Coppell ISD

Valley Ranch Elementary School has been chosen as a 2024 American Student Council Association (ASCA) Student Council School of Excellence by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). This prestigious recognition underscores the pivotal role student councils play in shaping young leaders beyond the confines of the classroom. By providing a platform for students to cultivate leadership skills and engage in community service, Valley Ranch Elementary exemplifies excellence in fostering citizenship and school spirit. The NAESP and ASCA applaud the school's unwavering dedication to nurturing the next generation of leaders. The Valley Ranch Elementary Student Council is led by school counselor Janet Nelson.

CHS Senior Aidan McFarlane finished 3rd in the 110m Hurdles at the State Meet held at UT Austin last weekend. He is headed to Stanford for track and field in the fall. Junior Matthew Maldima finished 6th in the state in the 100m dash. The 4x100m Relay, consisting of Ayrion Sneed, Harry Hassmann, Rodney Ates and Matthew Maldima finished 9th in state.

The Coppell High School Girls Golf Team is among the top in the state — par none — as the team placed 3rd in the 6A State Golf Tournament held earlier this week. Congratulations to Coach Gary Beyer, Coach Terry Galbraith and the team. Players Alicia Bellendir and Nethra Sheri both earn first-team all-state honors. Riya Bapna, Isabella Nguyen and Sabrina Tam also had a great day on the course. Congratulations to our Cowgirls!

The MUN-umental New Tech Model UN delegation, with facilitator advisor, Danae Boyd, competed at the YMCA TXMUN State Conference in late April. Several New Tech learners won awards, including Best Clerk Maanas Rastogi; Best Delegates Sarvin Narang, Samarth Srinivas, and Kaitlyn Phillip. Honorable Delegates Liam Lander and Isabella De Moraes; and Exemplary Character award winners Sanya Pillai and Sachman Oberoi. The following students served as chairs and clerks: Gabe Baquero, Khushee Vora, Vishwas Vijayan, Anisha Satish, Antan Venish, Maanas Rastogi and Saarah Ahmed. Samarth Srinivas swept the popular vote in his election for Undersecretary of Media, securing that position with the North Texas Model UN for the 2024-2025 year.

Tune into YouTube each week to #CatchupWithHunt as Superintendent Dr. Brad Hunt shares stories from our district. This week, you can catch Dr. Hunt as joins Wilson principal Cooper Hilton as they celebrate music teacher Eric Hanson for being announced as a Country Music Association Foundation Music Teacher of Excellence on May 7. https://youtu.be/yU4VVGT4okI

When students are absent — regardless of the reason — they miss out on the instruction and practice that keeps their learning on track. This puts them at a disadvantage compared to their peers and could become a problem during progress monitoring and assessment, causing them to fall behind academically.

Congratulations to Coppell Debate for an outstanding trip to the Tournament of Champions in late April. The Tournament of Champions is the most intensely competitive speech and debate event of the year attracting public and private programs from across the nation and the world. This year, CHS fielded 22 competitors, the most qualifiers in program history. No entry earned a losing record across the three days of competition. In World Schools Debate, we advanced a team to the Semifinals — winning 3rd place in the nation. Congratulations to Debate Coach SunHee Simon and her students Anjana Boppana, Anushree De, Ananya Nair, Om Patel and Effie Shen for this success.

Celebrity chef and local restauranteur Chef Tiffany Derry visited CHS students to discuss what it takes to succeed in business and life. She inspired students to defy limitations and challenged them to make specific plans to achieve success. “You’ve got to believe in yourself because if you don’t, how are you expecting others to believe?" Derry said. "It has to start with you. You make the plan." Derry went on to discuss the character traits and skills she looks for her employees. She said that she visited CHS because she believes in the importance of mentorship and sparking passion in young adults. Derry made time despite her busy schedule while opening her newest restaurant, Radici, in Farmer's Branch and traveling around the world. Her visit was inspired by Black History Month activities led by the special programs group at CHS, which is led by Librarian Alicia Grijalva, Econimics Teacher Dani Roseberry and Debate Teacher and Coach Sunhee Simon. Read the full story from The Sidekick Staff Writer Katie Park at go.coppellisd.com/ChefDerry. Photo by The Sidekick Staff Writer and CHS sophomore Sanghika Pallela. Story by Sidekick Staff Writer and CHS sophomore Katie Park. Courtesy of the CHS Sidekick Student newspaper.

