The year has been quite the adventure so far and it's only October! We are so impressed with the way districts have handled all the adversity thrown at them this year.

The one thing we have observed this year is that parents are ready to come back to campus. Every event the schools have held has brought in the crowds. Signups are filled faster than chairs can put them out. They are ready for a little bit of normalcy and are just happy to see their kids in action again.

RootEd is excited to be back to our normal as well. We've started putting on workdays again and Reps have had tables at events. Our Future Football Games were a hit and we've been to Austin to work on getting people in education to vote.

We do have a few asks this year:

1. Please ask parents to use your school's RootEd hashtag. It allows for parents who are shopping to use the hashtag in social media search options to see all the great stories about your school. (see example under RootEd Updates)

2. If your school does not have a Rep, think about finding a parent who would be great at this volunteer position or a staff member that's a huge cheerleader for your school.

3. We'd love for schools to have a simple Fall Open House to promote their school. In the Fall, there are a lot of competitor schools who have open applications and this gives parents an option to look at your school while they are searching.

Thank you all for your support through the years. Whether you are a Rep, a parent, a principal or a member of the community, we are so grateful that you have joined us on this adventure with RootEd.

This year we were able to put on Future Football Games for Churchill, MacArthur and Reagan!! We filled the stands with excited students from feeder elementary and middle schools. It was so special to see the Northwood Elem students singing the National Anthem, the MAC PALS painting spirit art on kids faces, the Jackson middle school football players helping with the coin toss, Bradley middle school band students performing with the Churchill Band and hundreds and hundreds of kids cheering on their future high school!

Many of our RootEd schools put together a Walk/Bike to school day event this month to celebrate our neighborhood schools. The kids and parents loved being with their community and the bike racks were full of bikes! Great job to our Reps who put on events at their schools!

November 2nd is the Texas Constitutional Amendment Election. All Texas voters will weigh in on 8 constitutional amendments. Voters will also decide on many local issues and candidates. Find out what is on your ballot and get other important voting information at Vote411.org. Turnout is often very low in these elections which gives people who show up to vote a lot of power. As the late civil rights activist Congressman John Lewis said, “the vote is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have.” Go use your power at the ballot box!

To Do:

1. Check what will be on your ballot at https://www.vote411.org/.

2. Get on out there and vote!

3. Snap a photo of yourself with your “I Voted” sticker and post it proudly on social media to celebrate democracy. (Tag @TxEdVote)

4. Tag your friends and family members to encourage them to vote.

5. Pat yourself on the back for modeling civic engagement for kids!

In 1971, Hobby Middle School opened its doors to students and families, ushering the first class of Hawks into what would become fifty years of lifetime learners. The sounds of decades past can be heard throughout the hallways where former Hawk students now find themselves as Hawk parents and grandparents.

The current student body celebrated this milestone achievement with lunch parties complete with purple power wristband give-aways, a lollipop cake, photo booth, and music representing the decades! They also raised money for the school with a friendly grade level competition on who could fill the change jar first! Associate Principal Greg Dylla graciously dressed up for the occasion and provided recess to the winning grade level. Students and staff went all out dressing up for two Throwback Thursdays leading up to the big event.

The 50th anniversary celebration was emceed by 7th grade students Dylan De Los Santos and Reed Baldwin. Reed is carrying the tradition of being a Hobby Hawk by following in his mom and aunts’ footsteps. Principal Lawrence Carranco and Superintendent Brian T. Woods reflected on the legacy of Hobby Middle School in their remarks. Many former students and teachers attended the event embodying the mantra that “Once a Hawk, Always a Hawk.” NISD Board Trustee and Hobby Alumni Dr. Carol Harle reflected on her father’s speech at the 25th anniversary during her remarks. Diana Ely, NISD Executive Director of Teaching and Learning and Hobby Alumni, shared interesting historical facts with the audience. Mathew Countryman expressed how NISD is “in his blood” with his parents, grandfather, wife, and sister all serving as educators, board member, and/or graduates. Throughout the evening, students showcased their talents through art displays and dance, band, and orchestra performances. Coach Rachel Countryman, current teacher and Hobby Alumni, coordinated the celebration highlighting what it means to be a Hobby Family.

Great job to our Hobby Reps to market such a wonderfully RootEd event! #RootEdHobby

Ready to dive into some podcasts that either may get you fired up about public education? Or want to be in the know about our legislative priorities and what's going on in public education in Texas?

Check us out. Click on the graphic below for links.

We are so grateful for our Reps. This month's spotlight is on Jennifer Korzekwa who is the RootEd Rep at Wetmore Elementary in NEISD. She is a staff member who took on this role this year for Wetmore. She's already put on a fabulous National Walk to School Day event and is busy sharing Wetmore's story on Twitter!

"I am honored to be this year’s RootED representative for Wetmore Elementary. It provides me with the opportunity to promote our wonderful Wetmore! Being a representative also allows me to collaborate with reps from other campuses across the entire city and establish relationships within our community. I have been able to organize our first Annual National Walk and Bike to School Day as one of our first RootED events. We had an incredible amount of participants and support from NEISD and city officials. Because of public education, the students in our neighborhood were able to walk with their family and school community safely to school. It was so much fun to walk as a Ranger family. This is one of the many perks to public education! I feel fortunate to represent Wetmore from both a parent and teacher role. I am passionate about public education, which is why I serve the community in this capacity. I am also proud to send my son to a public school. The amount of support and resources we receive from the district, campus, and community are awe-inspiring. It is truly a family environment at Wetmore. I am grateful for the opportunity to promote public education as part of the Wetmore Ranger family!"

RootEd is a parent-led, grassroots organization that promotes neighborhood public schools through storytelling, advocacy, and education. We believe a strong public school system for all children creates a robust economy and well-connected community. RootEd is a 501(c)3 non profit organization.

For past newsletters: https://www.smore.com/u/rooted

Email: info@proudlyrooted.com
Website: www.proudlyrooted.com
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Phone: (210) 617-0824
Facebook: facebook.com/RootEdTexas
Twitter: @RootEdSA