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Community Update for January 7

Dear ISA Families,

Last Thursday and Friday MUNSA XXVIII: Unity convened at Trinity University! Approximately 1,400 student delegates and staff from schools across Texas, Louisiana, and Mexico filled the campus participating in spirited debate during an amazing two days.

The ISA Amigos rolled out the welcome mat by hosting a beautiful, well-stocked hospitality room for visiting sponsors and chaperones. The Trinity University campus, along with a touch of Thursday rain, beautiful blue skies on Friday, and students in their professional dress, provided a wonderful backdrop for students to develop solutions addressing global problems and remind us all of the hope filled future that awaits us within the imaginations of our students.

Nearly 450 ISA students participated this year as press corps, delegates, co-chairs, secretaries, peacekeepers, and other staff. In fulfilling each role, these students helped ensure that MUNSA XXVIII was a success. The MUNSA XXVIII Secretariat led the event from initial planning stages, through the implementation, to the closing ceremony. The hours spent over the last six months preparing for MUNSA by the secretariat along with ISA sponsors Catherine Polk and Willa Rubin are too numerous to count. ISA sends a special thank you to Trinity University for continuing to partner with us making this learning experience possible in a safe, comfortable space that also celebrates the importance of real, relevant learning for our students!  

Finally, thank you to all of our students, parents, alumni, and teachers who played crucial roles in making MUNSA XXVIII a smashing success! The entire MUNSA experience is a model for what we believe education can look like for all students. Additionally, the collaboration and support from students, families, faculty, and university personnel demonstrate what is possible by working together.

 

With MUNSA successfully completed, we look forward to continuing the second semester activities including our final travel experience of the academic year! The Senior Team will host a final travel open house on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. in the ISA Flex Space (S-103) to discuss our February travel departure. Senior families can expect: 

  1. Updates on the DC travel preparations,

  2. Receipt of all required forms for travel,

  3. General travel itinerary, and 

  4. A chance to make final payments. 

The senior team will also send forms home for families who cannot attend, and all families can access SchoolCash Online to make credit card payments!

 

Our campus nurse, Crystal Schweers, is accepting any overnight medication that students may need during the D.C. travel experience:

  • All medications, along with the proper forms, should be turned in to the campus clinic on or before January 30, 2024.*

  • Special requests requiring doctor’s orders--including self-carry orders--should be on file with the nurse! 

  • NEISD employee chaperones will administer medications, and families should submit all medication in the original package containing only the amount necessary for the duration of the travel experience.

  • Students may NOT carry ANY medication on their person unless they have a current doctor's order to self-carry from the school nurse for this school year.

  • If you are not sure about the above details or have any questions, please, contact Nurse Schweers at (210) 356-0821 or by email at cschwe@neisd.net.

*We cannot accept medication at the January 10th travel meeting. Please do not bring medications then.

Also on Wednesday, January 10th during the 1st half of 5th Lunch, ISA Class of 2023 Alumna, Ashlee Ochoa, will be on-campus to discuss the Texas A&M Century Scholars Program. Students of all grade-levels can join Ashlee in the ISA Flex Space (S-103) on Wednesday to learn more!

 

On Thursday, January 11th, the ISA Amigos will hold their monthly board meeting at 6:00 p.m. in the ISA Flex Space (S-103). Join us to celebrate MUNSA XXVIII and plan for the rest of the semester! Please park in the visitor parking lot in front of the LEE HS Main Building. All are welcome!

 

Also on Thursday, families interested in traveling to Japan in June are invited to meet at 5:30 p.m. in ISA room S-100. Families will learn more about trip costs and itinerary at this meeting!

 

We will host our next shadowing event on Friday, January 12, 2024! The Lottery Application for the ISA Class of 2028 is available HERE, and the deadline to apply is Monday, February 5, 2024.

Looking ahead, student applications for CIEE’s High School Summer Abroad program are due January 24, 2024. CIEE will host weekly Wednesday night virtual application workshops for students and families; please register here. 

Next Monday, January 15, is a student and staff holiday honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

Finally, in this week’s Superintendent’s Message, Dr. Maika highlighted a way to send “Shout outs”--https://portal.neisd.net/Shoutout--to NEISD staff who live the mission of our district. This is a channel to illuminate the amazing work our colleagues do to serve our students!

 

Have a great week!

 

Steve Magadance and the ISA Faculty