Coppell ISD - you matter

Tune into YouTube each week to #CatchupWithHunt as Superintendent Dr. Brad Hunt shares stories from our district. This week, you can catch Dr. Hunt at Austin Elementary, where he speaks with Austin students 4th grader Natalie Brassfield and 5th grader Jack Hsiao, who introduced the school’s character trait of kindness with CHS Junior Aiden Song, who is the Junior Student Council Representative. Austin Elementary Counselor Joanna McFarling and CHS English teacher and Student Council Sponsor Ben Stroud are also featured in this video. https://youtu.be/dO0HKEGG0Pc

Fifteen CISD student-athletes participated in Signing Day on Feb. 7, signing letters of intent to participate in their sports at the collegiate level. These young men and women have devoted countless hours to training and perfecting their craft to be among only seven percent of high school athletes in the country who advance to athletics at the college level. The CISD student-athletes who participated in Signing Day on Feb. 7 are: Mo Abbasher, who signed to play football at Angelo State University; Jaden Adkins, who signed to play football at UT Rio Grande Valley; David Baker, who signed to play football at UT Permian Basin; Braden Beene, who signed to play baseball at Dodge City Community College; Zach Cody, who signed to play football at Coastal Carolina University; Jake Garcia, who signed to play baseball at Concordia University Texas; Samuel Young-Hyun Jun, who signed to play soccer at the University of Gloucestershire; Arhan Lapsiwala, who signed to play basketball at the University of Chicago; Varun Ravilla, who signed to play football at MIT; Michael Russell, who signed to play baseball at Wichita State University; Jon Rawles Thompson, who signed to play football at Austin College; Baron Tipton, who signed to play football at the University of North Texas; Ben Welch, who signed to play baseball at Chattanooga State Community College; Ella Spiller, who signed to play soccer at Lubbock Christian University; and Madison Sadler who signed to play softball at the University of the Ozarks.

A total of 70 CISD students in the Health Occupations Students of America or HOSA qualified for state after competing in the district competition in Frisco on Jan. 19-20. HOSA chapters at CHS9 and CHS are student health Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) that students can choose to participate in as part of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Health Sciences Program of Study. Click here for a complete list of HOSA students who qualified for state. HOSA Advisers are: CHS: Bill Borowski and Rachel Chesney CHS9: Amber Fragosa Deck

The CHS Academic Decathlon Team recently placed 4th in the Region IX competition held in Irving and qualified for the State Championships to be held Feb. 23-25 in San Antonio. The Academic Decathlon Coaches are Head Coach Tim Dixon and Coaches Susan Sheppard and Kathleen Kamphaus. Among the highlights are the “Overall” placers, which includes all 10 Events: Honors 2nd Place: Team Captain Ishaan Kashyap Honors 5th Place: Vasudev Mitra Varsity 5th Place: Raihaan Girish Individual subject awards are: Essay Honors 2nd Place tied: Vasudev Mitra and Ishaan Kashyap Honors 3rd Place: Sai Kasiraman Speech Honors 3rd Place: Sai Kasiraman Interview Varsity 3rd Place: Raihaan Girish Literature Varsity 2nd Place: Raihaan Girish Varsity 3rd Place: Shashank Mallissery Art Honors 1st Place: Ishaan Kashyap Math Honors 1st Place with a perfect score of 1000: Ishaan Kashyap Music Honors 2nd Place: Ishaan Kashyap Economics Honors 1st Place: Ishaan Kashyap Honors 3rd Place: Vasudev Mitra Social Studies Honors 1st Place: Ishaan Kashyap

Felicidades to CISD’s Spanish Spelling Bee winners. In addition to the 4th-5th grade Spanish Spelling Bee, this year for the first time, CISD also hosted a 3rd grade Spanish Spelling Bee and a Middle School Spelling Bee at CMS North. Congratulations to the following winners: 3rd Grade Winner: Elizabeth Castillo Pérez (Wilson Elementary) Runner-up: Allison Lemus (Denton Creek Elementary) The 3rd grade Spanish Spelling Bee went eight rounds with the winning word being "naranja." 4th-5th Grade Winner: Micaela Ramos-Cho (Wilson) Runner-Up: Caleb Lawson (Wilson) The 4th-5th grade Spanish Spelling Bee went four rounds with the winning word being "incapacitación.” CMS North Winner: Karis Wilkins (6th Grade) Runner-Up: Alexa Renata Romero Tapia (8th Grade) The CMS North Spanish Spelling Bee went 12 rounds and winning word was "titán." All Spanish Spelling Bee winners will advance to the Regional Finals at the Region 10 Educational Support Center on March 20. The winner of that competition advances to the National Spanish Spelling Bee this summer. The CISD Spanish Spelling Bee was held on Jan. 30 at the CISD Administration Building. Judges were: Michael Egan (CHS Spanish/French teacher) Reina Conger (CHS9 Spanish teacher) Dr. Anita De la Isla (CISD Director of Literacy) Jennifer Granadillo (Director, Spanish Schoolhouse Coppell) The Pronouncer was Bilingual/DLI Instructional Coach Ana Vizcaya -Vazquez.

