tournaments pitted the top 320 policy debate teams in each division against each other over two days of rigorous debates. As state quaterfinalists in both UIL and TFA leagues, Klamert and Ayala are considered among the highest ranked debaters in Texas.
Lobo represents Hays CISD at nation’s capitol
Sayamarie Davis, a student at Lehman High School, has been selected to represent Texas as a National Youth Delegate at the 2012 Washington Youth Summit on the Environment at George Mason University in Washington, D.C. this summer. Davis has been awarded an opportunity to join a select group of 250 students from across the country to participate in an intensive weeklong study of leadership in environmental science and conservation. Davis was chosen based on academic accomplishments and a demonstrated interest and excellence in leadership in the sciences and conservation studies.
Technology Showcase goes virtual
How has instructional technology changed your world?
Technology facilitates instruction in many ways, from research to planning to classroom learning.
Hays CISD invites students and staff to share examples of instructional technology (IT) and how it helps others – in the classroom, a job or life – in its Virtual Technology Showcase.
Participants can submit entries in the following categories: PK-5 Student, 6-12 Student, Classroom or Group, and Staff. The community will review the projects virtually, i.e., online, and vote on its favorites. Winning entries are eligible to win technology-related prizes.
The submission deadline is midnight on May 9. All entries must include a completed consent form. Approved projects will be posted on the Hays CISD website from May 13 through May 21 for viewing and community voting.
For past examples and details about the Virtual Technology Showcase go to www.hayscisd.net/TechShowcase.
Hays CISD upgrades its S&P rating
Hays CISD was recently upgraded from A+ to AA by Standard & Poor’s, marking the district’s third credit upgrade in nine years.
The financial rating service cited a practice of conservative budgeting and continued economic growth and expansion.
“Despite pressures from student enrollment growth, we believe that Hays Consolidated Independent School District maintains a very strong financial position,” the summary of the district’s credit profile stated.
The district says a strong credit rating is important because it means taxpayers will likely save money. When the school district sells bonds – the better its credit rating, the greater the savings on interest it has to pay when repaying the bonds. School district officials also say a strong credit rating is a point-of-pride for the community, particularly since the rating is based on a third-party, expert opinion about the district’s financial health.
