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Bearcat Blast
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Bearcat Blast • December 7, 2023 • AledoISD.org
Aledo ISD Celebrates Bearcat Alum and Texas Rangers Champion Cody Bradford
While it may have gotten chilly on Monday night, our hearts were warmed by the generosity and kindness of our Aledo Bearcat alumni and Texas Rangers World Series Champion Cody Bradford and his wife Madi! Seeing our community come together to honor an inspiring hometown student-athlete - he was valedictorian in the AHS class of 2016 and Baylor University graduate before he was drafted by the Rangers - was amazing!
Thank you, Cody, for your time and for being a wonderful role model for our students who are growing greatness like you everyday! With his No. 18 retired by the Aledo Bearcat Baseball program, we'll get to continue to celebrate Cody Bradford for many years to come!
View more pictures from the Cody Bradford World Series Celebration here!
AMS student's ornament added to Texas House Christmas tree!
Aledo Middle School student Grace Lazrine's hand-painted ornament was added to the Texas House Christmas tree by State Representative Glenn Rogers. Grace's ornament, representing District 60, is one of 150 ornaments selected by Texas House representatives in this yearly tradition. Congratulations to Grace and her art teacher Mrs. Arlene Shelton for this amazing honor!
Grace's ornament featuring a stylized AMS as well as other Christmas iconography like a tree and snowman.
AMS student Grace Lazrin and her art teacher Mrs. Arlene Shelton.
Representative Glenn Rogers adding Grace's ornament to the Texas House Christmas tree.
Spread Joy: Donate Prizes for Aledo ISD Holiday Come-and-Go Celebration!
We are excited to continue our yearly Holiday Come-and-Go tradition for our entire Aledo ISD staff this year, and we need your help while we celebrate them!
We are seeking donated prizes with a $50 value or higher to raffle for our staff at this annual event. If your business, family, neighborhood, friend group - ANYONE! - would like to make a donation to this fun event, please fill out the form at aledoisd.org/holidaygiveaway. Prizes need to be delivered by Wednesday, Dec. 13.
What is the Aledo ISD Holiday Come-and-Go? This is a long-standing yearly tradition where we bring our entire staff together for food and fellowship as we start winter break. It's festive and fun and a great way to connect ALL of our employees while showing them our gratitude!
Educators, business leaders attend North Texas Workforce Development meeting at McAnally Middle School
Business and education leaders from the North Texas-area gathered at Aledo ISD’s McAnally Middle School in late November for a North Texas Workforce Development breakfast focused on educating the future workforce.
Hosted by the North Texas Commission, the East Parker County Chamber of Commerce and the Benbrook Area Chamber of Commerce, more than 60 people attended to start these important conversations. The event was sponsored by CORE Construction.
“This gathering was intended to educate business leaders and policymakers and spur conversations about what local school districts need to succeed in our mission to educate our next generation of leaders and raise our future workforce in Parker County and our North Texas region,” Aledo ISD Superintendent Dr. Susan Bohn said. “In Aledo, we weave advanced academics and Career and Technical Education (CTE) together with the goal of giving our students the most options when they graduate.
“We are proud of the fact that we are expecting that about 42% of our graduating seniors this school year will leave us with both their diploma and at least one Industry Based Certification,” Bohn said.
Representatives from neighboring school districts Azle ISD, Lake Worth ISD, Denton ISD, Fort Worth ISD, Plano ISD and Dallas ISD attended the meeting as well as representatives from the offices of State Representative Glenn Rogers, State Representative Craig Goldman and State Senator Drew Springer. Many Aledo ISD Trustees and several local business owners also attended.
North Texas Commission President and CEO Chris Wallace moderated a panel made up of Patrick Lawler, chief operations officer of ZacTax, Kelli Stumbo, Keller Williams real estate team leader and East Parker County Chamber of Commerce Chairwoman of the Board, and Forrest Collins, Aledo ISD Board President. They discussed fast-growth in Parker County, emerging industries in the county, investing in CTE and producing a skilled workforce, the real estate market, the Aledo ISD community, and more.
