The Bottom Line
Alice ISD School Board Newsletter March 2022
Alice ISD
“Our Kids...Our Future” EXPERIENCE EXCELLENCE!
Website: aliceisd.net
Location: 2 Coyote Trail, Alice, TX, USA
Phone: 361-664-0981
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AliceISD
Here we are - Spring Break 2022!
It was two years ago that we shut down for COVID-19 and for the parts of three school years we have worked through the challenges. As we head into this Spring Break, we are optimistic for the future because our kids and staff are working hard to find a balance - live through the lingering effects of the pandemic, and begin to thrive again. No doubt we have a long road ahead of us to close the learning gap, but we are resolved to do so and we can see the effort and determination to move forward, celebrate the positive, and be Coyote Strong.
Taking a look across Alice ISD, it is evident that much has happened to improve the educational experience of our kids. From instructional materials, technology, new programs and enrichment opportunities, to new facilities and resources - much has been accomplished. This past Tuesday night, our Board of Trustees approved numerous items that will continue to improve our learning and work environments. I am very grateful to the community of Alice as a whole for their willingness to support our kids; and to you, our team, for your dedication and leadership and in providing the best possible for our Coyotes.
As we close out the 4th quarter of the school year, we will continue to build on the good, address and fix the challenges, and keep our eyes on the vision and mission...to prepare our kids to be future ready. Thank you for all you do everyday for our kids!
Have a safe and awesome Spring Break - one filled with enjoyment and relaxation with family and friends.
In Service,
Carl Scarbrough
Alice ISD Spotlight Board Recognition of the following:
Alice High School Swim Team
Alice High School Boys Basketball Team
Alice High School Decathlon
Other Fine Arts Updates:
Art Division
I am pleased to announce that the 400 Wing Gallery has reopened and hosts a beautiful new show!! In the left gallery space, we are featuring the senior show of Art and Design student Sheyla Villa. She has filled the space with her collection of 12 wonderful works featuring her unique fashion collection. Each work has her model dressed in her original designs created to suit a youthful eye with a taste for adventure! The show will remain in place until March 23.
The center and right gallery are filled with mixed-media designs created by the Art II and Art III drawing students. These works feature the human figure arranged in flowing rhythm that playfully leads the viewer's eye throughout a variety of shapes and patterns that form a secondary and even third type of rhythm.
Finally, students have also been involved with several competitions including The Texas State Fish art contest and the Texas Department of Agriculture's "You Art What You Eat" contest. We have some outstanding entries this year.
Meanwhile, back in the classroom, students are working on learning to weave using a loom. Their artistic intent includes expressing a time of day, a season of the year, and a place using only color, line, and texture. This has proven to be a lovely endeavor leading to meaningful conversations about favorite memories or dreams of places the students would like to visit in the future.
Band Division
The Band Division is preparing for UIL Concert & Sight-Reading that takes place in April.
Alice HS Band had excellent results at the recent UIL Solo & Ensemble competition in Kingsville. Here are some statistics from that event.
- 78 student participants
- 3 students qualified for UIL State Solo & Ensemble
- 81 UIL Medals Earned
- 81 Superior Ratings
- 4 Excellent Ratings
Choral Division
The Mixed Choir continues to prepare for UIL Concert & Sight-Reading.
Theater Division
AHS Theater is competing in the UIL One Act Play competition at Tuloso-Midway HS on Tuesday, March 8.
Dance Division
AHS Strutters recently competed in the Showtime International Dance Competition and had truly outstanding results. Here are their results.
- Officer Awards: Colonel Christian Flores and Lieutenant Colonel Alyssa Lopez received 1st place and Best in Category for Officer Duet
Team Awards:
- Best in Category Jazz Routine Best in Category Pom Routine Best in Category Lyrical Routine Best in Category Hip Hop Routine
- Sweepstakes Award (earned a score of 85 or higher from all judges, in all routines) Invited to perform in the Macy’s Day Parade
- Overall Team Grand Champion (awarded to the team in each classification with the highest total score)
The Strutters will compete at the Marching Auxiliaries Dance Competition at Ray High School on Saturday, March 5, 2022.
Dance Classes, along with the Strutters Dance Team, are preparing for their Spring Show in May.
