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.”
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.
Congratulations to Coppell High School sophomore Pranamya Shrikant for earning a Gold Key in Writing as part of the 2025 Regional South Scholastic Art Awards. This prestigious recognition highlights her exceptional talent and dedication to the craft of writing. CISD is proud of her achievement and looks forward to seeing her continued success in the literary arts.
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
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!
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
Under the leadership of Coach Jonathan Drori, Coppell Swim has truly made waves this season, sending a record-breaking 13 athletes to the 6A State Swim Meet, the most in the program's history. Gabriel Campos led the charge with four school records at the recent regional meet, including in the 200 IM and 100 Breaststroke, while also qualifying for the State meet in both events. Abhinav Agnihotri's speed in the 50 Freestyle, alongside Emery Darrow's impressive dive that made her the first female diver in 20 years to qualify for state, made a significant impact. For the first time, both boys and girls relays secured spots at State, with a stellar 200 Freestyle Relay at the regional meet that set another school record. The qualifiers are Gabriel Campos (200 IM, 100 Breaststroke), Abhinav Agnihotri (50 Freestyle), Emery Darrow (1m 11-Dive), Aleksandar Mikic, Saurab Anjanappa, Gabe Campos and Abhinav Agnihotri in the Boys 200 Freestyle Relay, and Annie Chang, Emma Wei, Brynlee McCormick and Alice Lu in the Girls 200 Freestyle Relay. The team will be making big splashes at the State meet on Feb. 21 and 22.
🏀 Unified Basketball at Coppell High School! 🏀
Today, Coppell Special Olympics hosted our annual Unified Basketball event at CHS, and it was an absolute blast! 🤩 The energy was contagious as athletes and partners came together for a day full of teamwork, sportsmanship, and unforgettable memories. 💪💙
Thank you to everyone who participated, volunteered, and cheered on our athletes. You made this event truly special! 🙌
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
CHS junior Pranav Raju has been named the recipient of the 2024 Youth in Action for Human Rights Award by Human Rights Educators USA. Recognized for his advocacy for affordable healthcare, particularly for individuals living with Type 1 Diabetes, Raju’s efforts have spanned local, national, and international stages.
Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes himself, Raju has worked tirelessly to alleviate the financial burden faced by individuals requiring insulin. From testifying before Congress as a Children’s Congress delegate to lobbying for legislation that caps insulin prices and renews funding for critical diabetes research, his impact has been transformative. Locally, Raju mentors newly diagnosed patients and their families at children’s hospitals, sharing his story and providing resources. His work has not only raised awareness but also directly influenced policy changes to ensure access to life-saving medications. His recognition includes a $500 award, and he was honored at HRE USA’s national Human Rights Day Celebration on Dec. 10.
