RISD trustee David Tyson, Jr. has earned the designation of Master Trustee upon completion of Leadership TASB, a program sponsored by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB). During the fifth session, June 14–16, school board members in the 2006–07 Leadership TASB class made presentations of their team’s findings following yearlong research. Class participants selected topics that reflected relevant issues facing Texas public schools, such as communication, demographics, student achievement, school law, finance, and district size.

The Leadership TASB class met in conjunction with TASB’s Summer Leadership Institute in San Antonio. More than 2,500 new and veteran school leaders received in-depth training on every facet of effective board governance, heard keynote addresses from renowned education experts, and picked up valuable ideas from district showcases and networking opportunities.

Click here to read more of the the TASB press release.

Mr. Tyson joins Luke Davis, Karen Ellis and Lanet Greenhaw in earning the prestigious Master Trustee designation. >Top

A number of Arapaho Classical Magnet Latin students took the rigorous National Exploratory Latin Exam this spring. Though the exam is voluntary, it requires hours of extra study and preparation. ACM students represented RISD well, with seven students earning national placement.

Lake Highlands-area cheerleaders recently attended the National Cheerleading Association (NCA) cheer camp on the campus of SMU.  They received the following awards:  two Excellent Ribbons, six Superior Ribbons, 15 All American Cheerleader Nominations, and two Spirit Sticks.  Wildcat mascot Bonner Voss was selected as the Top Mascot at camp.  Seven varsity cheerleaders, two JV cheerleaders, and the mascot were chosen as All-American Cheerleaders.  For the camp championships, the varsity squad competed with a routine that included tumbling and advanced stunting.  This routine received the coveted award of Top Team in the Performance category.  They also received a bid to NCA Nationals.  >Top

This year, Berkner teacher Erinn Wilcots coordinated a project designed to show geography students how they could be good citizens by making a positive change in people's lives across the world. The project involved popcorn sales, used book sales and securing student & parent donations to raise funds for Heifer International, a non-profit organization that purchases livestock and farming materials for people living in difficult economic conditions.

The students raised more than $2,500, which was designated to purchase one heifer, two water buffalo, two llamas, two goats, two sheep, a pig, two sets of tree seedlings, three hives of bees, six flocks of chicks and eight flocks of ducks/geese.

Their contribution will help people in other areas of the world work to improve their lives, and help students better understand what they have in terms of standard of living in the United States. >Top

Richardson High School team battled it out and defeated Berkner High School in a dual meet, but the two teams came together to support a fellow wrestler, Plano's Armon Butcher, who was seriously injured in a tournament this season.

Both teams, coaches and the referee donated money to a fund Armon's parents have set up for him, and all signed a giant "Fight It" card, encouraging him to keep the faith. Armon has undergone successful surgery, but remains partially paralyzed, and faces more surgeries. >Top

Fossil and AT&T sponsor STEM Academy Picnic
Future engineers, scientists, computer whizzes, and mathematicians celebrated their entrance into Berkner High School's STEM Academy (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) at their annual picnic. Due to AT&T's $200 donation and Fossil's contribution of 100 “Big Tic” Robot desk clocks, more than 200 students and their parents enjoyed dinner and treats to get pumped for the new school year.

Double the sponsorship, double the fun!

Fossil, they keep going and going…
Fossil didn’t stop at Berkner; they donated a wristwatch to RISD’s top ten students from each high school, and 4,000 “Big Tic” Robot desk clocks to RISD staff and students. Campuses that received the desk clocks were: Audelia Creek Elementary, Bukhair Elementary, RISD Academy, Liberty Junior High, Berkner High School, Lake Highlands Junior High, Yale Elementary, Thurgood Marshall Elementary, Super Saturday TAKS students, Forest Meadow Junior High and Westwood Junior High.

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