Coppell ISD - you matter

Under the leadership of Computer Science teacher Seneca Hart, 15 computer science students from CHS9 competed alongside more than 350 9th through 12th grade students from across Texas in the 12th annual Digital Divas Hackathon, hosted at Plano West Senior High School. A standout team of Juana Arun, Naina Srithaj and Tanya Yadav took home 3rd place in the Never Competed Before Division of the all-girls hackathon, showcasing their coding skills and creativity. Other CHS9 participants included Naisha Dey, Shriya Tandon, Samara George, Aishani Dogra, Natalia Asencio Polanco, Sameeksha Karthick, Laya Prakash, Radha Ganesh, Hashini Navaneethakrish, Isha Patel, Vyshnavi Loka and Anshika Goyal, who all demonstrated impressive talent and teamwork throughout the competition.

On Feb. 6, Valley Ranch Elementary hosted its Science Showcase and STEAM Night, an event that also honored the legacy of beloved STEAM teacher Kelly Beach, who passed away unexpectedly last year. The evening featured an engaging Science Showcase in the library, hands-on STEAM stations in the gym led by CISD STEAM teachers and interactive exhibits from the Perot Museum in the cafeteria, facilitated by CHS students. This incredible evening was made possible by the dedication of fellow CISD elementary STEAM teachers, who ensured the event’s success and have provided unwavering support to VRE — cleaning out Ms. Beach’s room, organizing materials and assisting long-term substitute Victor Monreal. A special thank you to all the STEAM teachers for their hard work and to the Perot Museum, whose presence at the event was made possible by a CISD Education Foundation Grant awarded to Ms. Beach just days before her passing. This night was a true testament to Ms. Beach’s impact and the lasting legacy she leaves behind.

Under the leadership of Franci Hazleton, CMS West Theatre has taken center stage with an array of impressive accomplishments this year. At the Thespian Festival Individual Events, Aiden Fordjour, Muhsin Akkoyun and Diya Dhanesh earned a Superior Rating, qualifying for the National Competition, while 43 students received a combined 23 Excellent ratings. At JFEST, the Team Improv and Team Design groups delivered show-stopping performances, both securing first-place finishes. Several students also earned Superior ratings in Prop, Scenic and Poster Design. Adding to the accolades, Troupe 88607 was honored as an All-Star Troupe with a perfect score! In UIL One Act Play, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane placed 4th at District, with Meenakshi Murthy, Asha Daniel, Jordan Podval and Lyric Polk receiving individual honors. With a year like this, it’s clear — West Theatre is dramatically talented.

Tune into YouTube each week to #CatchupWithHunt as he shares stories from across the district. This week, you can catch Dr. Hunt at the recent student iLead event in Old Town Coppell with student iLeaders and CHS juniors Dillon Slaton and Alondra Carrillo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNBayt6WExY

Richard J. Lee Elementary School has been recognized as a "Kindness Certified School" following its participation in The Great Kindness Challenge. The school, led by Principal Chantel Kastrounis, embraced the global initiative to promote kindness, compassion, and generosity among students. The challenge saw incredible participation, and thanks to the dedication of students and staff, Lee Elementary was honored with a certificate and seal to proudly display. This recognition reflects the school’s commitment to fostering a positive and supportive learning environment. Congratulations to Lee Counselor Angela Garvin and the entire FamiLEE for making kindness a priority at Richard J. Lee Elementary.

This week, several CISD elementary schools celebrated the 100th Day of School with fun-filled activities that brought students, teachers, and staff together. Many embraced the theme by wearing costumes that made them look 100 years old, while others engaged in counting activities to highlight the importance of the number 100. This celebration not only brought plenty of laughter and creativity but also served as a reminder of CISD’s commitment to regular attendance through the "Attendance Matters" campaign. Milestones like the 100th day of school offer a chance to reflect on the value of consistent attendance and its impact on a child’s educational journey. A big thanks to our students, parents, and staff for making each day count.

Coppell ISD will be spotlighting our elementary schools and the engaged learning that takes place at each campus. This past week, 5th-grade teachers Ashley Rhodes and Claire Burgess at Austin Elementary made a direct hit with their math lessons by incorporating the game Battleship to teach the coordinate system. The game helps students practice and apply their understanding of grids, numbered rows and lettered columns, which is the current math lesson for the classes. Battleship’s gameplay mirrors the layout of the coordinate plane, making it an engaging and practical tool for students to build their skills. By plotting points to locate and target their opponent’s ships, students not only reinforced their understanding of the coordinate system but also practiced strategic thinking in a fun and interactive environment. The success of Battleship in the classroom highlights the power of creativity and innovation in education at Austin Elementary.

