Tuesday, July 2, 2024
During the May 20thnd meeting of the Gatesville Independent School District Board of Trustees, students, staff, and the community were honored during the Spotlight portion of the meeting.
During the Staff Spotlight, a certificate of appreciation was presented to GISD employee, Kim Strickland, pictured center, for her hard work and loyalty to Gatesville ISD. GISD Superintendent Dr. Barrett Pollard had the following to say about Strickland:
“Kim Strickland has been a loyal, dedicated, and hard-working employee for GISD for many years. She makes students and other staff members feel special, invited, and welcomed at Gatesville Primary. It is not unusual for Kim to give you a big hug when you need it most. Tamela Eary, assistant principal at the Primary, had the following to say about Mrs. Strickland. "Kim is a great asset to the Primary campus because she is a phenomenal pre-k assistant. She and Mrs. Richardson make a great team. Kim lends a helping hand wherever she is needed and will never complain. Mrs. Strickland is the one on campus that will always put a smile on your face and greets you with a hug everyday. She loves all students unconditionally and works hard in the classroom to ensure her per-k students meet their goals. Primary is extremely lucky to have Kim. It is rare to come across people who are as dedicated and hardworking as she is. We truly appreciate all her efforts – both big and small.”
Michelle Martin was also featured in the Staff Spotlight, and GISD Superintendent Dr. Barrett Pollard listed a small portion of statistics about Martin’s contributions to the school district during her years of service including the annual Back to School Bash, which started in 2020, where 420 students were served – since then, she has added Dental Services, Health Clinics, and the trips to the World Vision Resource Center. At these events, students get free school supplies, backpacks, shoes, hats, jackets, blankets, hygiene items, haircuts, health screenings, wellness checkups, dental exams, and dental cleanings with fluoride. The estimated value of all those items and services provided to students so far has reached $162,871.
“For Many years, during the Christmas season, Michelle has recruited kids to come make gingerbread houses at the Methodist Church. Please help us thank Michelle Martin for all of her service to the community,” Pollard said.
Dr. Pollard also spoke to the school board about students and staff who came to the aid of a substitute. “On Friday, one of our substitutes at the high school had a medical emergency. Specifically, the substitute had a seizure and collapsed to the floor. Obviously, this was a scary moment for everyone in the classroom. The class was well-behaved during the event, but four students and another staff member in particular jumped into action to render aid and get help. Paramedics arrived soon after, and the substitute is doing well now. Those students and staff who helped tremendously are (from left): Colton Byler, Greyson Eggling, Clayton Gregory, Angel Almendariz, and staff member Nick Mora, along with GHS Principal Liz Shoaf. Please help us thank those wonderful students and staff.”
During the Community Spotlight, Dr. Pollard mentioned to the school board about the LPAC program.
“Our ESL students must have LPAC (Language Assessment Proficiency Committee) meetings each year. An LPAC must have a certified ESL teacher, an administrator, and a parent or guardian of an ESL learner in the district. The parent may not be employed by the district. These LPAC parents are very important because they enable us to have our mandatory meetings. The LPAC meetings occur very frequently for initial placement, monitoring, and determining accommodations for state testing. They have to learn about the rules schools must follow when supporting ESL students and sign an oath of confidentiality. They sacrifice a lot of time and represent our school district in a very positive fashion. For that, we are very grateful. These outstanding LPAC parent representatives are Lina Torres, Reshma Patel, Mayra Mata, Diana Olvera Garcia, and Alma Correa. Please help us thank these wonderful ladies.”
Dr. Pollard also brought to the board’s attention two graduates who will soon be serving their country. “The high school has been honoring students enlisting in the military as they complete the DD4 form. This form officially enlists you into the military. Two students who were not recognized at the recent high school awards ceremony are mentioned here. Barrett Boyd has pledged four years in the United States Air Force followed by another 5 years of active-duty service, while Angel Almendariz is joining the Marines. Please help us thank these two patriot soon-to-be GISD graduates!”
