Rock. Enroll. - San Antonio Express-News

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Rock. Enroll.
Right here. Right now.
There’s no better time to rock an affordable education than right now.
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2 | BACK 2 SCHOOL Fall 2014
Fall 2014
BACK 2 SCHOOL | 3
Taste of higher education
Early college high schools touted as way to keep at-risk students on college track
By Maria Luisa Cesar
STAFF WR I TER
Courtesy / Harlandale ISD
A Harlandale ISD student at the Summer Bridging Academy flashes the peace sign during a class at the Palo Alto campus. Roughly 130 freshmen are part of the inaugural class of Harlandale’s
STEM Early College High School, which focuses exclusively on science, technology, engineering and math. They spent two weeks meeting with Palo Alto teachers and faculty members.
“I believe this is the school of the future. We can see from the preliminary information, from all the
course credits that students are graduating with, that these students are on an academic superhighway.”
Abel Gonzales, early college high school director at Palo Alto
Slated to open this fall, five
early college high schools are
expected to place hundreds of
San Antonio students on a faster and cheaper track to college.
The schools allow students to
rack up enough college credit to
graduate from high school with
up to an associate’s degree, tuition-free, and aim to reach
those considered at risk of
dropping out or who would
otherwise find college financially unattainable.
They have mushroomed
since first appearing on the
Texas educational landscape in
the early 2000s. There are now
109 such schools in the state,
and the Texas Education Agency has approved 44 more to
open in the fall, the single
largest batch so far, said Laura
Gaines, the agency’s early college high school program coordinator.
The majority, she noted, are
clustered in the Rio Grande
Valley and in South Central
Texas cities such as San Antonio.
Education Commissioner Michael Williams said in a recent
news release that “Texas is a
leader in the number of early
college high schools thanks to
districts and charters seeking to
provide students this unique
learning opportunity.”
Locally, Alamo Colleges is involved with all five of the new
schools. The community college
district already has helped open
three early college high schools
in partnerships with the San
Antonio, Judson and Comal independent school districts.
Partnerships with Palo Alto
College will allow the Harlandale and Southside independent
school districts to open their
first early college schools. Palo
Alto also is working with Somerset ISD to open an early college high school in partnership
with the Lytle, Poteet and
Southwest independent school
districts.
New Frontiers Charter
School plans to build a campus
on Palo Alto property, and
SAISD officials are working
with St. Philip’s College to start
the district’s second early college high school on that campus, where students will be
able to earn certifications in automotive and information technology.
“I believe this is the school of
the future,” said Abel Gonzales,
early college high school director at Palo Alto. “We can see
from the preliminary information, from all the course credits
that students are graduating
with, that these students are on
an academic superhighway.”
The roughly 130 freshmen
who are part of the inaugural
class of Harlandale’s STEM
Early College High School, the
first such project locally to focus on science, technology, engineering and math, got an
early start this summer.
Although classes don’t start
until Aug. 25, the students
spent two weeks meeting with
teachers and faculty members
at Palo Alto for the Bridging Academy, to learn their way
around campus, work on team
projects and prepare for a required Texas Success Initiative
exam required to enroll in college-level courses.
Southside High School principal Hector Esquivel said the
early college high school
planned at the site of a former
ninth grade academy will be a
“game changer” for his district
and aims to reach motivated
middle school students who
will have to go through an interview process.
Critics of early college
schools caution they can push
students too hard, too fast and
leave them without the social
and emotional maturity needed
to dive into higher-level coursework.
Comprehensive statewide follow-up data on the schools is
outdated. Gaines said cuts to
public education funding made
in 2011 by the Legislature
closed the division in charge of
evaluating such programs,
making it hard to track longterm success. Still, the state has
some data, and the picture so
far is positive. According to a
study done during the 2008-09
school year, more than 1,100
students in early college high
schools earned an average of 16
credit hours each, saving an estimated $4,000 each in tuition
and about $4.5 million statewide, Gaines said by email.
An evaluation by SRI International, an independent nonprofit research center, found
early college students in Texas
outperformed their peers on
state standardized tests in English and math.
“They also found that early
college students were more likely than their peers to graduate
from high school on time and
enroll in college upon graduation, ” Gaines said.
Where
they are
The majority
are clustered
in the Rio
Grande Valley
and in South
Central Texas
cities such as
San Antonio.
[email protected]
Twitter: @mlcesar
Francisco Vara-Orta contributed
to this report.
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4 | BACK 2 SCHOOL Fall 2014
Fall 2014
BACK 2 SCHOOL | 5
With his mother Shuntae holding him and his father Ronald watching, Rahmere Irving, 4, gets an immunization shot Thursday
in the University Health System’s Mobile Health Clinic parked at Pershing Elementary School.
Shots on ‘to-do’ list
Immunizations urged to be up-to-date before school
By Francisco Vara-Orta
STA FF WRI T E R
School district officials
hope immunizations are on
the “to-do” list for parents before classes begin in most San
Antonio schools Aug. 25.
State law requires all students to be current with their
immunizations, and school
district policy requires educators to keep them out of the
classroom until they are.
Students who arrive with-
out up-to-date shots will have
to wait in the school office for
their parents to pick them up,
Northside Independent School
District officials said.
In one recent year, more
than 2,000 Northside students couldn’t attend their
first day of class because they
didn’t have updated immunization records.
