Spearman ISD - Dedicated to Education...Committed to Excellence

Staff Spotlight by Kristi Ramon Dr. Michael Ralston teaches 10th grade English Language Arts and Reading at Spearman High School. He is a graduate from Gruver High School and received his bachelor and master degrees from Texas Tech University. He furthered his education at Auburn University earning a Doctor of Philosophy degree in English. Every day is different is the eyes of an educator. “One of the things that I most enjoy about my job is that every day is different. I am surrounded by interesting colleagues and students that constantly keep me entertained and engaged. The students at Spearman High School are so enjoyable and have many talents. I also like the diversity of the students,” shared Ralston. “Every educator has stories about their days in the classroom. One of my favorite stories is an incident that occurred when I was working on my doctoral degree at Auburn. I taught a 7:30 a.m., class, and the students were usually quite tired. On one particular day, a student laid his head on his desk and promptly fell asleep. He soon began a delightful little symphony of loud snores and snorts. At that point, I told the students that class was dismissed, and asked them to leave as quickly and quietly as possible. We left Mr. Fuston sleeping in the classroom, and he appeared much refreshed at our next class meeting,” laughed Ralston. Ralston has earned several awards throughout his professional career including: Liberal Arts Professor of the Year; University of Texas at Arlington, President; Texas Association of Partners in Education; Practical Parent Education Administrator of the Year, Employee of the Year; Dallas ISD Training and Development Department; Teacher of the Year, Spearman High School. Even as an accomplished educator, he has not stopped setting professional goals for himself. Ralston stated, “At this point, my goal is to be the best possible 10th grade English teacher for my students, to enjoy every day in my classroom, and to instill in my students the value of lifelong learning.” Great work, D. Ral! We are proud of your many accomplishments.

Due to the extended power outages, summer school and TSI testing will be cancelled for today.

We are awaiting information from Xcel energy to determine when the power will be turned back on. Stay tuned for further updates regarding summer school.

Braylen Lusby, Sophomore Lynxette, recently earned 3A ALL-STATE Honors from Texas Girls Coaches Association. Bray was a Silver Medalist in the 800m and a two time qualifier in the 300H at the Texas State Meet. Bray was also a member of the Silver Medal 4x400 relay in 2021. Senior, Kamryn Teeters, earned ACADEMIC ALL STATE Honors from Texas High School Coaches Association and Texas Girls’ Coaches Association. Kamryn was a sprinter and high jumper for the Lynxette Track Team for the past 4 years. CONGRATULATIONS LYNXETTES!

Reminder: Spearman ISD Summer Meal Program May 31 - June 30 Elem/JH cafeteria Breakfast 7:30am-8:30am Lunch 11:30-1:00pm Free to all students 18 yrs and under

Reminder: Lynx Football Camp begins today at 9:00 a.m. 🏈🟣⚫️⚪️ https://simplebooklet.com/spearmanlynxfootballcamp?fs=e&s=cl#page=1

Spearman ISD is proud to recognized Macy Beedy May 18, National Speech Therapist Day. National Speech Therapist Day began in 2010 in the United States as way to recognize these amazing individuals. Speech pathologists work in hospitals, schools, universities, rehabilitation facilities, and private practice. Macy Beedy began her career twelve years ago in the school setting. She has worked for Spearman ISD for nine of those years. Her experience includes home health care, and some private therapy for school-age children, as well as the school setting. Beedy and her husband, Kevin, grew up in Spearman. After graduating high school, they attended college and graduate school. They moved to Dallas/Fort Worth area to work. “I loved living in the city and still miss some parts about it - mostly the restaurant options! However, we always felt like we would eventually come back to Spearman to raise our family. A job opportunity presented itself to Kevin, and we ended up moving back to Spearman a little earlier than either he or I thought we might. God’s timing is always perfect. If you’re not part of the Spearman community, it’s hard to describe the blessings in all the little things to an outsider… but to steal some slang from the younger generation, “If ya know, ya know.” Spearman is home, and I’m grateful,’ shared Beedy. “Growing up I always wanted to be a teacher. From the day I started school, I loved it! I remember every teacher I’ve ever had, and in what grade they taught me. Each grade I was in I remember thinking “this is the grade I want to teach when I grow up!” I know how influential teachers are. When I was a senior in high school, my granny, who had taught elementary school here in Spearman for 25 years herself, talked to me about specializing in a field of study when I went to college. She encouraged me to look at speech pathology. I actually think this idea was a plot between my mom and granny, but they likely knew I would take the “suggestion” better from my granny than my mom, at the time. I had never heard of speech pathology before, but I was intrigued. I really enjoyed my classes all through college and graduate school. After my first job in the school setting, I was hooked. I love my job. I love that I get to be a teacher AND a speech-language pathologist. The longer I am in this profession, the more confirmation I feel that God put me in it for a reason. I’m so grateful that through my mom and granny, God led me to be a speech-language pathologist in the school setting,’ reflected Beedy. Beedy shared a memorable story, “A few years ago I had a student that I had a pretty hard time connecting with. I had been working with him for a while and things were fine, but we were just missing a good teacher/student connection. One day, he was in my room during a lockdown drill. To be very honest, I think most people around the schools, teachers, and students alike, think and act just a little bit differently for lockdown drills. The reality of the scary world we live in and the reason we must practice lockdown drills always feels a little closer to home during these practices. Anyway, it was just my student and I in the room during this drill so we were being quiet and sitting in a corner of the mostly dark room, and I could tell he was starting to get emotional. Like I said, emotions seem a little closer to the surface for all during lockdown drills. I asked my student if he was ok, and he said he had just been missing his grandpa who had died a few years before, who he had been close to. He was teary at this point, and I asked him to tell me about his grandpa. He told me a little, and then I asked if anyone had ever told him about Jesus before. He looked at me and said his grandpa used to take him to church and prayed with him. I asked if he wanted me to pray with him. He did, so we said a quick prayer. The lockdown drill was over soon after that and he went back to class, but after that drill, this student and I had found our connection. Like I said before, God’s timing is always perfect. I’m grateful He put us together during this drill and gave us a boost in finding our connection.” Congratulations on making a difference in the lives of many students and staff. Your work is impressive and your love for students is commendable. SISD congratulates you on this special day!

