The Texas Department of Transportation is hosting a public meeting, Thursday, October 22, to discuss the planned expansion of State Highway 46 between Esser Road and Amman Road. The meeting will take place 5-7 p.m. at the Boerne Civic Center, 820 Adler Road.

This meeting may be of particular interest to families of students who attend Champion High School and Cibolo Creek Elementary School, as this stretch of Highway 46 is a major traffic artery leading to those campuses. Some families of students who attend Boerne Middle School North and Boerne High School may also be impacted by this project.

The public open house is being conducted to provide information about the proposed project and gather input from the public, according to an announcement from the Texas Department of Transportation.

Proposed project improvements are needed due to high traffic counts and congestion, the TxDOT announcement states. The project would expand Highway 46 from a two-lane to a four-lane road with two-way left turn lanes and medians. The proposed improvements also includes constructing bike lanes and sidewalks. Acquisition of right-of-way is anticipated for the proposed project.

Questions or comments may be directed to Richard De La Cruz, project manager, (210) 615-6434 or Richard.DeLaCruz@txdot.gov. To request project updates or provide commentsl, please send an email to SH46Boerne@blantonassociates.com with 'SH 46 Improvements' in the subject line.

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Periodically, I like to offer to the community a "refresher course" on school finance – a brief primer on what is truly a complex funding system. I find that if folks are equipped with the basics on this topic – especially around the time our property tax statements arrive in our mail boxes – it makes it a little easier to understand the big picture.

Like you, I pay local property taxes that support Boerne ISD. And I want to know that my tax dollars are being used effectively and prudently. Both as superintendent and as local taxpayer, I take great comfort in knowing our district consistently has received the highest marks for financial management as evaluated annually by the Texas Education Agency.

Local tax revenue makes up the lion's share of our district's funding, representing 82 percent of our annual budget. (The remaining 18 percent of our budget includes 11 percent from state dollars, three percent from federal dollars, and four percent from miscellaneous local revenue.) So let's take a closer look at that local tax dollar.

Perhaps the most basic thing a taxpayer should know when reading their tax statement is that the school tax is actually comprised of two taxes that serve different purposes. The Maintenance and Operations tax (M&O) pays for the day-to-day operations of the district, much like your checking account pays for your daily household needs.

Just like many businesses and government entities, the largest expense category covered by M&O revenue is salaries and benefits for district teachers and staff. Supplies, utilities, insurance, general maintenance, transportation costs and other operating expenses are paid by the M&O tax, too.

The Interest and Sinking tax (I&S), sometimes referred to as the Debt Service tax, exists for exactly that purpose: to pay the district's debt obligation – principal and interest – in much the same way you pay your mortgage obligation. This is the revenue stream that allows a school district to pay for the voter-approved bond obligations that fund construction and renovation of schools, equipment upgrades, and other capital purchases.

In 2013, Boerne was in position to reduce the I&S tax rate, a move made possible in part by our ability to refinance existing debt. Again, this is much like your home mortgage, where refinancing typically produces a cost savings for the borrower. In the case of the district, those savings were passed on to the taxpayers in the form of a two-cent I&S tax rate decrease.

The district's current combined rate of $1.294 remains one of the lowest among districts in the surrounding area. The M&O rate is set at $1.04 per $100 valuation and the I&S rate is set at 0.254. Using the example of a house valued at $200,000, the annual tax assessment would be $2,588 before any exemptions or deductions.

There is an important distinction between the two taxes: The M&O tax collected by the district is subject to recapture under the state's "Robin Hood" provision for school finance. Under that system, tax dollars taken from "property rich" districts like Boerne ISD are redistributed to "property poor" districts. For every M&O tax dollar collected in Boerne, 14 cents is subject to recapture. Since first being designated a Chapter 41 – or "Robin Hood" – district in 2005, Boerne ISD has returned some $74 million to the state for redistribution.

Conversely, when a district passes a bond initiative for school construction and other capital purposes, 100 percent of those I&S tax dollars remain in the district, benefitting local students. Such is the case with the 2013 bond that was approved by 73 percent of our voters. And such will be the case with any future bond approved by voters.

