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Find out which campus is in the spotlight this week on "Out and About"
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Upcoming Events
April 28 - Boot Camp for STAAR Math
April 30 - DSW Shoe Event
May 5 - Cinco de Mayo
May 14 - FFE Golf Tournament
May 17 - LISD Retirement Banquet
May 24 - Early Dismissal Day
May 25 - Early Dismissal, Final Day of Classes
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FFE Golf Tourney scratch offs
Preparations for the 13th Annual Foundation for Excellence (FFE) Golf Tournament are in "full swing," and morning tee times are still available. The fun begins at 8:00 a.m. at Hillcrest Country Club on Monday, May 14, as community leaders, businesses, school employees and volunteers raise more than a hundred thousand dollars to be awarded in the form of grants to Lubbock ISD students and teachers.
Not a golfer? There are many ways to take part in the day-long fundraising event. For the second year, FFE is offering fantasy golf cards for purchase.  Similar to scratch off lotto cards, participants can "scratch off" their golf score card for a chance to win a flat screen television. Need a week long Ruidoso, New Mexico, vacation or two round-trip Southwest Airline tickets? Come see what's new in the silent auction. Bidders in the silent auction are not required to play in the tournament. For more information, please email or call Linsey in the Communications office, 766-1066. |
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LAABSE offers second STAAR Boot Camp
The Lubbock Area Alliance of Black School Educators (LAABSE) will conduct its second five-hour "boot camp" to help ninth-grade LISD students prepare for the STAAR test. The boot camp is designed to be "intensive preparation" for students who want additional help with math. Free food and door prizes will add an element of fun.
The STAAR math test boot camp is scheduled for Saturday, April 28, at Estacado High School from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. Transportation will be available for students from the other three LISD high schools, departing from CHS, MHS and LHS at 7:30 a.m. For additional information, call 766-0626 or 543-5440. |
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French Clubs need your help
The March 9 edition of the E-Reporter, No. 25, featured a story about French Clubs in Lubbock ISD helping to build schools in Cambodia. You can help too by ordering merchandise from this web site. A great web site for graduation gifts, totes for all occasions (fashion and shopping), stationery, pet gifts and travel and storage organizers including iPod, iPad, iPhone and Kindle cases.
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Credit Union loan special almost at an end
The Lubbock Teachers Federal Credit Union is almost over! They are offering 12-month signature loans at 8.5%APR (annual percentage rate). Each loan completed qualifies for an entry to win $500!! Call for 744-8704 for details. Take advantage of this special before it's gone. It expires April 30! |
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Contact information for state legislators
Senate District 28
Sen. Robert L. Duncan
1500 Broadway,
Suite 902
Lubbock TX 79401
House District 84
Rep. John M. Frullo
4601 50th St, Suite 216
Lubbock TX 79414
House District 83
Rep. Charles Perry
11003 Quaker Avenue, Ste. 101
Lubbock TX 79424
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National Football Foundation names Scholar Athletes
The Texas Tech Chapter of the National Football Foundation recently recognized scholar athletes from across West Texas. Shown above (L to R) are Lubbock ISD's recipients Stephen Hazuka from Coronado, Raymond Rios from Estacado, Tyler Schovanec from Coronado and Conner Nielsen from Monterey. |
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Robotics teams successfully GEAR-up
Shown above are the members of Harwell Elementary GEAR Robotics Team 2, fifth graders Zeph Santiago (left) and Luis Gonzalez (right), along with their coach Israel Garcia.
More than 500 robots were on the Texas Tech University campus last weekend for the annual Get Excited About Robotics (GEAR) competition.
In the elementary division, Team 2 from Harwell Elementary earned first-place honors as well as the Pinnacle Award. Team 3 from Roscoe Wilson Elementary came in third and Team 1 from Harwell came in fourth. Team 5 from Maedgen Elementary won the GEAR Head Award.
