Week of November 4

Celebrate Excellence - #NoExcuseNovember

Congratulations to our record-setting and
Undefeated District Champ Ladydawg
Volleyball team.  The girls start the playoffs
on Monday night at 6:30 at TJC in Tyler.

October is over and November is here.  For men, No Shave November is here, and in school No Excuse November is here.  The purpose for No Excuse November is to challenge students, parents, and teachers to crush all the excuses that make us fail to grow in our work and in our learning.  For example the biggest excuses made by most people are "I don't have time" or "I can't do that".  That's simply not true.  We have the time if we make it, and we can do anything we commit to do.

Let's face it.  Excuses do nothing more than allow us to remain in our current state.  They keep us in our present state and serve as a barrier that prevents us from finding our inner excellence. As parents and educators, we must challenge kids to stop making the following excuses when it comes to learning:

• I'm not a good reader.
• Math is not my thing.
• I can't write.
• I don't have time to study.

None of these excuses are true.  Students can be good readers, mathematicians, writers and studious learners if we teach them to avoid the trap of making excuses.  When excuses are no longer allowed, learning increases, students learn the value of hard work and perseverance, and No Excuse November will be a powerful month that leads kids to success.  I hope you will challenge your student to adopt the No Excuse November movement.

Bullying Protocols

Congratulations to our CHS Boys Cross Country
team and Coaches Horton and Brooks who
qualified for the UIL State Meet today in Huntsville.

At CISD we have protocols for reporting bullying, harassment, or threats of violence. If you see something, say something. Chances are the adults in the building are not aware there’s an issue, and the sooner an issue is reported, the greater the chances are that it can be addressed. 

Step 1 - Report the issue to the teacher. The teacher many times can address the issue immediately if it is between your child and another student. 

Step 2 - If the issue persists in spite of reports to the teacher or if the threat is a major danger to others, notify the campus administrator. They have specific training to address the problem. Additionally, they will need you to report the issue to them each time it occurs. 

Step 3 - If repeated efforts with the campus administrator have not resolved the problem, please

Baker Koonce students prepared their gardens
last week.  The garden was provided by a grant from
the CISD Education Foundation

contact central office administration.  

We also have an anonymous reporting link on the home page to our website.  http://mycampuseye.com/web/4W9J  Please save this link to your phone and encourage your child to save it to their phone. This will allow threats to be reported immediately. 

If you have questions about our bullying policy, please contact the campus administrator. They are the best resource to ensure your child attends a safe school. 

Formative Assessment Week
Please join us in motivating your student to excel on the 2nd 6 weeks formative assessments.  Every student has a +10 goal for this assessment.  This goal is set to challenge all students to increase their performance by 10 points from either the child's STAAR score from last year or from the student's performance on the Beginning of Year assessment.  This week, ask your child what their goal is and what they plan to do on the 2nd 6 weeks assessment to reach their goal.

Carthage ISD Education Foundation

holds annual drive.  Click link above to contribute.

Bulldogs of the Week

Congratuations to our Bulldogs of the Week

Jacie Bagley - Student (bottom left)

Melanie Hudson - Teacher (bottom right)

Taylor Moore - Food Service (top right)

Brandie Horton - Parent/Comm Volunteer (top left)

Upcoming Events

Kindergarten students in Mrs. Koch's and
Isbell's class taught one another through
collaboration how to use Chromebook to
conduct a Google Search

• Fri, Nov 1 - FB vs. Henderson (HOME)
• Sat, Nov 2 - UIL Academics at Lindale
• Sat, Nov 2 - SAT Test
• Sat, Nov 2 - Band at NAMMB
• Sat, Nov 2 - FFA at Waskom LDE Invitational
• Sun, Nov 3 - Daylight Savings Time begins
• Mon, Nov 4 - Formative Assessment Week begins
• Mon, Nov 4 - Primary Canned Food Drive Begins
• Tue, Nov 5 - Election Day
• Thu, Nov 7 - F/JV FB vs Kilgore
• Fri, Nov 8 - FB at Kilgore
• Sat, Nov 9  - HS Girls BB vs Marshall HOME
• Sat, Nov 9 - All Region Choir Concert at PAC
• Sat, Nov 9 - UIL Academics at Whitehouse & Center
• Sat, Nov 9 - FFA at Van Invitational
• Mon, Nov 11 - Veterans Day and Professional Learning Day for Staff (No School for Students)

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.

