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Your Guide to News & Events at PTISD December 2006
In This Issue
  • Proposed Calendar
  • Remembering Jordan Barnes
  • Academic Achievement
  • Community Service
  • Stories from PT
  • PT Food Service Audit
  • School Closings
  • Bond Updates
  • Grant Proposals
  • Upcoming Events
  • Welcome to Pine Tree ISD’s electronic publication for parents and school patrons. We are still gathering email addresses and invite you to forward this publication to those interested in school news. If your email was included, and you do not wish to receive this newsletter, please unsubscribe below. Direct your comments and questions to the Pine Tree ISD Public Information Office, P.O. Box 5878, Longview, TX 75608 or e-mail [email protected].


    Proposed Calendar

    Proposed Calendar for 2007-2008

    At their regular monthly meeting in December, the PT Board of Trustees will consider the school calendar for the 2007-2008 school year.

    If approved, the school year for Pine Tree ISD will begin on Tuesday, September 4. Thanksgiving vacation will run from November 21-23 and winter vacation will extend from December 20 to January 2. Spring vacation is set for March 17-21 and the last day of school will be June 4.

    State regulations now require that all Texas schools start their year no earlier than the fourth Monday of August. Superintendent, Lynn Whitaker explains,” Due to the opening of our new Middle 5/6 Campus in the fall of 07, Pine Tree’s start date will be one week later than the majority of the districts in the area. This will help facilitate a smoother start for teachers and students of that campus.” A copy of the proposed calendar can be found on the district webpage.

    Remembering Jordan Barnes

    Pine Tree Memorial Service
    for Jordan Barnes

    A Celebration of Her Life
    Thursday, December 7, 2006
    Pine Tree High School Gymnasium
    6:00 pm

    Please join us in remembering this outstanding young lady and the many ways she touched our community.

    Academic Achievement

    Local Schools Weigh Options To Meet State's New Graduation Requirements
    The State Board of Education's approval of two new high school graduation plans requiring a fourth year of math and science has Longview-area school districts weighing their options for meeting the new mandate. The new graduation plans, approved Nov. 17, are known as the "4x4" and do not affect students already enrolled in high school. Pine Tree High School principal Jason Mixon said the district is in the early stages of looking at plans to meet the new requirement. He and Bob Jeter, Junior High principal, are considering what would be needed and the sequencing of classes so courses can be properly aligned. Read TEA Press Release

    Pine Tree ISD Selects Educational Options to Boost Credit Recovery
    Pine Tree ISD has a powerful new tool to help sophomores, juniors, and seniors recover course credits needed to advance and to graduate. This Spring, the credit recovery class will begin a pilot program for using a new web-based system called NOVEL/STARS. Students will access information in a computer lab setting, monitored and assisted by Ms. Debbie Jackson. Classes are offered during the regular day at the high school as an “off campus” class in their schedule. Students can access their lessons from any computer with Internet connections.

    Students Get A Lesson In High-Tech Geography
    Pine Tree ninth graders were among five hundred or so area students who participated in GIS Day at Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center on Wednesday, November 29, 2006. The nationwide event was sponsored locally by the city of Longview and the Gregg County Appraisal District. This year was the first that students were invited to learn more about the technology and how it is used locally. "I knew GIS existed, but did not know it was used in Longview," said Anna Walker, 15, a Pine Tree High School freshman.

    Click here for academic resources available from Title I Statewide School Support/Parental Involvement Initiative.

    Community Service

    How wonderful it is that nobody need wait
    a single moment before starting to improve the world.

    ~Anne Frank


    Intermediate students reach their goal to help the needy through canned food drive. More

    Pine Tree 8th grader Kristin Burns won the first prize of a $50 gift card with her essay which was a tribute to veterans; it was posted in the East Texas Workforce Center during November. More

    Students in the High School Leadership Class have adopted the military unit, Wolfpack, this year and will be providing letters/emails and supplies. More

    Spreading Holiday Cheer!

    • PT Pride marches in the city-wide Christmas parade on Friday, December 1st!
    • High School Choir is currently selling Singing Christmas Cards.
    • Primary's Liz Magee and High School's Melissa Edwards perform in A Christmas Carol, Dec. 2-3, at Longview Community Center.
    • Fifth grade classes of Ms. Carlisle, Ms. Hipke, and Ms. Grimes have been selected to sing a Christmas program for the Retired Teachers Association.
    • Ms. Rockwell and Ms. Sims announce the Christmas program, Santa's Holiday Hoedown by fifth grade students, Dec. 8.
    • Primary, Elementary and Intermediate students enjoy a Christmas production by Theatre One students.
    • A Christmas Party for Senior Citizens, provided by the PT Food Service Dept., is Dec. 6
    • The Giving Tree, created by Intermediate students will provide donations to Hope Haven.
    • PT Girls Soccer Team is kicking around a great idea for the Christmas season. They have adopted a family in need.

