Santa’s Workshop! Every year, the Floresville High School Student Council hosts “Santa’s Workshop” for FISD employees. The students volunteer to give moms and dads time to do some Christmas shopping or just have an evening to themselves. Games, crafts, story time and a visit from Santa are always enjoyed by the younger students and the older ones, too. There’s never a lack of smiling at Santa’s Workshop! We are proud that these FHS students are caring role models for our little ones.

One good thing about returning from the holiday season is the opportunity to share with our community the selflessness of our FISD staff and students, as they worked hard and long to ensure those in our community who were need, would have a Happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas.  Their generosity never ceases to amaze me.  Generosity not only benefits those on the receiving end, it also benefits the person who is dishing it out. By actually slowing down during the holiday season and focusing on the needs of others, we are often doing ourselves a real service by engaging in the one activity that will dramatically improve the

quality of our own lives.  Dennis Prager said, “Goodness is about character - integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage, and the like. More than anything else, it is about how we treat other people.”  When I read this quote, I thought about one of FISD’s Core Beliefs, “We believe that helping one another strengthens our community”. After reading the latest edition of our FISD Update – Great Things, you will understand why I am so very proud of all that our FISD students and staff are doing to make our community strong by giving life to that core belief.

z Modeling Core Beliefs z FROM DR. BAYS

P R E P A R I N G Y O U F O R A P R O S P E R O U S L I F E

GREAT thingsJ A N U A R Y 2 0 1 7

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Helping One Another...Giving

Both FSE and FNE students and staff spent the entire holiday season giving in order to support local families. Because of the generosity of staff, parents and students, those in our community who are less fortunate have more to eat, warm clothes to wear and gifts under the tree. FSE and FNE teachers contributed gifts for their campuses’ angel trees to make Christmas special for their own students who are less fortunate. Operation Warm Drive at FNE and The Giving Tree at FSE were opportunities for students to give jackets, hats, scarves and mittens for children in our district. FSE staff and students also gave toys to be donated to Child Protective Services.

FSE and FNE Students and Staff Making A Difference“As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way.” -Mary Anne Radmacher

Once again, FISD campuses collected more non-perishable food items than ever before! South Elementary, North Elementary, FMS, FHS ROTC and FHS Student Council made sure FISD families had food for the holidays by collecting thousands of canned goods and non-perishable food items to donate to FISD Social Services. Thank you to students and parents for donating so that families had good meals as they celebrated the holidays.

FISD STUDENTS PUT FOOD ON TABLES

Helping One Another…GivingThe FHS Football, Baseball and Girls Basketball teams all adopted families that needed a little help making Christmas special. Some of the children opened gifts with the teams, others took them home to open on Christmas day. Students and coaches shopped and wrapped presents for the whole family. The families’ gratitude was overwhelming and the smiles of our students and coaches tell the best part of the story.

FHS TEAMS ADOPT FAMILIES FOR CHRISTMAS

Helping One Another...GivingConnally Memorial HospitalDollar GeneralEl Mesias United Methodist ChurchFirst Baptist ChurchFloresville Blue Santa ProgramFloresville Food Pantry & Resource CenterFloresville Lion’s ClubFloresville Lutheran Church

Floresville United Methodist ChurchHEBLadies of the LakeMiracles do HappenSalvation ArmySan Antonio River AuthoritySt. Vincent DePaulWalmartWilson Area Housing Foundation

Thank you to the following churches, community groups and businesses who donated to FISD families. We are so grateful for your generosity.

\ The Floresville Middle School National Junior Honor Society held a book drive this year because they know the importance of readings and don’t want any child to be without books. Thank you NJHS for providing so many books to students who may not be able to buy their own.

FMS NJHS BOOK DRIVE FMS BAND DONATION\ The Floresville Middle School Band collected toiletries for FISD Social Services. During the holidays, it is easy to forget that there are families who still need the basics. Thank you to the FMS band members who are helping families in our district.

Helping One Another...GivingTOYS, TOYS AND MORE TOYS!

FHS BAND & LEO’SThe FHS Band joined the FHS Leo’s to provide over 620 toys to the FlSD Social Services for needy families in the district.

The FHS Theatre Department donated the proceeds from the opening night of their fall show, Dracula, to the Wilson County’s Sheriff Santa.

The FHS FFA donated toys to the Wilson County’s Sheriff Santa, which provides toys for under privileged children throughout the county.

FHS THEATRE DONATES PROCEEDS

FFA & SHERIFF SANTA

FMS NJHS ANGEL TREEThe FMS NJHS sponsored an angel tree. Students and staff could pick an angel from the tree to make someone’s Christmas brighter.

Helping One Another...Service

FMS AVID VISITS HOSPITAL This holiday season, FMS AVID students were thinking of people who might have needed a little extra cheer, and delivered gift bags for patients at Connolly Memorial Hospital.