Boerne ISD continues to grow as more and more folks choose to call our communities and neighborhoods home. School finance will always be a critical component of that growth. Many factors play into the complex financial picture; none is more important than your tax dollars and our responsibility to steward those dollars with efficiency and integrity. Thank you for the many ways you support Boerne ISD students, staff and schools.

Boerne ISD superintendent David Stelmazewski is an education leader who has served for more than 40 years as teacher, coach and administrator in Illinois and Texas public schools.

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Boerne High School principal Natalie Farber announced today that five students have been recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program.

Nicholas B. Adams, Matthew C. Duncan and Kevin S. McElhenney have been named Commended Students in the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program. Commended Students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2016 competition by taking the 2014 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

Farber also announced that Marcus W. Clarke and Alyssa C. Garrison have been selected as 2015-16 National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholars. This year, the NHRP is recognizing nearly 5,300 students selected from a pool of over 250,000 who took the 2014 PSAT/NMSQT/PAA and identified themselves as Hispanic/Latino. Students recognized by the NHRP are at least one-quarter Hispanic/ Latino and have achieved a minimum PSAT/NMSQT score for their region. Students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher are designated as Scholars.

From left, National Merit Commended Student Kevin S. McElhenney, National Hispanic Scholar Alyssa C. Garrison, Boerne High School principal Natalie Farber, National Hispanic Scholar Marcus W. Clarke, and National Commended Student Matthew C. Duncan. Not pictured is National Commended Student Nicholas B. Adams.

With the passage of House Bill 2610, the Texas Legislature now requires school districts to account for instructional time in minutes rather than days. Instead of mandating 180 instructional days, the law now requires 75,600 minutes of instruction and grants some flexibility in adding minutes to compensate for school closures due to weather or other reasons.

Boerne ISD has made minor changes to this year's academic calendar in order to comply with the new legislation; a slight change on scheduled early release days is the only impact on the 2015-16 calendar.

Remaining early release days will release two hours early rather than three hours early, as previously practiced. The following schedule will be in effect:

• Friday, November 6: Elementary release: 12:45 p.m.
• Friday, December 18: Elementary release: 12:45 p.m., Middle/High School release: 2 p.m.
• Thursday, June 2: Elementary release: 12:45 p.m., Middle/High School release: 2 p.m.

This will allow the district to remain compliant with the requirement for instructional minutes and provide a cushion in the very likely event of a delayed start time due to weather this winter.

Future academic calendars will be created with the full impact of HB 2610 in mind.

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Twenty-nine members of the Boerne Middle School North band have earned a position in the South Texas Honor Band, according to director Jon Rickman. Three students were alternate selections.

Auditions were held Saturday, Nov. 7, at Media Valley Middle School and included students throughout the region. The members of the South Texas Honor Band will participate in a clinic and concert in Medina Valley on January 16.

Middle School North students receiving the honor include: Ben Spencer – Alto Sax; Sarah Bynum – Baritone; Becca Faseler – Baritone; Adonijah Lovett – Baritone; Nolan Sandidge – Baritone; Luke Whidbee – Baritone; Karla Guzman – Bass Clarinet; Georgette Hodge – Clarinet; Corinne Kadric – Clarinet; Mary Rocchio – Clarinet; Ximena Sanchez – Clarinet; Alyssa Audette – Flute; Kaia Harris – Flute; Hayley Kavanagh – Flute; Mackenzie Vasquez – Flute; Priya Agarwal – Horn; Savannah Brickey – Horn; Evan Ross – Horn; Zach Musslewhite – Percussion; Hunter Craig – Trombone; Caroline Foster – Trombone; David Owen – Trombone; Alissa Esper – Trumpet; Jake Green – Trumpet; Scott Hettie – Trumpet; Caroline Holmes – Trumpet; Thomas Mitchell-Schaaf – Trumpet; Tyler Roberts – Trumpet; Logan Rouse – Trumpet; Angelica Mejia – Trumpet; Elijah Marshall – Tuba; Jonathan Murphy – Tuba.