The headache became bigger for those involved when
they crowd clinics trying to
get their shots at the last min-
ute.
“The closer we get to the
start of school, the longer the
lines get at the doctor’s offices
and city health department, ”
Northside Health Services Director Shirley Schreiber said.
“Please take care of your children’s shots now and avoid a
long wait.”
This month, Northside officials estimated 5,000 of its
101,000 students still don’t
have their records up to date
with the school district.
About 4,000 of them are in
middle school, which Schreiber believes is driven by a new
requirement by the state that
adds to their immunizations
this year.
Middle school students
must get one booster dose of a
tetanus/diphtheria/pertussiscontaining vaccine for entry
into seventh grade, if at least
five years have passed since
the last dose of a tetanus-containing vaccine.
They also must get one
Photos by John Davenport / San Antonio Express-News
People wait Thursday in the Pershing Elementary School parking lot by the University Health System’s Mobile Health Clinic.
dose of the meningococcal
conjugate vaccine, which
protects students 11 years of
age and older from meningitis, once they hit grades 7 to
12. And one dose of a vaccine
for chicken pox is required
for students entering pre-kindergarten and those in grade
6.
Schreiber also said parents
should be vigilant about vaccines to protect their kids
from measles, as public health
experts have informed school
districts of a possible epidemic in the future.
Health officials also have
wrestled with some parents
not wanting their children to
get vaccinated, exacerbated
by high-profile celebrity
cases.
“We’ve definitely seen an
increase in that as well,” said
Schreiber, adding the state
only allows exemptions for
medical reasons such as cancer treatment, or a “conscientious objection” that parents
must lobby the state to approve.
Northside has listed places
on its website, nisd.net, where
students can get their shots.
University Health System will
have a mobile clinic at five
middle schools through midAugust. Appointments can be
made by calling (210) 3583670.
A complete list of immunization clinics in San Antonio
can also be accessed through
the San Antonio Metro Health
Department, reachable at
(210) 207-8894 or online at
http://www.sanantonio.gov/
health/Immunizations.
Also, some school districts,
such as Harlandale and
SAISD, have on-campus
health clinics in a partnership
with University Health System that offer immunizations,
so parents also can check
there for availability.
[email protected]
Twitter: @fvaraorta
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6 | BACK 2 SCHOOL Fall 2014
Fall 2014
BACK 2 SCHOOL | 7
Schools aim
for healthful
lunches
Salt serves as potential stumbling block
By Katherine Schaeffer
STA FF WRI T E R
San Antonio area school nutritionists think campus lunches
are pretty healthy already.
They’re getting ready for the
next round of federal requirements designed to make them
healthier — and they’re kind of
worried about it.
A low-salt rule, in particular,
will be a challenge, they said.
Congress could still change up
the menu when it adopts an agriculture appropriations bill after a
debate on the new guidelines
flared up in Congress in recent
weeks.
Two years ago, the first wave
of federally mandated school
lunch guidelines, designed to improve children’s nutrition and
overall health, hit the nation’s
schools. Some districts faced
pushback as students balked at
lower fat, whole grain items and
more fresh fruits and vegetables,
with increasing amounts of it
dumped in trash bins.
School district officials here
say they agree the healthier menus are a positive initiative, even
as the extra purchases of fruits
and vegetables has boosted their
nutrition budgets.
The next phase might not go
so well, they said, with flour tortillas banned, the taste of salt reductions hard to disguise and
Jerry Lara / San Antonio Express-News
A student eats a
colorful-looking breakfast in
the classroom before the start
of classes at Gillette
Elementary School.
the whole purpose of the guidelines put at risk if kids reject the
new lunch choices. It could end
up handing an advantage to
competing junk food alternatives
from outside school, nutritionists
said.
Harlandale Independent
School District saw a 48 percent
cost increase in its produce budget since implementing the
changes two years ago, said Shelly Sheppard, the district’s child
nutrition director. The fruit and
vegetable requirements have
been the main drivers of overall
spending increases on nutrition
at most school districts. South
West Independent School District’s nutrition budget has increased a steady 5 percent each
year, said Winston Gatlin, its
child nutrition director.
The requirements doubled
spending on produce at North
East Independent School District
while raising its overall nutrition
budget by 10 percent.
The federal nutrition guidelines have been easier to digest
in Texas, where the state had required schools to begin changing
their menus in 2005, said Cynthia Barton, dietitian for Northside Independent School District.
When the federal guidelines first
took effect, Texas schools had already been instituting many of
the modifications gradually for
10 years, sometimes without students even realizing.
Students “might not have always known some of the changes
we were making, like when we
were switching to whole grain or
we were modifying the pizza to
be lower in fat and lower in sodium,” Barton said. “But it’s been
going on for a long period of
time.”
After nearly a decade of serving more nutritious meals, students have adjusted and enjoy
the healthier options, Barton
said.
Express-News file photo
A student at Wetmore Elementary School enjoys a salad along with a bottle of chocolate milk.
John Davenport / San Antonio Express-News
Chef Mari Hatch makes nutritious meals like this one at the Little Village School in Helotes.
“If sometimes maybe you’re
further behind on the goal, it
may take you a little longer to
catch up,” Barton said. “Or maybe you will have some pushback,
because it’s too much change at
one time.”
