Latest news with #KISD
News.com.au
06-07-2025
- Climate
- News.com.au
Texas flood death toll hits 59, 11 girls, one counsellor still missing
The death toll from the catastrophic Texas Hill Country floods has risen to 59 — with at least 12 people still missing. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said among those confirmed dead are 38 adults and 21 children, but 18 adult victims and four children have not yet been identified. Mr Leitha said that 11 girls and one counsellor are still missing from Camp Mystic, the Christian girls' summer camp just off the banks of the Guadalupe River. Five campers, ages 8 and 9, have been confirmed dead in the flooding — along with the camp's owner. When asked why the camps weren't evacuated before the water level rose, and whether emergency alerts went out in time, Mr Leitha and city manager Dalton Rice declined to comment, abruptly ending Sunday's 10am press conference. Some 400 first responders from 20 agencies city, state and national are continuing the rescue operation in Kerr County, which saw the worst of the flash flooding along the river. 'We will continue our search efforts until everyone is found,' Mr Leitha assured. The three victims identified Saturday include a high school soccer coach and his wife and a beloved high school teacher. Reece Zunker, a soccer coach in Tivy, Texas, and his wife Paula, who were on vacation with their two children when the flooding swept through Kerr County Friday, were among the latest victims identified by officials. 'Our Tivy Soccer & KISD community is heartbroken with the loss of our leader and inspiration,' Tivy Boys Soccer wrote on Facebook Saturday night.'The Coach Reece Zunker was not just a soccer coach he was a mentor, teacher and a role model for our Kerrville kids.' Local outlet the Kerrville Daily Times reported that the two children were still missing. The family had been staying in a river house in the town of Hunt, not far from Camp Mystic. Also confirmed among the dead is Jeff Wilson, a teacher at Kingswood Park High School who taught in the Humble Independent School District for 30 years, the school wrote on X. 'Tonight our [Humble Independent School District] family is grieving the devastating loss of teacher Jeff Wilson, who passed away due to the catastrophic flooding in Kerrville,' the mourning social media post read. 'He was a beloved teacher and co-worker to many and will be deeply missed.' The district added that Wilson's brother-in-law shared that his wife, Amber, and son, Shiloh are still considered missing. 'Please continue to keep their entire family, and ours, in your prayers,' the district urged. Officials will provide the latest on the rescue effort in a press conference scheduled for 4 p.m. EDT Sunday (6am Monday AET). The camp, which hosts up to 750 girls aged seven to 17, was overwhelmed by the floodwaters, which at one point saw the river swell by eight metres in just 45 minutes. 'The camp was completely destroyed,' Elinor Lester, 13, one of the evacuated campers, told The Associated Press. 'A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary.' The family of Mystic's director, Dick Eastland, confirmed he heroically died while trying to save the young girls from the storm. Mr Eastland raced to one of the camp's 23 cabins when the floodwater swept it away early Friday morning, Channel2Now reported. He had been involved with the private all-girls Christian camp since purchasing it in 1974 with his wife Tweety. His nephew confirmed his death via Facebook. Former camper Paige Sumner said Mr Eastland and 'was the father figure to all of us while we were away from home at Camp Mystic for six weeks'. 'He was the father of four amazing boys, but he had hundreds of girls each term who looked up to him like a dad,' she wrote. 'I would never have taken a fishing class if it wasn't taught by my new friend Dick.' Harrowing photographs showed the damage wrought by the floodwaters, which reached the middle of the windows of the cabins where the girls slept, and higher than the bunk beds. Entire walls were ripped off the buildings, trees uprooted and the girls' belongings tossed into shrubbery. The National Weather Service first issued a flash flood watch at 1.18pm on Thursday estimating up to seven inches of rising water. At 1.14am, a 'life threatening' flash flood warning was issued for about 30,000 people, the Texas Tribune reported. Grilled about the suddenness of the flooding overnight and why more precautions weren't taken, Judge Rob Kelly, the chief elected official in Kerr County, told reporters 'we do not have a warning system' and that 'we didn't know this flood was coming'. 'Rest assured, no one knew this kind of flood was coming,' he said. 'We have floods all the time. This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States.' The camp is currently without power or internet. A statement from its administrators, read out by the Lieutenant governor, stressed that the level of flooding was 'catastrophic'. 'The highway has washed away, so we are struggling to get more help,' the camp said. The communications problems are being exacerbated by the camp's rule of imposing a ban on technology for the children staying there. 'Technology is actually not allowed there,' said NewsNation reporter Tracy Walder, whose daughter is friends with some of the missing kids. 