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Veterans Day ceremonies were hosted on campuses throughout Boerne ISD on November 11, 2015. Here is a small sampling of some of the tributes that took place to remember and thank our military service veterans:

Boerne Middle School North eighth grader Priya Agarwal received the Youth Citizenship Award from the Daughters of the American Revolution during Veterans Day ceremonies on campus Wednesday, November 11. DAR representative Lane Zatopek made the award to Agarwal, whose essay focused on patriotism. Agarwal, who serves as vice president of the school's National Junior Honor Society chapter, was one of the student leaders taking part in the Veterans Day ceremony in Middle School North's new gymnasium.

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At Boerne ISD, we are always humbled and grateful when one of our schools or departments receives state or national recognition. Those honors – whether from one of the national news magazines that examines public education or from a governmental entity like the Texas Education Agency – represent hours of hard work and dedication on the part of our students and teachers.

When those accolades are received, we make an effort to make the public aware. We know this community takes great pride in its public schools and we are always eager to share news of the accomplishments of our students and staff.

But not to be overlooked, especially in a season of thanksgiving, are some of the less trumpeted things that take place in the district but that bear an important role in creating some of the best learning environments in the state. The "every-day things," if you will.

For example, I am very thankful that Boerne ISD schools are open and available to all students in our district. College-bound, technical school-bound, work-force bound. Special needs students. Students with severe physical and mental disabilities. Struggling students. Academically excelling students.

Like any educator you could name, I don't like the fact that we have to deal with the occasional discipline issue at school. But I am thankful for the privilege of having the discipline-challenged student as one among our 7,900 students, knowing that we have programs in place to help a student with those challenges chart a corrected course in life.

I am thankful for the wide range of rigorous courses offered in our schools. For the variety of extracurricular activities available to students. For inviting campus climates and cultures.

I am grateful for the transportation system we have in place that allows families in all corners of our district to be assured their children will be taken to school and back home again safely. I am grateful for your patience – even with as much anxiety as upcoming bad weather days may cause – as we assess situations and make decisions about the school day that are based on maintaining student safety.

We have so many wonderful programs that exist to meet the needs of a group of students – or all students: Our mentoring program. Special education program. Dyslexia program. SAMS Kids. Blessings in a Backpack. Student counseling. Dual language program. School nurses. Gifted and talented program.

I am thankful for the growing number of families who are moving to our communities specifically so that their children can attend Boerne schools. Experts have forecast that within 10 years district enrollment will increase by 4,400 students. By the time this year's second graders are seniors, we can expect to have over 12,000 students where today we have 7,900. That increase is equal to today's enrollments at Boerne High School, Middle School North, Cibolo Creek Elementary, Curington Elementary, Fabra Elementary and Kendall Elementary combined.

In the face of this growth, the district still operates effectively and efficiently, having actually lowered the tax rate twice in the past nine years. Now, that won't always be the case, but I am thankful that solid fiscal management has carried the district to this point and positioned us to continue to address growth with a strong bond rating and exemplary fiscal practices.

I am grateful for a community that prizes public education and lends a voice in decision making. For elected officials who act in the best interest of our students and are not motivated by personal agendas. For a business base that recognizes the importance of strong public education and builds partnerships to support the district and its students. For booster clubs, PTOs, Boerne Education Foundation and the plethora of other support groups.

In this season of thanks, I am privileged and grateful to work with you to continue to keep Boerne ISD at the forefront of public education in Texas.

Boerne ISD superintendent David Stelmazewski is an education leader who has served for more than 40

years as teacher, coach and administrator in Illinois and Texas public schools.

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Four members of the Champion High School orchestra have earned places on All-Region 11 Orchestras following recent competitions, according to orchestra director Maggie Raveneau. The honored students include (from left) Anna Coulter, 9th grade, Violin, 30th chair, Concert Orchestra; Max Klaunig, 11th grade, Cello, 10th chair, Concert Orchestra; Marc Rodriguez, 12th grade, Cello, 4th chair, Symphony Orchestra; and Conner Simmons, 11th grade, Bass, 3rd chair, Symphony Orchestra.

Boerne ISD and its schools receive high marks in a recent report released by the education analysis group Niche.