Coppell ISD will be spotlighting our elementary schools and the engaged learning that takes place at each campus. Town Center Elementary second graders had the exciting opportunity to meet children’s author and music therapist Isabelle Engler during a special author visit. Engler, author of "Learning Songs with Colors: Lunar New Year," a bilingual singable book in Traditional Chinese, English and Pinyin, shared her story that blends music, language, and culture. Students sang along with Engler, explored Lunar New Year traditions, and learned about the importance of love and family connections. The visit tied perfectly into their social studies curriculum, which emphasizes understanding and comparing cultural celebrations. The event was organized by TCE Second Grade teachers Ashlin Bowman, Karli Harle, Allison Pryor and School Librarian Kate Mancuso.

Tune into YouTube each week to #CatchupWithHunt as he shares stories from across the district. This week you can catch Dr. Hunt at the National Signing Day event at CHS on Feb. 5 with student-athletes Kennedy Paul, Brodie Scoggins, Jordan Clig and student athletic trainer Blake Caviness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6Mb-n2YgjY

The CHS Academic Decathlon team had a strong showing at the recent Regional Competition at Hebron High School, earning an impressive 6th place overall. The team has qualified for the State Championship to be held at University of Texas San Antonio Feb. 28-March 2 and is currently ranked 20th in Texas. A special congratulations to Raihaan Girish for placing 1st overall in the Varsity division and Harshvardhan Vinoth Kumar for placing 2nd overall in the Honors division. Team members Sai Kasiraman, Samerah Adams, Vasudev Mitra, Anvay Vyas, Tokhir Umarov, and Shaurya Shrivastava all contributed to this fantastic achievement. A big thank you to teacher adviser Tim Dixon for his dedication and support in guiding the team. Great job, CHS AcDec!

The CISD Spanish Spelling Bee for Third and Fourth/Fifth grade took place on Jan. 27. Wilson Elementary Third Grader Taylor Hubble won on round 12 with the word "paloma,” which means dove. Denton Creek Elementary Third Grader Benjamin Mino-Rodriguez, is the 1st runner-up. Wilson Elementary Fifth Grader Mariana Santos won the Fourth/Fifth grade competition in round 9 with the word "ejemplo,” which means example. Fellow Wilson fifth grader Ahaan Narkar is the 1st runner-up. Both Hubble and Santos will be representing Coppell ISD at the Region 10 Spanish Spelling Bee in March. Congratulations! El concurso de deletreo en español del distrito para 3.º y 4.º/5.º grado se llevó a cabo el lunes 27 de enero. Taylor Hubble, estudiante de 3.º grado de Wilson, ganó en la ronda 12 con la palabra "paloma.” Benjamin Mino-Rodríguez, estudiante de 3.º grado de Denton Creek, es el primer finalista. Mariana Santos, estudiante de 5.º grado de Wilson, ganó la competencia de banda de 4.º/5.º grado en la novena ronda con la palabra "ejemplo.” Ahaan Narkar, estudiante de 5.º grado de Wilson, es el primer finalista. Hubble y Santos representarán a Coppell ISD en el concurso de ortografía en español de la Región 10 en marzo. ¡Felicitaciones!

Coppell High School Cheer made school history this past weekend at the National Cheer Association (NCA) Nationals Competition, with both competition teams bringing home National Champion titles. This marks the first time in CHS history that two teams have won national titles at the same time. Both of the team’s hard work, perseverance and dedication paid off as they overcame obstacles and pushed through intense competition to earn this prestigious victory. These athletes have demonstrated incredible commitment — not just in the gym, but also in the classroom and throughout the Coppell community. A huge cheer of congratulations to the teams, Head Coach Lindsey Bates and the entire Coppell Cheer program for this incredible achievement!

On Jan. 21, more than 100 CISD high school students gathered at Coppell High School to participate in the University of Texas at Dallas Hackathon Workshop, part of an exciting series aimed at fostering technology, design and innovation skills among learners. This workshop “Hackathon 101 + UI/UX Principles with Figma” introduced students to the fundamentals of hackathons, creative brainstorming techniques and the basics of user interface and experience design using Figma, a top design tool. With more than 1,400 students enrolled in high school computer science courses across CISD, this event highlights the district’s commitment to preparing students for careers in technology through its Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. The workshop provided an excellent foundation for participants to gear up for the upcoming NTHS Hack at UTD on March 8-9. Kudos to these future innovators for taking a big step in exploring tech-driven problem-solving.

