Message From the Superintendent, September 13, 2021

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Dear Aldine Community,

I want to start off by wishing all grandparents in our community a very happy (belated) Grandparents Day — the national holiday was yesterday, Sunday, September 12.

The pandemic made us all closer to our families and taught us to cherish each other a little more. So many cultures around the world hold their elders in high esteem and treat them with immense respect. For me, I hold a special place in my heart for my grandparents, Big Mama and Papa. In the fifth grade, I moved in with Big Mama and Papa. Both were incredibly hard workers, and I learned so much from them. Big Mama, who only had a fifth-grade education, worked as a maid. Papa, who only had a third-grade education, mowed lawns and collected cans. He couldn’t read or write, and he wrote his name with an X. While I don’t have many good memories during my childhood, some of my happiest memories are with my grandparents. Perhaps my fondest memories are going to garage sales with my grandmother on Saturdays. You see, Big Mama didn’t like stopping at a garage sale and not purchasing something, so she would always give me some spare change so that I could buy books. I would always go through books and find something that I wanted to read. I read all kinds of books, from book series like Valley Girls, Nancy Drew, and The Baby-Sitters Club to John Grisham and all his legal thrillers. I even purchased and read those Harlequin romance novels. My grandparents supported and encouraged reading. 

Papa always encouraged me to read, saying, “Tonya, if you can read, you can go anywhere.” Some of you know my story and the hardships I endured. Reading helped me escape the hard reality of my life. Reading planted dreams in my heart to go somewhere and do something with my life and help others. Reading provided an open window into what is possible in life and helped me gain the tools necessary to create a future filled with opportunity. Books and reading saved me. And I have my grandparents to thank for instilling a love of books.

I encourage you to reach out to your grandparents. If you have a Big Mama, Papa, or Abuelita or Abuelito in your life, spend some time connecting with them. Listen to their stories, wisdom, and perspectives. Do something special to show them how much you appreciate all they do and what they mean to you. And most importantly, let them know how much you love them.

Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15)
I am looking forward to kicking off Hispanic Heritage Month this week on Wednesday, September 15. Over the next month, we will take the time to learn more about the achievements of Hispanic people across the country and right here in our community. Hispanic Heritage Month was originally established as Hispanic Heritage Week (September 15-22) in 1968 to celebrate the contributions of people of Hispanic descent in the U.S. The establishment of this week coincided with the Civil Rights movement and the rapidly changing demographics of the country. This particular week was chosen as six Latin American countries celebrate their independence on those days. The observance was extended to 31 days in 1989, and we now have the opportunity to celebrate our Hispanic community for the entire month. 

Please follow us on social media to see schools and district staff celebrate throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, including students from Aldine’s Mariachi Acero perform.

As the Houston area anticipates Tropical Storm Nicholas, all after-school and extracurricular activities including athletic games and practices, performing arts, clubs, and extended day tutorials scheduled for Monday, September 13 are canceled. In addition, all Aldine ISD campuses and district offices will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, September 14. We will continue to monitor weather conditions for any possible impacts on our community and will communicate updates via the district website, social media, text, phone, and local news. Please stay safe and healthy.

I wish you a great week of school!

With Aldine Pride,

Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney
Superintendent

REMINDERS

September is National School Attendance Month. Research shows that daily school attendance positively impacts students’ social, emotional, and academic development. School participation maximizes learning opportunities for all students. While children should never come to school sick and/or with a fever, when a student is healthy, when a student is healthy, I hope you take measures to set your child on the right path forward. In-person learning is the best way for students to learn as well as have a rigorous and enriching educational experience that prepares them for success in college, career, and life. 

September is Suicide Prevention Month. Suicide is preventable when we ask questions that help identify at-risk individuals and get them the help they need. Click here to read more about how we can prevent unnecessary tragedies.

Primary School Enrollment
The primary schools (Grades Prekindergarten and Kindergarten) will be holding community outreach and enrollment events at each Primary School this Saturday, September 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To learn more about the event, click here.

United States Naval Academy Admissions Forum
The United States Naval Academy will host an Admissions Forum on September 23 in the Houston area. The top-ranked public school offers college opportunities, financial aid, summer STEM programs for grades 8-10, and a seminar for current high school juniors considering the USNA as their college of choice. Financial aid is available for fees and travel for the Summer STEM and Summer Seminar programs. To learn more, click here.

Click on the link to learn more and to register: https://www.usna.edu/Admissions/Connect/Events.php
*The web page will also include a link to view event details (e.g., site address and time).

Introducing … Family and Community University
Aldine’s Family and Community Engagement Department is launching a new program, Family and Community University. The mission of Family and Community University is to provide the necessary knowledge and resources to build confidence and empower families to support students academically, socially, and emotionally. All programming is free, offered virtually and in-person (where indicated), and open to all family and community members. Some sessions will be offered in both English and Spanish. To learn more, click here. Click here to register to attend an information session on Wednesday, September 22, at 6:00 p.m.

To see all upcoming Family and Community Engagement (FACE) events and programs, visit their webpage here and make sure to sign up for the monthly newsletter.

Transition Expo
It’s never too early to start planning! The district will host its Transition Expo on October 7. This event is geared to families of children of all ages with disabilities and will feature programs and resources that help prepare students for life after high school.

Aldine Education Foundation Scholars Program
The Aldine Education Foundation Scholars Program gives students the opportunity to start earning college money in their freshman year of high school by achieving high academic standards for all four years of high school. Students who successfully meet the program’s criteria will have $3,000 of scholarship funds ready at graduation – no applications necessary! Click here for more information.
 
Free Breakfast and Lunch for All Students
All students are eligible for free school breakfast and lunch meals this school year through a USDA program. Families are not required to submit a free/reduced meal application. However, they are encouraged to apply for meal benefits 1) to ensure that their household qualifies for P-EBT funds if they become available again, 2) to allow for meal status eligibility carryover the following school year, and 3) so that the district receives funding to support all students the following year. Families can apply for free and reduced-price meals on www.SchoolCafe.com. To learn more, click here.
 
State-Required School Vaccines
As we work toward a healthy year for all students and staff, I would like to remind everyone that ​​state law requires students to be fully vaccinated to enroll and remain enrolled in school. Students are to be excluded from attendance until fully compliant. I want to encourage parents and caregivers to see that their school-age children have all of their state-required vaccines to avoid a disruption in being allowed to attend school. You can learn more on the district website.
 
COVID-19 Reminders
I encourage you to remind our community to follow the three Ws – Wash your hands, Wear a mask, and Watch your distance. As a reminder, masks are required for anyone age two and older at every Aldine ISD campus, district building, and school bus. Aldine ISD’s top priorities continue to be the safety and academic success of all students. As Aldine ISD provides in-person learning, protocols and information for families have been updated for the 2021-2022 school year. The protocols will be revisited to address any changes from the Texas Education Agency, CDC, state and local health guidelines. We will post all information related to our operations along with any updates at www.aldineisd.org/healthalerts.

Stay Connected
Please make sure to check out the District News page to stay up to date on all the wonderful things happening in our district. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.