Week of October 28

Celebrate Excellence - In the Board Meeting
In the Carthage ISD School Board meeting on October 21, the following items were deliberated:

The CISD Board of Trustees honored principals at the
October 21 board meeting.
From left:  Ken Andrus, Supt John Wink, Staci Davis (Libby)
Kiley Schumacher and Jennifer Register (Primary), Mike
Baysinger (PACE), Clarinda Collins (Baker Koonce), Dr. Ben
Donald, Mary Ella Sherman, Frank Willis, and Paul Beatty.
Not pictured:  Jason Harris (CHS) and Wade Watson (CJHS)

• The consent agenda was approved as presented.
• The Carthage ISD principals were honored for their hard work as part of National Principals Month.
• The 2017-2018 FIRST report was presented.  Carthage ISD earned a perfect 100 rating for its Financial Integrity Rating.
• The Targeted Improvement Plan for Baker Koonce was discussed.  This is a plan that outlines the academic improvements being made for the campus.
• The 1st 6 Weeks Formative Assessment report was presented to the board.
• The board approved the purchase of 3 new buses.
• The board approved the technology bid to complete the project at the Carthage ISD Professional Learning Room,

The next school meeting will be on Monday, November 18, 2019.

#BeTheLIGHT - Bulldog Band

The Bulldog Band earned a 1st Division Rating at
UIL Marching Contest at SFA last week.

Congratulations to the Bulldog Band for their 1st division performance at the Region XXI UIL Marching Contest at SFA on Saturday, October 19.  The band earned straight 1's from all 3 judges at the contest.  We are so proud of the students under the direction of band directors:  Nick Durham, John Dupnik, Joseph Schaetz, and James Thomas.  The band continues its marching contest participation at the NAMMB (National Association of Military Marching Bands) contest on Saturday, November 2, 2019 at SFA.

Education Foundation Week
The Carthage ISD Education Foundation (Click Here) exists to provide Carthage ISD students and teachers with resources and experiences that go beyond what the general curriculum and budget provide.  In 2019, the Education Foundation awarded $180,000 through 55 grants to to every campus last year.  In 2020, the Education Foundation has set a goal of $200,000 to be raised to provide even more supports to our students.  If you would like to give, please contact Cynthia Harkrider (Click Here) at 903-693-3806

Mr. Wink delivered the keynote message on the power of student leadership to area schools at the TSA Regional Student  Assembly on Oct 23 which was held at the Pine Springs Baptist Camp. 

Bulldogs of the Week

Congratulations to our Bulldogs of the Week
Student of the Week - Ruby Morris
Teacher of the Week - Jacinda Gwinn
Custodial Team Member of the Week - Jerry Refior
Community / Volunteer Member of the Week - Rachel Pace

Upcoming Events

• Fri, Oct 25 - V FB at Palestine

  

  CHS Volleyball Seniors had their last
  home game where they defeated Center
  and extended their all time wins to 34.
  They look to tie the all time record of 35
  wins on Tuesday night.

• Sat, Oct 26 - CHS Theatre Fall Show at 7 p.m.
• Sun, Oct 27 - CHS Theatre Fall Show at 2 p.m.
• Mon, Oct 28 -  CHS Theatre Fall Show at 7 p.m.
• Mon, Oct 28 - Cross Country Regional Meet in Huntsville
• Tue, Oct 29 - VB at Huntington
• Wed, Oct 30 - CHS Blood Drive
• Fri, Nov 1 - Primary Fall Festival
• Fri, Nov 1 - FB vs. Henderson (HOME)
• Sat, Nov 2 - UIL Academics at Lindale
• Sat, Nov 2 - SAT Test
• Sat, Nov 2 - Band at NAMMB
• Sat, Nov 2 - FFA at Waskom LDE Invitational
• Sun, Nov 3 - Daylight Savings Time begins
• Mon, Nov 4 - Formative Assessment Week begins

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.

Week of October 21

Celebrate Excellence - Volleyball & Football

The Carthage Ladydogs are chasing history in setting the
highest number of wins in school history.  The current
record for wins in a season is 35.

Our Bulldogs and Ladydogs are playing strong this fall.  The Ladydog Volleyball team is now 33-4 while the Bulldogs are 6-0 after the 1st week of district play. 

