Congratulations to the Varsity and JV high school boys and girls Track & Field teams, who are both District Champions! The top four in each varsity event have qualified to compete in the Area Track & Field Meet this Friday in McKinney. Way to go Cowboys and Cowgirls Track and Field!
CISD was recognized for its unwavering support of military service members at the March 31 Board Meeting, receiving several prestigious awards from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). Retired Colonel James “JP” Hogan and retired Texas Army National Guard Major General and former State Representative Rick Noriega were on hand to present the awards, underscoring the significance of this honor.
Lieutenant Colonel Esther Splawn, a Special Education teacher at Coppell High School and a dedicated member of the Marine Corps Reserves, along with her husband Eric Splawn, a retired veteran and a teacher at New Tech High @ Coppell, and Marine Corporal Reserve Sam Odorizzi, a former Cottonwood Creek student who now serves as a Structured Learning Aide at Cottonwood Creek Elementary, nominated CISD and several of its employees for ESGR Patriot Awards. Their nominations led to multiple recognitions,
District-Wide Awards:
Coppell ISD – Above and Beyond Award
Coppell ISD (State of Texas Public Sector) – Pro Patria Award
Also at the meeting it was announced that CISD is one of 30 businesses and organizations in the U.S. that are a finalist for the National Pro Patria Award to be announced later this year with the award to be presented at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Individual Employee Awards:
Laura Springer, Principal at CHS
Anna Wanderski, Assistant Principal at CHS
Chris Gollner, Principal at CMS North
Stephanie Fleischhauer, Intervention Services Specialist
Zane Porter, Principal at New Tech High @ Coppell
Garrett Voelker, Assistant Principal at New Tech High @ Coppell and Victory Place @ Coppell
Kara Lindquist, CHS9 Special Education Teacher
Amber Warrington, New Tech High @ Coppell Special Education Teacher
Dr. Andra Penny, Principal at Cottonwood Creek Elementary
Lieutenant Colonel Splawn expressed her gratitude, stating, “CISD is the most supportive civilian employer I have ever had in my nearly 15 years of serving as a reservist.”
Tune into YouTube each week to #CatchupWithHunt as he shares stories from across the district. This week you can catch Dr. Hunt as he visits with Denton Creek Elementary Principal Dr. Yanet Cardoza and recent and upcoming activities at the campus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoGRSdU4OV8
Celebrating Gifted and Talented Specialists Week
March 31-April 4 is Gifted and Talented (GT) Specialists Week, a time to recognize and appreciate the incredible educators who nurture and challenge our gifted learners across the district. These specialists dedicate their time and expertise to fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity in students, ensuring they reach their full potential.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the following GT specialists for their unwavering commitment to excellence in education:
Austin Elementary: Natalie Harvey
Canyon Ranch Elementary: Melissa Harris
Cottonwood Creek Elementary: Kim Cook
Denton Creek Elementary: Joanna McDonald
Lakeside Elementary: Melissa Warren
Richard J. Lee Elementary: Ayesha Khan
Mockingbird Elementary: Ann Carlsson
Pinkerton Elementary: Marnie Ward
Town Center Elementary: Heather Bass
Valley Ranch Elementary: Gayla Cockrell
Wilson Elementary: Carol Koslowski
Today, CHS hosted Adulting Day. 1000 students and 35 guest speakers took part in 16 different classes focused on some of life's biggest struggles as a young adult. Ranging from cooking and meal planning to learning how to file taxes and even car maintenance.
Congrats to our Boys and Girls Varsity Soccer teams for their amazing playoff runs.
Both teams play in Regional Playoff Games tomorrow night, with the Cowgirls playing Flower Mound at Lewisville High School at 7 p.m. and the Cowboys playing Plano West at Prosper High School at 8 p.m.
Tune into YouTube each week to #CatchupWithHunt as he shares stories from across the district. This week you can catch Dr. Hunt with the Coppell Chamber of Commerce Student and Teacher of the Month from Victory Place @ Coppell — senior Jason Macias and Math teacher Allison Stephens. He also speaks with Victory Place Principal Marcy Walters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGOSW054zjM
🚀 CISD Juniors & Seniors Explore Real-World Careers on Job Shadow Day! 🚀
On March 13, nearly 200 CISD juniors and seniors had the incredible opportunity to explore the workforce during the 2025 Job Shadow Day. Thanks to our amazing community partners and businesses who opened their doors, students gained invaluable hands-on experience across various industries! 💼✨
A huge thank you to the Coppell Chamber of Commerce for collaborating with us to make this day a success, and to CISD’s own Megan Mackin for making it all happen. 🙏
With students placed in 45 job sites—many with multiple departments—this event provided a well-rounded view of different professions, giving students a closer look at the skills needed to thrive in today’s workforce. 🌟
We are incredibly grateful to all of the companies for their generous support and participation.