Athletics Update February 2022
Middle School Swim: Junior High swim just had their first practice yesterday. We had 45 students attend with a few more still interested. This is more than twice as many athletes as we had last year. We have our first meet in TM this Friday at 5:30PM. We also have two high school swimmers (Emerico Perez and Jaden Molina) who are committed to help this season including 6am practices. The season will consist of 4 meets and 1 District meet April 9th in Flour Bluff.
High School Boys Basketball: Boys basketball placed 3rd overall in district play and made it to the playoffs for the first time in 12 years. The boys faced a Senior led Port Isabel Tarpon squad and lost the Bi-District game 51-65. The Varsity Team has 10 players returning next season and are very excited to return to the hardwood.We finished 14-17 overall, and 5-5 in District Play. With a 3rd place standing.
High School Golf: The Alice Golf team had a productive month. The boys participated at the border Olympics golf tournament in Laredo. They also participated at the Ray Invitational at Port Aransas and placed second as a team. Individual medalists were Robert Ramirez (freshmen) and Joseph Pena ( senior). As for the girls they recently played in the San Diego Invitational.
Top performers were Deandra Ybarra and Aliana Silva. Both teams will be competing in the Sinton Invitational on Monday and Wednesday of next week. We hope to peaking by the end of spring break as we will be hosting the District tournament (March 28th & 29th) at the Alice Municipal Golf course.
The boys program consists of 6 varsity boys and 5 JV boys. The girls program consists of 3 Varsity girls and 2 JV girls.
Girls Soccer: The Lady Coyote soccer program has been working hard this soccer season. They have over 40 girls in the program and each girl that participates is willing to accept any role that is delegated to them. The teams both JV and Varsity have bought into the culture and are always striving to be better. The JV has been very successful and the Varsity is sitting a few points away from 4th place and a playoff spot. We have four matches remaining and are hoping to win the matches we need to gain a playoff spot.
Boys Soccer: The boys soccer program is in the thick of the district race. Both JV and varsity squads are in 1st place with district records of 7-0 and 9-1 respectively. This week the varsity boys will be on the road v. SGA (Tuesday), and then go to Calallen on Friday, while the JV squad will be on the road v. Bishop (Monday) then travel to Calallen on Friday. With the win this past Friday v. London (score of 7-2), the Coyotes clinched a playoff berth for a second year in a row. The final district match will be March 15 v. Miller at Cabaniss Field. Overall, the boys are continuing to be competitive and are determined to win the district title at both levels. Go Coyotes!
High School Powerlifting: The 2022 Alice Power Lifting season is still going strong. We have Girls’ regional this week in Edinburg. 8 of our Lady Coyotes qualified. Alaura Gonzalez, Sarah Padron, Madison DeLeon, Michelle Gallegos, Hannah Pena, and Miranda Alvarado all qualified 1-12th, and Erica Anguiano and Brenda Rios are alternates. It looks like Michael Contreras is our only male qualifier this year. He will lift in Bishop on March 11th.
High School Tennis: We are down to the last month of March for Spring Tennis and then the season of tourneys are over. Tuesday, March 1st we have our JV Tourney in Kingsville. And, our varsity tourney in Kingsville is March 4th. After that, we have the Calallen JV tourney on March 8th. March 22nd we have the TM tourney. The last tourney of the month will be our district tourney which is March 28th, our JV plays at TM high school. March 30-31 is our varsity tourney in Zapata. I have about 12 players, 4 are seniors, it varies from tourney to tourney. Overall, we have done a lot of positive things. Individually everyone has improved since the beginning of the season. Thank you for your support, it is greatly appreciated!!
High School Softball: The Lady Coyotes started off their preseason games with a 4-2 win against Corpus Christi Moody. We had our first tournament of the year at Medina Valley High School where the Lady Coyotes placed 2nd. Ava Hernandez and Brooke Castillo received all-tournament honors. We had our first home game of the season against 6A Laredo United and the Lady Coyotes came out with a big win with a score of 17-2. The Lady Coyotes had another big win Tuesday night against Orange Grove with a score of 19-2. This weekend, the Lady Coyotes are on the road to compete in the Sharyland softball tournament where they will face a lot of good competition to get them ready for district play. The overall record for the Lady Coyotes is 11-3.