After the panel, educators in attendance rotated tables to have open discussions with business and community leaders about ways to support workforce development and to connect with school districts to benefit students.
Aledo ISD offers 18 programs of study and has added programs based on workforce market data projections for the region, focusing on pathways that are both high need and high wage. In the current school year, Aledo ISD added three new programs: aviation, architecture and cybersecurity.
“I’m so happy Aledo ISD has invested in the CTE side so that we can put a skilled workforce out there,” Lawler said. “[In] Aledo … we are raising very capable, very smart and very intelligent human beings who are going to advance technology of tomorrow.”
📰 Bearcat News Update ☑️
Nutrition News
It's Try-Day-Friday throughout December!
December's harvest of the month is lean proteins. Cafeterias will feature delicious protein options like sunbather, cottage cheese, and black bean brownies each Friday throughout December.
MySchoolBucks account update
MySchoolBucks recently added a $2.50 per user “Fall Program Fee” to cover credit card processing fees. This ONE TIME fee (per user) will end 12/31/23, after which users will be charged the normal processing fee. If you have any questions, please contact the Aledo ISD Child Nutrition Department at 817-441-5142.
Show Your Support and Cast a Vote for Aledo ISD!
Vote NOW for the AHS/DNG Student Media team for Dave Campbell's Texan Live Student Multimedia Program of the Year! This group of hard-working students is very deserving of this recognition, and we are proud of the work they produce! Voting runs through December 8!
We 🧡 our parents and volunteers in Aledo ISD, and Sherame Anderson has given her time so generously over many, many years.... and currently she is in the LEAD in the Dave Campbell's Texas Football Yo Quiero Team Mom of the Year standings! Let's keep her there, Bearcats - vote for Sherame again and again through December 8!
A Little Redecorating at Tim Buchanan Stadium
The monument for the 2022 Bearcat football season and state championship was installed at Tim Buchanan Stadium this past Tuesday, December 5. This monument recognizes the dedication of the 2022 Bearcat football team and their impressive 14-2 season ending in a 52-14 victory over College Station at AT&T Stadium, marking Aledo's record-setting 11th state championship win.
A special thank you to the Jim Martin and Davy Vestal families for your support of State Monument No. 11! It's time to protect the tradition and Take XII this year. Go Bearcats!
🎉 Celebrations: We're excited to recognize these AISD students & staff members!
Aledo FFA earns 7th place at State!
This year 21,000 Texas FFA members competed in an LDE at the District level. Yesterday these 4 ladies were amongst the top 2% that competed in the State Finals. Our Ag Advocacy Team, Rebecca Sullivan, Maria Merrill, Kathryn Rester and Emma Green, placed 7th in the State.
We are incredibly proud of their hard work and dedication.
AHS student earns a perfect AP score
Aledo High School/Daniel Ninth Grade Campus junior Jacob Seastrunk recently learned that he accomplished an extremely rare academic feat - he earned a perfect score on the Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles Exam in May 2023.
Advanced Placement Exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5. Jacob not only received the top score of 5, but was also one of only 459 students in the 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 to earn every point possible on the AP Computer Science Principles Exam, receiving the maximum score on each portion of the exam. WOW!
Jacob's computer science teacher Julia Reynolds said she's never seen this rare accomplishment before and expects that she'll never see it again in her teacher career.
"This outstanding accomplishment is likely a direct reflection of the top-quality education being offered at Aledo High School," said Trevor Packer, Head of the Advanced Placement Program at College Board. "We applaud Jacob's hard work and the AP teacher responsible for engaging students and enabling them to excel in a college-level course."
Congratulations Jacob and Mrs. Reynolds!
AMS principal earns TMEA Distinguished Administrator award
The Texas Music Educators Association has named Aledo Middle School Principal Dr. Mandy Musselwhite as one of the recipients of the TMEA Distinguished Administrator Award. The TMEA uses this award to recognize upper-level school administrators throughout the state who have been instrumental in preserving quality music education programs on their campuses and in their districts. Dr. Musselwhite was recognized and presented with this award at the AMS Band Winter Concert on Tuesday, December 5.
