LVMS Newsletter

We will have our first pep rally of the season on Thursday at 3:45. All visitors MUST check into the front office before going to the gym. If you have been to campus before, you can email Ms. Kunze(skunze@lagovistaisd.net) or Mrs. Kaiser(mkaiser@lagovistaisd.net) and we will print them out before.

If you have never checked into campus, you will have to scan your drivers license to get a badge. Expect there to be a line, so please be patient and we will get them scanned as quickly as possible.

The pep rally will start at 3:45 sharp!

Thank to all who have donated so far...this is the last week of our fundraiser! We appreciate all that you've been able to help with so far!

Dear LVMS Families,

We are excited to kick off the 2024-2025 school year and can't wait for students to build strong relationships on campus.

I am hoping you might be willing to help us build a vibrant and connected school culture at LVMS. Fundraising is something that helps to fund student activities and give teachers additional resources to support students. Through our partnership with School Funding Group we are simply asking for a minimum $20 dollar donation, and for that donation, you will receive numerous discounts on brand names like Amazon, Home Depot, Nike and Oakley. These discounts can far outweigh the cost of your donation.

The proceeds of this fundraiser will help fund:

• Teacher Training
• Teacher Supplies
• Student Incentives
• Technology for the classroom
• UIL and OAP Supplies
• School Improvement

We appreciate any support you can give and can't wait for this to be the best school year ever!

https://schoolfundinggroup.com/donate/09319fd9-40c1-4ee2-8760-20064db23e99

Attention 8th Grade Students and Parents,

We would like to inform you that the PSAT 8/9 will be administered to all 8th graders during the school day on Wednesday, October 23, 2024. This test is a great opportunity for students to practice for future SAT tests and gain valuable insights into their academic skills.

If you have any questions or need further information, feel free to contact Mrs.Bentley @ kbentley@lagovistaisd.net.

Thank you for your support!

We are seeking volunteers to help support the teachers, staff,and students at Lago Vista Middle School. As a parent, there are a number of ways you can help out and be involved at
middle school -

Stock the Teachers Lounge

Staff Appreciation Lunches

Pies for Thanksgiving

Holiday Goodies

Supply drives And More!

We will send an email to coordinate the many differentopportunities you have to make a difference at the middle school. Whether you have a few hours a week, an hour a year, or awesome culinary skills, we’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to help out but aren’t quite sure how, just let us
know and we’ll figure something out! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Courtney Stockard at cstockard@duck.com or Lindsey Phillips at lindsey.phillips@modmed.com

Please join here - https://forms.gle/Y7N8StvYr18UpJPD6

LVHS Cheer is hosting a Mini Cheer Camp 2024 on September 21 from 9 AM to Noon at LVHS gym for student between Kinder and 8th Grade. Cost is $50 per participant and there will be a show off at 11:30 AM in the main gym. Please fill out this form to participate - https://forms.gle/zYvdUTJG9ZnhPJvp8 - payment will be collected on check in day - CASH or CHECK only!

You can order your LVMS Yearbook now using this link - https://prod.yboc.varsity.com/jobSearch/displayHome

Order Number - 18995

Per Texas State Law, in order to receive credit for a course or grade level, a student must be in attendance 90% of the time. Absences whether excused or unexcused count towards the total.

But even more important than the law is that when your child misses school, they miss the amazing instruction that is happening and there's no way to ever truly make that up. Last year, our students missed a total of 3,320 days of instruction which equals 24,900 hours of awesome teaching that went unexperienced.

We want all of our students to be able to take advantage of as much great teaching as possible, so that's why this year we are encouraging all parents to "Strive for 5!" Strive for 5 or less missed days for your child this school year. Please do not misunderstand- if your child is sick, please, please, please keep them home. However, try to plan vacations around our school holidays so that your child can avoid missing as much instruction as possible.

