Dear Hillsboro ISD Families and Staff,

It's hard to believe November is already here. I am proud to say our students and staff have attained some remarkable achievements in the first three months of this school year.

I want to start by acknowledging students with perfect attendance, as it plays a vital role in their academic success. It’s inspiring to see our community come together to emphasize the importance of being present and engaged in learning.

Our Career and Technical Education (CTE) program is flourishing, thanks to partnerships with local businesses that provide invaluable hands-on experiences for our students. Be sure to check out our #CTEBusinessSpotlight series on social media to learn more about these impactful collaborations.

Additionally, our recent celebrations for National Hispanic Heritage Month were a wonderful way to honor the diversity within our community and enrich our student's educational experiences.

Finally, I’m excited to announce that Hillsboro Junior High School has received a new banner and flag to proudly showcase its National Blue Ribbon Award from the U.S. Department of Education. Make sure to stop by the campus to see these new additions.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our students and schools.

Sincerely,

Darrell G. Brown, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools

November 8th

• Student Holiday and Staff Development Day
• National STEM/STEAM Day

November 9th

• Hall of Fame Ceremony
• Senior Citizens Thanksgiving Luncheon
• AgExtravaganza

November 11th

• Veterans Day
• HISD Board of Trustees Meeting

November 12th

• HES - Turkey Bingo

November 15th

• Student & Staff Holiday

November 22nd

• Student Holiday & Staff Comp Day
• Substitute Professionals Day

November 25th - November 29th

• Thanksgiving Break

Hillsboro Junior High is proudly showcasing its National Blue Ribbon Award from the U.S. Department of Education. Stop by the campus to see the banner hanging above the entrance as well as a new flag! Campus educators celebrated last week with a group picture in front of the newly added banner and a coffee treat from Travelin' Tom's Coffee Truck.

Principal Patrick Harvell, Principal Jo Hayes, and Angela Boyd, Executive Director of Curriculum & Instruction, are traveling to Washington D.C. this week to attend the U.S. Department of Education's National Blue Ribbon Award ceremony. They will be attending along with representatives from the 356 campuses also awarded. We wish them safe travels.

Students at HES with perfect attendance during the first 6 weeks of the 2024-2025 school year recently celebrated with a bubble dance party.

Hillsboro Junior High is celebrating students with perfect attendance each month. All students with perfect attendance for the month are put into a drawing to win a prize. One 7th grader and one 8th grader are selected. Congratulations to the August and September winners.

This school year you'll hear the district and campuses put an emphasis on attendance. Why? Because attendance is one of the top influences on student's academic success. Studies and research show students who are present, and on time at school have a higher chance of understanding concepts, passing tests, and graduating. Plus, we LOVE it when our students are present!

Resources on the importance of attendance:

• National Center for Education Statistics
• Attendance Works
• Education Week

Please contact your student's campus with any questions regarding attendance.

Hillsboro ISD is proud to have dozens of industry partners helping our Career and Technical Education (CTE) Pathway students advance their learning with hands-on experience. We are incredibly fortunate to have a wide array of businesses willing to mentor our students including veterinarians, florists, auto mechanics, and more. They are helping to shape our students into talented workforce employees who can positively impact our entire community. This collaboration aligns with the district's 3rd goal of broadening and strengthening the school district as a community builder and increasing involvement and support of programs through school-community relationships.

The CTE program at Hillsboro ISD has the following programs of study:

• Animal Science
• Applied Agricultural Engineering
• Plant Science
• Digital Communications
• Graphic Design & Multimedia Arts
• Carpentry
• Business Management
• Teaching and Training
• Culinary Arts
• Health & Wellness
• Healthcare Therapeutic

Please click here to learn more about our CTE Programs of Study on our website.

How The Partnership Works

Students in their practicum class, the last class of their pathway, are matched with a business aligned with their program of study. The student is transported from the campus each day or multiple times a week to a business for hands-on experience aligned with their CTE Pathway. Each day brings new learning opportunities that prepare students for their future careers.

To highlight the outstanding businesses supporting our students we have introduced a new weekly series on the district's Facebook and Instagram called #CTEBusinessSpotlight. Each week we showcase a local business partnering with Hillsboro High School's Career & Technical Education Program.

Businesses Spotlighted this Month

In October we had the privilege of highlighting four amazing businesses:

• Overflow Coffee Co

The local coffee shop hosts three of our students in the Culinary Arts Pathway. These students make coffees, bake pastries, and practice their customer service skills. Be sure to say hi next time you stop by.

