June Personnel Changes Approved in SSISD
Tuesday night following their June regular meeting Executive Session, the Sulphur Springs ISD Board announced the following personnel changes.
Summer Contracts- due to mid-term hire date
Crystal Cervantes Grade 3 Teacher SS Elementary
Maria Martinez Grade 5 Teacher Douglas
Jordan Tyler SpEd Teacher Middle School
Retirement
Mickie Wilson Kindergarten Teacher ECLC
Resignations
Mackenzie Pettit Instructional Technology Specialist Administration
Star Erwin Pre-Kindergarten Teacher ECLC
Tabatha Ibarra DLE Head Start 4 Teacher ECLC
Selena Santana Bilingual Aide ECLC
Kimber Thompson Grade 3 Teacher SS Elementary
Jennifer Bunch ELAR Teacher Middle School
Robert McDaniel Asst. Band Director Middle School
Jennifer Turner Band Director Middle School
Nathan Woodard Art Teacher Middle School
New Personnel
Esmeralda Aguilar Title I Aide ECLC
Ashley Cannon Pre-Kindergarten Teacher ECLC
Oksana Wallis Head Start Aide ECLC
Nickole Brown Grade 2 Teacher Lamar
Monica Hernandez Title I Aide Travis
LaWanda Losey Grade 2 Teacher Travis
Sarah Metcalf Grade 4 Teacher SS Elementary
Morgan Nutt Grade 3 Teacher SS Elementary
Charla O’Brien Grade 4 Bilingual Teacher SS Elementary
Meghan Ricker Grade 3 Teacher SS Elementary
Charlotte Wilson Grade 4 Teacher SS Elementary
Kimberly Isonhood English Teacher Middle School
Ashleigh Luke Art Teacher Middle School
Jinjer Postlethwait SpEd Aide Middle School
Steven Allemang Science Teacher High School
Jamie Funderburk SpEd Aide High School
Lindsay Hurley Instructional Aide Austin Academic Center
Crusita Maldonado Instructional Aide Austin Academic Center
Personnel Changes New position/campus Former position/campus
Laci Ragan ELAR Coordinator/Administration Grade 2 Teacher/Lamar
Crystal Cervantes Head Start 4 Bilingual Teacher/ECLC Grade 3 Teacher/SS Elementary
Angela Grimes Instructional Interventionist/SS Elem Grade 3 Teacher/SS Elementary
Sasha Posey Academic Specialist/SS Elementary English Teacher/Middle School
Wildcat Athletic Booster Club Seeks More Members
The Wildcat Athletic Booster Club is seeking more members to support all the sports programs at Sulphur Springs High School. A membership drive in currently underway. Those who join up by July 10 will get their names in football programs this fall. Booster Club President David McCaig said memberships start at $10.
Some booster members give hundreds of dollars. Those that give $200 or more qualify for reserved parking spots at football games. Donations can be sent to Wildcat Athletic Booster Club, P.O. Box 1594, Sulphur Springs, Texas 75483.
Stacy Cody is a booster club officer along with Craig Roberts, Tori Humphries and Cory Burgin. Like President McCaig, Cody is a former Wildcat football player. Cody’s father was a booster club member and served as president when Cody played football. Cody got involved in the booster club when James Cameron was coach. Using funds from Wildcat Card sales and from booster club member funds, Cody said the booster club has been able to purchase needed items for athletic programs. They depend on Athletic Director Greg Owens for a list of items needed by sports teams. The booster club also puts on the annual All-Sports Banquet in May.
McCaig said a passion for Wildcat football lead him to the booster club. He said following the play of nieces and nephews led him to a greater appreciation of other sports teams.
The Wildcat Athletic Booster Club will hold several meetings from time to time during football season.
Day 2 of The Edge; Athletes Investing In Themselves
At the end of the second day of The Edge conditioning program Tuesday morning in the Multipurpose Building, Wildcats Defensive Coordinator Triston Abron asked the athletes if they got better today. He said only they know the answer.
