LISD Expect Excellence Newsletter

Schools are for kids. I truly believe this and decision making at Levelland ISD is based on this

exact premise. The students are our future and our goal is to prepare them for what is

important.

Recently, a group of administrators and I met with the Levelland High School Superintendent

Student Advisory Committee and the newly formed Levelland Middle School Superintendent

Student Advisory Committee. The time we get to spend with the students is special and allows

us to gain insight on the campus from the student perspective. If you want to know the truth

about something, ask a child.

As the state gears up for the 89th Texas Legislative Session, it is the hope of all public schools in

Texas that our legislators will remember that schools are for kids. I serve on the board of

directors for the Texas Association of Rural Schools and the Texas Association of Midsize

Schools. Both organizations advocate for school districts similar to Levelland ISD. Their

legislative priorities will focus on the future of public schools in Texas and strive to ensure

school funding is on the forefront of public school legislation. With more than 65% of the school

districts in Texas operating with a deficit budget, there is a problem at the state level. The

current school funding system is outdated. School districts need additional funding to be able

to provide salary increases for teachers and staff, as well as have the funds for student

programs and operating costs.

Levelland High School will host Homecoming this week and we hope that the community and

our alumni are able to join us for all the festivities. The traditions at Levelland ISD are rich and,

for over 100 years, our graduates have shared their pride in being a Levelland Lobo. This week

we will celebrate our students and remember that schools are for kids. Go Lobos!

Go Lobos!

Expect Excellence

Becky McCutchen, Superintendent

This is Homecoming Week. There are many activities planned throughout the week, including spirit days and a pep rally on Friday @10:30! Our Coaches are also honoring Former Athletes and Coaches before the Black Out game with a cookout & blackout tee at 6 pm @ the Field House on the north side of Lobo Stadium. Please take a minute to look at our 2024 Homecoming Court which includes the Prince & Princesses from each campus. Join us Friday night at the Black Out Lobo Homecoming Game vs Snyder to see who is crowned as the 2024 LHS Homecoming Queen.
If you are attending the Pep-Rally remember you will need to call or go early to Raptor ID into LHS.

Senior Queen Candidates: Mackenzie Dominguez (escorted by Jake Potter), Mia Morin (escorted by Eli Randol) & Emily Ramirez (escorted by Eryk Jones). Junior Court Attendant is Camila Ramos (escrted by Gage French). Sophomore Court representative is Carlee Rodriguez (escorted by Ethan Salazar). Freshman Court representative is Emma Pulliam (escorted by Bryson Golightly). LMS Prince is Bentley Sepulbeda and Princess is Jurney Hernandez. Capitol Princess is Gracelyn Tucek and Prince is Ryan Jordan. South Princess is Brooklyn Ruiz and Prince is JoseCruz Gomez. At ABC the Prince is Nicholas Chavez and the Princesses are Araceli Grado & Kobee Figueroa. Join us Friday night at the game vs Snyder to see who is crowned as the 2024 LHS Homecoming Queen.

The LISD Administration #expectsexcellence we hosted Student Advisory Committee Meetings at LHS and LMS this week. The purpose of these committees is to allow students to provide feedback on important campus topics. Students chosen for these committees are able to voice their praises about great things happening on their campuses, as well as concerns about agenda topics that impact everyone. The topics of conversation this month were on safety, bus transportation, & school calendar. Students were heard on concerns of vending machines, facilities, programs of study, and extra-curricular participation. Each group presented great discussions on how to make things better for all campuses in LISD. We thank these students for serving on these committees and we want you to know that your voice is heard.

ABC did it again! Hundreds of ABC families, friends, and Lobos came in clean and ready to run, but they came out of the Color Run looking like rainbows! It was a fun run for the young, the old, and the in-between! We are always so glad that this one event brings so many families and friends together! Thanks, ABC staff for throwing an awesome parent engagement activity!

Capitol students in Mrs. Clara Sanders' Science classes were found totally engaged in a science lab learning about matter. Mrs. Sanders says, "Solids, liquids, gases, and volume are more meaningful when students get a little messy." These students certainty aren't afraid of that or of learning new things. It is true that this hands-on learning sticks better than just hearing about it, and we thank you, Mrs. Sanders for #expectingexcellence in your students!
https://files.gabbart.com/462/sanderssciencevideo.mp4

Did you know that today is National Comic Book Day? Our LISD librarians always look for ways to promote reading, and students were caught reading Graphic Novels. Graphic Novels are the same as comic books because they are broken up into squares of less text and many images that tell a story. Graphic novels often help reluctant readers make the connection between picture books and novels because they break the context up into bite-sized pieces. The content can also be very advanced. We #expectexcellence and are so thankful that our LISD librarians have the best library collections that include graphic novels for students to read.

