Abilene ISD -

ICYMI: It’s Youth Art Month, and our talented students are shining at The Grace Museum! ✨ 🎨 🖼️ Each year, this special exhibition showcases incredible artwork from students, celebrating creativity and the power of art education. We’re so proud of our students and teachers who are part of this year’s display! Don’t miss it—stop by The Grace Museum and see the exhibition through March 20.

Thank you to Dyess Air Force Base and the Dyess AFB School Liaison Office for helping coordinate this amazing learning opportunity for AISD students! 👩‍🍳🧑‍🍳

They're off to great places! 🌎 Congratulations to these outstanding student-athletes for committing to continue their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level! Your hard work and dedication have paid off, and we can't wait to see all you accomplish. Cooper High School 🥎 Maddie Fry, Hardin-Simmons University Softball 🥎 Emma Ruiz, Nelson University Softball 🏈 Zavian Alexander, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Football Abilene Eagles 🏈 Jerrod Turner, McMurry University Football

Thank you to Scott Hughes and the West Texas Chapter AGC for generously donating $1,250 worth of tools to support Abilene ISD students! These tools will give students valuable hands-on experience as they prepare for careers in construction, electrical work, and welding. We’re also incredibly grateful to our industry partners who joined us at The LIFT Monday to talk about the importance of investing in the future workforce: 🔹 Stephanie de la Garza – Alvarez Drywall & Acoustics 🔹 Garrett Poole – RHS Construction Services, LLC 🔹 David Connor – Batjer Heating & Cooling 🔹 Brent Partain – Bontke Brothers Construction Company Your support is making a real impact! Thanks to everyone who contributed to this tool drive—you're helping shape the next generation of skilled workers. 👏🔨 #chooseabilene

Today, we celebrated the inaugural recipients of AISD's new Employee Awards Program, recognizing outstanding educators and staff who go above and beyond to support our students and community. Congratulations to the following individuals: 🏆 Teacher: Karl Wilcox, Cooper High School 🏆 New Teacher: Alfonso Santoya, Alcorta Elementary School 🏆 Student Support: Victoria Smith, Crockett Early Head Start 🏆 Auxiliary: Mary Rangel, Mann Middle School 🏆 Paraprofessional: Kathy Spivey, Hartford SAP 🏆 Substitute Teacher: Georgia Smith, Bowie Elementary A special thank you to First Financial Bank Texas for sponsoring the program and providing each winner with a gift card! 🔗 Learn more about the Employee Awards Program here: https://www.abileneisd.org/article/1986715 #chooseabilene

Our Student Nutrition team visited Bowie Elementary School in December for Try-Day Friday! 👩‍🍳 This event encourages students to try new fruits and vegetables, promoting healthy habits and adventurous palates. 🍽️ This month, students sampled kumquats. Keep an eye out for Try-Day Friday at more of our elementary schools this spring! 🗞️ In case you missed it, check out more nutrition news in the department's monthly newsletter: https://www.abileneisd.org/article/1909534

Thursday morning, a time capsule buried by Crockett Elementary students in 1999 was opened, revealing a treasure trove of 90s nostalgia! Among the items were Pokémon cards, Beanie Babies, a Motorola cell phone, and a list of the year’s top songs and movies! ✨ Relive the memories: https://www.abileneisd.org/article/1937023

Our annual AISD Retiree Christmas Luncheon was a great success! 🎄 Nearly 400 retired teachers and staff members came together at the Abilene Convention Center to enjoy a holiday meal and music from Revolution Strings. 🎶 We’re grateful for the chance show appreciation for the lasting impact these individuals have had on Abilene ISD. Thank you for your dedication! ❤️

🎄🎲 It’s the 5th year of Operation Board Game Christmas at Ortiz Elementary, and this year brought an extra special surprise: a generous donation from Amazon! Thanks to Amazon and the support of local businesses, families, and community partners, every Ortiz All Star will take home a board game this Christmas.

Multiple local Abilene business leaders were recognized with Impact Awards by the Career and Technical Association of Texas! 🎉 Congratulations to: 🌟 H-E-B’s Whitney Brown and Cassie Crow 🌟 Misty Mayo and the Development Corporation of Abilene 🌟 Dr. Tikhon Bykov and David Upshaw of McMurry University Engineering Thank you to these businesses and individuals for supporting Abilene ISD students! 🔗 Learn more about these awards: https://www.abileneisd.org/article/1927201

🌍✨ Abilene High School has a vibrant mix of voices from around the world in its halls, with students speaking languages like Kinyarwanda, Swahili, Spanish, and Pashto. To support our emergent bilingual students, Associate Principal Kelli Powell led the creation of the EB Support Team — a group dedicated to helping teachers provide the best support needed to help students like Jordy (from Guatemala) and Clarha (from Gabon) navigate their new home and thrive academically. Read more: https://www.abileneisd.org/article/1879330

Thank you, AISD Community, for sharing your voice at our Pathways to Possibility meetings!

🇺🇸 Veterans Day in AISD 🇺🇸 Today, AISD schools honored our veterans with parades, performances, and ceremonies across the district. Thank you to everyone who took part in today’s events, and a special thank you to all who have served!

During the October meeting, the AISD Board of Trustees celebrated students, community volunteers, and staff members for their accomplishments and contributions. 💫 ‣ National Merit Commended Scholars ‣ National College Board Awardees ‣ AISD Theater Program, TxETA Outstanding District Award ‣ Jennifer Jordan, Hardin-Simmons University B.E.S.T. Award ‣ School Health Advisory Council members ‣ Head Start Policy Council members Congratulations and thank you to all who were recognized! 👏

Mann Middle School took its first steps toward reimagining the school's future with two Community Summits. 💡 The feedback from students, families, and community members will be used to inform the next steps of the System of Great Schools process - designing updated school structures and learning procedures for Falcon students.

Football teams aren't the only ones preparing to play under the Friday Night Lights this fall. AISD marching bands, drill, flag, and dance teams have been hard at work to perfect their shows for their own competition seasons. Take a look at our season previews for the Oldest Marching Band in Texas and the Awesome Cooper Band. ⤵ 🔗 https://www.abileneisd.org/article/1759450

We celebrated 58 stand-out educators and four exceptional Air Force JROTC cadets during the June board meeting last week. Dr. John Kuhn - Abilene ISD Superintendent also presented a token of appreciation to outgoing Board members Derek Hood and Daryl Zeller. Two new Board members, Blair Schroeder and Dr. Taylor Tidmore, were sworn in alongside incumbents Angie Wiley and Rodney Goodman. For a full list of teachers and students recognized, read our Board Recap here: https://ow.ly/2rTF50SknMO

This spring, AISD student athletes celebrated their commitments to pursue athletics at a post-secondary level. Congratulations, students! Wherever your journeys take you, we'll be cheering you on from Abilene. 📣 Read more: https://ow.ly/lhcZ50S1htl

Robert Bloom had already worked two careers when a friend suggested he go to work for Abilene ISD as a bus driver. She told him it would be a perfect job and that he would be good for the children on his bus. As it turns out, the children have been as good for Bloom as he’s been for them. Read more: https://bit.ly/4bxImMr

Let’s hear it for AISD’s Fine Arts Teacher of the Year! The Abilene Education Foundation awarded Abilene High School’s Benjamin Scott Stephens a $1,500 teaching grant, in addition to season tickets to the Abilene Philharmonic! Learn more about the AEF and the TLC awards: aaeeff.org/programs/tlc