Many parents don't realize that the vast majority of our funding from the state is directly tied to our daily attendance. Each student that is present each day equates to about $37 in funding. If a student is absent, that amount is lost. $37 may not seem like much, but it adds up quickly! When looking at last year's numbers, LVMS lost $122,840 in funding due to attendance.That funding could allow us to hire more teachers equating to smaller class sizes to benefit our students.

Again, if your child is sick, please keep them home. The last thing we want is for your child to be miserable here at school and to possibly cause another child to be sick. What we are trying to limit is avoidable absences.

Attendance Reminders

• The tardy bell rings at 8:40. Instruction begins immediately at this time.
• Official attendance is taken each day at 9:45. If your child is not physically present at that time, they are counted absent.
• All attendance notes should be given to your child's teacher or emailed to Terri Harkins at tharkins@lagovistaisd.net. Notes should be returned within 3 school days of the absence or appointment.
• Typically, the later in the school day you can schedule needed appointments, the better. You definitely want to avoid the 9:45 time frame if possible.

Lago Vista ISD is proud to share our new bus route lookout system e-Link by Versatrans. Once you

have registered your Lago Vista ISD student through Ascender ParentPortal and have requested bus

transportation, your student’s route information will be located in our e-Link portal. Please allow 2-3

business days after registering.

You will need your student’s ID number to create and access your e-Link account.

To get started, please visit the Lago Vista ISD e-Link website below:

https://thebusportal.com/LagovistaTX/elinkrp/login.aspx

Transportation changes are not necessary for the middle school.

Attention Viking Fans and Supporters!!! Show your support for the Valkyries Drill Team by ordering a Viking Horn! Each horn is $20, with an option to personalize it with you or your students name, number, and sports beads for an additional $5 for a total of $25. Orders received before August 30th will be ready for pickup on September 3rd in time before the first home football game. Payment will be due at time of pickup via cash or check. No Venmo or other e-payment will be accepted. Proceeds go directly to the Valkyrie’s Drill Team to help fund their activities and competitions. For further information please email Contact.BTownsend@gmail.com. Thank you for your support! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSep443gAZONlfiZG6LNZ78jAAiCsWAwm6_BHLmoNGyqRW1bCQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

On Tuesday, our boys and girls' cross country teams participated in a XC style relay race against Marble Falls and Burnet. Each XC athlete was a member of a four person team, and then they each raced a mile on our home cross country course. Although extremely hot, this was a fun and competitive night for all!

The Lady Vikings hosted Gateway this past Monday evening in their home opener after playing a couple of weeks on the road.

7A

The 7A Lady Viking had a hard loss against Gateway. First set was 23-25 and the second 18-25. Congratulations to Danni Tristan who served 14 points in a row to catch the team back up in the first set! The girls are continuing to improve each week and have faced a different challenge with each competition, I think this one was - first home game. They are competing, but not quite getting there for the results they want. A little better everyday and that’s all we can ask for! They have great attitudes and a willingness to learn so we will keep pushing ahead! Great job girls! Next stop, Salado on Saturday!

7B

The Lady Vikings hosted Gateway for a challenging match against the Lady Gators. Despite their skills showing notable improvement each week, the Vikings fell to the Gators in two hard fought sets. Set 1 19-25 and set 2 20-25. The second set was particularly competitive, with crucial serves from Emery Smith, Aubrey Alves, and Cori Davis playing a key role in keeping the game tight. Team captain for the week Cora Larkin provided strong leadership, rallying the team against the Gators' aggressive play. While the result was a loss, the Vikings' continued improvement is evident.

8B

The Lady Vikings pulled off an exciting win after 3 sets on Monday night. After losing the first set, the Lady Vikings showed their grit and determination and fought hard to win set #2. Using that momentum, they came together and won set #3 as well. There were several positive moments in all 3 sets and the improvement from week to week is evident. Key players were Lilah Culbreath with some aggressive plays on the outside, Hadley Tullis with some heads up and aggressive plays on the right side, Stella Granger with some great serves and sets, and Giana Vallee with some great serves.

