Wertheimer MSDedicated, Page 4

Ray Earns Blue Ribbon, Page 2

Schottle is a Special Athlete, Page 7

Welcome to McNeill, Page 4

a New ViewNew November 2008

Highlighting proud traditions and

bright futures of Lamar CISD

a New Viewa New View2

Ray Elementary is one of only 26 schools in Texas to earn a No Child Left Behind – Blue Ribbon from the U.S. Department of Education.

This national program recognizes outstanding public and private schools that are either academically superior in their states or that demonstrate dramatic and consistent gains in student achievement. U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings and the Department of Education honored the Blue Ribbon School recipients and highlighted their achievements at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Ray is the second National Blue Ribbon School in Lamar CISD. Austin Elementary earned their Blue Ribbon in 2006.

Ray Sporting New Blue Ribbon

While in Washington, Ray Principal Diane Parks (pictured above) received the Terrel Bell Award for Outstanding School Leadership. She is one of only five principals in the nation to receive the honor this year.

A former Secretary of Education,Terrel Bell helped found the Blue Ribbon Schools and the National Distinguished Principals Programs.

Parks Earns Bell Award

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Foster senior Rebecca Zama (bottom photo) is a National Merit Semi-finalist. Other Falcons recognized are (front row, l to r) Shelby Wauson, Tyler Brady, Kelly Belton, (back row, l to r) Ian Ruth and Patrick Radowick, who were all named Commended Scholars.

Lamar Consolidated High’s Raven McGuane is also a National Merit Semi-finalist. Mustangs Tyler McDonnell, Michael Robertson and Andrew Varva earned Commended Status. Andrew Diaz and McDonnell were National Hispanic Scholars. Ebony Enabulele and Ausar Moore were named National Achievement Scholars.

Terry High senior Vanessa Salazar (top photo) was named a National Hispanic Scholar, while classmates Colleen and Catherine Seitz were named Commended Students by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

16 Recognized by College Board

McGuaneDiazEnabuleleMoorePictured with LCHS Principal Walter Bevers are (l to r) Tyler McDonnell, Michael Robertson and Andrew Varva.

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a New Viewa New View

McNeill DedicationLamar CISD dedicated its 19th elementary school, H.F. McNeill Elementary, which is named in honor of a deco-rated veteran of World War II. McNeill served as principal of three campuses during his long career in education. Shown with McNeill’s portrait are LCISD Trustee Jack Christiana, principal Ken Davis, McNeill’s children, Sherry Schneider, Dee McNeill and Patsy Marsalis, Dr. Thomas Randle and Trustee Richard McCarter.

Wertheimer Middle School was dedicated in honor of a long-time president of the Lamar CISD school board. Wertheimer was a pharmacist and recog-nized throughout the Richmond-Rosenberg community for his service to others.

Shown with Wertheimer’s portrait are Dr. Thomas Randle, Sharla Wertheimer, wife of the late Henry Wertheimer, Kim Wertheimer, Miles Wertheimer, Stephen Wertheimer, Jane Wertheimer Solimani, LCISD Board President Michael Richard and Wertheimer principal Irma Nurre.

Wertheimer Dedication

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Monique Degeyter is the new assistant prin-cipal at Meyer Elementary. She is a 1993 graduate of the University of Southwest-ern Louisiana with a Bach-

elor of Science degree. She received her master’s degree in 1998, also from the University of Southwestern Louisiana.

Degeyter has 14 years of teaching experience in Louisi-ana, Fort Bend ISD and Lamar CISD. She has taught at Hutchi-son Elementary since the 2005-2006 school year.

Lamar CISD recently held its third Blood Drive at the Adminis-tration Building. The drive was very successful, with 25 whole blood donations, five red cell/plasma donations and one red cell donation.

Donna Cochran and Becky Guntle wanted to thank Mr. Davis at the $4.00 Car Wash, across from Brazos Crossing, for advertising the drive on his new electronic sign.

Lamar CISD has earned the Superior Achievement Rating through the Financial Integrity System of Texas, better known as School FIRST. The District achieved a perfect score on the state’s rating system. The District earned the honor based on its annual financial management report, which is submitted to the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The District’s rating is based on 24 indicators estab-lished by TEA. This is the fifth consecutive year that the district achieved the highest rating.

Congratulations to Jill Lud-wig, Lamar CISD’s Chief Finan-cial Officer, and all the business department staff.

Diana Freudensprung and the rest of the Wessendorff Colts are proud of their new marquee, purchased by the Parent Teacher Organization, with assistance from business partners.

Jerdon Enterprise, L.P., a local construction company, laid the groundwork for the sign by do-nating the materials and labor for

the foundation and the electrical conduit. Julius and Eloise Zatopek with RE/MAX on the Brazos then generously funded the cost to brick the sign, which was done by Bill Crichton with David Weekly Homes Build on Your Lot. Acme Brick donated the brick and the PTO donated the actual sign.

The next LCISD blood drive will be April 1—no fooling!

Staff HighlightsStaff Highlights

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a New View

News to KnowNews to Know

The Lamar Playhouse’s fall show, “Noises Off,” has been selected to be the

finale performance of the 2008 Texas Thespians State Festival. Students and direc-

tors will travel to Fort Worth in November to perform at the Will Rogers Auditorium for an audi-

ence of 3,000 Texas Thespians. The comedy follows a group of misfit actors as they work unsuccessfully to “get the

show on the road.”