The 2016 Niche report, now available online, lists all five Boerne ISD elementary schools among the top 20 elementary campuses in the San Antonio metro area. Cibolo Creek Elementary was third on the list of 100 areas schools, followed by Fair Oaks Ranch Elementary, sixth; Kendall Elementary, 11th; Curington Elementary, 13th; and Fabra Elementary, 19th.

Boerne Middle School South is listed second among the top 100 middle schools in the area and 19^th in the state. Middle School North is ranked third. In the high school rankings, Champion High School is ranked fourth in the San Antonio metro area and 50^th in the state while Boerne High School is ranked eighth in the area and 91^st statewide.

The district as a whole was ranked second on a list of top school districts in the metro San Antonio area. Alamo Heights was named top district in the area. Boerne ISD is ranked 19^th in the Niche report for the top 100 districts in Texas.

Niche uses a broad range of criteria to develop its rankings. The independent company analyzes statistics along with parent and student responses to surveys in areas covering academics, general district experience, teachers, and student culture and diversity.

"Across our district, we have embraced the tenets of a growth mindset," said Boerne ISD superintendent David Stelmazewski. "That means that we work hard to do what is right for our students and we are proud when that is recognized in a manner such as this. But we never rest on those accolades. We always are looking for ways to improve and to grow in our practice of educating the community's children. The Niche report findings are gratifying and I believe validate what we have believed all along about our teachers and our schools."

According to Niche's explanation of its process, "a high ranking indicates that the district contains great schools with exceptional teachers, sufficient resources, and a diverse set of high-achieving students who rate their experiences very highly." Founded in 2002, Niche focuses its surveys on neighborhoods, colleges and K-12 education. The full list of ranked schools and details on the reporting methodology can be found at k12.niche.com/rankings.

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The Boerne ISD Board of Trustees received a clear financial report from independent auditors at its special meeting Monday, November 16.

The audit firm of Armstrong, Vaughan & Associates, based in Universal City, presented the audit of the 2014-15 fiscal year to the board, noting that there were no adjustments recommended, no findings and no disclosures as a result of the annual process.

Boerne ISD has a $65 million operating budget. The district closed the fiscal year with an increase to the fund balance of almost $500,000. Notably, the district collected 98.5 percent of current taxes levied, one of the highest collection rates among neighboring districts.

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Boerne High School remains 4A and Champion High School remains 5A under newly released reclassification and realignment numbers announced by the University Interscholastic League today.

Boerne High School's reported student enrollment of 1,087 falls below the 1,100 threshold that UIL set for 5A classification. Champion High School reported student enrollment of 1,533.

The new parameters will be in place for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 academic years. UIL will assign new competition districts February 1, 2016. The realignment affects campus athletics, music and academic competitions. More information.

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Twelve senior members of the Boerne Champion High School football team were named to the 2015 Academic All-State team by the Texas High School Coaches Association, according to coach Keith Kaiser.

Sean Cahill and Monty Smith were named to the Academic All-State Elite team. Caden Inglish, John Loren and Trey Moskal were first team All-State selections. Josh Green and Jake Struck made the second team. Matthew Barnhill, Mitchell Friesenhahn, Collin Gibbs, Stetson Green and Jeremy Struck received honorable mention. Academic All-State recognition was based on a combination of grade point average, college entrance exam scores and other academic benchmarks.

"I could not be prouder of these student athletes," said Kaiser, whose team advanced to the third round of post-season play and finished the season with a record of 9-4. "They represented the Chargers on a high level both on the field and in the classroom.

"One of the things I like about this recognition is that it is a school-wide recognition. Our teachers had more of an impact on these young men and their receipt of this recognition that we as coaches did. And their parents had a great deal to do with their success. I'm grateful to everyone involved in these students' lives in a positive way and especially proud of these young men."

Kendall Elementary fifth grader Dakari Hodge was one of thousands of BISD students who participated in Hour of Code.

"It was an amazing week at Boerne ISD!"

That is the assessment of technology education coach Miriam Martinez, who along with her colleagues on the educational technology team worked with teachers across the district to involve students in the worldwide Hour of Code initiative the week of December 7.

