SL February

Transcription

SL February
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 1
Bond projects
progressing
across district
The Comal ISD continues to make excellent progress on construction projects funded
through Bonds 2005 and 2008.
Just this year, through Bond 2005, CISD
opened brand new Morningside Elementary
in southeast New Braunfels and Timberwood
Park Elementary in San Antonio last August,
and has completed expansion projects at
Arlon Seay Elementary, Mountain Valley
Middle (formerly Mountain Valley School)
and Smithson Valley Middle.
Also through Bond 2005, Johnson
Ranch Elementary in Bulverde and Oak
Creek Elementary in New Braunfels will
open this August, and an elementary in
Avery Park subdivision in New Braunfels
will open in 2010.
In fact, due to strong fiscal management,
both Avery Park Elementary, and a new
school at the former site of the Bulverde
campus which will become Rahe Bulverde
Elementary School, will house K-5th grade
BOND Continued on page 4
Comal ISD provides
services to children
with special needs;
screenings Feb. 26
The Comal Independent School District
provides services to students with special
needs.
This free appropriate public education is
offered to eligible children ages 3 through
21, who may have one of the following disabilities: learning disabilities, speech or
language impairment, orthopedic or health
impairment, emotional disturbance, mental
retardation, autism, traumatic brain injury,
other health impairment or multiple disabilities. Services for children who are deafblind, or have a visual or auditory impairment, may begin at birth.
Comal ISD will be conducting Early
Childhood Screenings at Bill Brown,
Goodwin Frazier, Rebecca Creek and
Morningside elementary schools. The
screenings will take place Thursday, Feb.
26, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and will be provided at no charge.
If you think that you know a child ranging in age from birth to 5 years-old who
may have speech, language, or developmental delays, and resides in the Comal ISD
attendance zone, please call Pat Hermes at
(830) 221-2042 to schedule an appointment
for a free screening.
Male students love Massey’s
“Ready, Set, Teach” class at SVHS
By Jason Gordon,
Comal ISD Communications Dept.
Ann Massey had a pleasant surprise awaiting her when she stepped
into the classroom on the first day
of school back in August.
For the first time since she started her “Ready, Set, Teach” class at
Smithson Valley High, Massey had
a male student sign up.
In fact, this school year she had
three, which was something she certainly wasn’t expecting.
“I thought it was awesome,”
Massey said. “It was definitely nice
to see them in the class.”
Perhaps one reason Massey hadn’t seen any males in her “Ready,
Set, Teach” class, which has students go out and do internships for
an hour-and-a-half every day from
October until May for teachers at
different campuses in the Comal
ISD, is the fact that all those
apprenticeships were previously all
done at elementary schools.
“You just don’t see a lot of male
teachers at the elementary level,”
Massey said. “For whatever reason,
Smithson Valley High seniors (from left) Chris Knisley, Ashton
that’s always been the case.”
Burge, and Kyle Reynolds are the first-ever male students in Ann
READY, SET, TEACH continued on page 5 Massey’s “Ready, Set, Teach” class.
Felps’ Reflections entry on display in Washington, D.C.
Kendall Felps never thought a simple
message about how the task of keeping our
planet clean is in our hands would ultimately earn her national recognition.
Felps, now an eighth-grade student at
Mountain Valley Middle, was chosen to
advance to the national PTA “Reflections”
level based on her entry in the photography
category last school year.
Felps’ photography project, titled “Take
Matters into Your Own Hands,” depicted a
hand holding a miniature trashcan with the
words “Think Green” on it.
She took the photograph and entered it
in the “Reflections” contest as a seventhgrade student in Jennifer Brown’s class at
Smithson Valley Middle
Felps won an “Overall Award of
Excellence” at the local and state level, and
an “Award of Merit” at the national PTA
Reflections competition in Washington D.C.
“I had no idea when I took the photo it
would do this well,” Felps said. “I guess
the judges really liked the message I was
trying to send.”
In mid-February, Felps will attend a ceremony in Washington D.C., for the unveiling of the nationally recognized artwork.
Her entry is being displayed alongside
other national-level winners at the U.S.
Department of Education through the end
of March.
PTA’s Reflections is a contest held
annually that recognizes students’ artistic
achievements in categories like visual arts,
literature and music. Last year’s theme was
“I can make a difference by…”
“I have my students enter the reflections
contest every year,” Brown said. “We have
had so many creative entries, and I’m so
happy for Kendall that she’s done so well.”
Art, music combine for awesome holiday concert at GFES
Goodwin Frazier Elementary music teacher Jessica Lopez and art teacher Amy Howe, pictured in front, join kindergarten students who
participated in the school’s Art and Music Concert series in December. Everyone involved did a fantastic job.
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Grade Speed Parent Connection
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Stock market doesn’t intimidate these
CMS students
Who says the stock market has been topsy-turvy? These Canyon Middle students have the market
figured out. They recently won $75 each and a certificate after they were one of the winning teams in
the San Antonio Area Stock Market Game. These students turned $100,000 in play money into
$109,000 in eight weeks. Pictured are (back row, l-r) CMS principal Patti Vlieger, Harrison Williams,
Kody Windecker, and teacher Kathy Phillips; (Front row) Kyle Moss and William Wehling.
A Rootin’ Tootin’ Holiday Musical at CES
In December, third graders at Comal Elementary put on a colorful Christmas program, “Christmas
at the OK Corral.” Students serenaded and entertained family and friends with holiday songs making
for a fun-filled evening. On stage are (from left to right) Jakob Hoffmann, Trey Jones, Connor
Cochran, Trevor Wong, Joshua Houst, Samantha Crocker, and Sierra Braun. Paulette Davis is their
music teacher.
visit www.comalisd.org
SchooLife - February 2009 - 3
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students under one roof. These projects that
were not in the original Bond 2005 plan but
were added, at no additional cost to the taxpayer, through bond savings and interest
accrued.
“I can’t say enough about how efficient
and thorough our team has been in stretching
our bond dollars,” Comal ISD superintendent
Dr. Marc Walker said. “It’s because of this
effort, and the constant support of our community members and parents, that we are
able to continually provide our students with
superior learning environments as the Comal
ISD continues to grow at a rapid rate.”
Probably the best news coming out of
both bond issues — 2005 and 2008 — is
that the debt service tax rate paying for the
bonds has not gone up. In fact, it’s
decreased by 3 cents because of the growth
in Comal County and the refinancing of
bond debt.
To learn more about the progress with
Bond 2005 visit the district’s website at
http://www.comalisd.org/Growth/Bond_2005
_Status.asp. Updated construction
PowerPoints, slide shows, and publications
are on the site.
The major projects in Bond 2008 involve
Smithson Valley High and Canyon High.
Expansions at SVHS, including 20 new
classrooms, an expanded agriculture department, a new performing arts center, and athletic department upgrades, and CHS, which
will have 31 new classrooms, major
upgrades in the career and technology and
athletic departments, and a new performing
arts center, will take several years to complete. Together both projects are budgeted at
$75 million.
New competition-sized swimming pools
will also be built at all three high schools
during their respective expansion projects.
The pools will be built for approximately
$325,000 each and will be financed through
donations, land sales, and/or bond interest
money. Vintage Oaks subdivision has already
pledged a donation of at least $200,000.
The goal is to have the SVHS and CHS
pools open in fall 2009, while the CLHS
pool will open at a later date.
Also through Bond 2008, Comal ISD will
add new science labs and a library to
Canyon Middle, a new cafeteria and science
labs to Church Hill Middle, new classrooms
and a new wood shop building to Smithson
Valley Middle, and new classrooms and an
expanded library at Spring Branch Middle.
The cost of these expansions is budgeted
at a total of $23 million.
Three new elementary schools also will
be built thanks to Bond 2008, one off of FM
306 near Canyon Lake, one at the corner of
Borgfeld Road and Bulverde Road in San
Antonio, and one in the Garden Ridge area.
The budget is $16 million per school.
Garden Ridge is scheduled to be completed
by August 2010, the FM 306 elementary is
scheduled to open in 2011, and the Borgfeld
Road/Bulverde Road location is tentatively
scheduled for completion in August 2013.
Additional Bond 2008 upgrades have
decreased the student-to-computer ratio
through mobile labs, and will include air
conditioning in all elementary and middle
school gyms, standardizing all elementary
playgrounds, will improve parking at Specht
Elementary, will add an agricultural barn at
Canyon Lake High, and will provide interactive whiteboards, iPods, document cameras, and wireless internet connection to all
campuses.
To learn more about the progress with
Bond 2008 visit the district’s website at
http://www.comalisd.org/Growth/Bond_2008
_Status.asp. Updated construction
PowerPoints and publications are on the site.
Oak Creek Elementary School
Johnson Ranch Elementary School
Oak Creek Elementary School
Johnson Ranch Elementary School
BOND / Continued from cover
GREG
CHANDLER
(830) 438-7969
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READY, SET, TEACH/ Continued from cover
One of Massey’s male “Ready, Set, Teach”
students, senior Ashton Burge, bucked the
trend and became the first to intern at the high
school level. He helps SVHS sophomore
English teacher Holly Leach.
“Ashton was dead-set on teaching at the
high school level, and it worked out that he
was able to find an internship here at
SVHS,” Massey said. “I think it’s such an
accomplishment for a senior to be able to
go in and teach a class full of students two
years younger than he is.”
Like all students in Massey’s “Ready,
Set, Teach” class, one of Burge’s tasks is to
make up lesson plans and teach class.
“The experience we get in this class is
equivalent to what a lot of fourth-year college
students get,” Burge said. “I always knew I
wanted to be a teacher, so when I heard about
this class I figured I’d be a perfect fit. I
would absolutely recommend it to anybody
that thinks they might want to teach.”
Leach said she has been very pleased
with Burge’s efforts in her classroom.
“Ashton is doing better than my collegeeducated student teacher did last year,”
Leach said. “He knows the material better
and he has a better command of the classroom. He’s even going to faculty meetings
and helping with hall duty. I think he will
be a fabulous teacher one day.”
Chris Knisley is doing his internship
with Matt Herzog, a third-grade teacher at
Startzville Elementary.
“I had the chance to work with one of
the few male elementary teachers in the district, so that was a very good place for me
to decide if I want to teach,” Knisley said.
“It’s worked out perfectly, and has given
me a great perspective.”
Kyle Reynolds, who is doing his internship at Rahe Bulverde Elementary, first
heard about “Ready, Set, Teach” when
Massey talked to his “Individual and
Family Life” class.
“I work with children in my church and I
love it, so I wanted to see if this might be a
good career path for me,” Reynolds said. “I
hope we start a trend and Mrs. Massey sees
more guys in her class in the future.”
Abi Wood, a senior and “Ready, Set,
Teach” classmate to Reynolds, Knisley and
Burge, said it doesn’t really matter what
your gender is, as long as you’re passionate
about teaching.
“I think this is a great class for anybody,”
Wood said. “If we decide to go into teaching
in college, we’ll all be so far ahead of everybody there because of what we’ve learned
here, and I think that’s pretty exciting.”
GradeSpeed Parent Connection.
Visit www.comalisd.org
Area animals benefit
from SVHS Eagle Scout
Kyle Reynolds, a senior at Smithson Valley High School,
was honored recently at an Eagle Scout Court of Honor.
Reynolds (pictured center) is a Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
with Troop 145, chartered at Northern Hills United
Methodist Church in San Antonio. He has been involved
with Boy Scouts since first grade.
Reynolds’ Eagle Scout Leadership Project benefited the
Bulverde Area Humane Society, where he led volunteers
from the community. The group completely refurbished the
front deck of the BAHS trailer, creating a safe passageway
to the office area, and improving the appearance of the area
surrounding the trailer. More than 75 hours of volunteer time
were used in completing the project.
Sounds of the season
The customers, parents and employees of Broadway Bank – Bulverde enjoyed the musical talents of the Bill Brown Elementary Trailblazer Choir on Dec. 16th. Under the direction of Carol Murray, the 37-member choir sang such classics as “Sleigh Ride” and some
newer whimsical tunes.
Dedicated medical specialists committed to meeting your healthcare needs in a professional yet
relaxed environment that is convenient to the families of Comal County.
CARDIOLOGY GASTROENTEROLOGY
Kalife Kuri,
M.D., F.A.C.C.
Heart and Vascular
Institute of Texas
Specializing in medical
and surgical care of
cardiovascular diseases.
(210) 804-6000
www.havit.com
Richard T. Shaffer, M.D.
Gastroenterology Consultants
of San Antonio
Dedicated to Clinical
Excellence
(210) 582-8000
www.gastroconsa.com
P O D I AT R Y C H I R O P R A C T I C
Raymond Oliviero, DPM
Crystal Podiatry at Bulverde
Crystal Podiatry at Stone Oak
(210) 496-FEET (3338)
Injury Disease & Surgery of the
Foot
Specializing in Diabetic foot care,
sports medicine and children’s foot
disorders.
visit www.comalisd.org
Chris Tupper, D.C.
Tupper Chiropractic
with Century Regional
Healthcare
(830)980-9676
“Patients Feel Better When
We Work Together”
Physical Rehabilitation &
Chiropractic Care with a
Medical Team
SchooLife - February 2009 - 5
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 6
From the Superintendent
the Senate will change its
One semester down
mind, and that the
and one to go in 2008-09.
