The Anna High School Treble Select Choir received a superior Sweepstakes Rating at the UIL Concert and Sight Reading competition. A sweepstakes rating means the students received perfect scores from all judges in both the sight reading room and on stage. This has yet to happen at the High School level here in Anna.
The Treble Select Choir was the smallest choir competing at Region 25 Concert and Sight Reading in the Treble Division at the 4A level. Whitney Twitchell, AHS Choir Director, says that the students did amazingly, and she couldn't be more proud of them.
Congratulations to Christine Huynh, Operational Employee of the Year!
Christine Huynh, Lead Custodian at Harlow Elementary, was recently named the 2024 Operational Employee of the Year and honored at the April Board Meeting. Her dedication and hard work are instrumental in maintaining our school's pristine environment. Christine handles every task gracefully, ensuring our surroundings are always welcoming and clean. Her professionalism and kindness inspire us all to take pride in our work, making her a role model for students and staff. Congratulations, Christine, on this well-deserved honor!
Social Emotional Learning - What is It and Why Do We Have It?
Education is famous for its buzzwords, especially among school staff. Social Emotional Learning is popular right now, but you may be wondering what it’s all about.
Social Emotional Learning refers to education on five major pillars:
- Self-Awareness - the ability to recognize and understand one’s own emotions, strengths, and challenges to build self-confidence
- Self-Management - the ability to regulate one’s emotions, develop self-discipline, and set goals
- Social Awareness - the ability to see a situation from someone else’s perspective and practice empathy
- Relationship Skills - the ability to establish, build, and maintain appropriate and supportive relationships through skills such as active listening
- Responsible Decision-Making - the ability to make safe and appropriate choices in everyday situations when presented with a problem
Students face more challenges than ever before and do not come to school with a blank slate. They come with a variety of beliefs, attitudes, and experiences that may be strengths for them individually but may, at times, conflict with the beliefs, attitudes, and experiences of others. SEL gives the skills necessary to work past differences and work together for a safe and respectful academic learning environment.
The five pillars are skills that not only serve students in the present but will continue to serve them as they become adults who will enter the workforce. Schools are tasked with preparing students to be college and career-ready, and these pillars support Anna ISD’s Portrait of a Graduate. Social Emotional Learning is never intended as a replacement for individual family values but more as a vehicle for civil engagement and personal development.
For more information or if you have questions, you can contact studentservices@annaisd.org.
WHAT IS A COYOTE SALUTE?
It's our monthly employee recognition program. A Coyote Salute is awarded to individual staff members, and a Collaborative Coyote Salute is awarded to a group of staff members that have done something EXTRA special and beyond their regular job duties.
WHY:
We want to intentionally honor staff members who have gone the EXTRA mile for our students.
WHO:
Think of teachers using innovative teaching strategies or support staff members who go that extra mile to make our children feel safe and loved. This award is not limited to individual recipients. Collaboration encourages professional growth and student success. We would also like to honor teams of staff members who collectively worked on a positive project or had a fantastic outcome on something important to our students.
HOW:
Any Anna ISD employee, parent, or community member may nominate AISD staff members who have gone above and beyond their specific job duties by filling out this form. From your nominations, a recognition committee will select the recipients for a Coyote Salute and the groups for a Collaborative Coyote Salute.
WHEN:
You may nominate staff anytime you see someone or a group that goes above and beyond their regular job duties. Staff members who have been selected for a Coyote Salute or Collaborative Coyote Salute will be notified by the Administration and recognized at an upcoming board meeting.