The Hour of Code is organized by Code.org, a national non-profit that believes every student should have the opportunity to learn computer science because it helps nurture problem-solving skills, logic and creativity. The organization believes that by starting at an early age, students build a foundation for success in any 21st century career path.

Martinez' observations about the activities of the week seem to parallel the organization's mission. Also, given the broad desire on the part of educators to get more girls interested in science, technology and math, Martinez was pleased with the levels of participation in Hour of Code.

"Through their structured activities on digital devices in the classrooms, students participated in problem solving, critical thinking, communication, collaboration and math practice through computer programming," she said. "What may have seemed like a game actually had a lot of working with calculating and giving precise instructions.

"We definitely saw girls being motivated and excited about accomplishing some of the complex code 'puzzles' they were given. They high-fived with each other and got all excited! It was fun to watch. Students who didn't get it right the first time did not despair. They were not afraid of failure. They felt safe trying several times until they mastered the exercise."

Boerne ISD students were not the only ones to benefit from the coding exercises, according to Martinez.

"Witnessing my teacher colleagues take the risk and promote the event in their classes was amazing," she said. "Observing them as professionals get involved and even try coding for themselves was a huge success. My background as a computer analyst and the teacher in me were rejoicing as I saw their interest intensify when they saw their students coding!"

Hour of Code activities took place throughout the district, with a concentration in the elementary and middle school grades. Martinez estimates that as many as 9 out of 10 students were involved at some point during the week.

"I watched one of our teachers go from reluctance about Hour of Code," Martinez says "to all-in when she saw all the math that was involved and how good that was for practice and remediation. And one of our third grade teachers in the Dual Language program helped students change the language in the exercise. They were coding in Spanish!

"It humbles me to be a part of such a vanguard district with students and teachers being exposed to amazing opportunities."

Hour of Code helped get girls more deeply involved in the academic aspects of science, math and technology.

BISD students will show steers and other animals during the 2016 Kendall County Junior Livestock Show.

As many as 50 students enrolled in Boerne ISD's agriculture education program are expected to take part in the annual Kendall County Junior Livestock Show that culminates this weekend.

Students spend months preparing for the show, caring for animals and getting ready to present chickens, turkeys, pigs, goats, sheep, steers and heifers to show judges.

"Students who participate carry themselves well and typically represent their school and (FFA) chapter honorably," says Boerne High School agriculture teacher Craig Lenard. "They usually walk away from the experience with new knowledge.

"It is our hope that we continually grow our programs. Stock show is one way to grab the students' attention. We have a number of new students enrolled in our program this year."

Boerne ISD's 2013 bond included funding for a new Career & Technical Education building at Boerne High School that includes expanded space for agriculture and agricultural mechanics studies. The current Long Range Facilities Planning Committee has reviewed a plan that calls for similar expanded spaces at Champion High School.

Champion High School agriculture teacher Joanna Marsh echoes her colleague's remarks about the value of stock show participation by her students.

"Students gain a unique perspective on what it is to be responsible for a life," she says. "Even though the animal requires less care than a human, that animal is depending on the student to care for it and provide it with food and water.

"They also see what it is to be part of something bigger in the community by volunteering and helping set up the show and clean up afterwards. Having grown up here, I personally can say that I wanted to come back and stay in this community to give back some of the things that I experienced when I raised livestock in Kendall County."

The 2016 Kendall County Junior Livestock Show runs through January 9.

Students participated in the poultry show during the first weekend of the Livestock Show.

Nine members of the Boerne ISD faculty on Friday were named the 2016 Teacher of the Year on their campuses, according to superintendent David Stelmazewski.

"These nine educators were selected by their teaching peers to receive this honor," said Stelmazewski, who went to each school to personally make the announcements. "In visiting with each teacher briefly, it is clear that they are beloved by their students, appreciated by their administrators, and highly regarded by their fellow teachers. Each is deserving of this honor and I am so very proud to be associated with them."