Some districts, like South
West ISD, involve students and
parents in menu planning to ensure menu items will be well received, Gatlin said.
“We’ve been trying to be
proactive at the PTA meetings,”
Gatlin said. “And we’ve been
having meetings with the kids
monthly. . . . We do presentations
every month and show them different foods we’re going to be
serving and getting their opinions, and it’s been going pretty
well.”
Although students seem to
have adjusted to the first phase
of the federal standards, the next
round includes a “low sodium”
requirement that may present
challenges, said Sharon Glosson,
the executive director of nutrition at North East ISD. Because
salt is a main flavoring agent in
many of the prepackaged foods
served in school cafeterias, low
sodium versions are often bland.
“Palatability will be the issue
we are concerned about for next
year with lower sodium,” she
said. “Students are not accustomed to a low sodium diet and
will not be eating low sodium
anywhere but school.”
In some neighborhoods where
families struggle to put food on
the table, buying the same nutritious foods cafeterias serve during the school day isn’t an option, so children might have a
hard time adjusting to fresh produce, whole grain breads and
low sodium options, Sheppard
said.
Although the current school
nutrition guidelines address an
important lapse in many children’s diets, any change to the
guidelines would have been con-
troversial, said Carmen RomanShriver, associate professor and
director of the Department of Kinesiology, Health, and Nutrition
at UTSA.
“Not doing anything would be
controversial as well,” she said.
Balancing nutrition and palatability, especially with the new
sodium restrictions, presents
challenges but it can be done,
Roman-Shriver said. Working
within the guidelines to develop
an appealing menu is a process
of trial and error that ultimately
will benefit children who aren’t
eating well at home, she said.
“Challenging? Yes, it is challenging. Possible? Yes, it is possible,” Roman-Shriver said. “I
think we have gone overboard
eating too much salt, too many
calories. We see it in the (nutrition habits) we are facing with
these kids. So something had to
be done.”
[email protected]
8 | BACK 2 SCHOOL Fall 2014
Fall 2014
Updates to
denim, mixed
prints, rocker
look among
trendy styles
BACK 2 SCHOOL | 9
Hurley and Volcom offer a variety of T-shirts for boys.
Stylin’ @ school
By Michael Quintanilla
STAFF WR I TER
These
American
Rag shorts
are from
Macy’s at a
cost of
$29.50.
These
back-toschool
sneakers
are from
Nike,
Puma and
Adidas,
costing
$59.99 to
$64.99.
Back-to-school fashion follows all
the major trends worn by Mom and
Dad — just made to look a bit
younger.
“We always love color, especially
for back to school,” Sofia Wacksman, Kohl’s national trend expert,
said in an email.
She added that oversize T-shirts
and sweatshirts “in quirky, conversational prints like lips, kitties and
dots” in bright colors team well with
leggings. She suggested pairing colored denim pants with intarsia (patterned weaving) knit sweaters, also
in vibrant hues. Then layer on more
bright colors with mismatched
bracelets and anchor the whole look
with colored — and silly — socks.
Colored and printed denim also
are popular. “But we love the comfy
knit pant,” she said about the relaxed silhouette. She recommended
wearing booties or wedge sneakers
for a cool factor.
The rocker look is always a favorite and returns this season with a
dose of femininity, she said. Her
suggestion is to mix dark florals and
plaids, lace with leather or leather
with denim. The result, she said, is
a girly, vintage vibe. Toss on an
oversize cardigan, with booties.
She said mixing prints — a hot
runway trend this spring and into
fall — gets an update with a global
influence, patterns and motifs representative of cultures around the
world. The mixing trend from colorized camouflage to animal prints also includes mixing different textures: denim, leather, sheer fabrics.
And don’t forget this year’s allimportant, get-you-noticed accessories: bold bracelets, layered socks
that don’t quite match and a quirkyprinted backpack.
Martine Reardon, Macy’s national
marketing manager, said in an email
that blue — from pale to dark navy
to peacock cobalt — will take center
stage among students. The hue, she
said, plays well with gray, the season’s other key color.
She said that for girls, ’90s
grunge returns with a punk edge
such as the teaming of a leather motorcycle jacket with varnished or
glossy-finished pants.
New color interpretations of tarFashion continues on M16
Macy’s
offers Hello
Kitty tops
and jeans.
Macy’s / Courtesy photos
Those hue leggings are in soft, pastel denim.
10 | BACK 2 SCHOOL Fall 2014
Fall 2014
BACK 2 SCHOOL | 11
Salaries on the rise
for starting teachers
State lags behind others; funding future uncertain
By Maria Luisa Cesar
STA FF WRI T E R
A majority of San Antonio
school districts gave teachers a
salary increase this year and
pushed the annual compensation for starting educators near
or above the $50,000 mark, but
uncertainty about long-term
school finance in Texas is dimming the celebration.
While school districts are enjoying a little more financial
flexibility this year, two years
ago they were grappling with a
decrease in state funding by
shedding staff and increasing
the number of students in classes.
In 2011, the Legislature
slashed $5.4 billion from public
education spending through
2013, but restored a portion of it
last year, after a drumbeat of
criticism and constituent pressure.