Legislature will do someWhere does the time go?
thing to aid school disWe are watching the
tricts before they go
Texas Legislature closely
bankrupt.
this session as it works
This is the season for
through complex issues
TAKS testing too. It is
facing our state. Among
just around the corner and
them is education funding
our students will be
that, if it goes unchecked
ready, as they always are.
and unmodified, will draDr. Marc Walker
We are proud to report that
matically impact school
our Comal ISD students once again
operations across the state.
outperformed their peers in the region
In particular, the House has
and the state during the 2008 adminacknowledged that public school
istration of the TAKS tests.
funding is a mess with school disAs we continue our journey
tricts receiving varying amounts of
through another successful school
money per student. The “target revyear, I encourage you to stay
enue” each district receives is the
same amount it received in 2006. No involved in your children’s education.
Volunteer in our schools. Check your
adjustments are in the state funding
children’s grades daily through Parent
formula for inflation, teacher pay
Connection. Read to your children
raises, and rising utilities.
The Senate has publicly stated it is every night.
Together we can make a difference.
not interested in addressing school
funding this session. We can only
hope that the House will prevail, that
Outstanding Graduate Nominees Sought
The Comal Independent School
District is looking for CISD graduates
from 1999 or before to honor with the
CISD Outstanding Graduate Award.
Nominations are being accepted
through March 13, 2009.
The CISD Outstanding Graduate
Award is designed to honor district
high school graduates for excellence
and notable achievement since graduating from Comal ISD schools. This is
the 12th year for the program.
Nominations for the CISD
Outstanding Graduate Award can be
made by anyone familiar with the candidate. To be eligible, nominees must
have graduated from either Canyon or
Smithson Valley high schools at least
10 years ago.
The nominee should be or have
been actively involved in his/her community; achieved extraordinary career
status; made outstanding contributions
to a career field; made notable contributions to an area, state, etc.; and/or a
combination of these achievements.
The honorees will be recognized in
May during the Comal Education
Foundation’s academic recognition
banquet. Last year’s recipients were
Elizabeth Anne Weisman (CHS ’96),
Monica Krieg Hays (CHS ’84), Janet
Link Groth (CHS ’73), Douglas
Edwards (CHS ’81), and Barbara
Doeppenschmidt (CHS ’65).
Nomination forms are available
online at www.comalisd.org or at the
district’s Support Services Center, 1404
IH 35 North, New Braunfels. You can
call 830-221-2066/885-1791/609-6280
for a form as well. Completed forms
may be faxed to 830-221-2001, mailed
to the above address, or emailed to
[email protected].
The Godfather of HR
Congratulations to Bob Presley, who received the first-ever
Texas Association of School Personnel Administrators (TASPA)
Lifetime Distinguished Service Award. TASPA board member
Dr. Neil Dugger, from the Irving ISD, presented the award to
Presley on December 11, at a luncheon during TASPA’s winter
conference. Presley was the longtime Deputy Superintendent for
Human Resources and Administration in the Hays CISD before
retiring last year. He currently serves as the part-time assistant to
the superintendent in the Comal ISD.
Comal Education Foundation
Thanks Partners!
The Comal Education Foundation (CEF) is in the middle of a very successful year. During the current school year, the Foundation has funded a district-wide grant for elementary science programming,
hosted the 5th Annual Comal Cajun Celebration, honored KENS Excel Teacher of the Year finalists,
produced its first newsletter, raffled off a Harley Davidson motorcycle courtesy of Sac `N Pac, and
kicked off a new marketing campaign.
All of these activities would not be possible without the support of some very special donors—the
members of the Foundation Partners. This group of businesses supports the Education Foundation with
an annual contribution that supports all the activities of the Foundation. This year, the Foundation
Partners have contributed almost $70,000 to the CEF.
Thank you to these partners!
Diamond
Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union
Sac `N Pac (Harley Davidson Raffle Sponsor)
SHW Group (Presenting Sponsor of the
CEF Golf Classic)
Texas Intrepid Ventures
Platinum
Bartlett Cocke General Contractors
Fugro Consultants, LP
Hunter Industries
Pfluger Associates Architects
Gold
Baird/Williams Construction
Law Office of R. David Fritsche
GVTC
HEB
Herff Jones—
The Overall Graduation
Office
Moore Erection, LP
Riata Financial Services
SAMCO Capital Markets
Southerland Communities
Urban Concrete Contractors, Ltd.
Walsh, Anderson, Brown, Schulze &
Aldridge, PC
The businesses are making a difference for
the students and teachers in Comal ISD by supporting educational enrichment and excellence.
For more information on how you can support
the Comal Education Foundation, please call
830-214-5010 or visit www.comaledfdn.org.
Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union
presents a check at the Diamond
Partner level to the Comal Education
Foundation. Pictured (left to right) are,
Amy Gailey, RBFCU; Carlene Comer,
Foundation President; Laura LinhartKistner, Foundation Executive Director;
and Mary Jo Floyd, RBFCU.
Publisher.....Bill Holland
Editor.....Wendy M. Holland
Designer.....John Rodriguez
Comal ISD Communications Director.....Kari Hutchison
SchooLife is published in partnership with the Comal Independent
School District. The monthly publication, which focuses on Comal ISD
students, staff and community, is designed to increase communication
between district schools and parents. The opinions, statements, and
claims expressed in this newspaper are not necessarily those of the district or its officials. Comal Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, religion, color, national origin,
or disability in providing education services, activities or programs. It is
the intent and policy of this District to conduct its activities in compliance with all Federal and State laws prohibiting discrimination on the
basis of race, sex, age, religion, color, national origin or disability.
E-mail photos and stories to: [email protected] or [email protected]
For advertising rates and information, contact Bill Holland at 210-478-9085
The deadline is the 10th of each month for information to be included in the following month’s publication.
SchooLife is published the first of each month and is available FREE to parents of students attending schools
in the Comal Independent School District. A complimentary copy of the paper is sent home the
beginning of each month in the backpacks of students in grades K-8. Additional copies are available in
school offices and various locations throughout the communities.
All creative concepts, designs, and layout for all advertisements are the sole property of
SchooLife and may not be reproduced in any other publication without prior approval.
Advertising/Sales
Kathy Smith (210) 601-4836
P.O. Box 436
Bulverde, TX 78163
Ph: (210) 478-9085
[email protected]
GradeSpeed Parent Connection. Visit www.comalisd.org
6 - SchooLife - February 2009
Grade Speed Parent Connection
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Board honors poster contest winners Comal ISD students continue to do
better than their peers in the region
and state
The Comal ISD had three students place high in this year’s statewide Geography Awareness Week
poster contest, hosted by the Texas Alliance for Geographic Education. Smithson Valley Middle
sixth-grade student Peyton Haggard, and Canyon High ninth-grader Paulina Gil-Pier, placed first in
their grade divisions. Also, placing second in the 6-8th grade category was Church Hill Middle student Ana Maese. Here, (left to right) Gil-Pier, Maese and Haggard are recognized by the CISD
school board and superintendent Dr. Marc Walker at the December board meeting.
Our distinguished panel of judges
A public hearing on the 2007-08 Comal
Independent School District’s annual Academic
Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) report from
the state was held during the school board’s regular meeting on Jan. 29.
The AEIS report shows that Comal ISD students once again outperformed their peers at the
regional and state levels on the 2008 Texas
Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS).
The report also provides financial, staffing, and
tax information.
More Comal ISD students passed every state
test at every grade level — math, reading, writing, science, and social studies — than did their
peers at the state and regional levels.
Other highlights from the 2007-2008 AEIS
report include:
• When summed across grade levels the percentage of Comal ISD students passing all tests
was 83 percent. The percentage passing the
writing and social studies exams was 96 percent.
Ninety-five percent of the students tested passed
the reading/English Language Arts exam.
Eighty-eight percent passed math and 86 percent
passed science.
• Mean score on the SAT was 1007 in 2007,
with 69 percent of the seniors taking the test.
• The district’s fund balance (savings) at the
end of the 2006-07 school year was more than
$45 million. (As of the end of fiscal year 2008,
the balance is more than $52 million.)
• Average teacher salary in 2007-08 was
$46,973 and the average years of experience for
teachers was 13.
For a detail review of the AEIS report, go to
http://www.comalisd.org/About_Us/Student_Perf
ormance.asp.
Three school board seats up for
election in Comal ISD
When teachers and faculty decided to have a Chili Cookoff at Rahe Bulverde Elementary, they
didn’t have to ask this group of guys twice to be judges. Second-grade teacher Tricia Maynard came
away with the top prize, and a potluck lunch with cornbread and desserts soon followed. Here (from
left), Comal ISD superintendent Dr. Marc Walker, school board trustee David Spencer, school board
past-president Dan Krueger and school board president Bill Swint get ready to dig in to a steaming
bowl of chili on Jan. 16.
CMS student wins LOGOS competition
Heather Hall, a seventh grader at Canyon Middle School, knows her
vocabulary. She knows it so well she won the Third Annual LOGOS
Competition presented by IKON Office Solutions at Trinity University.
The contest is part of the Spurs Education Program.
As the grand-prize winner at the seventh-grade level she received an
electronic dictionary and a lot of well-deserved recognition.
Hall had to win at the school level before advancing to the regional
level of the contest. The final round was oral and intense. Special
guest emcee was Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich.
In the end, Hall prevailed. Her sister, Canyon Middle eighth grader
Teresa Hall represented CMS as well and advanced far in the contest.
Congratulations to both girls!
The annual board of trustees’ election in the
Comal Independent School District is Saturday,
May 9. Candidates interested in filing for one of
the three seats up for election can do so starting
Monday, Feb. 9. Deadline to file is March 9.
The school district is divided into seven single-member districts, each represented by a
member of the board of trustees who serves a
three-year term. For 2009, only single-member
districts 1, 2 and 5 are up for election.
Currently representing District 1 is Carolyn
Miller who has been on the school board since
her appointment to the board in 2007 to fill the
vacancy left by Laura Kistner. Her area covers
most of the Comal ISD within the city limits of
New Braunfels.
Dan Krueger, immediate past president of the
board, represents District 2 and has been on the
board for 15 years. His area covers Gruene, the
area north on FM 306 and Sattler.
District 5, represented by Carol Keller, is the
third seat up for election this year. Keller was
elected to the school board in 2006. Her area
includes parts of the Spring Branch, Bulverde
and Smithson Valley areas.
People interested in filing for one of the seats
must be registered voters, live in the singlemember district they are filing for, and have
been residents of the district for six months.
Voter registration cards tell each patron their single-member district number.
Applications for a place on the ballot, or
additional information, are available from the
CISD Central Office, 1404 IH 35 North, New
Braunfels. For more information call 830-2212000/830-885-1791.
The following are detailed boundary descriptions of single-member districts 1, 2, and 5. For
maps of the districts visit www.comalisd.org/About_Us/Board_District_Maps.asp.
School Board Meeting Calendar
2/26/2009
3/12/2009
3/19/2009
Thursday
Thursday
Thursday
Support Services
Support Services
Support Services
Board Meeting
Workshop
Board Meeting
All meetings begin at 6:00 PM.
During the audience participation portion of each regular meeting, the public may address the Board
on any subject not posted on the agenda, provided they have followed the proper procedures.
“Caring for pets is what we do; it’s as simple as that. In fact, I can’t think
of anything I’d rather do. I think it comes through in the care we give.”
Kirk S. Kothmann, DVM
Offering A Wide Range Of Services
For Your Pet:
• Vaccinations • Dentistry • Spay/Neuter
• Geriatrics • Nutrition • General Surgery
• Pharmacy • Boarding • Grooming
• In-House Lab & X-Rays • Flea Control
830-438-7200
29760 U.S. Hwy. 281 N. • Bulverde
www.bulverdeanimalhospital.com
visit www.comalisd.org
SchooLife - February 2009 - 7
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Second-Annual Daddy-Daughter Dance at SVHS sure to be a hit
Smithson Valley High will once again give fathers a chance to
bond with their daughters at a fun event.
The second-annual Daddy-Daughter Dance will take place at
SVHS on Saturday, Feb. 7, at the school’s cafeteria, from 7-9:30 p.m.
The idea was first proposed by Smithson Valley High principal
Chris Trotter, who told a SVHS Peer Assistance and Leadership
student (PALs) he would like to have someplace special to take
his daughter for Valentine’s Day.
That statement set the wheels in motion, and more than 120
daddies and daughters attended last year’s dance.
“Dads are always off working, and sometimes don’t get a
chance to bond with their daughters and spend quality time with
them,” said SVHS senior Emily Kroger, who is helping organize
this year’s event with PALs. “We really wanted to keep it going
after the success we had last year.”
The event will include dance lessons, make and take projects,
light refreshments, and photo opportunities by Sam Roberts
Photography.
The dance committee will also be selling hand-made boutonnieres and corsages as well as tiaras at the dance to save participants a trip to the local stores. Old-fashioned car rides for an additional fee are also planned.
Music ranging from Glenn Miller to the Chicken Dance, line
dancing to two-stepping will be on the play list.
