The Little Shop of Horrors - Go Tonight!  Let's Pack the House!
Submitted by Lisa Henderson, Livingston High School, October 13, 2008
Livingston - Come see the outrageous musical "The Little Shop of Horrors"!!! It will be a night of fun for the whole family!!! Tickets will be available from Lisa Henderson at LHS and at Shrimpboat Manny's starting Halloween weekend!  The show will be presented on November 13, 14,15,17 at 7:00 pm and November 16, 2008 at 2:00 pm. Tickets $8.00 in advance and $10.00 at the door.

TCE Celebrates Veteran's Day
Submitted by Kathy Stark, Timber Creek Elementary, November 13, 2008
TCE - Timber Creek Elementary honored veterans with a moving program on Veteran's Day 2008.  A flag flown over the Embassy in Baghdad Iraq was presented by Dale Bolton to Timber Creek Elementary as part of the event.

Click Here for the Photo Gallery!

Website Launched to Help Immigrants Learn English
Submitted by Diana Kelm, Livingston ISD Deputy Superintendent, November 13, 2008
The U.S. Department of Education last week launched U.S.A. Learns, a free website to help immigrants learn English.  The website, which is located at http://www.USALearns.org, provides approximately 11 million adults who have low levels of English proficiency with accessible and free English language training.The launch of the site completes one of the goals in President Bush's August 2007 announcement of 26 immigration reforms that his administration would pursue within existing law.  The reforms included the assimilation of new citizens and helping immigrants learn English to expand their opportunities in America.  Among the site’s offerings are free instructional materials developed to teach basic English skills and help adults improve their English proficiency.  The site also includes learning modules that can be used outside a traditional classroom.

For more information, visit http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2008/11/11072008.html.

District Advisory Committee Assists Livingston ISD
Submitted by Diana Kelm, Livingston High School, November 13, 2008
The District Advisory Committee is involved in six specific areas of decision-making. The six areas are budgeting, curriculum, staffing patterns, planning, staff development, and school organization. The committee approves all district-wide staff development activities. It is expected that the district level committee will address six areas as interrelated factors that contribute towards accomplishing school improvement efforts. The committee is used in an advisory function for input on issues and concerns that affect ours schools and district.

The committee is made up of classroom teachers, staff members, parents, community members, and business representatives. Sample agenda items have included drafts of the school calendar, district staff development, district budget updates, decentralization, benefits overview, and summer school review.

Under state law, the planning and decision-making processes are presented as an integrated process (TEC 11.251). Planning is one of six specific decision-making areas in which the district and committee are involved in accordance with LISD procedures. The other five areas include budgeting, curriculum, staffing patterns, staff development, and school organization. It is expected that the district-level committee will address the six areas as interrelated factors that contribute in a coordinated manner to accomplishing school improvement efforts.

Contact DAC members with district-wide issues concerning planning, budgeting, curriculum, staffing patterns, staff development, and school organization. Meetings are held four times a year from October to April from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm. For further information, contact dkelm@livingstonisd.com

FFA Competes in District Leadership Events
Submitted by Candace Carraway, Livingston ISD FFA, November 13, 2008
FFA - On Friday, November 13th  the FFA chapter competed in their district Leadership Development Events at Sam Houston State University.  In a district of 24 schools Livingston placed 3rd overall and had three teams placing in the top two of their contest to advance to the area level competition held November 13th at Stephen F. Austin State University.  At the area contest the eight best teams from 90 East Texas schools competed for a chance to represent Area 9 at the state contest on December 5th and 6th.  Only the top two placing teams in each division advance to state.  The three Livingston teams did an outstanding job of representing Livingston as they all placed in the top three and two of them are advancing to state.  The Livingston FFA Leadership Development Teams that advanced to area and their placings are as follows.

Jr. Skills Team – 1st at district, 1st at area, qualified for state
Joseph Duff, Nick Cunningham, Ryan Lonergan

Sr. Quiz Team - 2nd at district, 2nd at area, qualified for state
Charles Moore, Ben Plunkett, Macye Taylor, William Bond

Public Relations Team - 2nd at district and 3rd at area
JoAnna Malone, Lauren Lonergan

Lions - Pop the Pirates Pep Rally
Photos by Kelsey Newkham, Livingston HS Publications Dept.., November 13, 2008
LHS - Last week the Livingston Lions held their "Pop the Pirates" Pep Rally. See the pictures below:

Click Here for the Photo Gallery!

Timber Creek Tackles Attendance Goals
Submitted by Kay Waldrep, Timber Creek Elementary, November 13, 2008

TCE - Timber Creek has been working hard to improve student attendance.  Students with perfect attendance for the first 6 weeks names were placed in a drawing for prizes.  Those whose names were selected were able to choose from various prizes including bubbles, cars, balls, games, kites and many other prizes.

The students whose names were drawn include:  Joshua Richardson, Austin Kimes, Thomas Davis, Bryana Juarez, Chelsey Johns, Nicholas Hagan, Jillian Lemaire, Damon Oliver, Walter Moody, Carl Thomas, Alexia Mason, and Sean Murphy.  We will draw each six weeks. 

With the help of the custodial staff, four bicycles were hung from the ceiling in the gym.  At the end of the semester, those with perfect attendance for the whole semester will be in the drawing for the bicycles.  The students are very excited and motivated to see those bikes hanging up!  We appreciate our PTO for making these drawings possible.

FALL festival at Livingston Intermediate
Submitted by Wendy Guthrie, Livingston Intermediate School, November 12, 2008
Livingston Intermediate School is hosting their Fall festival on Friday night for LIS students.
Click Here to view a pamphlet about the event!

Juvenile Law Presentations Scheduled
Submitted by Raymond Ortiz, Livingston Junior High School, November 6, 2008
LISD - On November 17, 2008 at LJH, Assistant District Attorney Michael Matthews along with Raymond Ortiz will be doing presentations regarding juvenile law.  The two gentleman will be doing the same presentations at LHS on November 19, 2008.    Mr. Matthews will discuss the types of offenses seen in the schools and that are being filed by his office.  Topics include assaults, sex crimes, drug possession, public intoxication, public lewdness, and terroristic threats.

The schedule is as follows:
LJH --- November 17, 2008 8:55 AM to 11:00 AM(two presentations)
LHS-----November 19, 2008 9:15 AM to 10:30 AM (two presentations.