Red Ribbon Week Activities

Navarro Middle School celebrated Red Ribbon Week with a food drive to “Can Drugs” and a stuffed animal drive because they are “Wild About A Drug-Free Life.” The canned goods are being donated to Helping Hands food pantry, and the stuffed animals are being donated to the officers of the Rosenberg Police Department.

Students in Melissa Martinez’

class received a party after their door was chosen the winner in Tra-vis Elementary’s Red Ribbon Week door decorating contest.

Pink Elementary’s Palominos kicked off Red Ribbon Week with a rally featuring the Lamar Consoli-dated High Drum Line. Pink fifth graders travelled to Austin to take part in a Red Ribbon Rally at the Capitol.

Frost fifth grade students have taken on the task of becoming the presidential candidates for a day. The “candidates” are greeting students at the front door of the school as they arrive and encouraging them to vote in Lamar’s Mock Election. An election bulletin board is changed weekly to keep the “voters” informed on the issues.

Myrna Vaquero and Yvonne Contreras spent part of their summer in the nation’s capital, at the National Skills USA Washington Leadership Training Institute in Washington, D.C.

The two Lamar Consolidated High School Skills USA students pre-pared as advocates for Carl Perkins Funding, which assists with Career and Technology Education. Skills USA offers advanced training for students and advisors, focusing on the skills needed to be champions at work, in the communities and in their personal lives.

Both Myrna and Yvonne earned the National Statesman Award. The award is given to those who demonstrate their leadership skills and master the required leadership training.

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The Kids for Kindness Club (K4K) was created by Campbell’s principal Michelle Koerth. Students in grades 3 -5 can choose to participate in the Kids for Kindness Club. A virtue is assigned to each month, and members of the club get together to discuss what that virtue means to them and how it defines the kind of people they want to be. There is also a monthly service project that puts virtue into action.

Proceeds from the October food drive will go to the Fort Bend Regional Counsel on Substance Abuse, which works with area students to show the courage not to abuse drugs and alcohol.

Briscoe Junior High’s Andrew Laurel was among more than 250 outstanding middle school students from across the United States taking part in the Junior National Young Leaders Conference this summer in Washington, D.C.

Andrew, now in 8th grade, was nominat-ed by Lori Stafford, his technology educa-tion teacher. Andrew has been invited back to attend the 2009 CYLC in Boston.

Special Olympics Texas athlete Derek “Tank” Schottle is passionate about sports and people. Because of his dedication and hard work, the Sugar Land athlete was named the Special Olympics Texas 2008 Male Athlete of the Year (ages 15 to 21).

Schottle was rec-ognized for his achieve-ments at Opening Cer-emonies for the 2008 Fall Classic in College Station. Schottle has been involved in Special Olympics Texas for more than five years and competes in athletics, basketball and softball.

He is the team captain of the Lamar Renegades, a title he lives up to by showing good sports-manship and unending encouragement to his teammates. He is also the student athletic trainer and manager for the Lamar Consolidated High School football team.

The Smith Running Club gives students an opportunity to get exercise after school in a fun and safe environment. Every Tuesday and Thursday third, fourth, and fifth graders go to the track for one hour. The students can run, walk, or do both. When finished, they read the distance completed from their pedometers and log it into their folder. Twice a week Coach Lucky adds up the total miles and moves their markers that are located on a board in the gym.

The National Forensic League Chapter at Lamar CHS has earned the Leading Chapter Award for the South Texas District.

The award is based upon student participation and is the highest honor the NFL bestows on a chapter. Only one school in each district earns this honor. LCHS is one of only 104 schools in the country to earn this honor. There are more than 2900 NFL chapters nationwide.

The award reflects 713 members and degrees over 8 years. In that time several hundred have been taught the

vital life skills of communication, analysis, leadership, organization and fair play. The Leading Chapter Award serves as an indication of your relentless dedication to students and to forensic education. Your efforts truly embody the NFL motto “Training Youth for Leadership.”

The speech and debate program at LCHS qualified for the NFL 200 Club, placing it among the top five per-cent in the nation.

The Lamar chapter achieved more than 200 degrees in the 2007-08 school year.

News to KnowNews to Know

a New Viewa New View8

Tech of the MonthThis award is given monthly to the technician who receives the most votes from their peers and administrators.

Congratulations to Hedy Bryan, se-lected as Technical Services Employ-ee of the Month for October. Hedy provides technical support for Wes-sendorff and Meyer schools. Hedy also provides technical support for Brazos Crossing, the Development Center, Maintenance and Transpor-tation and Distribution.

Know a co-worker who provides exemplary service? Send their name and why they should be recognized to psulak@lcisd.org. We’ll be featur-ing them throughout the year.

Becky Ybarra, attendance clerk at Smith Elementary is the Lamar Service Star. She is recognized for her exceptional ability to work with others. Becky greets stu-dents, parents, and teachers with a warm and genuine smile. She is conscientious, task-oriented and goes out of her way to be of ser-vice to others. Becky exemplifies professionalism in all endeavors.

Coach Teykl Recognized by the Houston Texans

Representa-tives from the Hous-ton Texans visited Terry High School to present head football coach Tim Teykl with the 4A-Under Coach of the Week Award.Terry HS

received a $500 grant in Teykl’s name for winning the award. Teykl will also be recognized on HoustonTexans.com and NFLLHS.com and on the video board at Reliant Stadium. Teykl will be invited to a Texans home game lat-er in the season, and he will be recognized at the Texans High School Coach of the Year banquet after the season.

Service Star of Lamar

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FOStER HS Karen nutt

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