Friday, September 24, 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. MRHS Latin Fest #6 Latin Cultural/Talent show of Morton Ranch High School Hispanic students in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Morton Ranch High School Performing Arts Center, from 6-9 pm. Tickets will go on sale September 20th during all lunches for $5 if bought at school and $7 at the door the night of the show. For more information contact Rom Crespo: romuloecrespo@katyisd.org

Viernes, el 24 de septiembre, 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. MRHS Latin Fest #6 La escuela Morton Ranch High School va a tener "Latin Fest VI" viernes, el 24 de septiembre, en el centro de artes bellas en la escuela Morton Ranch High School de 7 a 10 de la noche. Vamos a estar celebrando el mes de Herencia Hispano en un evento cultural que todos tienen que ver. Boletos van a estar de venta empezando el 20 de septiembre hasta el 24 de septiembre en la escuela Morton Ranch High School por $5 o $7 la noche del evento. Es un evento espectacular subiendo fondos para La beca de Latinos Unidos de Morton Ranch High School Para más información comuniquese con Rom Crespo: romuloecrespo@katyisd.org

James E. Taylor High School Sophomore, Melanie Piché was awarded Outstanding Performer at the 2010 Texas State Solo-Ensemble Vocal Solo contest. Of the approximately 85,000 students participating at the regional University Interscholastic League (UIL) music contests and the 22,000 musicians who performed at TSSEC, only 231 students earned the distinguished honor of being recognized as an Outstanding Performer. 

KATY, TX -- A Katy junior high school teacher is facing sexual assault charges after being found topless in her car with a 14 year old boy.

Parents and students at McDonald Junior High in Katy say they're disappointed by the disturbing allegations against a popular teacher.

Emily Willis is charged with a felony: sexual assault of a child. The Harris County Sheriff's Department says a deputy found Willis and a 14 year old boy in the back seat of a car this weekend.

They were parked at the intersection of West Little York and Greenhouse Road. According to court documents Willis was not wearing a bra, or her blouse and the 14 year old had only a pair of boxer shorts on.

Katy, Tx – The University Interscholastic League (UIL) handed down decisions with regards to former Morton Ranch High School Coaches Scott Svendsen and Jeremy Orsagh. After an independent review of the evidence, the UIL Executive Committee sanctioned each coach with a three-year suspension from all UIL activities in Texas, the maximum allowed under UIL guidelines. In addition, each coach will receive a public reprimand in a future publication of the UIL Leaguer.

The sanctions handed down by the UIL Executive Committee sustain the district’s long-standing position that it had gathered sufficient evidence during its investigation to support the allegations brought forth against the coaches. The coaches, along with their attorney, were given an extended amount of time to refute the allegations before the committee.

Katy ISD held the second of two public workshops Thursday evening to seek community input for the 2010 Long Range Facility Plan. Community members who were not able to attend either of the workshops, but would like to provide input for the Long Range Facilities Plan may fill out the Long Range Facilities Plan Input survey through Jan. 3.

As with the previous workshop, participants were given an overview of the 2006 Long Range Facilities Plan, as well as current demographic and growth projections, and how these projections may impact a future school roll out schedule. Following the presentations, members of the public attending the workshops had an opportunity to provide input on assumptions with respect to growth that will lead to the development of the district’s 2010 Long Range Facility plan.

Katy ISD has added 10 additional H1N1 vaccination clinics starting Tuesday, December 15 at the following locations:

Tuesday, Dec. 15
• Winborn Elementary
• Hayes Elementary
• Nottingham Country Elementary

Wednesday, Dec. 16
• Morton Ranch Elementary
• Hutsell Elementary
• King Elementary

Thursday, Dec. 17
• Rylander Elementary
• Sundown Elementary
• Bear Creek Elementary

Friday, Dec. 18
• Katy ISD Education Support Complex (9 a.m. – 2 p.m. on a first come, first serve basis)

Vaccination clinics are scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. The H1N1 vaccine will be made available in a similar fashion as the seasonal flu vaccine, with the first hour of the clinic reserved for those students who attend the host campus and their family members.

Katy ISD’s Partners in Education is helping spread a little holiday cheer through its 7th Annual Food for Families campaign.