Spearman ISD May Employees of the Month Macy Beedy is the Speech Language Pathologist for the district. She serves students on all three campuses. “Mrs. Beedy’s students love to go work with her even though she pushes them hard to achieve their speech goals,” stated Alexis Beck, Gus Birdwell Elementary (GBE) Principal. “I always joke with Mrs. Beedy that I attended speech when I was little, and my speech class was not as fun or exciting as her classes are,” laughed Beck. Beedy carries a full load and works hard to juggle schedules that meet the needs of the child. “She works very hard to schedule speech times, so the students do not miss critical class time,” added Beck. A teacher who is always willing to jump in and help when needed, first to praise another teacher, and quietly works behind the scene sending gifts to staff during big life events are a few of Beedy’s blessings she shares with others. “She excels at staying organized and making parents feel comfortable while on campus. We are blessed that Macy Beedy is part of the GBE family!” commented Beck. Congratulations on a well-deserved award! Maria Carbajal is the librarian at Spearman Junior High (SJH). She also helps with PRIDE classes, Lynx Lab, and assists as a substitute for teachers and paraprofessionals when needed. “She is always willing to help out where help is needed,” stated Craig Black, Spearman Junior High (SJH) Principal. “Maria is passionate about our library. She is always looking to make changes so the library can have a new look and our students will seek new interests. She does a great job of collaborating with the teachers when selecting new books. She also has a great relationship with the county library. This has enabled the students to benefit from some of the books we may not have,” added Black. She lights up the room when she enters the door. “Maria is a lot of fun to work with. She always has a smile on her face. You never know what kind of music you will hear as you walk through the library… it could be anything George Straight or Michael Jackson,” laughed Black. “She always has a smile on her face and it is great for Spearman Junior High,” included Black. Congratulations on a well-deserved award! Roger Morton is the business teacher at Spearman High School (SHS). “He is a valuable resource for the high school, specifically as it relates to 21st century learning. The educational landscape has progressed over the last few years to meet the demands of society when it comes to providing students opportunities to grow their technology skills that can directly be used in a vocational environment,” shared James Layman, SHS Principal. “Mr. Morton teaches many classes that focus not only on technology, but business and accounting as well,” added Layman. Morton is a teacher who never hesitates to say “Yes.” “One of the greatest things about Mr. Morton is his willingness to pitch in and help wherever is needed. I even joked that he often says, “Yes” before I ask the question,” laughed Layman. Morton has served as the high school UIL academic coordinator working tirelessly along with the UIL coaches. Congratulations on a job well done!

Estefany Tarango was 5th at STATE in the wheelchair shot put!! Way to go Steph!!!

Brenen Thompson ran away from everyone in the 200 m run! Gold medal winner with a time of 20.73! Incredible!!! Go Longhorns!

Braylen Lusby finish 9th in STATE in the 300 m hurdles. Great year Bray! We are proud of you!!

Brenen Thompson wins gold in 100 m dash!! He ran away with it with a 10.24! Folks… that’s fast! U da man!

With a late surge as well, Jeb Garnett finishes 3rd at STATE in the 110 high hurdles!!!! Incredible run Jeb!! Go get that medal!

With a late surge, Braylen Lusby finish 2nd at STATE in the 800 m run!!!! Outstanding run! Way to go Bray!!

