Latest news with #AbileneISD
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Abilene ISD Esports team ranks Top 10% worldwide in Rocket League
ABILENE, Texas (BCH Sports) – Esports are becoming a hot trend, and that's backed by Abilene ISD's new Esports program. In their brief existence, they've had some real success, especially from one student in particular. I had the chance to speak with members of the team to learn more about how this came to be. Advertisement AISD Esports Student Nehemiah Daughtery said, 'So I've been playing since 2018, so that's about seven years. Give or take.' AISD Esports Student Brian McNally said, 'I've been playing on and off since 2019.' Daughtery said, 'It's a big experience, more than just being car soccer. It's a way to meet people, make connections, learn about yourself.' Coach, AISD Esports Team Head Coach Andy Hope said, 'I see them constantly improving every day. They work so hard. In fact, I have to kick them out of my lab when we go home a lot because they're just here grinding, getting better at the game.' The name of the game is Rocket League, one of three games that the Abilene ISD Esports teams competes in. Advertisement Hope said, 'We've really been taking this seriously for about two years now, kind of been planning for that extra year for three.' But in just a short time, they've found success. Daughtery said, 'I'm champion one, which is the second highest rank before you enter the pro leagues. That falls into the area of top 10%, just about.' Top 10 percent not in Abilene, or Texas, or America…in the entire world! Daughtery said, 'you know, I'm very grateful for the people that helped me get there my coach, my teammates, everyone else.' McNally said, 'we've been recognized multiple times, not even out in public of a professional tournament. We've been recognized by other people.' Advertisement Hope said, 'they're passionate about it. I've really enjoyed getting to know them. It's a great way to to build a coaching-athlete, a relationship with kids that normally wouldn't have that experience. That's really cool to find a new niche for these kids to come in and bond.' The Esports realm is still taking shape in the Big Country, but those who have taken part have plenty to celebrate. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB -
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Anson high teacher pays out of pocket to keep science exciting
ANSON, Texas () – If you remember science class in grade school, you probably remember the exciting experiments, from exploding volcanoes to creating slime. As much fun as they were, they were also educational, and at Anson High School, that is the center of their science curriculum — but it comes with a price. Elizabeth Meyer, a science teacher at Anson High School, hosts one lab experiment per week, which she says can be a large amount of effort. 'Some people think me doing a lab every week is kind of crazy, and it's a lot of work, but I know the kids enjoy it. They get a lot out of it. They usually retain the material better. They do better on their test, and they get more interested in their class,' Meyer said. 'A colossal mistake': Abilene ISD superintendent criticizes Texas' new education voucher law Shaking up fresh ice cream to exploding gummy bears, Meyer said the hands-on learning experience not only makes the classroom fun for students but also connects them to the material they are learning in class. 'I don't like just sitting there. Even in college, I doodled or messed with something, and so having hands-on experience really helps my kids get involved. They're engaged; they're doing what they're supposed to do. When somebody comes in, they like building roller coasters and catapults,' Meyer said. With approximately 60 students and 36 weeks in a school year, 36 labs, the cost of materials can be pretty expensive, with Meyer having to come out of pocket most of the time. 'There's one lab that would be amazing to do, but it would cost so much to do. It. We just don't. So I try to find other things that the kids can do that show them the same thing. That's just a little simpler model,' Meyer said. 'I paid $100 at the grocery store just to do [an ice cream experiment with 10 students], so imagine doing one every week. And there are 36 weeks in a school year.' Dan Patrick on THC ban, school choice + more in Abilene Anson High School Principal, Gina Overby, said teachers buying their supplies is not uncommon for educators, especially those going above and beyond for their students. 'It makes me so happy to see that our teachers are willing to put our kids first, and not that we want them to go broke doing it, but at the same time, the fact that they're willing to shows to me how much our kids mean to our teachers,' Overby said. Even with the cost burden, Meyer said she will not stop the labs, seeing the positive impact on her students. 'I had one student, and she literally did not want to come to school. She didn't like coming to school at all. One day, on the last day of school, she goes, 'You're probably the only reason I came to school.' That made me feel pretty good because you don't usually hear those comments from the kids,' Meyer explained. 'Don't forget to hug your momma': Big Country's Class of 2025 walks into the future The school is accepting donations for science labs. They can be dropped off at Anson High School. Here is a list of some of the previous materials the class has used: Marbles Pennies Eggs Popsicle Sticks Mirrors 60 mL syringes Light diodes Bleach Tent Stakes Nylon Rope Ammonia Copper wire tape 3V Coin Batteries Glass bottles Soda cans Rubberbands Plastic Bags String Tape Cups Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Project 325 aims to ‘fill the gap' in Abilene community