Northside Independent School
District Superintendent Brian
Woods said the partial restoration is part of the reason the
largest San Antonio district was
able to give teachers a 3 percent
raise in a budget adopted in
June that will push the starting
salary for a first-year teacher
with a bachelor’s degree to
$49,790
“When you look across Bexar
County, the market for teacher
salaries is pretty competitive,”
he said.
Compensation isn’t the only
factor educators weigh when deciding where they’d like to work
but it’s an important one, Woods
said.
Express-News / File photo
Loma Park 1st grade teacher Christin Baldwin conducts a session
of the LaCena Literacy program at the school recently.
North East ISD, the second
largest local school district, will
offer first-year teachers an annual salary of $49,288. San Antonio ISD, the third largest, has
approved a 2.5 percent increase
for educators, bumping starting
pay for a first-year teacher from
$47,900 last year to $49,000
this year.
Smaller school districts are
trying to lure new educators as
well. The Southside ISD board is
expected to approve a budget
this month that would place
starting annual pay for a firstyear teacher at $49,000. And
Southwest ISD, another rural
district that has been seeing an
increase in student enrollment
because of the Eagle Ford Shale
boom, is offering first-year
teachers an annual salary of
$50,425.
“We know that all of the
school districts draw from the
same applicant pool so it’s been
our board’s objective to stay
competitive,” said Southwest
ISD Superintendent Lloyd Verstuyft, who added he also wants
to help offset commuting expenses for teachers who don’t
live in the district and the rising
cost of health care.
Texas State Teachers Association spokesman Clay Robison
said that while the San Antonio
market reflects what school districts are doing in other parts of
the state, Texas still lags behind
other states for teacher pay.
“Combined with increases in
health insurance premiums,
which amount to pay cuts for
many teachers, compensation remains a big problem in many
Texas school districts and is a
major reason that as many as
half of Texas school teachers
leave the profession after five
years,” Robison said in an email.
He added that legislators’ decision to restore only a portion
of the 2011 public education cuts
still place a strain on school districts. Statewide public school
enrollment is growing by
80,000 students a year, and per
student funding is still lower
than it was in the 2010-11 school
year, Robison said.
“The Legislature should have
restored all the $5.4 billion in
cuts and added more to account
for the enrollment growth,” he
said, noting that this is what
pushed several hundred school
districts to sue the state over
funding.
No ruling has been made on
the case, which likely is to be
appealed to the Texas Supreme
Court.
Woods said he’s confident
school districts will prevail but
said he’s unsure how lawmakers
will handle public education
funding when they convene next
year. He said fast-growing districts, such as his own, are cautiously optimistic right now.
“You’ll find folks feeling OK
about their budget status right
now but looking into the future
feeling a little less rosy,” he said.
“As we add students, which
means we add classrooms and
desks and projectors, there’s a
gap in funding. What we’re generating in expenditure, we’re not
covering with revenue.”
[email protected]
Twitter: @mlcesar
Robin Jerstad / For the Express-News
Diana Herrera, a first-grade teacher at Loma Park Elementary
School, conducts a session of the LaCena Literacy Program.
.
Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-News
Teachers pass out balloons to Coronado Village Elementary School students in Universal City for the balloon release in honor
of 6-year-old Jada Craft, who died after being hit by a school bus in April.
Mary Lagleder
(left), a history
teacher at
Warren High
School, won
the H-E-B
Excellence
in Education
Award. Lagleder
was nominated
in the category
of rising star,
which honors
teachers with
less than
10 years
experience.
Photo courtsey of H-E-B
Emily Rodriguez / San Antonio Express-News
Michael Benson, a fourth-grade teacher at Woodlawn Hills
Elementary School, works with students as they direct robots in
a miniature disaster scene.