In the middle school division, Team 2 from Hutchinson Middle School won the Programming Award. In the Young Engineers Award competition, Smylie Wilson Middle School took first place, and Team 2 from Hutchinson placed second.
GEAR is a nonprofit volunteer organization that invites elementary and middle school students to compete in an eight-week challenge that involves programming LEGO robots to perform a series of tasks.
The theme this year was "Power Up," and more than 500 students from 50 schools around the Lubbock area and across the South Plains participated.
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Seventeen swimmers and divers named to Academic All-State list
Seventeen Lubbock ISD swimmers and divers have been named to the Texas Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (TISCA) Academic All-State list.
In order to be considered for the TISCA Academic All-State honor, the student must be a junior or a senior, have lettered in swimming or diving and have a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 on a 4.0 scale or 93.75 percent on the scale used by their school. Co-Director of Aquatics and Head Diving Coach Penny Dipomazio said, "Seventeen swimmers and divers from Coronado, Lubbock High and Monterey have achieved this honor. We are very proud of these athletes. They have done a great job in their sport and in the classroom."
The students from Coronado are Audrey Ruiz and Morgan Sifrit. The students from Lubbock High are: Ashlea Findley, Gabriel Nathan, Allison Windisch, Tyler Conner, Madisyn Cox, Alexandra De Haas, Austin Hines, Christine Kobza, Rachel Myers, Cristian Millares-Rosiles and Davis Wilson. The students from Monterey are: Kailey Rutherford, Kelsey Frazier, Jacob Gresham and Kylar Wilson.
In the photo at right, Coronado High School senior Audrey Ruiz (center) signs a national letter of intent to join the diving team at New Mexico State University. Ruiz is joined by her mother Sandy (left) who teaches fifth-grade reading at Bayless Elementary and her father J.D. (right).
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Lubbock High teacher garners national
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Amy Kiker
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recognition
Lubbock High School special education teacher Amy Kiker was recently nominated for a Bammy Award. The Bammy Awards are cross-discipline awards that identify and acknowledge excellence throughout the field of education. Bammy Award winners will be announced in June 2012.
Kiker was nominated for her Bammy in the category of Special Needs Staff by the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences. She came to the attention of the Academy after being named a 2010-2011 recipient of the Outstanding Special Education Teacher Award by the National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET). This award is bestowed on educators who have demonstrated outstanding achievement as a teacher in the field of special education. It recognizes and rewards the special skills and excellence of special education teachers throughout the United States. |
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What you should know about TRS - part II
(This is the second of a three-part series on TRS benefits)
The Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) is a "defined benefit plan" which means a certain payout is guaranteed at retirement according to a fixed formula, which is calculated based on the employee's years of service and average salary. Once an employee retires, they are guaranteed a consistent monthly payment for the rest of their lives.
A "defined contribution plan" provides a payout on retirement based on contributions made to the account and the performance of the investment vehicles utilized. In these plans, the risks and investment rewards are typically assumed by each individual employee/retiree. Although retirees in this type of plan can direct their own investments, they are also subject to the associated risks.
The Reporter has created a pension forecast for a hypothetical Lubbock ISD retiree, "Mrs. Jones." After teaching for 35 years, Mrs. Jones retired at age 60 with an average salary of $57,318 for her last five years of teaching. It is assumed that she will live an additional 25 years beyond her retirement date. Based on the current TRS defined benefit plan, her annual pension would be $46,141. Calculations include the assumptions listed and the single, standard annuity option. (Details of the calculations can be seen < here.>)
If Mrs. Jones was in a "defined contribution plan" rather than the current TRS system, it would be necessary for her to have accumulated more than $1,000,000 in retirement assets to provide the same $46,141 annual pension over 25 years. (This assumes a one-percent post-retirement return on her assets, which emulates the current risk-free return). If she were to live longer than 25 years, she would be faced with seeking a higher rate of return, taking reduced withdrawals, or in the worst instance, running out of money.
The defined benefit plan has worked well for TRS members because of sound, conservative investments in a system with tremendous assets, contributed by TRS members and employers. As the Legislature studies the TRS system this interim, it is important for TRS members to stay informed about their retirement system.