“I volunteered last year and it was a blast,” said Imanne AlQuarqaz, a SVHS senior who is organizing the dance along with
Kroger. “It’s always fun to dress up, and it’s great to spend quality time with your dad, so I’m hoping we have an even bigger
turnout this year.”
All daddy-daughter couples in the community, no matter their
ages, are encouraged to attend. Tickets are only $20 per couple.
Additional daughters are $5. Tickets purchased at the door are
$25 per couple.
Trotter said he would definitely be taking his daughter Kaylee,
a fifth-grader at Bill Brown Elementary, back to the DaddyDaughter Dance.
“There are a group of fathers who have daughters at Bill
Brown Elementary, and I know we’ll all be going to the dance,”
Trotter said. “We had such a good time last year, we wouldn’t
miss it.”
For more information on how to purchase tickets, email
[email protected] or [email protected], or
call PALs sponsor and SVHS teacher Cricket Ingraham at
(830) 885-1064.
TPES students get fit
Timberwood Park Elementary School students selected as “Get Fit with Bruce and Buddy”
winners from the 1st semester of school: BACK ROW: Olivia Chuber, Leah Whitaker, Joshua
Gilliam, Austin Fitzmorris, William Robertson, Dylan Wollmerhauser; MIDDLE ROW:
Caitlin Mansker, Rebecca Harrell, Alyssa Marin, Anika McGarity, Brant Gault; FRONT ROW:
Ben Gonzalez, Jagger Edwards, Blaine Luirette, Will Strachan, Hailey Gray.
The program aims to fight childhood obesity in San Antonio. It recognizes students who
make good, healthy choices with nutrition and fitness. Spurs star
Bruce Bowen created the idea for GET FIT and partnered with
HEB to make the program a reality. Nominated by teachers, students are then picked by a
Spurs selection committee
and Bowen. Winners receive
a T-shirt, free Spurs tickets,
and other goodies.
Far right: TPES “Get Fit with
Bruce and Buddy” winners.
Middle: Dylan Wollmerhauser
with Bruce Bowen
Right: Will Strachan with
Bowen
AquATIC SCIenCe
ADvenTuRe CAMPS
SUMMER 2009
One-Week or 2-day sessions
JUNE - AUGUST
Students Ages 9-15
Learn about aquatic biology and water
chemistry. Also, tubing, swimming,
river, rafting, scuba/snorkeling, glass
bottom boat rides at Aquarena Center,
a trip to Sea World and more!
edwards Aquifer
Research
& Data Center
Texas State University San Marcos
l
(512) 245-2329
www.eardc.txstate.edu/camp.html
8 - SchooLife - February 2009
Grade Speed Parent Connection
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 9
D.A.R.E graduations held across Comal ISD
By Jason Gordon,
Comal ISD Communications Dept.
The first-ever graduation held at
Morningside Elementary was one that
will have a lasting impact on its students.
Fifth-grade students not only at
MES but at elementary campuses
across Comal ISD spent the week graduating from the Drug Abuse Resistance
Education (D.A.R.E.) program.
During the course of each 12-week
program, taught to Comal ISD fifth
graders each year since the 1980s,
D.A.R.E. officers stress the importance
of making healthy decisions and choosing friends wisely, and the dangers of
tobacco, marijuana, alcohol, bullying
and peer pressure.
Students met for one hour per week
for D.A.R.E classes during the program.
When first-year D.A.R.E. officer
Homero Balderas, a Comal County
Sherriff’s deputy, asked Morningside
Elementary students what day it was
shortly before the graduation ceremony
began, they shouted in unison, “It’s
D.A.R.E. day!”
“This is very exciting,” Balderas
said. “It makes it all worth while.
That’s what we’re here for – to see kids
start this program and finish it.”
Comal ISD Sherriff’s Department
Capt. Ed Witson has seen the D.A.R.E.
program grow through the years.
“It seems to get bigger and better
every school year,” Witson said. “It’s a
great program. We see students coming
visit www.comalisd.org
Morningside Elementary students
resist the subtle and overt pressures that
back to us many years down the road,
walked across the stage in the school’s
cause them to experiment with drugs or
young men and women who are now
cafeteria to receive their graduation
become involved in gangs or violent
working and doing well in the commudiplomas – slapping hi-fives and swapactivities.
nity, telling us how much they appreciping hugs with D.A.R.E. mascot Darin
Balderas’ teaching methods have
ated the D.A.R.E. program.”
in the process.
certainly impressed MES’ teachers.
Although Balderas doesn’t have
“We really want to thank Officer
“He truly respects the kids, and that
much D.A.R.E. experience, he’s already
Balderas,” said MES fifth-grader J.C.
shows up in the classroom,” said MES
starting to see how much of an impact
Sanchez. “A lot of people on this camthe program has on the lives of students. fifth-grade teacher Madonna Binney.
pus respect him. He would come sit
“He gave the students a solid founda“I see them at places like football
down, eat lunch with us, and just talk. I
tion to make good decisions if a friend
games and Wassailfest, and even at the
think it’s an awesome program.”
or family member is ever using drugs.”
store, and they come up to me and tell
their parents, ‘That’s
my D.A.R.E. officer,’”
Balderas said. “It makes
me feel great and it
gives them a sense that
law enforcement officers are approachable.”
D.A.R.E. was founded in 1983 in Los
Angeles and is now
implemented in 75 percent of the school districts in the U.S. and 43
countries worldwide.
The D.A.R.E. curriculum is designed to be
taught by police officers
whose training and experience gives them the
background needed to
answer the sophisticated
questions often posed by
Morningside Elementary fifth-grade student
Darin congratulated Morningside Elementary
young students.
Ricky Castaneda gives Drug Abuse Resistance
student Rubi Lozano and the rest of her fifthThe program’s goal is
Education (D.A.R.E) program mascot Darin a
grade classmates on D.A.R.E. graduation day.
to give children the skills
big hug. The school held its D.A.R.E. graduaneeded to recognize and
tion ceremony on Dec. 17.
need A Job?
DO YOu
enJOY
WORKIng
WITh KIDS?
The Comal ISD School
Age Child Care Program
is looking for outgoing
and responsible individuals to work for our child
care programs at many of
our elementary schools.
You must be 17 years
of age or older, have
reliable transportation
And be able to work
M-F between the hours
of 2:15 and 6:15pm
Starting pay is
between $7 to $8 an
hour based on experience and education
For information about
job openings at schools
in your area please
call 830-221-2176
SchooLife - February 2009 - 9
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 10
CLHS students “adopt” RCES
counterparts
Over the holidays, the Canyon
Lake High student council organized an adopt-a-child program
where classes raised money to buy
gifts for pre-K students at Rebecca
Creek Elementary. Each class also
held a party for their child, where
they opened the gifts that were
purchased especially for them.
The children also got to visit
Santa. Both the Rebecca Creek
students and Canyon Lake students
had a wonderful time. The older
students really enjoyed hosting the
“little ones,” and realized how
good it feels to do something nice
for someone else. The entire event
was organized by student council
officers Andrea Drum, Jessica
Watson, and Ashley Beiring.
Tickled Tastebuds at Taste of the Towns
Helaina Vera serves sister and brother tandem
Danielle and Tyler Keranen samples of spicy chicken
tenders during the Comal ISD Taste of the Town at
Timberwood Park Elementary on Jan. 13.
Timberwood Park Elementary fourth-grade student
Sophie Hennessy receives a hug from Elsie the Cow
during the Comal ISD Taste of the Town at TPES on
Jan. 13. This free showcase of food samples provided
a chance for attendees to offer input on the menu
items to be served in school cafeterias during the
2009-2010 school year.
Jentz attends state convention
During the fall semester, Smithson Valley
High freshman Jordan Jentz traveled to downtown Austin to attend the Texas Junior State Fall
State Convention. There, approximately 500 students and teachers from throughout Texas and
neighboring states gathered at the Sheraton
Austin to debate and discuss issues centered
around the theme “From Promises to Policy:
Making the Next Move.” Congratulations Jordan,
on being included among some of the very
brightest young minds in the state and beyond.
10 - SchooLife - February 2009
Child Nutrition personnel from Canyon High School
(left to right) Rosie Raun and Darlene Stephens, kick
back and enjoy tasty treats during the Comal school
district’s annual Taste of the Town Mini Food Show
event. On January 14 at Church Hill Middle, these
ladies were offered foods ranging from Chinese cuisine to Dippin’ Dots. Vendors throughout the area
served their products to get public feedback on future
foods to be served at local campuses.
The annual Taste of the Town Mini-Food Show held at
Church Hill Middle included dozens of food vendors,
like Quality Star Products, and all of their food items
under consideration for next year’s cafeteria menu.
Grade Speed Parent Connection
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 11
SVHS Ag mechanics restoring
1940 tractor
Students in Wayne Dietert’s Agriculture
Mechanics class at Smithson Valley High
are restoring a 1940 model Farmall Tractor.
They are planning to exhibit the tractor in
the upcoming San Antonio Livestock Show
Ag. Mechanics Contest, which will be held
Feb. 21-22, and in the Comal County Junior
Livestock Show Ag. Mechanics contest later
this spring. Pictured are (from left to right)
Matt Taylor, John Gaitan, Justin Fryar,
Duston Hazel, Coker Moeller, Aaron Weber,
Allen Sampson, and Dillon Sampson.
NASCAR driver cruises into RCES
Rebecca Creek Elementary students and faculty were treated to a visit from top-ranked
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series racer David Starr. Students listened as Starr spoke
about the value of education and goal setting. He is living his dream and encourages
others to do the same. Students also had a chance to ask Starr questions about the
thrilling sport of racing.
SVMS art displayed at Broadway Bank’s “gallery”
Broadway Bank was proud to display the talented artwork of Smithson Valley Middle School 8thgrade students, under the direction of Holly Kennedy. The artwork was on display during the month
of January. Pictured here reviewing the various pieces were, from left, SVMS asst. principal Jana
Cervantes, Broadway Banker Debbie White, Kennedy, and Broadway Banker Melody Peckens.
visit www.comalisd.org
SchooLife - February 2009 - 11
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 12
Ana Rebeca
Summer
Malagamba
Gault
Art Teacher
Physical Education Teacher
FAMILY: My husband, Terry and our three children, Brant, Cade and Bralyn
FAMILY: My cheerleader daughters Regina 19, and Ilse 17
PeTS:
Sarah, our dachshund/German shepherd cross. She’s a big dog on little legs
PeTS: My babies Alusha and Maya, two really cute Westies
WheRe YOu gReW uP:
I grew up on a ranch just south of Victoria in south Texas
ALMA MATeR (college): The University of Texas at San Antonio
DegReeS: Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology
ChILDhOOD AMBITIOn: To play college basketball and be an FBI agent
hOW LOng hAve YOu Been A TeACheR?
This is my 10th year to teach. I spent the first 7 coaching and teaching at the
high school level, and now here I am in the elementary. What an amazing place!
FAvORITe BOOK: I enjoy authors Richard Paul Evans and Nicholas Sparks.
FAvORITe FOOD: Fresh fruits and home grown vegetables.
FAvORITe vACATIOn: Our annual family trip to the beach. I love to
sit back and watch my husband and children enjoy themselves while
listening to the calming sound of the waves. It gives me time to
reflect on how truly blessed I am.
ALL-TIMe FAvORITe MOvIe:
That is hard because I am not a big movie watcher but my favorites
include: The “Sound of Music” “Gone with the Wind” and more
recently “Miracle”
hOBBIeS:
Recently I have gotten into genealogy and making photo books
WhAT WOuLD YOu Be IF YOu WeRen’T A TeACheR
An FBI agent or a crime scene investigator.
Timberwood Park Elementary
YOuR PROuDeST MOMenT AS A TeACheR TO DATe?
I would have to say that there have been many moments that
have made me proud to do what I do. Whether it be coaching
an amazing group of young women in a playoff game, reading
their thank you letters as I left coaching, or just seeing the look
on a kindergarten students face when they learn something new,
this is an awesome job to be able to impact chilSchool dren’s lives daily in such an amazing way.
WheRe YOu gReW uP: El Paso and Mexico City
ALMA MATeR (college): Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City
DegReeS: BA in Graphic Design (Valedictorian)
ChILDhOOD AMBITIOn:
To travel around the world and visit places. That hasn’t changed one bit!
hOW LOng hAve YOu Been A TeACheR?
Two years in Mexico City and 2 years in Texas
FAvORITe BOOK: History and mystery books in general
FAvORITe FOOD: “Tacos al Pastor” and “Lindt” White Chocolate
Truffles (quite fattening, I’m afraid)
FAvORITe vACATIOn: ANY vacation!
“
ALL-TIMe FAvORITe MOvIe: “Pan’s Labyrinth” and
“Children of Heaven,” this last one is a great movie for teachers
to watch.
hOBBIeS: Crafting (of course), sewing, reading a good
book, watching American and foreign films and listening to
classical music
WhAT WOuLD YOu Be IF YOu WeRen’T A
TeACheR? I would love to have a TV show to introduce
children to arts and crafts. I would also like to be a curator
for a museum or a masterpiece restorer.
YOuR PROuDeST MOMenT AS A TeACheR TO
DATe? Every day I am exposed to the magic of my students’
artwork. They are always in a hurry to take it home and show
it to their parents; or they will ask me to hang it in our
Morningside Museum of Art for everyone to enjoy. It makes me
very proud to see how confident they are for having done
Morningside
such a good job!