The Community is invited to the Coppell Chamber of Commerce’s State of the Education Event from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 14 at the Coppell Arts Center. This year's State of Education Update, presented by the City of Coppell is free for all to attend. Coffee and pastries will be served. While the event is free to attend, ​RSVPs are requested for planning purposes. Please RSVP at business.coppellchamber.org/events/register/22063. During the event, CISD Superintendent Dr. Brad Hunt and Dallas College North Lake and Dallas College Brookhaven President Dr. Christa Slejko will review the achievements of the past year and provide updates on future goals and initiatives. There will also be performances by CISD choir, dancers and cheerleaders, as well as an art exhibit by Dallas College North Lake students.

We are thrilled to announce that Coppell ISD’s own Eric Hanson has been named one of the Country Music Association's Teachers of Excellence. Mr. Hanson, who teaches music at Wilson Elementary, has been selected as one of just 30 outstanding music teachers from across the nation to receive this prestigious honor. The announcement came as a heartwarming surprise this morning at Wilson Elementary, where country music superstar Luke Bryan shared the news with Mr. Hanson and the school community. Check out the heartwarming moment in this video [insert link.] Mr. Hanson’s dedication to his students and passion for music education truly makes him a superstar in our eyes. We're so proud of you, Mr. Hanson Keep shining bright and inspiring the next generation of musicians! #CISDMissionPossible https://youtu.be/tGoHMvTsnyM

Please join CISD Intervention Services staff for the final Coffee & Connections of the semester at Andrew Brown East Grand Pavilion (260 Parkway Blvd, Coppell, TX 75019) on Wednesday, May 8 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. We will have coffee and treats, and you will have the opportunity to chat with intervention staff and other families. Please feel free to reach out to Sree Gunturu, CISD Community Liaison for Intervention Services, by phone at 214-496-6898 or email sgunturu@coppellisd.com if you have any questions or need accommodations.

Kinder Roundup was a huge success! Thanks to everyone who came out.

🌟 Don't miss out! Join us on YouTube every week to #CatchupWithHunt Superintendent Dr. Brad Hunt is bringing you all the latest district stories straight to your screen. 🎉 This week, tune in as Dr. Hunt celebrates National School Lunch Hero Day at Canyon Ranch Elementary with CISD Culinary Trainer, Chef Anthony Brasberger. 🍎 Let's show some love to our lunch heroes! 💪 #NationalSchoolLunchHeroDay #CISD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzwK8hYwBBs

When student attendance increases, more state funding is allocated to support programs in the district that can improve student performance and engagement. Higher attendance rates can help districts secure additional funding from the federal government and other sources. Help us reach our 97% goal!

A total of 42 high school Technology Student Association students have qualified for the national competition with 32 from CHS and 10 from CHS9. TSA National Leadership Conference will take place Orlando, Florida in late June. Congratulations to the qualifying students.

Kindergarten Round-Up is on May 2 at all Elementary Campuses. Most campuses will begin at 5:30 p.m. We cannot wait to welcome the Class of 2037 to CISD!

Join The Defensive Line and CISD clubs and organizations for a night of fun-filled ways to improve your mental health from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 2 at Coppell High School. CHS alumnus Solomon Thomas has shared an invitation for the community to attend. The evening will feature demonstrations, guest speakers, and a variety of booths to promote healthy lifestyles. All ages are welcome.

The Spring 2024 issue of CISD’s Our Story magazine is now available. This issue features stories on academic excellence, a Strategic Planning update, a feature on Valley Ranch Elementary volunteer Doris Patrick written by CHS senior Sameeha Syed, a story on Multi-Tiered Systems of Support or MTSS and more. Visit www.coppellisd.com/o/cisd/page/spring-2024-magazine for the electronic version of the magazine. CISD thanks our advertising partners for their support, which fully funds the magazine.

🎉 Don't miss out! Tune into YouTube each week to #CatchupWithHunt as Superintendent Dr. Brad Hunt brings you the latest stories from our district. 📚 This week, join Dr. Hunt as he chats with Richard J. Lee Elementary Principal Chantel Kastrounis and STEAM teacher Priscilla Shaner. 🎈 They'll be sharing all the excitement from the school's epic Birthday Bash celebrating 10 years of FamiLEE on April 18. 🎂 #LeeLegacy #CommunityCelebration #EducationMatters https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO6Vr7RRnXY

If every student missed two fewer days of school, CISD could receive an additional 1.3 Million dollars to cover costs related to teacher salaries, classroom materials, support staff, enrichment activities and other necessary items. Attendance Matters. . . You Matter!