Education briefs for July 7

Contributed Reports
Posted 7/7/22

Education briefs for July 7, 2022.

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Education briefs for July 7

Posted

New principals named at Bryant, McRoberts elementary schools

The Katy Independent School District named principals for Bryant and McRoberts elementary schools for the 2022-2023 school year. Ashley Pierce will lead Bryant Elementary and Kelly Stroud will lead McRoberts Elementary.

Pierce began her career in education in 2007 as an elementary math and science teacher in the Fort Bend Independent School District. In 2013, she moved into the role of math specialist and instructional coach before moving to Katy ISD to assume her current role as assistant principal at Katy Elementary in 2016. Pierce has a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Texas State University and a master’s degree in education administration from Lamar University.

“I’m honored to have been named the new principal of Bryant Elementary,” Pierce said. “It’s an incredible opportunity to lead such an amazing school community rooted in kindness and caring.”

Stroud has spent his entire career in education serving the students and staff of Katy ISD. Stroud began his teaching career in 1995 as an elementary teacher at Nottingham Country Elementary. After 10 years of teaching at the elementary level, Stroud became a teacher and coach at Mayde Creek Junior High in 2005. In 2009, he moved over to WoodCreek Junior High to serve as assistant principal before assuming his current role as assistant principal at Taylor High School in 2015. Stroud holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Houston and a master’s degree in education administration from Prairie View A&M University.

“I’m thrilled to lead the PME community as the new principal,“ Stroud said. “I look forward to working collaboratively with our staff, volunteers and families to build on the foundation of success at McRoberts.”

STAAR test results available to parents

The Texas Education Agency has released STARR tests results to the districts, and parents can access them through the Katy ISD website.

For more information, visit the website, the abbreviated URL for which is bit.ly/3NDxSi6.

Tompkins Robotics bootcamp rescheduled for July 18-21

The dates for the Tompkins High School Tech Summer camp have been moved to July 18-21.

Seats are still available. The sessions are from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. for children ages 6-14, and are held at the Robert Shaw Center near Miller Tech and Raines Academy.

For more information, email FRC5427@gmail.com or visit the website, the abbreviated URL for which is bit.ly/3x7YR0c.

Katy High School National Wildlife Federation

Katy High School has been accepted into the National Wildlife Federation ’22-’23 Student Climate Resilience Ambassadors program. Teachers will receive professional development provided by the federation and its project partners, the Galveston Bay Foundation and TBG Landscape Architects, to equip students with the tools and knowledge to gain a greater understanding of a changing climate and the connection between watershed health, flooding, and water quality.

In addition to a $3,000 grant towards the Tiger Prairie, the school will receive up to four site visits on the campus for project consultation from the foundation and/or TBF Landscape Architects.

Local students honored at annual SkillsUSA workforce development event

Three Katy-area students won one of the nation’s highest awards at the 2022 SkillsUSA Championships, held June 22-23 in Atlanta.

More than 5,200 students competed at the national showcase of career and technical education. The SkillsUSA Championships is the largest skill competition in the world and covers 1.79 million square feet, equivalent to 31 football fields or 41 acres.

The Katy-area student receiving Skill Point Certificates are:

  • Brayden Henry, a student at Miller Career and Technology Center, was awarded a Skill Point Certificate in Culinary Arts.
  • Team A (consisting of Jesus Grajales Mora and Daniel Fernández), also from Miller Career and Technology Center, was awarded a Skill Point Certificate in Mechatronics.

Students were invited to the event to demonstrate their technical skills, workplace skills and personal skills in 108 hands-on occupational and leadership competitions. These including robotics, automotive technology, drafting, criminal justice, aviation maintenance and public speaking.

Industry leaders from 650 businesses, corporations, trade associations and unions planned and evaluated the contestants against their standards for entry-level workers. Industry support of the SkillsUSA Championships is valued at over $36 million in donated time, equipment, cash and material. More than 1,100 industry judges and technical committee members participated this year.

The Skill Point Certificate represents demonstrated workplace readiness in the student's occupational specialty. Students can add the certificate to an employment portfolio. Skill Point Certificates were awarded to all national contestants who met a threshold contest score for their event as an indicator of proficiency. All SkillsUSA Championships competitors were honored June 24 at the SkillsUSA Awards Ceremony at State Farm Arena, which was sponsored by partner Frontdoor Inc. with keynote speaker Darren Keefe of HGTV.

“More than 5,200 students from every state in the nation participated in the 2022 SkillsUSA Championships,” SkillsUSA Executive Director Chelle Travis said. “This showcase of career and technical education demonstrates SkillsUSA at its finest. Our students, instructors and industry partners work together to ensure that every student excels. This program expands learning and career opportunities for our members.”

The SkillsUSA Championships event is held annually for students in middle school, high school or college/postsecondary programs as part of the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference. The national, nonprofit partnership of students, instructors and industry is a verified talent pipeline for America's skilled workforce that is working to help solve the skills gap.

Bryant Elementary, McRoberts Elementary, STARR, Tompkins High School, Katy High School, SkillsUSA