Summer Gault exemplifies the professionalism and passion of the teachers at
Timberwood Park Elementary. Summer routinely seeks creative ways to incorporate parents, the community and teachers into the physical education program. Fun Family
Fitness Hour for parents and students along with a two day presentation by the San
Antonio Diablos hockey team are just a few of the countless ways Summer includes
school stakeholders. Additionally, Summer works tirelessly to incorporate grade level
TEKS into her curriculum to support classroom learning. Finally, Summer has written,
Sean Maika Jodi Cox
and is in the process of writing, several grants to various entities to obtain unique proPrincipal Principal
grams for our students at Timberwood. The children of Timberwood Park Elementary are
Timberwood Park Elementary Morningside Elementary
fortunate to have a passionate, caring teacher like Summer touch their lives each week.
Elementary School
Morningside Elementary is so blessed to have Rebeca Malagamba as its art teacher.
The relationship she has with art students, along with her passion for the subject
allows her to pull from the students magnificent pieces of art. Projects from each and
every class fill the Morningside Museum of Art, the most visited place on campus.
She is truly a team player, and never says no to the many requests she receives for
banner designs, card designs, and other special projects. Her contributions to the
Morningside campus are numerous, and greatly enhance the culture and learning environment for our students, staff, and community.
GVTC honors January SchooLife teachers of the month
GVTC was proud to honor the
SchooLife teachers of the month for
January recently. (Pictured left) At
Startzville Elementary, pre-kindergarten teacher Elizabeth Salazar was
surrounded by her students, principal
Dr. Denise Kern, and Ola Armstrong
from GVTC, as she received her gift
card, plaque, and basket of flowers.
(Pictured right) At Bill Brown
Elementary, Principal Ross
McGlothlin, rear left, and Armstrong
were on hand to honor first-grade
teacher Janet Keller as her students
looked on. Congratulations to these
very special teachers!
12 - SchooLife - February 2009
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Students on their way to Hollywood in CLHS’ Film Production Class
By Jason Gordon,
Comal ISD Communications Dept.
There was a murder recently in the hallways of Canyon Lake High, and it took a
group of topnotch student-sleuths less than
five minutes to solve it.
Don’t run searching the papers for terrible news you might have missed, the fictional mystery story was born from the
mind of Ray Brown, a junior student in
Sherri Painter’s “Multi Media – Advanced
Film Production” class.
“Fallacy” was then turned into a shortfilm, which lasts four minutes, 39 seconds.
“They turned it from a blank piece of
paper into a finished product,” Painter said.
“I facilitated and guided them, but they did
all the work.”
Brown also directed the film, which
included actors from the class and extras
from Painter’s other classes. Jesse Hobbs
was the cinematography director, Stryder
Fike produced the film, and Richard
Herbsleb created the musical score. The
production came complete with an editing
Students in Sherri Painter’s “Multi Media – Advanced Film Production” class at Canyon Lake High
(back row, l-r) Jesse Hobbs, Zak Smith, Ray Miller, (front row) Ray Brown and Chris Stamnitz are
busy editing film. The class made the short film “Fallacy,” which was entered in the South by
Southwest Film Festival.
visit www.comalisd.org
team – Stuart Olsen, Chris Stamnitz, Zak
Smith, Fike and Brown.
The class shot the film and stayed to edit
on a Saturday. They used Apple programs
Final Cut Pro, Soundtrack Pro and Garage
Band 3 in the process.
The class sent the finished movie to the
South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin
and entered it in the high school experimental category.
“I had several people look at the film
who know something about the industry,
and they said it was high quality for the
level of experience these kids have,”
Painter said. “It’s a great feeling as a
teacher to see your students working
together and putting their hearts into a project and come out with a great product.”
Students, who have to first take Painter’s
“Video Technology” class as a prerequisite
to “Advanced Film Production,” are already
thinking ahead to their next project, as well
as to the future.
“I really had no idea what this class was
going to be all about, but it got interesting
very quickly,” said Chris Stamnitz, who
played Detective Matthews in “Fallacy.”
“It’s the best class I’ve ever had in school
because it’s so tech oriented. I’ve always
been much better with computers than a
pen and paper.”
Painter’s classroom was one of the first
Apple computer labs in the Comal ISD. Her
students use two different models of Mac
computers, iMacs and Mac Pro Towers, to
create their project.
“You get so much hands-on technology
in this class, it’s amazing,” Hobbs said.
“We have everything we need to produce a
film right here, all we need is a script.”
Students will next attempt to complete a
film within a 24-hour period for Apple’s
Insomnia Film Festival, in February.
“We have so much freedom in this
class,” Brown said. “Each project is our
own vision and I think that’s why it’s so
appealing. Whether it’s acting, producing,
editing, or working with technological
equipment, there’s no limit on what you
can achieve.”
The students in Painter’s class have certainly grabbed the attention of Canyon
Lake High principal Cheryl Koury.
“What they’ve accomplished is definitely impressive,” Koury said. “It’s a class
that has a goal of working hard to learn and
accomplish everything they can, and that
comes across in the work they produce.”
It should come as no surprise that several students in Painter’s class are considering entering film school after they graduate
from CLHS.
“I think a lot of us have found something we really like here,” said Fike.
“Everybody has their own important part in
the making of a film, and that’s something
that’s really appealing.”
View “Fallacy,” at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=InegBU4TPa0
SchooLife - February 2009 - 13
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 14
Three essay writers earn VFW scholarships Retreat helps CHS students
improve campus
Congratulations to these students at Smithson Valley High who were recognized in the VFW Voice of
Democracy Scholarship Contest. Each student entered an essay, and Amanda Falcon won first place and a scholarship of $500, Lindsay Kelsey won second place and a scholarship of $300 and Samantha Wagner won third
place and a scholarship of $200. In addition, Layla Abed and Kelly Day earned honorable mention. Pictured
from left to right are SVHS teacher Gloria Wolfshohl, VFW Post 8800 Commander Paul Nees, Comal ISD
Advanced Academics and Fine Arts Director Dolly Adams, Kelsey, Falcon, Abed, Day, Wagner, SVHS assistant
principal Chris Smith, FVW Ladies Auxiliary President Susan Nees, and VFW Scholarship Committee
Chairperson Louise Lagutchik.
SVHS students lend
voices to All-Area Choir
Congratulations to Smithson Valley High seniors
Rebekah Kreiger (Soprano I) and Willie Ebrom (Tenor
II), who qualified for the All-Area Choir.
14 - SchooLife - February 2009
Fourteen Canyon High Student Council members attended the
District 18 Winter Retreat. The retreat focused on the training of students in the R.S.V.P. Program, which focuses on getting students in
school, as a whole, involved in making the decisions that affect a
campus. Reagan Rodriguez, a sophomore at CHS who attended the
retreat, had this to say about the experience. “I learned a lot this
weekend, especially with the R.S.V.P. program which stands for
Raising Students Voices and Participation. We learned how to brainstorm and work together toward a common cause, to say “yes, and”
instead of “but” when we discuss issues, and we also played several
team-building games. Overall it was a good experience and I know I
can take some positive things back to my school.”
Grade Speed Parent Connection
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 15
STZES computer training in Eduphoria
These third-grade teachers at Startzville
Elementary are all smiles as they train on their
new Mac laptops. Each certified teacher received
a laptop to use from the district’s technology initiative. The computers are equipped with
Eduphoria, a district-wide, multi-faceted computer program which helps teachers with lesson
planning, signing up for workshops, looking at
student grades, test scores, and learning data, and
other information helpful to teaching students.
Here, Terri Firth, Kaci Gibbons, Theresa Ricker
and Matt Herzog get more specific training so
they can take advantage of the many benefits of
the Eduphoria program while using their laptops.
“My Fair Lady” staged at CHS
Canyon High theater students
(from left) Justin Hinojosa as
Professor Henry Higgins, Zoe
Miller as Eliza Doolittle, and
Ben Culpepper as Col.
Pickering, were part of a cast
and crew performing “My Fair
Lady” at the CHS Cafetorium
recently. This rags-to-eloquence
story, one of the richest and
most intelligent comedies ever
produced, was a big hit.
Arlon Seay Elementary wins Target
Field Trip
Arlon Seay Elementary was recently awarded $800 from the 2009 “Target A Field Trip Grant” to
be used for its 5th grade field trip “First Hand Learning In the Classroom of Life.” Fifth-graders will
be going to the Seguin Outdoor Learning Center and participating in hands-on activities involving
erosion, aquatic life, soil filtration, watersheds, and much more. Congratulations Arlon Seay!
visit www.comalisd.org
SchooLife - February 2009 - 15
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 16
Nelson named to
All-District football team
Congratulations to junior Eric Nelson, Canyon Lake High’s
first-ever All-District football selection. Nelson was named firstteam receiver and second-team defensive back on the All-District
8-3A squad during the Hawks’ inaugural varsity season this past
fall. Here, Nelson is pictured with the CLHS coaching staff. In
addition, fellow CLHS players Joe Shone, Ross Wagilardo, Drew
Riccio, Cody Dugan, Bobby Flint and Chris Kopecky were named
honorable mention.
Santa’s little elf at MES
Alexis Campos (pictured right),
a first-grade student in Sarah
Haynes’ class at Morningside
Elementary, certainly learned the
lesson that giving is more rewarding
than receiving during the holiday
season. Campos was upset that not
every student was able to purchase
an item during a recent book fair, so
by raising her money herself and
through a donation from GVTC,
Campos bought 35 Curious George
books and stuffed animals to hand
out right before the holiday break.
16 - SchooLife - February 2009
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visit www.comalisd.org
SchooLife - February 2009 - 17
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 18
18 - SchooLife - February 2009
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We remember Cadet Leslie Valdez
Canyon High School Air Force JROTC
cadets formed at the school’s flagpole recently
to honor fallen Cadet Leslie Valdez who tragically lost her life in an automobile accident on
Christmas Day. The corps commander and her
staff organized a memorial service in her honor.
Corps Commander Cadet 2nd Lt. Shineese
Martinez addressed the Corps of Cadets. “Good
morning cadets, today, we gather here at the
flagpole to remember Cadet TSgt Leslie Valdez
who tragically died in an automobile accident
Christmas morning. We will always remember
her as a member of the TX-20015 Corps of
Cadets. We raise the flag today as our final tribute to Leslie.” After the ceremony the cadets
promptly marched to the AFJROTC classroom.
“I am proud of our Corps for taking the time
to pay tribute to a fellow cadet. The cadets
truly displayed their compassion and camaraderie,” said Major (Ret) Kevin Cregier, Senior
Aerospace Science Instructor.
In remembrance of CHS Air Force JROTC Cadet
Leslie Valdez, her comrades organized a memorial
service and the colors were flown at CHS in honor of
her. (From right to left) Cadet TSgt Travis Knight
steadies the lanyards in preparation for the presentation of the colors. Preparing the Texas Flag is Cadet
SSgt Justin Ganshaw.
TPES students
invent balloon
popper
Timberwood Park Elementary SAGE
classes recently held a Rube Goldberg
Invention Convention. Here, students jump
back as their elaborate invention designed to
pop a balloon proves it works.
visit www.comalisd.org
Santa Claus comes to school
Children enrolled in the Comal ISD School Age Child Care program (SACC) received a visit
from Santa before the holiday break. Each site at all the elementary schools had a Christmas party
that included hot chocolate and pajamas. Santa gave a bag of goodies to each child and a great time
was had by all. Pictured here, are SACC students from Comal Elementary, Freiheit Elementary and
Morningside Elementary.
Entertaining the
board
Comal Elementary fifth graders performed several of their favorite holiday
songs, under the direction of Paulette
Davis, at the beginning of the December
school board meeting. After their performance, school board members personally
thanked the students for sharing their time
and talent during the busy season.
SchooLife - February 2009 - 19
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 20
Homemade
roller
coaster
Rebekah DeLaCruz, a sixthgrade student in Debbie
Bumgardner’s class at Mountain
Valley Middle School, gets ready
to launch a marble down her
roller coaster the “Canyon Lake
Rocket.” Students made roller
coasters out of household items
like cardboard, plastic tubing and
poster board for a project that
explored energy transformation.
SVHS PALs
Making a difference
Paper Products
Benefiting the Comal County Children’s
Shelter
Smithson Valley High School Peer Assistance
and Leadership (PALs) students Eric Madden,
Audrey Dally, and Michelle Reininger head a
service project known as the PALs Paper
Products in which they hand-make greeting
cards for all occasions. The group plans to sell
their creations every 2nd Tuesday of the month,
January through May, in order to benefit the
Comal County Children’s Shelter. “Please, if
you are interested in hand-made cards, this is the
place to be,” said Reininger. All are encouraged
to participate, and the proceeds go directly to the
Children’s Shelter.
“We put a lot of time into each card, and I
think it gives them a more personal feel,” Dally
said. The group had been designing their own
line of greeting cards all summer long. Each
card includes an envelope and a blank inside for
personalization, along with its decorative face.
“You don’t see many hand-made items anymore,
so much pride is taken in each as well as knowing we’re helping the kids in our community,”
Madden added. The cards are sold individually
for $1.25 or in packages of 4 for $5.00. Tables
will be set up every 2nd Tuesday from 7:50-8:20
a.m., and 4:00-4:20 p.m. at Smithson Valley
High School (outside room A-174).
For more information, contact Eric Madden
(210) 639-9079, Audrey Dally (210) 748-2106,
Michelle Reininger (210) 771-1874, or Cricket
Ingraham at (830) 885-1064 and [email protected].
20 - SchooLife - February 2009
Women’s Self-Defense Class
PALs Carrie Franklin, Blake Given, and
Michael Beiter held the second Women’s SelfDefense Class on Oct. 9th. The class was held in
the SVHS cheer gym without any charge for
those attending. Master Sergeant C.D. Martinez,
or “Master Gunny,” taught the self-defense class,
having years of experience in martial arts and
self-defense. The class turned out to be quite
successful, and if you are interested in possibly
attending a future class, which will be open to
the public, contact P.C “Cricket” Ingraham at
(830) 885-1064 and [email protected] or Carrie Franklin at (210) 845-3116
Winter Wonderland Fashion Show
The Winter Wonderland Fashion Show, under
the direction of PALs students Roni Morales,
Alix Lake, Lauren Rothman, Natalie Belknap,
and Lauren Hodges, was a big hit. On Dec. 13th,
the PALs organized a beneficial Fashion Show,
sponsored by Dress Barn and Bealls, that helped
raise over $1,300 for Communities in Schools
(CIS). Other donations made by HEB, Chili’s,
Sassy Spur, Bucketheads, Embassy Golf, BJ’s,
Starbucks, Office Max, Super S Foods, La
Madeleine, and Tractor Supply, were used in a
silent auction that also added to the overall funds
raised by the group. “We can’t be more exited
with our results this year; we only hope that next
year will be just as great!” replied Morales. The
PALs would like to thank everyone who helped
make this special night possible. It turned out to
be so much more than just a Winter Wonderland.
Grade Speed Parent Connection
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 21
FES girls bond on ROPES course
2nd
Timberwood Park Elem., 3rd Grade Fun Family
Fitness Hour, Gym, 6:30 pm
2nd – 6th
National School Counseling Week
3rd
Canyon Middle, NJHS meeting, 7:45 am
3rd & 4th
Hoffmann Lane Elem., Jump Rope for Heart,
Gym
4th
- Church Hill Middle, 8th Grade Presentation from
Canyon High, 2:30 pm
- Timberwood Park Elem., PTA Board Meeting,
Library, 6 pm
- Church Hill Middle, PTA Board Meeting, 6:30 pm
5th
-Freiheit Elem. PTA General Meeting, Cafeteria,
6:30 pm
-Canyon Middle, Cheer Showcase, Smithson
Valley HS, 7 pm
6th
-Canyon Middle, Yearbook sponsored
Valentine’s Day Dance, Commons, 5 pm
-Canyon High Electives Fair, Canyon High, 6 pm
-Canyon Lake High and Mt. Valley Middle,
Choir Concert, Canyon Lake HS
Auditorium, 7 pm
7th
- Church Hill Middle, Band Jazz Contest, Texas
State University
- Timberwood Park Elem., Dad’s Club 2nd
Pancake Breakfast, Cafeteria, 8 am
- Smithson Valley High, Daddy Daughter Dance,
Cafeteria, 7 pm
9th
- 1st Day to File in School Board Election for
Single Member Districts 1, 2 & 5, Support
Services
- Church Hill Middle, High School Electives
Fair for 8th Grade, 6 pm
- Hoffmann Lane Elem., PTA Board Meeting,
6:30 pm
- Smithson Valley High, Winter Band Concert,
Cafeteria, 6:30 pm
- Timberwood Park Elem., 2nd Grade Fun
Family Fitness Hour, Gym, 6:30 pm
11th – 14th
TEMA and All State Concerts, Convention
Center in San Antonio
visit www.comalisd.org
11th
Freiheit Elementary, Class Picture Day
13th
- Comal ISD Progress Reports Issued
- Goodwin Frazier Elem., PTA Movie Night,
Gym, TBA
16th
Comal ISD Holiday or Bad Weather
Make-Up Day
18th
Canyon High, Winter Sports Banquet, NB
Kongresshalle, 6 pm
20th
- Comal PTA Council Meeting, GVTC, 11:30 am
- Timberwood Park Elem., Dad’s Club Movie
Night, 6:30 pm
21st
Canyon Middle, Super Saturday with Science,
8:45 am
22nd & 23rd
Smithson Valley High, National Forensic
League, NFL District in San Antonio
23rd
Timberwood Park Elem., 1st Grade Fun Family
Fitness Hour, Gym, 6:30 pm
24th
- Mt. Valley Middle, Spring Individual Pictures
- Smithson Valley Middle, Spring Pictures
- Canyon Middle, Electives Fair and State of the
Schools, Canyon Middle, 6 pm
- Smithson Valley High, Cheerleading Parent
Meeting, Library, 6 pm
25th
Hoffmann Lane Elem., Reflections Award
Ceremony, Café, 1:30 pm
26th
- Comal ISD Board of Trustees Meeting,
Support Services, 6 pm
- Mt. Valley Middle, Talent Show, Cafeteria, 6 pm
- Timberwood Park Elem., Kinder & 1st Grade
Program, 6:30 pm
28th
Canyon Middle, UIL Tournament of Champions,
Smithson Valley Middle, 7:30 am
Fifth-graders at Freiheit
Elementary participating in the
Girls Leadership Group recently
visited the Seguin Outdoor
Learning Center ROPES course.
Here, they are seen using “Texas
Skis” to learn team-building skills.
Learning in action at CES
Students in Karen Whitman’s
fourth-grade class at Comal Elementary
have been learning all about Native
Americans and Texas pioneers. Here,
Amanda Brossman, Mya Shannon,
Shelby Steinbach, and Amber Norris
are shown making homemade butter
using whipping cream, just as early
Texas pioneers did.
Angels disguised as cheerleaders
at CHS
The Canyon High cheerleaders adopted a Head Start class for the holidays and surprised the
young children with toys, clothes, and all kinds of holiday wishes before the winter break.
The CHS students raised almost $2,000 for the event through the sponsorship of T-shirt sales
and vet clinics. Then, they went shopping and followed the wish list of youngsters attending the
federally-funded program in New Braunfels.
Smiles, cheers and holiday hugs were shared by all as the cheerleaders brought joy to the
young students!
Days, times & locations of
events are subject to change
SchooLife - February 2009 - 21
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 22
ASES teacher
deserves a lot of
“credit”
Lori Moczygemba, a teacher at Arlon Seay
Elementary, won a $500 scholarship from
Firstmark Credit Union in recognition of her outstanding efforts in educating children. This
money was given to her personally, but
Moczygemba used it to purchase books for the
Arlon Seay Elementary literacy library. What a
truly awesome teacher!
RCES Reflections Contest Winners
Primary Winners in Literature Entries:
Jacqueline Brown- Award of Excellence for “Love” (poem)
Intermediate Winner for Literature Entries:
Rosaleah Stammler- Award of Excellence for “I can make a difference by.....” (prose)
Rosaleah Stammler- Award of Excellence for “I can make a difference by.....” (poem)
Arianna Alola- Award of Excellence for “Helping Others Out” (poster/poem)
Middle/Junior Winners for Literature Entries:
Madison McDonough- Honorable Mention for “Dont Reserve your best behavior”
Hannah Graves- Honorable Mention for “How I can make a difference”
Andrew Schlossbauer- Honorable Mention for “I can make a difference by trying to help stop bullying”
Fayetha Hall- Honorable Mention for “ Sometimes we dont realize how blessed we are”
Ashley Engbrook- Award of Excellence for “Everyone on this earth...”
Justin Monfils- Award of Excellence for “Saving the World”
McGuire Johnson- Award of Excellence for “I think I could make a difference by doing.....”
John Crawford- Award of Excellence for “Bullying”
Trevor Lujan- Award of Excellence for “Helping the earth is important”
Madison Bearden- Award of Excellence for “Peace Corps”
Primary Winners for Visual Arts Entries:
McKayla Mason- Honorable Mention for “The cutest daisy”
Zoie Carson- Award of Merit for “Rainbows and flowers”
Jacqueline Brown- Award of Merit for “No tree chopping”
Jacqueline Brown- Award of Excellence for “Being Me”
Emily May- Award of Excellence for “Sharing Love”
Niaya Ramirez- Honorable Mention for “Picking up litter”
Maggie LeStourgeon-Award of Excellence for “Helping grandma”
Caimen McDonough-Award of Merit for “At the lake”
Jesse Wiggins- Award of Merit for “China painting”
Timothy Scott Brown- Honorable Mention for “Take good care of the lake”
Timothy Scott Brown- Award of Excellence for “Smile” He was also awarded Best Inter. of Theme
for the artwork as well.
CHS students attend inauguration
Written by Rebecca Allen
CHS Cougar Tracks Editor
According to Canyon’s 31 students and chaperones who attended, the Inauguration of 2009
was an experience transcending words. The
Washington Post said it best: “TV anchors,
reporters, and commentators groped for suitable
words, but no words could really equal the
impact of the pictures.” These pictures could in
no way equal the impact of the experience.
For this motivated group, the day began with
breakfast at 4:30 a.m., followed by a 45-minute
drive into Washington D.C. The group, along
with millions of others, trekked an hour or so to
their designated viewing area, complete with
jumbotrons and speakers. With an expected wait
of approximately five hours, the group settled on
the ground in a reported 8° wind chill. After several hours of cold stagnation, many began to seek
temporary refuge in nearby museums; crowds
congregated on the steps of the Smithsonian
Institute, the Freer Museum of Art, and others.
Inside the galleries of these museums natives of
every state lined the walls, resting and sleeping
under some of the nation’s most renowned
exhibits and works of art. Around 11:30 a.m. the
refugees within the museums began to dissipate,
resuming their posts in the National Mall to witness the Inauguration, or lining the streets in
preparation for the Inaugural Parade.
“We were very cold and very excited,” senior
Rosie Croteau said. “The hours between six and
eleven were pretty tough, but after that people
started getting pumped again.”
Cheers like thunder erupted as Joseph Biden
was introduced and then sworn in as the vice
president by Supreme Court Senior Associate
Justice John Paul Stevens. Aretha Franklin sang
“My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” and a quartet of
musicians from around the world performed a
piece titled “Air and Simple Gifts.” As Barack
Obama was announced, the lawns of Washington
D.C. erupted into jubilant and elated applause.
The presidential oath of office was administered
by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts,
and America’s first president of color became a
concrete reality.
President Obama’s Inaugural Address was
simple and honest, creating no façade, but rather
directly recognizing each of America’s present
obstacles. To conclude the ceremonies, the
National Anthem was played, and the mobile
millions hurried to return to buses, museums,
and refreshment lines. While the cold climate
quickly drove many out of the vast fields, many
agree that the day, while trying, was far beyond
memorable.
“It was very hectic, but very patriotic, and
definitely a once in a lifetime experience,” senior Taylor Gardenhire said.
Other students present agreed with the
evaluation.
“It was intense, as well as very impressive,”
Croteau said.
Few words adequately express Inauguration
2009. In cases like this it may be most prudent
to adhere to simplicity.
“It was powerful,” Gardenhire said.
Powerful in its ability to elate, powerful in its
ability to silence, and powerful in its ability to
both fulfill past dreams and inspire the birth of
new ones.
Intermediate Winners for Visual Arts Entries:
Heath McDonough- Honorable Mention for “I can make a difference...”
Anna Conkling- Award of Merit for “Love thy neighbor”
Genesis Ramirez- Award of Excellence for “Locks of Love” She was also rewarded Best Inter. of
Theme for that artwork as well.
Nicole Moffit- Award of Excellence for “Spending time with injured animals”
Rosaleah Stammler- Honorable Mention for “I would not want to live in a dirty place”
Primary Winners for Musical Comp. Entries:
Whitening
Special
$99
tttt
Jacqueline Brown- Award of Excellence for “Love”
Cosmetic Dentistry
Sedation Dentistry
Invisalign Braces
Extended Hours
Dr. Guy Peterson
Enjoy quality dental care
in a friendly, relaxed Hill Country setting.