This year, National School Counseling Week (#NCSW24) is celebrated Feb. 5-9. Presented by the American School Counselors Association, NCSW highlights school counselors' tremendous impact in helping students achieve school success and plan for the future. Thank you to CISD school counselors: Coordinator for Counseling and Social Emotional Learning Anne Lehew, Support Counselors Tanya Berent, Amanda Espinosa and Kelly Spears; Elementary School Counselors Joanna McFarling at Austin, Kim Stegall at Canyon Ranch, Sarah Christian at Cottonwood Creek, Jennifer Bordelon at Denton Creek, Lauren Morgan at Lakeside, Angela Garvin at Lee, Megan Hay at Mockingbird, Kathy Kirkley at Pinkerton, Kelly Matlock at Town Center, Janet Nelson at Valley Ranch, Kaylyn Hickey at Wilson, and Jessica Lightfoot supporting Canyon Ranch and Lee; Middle School Counselors Pam Erickson and Mindy Lindquist at CMS East, Kinsey McConnell and Jennifer Parker at CMS North, and Jaime Duncan and Stephanie Julian at CMS West; and High School Counselors Amy Blasingame and Katie Walker at CHS9, Cheryl Abreu, Ann Cinelli, Heather Crumpton, Michael Kennington, Laura McMillin, Lindsey Oh and Keith Tremethick at Coppell High School, Mimi Robb at New Tech High @ Coppell, and LaQueena Garcia at Victory Place.

Tune into YouTube each week to #CatchupWithHunt as Superintendent Dr. Brad Hunt shares stories from our district. This week, you can catch up with Dr. Hunt and the CISD Board of Trustees for Board Appreciation Month. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGxcpNKXU38

Today (Feb 1) the University Interscholastic League (UIL) announced the new district alignment for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 seasons. Most Coppell High School athletics and fine arts will participate and compete in District 5 at the Conference 6A level. Joining Coppell ISD in this conference are Guyer, Braswell, Little Elm, Lewisville High, Lewisville Flower Mound, Lewisville Hebron and Lewisville Marcus high schools.

Thank you CISD families for prioritizing a commitment to student attendance.Regular attendance allows for students to be involved in lessons, develop relationships with their peers, and make the most of their education. It also gives teachers the opportunity to assess each student and to effectively plan ahead.

A total of 275 DECA students from CHS9, CHS and New Tech High @ Coppell have qualified for state after achievements at the District 11 competition held at the Irving Convention Center on Jan. 17. Additionally, CHS Junior Yashitha Chunduru was elected District 11 DECA President for 2024-2025 and CHS Junior Navya Singh was elected District 11 DECA Vice-President for 2024-2025. This is the second year in a row CHS DECA has held the district president and district vice-president positions for District 11. The state competition will take place from Feb. 15-17 in Houston. For the list of state qualifiers, visit go.coppellisd.com/DECADistrict24. DECA Advisers are: CHS: Richard Chamberlain and Andrea Pirtle CHS9: David Janeski New Tech: Aviel Porzio DECA chapters at CHS9, CHS and New Tech High @ Coppell are student business Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) that students can choose to participate in as part of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Business, Marketing and Finance Programs of Study.

Trustee Jobby Mathew became a member of the school Board in 2022. Before joining the Board, he was an active volunteer for CISD, serving as the Co-President of the Education Foundation and on several district committees. He has two primary motivators to serve on the School Board. Firstly, he saw how hard his wife worked as a teacher for 20 years, and it made him want to be part of making public education better. Secondly, because he’s helped out a lot in our school district and has a background in law, he wanted to serve to help our school district grow and continue to provide an excellent education to all students. You can find Trustee Mathew reading to students in schools, volunteering at events and supporting CISD in the community whenever and wherever he can. #CISDMissionPossible

Coppell High School's student newspaper, The Sidekick, and its digital platform coppellstudentmedia.com have been chosen as a finalist in the Columbia Scholastic Press Association's (CSPA) 2023 Crown Awards. Recognized specifically in the High School Hybrid News Category, The Sidekick/coppellstudentmedia.com has exhibited exceptional performance, marking it among the top contenders for overall excellence in student print or digital media. As a finalist, The Sidekick/coppellstudentmedia.com will find out if it has won a Silver or Gold Crown Award at the CSPA 100th Annual Spring Convention on March 15 on the prestigious Columbia University campus in New York City. The Sidekick/coppellstudentmedia.com is among 213 finalists from 672 entries submitted from across the country and around the world. Websites, newspapers, magazines, and yearbooks that were published during the 2022–2023 academic year were eligible for judging in the 2023 Crown Awards program. Crown entries were judged by scholastic and professional media experts. Under the leadership of adviser Chase Wofford, this accolade underscores the dedication and outstanding journalistic capabilities of CHS student journalists, solidifying their standing in the realm of scholastic journalism. The Sidekick/coppellstudentmedia.com is part of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Communications Program of Study.