ABILENE, Texas () — On Sunday, hosted a community outreach initiative called 'Feeding 325″ at the People's Plaza, located off of South 14th Street. Dyess We Care Team seeks help after military family finds home in ruins The organization offered residents resources, community, and a free meal. Volunteer Ry Pelletier said the organization wants to provide a welcoming 'come and go' environment as a non-religious group. 'What happens a lot of times with stringent grant requirements and things like that is people fall through the cracks. We're just trying to create a baseline. Everyone across the board is able to be served and is able to get what they need without having to check any boxes off first,' Pelletier said. 'It's basically just a mutual aid hub. We are just providing a free meal. There are a lot of toiletries, hygiene items, and a lot of other agencies have donated things to give away.' Abilene ISD free summer meals kicks off June 2 The organization started discussing the community's needs in November 2024. Keely Mitchell, a Volunteer, grew up in Tulsa, where she saw a community program thrive. She said she wanted to bring a similar program to Key City. 'I thought it was a great program there. How can you help our neighbors here? I've put down my roots here. I'm going to help my neighbors as well now because it's no fun to make it and not help your neighbors make it,' Mitchell said. 'Come hang out, come vibe, come fellowship, and hang out and eat. Fill your belly. Get what you need. Take what you can.' On Sunday, they helped 80 people, and they hope to expand throughout the year and include more elements like wellness checks and cosmetology services. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘This is where we start': Superintendent responds as Abilene ISD anticipates ‘C' rating
ABILENE, Texas () – On Tuesday, families of students in the Abilene Independent School District received a letter from the Texas Education Agency, announcing the district's accountability rating for the 2023-24 school year. The letter confirms that Abilene ISD will receive a rating of '72' for the 2023 school year and is likely to receive a rating of '70' for the 2024 school year. Their rating for 2022 is also expected to be downgraded from 75 to 69 due to new grading criteria. District officials sent a letter to parents on Tuesday morning, ahead of the TEA ratings, which will be released on Thursday. Abilene ISD Superintendent Dr. John Kuhn said this 'C' rating is the district's baseline under the new state grading criteria. 'This is the new grading system. I'm a new superintendent, so this is where we start from,' Kuhn said. Abilene ISD says district 'has work to do', as another 'C' rating expected from TEA The grade is an accumulation of different areas of learning, including STAAR test scores, which Kuhn said the district looks at differently. 'Student testing data should be used by educators to analyze what we're doing well and what we need to improve on. It should be used like that, not to rank and rate schools,' Kuhn said. 'Now, when the state comes out and says, 'Oh, everybody, here's their grade,' that's fine. We want better grades, but our goal is to provide our kids with an excellent education. Then that's going to translate into an A or B rating. But our goal is not to play a game. Our goal is to educate kids well.'The district's main goal moving forward is to have 75% of its students attending an 'A' or 'B' ranked school within the next five years. 'What we're doing is reimagining how we do things to get different results. We've already done a lot of that at the elementary level with the building broader futures model, with the circle's model, with the change in how we field our instructional coordinators,' Kuhn shared. Abilene ISD receives $1.7 million grant for learning acceleration strategies Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Learning Patti Blue said reaching their goal is a multi-step process, including converting some campuses to specialized ones. 'We're looking more and more at specializations for our elementary campuses. A lot of this has not been decided about what the specializations are going to be. That will be some discussions we have as a community going forward,' Blue said. The district aims to continue the dialogue with the community, as Kuhn states, they plan to measure success beyond just test scores. As they undergo various changes, the district said it wants to continue having these conversations with the community about what they would like to see implemented in their students' education. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Abilene ISD says district has ‘has work to do', as another ‘C' rating expected from TEA
