Ector County Independent School District eNewsletter
1/28/15
In This Issue

Final Boundary Changes Approved by Board

 

After adding this year's student data to our demographic profile several of our schools went over the recommended capacities designated for next year, and that required some adjustments be made to the new elementary school and middle school boundaries adopted in November. These changes level enrollment at each campus, and these will be the final boundaries put into effect for next school year.

                                                                                                      

This last adjustment also highlights the need to review boundaries on a regular basis to make sure a school's (or many schools') enrollment does not get out of balance.

 

The newest maps can be found at this link on our Communications Department webpage - http://www.ectorcountyisd.org/Page/28631 Click on the map to enlarge it.

 

Fly Me to the Moon

 

 

Devon Energy surprised the staff at New Tech Odessa, and science teacher Richard Lindner in particular, with a $5,000 check last week. It is one of the company's Science Giants grants and it will help NTO start a rocketry program for juniors and seniors. Read more...

 

 

All-State Selection

 

Permian HS linebacker Josh Nguyen earned the honor of 2nd-team Class 6A All-State by the Associated Press Sports Editors. Nguyen, a junior, led Permian with 164 tackles, and posted 10 tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles, three sacks, and two interceptions (one of those interceptions he returned for a touchdown). He also made the Academic All-District team.

 

The ECISD school board recognized Josh at its meeting on January 20.

 

 

Early Release Day Coming Soon

 

This is an important reminder for parents - we will have an Early Release day on Friday, February 13. This means all elementary students will be dismissed for the day at noon, and all secondary students will be dismissed for the day at 1:30 p.m. Faculty and staff members use the afternoon for a half-day of professional development. If your child attends �-day pre-kindergarten please contact the school for details of how that will be handled.
    
This will be the first of three Early Release days in the spring semester. The others are April 17 and May 22. 

World Class Leader in Education

 

The World Class Leader in Education for January 2015 is Odessa High School physics teacher Rebecca Orcutt. She is in her third year with ECISD, with teaching experience in Colorado, too.

                                                             

Rebecca knows all too well the challenges our district is facing with record student enrollment and a shortage of teachers due to the ultra-competitive nature of our local job market. Throughout the fall semester she taught her classes each day and helped the permanent sub with the other classes, many times by combining them. She made lesson plans for them both, sometimes graded for them both, recorded her lessons and posted them on YouTube, and even sent letters to the parents of the sub's students so they could access her Edmodo account for student assignments. She said she was determined not to let the students in the sub's class fall behind. Remarkably, when asked about this situation she called it stressful but a 'blessing in disguise' because it illustrated to her and to the students that hard work and determination can overcome obstacles to learning. OHS principal Gregory Nelson says Rebecca steps up when needed, often without anyone asking.

 

Ms. Orcutt is pictured with School Board Vice President Nelson Minyard and Superintendent of Schools Tom Crowe (right.)

 

Get the latest news

In addition to this newsletter, you can Follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, and download our Mobile App available for iPhone and Android. Superintendent Crowe has also started a blog called Crowe's Chronicles that you can find at www.ectorcountyisd.org/blog.