Dear ISA Families,

We are just one week away from the first day of school for the 2023-2024 academic year! We are so excited to see ISA students in the hallways next Monday, August 14, and look forward to welcoming the Class of 2027 as they begin their high school experience at ISA!

As the ISA faculty continue to prepare for the arrival of our students, we remind families about our annual back-to-school celebration Hot Diggity Doo Dah on Saturday, August 12, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. At Hot Diggity Doo Dah, students and families will have the opportunity to hear from their grade level teachers, buy ISA spirit wear, get their locker information, satisfy prior year obligations, and visit with representatives from ISA clubs like Model United Nations and Ignition Green! Families are also invited to stay for a hot dog picnic lunch in the cafeteria and cafeteria courtyard, and we would love your help donating items to the picnic lunch.  More information about Saturday’s event, times, and suggested donation can be found HERE.

The ISA Amigos will be on-hand at Hot Diggity Doo Dah selling ISA spirit items and sharing their mission with families. This mission focuses on supporting ISA students and teachers in raising human and financial resources that make ISA’s annual grade-level travel experiences, field trips, and other enrichment activities possible for all ISA students. On Saturday, ISA families will have opportunities to advance the Amigos’ mission. Families can:

• Volunteer to help receive and organize lunch donations, grill hot dogs, and/or staff the spirit sales booth, and

• Donate financially to the ISA Amigos. The suggested contribution of $100 per student helps ensure ISA’s goal that all our students benefit from our grade-level travel experiences this year! 
  
  

Our counselors, Romelle Carraway and Natalie Stridde, have been working each day to craft the best possible schedule for each student. We hope to be able to finalize scheduling for our students by Friday, August 11th. Schedules will be available for viewing in Skyward: Student Access under the “Schedule” tile. In anticipation of students’ new schedules, now is also the perfect time to update contact information in Skyward. We encourage families to update the following:

• Parent/Guardian phone numbers,

• Parent/Guardian emails,

• Emergency contact information (including permissions for student pick-up),

• Media permissions including use of images and work on ISA’s webpage, and

• Designating the primary parent/guardian (we recommend the individual who most frequently interacts with the school regarding your student’s education).
  
  

The LEE/ISA/NESA/STEM Campus PTSA has also started the year strong. Click HERE for more information about joining our campus PTSA and information about an upcoming RootEd cluster tailgate at the LEE football game on September 9th.

On Tuesday last week, ISA families received a link to a nomination form to serve on ISA’s Campus Improvement Committee (CIC). Parents/Guardians who are interested in serving or know a parent/guardian who might be interested are encouraged to submit their nomination HERE. A description of the purpose and make-up of the CIC can be found in Board Policy BQB (Local). The nomination form will be open through September 4, 2023.

Finally, with one more week before school begins it is important to share an update about e-cigarettes/vapes on campus. In this past legislative session, the Texas Legislature passed HB 114. This legislation mandates that “possession, use, or delivery of…e-cigarettes on or near public school property or at certain school events” be included among other violations that require automatic placement in a District Alternative Education Program (DAEP). This legislation will become effective September 1, 2023. Aside from the new consequences related to vaping, now is the perfect time to discuss the dangers of e-cigarettes/vapes with your student. HERE and HERE are resources about vaping from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Texas School Safety Center that can inform this important conversation. With the best interests of our students in mind, I hope to have support from ISA families in removing vapes from ISA and preserving the health of all of our students. 

As a parent in the ISA Community, I will speak with my student this week, and as principal for all of our students, I thank you for making space to discuss the dangers of vaping and the consequences for possessing these dangerous devices at school.

Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Steve Magadance and the ISA Faculty