The reason for their success is simple.   Excellence cannot happen without high expectations for preparation and execution.  Our teams play hard from whistle to whistle.  They don't quit, and they don't make excuses or place blame when they fail.  They view failure as a learning opportunity, and most importantly they have fun while they do it.  If you haven't seen them play, I encourage you to come out and watch them.  They are a sight to see.

#BeTheLIGHT - Attendance Matters a Lot!
Attendance is critical for learning.  In the graphic below, it shares how much learning your child will miss if he or she misses 1 or more days per week over those course of their education.  Furthermore, it also shows how much learning is missed if your child misses anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour per day.  In the 1st 6 weeks, we had 96.8% attendance.  In the 2nd 6 weeks, we want to set a record for attendance of 96.4%.  Attendance has an impact on learning, and we want it to be the best impact possible.

Bulldogs of the Week

Bulldogs of the Week include the following:
Crystal Capps - Teacher of the Week
Brooklyn Reddell, Student of the Week,
Kim Emmons - Community Volunteer of the Week
Tamiko Walton - Transportation Member of the Week

Upcoming Events

Kindergarten students from Mrs. Alexander,
Ms. Shows’, and Mrs. Kneipp’s classes
performed their Nursery Rhyme play,
“Mother Goose Party”, for the residents
 at Winkler House last week. 

• Fri, Oct 18 - Distinguished Alumni Banquet at Hall of Fame at 4:30 
• Fri, Oct 18 - Homecoming Game vs Chapel Hill
• Sat, Oct 19 - UIL Band Marching Contest at SFA
• Mon, Oct 21 - Red Ribbon Week Begins
• Mon, Oct 21 - Bus Driver Appreciation Week & School Bus Safety Week
• Mon, Oct 21 - School Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m.
• Tue, Oct 22 - VB vs Center (Senior Night)
• Thu, Oct 24 - CHS Theatre Fall Show at 7 p.m.
• Thu, Oct 24 - F/JV FB vs Palestine
• Fri, Oct 25 - V FB at Palestine
• Sat, Oct 26 - CHS Theatre Fall Show at 7 p.m.
• Sun, Oct 27 - CHS Theatre Fall Show at 2 p.m.
• Mon, Oct 28 -  CHS Theatre Fall Show at 7 p.m.

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.

Week of October 14

Celebrate Excellence - Coach Mac

It is with great sadness that we mourn the loss of Coach Dennis McLaughlin who passed away this week.  Coach McLaughlin was in his 39th year as a teacher and coach for Carthage ISD.  He leaves behind his wife, Ginger, children, Lauren and Mark Patrick, and grandchildren, Braden and Madisyn. 

Dennis was an amazing teacher but he was an even more amazing person.  He had high expectations for his students, his athletes, and his colleagues, but more importantly he had even higher expectations for himself to help everyone around him reach those expectations.  He was a trusted friend, and he could light up the room with his big smile.  Coach Mac left behind a legacy of kindness, hard work, and excellence, and he will be missed greatly at Carthage ISD.

Distinguished Alumni to be Recognized
On Friday, October 18 at 4:30 p.m., the CISD Education Foundation will hold the Distinguished Alumni Banquet at the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame.  The 2019 inductees include James H. Browning - Class of 1965 (CLICK HERE to read more), Jan Jones Forester - Class of 1968 (CLICK HERE to read more), and Steve Roberson - Class of 1965 (CLICK HERE to read more). 

These honorees and their families will enjoy a day of festivities on Homecoming Friday, October 18, 2019. They will speak to the Carthage High School students at an assembly before the pep rally and then they will be honored with a reception at the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame from 4:30 - 6:30 pm. At the football game that evening, they will be recognized and presented with a key to the city during CHS Homecoming ceremonies at Bulldog Stadium. Everyone is invited to attend the reception, football game and related homecoming activities.

2019 CISD Distinguished Alumni
Jan Forester Jones - Class of 1968 (left),
James Browning - Class of 1965 (top right)
Steve Roberson - Class of 1965 (bottom right)

#BeTheLIGHT

This past Monday, students and staff wore blue in honor of World Bullying Prevention Day.  It is very important that Carthage ISD schools be safe for all children.  If you or your child has a concern that might be considered bullying, please know that you or your child should notify the teacher, counselor, or principal about their concerns, and the staff will look into the issue.  If you see something, please say something.