“Nothing liberates our greatness like the desire to help, the desire to serve.”-Marianne Williamson

M A K I N G A J O Y F U L N O I S E

The FHS FFA, the FSE Choir and the FHS Jaguar Basketball Team all visited the Floresville Nursing Home to spread holiday

cheer by singing Christmas carols to the residents. Some of the residents even joined in on their favorites! The FSE Choir also delivered cards handmade by students.

Members of the FHS Cadet Chorale, Tigerettes and Sparkles Cheer Team visited the Tejeda Veterans Home to present their program, "An American Christmas".  Christmas cards, made by Floresville North Elementary School students, were given to the veterans.  Everyone, veterans and students alike, had a wonderful time celebrating the Christmas Season together.

AN AMERICAN CHRISTMAS

FSE Choir Sings for Tree LightingThe FSE Choir, under the direction of Katherine Johns, lit-up downtown Floresville with their voices at the annual tree lighting!

FHS Student Athletes Sign with Universities This fall, Floresville High School had two athletes sign to play at the collegiate level. Hannah Knight will play basketball at Sam Houston State University and Quinton Sansing will join the track team at West Texas A&M University. FISD is proud of these student athletes for their hard work and commitment in the classroom as well as on the court and field.

Accomplishment atFISDFISD IS PROUD TO HAVE STUDENTS PERFORMING AT HIGH LEVELS IN ALL AREAS. WE KNOW THAT

STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENT IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN KIDS, TEACHERS AND PARENTS. IN THIS ISSUE, WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT JUST A FEW OF OUR STUDENTS’ OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

On Sunday January 8th, the winners of the Patriot’s Pen received their awards in a ceremony at the VFW Post #8555 in Poth, Texas.  Students were required to write a 300-400 word typewritten essay with the theme “The America That I Believe In”.  The winners from Floresville Middle School were:    1st place---Mary Pierce 2nd place---Victoria Guerrero 3rd place—Kylie Wallesch

FMS Patriots Pen Winners

AFJROTC Post Colors at San Antonio Spurs GameCongratulations to the FHS ROTC for posting the Colors at the San Antonio Spurs versus the Miami Heat NBA game. Corps Commander Joshua Ibrom commanded the group.  FISD is proud of the FHS ROTC for the many ways they serve our community and the Greater San Antonio Area. They must also be good luck, since the Spurs went on to beat the Heat!

Accomplishment atFISDMTB MEMBER MAKES ALL-

STATE BAND Abraham Wood, MTB trombone player, will perform with the Texas All-State Band as part of the 2017 Texas Music Educators Association Clinic/

Convention.  He was chosen for this distinction through a competitive process where he placed 1st at both the Region and Area levels.  TMEA All-State is the highest honor a Texas music student can receive and begins with over 60,000 students vying for approximately 1,500 spots.

CYBER SECURITY TEAM QUALIFIES FOR STATE

For the first time ever, FHS has a CyberPatriot Team, and they have already qualified to go to the state Youth Cyber Defense Competition held on Friday, January 13, 2016. The competition is a tournament structured event in which teams of 2- 6 students are scored on how well they identify and secure known vulnerabilities on a virtual network. The competition is not only fun and exciting, it also creates a career path for students, fostering continued education from high school through college and into the beginning of their careers. Congratulations and good luck to Kyle, Land, Charles Zwies, Joshua Ibrom, Justin Orr and James Engleton.

FNE and FSE held their annual Local Spelling Bees on Tuesday, December 20, 2016. Students from 1st through 5th grades were eligible to compete in a classroom spelling bee to qualify for the local competition.The overall winner of the FNE Spelling Bee was, 5th grade student, Zoe Alvarez. The overall FSE Spelling Bee winner was third grader, Brock Wood. This is the first time ever that a third grader has won the Spelling Bee at FSE. Both students advance to the regional spelling bee at San Antonio College, McAllister Auditorium on February 18, 2017. Winners at the regional competition will qualify to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee near Washington, D.C. Good luck to our FISD spellers!

FNE & FSE SPELLERS

HOPE AT FMS FMS spent intentional time talking to students about hope and how to overcome hopelessness or discouragement by becoming a problem solver. Research shows that hope is an indicator of success with links to better grades, retention, and future employment. Students made a Hope Tree, a collection of ornaments with words or phrases that describe them or are important to them. Teachers also created a Hope Board displaying their own hopes.

FNE Holiday Book Fair North Elementary hosted their annual Holiday Book Fair in December. The Family Night was a big hit, with everyone enjoying Christmas shopping, reading and giving Santa their wish lists! As always, the staff and volunteers worked hard to make it a special time for the whole family!

Great Things at FISD

FSE Holiday Books and Gingerbread Houses FSE GT students were working hard this holiday season writing and illustrating their own books as well as studying about the history of gingerbread. They were happy to share their work with parents and peers prior to the Winter Break.