High School Baseball: There is a lot of positive energy around the program coming off a Regional Quarter-Final appearance. Several key role players have had a productive off-season. An early-season injury to our returning senior outfielder/pitcher has created healthy competition and opportunities for several players.
This season has held early personnel surprises seeing three freshmen competing for starting positions and contributing early in the season.
The coaching staff has done a great job in implementing or core values, coaching standards, and expectations.
We are a young varsity team with two "every day" experienced seniors. This is the first year in four years where there are several multi-sport and crossover athletes. I believe this is the "X-Factor" as they have been immersed in competition all year long. With a grueling preseason schedule, our Coyotes will be tested every time we get on the field.
Scrimmage & Tournament Review: (Varsity)*Scrimmage games saw wins over: Gregory Portland, Ray, Moody , and San Antonio Southwest. Only loss to Sinton (4-0)
*Border Olympics: Losses to CC Vets (8-6), PSJA North (9-0), SA Madison (6-5) Win over Beeville (8-5)
*Traveled to SA East Central (6A) on Monday 2/28. Lost 6-5 in 8 innings
*March 3-5 Mira's Classic (Corpus Christi) vs, Cedar Park, Del Rio, Ray, PSJA North
High School Girls Track: Girls Track & Field is off to a great start. We competed at GP Wildcat Relays and Ingleside Mustang Relays so far and have placed 1st in the sprint relay and mile relay. Our girls are looking strong and early season times are looking SPEEDY! Looking forward to competing in Calallen this Thursday March 3rd and Flour Bluff March 11th. A big goal right now is to have qualifying times to compete at the University of Texas - Texas Relays, which is the biggest high school track meet in Texas, and also the location of the State Championships meet. Girls to look out for are our relay studs: Jr. Kendall Leal, Sr. Haley Salinas, Fr. Brooke Castillo, Fr. Victoria Diaz, So. Kristin Neal, Sr. Summer Soliz, Sr, Daniella Contreras, Fr. Liana Garcia, and Sr. Madison Valdez.
High School Boys Track: The boys track teams has been working very hard and competing well. Since the completion of the basketball season, our numbers have increased. We currently have 50 boys out competing. We have had several individuals do well, and our relays have brought home medals from our first couple of meets in GP and Ingleside. At the Ingleside meet our Varsity team finished 3rd overall. We made the decision to not travel to the Port Lavaca meet on the 24th, because of cold and rainy conditions. We did not want to risk injuries this early in the season. That turned out to be a good decision because they ended up canceling half of the events and ending that meet early. In March we will be running at Calallen meet on the 3rd, Flour Bluff on the 11th, and Corpus Christi on the 25th. We then look forward to hosting the Hub City relays on April 1st. The boys are excited about the success we are having, but continue to keep their heads down and work to improve.
Middle School Girls: JH track is in full swing. Our next meets are March 3rd her in Alice and March 10th in Flour Bluff. District will be March 25th in Calallen.
We have approx 65 7th and 8th grade girls competing in track. We are looking forward to our upcoming meets and the rest of the season.
ESSER Allocations
New Arrival to Alice High School Music Department
****************Academic Update******************
Approval of Bad Weather Make up Resolution...
Board approved Bad Weather Make-Up Resolution
The district closed for bad weather on
January 21 and February 4, 2022
Employees will not be required to make up
one of the 2 days
Employee Makeup Day is April 15
Employees were already working May 27, 2022
The resolution allows the Superintendent to authorize paying staff for the one day that is not made up.
Student Makeup Days will be April 15 and May 27
Approval of 2022-2023 Academic Calendar
Approval to Purchase Elementary Playgrounds for Noonan, Saenz, and Schallert
Playground…
As part of outdoor learning and allowable expenses through ESSER funding, the board of trustees approved the purchase of playground equipment for Noonan, Saenz and Schallert elementary schools.
Some of the equipment includes playscapes with beta climber, twist spiral slide, ara square shade and contour slide.
Approval of William Adams Middle School Gym Floor
The Board of Trustees approved the replacement of William Adams Middle School gym floors due to its worn-out surface. The new floor will be replaced with hardwood floors as recommended by the executive director for athletics and his staff for the two gym courts.
Approval of 2022-20 Approval of 2022-2023 Network E-Rate Services and Internet Access and Wide Area Network (WAN) E-Rate Services
The board also approved Internet Access and Wide Area Network (WAN) E-rate services.