(830) 980-2869 • 2395 Bulverde Rd. #103
22 - SchooLife - February 2009
Grade Speed Parent Connection
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 23
SVHS Gala set
for March 14 at
Anhalt Hall
Elementary Schools
Bill Brown Elementary
Rahe Bulverde Elementary
Principal: Ross McGlothlin
Phone: (830) 885-1400
Email: [email protected]
Comal Elementary
Principal: Joni Coker
Phone: (830) 837-7000
Email: [email protected]
Freiheit Elementary
Principal: Merrie Fox
Phone: (830) 885-1600
Email: [email protected]
Rebecca Creek Elementary
Principal: Sharon Richardson
Phone: (830) 885-1800
Email: [email protected]
Arlon Seay Elementary
Principal: Betsy Nash
Phone: (830) 221-2700
Email: [email protected]
Principal: Dr. Judy Murray
Phone: (830) 885-8700
Email: [email protected]
Goodwin Frazier Elementary
Principal: Lyndon Langford
Phone: (830) 221-2200
Email: [email protected]
Specht Elementary
Hoffmann Lane Elementary
Startzville Elementary
Principal: Linda Harlan
Phone: (830) 885-1500
Email: [email protected]
Principal: Janice Tubb
Phone: (830) 221-2500
Email: [email protected]
Morningside Elementary
Principal: Jodi Cox
Phone: (830) 837-7100
Email: [email protected]
Middle Schools
Canyon Middle
Principal: Dr. Denise Kern
Phone: (830) 885-8000
Email: [email protected]
Timberwood Park Elementary
Principal: Dr. Sean Maika
Phone: (830) 885-8500
Email: [email protected]
High Schools
Canyon High
Principal: Patti Vlieger
Phone: (830) 221-2300
Email: [email protected]
Church Hill Middle
Principal: Dani Baylor
Phone: (830) 221-2800
Email: [email protected]
Principal: Brad Brown
Phone: (830) 221-2400
Email: [email protected]
Canyon Lake High
Principal: Cheryl Koury
Phone: (830) 885-1700
Email: [email protected]
Smithson Valley High
Principal: Chris Trotter
Phone: (830) 885-1000
Email: [email protected]
Mountain Valley Middle
Principal: Scott Hammond
Phone: (830) 885-1300
Email: [email protected]
Memorial High
Smithson Valley Middle
Principal: Link Fuller
Phone: (830) 885-1200
Email: [email protected]
Spring Branch Middle
Principal: Tammy Lind
Phone: (830) 885-8800
Email: [email protected]
Secondary - Alternative School
Principal: Mark Kershner
Phone: (830) 221-2900
Email: [email protected]
Comal Discipline Center
Principal: Karen Stevens
Phone: (830) 221-2950
Email: [email protected]
It will be here before you know it: Smithson
Valley High School’s Annual Sports Fundraising
Gala is March 14th at Anhalt Hall off of Hwy. 46
in Spring Branch. This event is sponsored by the
Smithson Valley Athletic Booster Club and all
profits go directly to ALL athletics at the high
school.
The support has been overwhelming.
Businesses are gladly supporting the SVHS athletes by sponsoring this function and donating
items for the silent and live auctions.
Tickets are now available for $50 per person.
Tables are also being sold. There are two types
of tables: $1,000 tables which seat 10 people and
guarantee you a reserved table in the main area, a
gift, dinner and entertainment, and a $500 table
which seats 6 people, includes the same perks as
the $1,000 table, but is located in the silent auction area.
For more information on how you can sponsor or purchase tickets, contact Lisa Richter,
chairperson, at [email protected]
or (210) 241-5721.
IT’S EASY.
IT’S FREE.
Don’t be the last one to know about
an event at your children’s school.
Don’t be the last one to know about
significant news in Comal ISD.
Get in the loop by
doing 2 things.
1. Subscribe to the district’s Hot News
e-news listserv and get important email
messages from your children’s schools
and the district.
2. Subscribe to Comal ISD podcasts
(mp3 files) delivered straight to iTunes.
Visit www.comalisd.org and click on
the Hot News ad on the left.
To subscribe to our podcasts, visit
http://www.comalisd.org/Podcast/
Podcast_Instructions.asp
CISD Support Services
1404 IH 35 North, New Braunfels, 78130
Phone: (830) 221-2000
Superintendent: Dr. Marc Walker
GradeSpeed Parent Connection
Visit www.comalisd.org
1-800-FOR-GVTC
www.gvtc.com
visit www.comalisd.org
SchooLife - February 2009 - 23
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 24
Five important factors when choosing New music store/movie rental shop
a gym
comes to Sattler
Sense of Structure - The simple act of driving
to the gym almost automatically makes you treat it
with the importance of an errand. Between cell
phones, computers, and 200 plus channels on the
T.V., working out at home has become even less
appealing. On the drive there, you can use the time
to mentally orient yourself and prepare for your
workout. Also, having paid for a membership
means you have invested money into it, and would
like to get as much return out of it as possible.
Experts - If you are not yourself an exercise
or fitness professional, it can do you a great service to take advantage of the considerable bank of
knowledge from the trainers in your gym; they
didn’t earn those certifications and degrees on the
wall by doing sit-ups—. If you have any questions at all— whether you are running on the
treadmill properly, hoisting the correct amount of
resistance, or even how many times a week you
should be doing your workout— the trainer is the
person to ask. Make sure you check that your
trainer has a Nationally-recognized certification.
Some you can get on the internet, some are
workshops with proctor-administered testing. Not
all certifications are created equal.
Price-Every fitness center has a different
price. In San Antonio alone, you can buy a $12
membership and a $115 dollar one. What’s the
difference? That depends on who you ask. Some
offer pools and high-tech equipment, amenities
that are very costly to provide. What matters to
you should be your first consideration. Do you
swim, play racquetball or tennis? Do you like to
exercise in a class with others? Do you want the
best equipment in the industry? Do you like a big
facility or a more intimate one? What can you
afford monthly? Remember, you’ll be paying the
monthly fee every month so you need to be comfortable with the amount and feel that you’re getting your money’s worth.
24 - SchooLife - February 2009
Community - Having an exercise buddy definitely helps. Go to a gym often enough and you
will come across the same people who regularly
exercise at the same time as you. You might not
have the same specific exercise goals, but you
are there for the same purpose. People are there
to get exercise, and not to talk about work or
relationships or school. This is really helpful in
getting you to focus, and keeps you from distracting your own mind with the mental clutter
that builds up during the day.
Equipment – This can be the most overlooked
part of a club when taking a tour for the first
time. If it’s clean, most people just accept it.
There are currently 4 big name manufacturers
who supply the majority of fitness equipment to
all clubs in the world. Even the equipment that
they offered 4 years ago was based on out-dated
exercise science so there can be some big limitations to a club with 4-8 year old equipment. Ask
your salesperson when the equipment was purchased, do a little research online and by all
means, sit on the machine and try it for yourself.
Atmosphere- When you walk in do you feel
comfortable? One of the most common reasons
people stop using their fitness club is a feeling
that they’re not comfortable. Do the other members have similar fitness goals to you? Do you
actually WANT to exercise when you walk in? Is
the staff courteous and friendly? It may seem like
a small consideration but it can have a BIG
impact on your success or failure.
Call or stop by Anytime Fitness today, and let
certified personal trainer Chris Cavanagh or one
of his highly trained staff, help you find the gym
for you. Anytime Fitness has locations in
Bulverde/Spring Branch (830.438-8971) and
New Braunfels (830.625-5402). Call for more
information.
If you’re a musician living in Canyon Lake,
you know how hard it is to find supplies for
your musical instrument. Well, the wait is over!
Movie Street & Music, located next door to
Fox’s Pizza in Sattler, has a full service music
store tucked inside. This part of the store is
affectionately called “Band Central Station.” The
other half of the store is dedicated to movie
rentals, including the new Blu-Ray disks.
Membership is free.
In “Band Central Station” you’ll find guitars,
brass, woodwinds, drums, keyboards, string
instruments, amps and all the accessories that go
along with the instrument you play. Movie Street
& Music has it all. If they don’t have what you
need, they’ll order it and in most cases have it
there the next day.
This is a music store owned and operated by
a musician and set up for musicians. They offer
friendly, knowledgeable service and reasonable
prices. They have new and used instruments for
sale. They accept trade-ins in good condition
and consignments.
Guitar and voice lessons are offered, as well
as a recording studio for music production.
Repairs are available at reasonable prices.
The owners are Larry and Elizabeth Read.
Larry is a seasoned recording artist and has written and produced several CD’s. He is also an
award-winning recording engineer. His latest
project was working for Nintendo and producing
music for a recently released Wii game.
Larry and Elizabeth invite you to stop by and
do some pickin’ or just to say “hello.”
Grade Speed Parent Connection
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 25
THE ALLERGY CORNER
ASTHMA
ger asthma as can extreme heat or humidity.
Respiratory tract infections: Colds, flu, other
viral infections and pneumonia can trigger asthma in some people.
Written by Priyanka Gupta, M.D.
and Frank C. Hampel Jr., M.D.
Central Texas Allergy & Asthma
What is asthma?
Asthma is a lung condition that causes a person to have difficulty breathing. With there
being close to nine million children in the
United States that have asthma, that makes asthma the most common serious disease among
children. Asthma causes an inflammation of the
airways in the lungs. This inflammation causes
swelling which makes it more difficult for air to
move in and out of the lungs. Asthmatics also
get constriction of the smooth muscles that surround the airways which also makes them
smaller. The combination of airway inflammation and muscle tightening narrows the airways
and makes it difficult for air to move through.
In most people with asthma, the difficulty
with breathing only occurs intermittently. When
this does happen, it is known as an asthma flareup or an asthma attack. A person having an
asthma flare-up may cough, wheeze (make a
whistling sound while breathing), be short of
breath, and feel an intense tightness in their
chest. An asthma flare-up can last for several
hours or longer if a person does not use their
asthma medications. When an asthmatic
episode is over the person feels better and their
lung functions can return to normal. However,
many asthmatics lungs do not revert back to
normal and they will have to be on daily medications possibly for the rest of their life.
What Causes It?
No one knows exactly what causes asthma. It’s thought to be a combination of environmental and genetic (hereditary) factors.
Asthma symptoms can be brought on by dozens
of different things, and what causes asthma
flare-ups in one person might not bother another at all. The following are some of the common triggers:
Allergens: Common allergens are dust mites,
molds, pollen, animal dander, and cockroaches.
Airborne irritants and pollutants: Such as
chalk dust, perfumes, smog, cleaning solutions,
or smoke.
Exercise: Some people have what’s called
exercise-induced asthma, which is triggered by
physical activity. Even laughing, crying or
yelling can trigger asthma.
Weather: Cold or dry air can sometimes trig-
How Do Doctors Diagnose Asthma?
Many people with asthma are diagnosed
with the condition during childhood, but others
are diagnosed later as a teenager or as an adult.
A doctor will take a medical history, perform a
physical exam and may recommend that you do
some tests. The most important test is spirometry that will evaluate your pulmonary functions,
which indicates how well your lungs are performing. Your doctor may also recommend
seeing an Allergist to perform allergy tests to
see if allergies are contributing to your asthma
symptoms.
How Is It Treated?
There’s no cure for asthma, but the condition can usually be managed and flare-ups can
be prevented. Asthma is treated by two primary
methods: avoiding potential triggers and with
medications.
Physicians treat every asthmatic individually
because the severity of each person’s asthma
and what triggers the symptoms are different.
Doctors have a variety of medications at their
disposal – they fall into two categories:
Rescue medications
These medications act fast to improve the
symptoms, but they’re not long lasting and do
not work on the inflammation, only the constriction. They are called a reliever medication, are
for quick relief and are fast-acting.
Controller medications
For those asthmatics that require daily medications, they use medications that treat the airway inflammation. These controller medications are slower acting and can take days to
begin working. These controller medications
help to minimize any permanent lung changes
that can occur with chronic asthma. Some asthmatics only require intermittent use of rescue
medications, while others require a controller
medication with occasional or daily rescue medications. The patient needs to work closely with
a doctor to create an asthma action plan that’s
right for them.
If you have questions about asthma
or other related topics, feel free to contact our
office, Central Texas Allergy and Asthma, at
(830) 609-0998. Our physicians, Dr. Frank C.
Hampel, Jr., and Dr. Priyanka Gupta are well
educated on the diagnosis and treatment of
patients with asthma.
BAM welcomes newest
accomplished instructor
The Bulverde Academy of Music would
like to welcome and announce one of its
newest instructors, Wanda Lydon on violin
& viola. Lydon has been with our very
own San Antonio Symphony for the last 20
years and is also Principal Violist with the
Des Moines Metro Opera.
Her background in both performing and
teaching are extensive and we are most
proud to have her with us at BAM! This is
truly a rare opportunity for serious violin
and viola students to train with her here in
the Northern San Antonio – Hill Country
community.
“Wanda’s intonation and technique are
incredibly beautiful and she also happens
to be a very gifted teacher,” said Robert
Flores, BAM founder. “I highly recommend her for any serious string students in
the area.”
The Bulverde Academy of Music is a
unique music instructional facility located
at 28152 Hwy. 281, suite G, in the Hill
Country Square shopping area. We offer
serious music lessons, with an emphasis on
live performances in several genres.
At BAM!, our instructors are all accomplished professional musicians with a combined
stage performance history that is decades long. Our curricula cover all spectrums of the
live performance fields which include Bluegrass, Country, Western Swing, Rock, Jazz,
Funk, Fusion and Orchestral/Classical. We offer music lessons that cover Violin, Viola,
Cello, Electric Bass, Upright Bass, Drums (Kit and Marching), Piano, Guitar, Voice, Sax,
Trombone, Tuba, Trumpet, Steel Guitar, Breakdown & Western Swing Fiddling. Along
with applied live performance techniques, we teach harmony & music theory, composition
and transposition.
For more information, call (830) 438-3565 or check out [email protected].