'That's why communication and information is kind of a bit difficult to come by.' Mr Abbott, in a written statement, said Texas was 'providing all necessary resources to Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt and the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods'. 'The state of Texas today has mobilised additional resources in addition to the resources sent in preparation for the storms. I urge Texans to heed guidance from state and local officials and monitor local forecasts to avoid driving into flooded areas.' Texas Senator Ted Cruz, asked his followers on social media to 'pray right now' for all involved, 'especially Camp Mystic'. 'It's terrible, the floods,' US President Donald Trump told reporters Friday night. 'It's shocking.' Asked if Texas would receive federal aid, he said: 'Oh yeah, sure, we'll take care of it. We're working with the governor.' In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, Mr Trump said the federal government was working with state and local officials in response to the 'tragic flooding'. 'Our Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, will be there shortly,' he wrote. 'Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy. Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!' Meanwhile, officials are warning residents of the area to continue being vigilant. 'The rain has let up, but we know there's another wave coming,' Mr Martin said, adding that more rain would be hitting areas around the cities San Antonio and Austin. Forecasters issued a flood warning for one county, urging those living near the Guadalupe River to 'move to higher ground'. Flash floods, which occur when the ground is unable to absorb torrential rainfall, are not unusual in the region.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Killeen ISD Honors Largest Group of Cord Recipients
Killeen, Tx (FOX 44) – More than 500 seniors received a purple and white braided cord symbolizing completion of a professional certification. These certifications were done through the KISD Career Center and ranged from teaching to video game design, robotics, culinary skills, healthcare, welding and much more. 'Wearing a purple and white cord represents not just achievement, but transformation,' said KISD Director of CTE Patrice Robinson. 'These cords symbolize your growth, the skills you gained, the friendships you formed and the meaningful experiences you have had in KISD and in Career and Technical Education.' Students were honored for their hard work and reflected on the journey they took to get to that moment. Carlos Diaz-Torres, one of the seniors receiving a cord put it simply stating, 'We learned that success doesn't come gift-wrapped, but it comes in the form of late nights, tough feedback and moments you seriously think about quitting, and I had those moments.'. The more than 500 seniors stepped across the Killeen Civic and Conference Center on Thursday to receive their cords. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why Local Elections Matter: Your Voice, Your Community
Waco, TX (FOX 44) — Early voting is underway across Texas, and local officials urge residents to seize this opportunity to shape their communities. Local elections have influence over our daily lives, whether we realize it or not. 'At the local level, it's your voice versus just maybe a few hundred, maybe a few thousand, versus, like, at the federal level where it's your voice versus millions,' McLennan County Elections Administrator Jared Goldsmith said. 'You really get a say as to how things are run at the local level.' Goldsmith says it's a privilege to vote – because in many countries people don't get to vote for local leaders. 'At the local level, they're the ones who decide what to do with your tax dollars,' Goldsmith said. 'Go out and make sure that your voice is heard. Get educated, find out more about these candidates.' In Killeen, Proposition B is on the ballot. If passed, property taxes will increase and new city facilities will be authorized for construction, using your money to fund the projects. 'It's going to be something that's going to benefit you, whether you have a child in school or not,' Killeen Executive Director of Communications and Marketing Janell Ford said. 'It's going to benefit you in the long run through all of the services that are provided by each of those entities, because they're not just providing education at KISD. So in the end it impacts everyone.' In several ways, voting is a civic duty and a way to exercise your influence as a member of your community. 'You're coming to City Council meetings when you can, you're joining boards, commissions, committees because we need people to join,' Ford said. 'We have more than two dozen of those, whether it's in the Animal Services or the Planning and Zoning. We need people to join those and help influence decisions that are made that go to our City Council representative.' Voting is the best way to get involved in your local community and voice your opinions on change. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
KISD leaders speak to legislature on strong discipline, cell phone ban