ABILENE, Texas () – Abilene ISD is letting parents know the district has 'work to do' as they are expecting to receive another 'C' rating from the Texas Education Agency. District officials sent a letter to parents Tuesday morning ahead of the TEA ratings, which will be released Thursday. The letter confirms that Abilene ISD will receive a rating of '72' for the 2023 school year and will likely receive a '70' for the 2024 school year. Their rating for 2022 is also expected to be downgraded to '69' due to new grading criteria. At the end of the letter, Abilene ISD officials highlight what the district has been doing to combat the lower ratings, including getting the majority of students into higher-performing campuses, restructuring or reclassifying lower-performing campuses, and finding ways to get teachers more pay. Read the full letter from Abilene ISD below: Hello Abilene ISD families, We believe in being accountable to you for providing a high-quality, holistic education for your children. Our daily goal is to empower students and teachers in classrooms with innovative approaches to teaching and learning beyond preparing for standardized tests. We're also committed to transparency with our school community. We need every Abilene resident to feel confident standing with us, and that starts with being open and honest about our schools. That's why we want to share as much information as we can with you regarding our district and school accountability ratings from the Texas Education Agency and our in-progress plans and bold actions to make AISD the best place to learn and work in the Big Country. On Thursday, the TEA plans to publish 2023 A-F accountability system ratings for all public schools and districts in Texas, along with ratings for 2022 that have been recalculated using the new rules established in 2023. These ratings were previously withheld from public release due to legal action taken by 121 Texas school districts after the TEA abruptly changed how accountability scores were calculated. The new accountability rules made the STAAR test significantly more difficult for our students to pass and also adjusted scoring criteria to the extent that far fewer Texas public schools would receive favorable ratings. For example, the updated system dramatically reduces the positive impact of crucial non-STAAR student achievements on our final A-F ratings, including graduation rate and college, career, and military readiness. Our school district has work to do: For 2024, we project that AISD will receive an overall accountability rating of 70, which the TEA equates to a letter grade of C. For 2023, the TEA confirmed that AISD will receive an official rating of 72. For 2022, AISD received an official rating of 75. According to the TEA, if our 2022 district rating was recalculated by their new rules, it would change to a 69. These ratings represent a baseline for the future of Abilene ISD. We are under new leadership with a new vision, and we are committed to getting this right. We owe it to you, Abilene – our students, parents, families, teachers, staff, and community – to provide a high-quality education and the best learning experiences possible in outstanding schools. That's what we will do. In fact, positive change that will revolutionize how teaching and learning happen across AISD schools is already here. This year, AISD expanded access to advanced academic and dual credit opportunities via partnerships with local universities, including launching a program that makes it possible for AISD students to earn a college Associate's Degree while still in high school. We recently announced that we received $1.78 million in grant funding from the TEA specifically supporting high-quality teaching and the expansion of advanced learning models. Mann Middle School has already been reimagined as Mann STEAM Academy, and Bowie, Purcell, and Ward elementaries will all begin major innovation programs in 2025-26. A pilot program in 2025-26 will introduce parental choice in selected AISD elementary schools through our Circles initiative, which we plan to expand district-wide in 2026-27. We are also proud to share that a record 92 AISD teachers have successfully entered the TEA's Teacher Incentive Allotment program, which recognizes and financially rewards the very best instructors in the state for their success in driving student growth and achievement. We want you to know that we have high expectations for our schools, our students, and ourselves. This letter mentions just a few examples of initiatives already in progress to help our district meet the Board's guiding goal of having 75% or more of our students in A- or B-rated schools within the next five school years. Every AISD student should have the opportunity to become a critical thinker equipped to approach problems with creativity, initiative, and a strong work ethic. That means AISD schools must be places where students can grow intellectually, emotionally, and socially so that they can be successful now and in the future. That is our commitment to you. Thank you for your continued support of Abilene ISD. Sincerely, Dr. John KuhnAISD Superintendent Angie WileyAISD Board President will publish more on TEA ratings for schools across the area once they are released. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