Asphalt paving
• Ranch roads
• Parking lots
• Grading
•
visit www.comalisd.org
SchooLife - February 2009 - 25
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 26
From horses to humans: a hairstylist’s evolution
Bio-Identical Hormones
Since her childhood days in Illinois,
Connie Robbe knew she wanted to be a
hairstylist. But with only four brothers to
play with, she didn’t have much time to
hone her craft.
“Since I didn’t have any sisters, I had to
improvise,” said Robbe. “I had horses, and
believe me, they had the best looking
manes and tails around!
Robbe has since graduated to humans,
attending beauty school and managing and
owning several salons. She and her husband
Robert have recently settled here in the Hill
Country and Robbe is pleased to announce
the opening of her newest salon, Tangles.
Tangles Hair Salon in “Old Downtown
Bulverde” opened its doors last month.
Located in the Bulverde Center on Bulverde
Road—across the street from the Bulverde
Post Office – Tangles is in the center of the
strip mall in Suite 104. The salon is open
six days a week, 9 am - 6 pm Monday thru Friday, and Saturdays
from 9 am -2 pm. Earlier and later appointments are available,
and walk-in’s are welcome.
“I’ve had large salons in the past and several small ones,”
she said. “But my clients and I seem to enjoy the smaller, more
personal atmosphere of the small salon. I wanted a modern,
clean, well-decorated, professional, and affordable salon to offer
to my clients. My motto is “Quality Hair Care at an Affordable
Price.” I realize that clients can’t always get in between 9-5, and
I offer early and later appointments to suit individual needs.”
Because she was raising three children and Robert had a
government job which required numerous moves, Robbe did not
attend beauty school until she was 36.
“I just loved school and it didn’t hurt that the instructors
were my age,” said Robbe. “I was awarded the coveted “Student
of the Month” award 3 times in nine months. When I graduated
in 1994, I was awarded three trophies: “Student of the Year”;
“Most Motivated Student”; and lastly “Most Dedicated to the
Profession.” I couldn’t believe how far I had come from styling
By Dr. Melissa Miskell
Board-certified gynecologist
26 - SchooLife - February 2009
those horses many years prior!”
That horse story was included in
Robbe’s essay for beauty school. The most
successful essay writer would be awarded
$1,500 off of his/her tuition for cosmetology school. Needless to say, Robbe won!
“I was so excited to get started in my
first salon, which was in my home back
then. The week I was to graduate, I ran an
ad in the paper announcing my salon opening. I thought for sure it would take a
while to get calls, but I was very anxious to
get things going. To my surprise, an older
lady called and wondered how soon I could
get her in. It was awesome! I told her I
had to go to school for four hours to finish
up and could do her later that afternoon.
The instructors just couldn’t believe my
motivation and how I had to hurry home on
my last day of school to do my first client.”
Fifteen years later, Robbe is still as excited
and motivated about her salon and clientele.
“I have been attending many continuing education classes
since graduation, and I am a Certified Color Expert. I love doing
color and enjoy learning new techniques. I love to do the tri-color
foils that can be dramatic or even a more subtle, natural look. I
offer Goldwell and Redken Hair Colors - some of the finest in the
industry. I also offer perms for both long and short hair, facial
waxing, formal up-do’s and styles, and family haircuts.
“If you have little ones that are nervous about haircuts, I am
your stylist. I will take my time and do my best to make them
feel at ease. Having managed a military salon, I also offer military-style cuts and fades as well as flat tops. My extensive time
spent taking classes and updating my skills allows me to offer
the latest trends in styles and cuts.
“Since moving to Texas in 2007, I have worked in several
chain salons and I welcome people I have cut, colored, permed
or waxed to call me at (830) 438-6611 or come and visit me in
my new salon.”
The term bio-identical hormones has been bantered about
by alternative medicine believers
for years. Suzanne Sommers
brought the concept to millions of
women in her publications. It can
be quite confusing, however, for
the vast numbers of women who
are symptomatic with menopausal
and peri-menopausal symptoms.
You do not have to be 50ish to
be symptomatic. Many women
begin to have symptoms such as
insomnia and mood swings (to
name a few) as early as 35. This
is usually due to a decrease in the
production of progesterone.
Progesterone and estrogen are the
primary female hormones. The
decrease in these hormone marks
the onset of menopause.
Progesterone is the first hormone to start to decline in concentration. The reason for this is
because progesterone is only produced in the ovary, whereas estrogen and testosterone (yes, women
have testosterone) are also made
in the adrenal gland and fat cells.
The ovaries begin to decline in
production of hormone after
about the age of 30. This is why
peak bone mass occurs at age 31
and then declines. Since progesterone is only made in the
ovaries, women may begin to feel
the effects of this decline well
before they actually go through
menopause.
Bio-Identical hormones are the
exact chemical make-up of the
hormones that are produced by
the ovaries. This is in contrast to
the familiar hormones produced
by pharmaceutical companies
such as Premarin and Provera.
Premarin and Provera were created in a laboratory and are foreign
compounds in your body. There
are also plant based compounds
such as soy and wild yam. These,
also are not bio-identical, they are
derived from plants.
Bio-Identical hormones can be
compounded to fit your exact
needs. Salivary testing should be
done to determine the concentration of hormone in your in your
body and then a specific combination of hormone can be compounded to alleviate your symptoms.
Dr. Melissa Miskell’s office is
located at 172 Creekside Park
#105 in Spring Branch. For more
information, call (830) 438-6688.
Grade Speed Parent Connection
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 27
Free classes & upcoming
Book and Author Luncheon
events at the Bulverde/Spring Offers Literary Excursion
by Caroline Turney
Texas Ranger Joaquin Jackson,
mystery and romance author JoBranch Library
Remember the spray of the
Ann Power, world-wide author
There is fun and learning galore for
all ages, free at the Bulverde/Spring
Branch Library.
Regular weekly events include a
storytime for pre-schoolers with
Connie Pace, and a toddlers’ storytime
with Becky Kuykendall, who is fairly
new to the library. Both Connie and
Becky have extensive experience with
storytime for children. Toddlers’ storytime is every Monday morning at
10:30 a.m., and pre-schoolers’ storytime is every Wednesday morning at
10:30 a.m.
Need to learn more about computers? The library offers computer classes on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 2
p.m., with a special evening class being
offered Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 6 p.m.
Different computer topics, including the
basics, are offered on a needs basis.
These are “hands on” classes. Check
with the library to find out specific topics being covered each class.
Need to learn or practice English /
Quiere aprender o practicar Ingles?
English as a Second Language classes
are offered Tuesday and Wednesday
evenings, 6-8 p.m. Clases de Ingles
cada martes y miercoles, 6-8 p.m.
Two friendly groups that meet
monthly and are open to new members
are the Stitchery Group (a support
group for experienced “stitchers”)
which meets the third Tuesday of each
month at 10:30 a.m., and the Genealogy
Club which meets the fourth Thursday
of each month at 1 p.m.
Want to honor that New Year’s
Resolution to exercise? Try Yoga with
Linda Hartman. She teaches at the
library on Thursdays: Feb. 5th and
19th at 6 p.m., and Feb. 12th and 26th
at 10 a.m.
Also, try this great class with D.
Phelps: “Writing from Life” (starting a
poetry and prose) on Feb. 10 from 1 to
3 p.m. You can also look forward to
D.’s art class on March 10 from 1 to 3
p.m. called “Yes You Can Draw!”
Attention drama students: the
Friends of the Library will be performing a Reader’s Theatre program of a
murder mystery called “The Night of
January 16th” on Feb. 23rd from 4-6
p.m. Please contact the library to find
out more information; they will be looking for people who want to participate!
For more information, call the
Bulverde/Spring Branch Library at
(830) 438-4864 or check its website,
www.bsb.lib.tx.us.
mighty Mississippi on your face
as you navigated fearlessly sideby-side with Huckleberry Finn?
Or how about the pangs of
hunger as you stood in the workhouse gruel line and heard Oliver
Twist ask, “Please, Sir, I want
some more.”
“I am a part of everything I
have read” (John Kieran) is the
theme for this year’s Bulverde /
Spring Branch Book and Author
Luncheon at the Spring Hill
Event Center from 11 a.m. until
2:30 p.m. on March 11. Classic
literature will grace the dining
tables along with bits of memorabilia sure to transport literature
fans back into the pages of their
favorite stories.
Along with memories of old
classics will be glimpses of new
stories from six notable authors.
Known for her entertaining wit,
San Antonio author and Mistress
of Ceremonies Pam Morsi will
introduce engaging presentations
from writers representing various
genres and topics.
The author line-up will include
short story writer David Rice,
Judith Ryan Hendricks, Trinity
University Professor Coleen
Grissom, and former attorney
John Kerr.
Guests will have the opportunity to meet each writer and purchase books for autograph.
Bulverde business owner Barbara
Sparkman said talking to the
authors has been one of her
favorite aspects of the luncheon
for the past two years. “Getting
to know the person who wrote a
book sparks my interest in reading it,” she said.
Morsi, a featured author last
year, said she enjoyed the interaction as well. “I met lots of fun
and interesting people, ate a marvelous meal, and shared some
great laughs,” she said. “It is,
without question, one of the
‘don’t miss’ events of the
region,” concluded Morsi.
Proceeds will benefit the
Bulverde/Spring Branch Library.
A portion of the $50 reservation
cost is tax deductible.
According to Book and Author
Chair Bev Lemes, funds from the
Photo by Caroline Turney
Classics like “Huckleberry Finn” will
be showcased at the Bulverde/Spring
Branch Book and Author Luncheon.
luncheon make a difference for
the Bulverde/Spring Branch
Library. She said, “The funds
raised support the new state-ofthe-art library for our community
by providing things like
audio/visual equipment, computers, software, furniture, and children’s’ resources.”
Early reservations are recommended for the limited-seating
event. For reservation forms visit
www.bsb.lib.tx.us, stop by the
new Bulverde/Spring Branch
Library at 131 Bulverde Crossing,
email [email protected], or
call 830-438-3364.
$3 OFF*
Full Service Oil Change
Includes oil, filter, lube
And all vital fluids checked/topped off.
Canyon Lake
3159
281
I-35
H
46
visit www.comalisd.org
SchooLife - February 2009 - 27
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 28
The Special Programs Department of Comal ISD
Presents Parent Mini-Summits
~A follow up to the Parent/Community Summit designed with parents in mind~
March 17, 2009 ~ CLHS | April 21, 2009 ~ CHS
These summits, which run from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at each location, will include speakers and
topics like “Cultural Diversity and Education,” “Positive Behavior Support in the Home
and Community,” and “Helping Your Adolescent Get Over that Mid-Year Hump.”
Each summit is designed to assist parents as they guide their
students through the educational process in the Comal ISD.
For more information, please contact
Comal ISD Parent / Community Liaison, Jamie Ezell at 830-221-2169.
Time to register for Little League
baseball!
Canyon Lake Little League is lowering
its rates to help many of our families who
may be feeling the pinch this year.
Registration rates will be $60 for ages 7-16
and only $15 for T-ballers, aged 5-6. We
believe baseball is a great family activity
and want to encourage all ages in the
Canyon Lake area to get involved with
Little League this season.
Opening day is April 4th, so there is no
time to waste! We practice and play most
of our games at Hidden Valley Sports Park,
just below the dam.
Practice starts in February for boys 7
and up, so get registered today. Visit the
website at www.canyonlakelittleleague.org
to find the contact person for your age
group. Games begin in April and continue
to Closing Day on May 28th. Practice and
games usually take up three days a week.
The league is always looking for qualified volunteers. Our needs are many as
this is an entirely volunteer organization.
Coaches, team parents, fundraisers, concession workers, umpires, board members,
score keepers, and field maintenance help
is always needed and appreciated. Little
League International takes safety very
seriously and all our volunteers must pass
a background screening. Please contact
Beth Wellings for further information at
(830) 237-7231.
C O M P U T E R R E PA I R
28 - SchooLife - February 2009
(210) 827-0442
Maximizing the impact of company
newsletters
By Craig Douglas
Communication is the key to success in
today’s business world. Customers are looking beyond gimmicks for solid information
on the services and products they buy.
Newsletters have become the product
brochures of the 21st century.
Newsletters have powerful credibility
among readers and offer a unique forum for
explaining complex products and services. A
single newsletter can reach more than a dozen
targets, including customers, prospects,
employees, investors and vendors.
According to recent research, an executive is much more likely to read a newsletter
than one of the hundreds of direct mail
pieces he or she may receive each week.
Newsletters are viewed as more credible
than other promotional materials because
they contain real news about the company
and its services.
Before launching a newsletter, business
owners need to identify their goals. First,
define the messages the newsletter will communicate. The newsletter needs to be compelling enough to attract reader attention.
Develop a regular schedule for your newsletter so readers begin to expect it. Quarterly, biannually or bi-monthly newsletters all work
well. The key is to be consistent and keep
information as timely as possible.
Producing a newsletter involves a lot of
work, including researching, writing, editing, proofing, designing, typesetting, and
managing the printing and mailing process.
Decide which tasks you can comfortably
handle and hire professionals to do the rest.
Many printers can help you design a professional looking newsletter.
To help your publication stand out, following are some helpful hints:
• Establish goals, objectives and a budget
for your newsletter and stick to them.
• Include stories that accomplish your
objectives and meet your goals.