From now until December 9, Partners in Education is collecting donations to provide a grocery gift card for Katy ISD families in need of a little extra support this holiday season. Last year, Food for Families helped feed more than 160 families during the Christmas holidays.

“We initially launched Food for Families as a means for Katy ISD administrators to offer tangible support for district students in need,” notes Partners in Education Specialist Janet Theis. “More recently, the program enjoys added support from our extended community as well. We are blessed to work in a generous community who so readily assists our district’s students and their families.”

The cost to feed one family is $35. Families receiving assistance are nominated by their home campus with every Katy ISD campus participating. Donations will be accepted in the Partners in Education office, ESC Room 1460. Please make checks payable to Katy ISD/Food for Families.

A total of 63 Katy Independent School District seniors have been selected to advance in 2010 scholarship consideration sponsored by the National Merit, National Achievement and Hispanic Scholar programs. In addition, 79 were named National Merit Scholarship Commended Students.

National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists
Cinco Ranch High School: Anirudh Ajith, Jessica Cao, Gargi Chaudhuri, Hanna Chen, Gabriel Cunha, Tania De Souza, Gregory Despard, Mary Gates, Dulcie Head, Paul Hodge, Vivek Karun, Connie Meng, Glen Miglin, Ankur Roy, Keh-Farn Tan, Melody Tan and William Tangney

Civic leader Stan Stanley shares his thoughts about the nature of heroes at the Oct. 4 dedication of the school named in his honor.

Introducing him to approximately 900 attendees at the ceremony, Principal Kerri Finnesand said, “Heroes are people who rise to the occasion and slip quietly away. Truer words have never been more appropriately spoken when I think of our school’s name sake.

Mr. Stanley is always the first to offer support, but the last to expect accolades. Mr. Stanley has spent his life being a role model for children, serving his community, and inspiring those around him.”

Over 120 representatives from colleges, universities, and post-secondary career training programs will be available at the Leonard Merrell Center on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 for the Katy ISD College and Career Night. The doors open at 6:30 and the event continues until 8:30. Parents and students are invited to begin their exploration of post-secondary opportunities through this venue.

House Bill 2237 requires school districts to designate a week in which to provide college and career information to students at the middle and high school level. Katy ISD will celebrate “Education: Go Get It Week” from Oct. 12-16 as a way of providing students with information about higher education options, standard college admission requirements, automatic college admission programs, and financial aid availability and requirements. College and Career Night occurs during this week and each campus will have various activities to highlight post-secondary education options

Who: Starting Friday, Oct. 2, Katy ISD students attending Cimarron Elementary will have something new to carry in their backpack – a Mobile Learning Device (MLD). Cimarron is only the second school in Texas, and only one in the Houston area, to utilize this type of smart phone as a learning tool.  

Essentially a cell phone without phone or texting capabilities, students will use the MLD to complete projects downloaded to their devices by their teachers. Students will also have access to several other features including:

• Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook Calendar
• Filtered Internet access
• Concept Mapping
• Podcasts
• “Sticky Notes”
• Many tasks that can be completed on a desktop
• Virtually any task that was previously completed by paper/pencil

What: Local media are invited to Cimarron on Friday morning when students receive their MLDs. Reporters will have the opportunity to interview both students and teachers as to how they plan on using these devices.

When: Friday, Oct. 2, 2009 @ 9:30 a.m.

Where: Cimarron Elementary, Katy ISD
1100 South Peek Road
Katy, Texas 77494

Parents of kindergarten students in Katy ISD will have the opportunity to refer their children for Challenge (Gifted & Talented) screening between September 21 and October 16. A session designed to inform parents about this process will be held on Thursday, October 8, 2009 at the Educational Support Complex, located at 6301 S. Stadium Lane, in Room 1200  at 10 a.m., and again at 1 p.m.  An evening session will also take place at McRoberts Elementary, located at 3535 North Fry Road, beginning at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria.

All kindergarten parents will receive information in their child’s take-home packet on how to refer him or her beginning the week of September 21. The deadline for submission of the referral form (parent checklist) is October 16. The deadline will be enforced so that students can be tested on the testing days designated for this purpose. Additional referral information is also available on the Katy ISD Web site.

The State of Texas defines a gifted and talented student as a child or youth who performs or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment.