News Headlines

Tenaha Tiger Daily 04/27/15

April 27, 2015-Afternoon band rehearsal

April 28, 2015-HS Band UIL C&CR in Troup; Tenaha Baseball vs Joaquin at
Joaquin 6:30 pm

April 29, 2015-11 & 12 Grade Field Trip to Panola Women in Energy (Female
students only) 10 am – 2 pm; 3rd Grade Field Trip to Tyler Zoo; Tenaha
Baseball vs Mt Enterprise There TBA

April 30, 2015-2nd Grade Field Trip to Sci-Port

May 1, 2015-Regional Track in Palestine; State JH Robotics in Duncanville;
JH Black Out Dance in Café 7 pm – 9 pm; Kindergarten and 1st Grade Field
Trip Ag Education Day in Center

May 2, 2015-Regional Track; State JH Robotics in Duncanville; JH Dance in
Cafetorium

May 5, 2015-Beta Induction; STAAR-EOC Algebra I; PK3 Field Trip to Mini Park
Splash Pad in Center

May 6, 2015- State Robotics in Kilgore; STAAR Testing EOC US History

May 7, 2015- STAAR Testing EOC US Biology; Tiger Fest 6:00 pm (Tiger Cafe
open at 5:00 pm)

May 8, 2015- Beginners Band Festival in Canton

May 11, 2015-1st and 2nd Grades to Center Library; 4th & 5th Grade Robotics
in Kilgore

May 12, 2015-Awards Banquet; JH Robotics in Kilgore

May 14, 2015-State Track; HS Band Trip to New York

May 15, 2015-State Track; Student Holiday/Teacher In-Service 

The Whole Picture

Public Education in Texas is a cumbersome and broad endeavor.  The everyday
citizen may not be fully aware of the various mandates that are required of
schools today.

In 2015, the Texas Public School system is a far cry from the
Little Red School House and the 3-R’s.  In the midst of the State
Legislative Session in Austin, Texas schools await a new set of state
guidelines, funding policies, and appraisal systems.  What most everyday
citizens sometimes misunderstand is how large and difficult a task it is to
educate a child to the fullest extent possible, while still meeting the
requirements of the law.  So much is “mandatory” in a system that asks for
such comprehensive accountability that schools struggle to maintain a fine
balance between the quality and enrichment of a child’s experience and the
rigid lines of legality and mandated requirement.  
 

For example, did you know that it is a federal requirement that
students receive 225 minutes of physical education per week up through the
9th grade? And once in high school, students are required to achieve a
physical education credit for graduation.  The translation?  Here in Tenaha,
nearly 500 students are required to attend 45 minutes per day of physical
education.  That’s 500 students that span thirteen grade levels and range in
age between four and eighteen.  Tenaha’s Tiger Gym and Elementary Gym have
anywhere from 35-55 students in them for seven of the eight class periods
per day.  From just a standpoint of staffing alone, two staff members
administer six such classes every day where they see over 300 students.
And, additional staff members take on at least one (and in one case more
than one) physical education class per day.

          Another example where mandate meets need for children in much the
same way of physical education is the Tenaha Band program.  Tenaha students
from 4th grade through 12th grade attend a music or fine arts class every
day.  The state mandates that one fine art credit be acquired by every
student in the Junior High years and again in the High School years.  So
when the question arises “Why do you have three music instructors at TISD?”
The answer is simple and comes in two parts:  1)  During the course of a
single day, as many as 250 students report to the band hall for a required
class.  2)  Who wouldn’t want their child to receive the highest possible
amount of individualized instruction?  When someone utters the phrase “you
make them take band,” the reply is “yes”.  Why?  Data and research suggests
that learning to read music and play a musical instrument is a major
contributor to increasing a person’s level of intelligence.  It makes
academic sense and it also serves to provide a child with a well-rounded
experience.  Also, keep in mind that the average class size in Tenaha is
around 18 students.  The typical band class has as many as 40 and the high
school class has 100.    