Tune into YouTube each week to #CatchupWithHunt as he shares stories from across the district. This week you can catch Dr. Hunt with Job Shadowing Students Aryan Godambe, Neha Nathwani and Pranshu Parmar, along with Daniel Armbruster and Helen Johnson with AAA – Auto Club Enterprises in Coppell, one of the 45 CISD Job Shadowing hosts. The video also features Job Shadowing sites CityVet in Coppell and Sam Pack's Five Star Ford Carrollton.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO6mQoWxYIE
Fifteen representatives from CISD, including students, teachers, staff, Trustees and Superintendent Dr. Brad Hunt, participated in Coppell Day at the Capitol on March 5. The group was officially recognized on the Texas House floor and met with our local Representative Cassandra Hernandez, Senator Tan Parker's office and key members of the House and Senate Public Education Committees, including Representative James Talarico and House Public Education Committee Chair Brad Buckley. Sponsored by the Coppell ISD Education Foundation, this trip provided an invaluable opportunity to share our district’s legislative priorities and highlight our students and teachers.
Valley Ranch third graders “crunched” their way through a fun-filled math lesson as teacher Nadya Gulam used Cheez-Its as part of a lesson on calculating area and perimeter. Students arranged the cheesy squares into different rectangular shapes, calculated their area and perimeter, and then got to eat their work! This hands-on (and mouth-on) activity made learning both measurable and delicious. With math this tasty, students are sure to remember how to calculate area and perimeter long after the last Cheez-It is gone.
Canyon Ranch Elementary hosted its first-ever Family Engagement Night, bringing students, parents and staff together for an evening of connection and fun. Families participated in interactive games, art projects and hands-on activities designed to encourage meaningful engagement — without the use of technology! The activities focused on key areas such as Literacy, Fun at Home, Community and Healthy Living and STEAM, providing families with creative and engaging ways to learn and connect. From thought-provoking questions about learning to exciting STEAM challenges, the event offered simple yet impactful ways for families to bond. The come-and-go format allowed everyone to explore activities at their own pace, making for a relaxed and enjoyable evening. Canyon Ranch Elementary is grateful to all who attended and looks forward to continuing this tradition of fostering strong school-community connections.
Tune into YouTube each week to #CatchupWithHunt as he shares stories from across the district. This week you can catch Dr. Hunt at the Beam Signing Ceremony for the new CHS Fine Arts Facility, which is part of the voter-approved 2023 Bond. Dr. Hunt spoke with CHS juniors and Vivace Choir performers Olivia Bennett and LeMariam Bantenew, as well as with Erin Bossart, Vice President Education for Corgan, the architecture company that designed the building.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_mzAe9mrKo
CHS senior Yashitha Chunduru recently represented the student business organization DECA at the Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) event at the State Capitol in Austin. Chunduru, who serves as the current state DECA President and the DECA District 11 President, was able to interact with fellow state officers from various CTSOs, representing teaching, technology, health sciences and more, as well as engage with members of the Texas House of Representatives and Senate. Chunduru and other student leaders shared the importance of Career Technical Education (CTE) and were part of the state proclamation of February as CTE month in Texas.
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.
Last week, five Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE) students represented CHS and CHS9 at the State TAFE Competition, delivering outstanding performances. Three students qualified for Nationals in their respective events. Nathalie Petit and Eesha Jogdand earned Gold Awards in the Interactive Bulletin Board event, while Suzy Waly received a Gold Award for Teacher Created Materials, securing their spots at Nationals. Petit also earned a Silver Award in Exploring Support Services Careers. Additionally, Zachary Brooks, Rachel Goodman, Nathalie Petit and Suzy Waly received a Silver Award for their Breakout Session, Growing Beyond the Classroom. Congratulations to these students on their impressive achievements!