8A

The Lady Vikings were on the prowl for their first home win of the season as they welcomed the Lady Gators of Gateway to LVMS Gym in their home opener of the 2024 volleyball season. Butterflies, jitters, and nerves oh my! That was the vibe early on for the Lady Vikings as the girls got off to about as bad a start as one could possibly envision. Nothing was going right as the girls missed 4 of their first 5 serves, struggled in serve receive, and quite frankly couldn’t put the ball into play any way they wanted. All the while Gateway was rolling on their end of the court. We use a phrase during practice “ work through the ugly” to train perseverance in that the “good” that we’re looking for is found at the end of the ugly. Ya just gotta work through it and that’s what the girls began to do, although a bit too late in the first set. Gateway would go on to win 25-21, but only by 4 points as the Lady Vikings started to find their game. The second set was back-n-forth until the Lady Vikings separated themselves behind big serves of Amelia Ferguson and Leya Sund and a couple of spectacular hits from Kinsley Boyd. The girls would hold on to win 25-21 after building up about an 8 pt lead. The 3rd and final set saw the girls unable to capitalize on their momentum and once again finding themselves having to claw back from an early deficit of 4 points. While they managed to come back they were unable to separate by more than a point or two. That's when Leya Sund stepped behind the service line and the Lady Vikings caught fire. The girls exploded a tight 10-8 lead to 21- 9 behind 4 aces from Sund, a couple kills from Te’a Turner and all around good play from the rest of the crew. There was no coming back for the Gators this time as the Lady Vikings would hold on to win the 3rd set 25-16 and their 1st home match of the season. The win improves the Lady Vikings district record to 2-1 on the young season.

Stat Leaders:

Aces:

7 - Leya Sund, Brinkley Gold

4 - Amelia Ferguson

Kills:

5 - Leya Sund

4 - Te’a Turner, Kinsley Boyd

Assists:

8 - Lila Rodriguez

6 - Leya Sund

Digs:

6 - Brinkley Gold

4 - Leya Sund

Next up for the Lady Vikings is a Salado “double dip” as they travel to Salado’s Middle School Tournament on Saturday where the girls will get a lot of needed reps as they continue to get their game in shape. They’ll head right back up there on Monday evening to play their next district games. Wish em luck.

On Thursday the LVMS Football Teams traveled to Marion for the 7th grade teams' first contest of the season and the 8th grade teams' 2nd contest of the season.

The B teams had an opportunity to scrimmage vs Marion and all kids had the opportunity to experience the game with the help of coaches on the field.

In the 7A game, the Vikings took a 20-0 lead behind the efforts of QB Kooper Kudrna and Co. Jax Dill had a crucial interception in the game and scores were provided by Tate Phillips, Cade Morton, and Kooper Kudrna. Kooper also added a 2pt conversion to the tally. The Bulldogs made the game interesting in the 4th quarter by putting 2 scores on the board, behind the tremendous efforts of Bulldog #8. The Vikings had a tough time tackling the stout running back. In the end, the Viking Defense held off the final efforts
of the Bulldogs and prevailed 20-16. The 7A Vikings are now 1-0 on the season with an opportunity to stay undefeated, at home, vs Salado next week.

The 8A Vikings came into the contest with a 1-0 record and were looking to stay undefeated vs Marion in the nightcap on Thursday. The Vikings started hot and stayed hot throughout the contest. The game was, and always will be, won in the trenches. The Viking line, on both sides of the ball, set the tone for the evening and didn't back down. The Viking offense was led by QB Eason Rice and his 3 touchdown night. The Viking offense also had scores from Landon Jordan (40 yd reception), Aiden Chaffin's 35 yd reception, and Levi Castro's 90 yd rushing touchdown. Lila Rose Rodriguez was perfect, on the night, with 6 extra point attempts. That gives her 11 extra point makes on the season! The Viking Defense held strong for the second week, not allowing a score.