12 | BACK 2 SCHOOL Fall 2014
Fall 2014
More districts
offering SAT
on school days
San Antonio charter schools
address variety of interests
1 Academy of Careers and Technologies, 5300 Heath Road, 210-4370030, 9-12
1 Alamo Leadership Academy, 535
New Laredo Highway, 210-922-1687,
Pre-K-5
1 Alpha Academy, 502 E. Southcross
Blvd., 210-798-1792, 6-12
1 Anne Frank Inspire Academy, 11216
Bandera Road, 210-638-5900,
grades 6-8
1 Athlos Leadership Academy, 4427
Chandler Road, 210-333-6227, grades
1-12
1 BASIS San Antonio, 8519 Floyd Curl
Drive, 210-319-5525, grades 5-9
1 BASIS San Antonio North, 318 N.
Ramsey Road, grades 5-8
1 Bexar County Academy, 1493 Hillcrest Drive, 210-432-8600, Pre-K-8
1 Brooks Academy of Science and
Engineering, 3803 Lyster Road, 210633-9006, K-12
1 City Center Health Careers, 1114 Willow St., 210-255-8265, 6-12
1 The Foundation School for Autism,
2235 Thousand Oaks Drive, Suite 130,
210-402-0253, Pre-K-1
1 George Gervin Academy, 6944 Sunbelt Drive S., 210-568-8800, Pre-K-12
1 George Gervin Technology Center,
3030 E. Commerce St., 210-5873576, 6-8
1 Great Hearts Monte Vista South, 211
Belknap Place, 210-888-9485,
grades K-5
1 Great Hearts Monte Vista North,
319 E. Mulberry Ave., 210-888-9485,
grades 6-9
1 Soaring Heights Leadership Academy, 2143 S. W.W. White Road, 210451-5988, Pre-K-K
1 Harmony School of Innovation,
8125 Glen Mont Drive, (210) 265-1715,
K-10
1 Harmony Science Academy, 8505
Lakeside Parkway, 210-674-7788,
K-12
1 Higgs Carter King Gifted & Talented
Charter Academy, 511 Fredericksburg
Road, 210-735-2341, Pre-K-8
1 Henry Ford Academy: Alameda
School for Art + Design, 318 W. Houston St., 210-226-4031, 9-12
1 IDEA Carver, 217 Robinson Place,
210-223-8885, K-8
1 IDEA Monterrey Park, 222 SW 39th
St., 210-239-4200, K-2,6
1 IDEA South Flores, 6919 S. Flores,
210-239-4150, K-3, 6-7
1 IDEA Walzem, 8750 Fourwinds
Drive, 210-239-4600, K-2, 6
1 John H. Wood Jr. Charter School at
Afton Oaks, 620 E. Afton Oaks, 210638-5500, 4-12
1 Highland Park Gifted and Talented,
901 E. Drexel Ave., 210-293-4206,
Pre-K-8
1 KIPP Aspire Academy, 735 Fredericksburg Road, 210-735-7300, grades
5-8
1 KIPP Un Mundo Dual Language Academy, 4343 W. Commerce St., 210824-1905, grades K-2
1 KIPP University Prep High School,
4343 W. Commerce St., 210-2908720, 9-12
1 KIPP Camino Academy, 4343 W.
Commerce St., 210-829-4200, 5-8
1 Lighthouse Charter School, 2718
Frontier Drive, 210-674-4100, Pre-K-8
1 Live the Life Leadership Academy,
5595 U.S. 87 N, 210-648-0752, PreK-K
1 New Frontiers Charter School, 4018
S. Presa St., 210-533-3655, K-8
1 Por Vida Academy Charter High
School, 1135 Mission Road, 210-5329161, 9-12
1 Positive Solutions Charter School,
1325 N. Flores St., Suite 100, 210-2991025, 9-12
1 San Antonio CAN! High School,
1807 Centennial Blvd., 210-923-1226,
grades 9-12
1 Premier High School of San Antonio, 502 E. Ramsey Road, 210-5248103, 9-12
1 Premier Leadership Academy, 1630
Goliad St., 210-333-4185, grades PreK-6
1 Radiance Academy of Learning,
8308 Fredericksburg Road, 210-5930111, grades Pre-K-8
1 Radiance Academy of Learning
Daystar Campus, 413 Kitty Hawk
Road, Universal City, 210-659-1210,
Pre-K-5
1 San Antonio School for Inquiry &
Creativity, 4616 San Pedro Ave., Suite
104, 210-738-0020, K-12
1 San Antonio School for Inquiry &
Creativity Monticello, 4818 San Pedro
Ave., 210-738-0020, K-2
1 School of Excellence in EducationDr. Harmon W. Kelley Elementary,
802 Oblate Drive, 210-431-9881, ext.
3700, Pre-K-3
1 School of Excellence in EducationDr. James L. Burch Intermediate, 5703
Blanco Road, 210-431-9881, ext.
4000, 4-6
1 School of Excellence in EducationDr. Paul S. Saenz Junior High, 1826
Basse Road, 210-431-9881, 7-8
1 School of Excellence in EducationDr. David M. Copeland Elementary,
8750 Fourwinds Drive, 210-731-9881,
grades Pre-K-3
1 School of Excellence in EducationRick Hawkins High School, 1826
Basse Road, 210-431-9881, 9-11
1 School of Excellence in EducationDr. David C. Walker Intermediate,
6500 I-35 N., Suite C, 210-654-4411,
4-6
1 School of Excellence in EducationMilton B. Lee Academy of Science
and Engineering, 1826 Basse Road,
210-431-9881, 9-12
1 School of Science and Technology,
Main campus, 1450 NE Loop 410,
210-804-0222, 6-12
1 School of Science and Technology,
Alamo, 12200 Crownpoint Drive, Suite
200, 210-657-6400, K-8
1 School of Science and Technology
Discovery, 5707 Bandera Road, 210543-1111, K-8
1 Shekinah Radiance Academy
Washington Tyrannus School of the
Arts, 8453 E FM 1518 North, Schertz
210-510-2618, grades 6-12
1 Shekinah Radiance Academy Walzem Campus, 6663 Walzem Road,
210-967-6933, Pre-K-5
1 Southwest Preparatory School
Northeast, 1258 Austin Highway,
Building 1, 210-829-8017, grades 8-12
1 Southwest Preparatory School
Northwest, 6535 Culebra Road, 210432-2634, grades 7-12
1 Southwest Preparatory School
Northwest Elementary, 4151 Culebra
Road, 210-819-7860 grades Pre-K-6
1 Southwest Preparatory School
Southeast, 733 S. W.W. White Road,
210-333-1403, grades Pre-K-12
1 Southwest Preparatory School New
Directions, 1258 Austin Highway,
Building 2, 210-828-2161, grades PreK-7
1 The University of Texas Charter
School-Laurel Ridge, 17720 Corporate
Woods Drive, 210-491-9400, K-12
Source: Texas Education Agency, charter
districts, campuses
BACK 2 SCHOOL | 13
Exam now made more accessible
By Katherine Schaeffer
STA FF W R I T E R
AP
School districts are trying to make the college-entrance exam more accessible to high school seniors of all socioeconomic levels.