LMS Librarian Mixie Clowe hosted a Parent Read Night to help students reach their reading goals. We thank everyone who made it out and supported your child's reading success!

Do you want to be a hero? We caught Mayor Buxkemper, and two amazing mommas at ABC, already filling the role of Reading Hero for our Littles. ABC Librarian Mrs. Abi Swain continues with her Heroes Read in the Library Program this year, encouraging adults to come read to our students. Our students love hearing from, seeing, and learning from adults in our community. We appreciate everyone who takes time out of their day to read. If you are interested in reading a book, don't hesitate to contact Mrs. Swain at aswain@levellandisd.net to set up a quick time for you to make a difference for our children. Thank you Mayor, Mrs. Combs and Mrs. McCabe for reading to our littles!

LHS Band Director Michael Cason is pleased to announce that our Lobo Band's Color Guard and Drumline competed in the West Texas Auxiliary Competition (WTAC) at Coronado High School in Lubbock. Schools from around the area brought their groups to compete at the annual event. Our Lobo Drumline placed fourth in the drumline competition. Our Lobo Color Guard placed third in the full guard competition and brought home a trophy, the first of the year! Congratulations to these students and Directors Evan Seidel, Matt Tolentino, and Mattye Baern! Way to go kids! We are proud of you!

Happy Birthday, Johnny Appleseed! Last week Capitol students learned about Johnny and participated in many apple activities in the library with Librarian Mrs. Pam Alexander. They read fiction and non-fiction books about apples, learned that Johnny is a real person named John Chapman who planted apple trees to make our world better, and they even practiced their independent reading while engaging in a story walk in the library. We love that our librarians are always promoting reading and in this case, math, logic, and thinking too! They did everything but bake the cake! Thank you Mrs. Alexander for the best learning experiences.

LMS Choir Director Devyon Wilborn #expectsexcellence and took his Girl's Choir to an All-Region Choir Workshop in Lubbock. Professors from Texas Tech and TTU Music students hosted the seminars for the girls, where they worked on the audition music for the competition. The TTU students even sang a couple of songs for the kids. This is a great experience, mentoring and preparing them for what to expect at the All-Region Competition on October 26th at Frenship. Girls, we wish you the best of luck and cannot wait for your results!

Well, we are thrilled that KCBD loved our feature on Ashley Austin! KCBD's Parker Shofner picked up the story and interviewed her for TV. Way to go Ashley! We are so proud of you for earning this prestigious degree!

https://www.kcbd.com/2024/09/27/levellands-ashley-austin-earns-american-ffa-degree/

You are invited to a tailgate supper at Lobo Stadium on Thursday before the 7th & 8th grade games at Lobo Stadium!

Please vote over and over again for our Trinity Wafer to be the Lubbock AJ Athlete of the week! We want her to win, and even though this is a busy week you can vote through Thursday. Thank you in advance. Let's get this done!

https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/sports/high-school/2024/09/30/vote-lubbock-a-j-high-school-athlete-of-the-week-5/75447931007/

Levelland High School won $5,000 from TMobile and they presented the check at the Pep-Rally on Friday. But the contest is not over. LHS can win more money! We can win $25,000 and even $1,000,000 more if you help us win. All you have to do is post your LISD photo on Instagram and tag it with 4 things:

#sweepstakes
#FN5GL
#Levellandindschooldistrict
and @TMobile

If we win the money they will upgrade our LHS field houses and include Loboette Dressing areas. This is a project that many of our Loboettes, Tennis and Softball want to happen, but the funding is not there now. So help all of our amazing athletes by posting and tagging with those 3 tags!
https://files.gabbart.com/456/lhs_pep_rally_facebook_video_1.mp4

Email: rmccutchen@levellandisd.net
Website: www.levellandisd.net
Location: 704 11th Street, Levelland, TX
Phone: 806-894-9628
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LevellandISD/
Twitter: @LevellandISD