The recipients are Bret Bunker at Boerne High School, Susan Giles at Fabra Elementary, Michael Gillette at Champion High School, Ed Kinnear at Middle School South, Alma McFarland at Curington Elementary, Cheryl Reinke at Fair Oaks Ranch Elementary, Val Reissig at Middle School North, Jessica Sills at Cibolo Creek Elementary and Susan Trizinsky at Kendall Elementary.

Bret Bunker was named Teacher of the Year at Boerne High School. He began his teaching career 12 years ago at BHS teaching Special Education classes. Currently, he teaches AP and on level History classes.

At BHS, Bunker serves as the Social Studies Department Chair. He also serves as Campus Apps Facilitator, Academic UIL Social Studies and Current Events Coach and Site Based Committee member. At the district level, he has served on the Long Range Technology Planning Committee, the GPA Committee, and the GT Advisory Committee.

Bunker earned his BA in Psychology from Texas A&M University, and his teaching certification from the University of Texas-San Antonio. Away from the classroom, Bunker spends time enjoying his family.

Susan Giles was named Teacher of the Year at Fabra Elementary School, where she is the dyslexia specialist. She has served 21 years at Fabra, starting as a teaching assistant.

Giles has served in a number of capacities at Fabra, working on committees and dedicating time to improving dyslexia education at the school. Earlier in her career, she helped her two sons, Eagle Scout candidates, work on a playground for children with disabilities on the Fabra campus.

Giles holds a Bachelors in Education degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a Master's in Education degree from SMU. Away from school, Giles is active in her church and enjoys her grandchildren, genealogy, traveling, yard work, sewing, antiques and ongoing learning.

Michael Gillette has been named Teacher of the Year at Champion High School, where he has taught since the school opened in 2008. Gillette joined Boerne ISD in 2007 and is noted for his teaching of Advanced Placement U.S. History. He also teaches AP Human Geography and Historical Periods.

Gillette coaches football and swimming/diving at CHS. He also serves as National Honor Society advisor, UIL Social Studies coach and UIL Current Events coach. He finds professional satisfaction in seeing students earn college credit and become college ready.

The University of Arkansas graduate is the 2013 recipient of Mirabeau B Lamar Award for Excellence in Teaching. Previously, he was Teacher of the Year at Beaumont West Brook High School and a recipient of the Woodmen of the World Award for Excellence in Teaching History.

Away from school, Gillette enjoys time with family and friends, reading, running, watching sports, music, playing the guitar, golf and travel. The former talk radio personality has met three U.S. presidents.

Ed Kinnear has been named Teacher of the Year at Boerne Middle School South, where he has taught robotics and science since 2014. He has taught science full time since 2008.

Kinnear has devoted the past two years to building the Middle School South robotics program and team from the ground up. The team has experienced early success in 2014-15 UTSA GEAR competition and in the 2015-16 BEST competition at St. Mary's University.

Kinnear earned his bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Texas-San Antonio. He says his career ambition is to continue to grow as part of a teaching team that helps students achieve success in their unique endeavors.

Alma McFarland has been named Teacher of the Year at Curington Elementary School, where she is a fourth grade teacher in the Dual Language program. McFarland has taught at Curington since 2013, the most recent chapter in her 21-year teaching career.

McFarland has served on a number of campus-based committees and is a member of the district's social studies textbook committee. She is a recent nominee for the HEB Excellence in Education Award.

The dedicated educator is a graduate of Texas A&M-Kingsville with a degree in Marketing. She holds a Master of Education degree in Educational Administration from Lamar University. McFarland is a member of Boerne First United Methodist Church and a U.S. Army volunteer.

"It's hard to believe that I've been a teacher for 21 years." McFarland says. "Each year has been filled with unique experiences, some more challenging than others. My desire is to leave a lasting, positive impression on my students."

Cheryl Reinke has been named Teacher of the Year at Fair Oaks Ranch Elementary School, where she is literacy leader and reading specialist for grades K-5. Previously, she taught gifted and talented students.

Reinke earned her degree in Elementary Education from Stephen F. Austin University. She also holds a Masters of Education in Elementary Education.

"I have a passion to teach and educate children," Reinke says. "I am a hands-on teacher and get very involved in school activities and functions. I look for opportunities to enhance instruction and make a difference with struggling students."