Wildcats Head Football Coach and Athletic Director Greg Owens told them if each of their reps were done with their best effort, they can’t help but get better. He had them chant, Build My House. Wildcats Offensive Coordinator Matt Young said numbers seemed to improve on Tuesday. He said a couple of athletes who could not come Monday showed up Tuesday. Coach Young said it seemed like more middle school students were in attendance Tuesday also. He put the overall total Tuesday at around 200 with about 150 older kids and around 50 middle schoolers. Coach Young said the athletes showed great effort and really good attitudes.
He said Tuesday was squat day in the weight room with emphasis on power squats. Coach Young said agility drills included some explosive straight line plyometrics. Bungee cords were used. He said some drills attempted to create muscle memory for running with better technique for efficiency. Flexibility was stressed as athletes walked over several hurdles. Explosion was emphasized as athletes had to leap on boxes from a standing start. They also pull sleds while running. Tuesday ended with gassers. Athletes run over and back across the field six times with short rests in between. Coach Young said the athletes are investing in themselves and are building themselves up based on what effort they want to give.
Winnsboro Police Report June 5-11, 2017
Winnsboro Police made four arrests, responded to 158 calls for service, and issued 44 citations and 20 warnings during the report period June 5-11, 2017.
Jeffery Salisbury, 49, of Winnsboro was arrested June 6th on four Wood County Warrants and two Hopkins County Warrants.
Leon Morgan, 22, of Winnsboro was arrested June 6th for Aggravated Assault with Serious Bodily Injury.
Rodrick Carter, 32, of Winnsboro was arrested June 8th on a Hopkins County Warrant.
Stormi Wilson, 19, of Winnsboro was arrested June 9th for Possession of Marijuana less than 2 oz.
Law Enforcement Closing In On Arrests in May Armed Robbery
Early Sunday morning, May 14, 2017, SS Detective David Gilmore began the investigation of an armed robbery at the Econo Lodge in Sulphur Springs. His investigation has enlarged to include police departments in the metroplex and the possibility that the FBI will be involved.
Locally two black males wearing bandanas and hoodies entered the local Econo Lodge brandishing silver over black handguns. They took $200 in the robbery. There were no injuries in the robbery.
Since that robbery, Carrolton Police apprehended two suspects that may be involved in the local robbery. Gilmore said the subjects involved in the robbery locally are not from Sulphur Springs. He said there are possibly several people involved in the rash of robberies that have occurred in various cities in the metroplex as well as Sulphur Springs and Greenville. Organized crime charges are possible in the event.
He expects more information to be available in the next week.
Three Dairy Festival Queen Candidates Visit KSST
L to R: Gracie Boyer, Imani Taylor and Peyton Dietze
During the Morning Show with Enola Gay, audiences were treated to a visit from three of this year’s field of Hopkins County Dairy Festival contestants…Gracie Boyer, Imani Taylor and Peyton Deitze. All being Junior students at Sulphur Springs High School, the girls have another thing in common, all three are 2017/2018 Wildcat Varsity Cheerleaders. Each leads a physically active lifestyle and each plans to go to college with a career goal in mind. Let’s meet them!
Contestant # 3 Gracie Boyer is the daughter of Rudy and Christy Boyer. Her talent will be performing a song by Carrie Underwood “Temporary Home”. Her evening gown will be a sparkling blue. Gracie plans to pursue a degree in nursing. During her school career, she has earned UIL all-district recognition in soccer, and she also runs cross-country. In hobbies, Gracie is a certified US Soccer Federation Referee, and is a certified YMCA Lifeguard with a summer job at the SS Country Club.
Contestant #2 Imani Taylor is the daughter of Freddie and Rita Taylor. She will present a song and a lyrical dance as her talent. She selected a red gown for evening gown competition. Imani enjoys running, singing, dancing, gymnastics and competitive cheer. She has qualified for UIL State competitions in Triple and Long Jump, earned District honors in track and plays volleyball and basketball. Imani plans to attend Texas Tech University or UT Arlington to pursue a degree in nursing. She also hopes to compete in track and field or cheerleading on the the collegiate level.