📅 Coming up in Aledo ISD - Mark Your Calendars! ✅
Aledo Football Gameday 🆚 Forney
Class 5A Division I State Semifinals
Aledo is the home team.
- 7:30 p.m.
- Friday, December 8
- MISD Stadium, Midlothian
- 92.1 Hank FM
- NFHS Network
- $8 presale; $10 gameday: Click here for tickets!
- THSCA passes and district passes accepted
- MISD Stadium has a clear bag policy
- Photo by AHS student Breleigh M.
Come cheer on the AHS cheerleaders at NCA State of Texas Championship!
- December 10
- Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center, Dallas
- TEAM BLACK: 3:18PM
- TEAM ORANGE: 6:40PM
Come celebrate Christmas cheer with the Aledo Choir programs!
Theatre At Aledo AHS Presents Epic Proportions!
Theatre At Aledo HS Presents Epic Proportions December 16 and 17 - Epic Proportions tells the story of two brothers, Benny and Phil, who go to be extras in the epic film, Exeunt Omnes. Things move very quickly in this riotous comedy and before you know it, Phil is directing the movie, and Benny is starring in it. Along the way there are battles, duels, plagues and hilarious love triangles. Shows are at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 17 in the Aledo High School Auditorium. Tickets will be sold at the door. Hope to see you there!
P2 Character Trait of the Week: Other People Mindset - Supporting Others When They Struggle
This week's P2 Character Trait of the Week is Other People Mindset - Supporting Others When They Struggle!
Remember P2 has a site set up for families called P2 for Families. This site has all of the Character Cards that we will share each week, plus related and inspiring videos as well as questions for families to discuss around each character strength each broken down by grade bands (PK-K; 1-2, 3-5; 6-8; 9-12).
See the Other People Mindset card below, and consider using one of these Table Talk questions to start a conversation with your child about Supporting Others When They Struggle!
OTHER PEOPLE MINDSET TABLE TALK for your FAMILY
Grades Pre-K-K: How can we make someone smile and feel happy?
Grades 1-2: How have you seen people struggle?
Grades 3-5: How have you experienced help from others? In what ways can you offer similar help to others?
Grades 6-8: What are some things that you are doing for others?
Grades 9-12: Is it sometimes difficult to accept help from others?
Thank you 2023-2024 Bearcat Backers!
Aledo ISD and the Aledo Education Foundation are partnering once again for the Bearcat Backer program, and we'd love your support!
As our district is #GrowingGreatness through exceptional experiences that empower learners for life, we are committed to fostering relationships and partnerships with our outstanding businesses and organizations to help support our Bearcats. Your partnership provides a direct investment and benefit to our Bearcat students and staff.
If your business is interested in joining our Bearcat Backers program, please visit our Bearcat Backers webpage that includes sponsorship levels as well as a commitment form to fill out.
Thank you to our 2023-2024 Bearcat Backers!
Gold Level Sponsors
First Bank Texas
First Financial Bank
Skin MD Medspa
TWFG Insurance Services - Christi James
Silver Level Sponsors
KMFG - Knight Miller Financial
Railhead Smokehouse BBQ in Willow Park
Stroud Pediatric Dentistry
Bronze Level Sponsors
Aaron Valencia, REALTOR - #AGAMEagent
Aledo Pediatric Dentistry
Anchor Counseling FTW
Bigfoot Ink
Bryan Insurance Agency
InterBank Aledo
Kinnear Child Psychology
Paradigm Wealth Management - Christopher Roberts
Reading Friends Aledo
Slade & Nash
Turquant Business Services
Aledo Independent School District
The Bearcat Blast E-Newletter is managed by the Aledo ISD Communications Department. To submit news items, email communications@aledoisd.org.
https://www.aledoisd.org/
1008 Bailey Ranch Road, Aledo, TX • Phone: 817-441-8327
Facebook: facebook.com/AledoISD • Twitter: @AledoISD