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Student athletes sign during second window
Student athletes from all four Lubbock ISD high schools signed letters of intent during the "second signing window" in April.
Shown at lower right are Coronado High School student athletes Payton
Scharfenberg, Victoria Ruiz, Brittany Sangwin, Lani Munoz and Ciarra Galindo. At a signing ceremony last week Scharfenberg signed to play tennis at Midwestern State in Wichita Falls, Galindo signed to play softball at Odessa College, Sangwin signed to run track at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, New Mexico; Munoz signed to play softball at Howard Junior College in Big Spring and Ruiz signed with Odessa College.
 Estacado High School basketball standout Ry'Heim Hunter shown at left signed to play basketball for and attend Lubbock Christian University.
 Shown at right (L to R) are Lubbock High School student athletes Michael Von Ende-Becker, Max Levine, Kristen James and Tyler Schovanec.
At a recent signing event in the Lubbock High library, Von Ende-Becker signed to play soccer at McMurray University, Levine committed to play tennis for Villanova in the Big East conference, James will play tennis for Seattle University and Tyler Schovanec will play football for Carroll University. 
Shown at right are Monterey High School seniors Steven Bolton (left) and Conner Nielsen (right). Bolton signed with Howard Payne University in Brownwood and Nielsen signed with Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene. |
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Swap Shop, Cheers and LISD Family News
FOR RENT: Long term rental located at Buffalo Lake. 840 s/f, perfect for single. Remodeled with new windows, floors, walls, doors, roof, deck and appliances. Furnished with great views of the lake. $695 per month. Email angelyn146@gmail.com or call 789-4089 after 5 p.m.
FOR SALE: 2008 Toyota Solara, dark grey, leather seats, low mileage and in very good condition. Please call 787-4150 for more information. FOR SALE: Entertainment center, cherry wood. $75. 32" TV for $75. Please call Francis 208-407-1234 if interested. FOR SALE: Beautiful wedding dress with spaghetti straps, size 14/16. $400. Call 745-5920 for pictures or more information. FOR SALE: Mahogany Winter Musette piano. Great condition but needs tuning. $200. Please call 438-2557 or email tlewis@lubbockisd.org.
GARAGE SALE: Sat. April 28, 8 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 5724 80th Street. Lots of household items, men's, women's, teen's and children's clothing, John Deere 38" riding mower and other power lawn equipment. Everything will go. GARAGE SALE: Fri. April 27 and Sat. April 28, 8 a.m. 2710 25th Street. Large multi-family garage sale with appliances, electronics, furniture, home decor, and much more. SERVICE: Balance Pilates Yoga & Athletic Studio located at 2606 Boston Avenue welcomes you and a friend to try equipment based Pilates, beginner yoga, power yoga and mat Pilates classes. For pricing and class times, call 793-1444 or 325-829-9201. SERVICE: Landscaping, remodeling, storm shelter installation and tree trimming and removal. Trustworthy and experienced at a fair price. References available from LISD employees. Call Alex at 252-8212 for a free estimate. GIVE AWAY: Eight weeks ago, my husband rescued an emaciated kitten with damage to her eye on Avenue Q. Thanks to our great vet and lots of love, Little Q has rebounded and we need to find a loving home for her due to allergies and three dogs. Little Q will need to be an inside cat due to the loss of her eye and partial vision in the other eye. She has a carrier, bed, toys and a litter box, plus we will cover her shots and spaying. Please call 713-498-9583. WANTED: Baby carrier that attaches to bicycle needed by summer, trailer to bike. Please call Victor at 632-9193. CONGRATULATIONS TO: ♦ Cary and Erinn Grossi on the birth of their second daughter, Evie Mae, April 18. Erinn teaches fourth grade at Wheelock ES. ♦ Ansley Key, second-grade teacher at Centennial ES on the birth of her son, Connor Jude, April 23. |
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