Contestant # 4 Peyton Dietze is the daughter of Jason and Jill Dietze. You will see her at the pageant in a hot pink evening gown. For talent, she will perform a skit and dance entitled “The Evolution of Cheer”. She is a 5-year cheerleader in SSISD and co-captain for the 2017/2018 school year. Peyton enjoys leadership at SSHS as Class President for 3 consecutive years, President of Key Club, President of National Honor Society, Secretary for National Technical Honor Society and is ranked #3 in SSHS Class of 2018. With strong math skills, she plans to attend Baylor University to major in accounting.
During this week, we will meet all seven contestants plus have a visit from reigning Dairy Festival Queen Sadie Evans as they prepare for the Dairy Festival Queen’s Pageant and Coronation on Saturday June 17, 2017 in the SSHS Auditorium inside the Civic Center. Tickets at $7 each, available from contestants.
Police Chief Says Texting and Driving Similar to Drunk Driving; New Law Begins September 1
Now that the Texas Legislature has passed a law disallowing texting and driving, local law enforcement awaits the full instruction of the law. Sulphur Springs Police Chief Jay Sanders said he expects complete training instructions to be received in August. However, he is pleased the bill has been made law.
Sanders said he equates texting and driving to driving under the influence. He stated that those who are texting often drive like one who is drunk. He stated his patrol officers have stopped vehicles thinking the drive drunk only to find they are texting. People do not focus. He stated focus is the problem with DUI and with driving while texting. He noted that some drive with their knee while using both hands to text.
If officers find one texting while driving a vehicle on or after September 1, 2017, they will be stopped, according to Sanders. He stated that the law is not an excuse to make a traffic stop which some have said. He noted that texting and driving has been a contributing factor to accidents that have occurred locally. He said the driver may not admit they were texting but a look at their phone identifies their activity.
He is awaiting the law to know exactly how voice texting will be affected. He noted that as long as both hands are on the wheel, there is a great focus on driving.
Child Safety: Police Chief Reminds “Don’t Leave Children in Autos”
So far this year in Texas, 11 children have died as the result of being left in an auto. June is National Safety Month and with temperatures now in the 90’s and humidity high, Sulphur Springs Police Chief Jay Sanders reminds local residents to not leave a child in an auto.
Sanders stated that Texas law does allow a child under 7 to be left in an auto for five minutes if another individual 14-years of age or older is present. However, he said even that is taking a chance. He said it does not take long for a child to reach the danger level in an auto.
Remembering the child is in the auto is vital. Sanders referred to parents who are out of their normal routine such as one parent taking the child to day care when the task is usually performed by the other parent. He said that specific steps should be taken to remember the child is in the auto. He said focus on the child is vital. Another concern is to leave the child or children in the auto because of the time consuming task of removing a child from the safety seat and/or other activity surrounding taking the child into a business for a short time. Sanders said it is better to take the time to be safe than to run the risk of harming the child.
He stated that the most important thing is the time a child remains in the auto in an unsafe condition. Dehydration and heat begin a shutdown of the brain as the body begins to defend other organs. The chief noted that each situation calls for slightly different medical steps to be taken to care for the child when they are discovered.
Sanders pointed out that to leave the child in the vehicle resulting in no medical problems found is a Class C misdemeanor but if the child is injured in any manner the penalty ranges from State Jail Felony to a Felony 2.
PJC Honors Retiring Staff and Faculty
PJC RETIREES Paris Junior College held a reception honoring several retiring staff and faculty members. Retiring from PJC are (from left) Glenna Preston (31 years), Roger Powell (25), Rickey McFadden (19), Mike Barnett (34), Rhonda Armstrong (19), Susan Moore (15), Gloria Richter (9), and Pamela Hunt (38).