Spearman ISD Recognizes School Nurse's Day Spearman ISD is proud to recognize Nurse Sally Swan and Nurse Kelly Scroggs on National School Nurse Day. National School Nurse Day was established to foster a better understanding the role the school nurse plays in the education setting. School nurses play an integral part of the lives of students. They serve as care takers, lend a listening to ear to a student, and provide a sense of security that students often seek out. Nurse Sally Swan is the Registered Nurse (RN) for Spearman ISD. She is married to Lance, and they have three children. Her oldest child is a graduate of Spearman High School (SHS) and two are attending Spearman schools. Nurse Sally works with the entire student body and staff. She trains staff on medical emergency situations and provides trainings to the students throughout the school year on a variety of topics. “What I love most about working for SISD is having the opportunity to be involved with our students from Pre-k through twelfth grade. I get to watch them grow, find their way, and figure out who they want to be in this world. This is a gift that we have in a small district that larger schools do not get to enjoy,” shared Swan. “I could always joke that I could write a book on the funny stories that happen in the nurse’s office. This office is not just for sick kids, it is often the catch all for situations that no one else knows what to do with. The wonderful “Nurse Nellie” (Linda Winegarner) that came before me always comes to mind. In the song/book Nurse Nellie has a Naugahyde Purse is filled with things that start with the letter N. It is an odd assortment of things. As a kid I always wondered what on earth she would use the items for as a nurse. Now that I have been in school nursing for over twenty years, I can assure you that Nurse Nellie knew exactly what school nursing was like and she needed that purse!” laughed Swan. Swan has earned many awards and accomplishments over the years. “I think the biggest accomplishment comes when you are taking care of a little patient who may be scared or unsure, and you hear the words, “She took good care of me when I was little like you.” The trust you built so many years ago comes back and this is a true test of a lifelong nurse,” stated Swan. Kelly Scroggs is a school nurse for Spearman ISD. She is married to Darrell, and they have three children. Her oldest child is a graduate of Spearman High School (SHS) and two are attending Spearman schools. “She is really the unsung hero for our district,” shared Sally Swan. “She is a licensed professional who chooses to be here as a paraprofessional employee. She is an amazing nurse and goes above and beyond for each of our kids and staff. She amazes me every day with her growth in her field as well as her compassion and follow through,” stated Swan. Swan continued, “During this Covid mess when her partner was tied up, she carried all the basic nursing duties for the district which I can assure you are massive with the student population we have right now. She did everything she could to keep the pressure off me, so I could focus on the task at hand. She did it without saying a word. That Is Amazing! I could not do my job without her help. She is an equal partner in our district, and we would be lost without her.”

The Lynx Elite Award was created by Superintendent, Dan Gist. The purpose of the award is to recognize students that have contributed their time and talents in extra-curricular activities reaching state level competition. “We are recognizing students that have shined a light on Spearman ISD and the community.” Seventeen students were recognized at the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, May 10, 2022. Made Sale at State Level Stock Show Kamryn Teeters-2nd Houston/2nd Austin Kinley Shieldknight-6th Houston All State Band Karan Bhakta Track- State Qualifier: Jeb Garnett- 100 meter hurdles (not pictured, KC Garnett accepted award) Braylen Lusby- 800 meter, 300 meter hurdles (not pictured, Jess Anne Lusby accepted award) Brenen Thompson- 100 meter, 200 meter (not pictured, Karen and Richie Thompson accepted award) Estefany Tarango- shot put, 100 meter (not pictured, Kimberly and Maria Tarango accepted award)

The Lynx Elite Award was created by Superintendent, Dan Gist. The purpose of the award is to recognize students that have contributed their time and talents in extra-curricular activities reaching state level competition. “We are recognizing students that have shined a light on Spearman ISD and the community.” Seventeen students were recognized at the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, May 10, 2022. Cross Country State Qualifiers: Destinee Perez, Braylen Lusby (not pictured, Jess Anne Lusby accepted award), Ethan Ramos Football State Qualifiers: Jack Pipkin 2nd Team Offense-Padilla Poll Coaches (not pictured), Brayden Klafka 1st Team Defense- Padilla Poll Coaches Congressional Debate Team- State Qualifiers Isaac Martinez-6th at state, Karan Bhakta, Marco Salgado Tractor Tech Team- State Qualifiers Fabian Hernandez (not pictured), Jace Greene-33rd High Individual, Kyle Sandlin-19th High Individual, Connor Dehaan

Spearman ISD Board of Education congratulates the Spearman Junior High 8th Grade Students of the Month, Acey Womble and Zachary Sasser.

SISD Board of Education congratulates the Lynx to Learning Academy team for completing year 1 of the program.

SISD celebrated Sherry Boyd for her years of service in education. She will retire at the end of the school year with twenty years in the profession. We were fortunate she taught in Spearman for eighteen of the twenty years. Congratulations on your retirement!