The past year in Northside ISD serves as testament to the growing opportunities, choices, and numerous successes found in public education.
In 2019, more than 7,000 students received diplomas in 13 commencement ceremonies including the first graduates of Harlan High School. The Class of 2019 earned more than $194 million in college scholarships and 55,485 hours of college credit. In the 2018-19 school year, Career and Technical Education (CTE) students earned more than 4,600 industry certifications.
For the Class of 2018, the most recent data available, the graduation rate was 94.3 percent.
NISD continues to expand opportunities for students
The official enrollment for the 2019-2020 school year is 106,823 students. Despite Northside’s size, there are numerous opportunities provided for students to succeed in academics, athletics, fine arts, and many other extracurricular pursuits. It takes everyone – students, teachers, staff, parents, business partners, community members, and the Board of Trustees – to maintain the high standards and expectations that make NISD the wonderful district that it is.
The District’s newest magnet school, Marshall Law and Medical Services, opened in August 2019 on the Marshall HS campus.
Northside’s first middle school magnet school, Jones Magnet School, will open in August 2020 on the Jones MS campus. The inaugural class of fifth graders began submitting applications in late 2019.
Trustees named the District’s 80th elementary school, which opens in August 2020, Dr. Caroline Wernli Elementary School.
In November, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the District’s 12th comprehensive high school. It was known by its working title, “Galm Road area” High School, but will be named for a United States Supreme Court Justice. It will open in the fall of 2022.
Twelve elementary schools began piloting STEM Labs, staffed by certified teachers with students attending on a rotating basis as is done with music, art, and physical education.
The District’s pre-kindergarten program expanded to full day at more than 30 elementary schools and a limited number of tuition-based slots were made available to non-qualifying families.
Other highlights of 2019:
- Jodi Ramos, an English Language Arts teacher at Stevenson MS, was named the state winner in the Lifetime Achievement-Secondary category at the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards.
- Andres Lopez, an English Language Arts and Mexican-American literature teacher at Stevens HS, was awarded the 2019 Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award from Humanities Texas.
- Four high school science teachers were selected as 2019 NASA Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors.
- Six Northside ISD PTAs were named 2019-2021 National PTA Schools of Excellence. Clark High School, Briscoe Middle School, and Evers, Forester, Nichols, and Scarborough elementary schools were among 326 schools from across the country to receive the special designation.
- In February, Superintendent Dr. Brian Woods was recognized in Los Angeles as one of four finalists for the 2019 National Superintendent of Year.
- The Marshall HS Academic Decathlon team won second place in the state in the large school category.
- The Health Careers HS girls bowling team won the state championship.
- The Brandeis, Brennan, and Jay AFJROTC programs won national championships at the National High School Drill Team Championships and Fitness Challenge.
- Cheer squads from Brennan, Holmes, and Warren high schools won national championships in their divisions at the National Cheerleaders Association National Championships.
- Howsman, Meadow Village, and Villarreal elementary schools celebrated their 50th anniversaries.
- Brooke Baker, a 5th grader at Raba Elementary School was selected as the Grand Prize Winner in the Texas Cavaliers River Pride Art Contest. She was one of five NISD finalists in the contest.
- Northside continued to support the Go Public campaign which raises awareness of the wonderful things happening in Bexar County public schools. The District also partners with the grassroots organization RootEd, which promotes neighborhood public schools.
- The District’s use of social media continued to grow reaching more than 67,000 followers on Twitter, more than 42,000 “likes” on Facebook, 6,000 followers on Instagram, 656,000 views on YouTube, and 8,000 Friends of Northside e-mail subscribers.