Some area school districts are rethinking the way they administer SAT
tests, paying for seniors to take them
during class time as part of the College
Board’s School Day SAT program.
Nationwide, more school districts
have been adopting the change, intended to make the tests accessible for students of all socioeconomic backgrounds.
School Day SAT is part of the College
and Career Readiness Pathway program
of the College Board, the nonprofit that
created and administers the SAT. The
program provides standardized testing
and guidance for students in the eighth
to 12th grades, said Brenda Bernal, high
school completion specialist for the
Harlandale Independent School District.
Bernal said the district adopted the
Pathway program two years ago, not
only to foster a college- and career-focused mindset in younger students but
to help seniors who might struggle to
get to a weekend testing site.
“What’s happening is these students
get waivers to take the test on Saturday.
At least 40 percent of those students do
not show up, ” Bernal said. “So now
what we’re trying to do is, the district
pays to allow College Board to test during the day. And we have at least over
90 percent of our students in attendance.”
Southwest ISD also administers the
SAT to high school seniors during the
school day, said Liz Ozuna, the district’s
director of advanced academics. Offering the tests free of charge levels the
playing field for students who might
not have the resources to take the test
otherwise, and some will qualify for a
voucher to retake the SAT on the weekend as well, which increases their
chances of a better score, she said.
“Equity is really what this particular
element gets us, ” Ozuna said. “It’s exposing more and more kids to what
really is a very critical piece for entering a four-year college. We’re not pushing every kid to enter a four-year college, but we want to leave that door
open.”
Since implementing this and other
college and career readiness initiatives
in recent years, the district has noticed
a greater rate of high school graduation
and college acceptance, Ozuna said.
Pathway also offers school-day testing
for students in the eighth to 11th
grades, Ozuna said.
While the ninth through 11th grades
take the PSAT, eighth graders take the
“ReadiStep, ” an exam designed to help
assess their academic strengths and
weaknesses.
Northside, Southside and Somerset
ISDs are among other districts offering
School Day SAT. In addition to administering the test during the school day,
most districts still give students the option of taking the test the traditional
way: for a fee on Saturday mornings.
Zach Goldberg, director of external
communications for the College Board,
said the organization first launched its
School Day SAT program in spring
2010. During the 2013-2014 school
year, school districts in 15 states as well
as the District of Columbia took advantage of it, he said.
“It’s something that we think is an
important way to support students, and
a great way to break down barriers that
frankly have prevented students from
realizing opportunities, ” Goldberg
said. “Students who might otherwise
face barriers to standardized testing,
whether it’s part-time jobs or family responsibilities or financial barriers, that
those students don’t miss out on a
chance at the college-going process.”
[email protected]
14 | BACK 2 SCHOOL Fall 2014
Fall 2014
BACK 2 SCHOOL | 15
School districts
Associated Press photos
Measure your 8-percent-sales-tax
savings — perhaps on Staples’ Slap
Bracelet Rulers (left).
Shoppers can cut spending during
the tax-free weekend by buying
school supplies such as scissors.
Sales tax holiday saves $
Take advantage today of this year’s final day of state’s 8% reprieve
FROM W I RE SE RV I CE S
Today is the final day for the
annual sales tax holiday as children prepare to return to
school.
Comptroller Susan Combs
says shoppers can save money
on certain items priced under
$100.
The Texas law exempts most
clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks priced under $100 from sales tax. That
adds up to about $8 on every
$100 spent on certain purchases this weekend. The tax break
does not extend to some items,
such as jewelry, purses and luggage.
Combs estimates shoppers
will save nearly $83 million in
state and local sales taxes this
weekend. Qualifying purchases
can be done in stores, online or
from catalog sellers that do
business in Texas, which began
sales tax break weekend in
1999.
Qualifying items include
clothing and footwear, backpacks and school supplies.
There are some details shop-
pers should keep in mind.
For clothing, retailers are not
required to collect state and local sales or use tax on most
footwear and clothing that are
sold for less than $100 during
the holiday.
The exemption applies to
each eligible item that sells for
less than $100, regardless of
how many items are sold on
the same invoice to a customer.
For example, if a customer
purchases two shirts for $80
each, then both items qualify
for the exemption, even though
the customer’s total purchase
price ($160) exceeds $99.99.
The exemption does not
apply to the first $99.99 of
an otherwise eligible item
that sells for more than
$99.99. For example, if a
customer purchases a pair
of pants that costs $110,
then sales tax is due on the
Backpacks priced under
$100 are fair game during
Texas’ tax-free weekend.
entire $110.
The exemption also does not
apply to sales of special clothing or footwear primarily designed for athletic activity or
protective use and that is not
normally worn except when
used for the athletic activity or
protective use for which the
manufacturer designed the article. For example, golf cleats and
football pads are primarily designed for athletic activity or
protective use and are not normally worn except for those
purposes; they do not qualify
for the exemption. Tennis
shoes, jogging suits and
swimsuits are commonly
worn for purposes other
than athletic activity
and thus qualify for
the exemption.