• Young's Animal Hospital

This veterinarian's office is mentoring three students in the Animal Science CTE Pathway. During the students' weekly visits, they gain hands-on experience working with a variety of animals including dogs, cats, farm animals, reptiles, and more.

• City of Hillsboro

Our city's own business office opens its doors to one student in the Business Management CTE Pathway. This student assists with computer tasks, analyzes data, talks to customers, and observes the inner workings of a local government office.

• Fleming Lumber Company

The lumber company welcomes three students each week for hands-on experience at the company. Two students are in the Applied Agricultural Engineering Pathway and one is in the Carpentry Pathway. You can find these students stocking products, helping customers select materials, answering questions, and more.

Hillsboro High School students in culinary arts crafted a delicious tiramisu for the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner & Awards Show. It was incredible to have our student's work showcased for members of the community to see and taste!

A couple of weeks ago, Hillsboro ISD wrapped up its National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations. This year, the district highlighted a student and a staff member from each campus to share what the month means to them and how they celebrate. Visit the Hillsboro ISD Facebook page to see the inspiring spotlights!

Since our last newsletter, several additional celebrations and projects have taken place across our campuses. At Hillsboro Elementary School, students showcased their spirit by dressing in themed outfits, reading stories, and participating in related activities. At Hillsboro Intermediate School, 4th grade students presented their creative biography cereal boxes, while 6th graders conducted research on Hispanic countries and presented their findings to their classmates. Meanwhile, Spanish 1 Honors students at Hillsboro Junior High School completed detailed poster projects highlighting prominent Hispanic-American figures.

In Ms. Leon's kindergarten class at Hillsboro Elementary School, students celebrated Día de los Muertos, a Mexican tradition to honor and remember loved ones who have passed away. Students were invited to bring pictures, flowers, and drawings to place on the classroom altar.

Hillsboro Elementary and Hillsboro Intermediate Schools' Choose Love Champions of Courage recently celebrated "Petal It Forward" Day by spreading kindness throughout the community. The Champions handed out two flowers to people around town, one for the person to keep and one to "Petal It Forward" to someone else.

Hillsboro High School Cross Country runner Fabiola Prieto competed in the State Cross Country Competition on Friday, November 1st, in Round Rock. She placed 40th out of 153 runners! Congratulations to Fabiola on a fantastic season and remarkable achievement!

Hillsboro High School's Esports Teams are off to an incredible start this season! All of the following teams are on track to make the Fall playoffs or receive automatic bids to the State Championships in April 2025.

• Brawlhalla (4-0) Ranked #1
• Mario Kart (5-1) Ranked #2
• Splatoon (3-2) Ranked #5
• Chess (4-0) Ranked #5
• Rocket League 2v2 (4-0) Ranked #6
• SSBU 1v1 (3-2) Ranked #23

Did you know you can watch this team compete live? Click here to view the Esports Facebook page to see the livestreams and follow along this season.

Congratulations to Sarahi McAlister! She was recognized by her colleagues for her dedication to her students, positive attitude, and unwavering patience. We are grateful for all that you do!

Congratulations to Ann Teel! Students selected her for September's Teacher of the Month, because of her passion for reading, willingness to help all students, and positive attitude. Thank you for making a difference each day.

Congratulations to Travis Epling! He was recognized for his consistent positivity, willingness to help others, and passion for teaching fine arts to students. We are grateful for all that you do!

Congratulations to Kyle Bodeker! He was recognized for his outstanding contributions, from coordinating picture days and managing audiovisual projects to ensuring each day is filled with positivity. Your hard work and dedication are truly appreciated!

Hillsboro Elementary School staff and students made storybook magic come alive during the annual Book Character Parade! From Where's Waldo to Wednesday and Dr. Seuss, creative costumes filled the halls, bringing beloved characters to life.

Please click here to view more photos from the parade.

Hillsboro ISD's annual Senior Citizens Thanksgiving Luncheon is scheduled for Saturday, November 9th from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Hillsboro Intermediate School. Guests can dine inside or use the drive-thru in front of the school. Both options are free, with a limit of 6 meals per vehicle for drive-thru service. The district is thrilled to have the Jr. Sesame Girls volunteer at the event to help serve guests. We hope to see you there!

All Hillsboro ISD campuses have a newsletter! Check them out by selecting one of the links below.

Thursday, October 31st, 2024

The HISD Tip Line is available for students, families, staff, or community members to report concerning behaviors such as bullying, talk of or posts about suicide or self-harm, dating violence, and other dangerous, threatening behaviors.

If you see something, say something with the HISD Anonymous Tip Line.