    Stories from PT

    Stories from the Folks at Pine Tree
    Read about some of the interesting people who have chosen to serve at PTISD.

    My Path to Becoming a Teacher, by Jo Lynn McKnight
    When I think of my background and reflect on the people that have influenced or persuaded me to become a teacher, I think of walking down the hallway of Pine Tree Elementary School. Little did I know then that the stage had just been set for who I was to become. Oh, yeah! Forty-two years later, my first year returning to Pine Tree ISD to teach, guess whose room I was assigned to teach in? Read more



    Mothers & Daughters
    What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from each other? Read the mother and daughter version from two families in PTISD:
    The Burns & The Lindwall Family

    PT Food Service Audit

    PT Food Service Department Receives Excellent Review

    The Pine Tree Independent School District’s food service department received an “excellent review with minimal findings,” during a recent audit by the Texas Department of Agriculture, according to PTISD Food Service Director, Jeannie Wallace.

    Wallace said she attributes the rating to “a great food service team. We have a team that works together, a team that cares about the customers they serve and a team that cares about the job they do. The principals, teachers, and other staff members are very helpful in making sure the Nutrition Policy guidelines are being followed. They are so great to work with and were so understanding during the audit.”

    School Closings

    Winter Begins December 21st

    With cold weather upon us, it is a good time to remind everyone where to find information about Pine Tree Independent School District closings due to inclement weather. Pine Tree ISD recognizes the need for clear communication with students, parents and employees regarding whether or not school will be delayed and/or cancelled.

    In the event of inclement weather, any closings, delays, or early releases will be sent to the following media outlets:

    Please note that if schools will be open, no announcement will be made.

    Bond Updates

    2006 Bond Passes by 63% Margin: Nov. 7, 2006

    Pine Tree school officials had been cautiously optimistic through the evening — especially after the early balloting results showed the district's $7 million bond issue might be well on its way to passing. Still, the final results weren't known until about 9:45 p.m. when the district's Tax Assessor-Collector, Melissa Newman, read the fax from downtown with the final results: 2,050 for and 1,199 against.

    Grant Proposals

    Students Benefit from Granted Proposals!

    Pine Tree ISD is happy to announce that FOUR online grants have been awarded through the DonorsChoose website - www.donorschoose.org - an online marketplace that allows individuals and businesses to support specific student projects proposed by teachers. The awards were granted to:

    • Jennifer Pope, Pre-K class,
    • Susan Bryan, Intermediate Reading class;
    • Eunice Morton, High School Science class, and
    • Judy Haley, High School Economics class.

    Visit the Pine Tree Challenge Page to view these and other grants submitted by Pine Tree teachers.

    Upcoming Events

    December Character Trait: C O M P A S S I O N






    • Dec. 4-8 - HS Theatre One performs Christmas Play
    • Dec. 5 - Financial Aid for College-Workshop, HS Library, 6:30pm
    • Dec. 6 - Primary School Picture Retakes
    • Dec. 6 - Christmas Party for Senior Citizens
    • Dec. 7 - Combined Choir Concert 7th-12th, 7:00pm
    • Dec. 7 - SBDM Meeting, 3:45pm
    • Dec. 7 - Memorial for Jordan Barnes, 6:00pm
    • Dec. 9 - Jazz Band Clinic/Concert
    • Dec. 9 - All-Region Competition for 9th Grade Band
    • Dec. 9 - Fifth Grade Christmas Program, 9:30am
    • Dec. 11 - School Board Meeting, 6:00pm
    • Dec. 11 - PT Pride Band Christmas Concert, 7:00pm
    • Dec. 12 - Mrs. Clause Visits Primary School
    • Dec. 14 - Christmas parties at Primary
    • Dec. 13-15 - Exams and Early Release
    • Dec 18-Jan 2 - Student Holidays
    • Dec. 31 - Pirate Precision Dance Team performs at the Cotton Bowl Parade and again at the Cotton Bowl halftime, January 1st!
    • Jan. 3 - Students return to class.

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