Outside of school, Reinke enjoys contributing to the San Antonio Botanical Gardens. She enjoys working with the children's garden club and spends time hiking and exploring nature.

Val Reissig has been named Teacher of the Year at Boerne Middle School North where she serves as Special Education Coordinator. Reissig has been a special education teacher at Middle School North for 14 years.

In that time, Reissig has served on numerous campus-based committees and she serves as the school's Special Education department chair. She has served as sponsor of the National Junior Honor Society on campus.

Reissig earned her bachelor's degree in Education from the University of Houston. Outside of the classroom, Reissig is active as a Special Blessings Special Needs Sunday School teacher, Bible Study Fellowship member, Daughters of the American Revolution member, and Boerne Alumnae Pan-Hellenic Council member. She enjoys mahjongg, calligraphy, travel, and spending time with her husband, children and grandchildren.

Jessica Sills has been named Teacher of the Year at Cibolo Creek Elementary School, where she has taught kindergarten since 2006.

Sills has led grade level workshops for her campus and the district during her time with Boerne ISD. She also has been active on a number of campus-based committees.

Sills graduated from Texas Tech with a degree in Elementary Education. She is active in her church and enjoys spending time with her three sons in the outdoors on the family ranch.

"It is an honor that someone would nominate me," Sills says, "I know there are some really amazing, deserving teachers on this campus."

Susan Trizinsky has been named Teacher of the Year at Kendall Elementary School, where she has taught third grade since 2006. She has taught in Boerne ISD since 1995.

Throughout her career in Boerne ISD, Trizinksy has been actively involved, serving on the Technology Long Range Planning Committee, the Bring Your Own Device Committee, the Character Education Committee and a number of others.

Trizinksy holds a bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Western Governors University. Away from the classroom, Trizinsky enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, playing sports and Skyping with family in Germany.

After recipients interview with principals and administrators, the district will announce the Boerne ISD Teacher of the Year from the group of nine on January 22. That teacher will represent the district in the area-wide competition for the Trinity Prize for Excellence in Teaching, awarded annually by Trinity University.

2016 BISD Teacher of the Year Michael Gillette with his children, Samuel and Lauren.

Michael Gillette has been named 2016 Boerne ISD Teacher of the Year. The social studies teacher holds class at Samuel V. Champion High School, where he has taught since the school opened in 2008.

Gillette joined Boerne ISD in 2007 and is noted for his teaching of Advanced Placement U.S. History. He also teaches AP Human Geography and Historical Periods. He was characteristically humble in accepting the award from Boerne ISD superintendent David Stelmazewski on Friday, a week after he was announced as the campus teacher of the year.

"This doesn't really honor me," Gillette said, "it honors every relationship I've made in my life: my parents, you guys (students), and everybody who has come before - former administrators, support staff, faculty. Those are the people who made me successful here.

Watch Michael Gillette's acceptance comments.

"You really have to form good relationships with people and it's the people I've chosen to surround myself with that, really, I lay out every success to. I'm blessed to be here in Boerne and I'm proud to represent the district. It's a great honor and it's going to take a while to sink in."

In addition to teaching, Gillette coaches football and swimming/diving at Champion. He also serves as National Honor Society advisor, UIL Social Studies coach and UIL Current Events coach. He finds professional satisfaction in seeing students earn college credit and become college ready.

The University of Arkansas graduate is the 2013 recipient of Mirabeau B Lamar Award for Excellence in Teaching. Previously, he was Teacher of the Year at Beaumont West Brook High School and a recipient of the Woodmen of the World Award for Excellence in Teaching History.

Away from school, Gillette enjoys time with family and friends, reading, running, watching sports, music, playing the guitar, golf and travel. The former talk radio personality has met three U.S. presidents.

Gillette now will represent the district in the area-wide competition for the Trinity Prize for Excellence in Teaching, awarded each spring by Trinity University.