Now, add to those “extra-curricular” mandated courses which
require instructors the fact that students are required to take courses in
the four core subject areas.  Also, add that under House Bill 5, that in
order to graduate students are required to obtain credit from “a variety of
career and technological” areas.  Tenaha offers four such areas of courses:
1)  Animal Science, 2)  Technology and Web Design, 3) Vocational Education
such as welding (through Panola College), 4)  Government and Public
Administration.  Then, factor in our district size and limits of ‘access’ to
a larger range of services, and you will hopefully see that on a day-to-day
basis, Tenaha is successfully moving its students towards an enriching
experience while keeping in line with its requirements.  

The overall goal of public education (as opposed to what so many
assume) is not to “pass a test”.  It is to broaden opportunities for
children.  The great aim of any society is to improve the opportunities for
its citizens.  

At Tenaha ISD, we proudly believe that if a child takes true advantage of
the opportunity placed in front of them that he or she should graduate with
the following set of skills that they may not otherwise acquire:

1)     An ability to perform academically in the traditional “Liberal Arts”
areas of study (math, science, reading, writing, social studies)

2)    An opportunity to be exposed to vocational opportunities and basic
vocational knowledge

3)    An opportunity to acquire as many as 30 hours of tuition paid college
credit if they qualify

4)    The opportunity to perform athletically in one of the state’s most
decorated sports programs.

5)    The ability to read music and play an instrument.

6)    A network of professional educators and mentors to be available as
they progress through young adulthood.  

Scott Tyner, Superintendent

Track

The Varsity Boys and Girls Area Track meet was held Wednesday, April 22nd at
Cushing ISD. The Varsity Girls finished 4th, only 1 point behind 3rd place
Beckville and the Varsity Boys finished 5th in a very competitive area meet
that consisted of 12 teams. Qualifying for the Regional track meet for the
Varsity Boys is Carlos Flores in the 3200m and 1600m runs, Cobe Caraway in
the 100m dash, and the 4x100 and 4x200m relays consisting of TJ Thomas, Kebo
Reed, Dre Thomas, Abel Rodriguez and Cobe Caraway. In the field events, the
Varsity girls qualified Ashton Griffin in the discus, Mercedes Rountree in
the shot, Alicia Casey in the triple jump, and LaPorsha Perry in both the
high jump and long jump. Competing for the Lady Tigers in the running events
will be Ke'Anya Davis in the 100m dash, Jaden Washington in the 300m hurdles
and Alicia Casey, Jaden Washington, Alyssa Harris, Ke'Anya Davis and
LaPorsha Perry in the 4x100 and 4x200m relays. The regional track meet will
be held Friday, May 1st and 2nd at Palestine ISD. Coach Furlow

Booster Club Meeting

The Booster Club will hold a meeting on Wednesday, April 29th, 2015 at 5:00
pm in the Tenaha Field House.

Middle School Black-Out Dance!

When:  This Friday, May 1st  from 7:00-9:00p.m.

Where:  The cafeteria

What to wear:  jeans or shorts (school appropriate) with a white t-shirt.
Girls need to wear a tank top underneath.  Shirts will be written on with
highlighters so don’t wear a nice one!

Monetary donations:  If you would like to donate $5.00 or more to the dance,
it will go towards cookies and candy.

Selfie station props:  We are in need of funny props such as hats, glasses,
boas, empty large photo frames…(please bring before Friday to Ms. Ward)

Door prizes:  If any businesses would like to donate gift cards for door
prizes, please contact Elizabeth Ward or Coach Vick.  

All school rules apply.  Only Tenaha ISD students in grade 6th through 8th
may attend. No exceptions!

Community

Tenaha Beautification and Events Hosting “Trash to Treasures” Saturday, May
2, 2015 from 9 am-3pm. Call 936-248-2681 or 936-248-5804 for more
information.

Roughriders Sports

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