Trustee Ranna Raval was elected to the School Board in 2023. Her daughter attend high school in CISD. She has served on the Coppell ISD Education Foundation Board and several district committees and also has a background in teaching and has a master’s degree in educational leadership. Because of her background, she offers a wealth of knowledge about schools and helping kids and families, which helps her understand how things work in education. She says Coppell ISD is like a big family and her second home. It's a special honor for her to serve the school board and give back to our community. She really likes CISD because the teachers work hard to teach students in cool ways and everyone — including students, teachers and families — all work together like a big team. #CISDMissionPossible

Trustee Manish Sethi has served on the School Board since 2018. He has two children, who graduated from Coppell High School. He is very smart, having run software and real estate companies, and he learned important things about civil engineering and business in his own education. This knowledge helps him solve problems and use his expertise to help make CISD better. A fantastic school board member is someone who knows a lot, stays focused and supports all students and teachers. Trustee Sethi does this and more, always working to make smart decisions to improve our district. He also is committed to being a voice for CISD in the community, helping with community engagement. #CISDMissionPossible

This week at Richard J. Lee Elementary, students and staff eagerly embraced the spirit of compassion during the Great Kindness Challenge from Jan. 22 to Jan. 26. As a proud participant in this nationwide initiative, Lee Elementary, recognized as a national Kindness Certified School, dedicated itself to fostering a culture of empathy and goodwill. With a parade, dress up days and acts of kindness, the Great Kindness Challenge not only brought smiles to the faces of the Lee Elementary community but also reinforced the school's commitment to instilling values of kindness and empathy in its students. #CISDMissionPossible

Tune into YouTube each week to #CatchupWithHunt as Superintendent Dr. Brad Hunt shares stories from our district. This week, you can catch up with Dr. Hunt as he engages with CHS, CHS9 and New Tech High @ Coppell cast members. See him speak with Chloe Kryzak, senior at CHS (Roz); Lily Hess, senior at New Tech (Violet); Olivia Willey, senior at CHS (Doralee); and J McGill, junior at CHS (Franklin Hart, Jr.). Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 has its final performances on Jan. 26-28 at the CHS Auditorium. Purchase tickets at http://chstb.booktix.net. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MELCXwjSBt8

Trustee Leigh Walker has served on the CISD Board since 2016. She is a proud Coppell ISD alumna, having attended Pinkerton Elementary and graduating from Coppell High School in 1991. Two of her children also graduated from CHS, and her youngest son is currently a middle school student. She is a proud product of Coppell ISD schools and a former educator, so education is both her passion and past profession. She is a former member of the high school drill team who is now “kicking it” as a Board member. Trustee Walker is also one of Coppell ISD’s biggest cheerleaders. One of her priorities is improving the student experience. She showcases her dedication to students by serving as one of the facilitators for the CISD student iLead program. This program for CISD juniors helps these students learn leadership skills that will serve them in their academic and professional careers. Trustee Walker dedicates even more of her time to ensuring that the student iLeaders have a great experience as they learn and grow together. #CISDMissionPossible

Secretary Trustee Nichole Bentley has served on the CISD School Board since 2018. Her four children had a wide array of experiences, activities, and interests as students in CISD. She is dedicated to serving all students and providing support and resources to meet them where they are in their educational journey. Her goals are to provide opportunities for all students to forge strong relationships that nurture their exploration of their passions – whether they are college-bound or have other post-graduate plans. She believes it is essential that our students develop tenacity, resourcefulness, and character. She wants students to feel safe, challenged, and ready for life after graduation within an environment where each student experiences a year's-worth of learning and growth every school year. She also is a strong advocate for Coppell ISD and public education with our state elected officials. #CISDMissionPossible

Congratulations to CMS West 6th Grader Jinisha Rangala and her art teacher Catherine Schaefer for Rangala’s design winning the Texas Art Education Association’s Youth Art Month State Flag Design Contest for the Middle School Level. As a result of her win, Rangala’s flag will be on display throughout March at the Bob Bullock Museum in Austin. #CISDMissionPossible

Vice President Trustee Hill has served on the School Board since 2007 and is the longest-serving member on the school board. His son graduated from New Tech High at Coppell. Dubbed “Every-where-man,” Trustee Hill is known for his attendance at school events, showing up for open houses, curriculum nights, athletic events, fine arts events, performances, exhibits and more to show his support for our students and teachers. Trustee Hill serves on the School Board because he strongly believes in the talent and potential for growth of CISD students. He is also influenced by the strong support from our district’s parents and community members for public education. Trustee Hill is impressed by the dedication and quality of the district staff, including teachers, administrators, the superintendent and support staff. Trustee Hill is also motivated by the challenges in public education, seeing these as great opportunities to find creative solutions for student success and staff development. #CISDMissionPossible