Other campus 2016 Teachers of the Year for Boerne ISD are Bret Bunker, Boerne High School; Susan Giles, Fabra Elementary; Ed Kinnear, Middle School South; Alma McFarland, Curington Elementary; Cheryl Reinke, Fair Oaks Ranch Elementary; Val Reissig, Middle School North; Jessica Sills, Cibolo Creek Elementary; and Susan Trizinsky, Kendall Elementary.

# # #

Boerne ISD is now accepting nominations of students in grades 1 through 5 for the district's Gifted/Talented Program. Nomination deadline is Friday, February 5.

The G/T program serves students identified as gifted in the specific subject areas of language arts/social studies and/or math/science. Identification criteria include test scores, student product ratings, and teacher ratings.

Students gifted in language arts have extensive vocabularies, read widely, elaborate well when speaking, and see relationships in literature. Students gifted in the area of social studies are sensitive to social issues, ask questions that are open-ended or philosophical, and are interested in social themes and complex public issues, explanations, or theories.

Students gifted in math learn mathematical concepts and processes faster than other students, are interested in number and quantitative relationships, analyze mathematical problems, and reason effectively. Students gifted in science are interested in scientific topics, have science hobbies or collections, and are good at exploring, questioning, and investigating.

Parents who think their child exhibits these characteristics and might be overlooked in the identification process may nominate their child to be screened for the G/T Program. Nomination forms may be found on the Boerne ISD G/T Program website www.boerne-isd.net and on each campus G/T Program website.

Parents may also contact their child's campus G/T Coordinator to obtain a nomination form. Contact Shelly Brewster, Fair Oaks Ranch Elementary, at 357-4807; Linda Laymon, Kendall Elementary, at 357-4607; Marcie Warner, Curington Elementary, at 357-4007; Elizabeth Stroman, Cibolo Creek Elementary, at 357-4407; or Jennifer Howell, Fabra Elementary, at 357-4207.

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Members of the Boerne ISD Board of Trustees will host a workshop for prospective board candidates on Thursday, February 4. The free workshop will take place at 6:30 p.m. at BISD's Central Office, 123 Johns Road in Boerne.

At its January 19 regular meeting, the board called for a May 7 election for Places 2, 4 and 5 on the board. Place 4 currently is held by Maritza Gonzalez Cooper. Place 5 is held by Dale Adams. Place 2 is vacant following the resignation of Harry Lees, who moved out of state. That election will be to complete the remaining two years of the Place 2 term.

The goal of the candidate workshop, according to board president Adams, is to inform citizens about the responsibilities and opportunities associated with board service and to equip prospective candidates with essential knowledge about the district, the election process, and basics of school district governance.

Workshop topics will include a state of the district report, school finance, governance responsibilities, teamwork, ethics, and more. Time will be provided for questions from attendees.

The Boerne ISD Board of Trustees consists of seven members elected by the public to serve overlapping three-year terms. The current Board of Trustees includes Dale Adams, president; Donna Sharp, vice president; Maritza Gonzalez-Cooper, secretary; Carlin Friar, Alan Rich and Rich Sena. More information about the BISD Board of Trustees is available at www.boerne-isd.net/trustees.

Boerne ISD kindergarten registration for the 2016-17 school year will be held Tuesday March 8. Registration times are 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 5 – 6:30 p.m. at all five elementary school campuses.

Kindergarten students must be 5 years old by September 1, 2016, in order to be registered for the 2016-17 school year. Students without current immunization records cannot be registered. Items required for registration include:

• child's original birth certificate
• child's original Social Security card
• proof of residence such as a current electric bill
• current validated immunization record
• photo ID of the person enrolling the student

Registration takes place at the district's five elementary campuses:

• Cibolo Creek Elementary, 300 Herff Ranch Blvd., 830-357-4400
• Curington Elementary, 601 Adler, 830-357-4000
• Fabra Elementary, 238 Lohmann, 830-357-4200
• Fair Oaks Ranch Elementary, 29085 Ralph Fair Road, 830-357-4800
• Kendall Elementary, 141 Old San Antonio Road, 830-357-4600

A parent or guardian who is unsure of the attendance zone the live in should contact the district's facilities office, 830-357-2065. Additional information is available at www.boerne-isd.net/registration.