Austin, Tx (FOX 44) – In the wake of the recent stabbing death of one student by another, KISD Superintendent Dr. Jo Ann Fey urged Texas legislators to expand authority of school districts to discipline students. Speaking during a Texas House Public Education Committee hearing, Dr. Fey voice support of House Bill 6, which would expand that authority. The bill aims to improve teacher retention and classroom management by allowing out-of-school suspensions for students who engage in repeated, significant disruptions or pose safety threats. Dr. Fey emphasized that strengthening disciplinary measures is essential to ensuring a safe and effective learning environment for both educators and students. On another subject and another bill, Rancier Middle School Principal Dr. Janelle Muhammad testified in favor of House Bill 1481, which would ban K-12 public school students from using cellphones during school hours. Dr Muhammad shared her school's experience with putting a cellphone free policy in place this year to address cyberbullying and student conflicts. She noted that the ban led to a decrease in behavioral incidents and increased student engagement in learning when the distraction was removed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Legal firm files lawsuit against Keller ISD, alleges violations of Voting Rights Act
A Dallas law firm filed a federal lawsuit against the Keller school district in U.S. District Court on Feb. 14, alleging its board's election rules violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965 as well as the 14th and 15th amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The 14th Amendment provides for equal protection under the law for all U.S. citizens. The 15th Amendment ensures citizens' right to vote, regardless of race or color. In January, Brewer Storefront, the pro bono community advocacy arm of Brewer, Attorneys and Counselors, threatened legal action against the district and issued an open letter addressed to school board president Charles Randklev and trustees. At that time, Brewer offered a 'path forward' to avoid litigation that included adopting a cumulative electoral system for school board seats in which voters have multiple votes that can be divided among all open seats or consolidated in support of particular candidates. Keller trustees are voted on in at-large elections in which voters select candidates from across the district to fill open seats. Some experts believe at-large elections unfairly favor majority voting blocs. In a statement to the Star-Telegram, a representative from Brewer Storefront said the firm received no response from the board to the open letter. Brewer is representing plaintiff Claudio Vallejo, a Keller parent. The Keller school district and all seven board members — Charles Randklev, John Birt, Joni Shaw Smith, Micah Young, Chelsea Kelly, Chris Coker and Heather Washington — are named as defendants. The lawsuit was filed in the Northern District of Texas in Fort Worth. A Keller school district representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit. 'On its face, the KISD electoral system dilutes the votes of minority citizens within the KISD community, particularly Hispanic voters,' the suit's preliminary statement says. 'Like many electoral systems for school boards throughout Texas, the at-large KISD scheme, coupled with staggered terms and off-cycle voting, enables a white majority to prevent the growing minority community from electing candidates of their choosing.' Keller is what is known as a 'majority minority' district, meaning less than half of its enrolled students are white. According to Texas Education Agency data cited in the suit, 24.8% of Keller students are Hispanic and 11.4% are Black. Keller's school board is entirely white, and the suit alleges there hasn't been a Hispanic candidate elected in the last 25 years despite the fact that registered Hispanic voters comprise roughly 15% of the Keller district electorate. This, the suit claims, has resulted in an achievement gap between white students and students of color. According to the most recent publicly available TEA data, from the 2022-23 school year, 50.2% of Black seniors in the Keller school district reached the college readiness threshold. For Hispanic students, that number was 54.7%, and it was 70.7% for white students. These statistics were confirmed by a district spokesperson. Much of the uproar around Keller centers on a recent proposal by board members to split the district in half using U.S. 377 as the dividing line. Opponents have accused the board of seeking to separate the relatively more affluent, white majority east side from the less affluent, more racially diverse west side. Five of Keller's seven board members reside on the east side. Only Joni Shaw Smith and Chelsea Kelly live west of U.S. 377, and both of them have opposed the split. Board members who support the plan say it has nothing to do with demographics, and that a split is the best way to navigate a financial crisis that has left the school district operating at a budget deficit. Attorney William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer Storefront and lead counsel for Vallejo, provided a statement to the Star-Telegram: 'The at-large election system used by Keller ISD dilutes the votes of the significant number of Hispanic citizens. Given the racial polarization that exists, white voters are able to block Hispanic voters from electing school board candidates of their choosing — those who would best represent their schools, children and community. As the controversial proposal to split the district in two underscores, the consequence of the at-large voting scheme is a collection of white trustees who are out of touch with the needs of the majority of the children who attend KISD schools .' Brewer has previously initiated the move away from at-large voting in the Lewisville, Richardson, Carrollton-Farmers Branch, Irving and Grand Prairie school districts.