Backpacks priced under $100 sold for use
by elementary and
secondary students
are exempt during the
sales tax holiday. A
backpack is a pack
with straps one
wears on the back.
The exemption includes backpacks
with wheels, provided they can also be
worn on the back like
a traditional backpack,
and messenger bags.
The exemption does not include items that are reasonably
defined as luggage, briefcases,
athletic/duffle/gym bags, computer bags, purses or framed
backpacks. Ten or fewer backpacks can be purchased taxfree at one time without providing an exemption certificate
to the seller.
School supplies – persons
buying qualifying school supplies during the holiday are not
required to provide an exemption certificate – with one exception. If the purchaser is
buying the items under a business account, the retailer must
get an exemption certificate
from the purchaser certifying
the items are for use by an elementary or secondary school
student. “Under a business account” means the purchaser is
using a business credit card or
business check rather than a
personal credit card or personal
check; being billed under a
business account maintained at
the retailer; or is using a business membership at a retailer
that is membership based.
ALAMO HEIGHTS
JUDSON
Superintendent: Kevin
Brown
7101 Broadway
San Antonio 78209
210-824-2483
www.ahisd.net
Five campuses
4,742 students
Superintendent: Willis
Mackey
8012 Shin Oak Drive
Live Oak 78233
210-945-5100
www.judsonisd.org
28 campuses
22,800 students
BOERNE
LACKLAND
Superintendent: David Stelmazewski
123 W. Johns Road
Boerne 78006
830-357-2000
www.boerne-isd.net
9 campuses
7,100
Superintendent: Burnie L.
Roper
2460 Kenly Ave.
San Antonio 78236
210-357-5000
www.lacklandisd.net
Two campuses
891 students
SEGUIN
COMAL
NEW BRAUNFELS
SOMERSET
Superintendent: Andrew
Kim
1404 Interstate 35 N.
New Braunfels 78130
830-221-2000
www.comalisd.org
28 campuses
20,472 students
Superintendent: Randy
Moczygemba
430 W. Mill St.
New Braunfels 78130
830-643-5700
www.nbisd.org
12 campuses
8,128 students
Superintendent: Saul Hinojosa Jr.
7791 6th St.
Somerset 78069
866-852-9858
sisdtx.sharpschool.com
Seven campuses
4,100 students
EAST CENTRAL
NORTH EAST
SOUTH SAN ANTONIO
Superintendent: Roland
Toscano
6634 New Sulphur Springs
Road
San Antonio 78263
210-648-7861
www.ecisd.net
11 campuses
9,698 students
Superintendent: Brian G.
Gottardy
8961 Tesoro Drive
San Antonio 78217
210-407-0030
www.neisd.net
76 campuses
68,254 students
Superintendent: Abelardo
Saavedra
5622 Ray Ellison
San Antonio 78242
210-977-7000
www.southsanisd.net
15 campuses
10,000 students
NORTHSIDE
SOUTHSIDE
Superintendent: Brian
Woods
5900 Evers Road
San Antonio 78238-1606
210-397-8500
www.nisd.net
114 campuses
103,523 students
Superintendent: Ricardo
Vela
1460 Martinez Losoya Road
San Antonio 78221
210-882-1600
www.southsideisd.org
Nine campuses
5,133 students
RANDOLPH FIELD
SOUTHWEST
Superintendent: Lance
Johnson
Building 1225, Randolph AFB
Universal City 78148
210-357-2300
www.rfisd.net
Three campuses
1,193 students
Superintendent: Lloyd Verstuyft
11914 Dragon Lane
San Antonio 78252
210-622-4300
www.swisd.net
17 campuses
13,300 students
SAN ANTONIO
ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN
ANTONIO DEPARTMENT
OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
EDGEWOOD
Superintendent: Jose A.
Cervantes
5358 W. Commerce St.
San Antonio 78237
210-444-4500
www.eisd.net
20 campuses
11,830 students
FORT SAM HOUSTON
Superintendent: Gail E. Siller
August’s
tax-free
weekend is a
good time to
buy hot-pink
LockerBones;
they qualify
as school
supplies.
4005 Winans Road
San Antonio 78234
210-368-8700
www.fshisd.net
Two campuses
1,613 students
HARLANDALE
Superintendent: Rey Madrigal
102 Genevieve Drive
San Antonio 78214
210-989-4300
www.harlandale.net
23 campuses
15,200 students
Superintendent: Sylvester
Perez
141 Lavaca St.
San Antonio 78210
210-554-2200
www.saisd.net
91 campuses
53,917 students
SCHERTZ-CIBOLOUNIVERSAL CITY
Superintendent: Greg Gibson
1060 Elbel Road
Schertz 78154
210-945-6200
www.scuc.txed.net
15 campuses
14,400 students
Superintendent: Irene Garza
1221 E. Kingsbury St.
Seguin 78155
830-401-8600
www.seguin.k12.tx.us
14 campuses
7,440 students
Superintendent: Marti West
2718 W. Woodlawn Ave.
San Antonio 78228
210-734-2620
www.sacatholicschools.org
43 campuses
13,300 students
Sources: School districts
16 | BACK 2 SCHOOL Fall 2014
Fashion
Many students finding
magnet schools attract
From page M8
tan plaids also take on a rock ’n’
roll vibe in everything from blazers
and boyfriend cardigans to baby
doll dresses and flouncy skirts.
