Board in Action
Board President Katie Reed, Vice President M’Lissa Chumbley, Secretary Dr. Carol Harle, and Trustees Medina and Freeman joined Superintendent Dr. Woods and Deputy Superintendent Dr. Jordan at Mid-Year Graduation at the Northside Sports Gym. The ceremony was the first graduation ceremony in 2017.
Board Secretary Carol Harle visited Glenn Elementary School recently as part of the school’s “Reading with a Star” event. Dr. Harle read the book, “Wonder,” about a fifth grader born with a face deformity. She reported that all the fourth and fifth grade students that she read to were magnificent listeners and now all want to read the book for themselves.
Trustee Bobby Blount visited Bernal MS during School Board Recognition Month. He attended a meeting with teachers, counselors, and administrators from elementary feeder schools discussing fifth grade transition to middle school and course cards.
In honor of School Board Recognition Month, the Northside Council of PTAs honored NISD’s elected trustees at the Jan. 24 Board Meeting. The group was led by Council President Michelle Montemayor (pictured center in glasses). The annual PTA Founders Day is scheduled Feb. 2 at O’Connor HS.
The Northside School Museum Association, led by President DuWayne Headrick (pictured far right, back row in brown shirt) also recognized the NISD Board of Trustees in honor of School Board Recognition Month by presenting student artwork.
Representatives from the Northside Education Foundation attended the Jan. 24 Board Meeting to recognize NISD Trustees for their service during School Board Recognition Month. NEF Secretary Scott Parker (back row, center in blue tie) and Partnerships Director Cassandra Miranda (far right, front row) honored NISD’s “superhero” Trustees with gift baskets.
Both current and former NISD Board members were treated to a lunch as part of the District's Board Appreciation Month activities. We are #NISDStrong because of these leaders who helped shape the foundation of the District and continue to work for the benefit of all NISD students.
Board President Katie Reed attended the kick-off event for the University Health System Go!Kids Challenge at Passmore Elementary School. Go!Kids Challenge, sponsored by San Antonio Sports, is a city-wide program that encourages students to pledge to exercise five days a week, make water their #1 drink of choice, and eat their fruits and veggies. All Go!Kids who complete the program will receive a free ticket to Go!Kids Challenge Day at SeaWorld San Antonio. Pictured (from l-r) are Katie Reed, NISD Board President, Dr. Veronica Arteaga, Principal of Passmore ES; Ruth Riley, General Manager of the WNBA Stars; and Dr. Brian Woods, Superintendent.
As part of Board Appreciation Month, Karen Freeman was invited to Steubing Elementary School to spend some time in the library with a third grade class, have lunch with the administrative team and librarian, and to tour the library. The school presented her a small gift and thanked her for all of her support. Pictured is Freeman with Vice Principal Virginia Parker.
M’Lissa Chumbley, Board Vice President, visited Elrod Elementary as a Mystery Reader in Amanda DeMarco’s kindergarten class.
Trustee Gerald Lopez keeps the beat while drumming with a Brazilian folklorico dance group during a workshop for dance and band students at Holmes HS. The visit was arranged by ARTS San Antonio.
Dr. Carol Harle, Board Secretary, attended the English Language Arts (ELA) Parent Night at Rawlinson Middle School. During the evening’s activities she created her own Tellagami avatar and played Charades (pictured) to utilize descriptive language. She also received a Certificate of Appreciation from Principal Mark Rustan.
In recognition of Board Appreciation Month, Michael Elementary School invited Trustee Joseph Medina to visit the school on Jan. 2 to see the school “Rock in the New Year.” Pictured is Medina with Principal Melissa Lopez-Brouse.
The Board of Trustees; Superintendent Brian Woods; and Stan Laing, Executive Director of Athletics, participated in a ribbon cutting at the official dedication of the Northside Sports Gym on Nov. 30. Assisting Board President Katie Reed (center with scissors) is Taft HS student athlete Mychal Cooper.