• Maintain consistency between stories
within an issue and between issues.
• Keep it simple.
• Educate your readers, don’t try to sell.
• Develop a strong, catchy masthead and
use it on every issue.
• Include pictures, graphics and local
stories.
• Establish and stay on a production
schedule.
• Print extra copies to give to prospective
customers.
• Evaluate your newsletter periodically.
With the right planning and preparation,
newsletters can be a valuable marketing
tool. The key is choosing timely, interesting
information and presenting it in a format
your customers will read.
Craig Douglas is the owner of Allegra
Print & Imaging in Spring Branch and he
consults regularly with business owners
about their communications needs. Craig
has been helping businesses develop their
print communication materials for 25 years.
Grade Speed Parent Connection
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 29
Teacher Honor Award
Surprise a teacher with an Honor Award from the Comal Education Foundation!
The Comal Education Foundation provides
an excellent way to honor a teacher—with a
Teacher Honor Award! This program enables
parents, students and community members to
honor teachers through a donation to the Comal
Education Foundation. And all contributions to
the Foundation are tax deductible.
When you send in a contribution (minimum
$20) to the Foundation, you may designate any
teacher in the Comal ISD to receive an Honor
Award. A card from the Foundation will be sent
to the teacher informing them of the honor, OR
the card can be given to you to deliver personally to the teacher. Additionally, the teacher will
receive a plaque for their classroom designating
them as an Honor Award recipient.
Donations are accepted any time of the year,
however during the holidays and at the end of
the school year are wonderful times to show a
current or former teacher just how much they
have meant to you and your child.
Mail donations to:
Comal Education Foundation
1404 IH 35 North
New Braunfels, TX 78130
You may contact Executive Director Laura
Linhart-Kistner at [email protected] or 830214-5010 if you have questions or to learn more
about how you can support the activities of the
Comal Education Foundation.
Important message for parents about
ParentLink
Parents, you will want to keep this
information somewhere permanent so you
will know how to access phone messages
left for you through the Comal ISD’s
ParentLink telephone notification system.
That’s right. The ParentLink telephone
calls you’ve been receiving from your children’s school and/or district also can be
retrieved on your own time whenever
YOU call the ParentLink system to hear
them.
Let’s say you know the school called
with an important message but you didn’t
hear all of it, your children intercepted the
call before you could hear it, or you just
want to hear it again.
All you have to do is call ParentLink
yourself and follow the directions below in
order to hear the message(s). The mes-
sages are only in the system, however, for
7 days after delivery.
Here are the steps:
1. Call 1.888.457.2130 or
1.888.457.2131
2. Follow the prompt and press 1 for
English; 2 for Spanish
3. Press 1 to Listen to Messages Sent to
Home
4. Enter your 10-digit telephone number
(includes area code)
5. Follow the prompts
6. If there are any messages for your
phone, they will play
Please make sure we have the correct
phone numbers for you in our system. To
update phone numbers visit your children’s front office by phone, email, or in
person.
NOW HIRING: ADVERTISING SALES
SchooLife in Comal ISD is currently seeking an outside sales manager for the New
Braunfels/Canyon Lake market. Qualified person much be a self-starter, independent, outgoing,
have strong communication skills and adhere to deadlines.
No prior newspaper experience neccessary, but helpful.
Email Resumes to Bill Holland at [email protected]
GradeSpeed Parent Connection.
Visit www.comalisd.org
visit www.comalisd.org
How Will 403(b) Changes
Af fect You?
If you work for a hospital, school, college or
other nonprofit organization, you may be contributing to a 403(b) retirement plan. And if
you’ve had your 403(b) for several years, you may
have gotten used to it and essentially placed it on
“autopilot.” But in 2009, you may have to manage your plan a bit more actively — because some
key rules are changing.
Probably the biggest change, from your point
of view, has to do with your ability to move
money between the different accounts available in
your plan. Until now, you actually had more
investment flexibility than your peers who work in
companies that offer 401(k) plans. Whereas a
401(k) typically has one provider, or “vendor,”
that offers and manages the various investment
choices within the plan, your 403(b) may have
allowed you to invest with several different vendors, some of whom may not have been officially
approved by your plan. Furthermore, you could
make tax-free transfers between these providers.
Under new IRS regulations, however, you can
now only move assets from one vendor to another
if both vendors are officially approved by your
plan or if the “non-approved” vendor has an information-sharing agreement with your plan. While
these new rules may sound rather technical, their
end result is quite easy to understand: Many
employers will make changes to their plans to meet
the new guidelines and will likely reduce the number of 403(b) providers and investment options.
What does this mean for you? It means that if
the vendor to whom you defer some of your paycheck is no longer part of your employer’s plan,
you will need to select a new, approved vendor if
you want to keep contributing to your 403(b). That
means you’ll need to evaluate the new “approved
vendor” list to see which vendors are right for your
needs. Of course, you’ll want to find vendors that
offer investments that can help you meet your
goals. But you may also have to shop around,
because different vendors have different cost structures. In comparing the various expenses associated
with different vendors, you might not be able to get
much help from your employer, so you may want
to work with a professional financial advisor.
Apart from the question of approved vendors,
how else will the new 403(b) regulations affect
you? They could have a big impact if you need to
take money from your plan before you retire.
Previously, you could take out loans and withdrawals without even going through your employer, but now you must follow the same rules as
those that apply to 401(k) plans. Specifically, your
employer’s plan may require you to qualify for
“hardship” withdrawals, such as those needed to
pay for medical expenses or post-secondary tuition
for yourself, your spouse or your dependents. You
can also take a hardship withdrawal to help purchase a principal residence. (For other hardship
distributions, consult with your plan administrator.)
As you can see, the new 403(b) regulations are,
in some ways, more restrictive than the old ones.
Yet, your 403(b) plan, which offers tax-deferred
earnings and the ability to make pre-tax contributions, is still a great way to save for retirement. By
doing your homework, you can take advantage of
this plan to help you build the resources you need
for the retirement lifestyle you’ve envisioned.
Barry L. Dodd, your local Edward Jones
Investment Representative, has an office at 17130
Hwy. 46 West, Suite 1 in Spring Branch. For more
information, call him at (830) 885-3953 or email at
[email protected].
Beware of companies that cut corners
By Michael Holt
When termites are the topic
of concern, not all companies
are created equal. Pest control
companies like every business,
are only as good as the
employees and owners they
represent. In any service-oriented industry, there are bad
apples that bring down the reputation of everyone. There are
many things to be on the lookout for when considering hiring
a company to provide service.
The following information is
obtained from: Texas
Department of Agriculture
Structural Pest Control Service.
“If you suspect you have
termites, do not panic. Most
types of termites do their
destructive work very slowly,
so your house will not collapse
overnight. If your house has
never been treated for termites
by an exterminator, contact
several local pest control companies and get estimates for
their termite control services.
These same companies can
inspect your house to see
exactly what types of pests are
attacking your home. If you
are not sure you have a termite
infestation, an inspection will
reveal if a visible termite infestation is/is not present. If you
have termites swarming (flying
around) in your house, the
swarmers can be combated
using a variety of over-thecounter pesticides designed for
flying insects that are available
to homeowners. Termites generally swarm once a year for a
period of about 24 hours. The
swarmer is the reproductive
form of the termite, and does
not do damage to wood. It is
helpful to save several of the
swarmers in a plastic bag for
the inspection by your local
pest control operator before a
termite treatment is performed.”
“At the time a bid is submitted and prior to treating, the
pest control company proposing the treatment is required to
give the prospective customer
termite treatment disclosure
documents. The documents
must include, but are not limited to, the following items: (1)
A diagram of the structure or
structures to be treated; (2) A
label for any pesticide recommended or to be used, and the
proposed concentration of the
termiticide to be used; (3) The
complete details of the warranty provided; (4) Definitions of
the types of treatment; and (5)
The signature of approval of
the certified applicator or technician licensed in the termite
category employed by the
company making the proposal.
Note: At no time will a
proposal be given on the back
of a business card, all supporting documents must be
given as described above
prior to treatment.
If the warranty does not
include the entire structure
treated, the areas included must
be listed. The warranty information must also include the
time period of the warranty, the
renewal options and cost, the
obligations of the pest control
operator to retreat for termite
infestations or repair termite
damage caused by termite
infestation during the warranty
period, and conditions that
could develop as a result of the
owner’s action or inaction that
could void the warranty.”
So just remember, if they
try to cut corners by just throwing out a price without filling
out the necessary and LEGAL
paperwork, how many other
“shortcuts” might they take?
Hitman Pest Control locally owned & operated in the
Spring Branch & San Antonio
area. Michael Holt, a Spring
Branch resident for over 22
years, runs the Comal County
office. He is a certified applicator, licensed in general Pest,
Termite, Lawn & Ornamental
categories. For more information, call ( 830) 228-4484 /
Comal, (210) 637-1130 / Bexar
or visit www.hitmanpest.com
SchooLife - February 2009 - 29
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 30
february 2009
Sponsored by:
Breakfast: Choice of Cereal & Toast – fruit or juice or one of the selections.
All selections come with fruit or juice and milk.
Lunch: A selection of fruits, vegetables, bread and milk offered with all lunches.
*may contain pork
Comal ISD Elementary Menu
1
SunDay
2
MOnDay
B: Raspberry
Churros
L: Chicken
Tenders/Grilled Ham&Cheese
9
8
B: Crispito
L: Chili Cheese
Wrap/Sub Sandwich
15
16
HOLIDAYNO SCHOOL
23
22
B: Raspberry
Churros
L: Chicken Tenders/Grilled
Ham&Cheese
3
TuESDay
B: Breakfast
Pizza
L: Steak Fingers/Enchiladas
4
wEDnESDay
B: Empanadas
L: Lasagna/
Chicken Sandwich
Scrambled Egg
10 L:B:Chicken
11
B: Kolaches
L: Tacos/Hot Dogs
Nuggets/Sloppy Joes
17
B: Chicken Patty &
Biscuit
L: Cheeseburger
Mac/Chicken Teriyaki
24
B: Breakfast Pizza
L: Steak
Fingers/Enchiladas
18
B: CInnamon Roll
L: Pork Carnitas/
Spaghetti & Meat
Sauce
5
ThurSDay
B: Breakfast Tacos
L: Hamburger/
Chef Salad
12
B: Waffles
L: Hamburger/
Cheeseburger/
Chicken Caesar Salad
19
B: Turkey
Sausage
L: Hamburger/
Chef Salad
25
B: Empanadas
L: Lasagna/
Chicken
26
B: Breakfast Tacos
L: Hamburger/
Chef Salad
Sandwich
6
frIDay
B: Biscuit &
SausagePatty
L: Cheese/Pepperoni
Pizza/Bean&Cheese Chalupas
7
SaTurDay
13 B:StickCinnamon Pretzel 14
L: Cheese or Pepperoni
Pizza/Fish Nuggets
Pancakes
20 B:L: Cheese
or
21
27
28
Pepperoni Pizza/Fish
Sandwich
B: Biscuit &
SausagePatty
L: Cheese or Pepperoni Pizza/
Bean & Cheese Chalupas
Arlon Seay Elem. • Bill Brown Elem. • Rahe Bulverde Elem.
Rebecca Creek Elem. • Startzville Elem. • Timberwood Park Elem.
Morningside Elem. • M. H. Specht Elem. • Comal Elem.
Goodwin Frazier Elem. • Hoffmann Lane Elem. • Freiheit Elem.
Comal ISD Secondary Menu
SunDay
MOnDay
1
2
8
9
15
16
22
23
B: Raspberry
Churros
L: Pork Carnitas
B: Crispito
L: Asian
Meatballs
HOLIDAYNO SCHOOL
B: Raspberry
Churros
L: Pork Carnitas
TuESDay
3
wEDnESDay
ThurSDay
frIDay
SaTurDay
7
B: Empanadas
L: Lasagna
4
10
B: Scrambled
Egg
L: Enchiladas
Kolaches
11 B:L: Chicken
Parmesan 12
B: Waffles
L: Taco Salad
13
17
B: Chicken Patty
& Biscuit
L: Tacos
18
B: Turkey Sausage
L: Spaghetti &
Meat Sauce
19
B: Breakfast Tacos
L: Chili Cheese
Wrap
20
B: Cinnamon Roll
L: Chicken Fried
Steak
21
24
B: Empanadas
L: Lasagna
25
B: Breakfast Pizza
L: Chicken Tenders
26
B: Breakfast
Tacos
L: Frito Pie
27
B: Biscuit &
Sausage Patty
L: Chicken Fried
28
B: Breakfast Pizza
L: Chicken Tenders
5
B: Breakfast Tacos
L: Frito Pie
& Pasta
6
B: Biscuit & Sausage
Patty
L: Chicken Fried Steak
B: Mini Corn Dogs
L: Cheeseburger
Macaroni
14
Steak
Mountain Valley Middle • Spring Branch Middle • Smithson Valley Middle
Smithson Valley High • Canyon High • Canyon Middle
Church Hill Middle • Canyon Lake High
30 - SchooLife - February 2009
Grade Speed Parent Connection
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 31
123
visit www.comalisd.org
SchooLife - February 2009 - 31
SL February:SL February 12/7/09 9:03 PM Page 32

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