Cropped tops and soft pants are
the go-to look, as is the store’s newest outerwear on racks, the “coatigan,” a cardigan that’s slightly longer than the traditional buttoned
sweater.
For guys, the punk/grunge look
of the ’80s and ’90s also materializes with the motorcycle jacket in
leather and other fabrications, including denim, the latter in chambray to dark denim.
The denim jacket continues as a
keeper but this time around with
more aggressive washes — and
studs. Graphic T-shirts feature
skulls, animal prints and punk rock
band graphics.
EDGEWOOD ISD
1 Edgewood Fine Arts Academy (high
school), 607 SW 34th St., 210-4447925
1 T-STEM Academy at Memorial High
School, 1018 NW 34th St., 210-4448432
HARLANDALE ISD
1 Film School of San Antonio @ Harlandale, Harlandale High School, 114 E.
Gerald Ave., 210-977-1300
1 Health Professions High School at
Harlandale High School, 114 E. Gerald,
210-989-1000
1 School for Leadership and Public
Service, McCollum High School, 500
W. Formosa Blvd., 210-989-1500
These backpacks for girls
from Madden cost $54
at Macy’s.
NORTH EAST ISD
1 Agriscience Magnet Program, Madison High School, 5005 Stahl Road,
210-637-4400, ext. 274
1 Automotive Technology Academy
(high school), 3736 Perrin Central,
Building No. 4, 210-637-4975
1 Castle Hills Elementary School,
year-round school, 200 Lemonwood
Drive, 210-442-0600
1 Design and Technology Academy at
Roosevelt High, 5110 Walzem Road,
210-650-1200, ext. 258
1 Electrical Systems Technology, MacArthur High School, 2923 Bitters Road,
210-650-1100, ext. 397
1 Engineering and Technologies Academy at Roosevelt High, 5110 Walzem
Road, 210-650-1200, ext. 386
1 Interactive Media Applications at
Krueger, multimedia technology focus,
438 Lanark Drive, 210-650-1350, ext.
261
1 International School of the Americas at Lee High, focus on travel, community service and career exploration,
1400 Jackson-Keller Road, 210-4420404
1 Krueger School of Applied Technologies, aerospace focus, 438 Lanark
Drive, 210-650-1350, ext. 261
1 Science, Technology, Engineering &
Mathematics Academy, Nimitz Middle
School, grades 6-7, 5426 Blanco Road,
210-442-0450, and Lee High School,
grades 8-12, 1400 Jackson-Keller
Road, 210-442-0300
1 North East School of the Arts at Lee
High, 1400 Jackson-Keller Road, 210442-2505
[email protected]
This Epic
Threads
multistriped
top sells
for $20
at Macy’s.
Macy’s has a variety of T-shirts
for girls for $28.
NORTHSIDE ISD
Macy’s / Courtesy photos
For a complete description of programs, visit www.nisd.net and search
magnet programs.
1 Business Careers High School, 6500
Ingram Road, 210-397-7072
1 Communications Arts High School,
11600 FM 471 W., 210-397-6087
1 Construction Careers Academy, 9411
Military Drive W., 210-397-4294
1 Health Careers High School, 4646
Hamilton Wolfe Road, 210-397-5404
1 Science and Engineering Academy,
7611 Marbach Road, 210-397-2773
SAN ANTONIO ISD
For a description of programs, visit
www.saisd.net and search magnet
programs.
1 Agricultural Science, Burbank High
School, 1002 Edwards St., 210-5324241
1 American Heritage Magnet, Poe
Middle School, 814 Aransas Ave., 210534 -6331
1 Architecture and Environmental
Studies, Jefferson High School, 732
Donaldson Ave., 210-736-1981
1 Business and Finance, Lanier High
School, 1514 César E. Chávez Blvd.,
210-223-2926
1 Health Professions, Edison High
School, 701 Santa Monica, 210-7339147
1 Health Professions, Fox Tech High
School, 637 N. Main Ave., 210-2265103
1 International Baccalaureate Diploma, Burbank High School, 1002 Edwards, 210-532-4241
1 Law Professions (Judge Andy Mireles Law Magnet), Fox Tech High
School, 637 N. Main Ave., 210-2265103
1 Media Productions, Brackenridge
High School, 400 Eagleland, 210-5338144
1 Met – Manufacturing, Engineering
and Technology, Sam Houston High
School, 4635 E. Houston St., 210-6614134
1 Military Science and Public Service,
Jefferson High School, 723 Donaldson
Ave., 210-736-1981
1 Multilingual, Tafolla Middle School,
1303 W. César E. Chávez Blvd., 210227-3383
1 Public Safety, Edison High School,
701 Santa Monica, 210-733-9147
1 Science, Engineering and Technology, Highlands High School, 3118 Elgin
Ave., 210-333-0421
1 Technology, Rhodes Middle School,
3000 Tampico St., 210-433-5092
1 World Languages, Brackenridge High
School, 400 Eagleland, 210-533-8144
SCHERTZ-CIBOLOUNIVERSAL CITY ISD
1 International Baccalaureate Program, Samuel Clemens High School,
1001 Elbel Road, Schertz, 210-9456501
SOUTH SAN ANTONIO ISD
1 Academy of Health Sciences, 2515
Bobcat Lane, 210-977-7474
Source: School districts