On Monday, Ector County ISD officials became aware of, and began investigating, an allegation of an inappropriate relationship between a teacher and a student at Permian High School. On Tuesday afternoon the teacher was placed on paid administrative leave by the school district and Tuesday night he was arrested by the Odessa Police Department and now faces multiple felony charges.

Don't forget, this Friday, April 3, is a school holiday. Also, don't forget next Monday, April 6, is no longer a school holiday - it is the first of the bad weather make up days. We'll see you in class on Monday! 

On March 31 the Board of Trustees officially approved a change to this year's calendar, making Memorial Day - Monday, May 25 - the makeup day for the day canceled due to icy weather on February 27.

February 27 was the district's second bad weather of the year and, unfortunately, came after one of the makeups had passed. Texas school districts are required to make up at least two days missed due to weather. Because of the timing the choices for the second makeup day came down to Memorial Day, Good Friday, or a Saturday. In an effort to make the best of the situation, ECISD's Curriculum & Instruction Department will create lessons and activities specifically for Memorial Day so students will get a better understanding of the holiday and the sacrifices of the veterans it memorializes.

The Scholar In Progress GT Program put together the 11th Annual "CHESS FOR CHAMPIONS" tournament on March 28 at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. The tournament was a result of a grant written by Donna Allen who retired two years ago but still helps with the registering of the students.

This year 442 Gifted/Talented students, in grades 1-6, registered and played their strategies that morning. Five rounds of round-robin play determined which students qualified for the finals in the afternoon.

Congratulations to the first place winners: Annie Castellan, Milam, 1^st grade; Dawson Jones, Reagan,2^nd grade; Ethan Calderon, Austin, 3^rd grade; Jaden Rankins, Reagan, 4^th grade; Jabez Chavez, Austin, 5^th grade; Bryan Martinez, LBJ, 6^th grade. Awards included medals, knapsacks, magnetic chess sets, and game boards with game pieces.

Our World Class Leader in Education for March 2015 is Nimitz JH teacher/coach Melvon Anders. Coach Anders is an 11-year veteran of ECISD and he's spent all of those years at Nimitz.           

Mr. Anders is the Special Education Department Chair and he approaches education with passion and dedication. He nurtures the growth of his students and athletes by encouraging them to always do their best on the field and in the classroom. One 7^th-grader described him like this, "Coach Anders is always helping us and showing us how to be our best. He cares about us. He takes time out of his day to check on us and cares about not only athletics but our grades too."

In the classroom Mr. Anders works with students as a 7th, 8th, and 9th grade math resource teacher to close the achievement gap. Many of his students make a year of progress or more as measured by the annual state assessments. If you were to walk into his classroom you would see students actively involved in group work, Smartboard lessons, using manipulatives while he works with individual students encouraging them to try, and telling each one he believes in them. One of his special education students says, "He can be nice. He tells us he cares about us and loves us. He always wants us to do our best and work hard. Coach Anders loves us like we are his own."

His parent communication is excellent and he takes the time to really get to know the families of the students he works with. Mr. Anders has insight into what is going on with his students' personal lives and how that is impacting their education. He has touched the lives of students and parents in ways that have changed them personally and educationally, and his impact will be felt not only during their years at Nimitz, but for the rest of their lives. He is pictured with school board member Ray Beaty, D.C. and Superintendent of Schools Tom Crowe.