Welcome to fall! The first six weeks of the school year has passed quickly, and we are finally getting a little relief from the hot weather. Report cards for the first grading period will be issued soon, and this will be an opportunity for you to discuss your child’s progress with him or her.

Fall sports are underway, and our teams are now involved in district play. I have had the opportunity to attend several events, and I always enjoy watching our students play, knowing that many hours of hard work and practice by the students and their coaches have gone into molding these teams that proudly represent Goose Creek CISD.

Fall also brings fine arts competitions. Bands from Goose Creek Memorial and Robert E. Lee high schools competed in the recent U.S. Bands Contest at Conroe ISD recently. GCM placed first in their division, winning caption awards for Best Music, Best Overall Effect, Best Visual and Best Color Guard. REL placed second in their division, winning a caption award for Best Percussion. GCM, REL and Ross S. Sterling bands also competed in the Galena Park Pre-UIL Marching Contest, receiving quality feedback to prepare them for UIL.

Our students also earned 115 spots in the Region 10 All-Region Choir, which included 52 students from RSS, 56 from GCM and seven from REL. These choir members have earned a second audition round in the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) All-State process. Choir members from all five junior schools recently competed in the Region 10 All-Region Choir auditions, with 125 students receiving All-Region honors. For the fifth straight year Gentry Junior won first place in the region. Congratulations to all of these talented vocalists!

We recently hosted the first Superintendent’s Campus Connection lunch, which included one teacher from each Goose Creek CISD campus. This team meeting serves as an advisory council to the district office, providing an opportunity for the campus voice to be heard. The mission of the team is to work collectively to propose meaningful change that will have a positive impact on GCCISD students, faculty and community. I am really looking forward to BIG things from this team.

Our new director of student services Araceli De La Cruz has come onboard and is settled in her office. De La Cruz comes to Goose Creek CISD from Galena Park ISD, bringing more than 16 years of experience, and we are pleased to have her in this position.

Finishing touches are being completed at the new IMPACT Early College High School, which opened in August. Plans are in the works for the dedication of the school in early November. We are currently in the design and development phases of the Data Center and the Kilgore/Stuart Career Center. Construction documents are being finalized for the new Transportation Center.

I want to send a shout out to all of the faculty as we level off the new year and continue our charge, especially the secondary staff members for their patience and perseverance as they have adapted to a new schedule which allows our students to maximize their learning experience through a broader course selection. Kudos!

We encourage you to stay involved in your child’s education by attending campus and district events. You may access grades, report cards and attendance information by downloading the TEAMS App here for more complete district information by downloading the Goose Creek CISD App here. These apps, as well as our website at www.gccisd.net will help keep you informed about the district, our students and our teachers throughout the school year.