Week of February 25

Celebrate Excellence - #TxEdTuesday

Carthage Primary students put on an amazing Valentines
Variety show.  Thank you students and staff for your hard work.

#TxEdTuesday is a state-wide initiative that Texas public schools use to tell their story about public education.  Every Tuesday, school around the state highlight what they are proud of in their schools.  In my 4 weeks here, I have found and shared multiple stories about the excellence in our district.  

Are you proud of Carthage ISD?  If so, I invite you to join us in praising our teachers, students, and staff members who go above and beyond to make Carthage an outstanding district.  Our story is being written every day, but it is only know by story-tellers.  Will you join us in telling that story?



Carthage ISD Legislative Priorities
With the legislature in session, it is important to inform you of legislative priorities that affect Carthage ISD.  Below are the district's priorities and why they are important to CISD.

1. Reduce amount of recapture funds taken from CISD (Robin Hood).
1. CISD sends an average of $7M - $10M every year to the state.
2. This amount represents 1/3 to 1/4 of the CISD budget.
3. 44% or 450 of 1031 Texas schools districts pay recapture every year.
2. Increase state funding to ALL TEXAS SCHOOLS.
1. With the loss of ASATR (Additional State Aid for Tax Relief), CISD lost an additional $7M in state funding. (This is in addition to recapture)
2. ASATR was the sole reason so many positions in CISD were eliminated in 2016-18.
3. Increase funds to benefit all educator salaries and benefits.
1. Teacher salaries have not kept up with the cost of living and inflation.
2. Health insurance premiums have increased, and benefits have decreased, which has resulted in increased costs on all state employees, thus a loss to their paychecks.
4. Take care of retired teachers and future retired educators
1. TRS (Texas Retirement System) has decreased its commitment to health insurance by doubling costs for retired teachers.
2. TRS lowered the rate of return assumptions which negatively affected the future cost of living raises for ALL TEXAS TEACHERS.
3. Changes to TRS negatively impacts all teachers including those who are not yet retired but are currently paying into the system.

If you would like to see changes made in Austin, please contact your representatives in Austin.  

1. CLICK HERE to contact Senator Bryan Hughes
2. CLICK HERE to contact Representative Chris Paddie
3. CLICK HERE to contact any Texas Senator
4. CLICK HERE to contact any Texas Representative

Panola County Day

Truman Shirey, Dr. Donna Porter, Mary Ella Sherman,
and Kathy Worley represented Carthage ISD at Panola
County Day in Austin.

This past Monday and Tuesday, members of the City, Chamber of Commerce, Panola College, and Carthage ISD went to Austin to meet with legislators.  The legislative session is currently meeting to pass legislation that impacts all of Texas.  

We thank Panola College for providing the transportation, the Chamber of Commerce for arranging the dates and the community members including CISD Board Members, Mary Ella Sherman and Truman Shirey for taking time out of their day to advocate for the constituents of Panola County. 



Upcoming Events

• Fri, Feb 22 - HS Cheer Tryouts

  

  Representative Chris Paddie (center) recognized
  Steve Williams, John Wink, Dr. Greg Powell,
  Lynn Joffrion and Jerry Hanszen on the
  House floor this past week.

• Fri, Feb 22 - Boys Golf at Lindale
• Fri, Feb 22 - Tennis at Center
• Fri, Feb 22 - Soccer vs Henderson
• Sat, Feb 23 - UIL Academics at Center
• Sat, Feb 23 - JV Boys Soccer vs. Hudson
• Mon, Feb 25 - FFA Area VI Convention - Sulphur Springs
• Tue, Feb 26 - Soccer at Center
• Tue, Feb 26 - Softball at Hallsville
• Tue, Feb 26 - JV/V BB at Liberty Eylau, F BB at Hallsville
• Wed, Feb 27 - Panola Co. Jr. Livestock Show begins
• Thu, Feb 28 - NAEP test in grades 4, 8, 12
• Thu, Feb 28 - SB at Hallsville Tournament
• Thu, Feb 28 - BB at Marshall Tournament
• Fri, Mar 1 - CHS Belles Tryouts
• Fri, Mar 1 - Tennis at SFA vs Hudson
• Fri, Mar 1 - Soccer at Diboll
• Mar 4 - 8 - Texas Public Schools Week

Click Links below to each School Calendar
Carthage HS Calendar
Carthage JH Calendar
Baker-Koonce Calendar
Libby Elementary Calendar
Carthage Primary Calendar

Your Input Matters
If you have a question, suggestion, or comment, please leave a comment below. Comments are not published immediately. Please do not leave negative comments about individual people. If you have a negative comment, please email the principal, superintendent or call 903-693-3806.