CHS senior Neha Keshavan is the 2024 Congressional App Challenge winner for Texas’ 33rd District for her innovative app, FoodSpotter. On Jan. 30, US Congressman Marc Veasey officially recognized Neha, as well as the contribution of her brother, Nitin Keshavan, who is in eighth grade at CMS West, during a special presentation at CHS, awarding them both Certificates of Achievement. As part of her win, Neha’s app will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building, featured on House.gov and showcased on the Congressional App Challenge website for a year. Neha has also earned an invitation to the #HouseofCode event in April 2025, where she will visit the U.S. Capitol and be honored alongside other top student app developers.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! The Sidekick, Coppell High School’s student newspaper, has been named a Crown Award Finalist by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. Under the leadership of adviser Chase Wofford, the talented staff behind The Sidekick and coppellstudentmedia.com will receive either a Gold or Silver Crown Award during a special presentation at Columbia University in New York City on March 21. This prestigious honor is a true “headline” moment for the team, recognizing their dedication to journalistic excellence. Congratulations to the entire Sidekick staff — keep making the news! The Sidekick/coppellstudentmedia.com is part of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Communications Program of Study.

DECA students from Coppell High School, CHS9, and New Tech High @ Coppell showcased their business expertise at the District 11 DECA Career Development Conference on Jan. 14 at the Irving Convention Center. With over 2,100 competitors — double the previous year due to the addition of Ellis and Kaufman counties — CISD students stood out, earning impressive results. A total of 207 Coppell High School students, 24 CHS9 students, and 50 New Tech students advanced to the State DECA Competition, scheduled for March 6-8 at the Dallas Anatole Hotel. Additionally, CHS junior Driti Gajjela was elected District 11 DECA President, marking the fourth consecutive year a CHS DECA student has held this prestigious position. Congratulations to all qualifiers and their advisers! Read the full story and see the list of qualifiers here. 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 program of study.

It’s a picture-perfect honor for CHS9 student Sahana Sudhir, who is taught by art teacher Elsa Reynolds, and CHS sophomore Lasya Pillamari, who is taught by Michelle Hauske, both have had their artwork selected for the state’s Youth Art Month. Sudhir and Pillamari will have their artwork showcased at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin throughout March.

Tune into YouTube each week to #CatchupWithHunt as he shares stories from across the district. This week you can catch Dr. Hunt as he discusses “Thinkapalooza” with Natalie Harvey, Gifted and Talented Intervention Specialist at Austin Elementary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uefmHKfDd8Q

After 31 rounds and correctly spelling “lunar," Ishaan Nair, a fifth grader from Richard J. Lee Elementary is the 2025 CISD Spelling Bee Champion. Krish Manjunath, a seventh grader from CMS East, is the First Runner Up. The 2025 CISD Spelling Bee was held on Jan. 13 at Coppell Middle School West. Ishaan and Krish were the last two spellers standing and will represent CISD by competing in the Dallas County Spelling Bee in March. The CISD elementary and middle school campus Spelling Bee Winners who competed on Jan. 13 were: Anna Thomas, Austin Anashuka Bhakoo, Canyon Ranch Madelynn Bellah, Cottonwood Creek Nikil Ravikumar, Denton Creek Brooklynn Poninski, Lakeside Ishaan Nair, Richard J. Lee Yashika Sanka, Mockingbird Aarya Sreenath, Pinkerton Sachee Jakhu, Town Center Pramit Hegde, Valley Ranch Blais Baker, Wilson Krish Manjunath, CMS East Ishaa Ram, CMS East Aryan Vinod, CMS East Ismail Noor-Gomez, CMS North Manav Shah, CMS North Deepshikhaa Krishnan, CMS North Alankritha Tulasi, CMS West Sathvika Gopi, CMS West Kapil Khare, CMS West Judges for the event were Wilson Elementary Principal Cooper Hilton, Austin Elementary Principal Kristan Perryman and Elementary Literacy and Social Studies Director Sabrina Khan. Parent and Family Engagement Liaison Stacy McGill served as the Pronouncer. Administrative Assistant Jill Hickman organized the event and served as the Spelling Bee District Representative. Director of ESL and Bilingual Programs Dr. Anita de la Isla served as the Master of Ceremonies.

Get ready for an electrifying experience like never before. The Coppell ISD Education Foundation (CEF) proudly presents the SPRING Robotics Camp, tailor-made for current middle schoolers who are eager to take their STEM Robotics skills to the next level. The skills they learn can be put to the test at the FIRST Lego League Challenges the following year. Who knows, they might just emerge as the champions using their newly acquired skills! Don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind opportunity – join us this SPRING for a robotics camp that will leave students buzzing with excitement! The cost includes a $20 non-refundable processing fee. Refunds, minus the $20 processing fee, will be available until March 14. No refunds will be given on or after March 15. Register here: https://coppellisdef.org/robotics-camp/