CISD students showcased their creativity and problem-solving skills at the 2025 Destination Imagination Regional Tournament on Feb. 22. Eight CISD teams competed, with four earning medals and three advancing to the Texas DI Lone Star Finals.
The Dumpster Divers took first place in the Secondary Level Technical Challenge: Breaking Point, securing a spot at state. Team members included Maxwell Hall (CMS East, 8th), Sahana Iyer (New Tech, 10th), Virginia Hal (New Tech, 10th), Anika Varadharajan (Lewisville ISD, 10th), Naisha Dey (CHS9), Pranamya Shrikant (CHS, 10th) and Rohan Jain (CHS9). Another first-place team, the Small Eyed Owls, won in the Secondary Level Scientific Challenge: Worlds Beyond, and will also advance to state. This team features Macy Rogerson (CHS9), Reid Dodd (New Tech, 9th), Will Crawford (CHS9), and Anna Olougouna (CHS9). In the Elementary Level Technical Challenge: Breaking Point, the Ocean Chicky Exploding Volcanoes placed second and will head to state. Team members included Claire Midtbo (Wilson, 3rd), Lauren Bond (Wilson, 3rd), Matías Espino (Wilson, 3rd), Joshua Rolón (Wilson, 3rd), Luis Carrasco (Pinkerton, 3rd), Liam Carrasco (Pinkerton, 3rd) and Luca Carrasco (Pinkerton, 3rd).
Additionally, Operation K.A.A.M.M placed third in the Elementary Level Engineering Challenge: High-Wire Act. Team members were Mohith Goteti (Canyon Ranch, 5th), Manan Thacker (Canyon Ranch, 5th), Krishiv Balaji (Canyon Ranch, 5th), Adhav Venkat (Canyon Ranch, 5th) and Aarav Sripada (Canyon Ranch, 5th). The Texas DI Lone Star Finals will take place at the University of Texas at Arlington on March 29.
Wilson Elementary 4th graders took a journey through Texas history as they visited the State Capitol in Austin and the Bob Bullock Museum, bringing their social studies lessons to life. Led by their dedicated teachers, the students explored the historic halls of the Capitol, toured the grand chambers, and even witnessed legislators in action, seeing firsthand how laws are made. The students also got to meet with State Representative Cassandra Hernandez, who represents part of Coppell ISD. At the Bob Bullock Museum, they immersed themselves in interactive exhibits showcasing Texas' rich past. This hands-on experience deepened their understanding of the Lone Star State’s history, showing them that Texas history isn’t just something to read about — it’s something to explore and experience.
On Feb. 13, 5th graders at Pinkerton Elementary “rocked” their science lesson under the leadership of teacher Tracey Kling. With Jolly Ranchers in hand, they chanted their way through the sedimentary rock cycle: "Weathering breaks it, Erosion takes it, Deposition drops it, Compaction stacks it and Cementation glues it!" After explaining each step, the students crushed (weathered) their candies in a mason jar, moved (eroded) the pieces, layered (deposited) them, and pressed (compacted) them together using white paper cups. Now, their sugary "rocks" are cementing, solidifying their learning — both literally and figuratively. These candy-based creations will be ready for students on Tuesday, proving that this science lesson at Pinkerton is as solid as a rock.
Tune into YouTube each week to #CatchupWithHunt as he shares stories from across the district. This week you can catch Dr. Hunt percolating with the Cowboy Coffee Crew at Coppell High School led by Special Education Teacher Ed Arndt, CHS senior Reagan Robinette, the shift manager, and CHS junior Isabella Villa, who will replace Robinette as the shift manager next year, and other members of the Cowboy Coffee Crew. The Cowboy Coffee Crew is made possible by grants from the CISD Education Foundation, the CHS Student Council and Texas A&M University.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcHUGH46Jc0
CISD Health Services has received a grant of $128,000 from the Metrocrest Hospital Authority (MHA) for the 2024-2025 school year to enhance student health and safety. This funding pays for a flexible/itinerant nurse position, provides CPR training supplies for campus nurses and student athletic trainers, and equips schools with essential health screening tools. These tools include two vision screeners to assist pre-K students and those with disabilities and 11 new audiometers to replace aging hearing screening equipment. CISD appreciates MHA’s commitment to student well-being and looks forward to these resources' positive impact on the district. CISD plans to apply for the grant again for the 2025-2026 school year.