The 8A Vikings are now 2-0 and have an opportunity to stay unbeaten next week vs Salado at LVHS Stadium on Thursday.

The Booster Club would like to welcome our Viking students, athletes, families, and fans back to school! There is already so much going on at LVMS and LVHS. Get ready for a fantastic year! Please visit our website for information on all things Booster Club at https://www.lagovistasports.com/

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

The Booster Club needs your help! Please consider signing up to help out at the concession stand.

WE ALL ROW!

MS Football -- https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C044CAFAF23A4F85-50417322-2024

MS XC Tri-Meet Relay -- https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C044CAFAF23A4F85-50417339-2024

Texas' Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) is the financial accountability system for public school districts. The system is administered by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and actively promotes fiscal responsibility, transparency, and the maximum allocation possible for direct instructional purposes.

Each year, public school districts in Texas receive ratings based on 19 meticulously evaluated financial indicators, measuring practices such as fund balance, debt management, and financial stability. TEA derives these ratings from audited financial statements and submitted financial data, providing an objective measure of financial practices.

We are proud to share that Lago Vista ISD has received the state’s highest rating of “Superior Achievement” for the past 12 years, scoring a perfect score of 100 for the last two years. Achieving this status is a testament to Lago Vista ISD's continued commitment to being excellent stewards of public funds.

For more information on the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST), please visit https://tea.texas.gov/finance-and-grants/financial-compliance/financial-integrity-rating-system-of-texas-first.

We encourage all parents to log into your Parent Portal at any time and set up alerts. Follow the directions and screenshots below.

Once you are logged into your Parent Portal, go to the upper right hand corner of your screen and click on the "bell".

You will then click on the View/Set Alerts.

Click on the Set Alerts to go to the menu to set alerts for grades, assignments and attendance.

If you have any problems or questions, please contact Monica Kaiser @ #2503.

Our goal in Lago Vista ISD is to ensure that every student benefits as much as possible from the great teaching and learning that happen here every day. When your child misses school, they miss out on learning opportunities that simply can't be replicated. That's why this year, we are encouraging all parents to help our students "Strive for 5!" — aim for five or fewer missed days for your child this school year. Of course, if your child is sick, please keep them home. However, we ask that you try to plan vacations and other activities around our school calendar to minimize the loss of valuable instructional time.

In addition to missed learning opportunities, many parents also may not realize that our school's funding from the State is directly tied to daily attendance. Each day your child is present, the school receives about $37. While $37 might not seem significant on its own, it adds up quickly. Last year, the District's funding was reduced by over $700,000 due to student absences. This loss of funds impacts our ability to hire more teachers, reduce class sizes, and further enhance the learning environment for all students.

We appreciate your help in reducing avoidable absences so that your child — and all of our students — can take full advantage of the excellent instruction we offer every day.

Doors open at 8:10 - there will not be supervision before then...

1st Period - 8:40 - 9:26

2nd Period - 9:30 - 10:16

3rd Period - 10:20 - 11:06

4th Period - 11:10 - 11:56

A Lunch - 11:56 - 12:26

A 5th Period - 12:30 - 1:16

B 5th Period - 12:00 - 12:46

B Lunch - 12:46 - 1:16

6th Period - 1:20 - 2:06

7th/Advisory - 2:06 - 2:36

8th Period - 2:40 - 3:26

9th Period - 3:30 - 4:15

Reminder - any student who is either using or in possesion of an e-cigarette(vape) of any type is an automatic DAEP(Disciplinary Alternative Education Placement) sentence.

HB 114 makes offenses involving the possession and/or or use of vapes a mandatory DAEP offense. School districts will now be required to place all students who are caught in possession and/or or using vapes (of any kind – not just those with drugs) into their DAEP.

Please share this with your children - it's just not worth it!

Email: eholt@lagovistaisd.net
Website: www.lagovistaisd.net
Location: 8039 Bar K Ranch Road, Lago Vista, TX, USA
Phone: 512-267-8300