NO SCHOOL ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 14.

HOMECOMING IS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18.

Bulldogs of the Week

Bulldogs of the Week are
Kim Smith, Teacher,
Mallory Williams, Student,
Terry Caudle, Technology Staff,
Susan Soape, Community Member.

Upcoming Events

• Fri, Oct 11 - VB at Longview
• Fri, Oct 11 - FB at Van
• Mon, Oct 14 - School Holiday
• Tue, Oct 15 - Homecoming Week begins
• Tue, Oct 15 - Volleyball at Jasper
• Wed, Oct 16 - Cross Country Meet in Hudson
• Wed, Oct 16 - PSAT exam
• Thu, Oct 17 - F/JV Football at Chapel Hill
• Fri, Oct 18 - Distinguished Alumni Banquet at Hall of Fame at 4:30 
• Fri, Oct 18 - Homecoming Game vs Chapel Hill
• Sat, Oct 19 - UIL Band Marching Contest at SFA
• Mon, Oct 21 - Red Ribbon Week Begins
• Mon, Oct 21 - Bus Driver Appreciation Week & School Bus Safety Week
• Mon, Oct 21 - School Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m.

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

All Region Choir Members

The following students made the Region 21 All Region Choir

L to R back row:  Hailey Hutson - Alto, Allie Fonville - Alto, Teagan Barker - Soprano, Nathan Strauss - Bass, Nicholas Giagnoni - Tenor, Will Jackson - Bass

L to R middle row:  Jessica West - Soprano, Chloe Overman - Soprano, Perla Santana - Soprano, Anslie Ruley - Soprano, Elizabeth Joubert - Soprano

L to R front row:  Tristan Wolbeck - Soprano, Ashlynn Phelps - Alto, Rayanne Cumbie - Soprano, Taylor Cureton - Alto, Chandler Glaze - Alto

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.

Week of October 7

Celebrate Excellence

The 2nd 6 weeks is off and running, and at this time, I would like to thank our teachers for their tremendous work in the 1st 6 weeks of school. Our teachers and staff have worked so hard to raise the expectations for learning and they are continuously working and learning together how to get better at making that happen.

If you would like to know more about your child's performance on our 1st 6 weeks formative assessments, please contact your child's teacher or campus principal.  This data is used to inform students, teachers, and parents on how well children are making growth in their learning.

This month is National Principals Month.  
Thank you to our hardworking principals and assistant principals for all that they do for CISD.

#BeTheLIGHT

October 2 was Custodian Appreciation Day
Thank you to our hardworking custodians for all that
they do for CISD.

Over the past 5 weeks, I have shared the five pillars of our 2019-2020 motto, Be the Light.  Those pillars include:  Love, Invest, Growth Goals and Grit, Hearts of Help and Trust and Teamwork.  This week, I would like to invite you to be a part of our motto by inviting you to be the light for our district.

There are lots of ways that you can help us be the light.  Here are just a few ways:

• Mentor a student,
• Eat lunch with a student,
• Read with a student,
• Adopt a teacher to support them this year,
• Open car doors,
• Be at the front doors welcoming students,
• Volunteer in our Champions Closet,
• Volunteer for a booster club,
• Volunteer with our Carthage ISD Education Foundation,
• Any other way you can think of.

We would love to have you shine your light on our school.  If you would like to be a part of our team, please contact Joni Lee at central office.

Bulldogs of the Week

Bulldogs of the Week are:
Braden Smith - Student of the Week
Tate Barber - Community Member of the Week
Bruce Malone - Teacher of the Week
Tonia Crittenden - PCSSA Staff Member of the Week

Upcoming Events

On Friday, September 27, central office staff delivered
goodies to CISD staff to celebrate the end of a great month
of work in September.

• Fri, Oct 4 - Report Cards go out
• Fri, Oct 4 - VB at Pleasant Grove
• Fri, Oct 4 - FB at Pleasant Grove
• Mon, Oct 7 - Fire Prevention Week begins
• Tue, Oct 8 - VB vs Huntington
• Wed, Oct 9 - Cross Country at Lufkin
• Thu, Oct 10 - F/JV FB vs Van
• Fri, Oct 11 - VB at Longview
• Fri, Oct 11 - FB at Van
• Mon, Oct 14 - School Holiday
• Tue, Oct 15 - Homecoming Week begins

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.