November 2025 Parent Newsletter

On the cover: Aue Elementary held its first Balloons Over Broadway Parade to the delight of all attendees. First grade students decorated white plastic beach balls to create “floats” and paraded throughout the school as their older peers cheered them all. At the end of the parade, was the "Head Turkey" herself, Principal Ursula Silberschlag. The parade was the culminating activity after having read and studied the book “Balloons Over Broadway, which is about Tony Sarg and the origins of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Click here to view pictures from this fun event. 

Hundreds of fine arts students will be featured in a variety of holiday concerts and performances at elementary, middle, and high school campuses throughout Northside ISD. Click here for a list of holiday concerts, sorted by campus or date. Most events are free and open to the public. Happy holidays to everyone from Northside ISD!

With 12, soon to be 13, magnet schools in Northside ISD, students have more opportunities than ever to choose their future.

The District offers eight magnet high schools and four magnet middle schools, and will be adding a fifth in the 2026-27 school year. Applications open Nov. 17 and are accepted through Jan. 23, 2026.

The fifth middle school magnet will be housed at Stinson Middle School. It will offer a specialized curriculum in Sports Medicine and Exercise Science that combines academics, physical activity, and career exploration.

All magnet schools are planning Open Houses and the District will host two Magnet Fairs in December for families at the Northside Sports Gym and Paul Taylor Field House/Northside Activity Center.

For a list of important dates and additional details, click here. 

When students at Construction Careers Academy (CCA) show up for class, they don’t just study construction—they build it. This year, they’re building something even bigger: hope.

CCA, Northside ISD’s award-winning construction magnet school, enrolls 544 students—the second-largest magnet program in the district—and is working to grow female participation in its specialized trades pathways. But beyond blueprints and skill certifications, students are driven by something deeper: the belief that what they build should matter.

That belief is what sparked CCA’s biggest community project yet—a tiny home constructed from the ground up for a local female veteran and her child, part of the school’s new Home for a Hero initiative.

Click here to learn more!

The Early College High School (ECHS) program at John Jay High School – partnering with Alamo Colleges District and Northwest Vista College - offers an unparalleled opportunity for 8th-grade students and families from the Brennan, Jay, Holmes, Marshall, Stevens, Taft, and Warren high school areas. Students can earn both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree - at no cost!

 This innovative program combines the full high school experience with access to college-level coursework, academic support, and extracurricular activities, helping students gain the skills, confidence, and credentials to succeed in higher education. Families save thousands in tuition while students graduate ready to thrive in college and beyond.

 Information Session Dates:
• November 4 – Taft HS LGI Room, 6:30 p.m.
• November 5 – Stevens HS LGI Room, 6:30 p.m.
• November 6 – Holmes HS LGI Room, 6:30 p.m.
• November 11 – Warren HS LGI Room, 6:30 p.m.
• November 12 – Jay HS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
• November 13 – Brennan HS LGI Room, 6:30 p.m.
• November 19 – Marshall HS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.

 Learn More: Visit nisd.net/Early-College to discover how your child can get a head start on college success.

Born in Mumbai, India, Dr. Akshay Thusu was destined for a life of service, catching the "Gotta-Help-People" bug from his parents, who were busy advocates and volunteers in the San Antonio Hindu and Indian community.

After arriving in Texas in 2003, Dr. Thusu powered through his education: excelling at Health Careers High, graduating magna cum laude from UTSA, and receiving his DDS from UT Health Science Center. But he didn't stop there!

This dental superhero has been a tireless champion for those in need, offering free dental care to thousands across Texas. Think of him as the Tooth Fairy of South Texas. He's a fixture at events like Texas Mission of Mercy (TMOM) and Dentistry from the Heart, ensuring everyone has a reason to smile.

He's not just drilling and filling; he's leading the charge! Dr. Thusu is currently chairing the massive 2026 San Antonio TMOM clinic and is a key player on the San Antonio District Dental Society Foundation Board. This Pillar of Caring embodies the belief that caring for others is not just a profession, but a profound way of life. 

When he's not saving smiles, he inspires the next generation as a passionate mentor, teaching students the joys of dentistry. His dedication has earned him major bragging rights, including Mastership in the Academy of General Dentistry and multiple Young Dentist of the Year awards.

For Dr. Thusu, caring for others isn't just a job—it's his superpower and his way of life!

In this and subsequent issues, you will meet this year’s Pillars of Character, each a successful Northside High School graduate with a story to tell. 

Despite the threat of rain in the forecast, it was a lovely evening to lie under the cloudy skies and read books, and that's what more than 300 people did at the third annual Literacy Under the Lights. Students and their families brought blankets, a picnic dinner, and books to enjoy a night under the stadium lights while sitting on the field at Farris Stadium. Students were asked to read for 15 minutes at a time, followed by a "brain break" between reading sessions. During this break, they danced to fun music, such as the "Chicken Dance" and "Baby Shark," while watching themselves on the big video scoreboard. Twenty-one elementary schools, five high schools, five middle schools, and the NISD Student Ambassadors participated. 

Click here to view pictures from the event. 

Middle and high school gamers from around the district gathered at the Northside Activity Center to play in the NISD Esports Fall 2025 Qualifiers. Close to 400 Super Smash Bros. players and our top Rocket League teams faced off throughout the day, but in the end, only two sets of 16 fighters from various middle and high schools, and four high school teams - Holmes, Sotomayor, Taft, and Warren - claimed a spot in the championships. Congratulations to all our finalists! 

The Fall 2025 Championships and the Elementary Esports Explorers Expedition will take place on Saturday, Dec. 13, from 8:00 a.m. to noon at the Northside Activity Center. This event is open to the public, and we encourage all teachers, parents, and community members to attend and discover what it's like to be a Northside gamer!

Each year in our K–5 STEM classes, students get hands-on with coding as they bring a variety of robots to life. This 21st-century skill starts in Kindergarten, where our youngest learners use block-based programming to create simple algorithms and build step-by-step instructions for their robots.

And the journey only gets more exciting from there.

By third grade, students are confidently debugging—spotting and fixing “bugs” in their code—and using programming loops to design more sophisticated projects. By fifth grade, they’re comparing algorithms for efficiency and applying powerful concepts like sequences, loops, conditionals, and events to control their robots with precision.

These experiences don’t just build technical skills—they help prepare students with the creative thinking and problem-solving abilities they’ll need for the future.

Big changes are happening at Esparza Elementary! Thanks to the 2022 school bond, the campus has a fresh new look. Families are welcomed with new parking lots, canopies, and a bus loop. 

Inside, the campus features a 15,000 sq. ft. cafeteria and gym equipped with a rock wall and a state-of-the-art video and sound system to keep learning engaging and fun. New collaborative classrooms provide students with space to explore creative learning approaches.  

Learn about other 2022 school bond projects at nisd.net/bond