Leon Springs ES celebrated its 25th Anniversary Oct. 18 with performances by the Longhorn Choir and Boot Scootin’ Line Dancers. Board Secretary Dr. Carol Harle (far left) was a fifth grade teacher when the school opened in 1991. Board President Katie Reed and Superintendent Dr. Woods are also pictured at the celebration with Leon Springs ES Principal Dr. Kathy Dodge-Clay.
Board President Katie Reed and Trustee Karen Freeman joined Superintendent Dr. Brian Woods at a ceremony at Warren HS honoring teacher Mary Lagleder as the 2016 Texas History Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
On Oct. 14, all NISD students and staff will be invited to sign a Declaration of Respect as part of the District’s anti-bullying initiatives. Counselors have been equipped with training, materials, and lessons for classroom presentations that teach necessary skills to students to promote a safe, respectful, and healthy school climate. Members of the Board of Trustees signed their own Declaration of Respect, as a show of support for the program spearheaded by the NISD Guidance & Counseling Department led by Dr. Kimberly Ridgley. Dr. Woods signed on behalf of staff. Pictured are (from l-r) Dr. Brian Woods, Superintendent; Gerald Lopez, Trustee; Katie Reed, Board President; M’Lissa Chumbley, Board Vice President; Bobby Blount, Trustee; Dr. Carol Harle, Board Secretary; Karen Freeman, Trustee; and Joseph Medina, Trustee.
Board Secretary Dr. Carol Harle joined school namesake (and former trustee) Bennie Cole on the first day of school greeting Cole Elementary School students and families.
Trustee Bobby Blount welcomed NISD employees back to school at one of the District’s 10 Convocation sessions. He was joined onstage by two Brennan High School students and the trio proved they are “NISD Strong,” exercising to the “Rocky” theme song.
Board President Katie Reed and Trustee Gerald Lopez attended the Block Walk pep rally at Holmes High School. More than 600 teachers at seven schools started the school year by visiting students and families in their neighborhoods. Pictured with Reed and Lopez are Holmes HS Principal Ada Bohlken and Business Careers HS Principal Randy Neuenfeldt.
NISD Board of Trustee Bobby Blount talked to the staff at Elrod Elementary School about the Go Public Campaign and the importance of advocating for public education. Pictured with Blount (center) are (from l-r) Vice Principal JoAnn Armenta and Principal Mark Garcia.
The Northside Swim Center hosted a training camp for the United States Olympic Swim Team before they left to compete in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Pictured during Observation Day are members of the NISD Board of Trustees (center) and Aquatics Center staff standing in front of posters created by students in the Northside Alamo Area Swim team. They are (from l-r) Shelagh Wurth, Kristin Libardoni, Dr. Carol Harle, Joseph Medina, and Scott Zolinski.
While in Washington D.C. for the National School Boards Association (NSBA) Advocacy Institute, Board President Katie Reed and Trustee Karen Freeman also visited with Congressman Lamar Smith.
Board President Katie Reed and Trustee Karen Freeman attended the National School Boards Association (NSBA) Advocacy Institute in Washington D.C. and met with federal officials about issues of importance as they relate to education. Pictured are Reed, Congressman Joaquin Castro, and Freeman.
Since 1991, the NISD Board of Trustees signs a Code of Ethics annually, reaffirming their commitment to adhere to educational and ethical standards.
According to Superintendent Brian Woods, NISD is probably one of very few Districts where the Board and Superintendent (on behalf of the staff) sign a code of ethics.
"Northside ISD has an outstanding reputation, and a huge reason for that is because we hold ethics in high regard," Board President Katie Reed said. "We sign the Code of Ethics annually to remind each of us to always put the needs of our students first."
The Code of Ethics is available online on the Board of Trustees web site.
Pictured after signing the poster-sized Code of Ethics (which hangs in the Central Office Board Room) are (from l-r): Dr. Brian T. Woods, Superintendent; Bobby Blount, Trustee; Gerald Lopez, Trustee; Katie Reed, Board President; Dr. Carol Harle, Board Secretary; Karen Freeman, Trustee; Joseph Medina, Trustee; and M’Lissa Chumbley, Board Vice President.