Superintendent's Monday Message
May 6, 2024
Dear Southwest ISD Staff,
I hope that each of you had a great weekend. In this Monday Message I wanted to find extra special words to say THANK YOU to all our teachers. This Monday marks the start of Teacher Appreciation Week. Our teachers are truly the heart and soul of our organization. They care for our students, pass on knowledge to rising generations, and inspire our children to dream up new possibilities for their futures. The power of a great teacher is profound, and — on National Teacher Appreciation Day and during National Teacher Appreciation Week — I would like to thank them for their tireless efforts.
We ask so much of our teachers and that is why this very heartfelt and sincere thank you goes out to all our teachers. May this week each of our teachers feel and know how much they are appreciated and that they are so loved and appreciated. Once again thank you so much for all you do!
This morning, Central Office leaders delivered cakes to every campus to kick off Teacher Appreciation Week. I hope each and every one of you enjoyed this treat. This is just one way we are showing appreciation to all of our amazing teachers.
On Friday, I had the opportunity to celebrate one of our many great teachers, the Elementary Teacher of the Year Jorge Alvarez Luna, as he was recognized as a Trinity Excellence in Teaching finalist. I am so proud of this teacher and his dedication to his students. It is because of efforts like Mr. Luna’s and all of our teachers that Southwest ISD is such a special place and destination district. I look forward to recognizing our Teacher of the Year winners at this week’s Employee Banquet.
We continue to celebrate our students with perfect attendance and I’m proud to share the winners of the SWISD Perfect Attendance Challenge winners for the period of April 8 - April 25. We still have a few more weeks of school left and attendance is still important so please encourage your students to attend regularly because you never know when the prize patrol might stop by your campus! Congratulations to the latest round of winners!
McAuliffe MS - Sara Sustaita, 6th Grade
Legacy HS - Kaylee Munoz - 9th grade
Big Country - Noah Rabago - 1st Grade
Indian Creek - Carter Contreras - 2nd Grade
Scobee Middle School participated in an indoor and outdoor drone competition over the weekend. On the first day they knocked it out of the park winning several awards including the Boeing Award and 1st place Overall. They also received awards for academic knowledge and coaching including Coach of the Year for Mr. Gilbert Pardo. On Saturday, for the outdoor events they won in FPV Performance and overall standings, despite being the only middle school competing among many high schools from all over Texas. I am proud to report that Scobee Middle School took home the most trophies compared to all the other schools, 20 to be exact!
This weekend, we hosted another great SWISD Chess Tournament. We have some highly skilled chess players. I want to thank all the coaches, parents, and players for making this chess season successful. Below are the results of the 7th Annual SWISD Chess Tournament.
9th-12th Grade Division
TOP 3 Individuals
1. Isaac Das - Southwest High School
2. Leo Tavera - Southwest Legacy High School
3. Micah Melendez - Southwest High School
Top 3 Schools
1. Southwest High School
2. Southwest Legacy High School
3. CAST STEM High School
6th-8th Grade Division
TOP 3 Individuals
1. Mario Escareno - Scobee Middle School
2. Andrew Diaz- McNair Middle School
3. Seth Hernandez - Scobee Middle School
Top 3 Schools
1. Scobee Middle School
2. McNair Middle School
3. Resnik Middle School
5th Grade Division
TOP 3 Individuals
1. Iden Osman- Southwest Elementary
2. Moses Casas - Sun Valley Elementary
3. Eligh Beltran - Southwest Elementary
Top 3 Schools
1. Southwest Elementary School
2. Sun Valley Elementary School
3. Hidden Cove STEAM ACADEMY
3rd-4th Grade Division
TOP 3 Individuals
1. Anthony Perez - Hidden Cove STEAM Academy
2. Leonardo Rivera - Indian Creek Elementary
3. Diego Rodriguez - Sun Valley Elementary
Top 3 Schools
1. Indian Creek Elementary
2. Hidden Cove STEAM Academy
3. Sun Valley Elementary
K-2nd Grade Division
TOP 3 Individuals
1. Milania Cornejo - Sun Valley Elementary
2. Truxton Sollohub - Elm Creek Elementary
3. Sophia Gilchrist - Sky Harbour Elementary
Top 3 Schools
1. Sun Valley Elementary
2. Sky Harbour Elementary
3. Elm Creek Elementary
The Southwest Legacy JROTC held its Military Ball this weekend. The Military Ball is a social event that allows JROTC members and guests to enjoy a formal evening together based upon military tradition. This is such a wonderful event to give our students a glimpse into the pomp and circumstance surrounding formal events.
Today, we awarded Coach Monica Fernandez from Southwest ISD Aquatic Center as Employee of the Month. She was nominated by four coworkers unbeknownst to each other. Below is a summary of their nominations.
Monica is a dedicated educator and coach who promotes and creates growth and success among her students and athletes. She encourages them to explore new opportunities and pursue their passions with commitment. Serving as a mentor, Monica encourages and supports individuals in achieving academic milestones like obtaining a master's degree. Her leadership goes beyond academics, as she motivates athletes with her passion for sports, leading by example and providing mentorship. Monica goes above and beyond in her work. She works well with others and is always trying to make things better. She helps out new staff members and makes sure everyone is supported. Her emotional intelligence shines through in handling various situations with students of all ages, earning their trust and creating a supportive environment where students receive the best possible experience.
Last week, we celebrated our heroes in the cafeteria in observance of School Lunch Hero Day. I want to thank our cafeteria staff who work behind the scenes to feed our students. They make it a top priority to make sure every child receives a nutritious meal with a smile, creating a welcoming and nurturing environment in our schools. From preparing delicious meals to keeping a clean and safe dining area, their hard work is deeply appreciated. Thank you for all that you do throughout the year!
Sun Valley Elementary had a special guest last Friday. None other than San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg. He was visiting to celebrate the outstanding achievements in Dairy MAX’s Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) program. SVE saw a boost in breakfast participation and also paved the way for the expansion of the program across all elementary campuses in Southwest ISD. Mayor Nirenberg also thanked the Child Nutrition Staff for all their hard work and dedication to students in observance of School Lunch Hero Day.
We had a great turnout for the 18th Annual SWISD Relay For Life Walk Relay for Life. It's unfortunate that cancer has impacted nearly everyone, but it's encouraging to see our community rally together to raise funds for cancer research. Huge thanks to everyone who organized teams and dedicated their efforts over the past few months to ensure the success of the SWISD Relay for Life Walk.
This Friday, we will observe School Communicators Day. I want to thank our Communications team for their efforts on sharing the stories of our great District. They are dedicated to highlighting the great happenings throughout the District from academic achievements and student accomplishments to staff recognition and employee spotlights. They would love to hear and share your stories. You can email them anytime at communications@swisd.net
Wishing you a great week ahead!
Sincerely,