The Trinity Independent School District hosted their annual Convocation ceremony to welcome teachers back and kick off the new school year. The ceremonies began with performances by the high school band and cheerleaders. The superintendent then introduced new teachers and gave updates on the district's performance. Several students gave speeches on the importance of teachers and education. The principals from each campus ended the event by participating in an ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. The convocation provided an enthusiastic start to the upcoming school year.

1. CMYK
PAGE 8B • TRINITY STANDARD • THURSDAY AUGUST 21, 2014
TRINITY — The Trinity
Independent School District
hosted their Convocation this
past Thursday, August 14, at the
TISD auditorium.
TISD hosts convocation, welcomes new teachers
Bringing in the upbeat ‘put
you on your feet’ feeling was
the THS Cheerleaders and
Mascots. They were throwing
their arms and shouting their
The THS Band began the ceremonies with a bang, bringing enthusiasm to the crowd immediately. (Photo by
Cathy Faulkner)
Natalie Barrett was the first on stage to speak presenting Makayla McWilliams to the stage. Makayla sang the National Anthym. (Photos
by Cathy Faulkner)
Pictured above are the Cheerleaders and Mascot performing to the Band's beat as they riled up the audience. Also, Superindendent Dave
Plymale gave a short speech. Pictured below are the new teachers for the 2014-2015 school year. (Photos by Cathy Faulkner)
cheers up the isle as they made
their way to the stage.
The ceremonies began with
the cheerleaders, a power point
presententation highlighting
the previous year and changes
made to the upcoming year. A
collage of teachers and students
PTA members and student
projects delighted the room.
Natalie Barrett presented
Makayla McWilliams to sing
the national anthym. While
the room stood and held their
hands over their hearts, her
beautiful voice echoed through
the audience.
Following Makayla was the
THS Band, playing the school
song first. As they played
the additional two songs, the
Cheerleaders performed beside
them.
Superindendent, Dave
Plymale, introduced the
TISD Board of Trustees, the
Community Accountability
Board and Debbie Ogden.
Debbie is the Administrative
Assistant who gives Mr.
Plymale great help with daily
endeavors throughout the
school year. She also gathers
an adgenda and attends every
board meeting.
After introducing the boards,
he introduced his daughter and
granddaughters that were in the
audience. Mr. and Mrs. Plymale
recently celebrated the birth of
their sixth granchild.
He then welcomed in the
new teachers for the 2014-
2015 school year. Each campus
received new teachers this year
and there were a total of 28
teachers. Easch received a plant
as a welcoming to TISD.
A short presentation was
given on the Accountability
Standards for the 2013-2014
school year. TISD did very well
last school year and they intend
to keep up the good work. The
Middle and High School were
given an explempinary rating
by the Texas Education Agency
and the High School earned a
distinction in Social Studies.
Plymale gives Social Studies
teacher, Johnson, credit for that.
Lansberry Elementary
was given an Improvement
Required rating but only fell
short by two points overall.
They have good spirits for this
coming year having overcome
quite a bit last year.
The next steps for a better
year have been outlined:
• Student Progress
• Closing Performance Gaps
• College/Career Readiness
• Rigor in the Classroom
• Parental Community
Involvement
• Reach Every Student
The goals outlined for this
year will hopefully give some
excitement to teachers learning
and teaching the new ciricculm
that has been presented. TISD
has made headwaves with
students in the last few years
and they are not stopping just
because they met one goal.
A total of eighty summer
days have dbeen tallied for the
amountofcontinuingeducation,
programs and training classes
the teachers have gone through
over the summer. They are very
well equipt to take on the new
year with many new ways of
outlining courses. Plymale
gives them a round of applause
for all their extra efforts this
summer.
Towards the end of the
ceremonies were three keynote
speakers; students from TISD.
Damar Green, Malory Stout and
Marrissa Green conducted a
short play followed by a speech.
Written by them personally,
each speech had a theme for
what students anticipate or feel
regarding their school.
Damar Green gave her
speech entitled “Teachers
Change Lives”, Marrissa
Green’s Speech was peotic in
nature and was entitled “Why
God Created Teachers”, and
Malory Stout’s speech was
titled “Do You Have What it
Takes?”
Finally, Superindendent
Dave Plymale, asked the
Principals of each campus
on stage. THS Pricipal, Mr.
Ulcak; Principal of LES, Mr.
Brownlee; and Principal of
TMS, Mr. Meyer.
All three stood at the stage
to take the Icebucket Challenge
with each one becoming
the challenger. Before the
cheeleaders, who did a great
job, poured the icewater over
their heads, each principal
requested another proffessional
to take the icebucket challenge.
A good show to end with!
The ceremonies were a
glimps of the coming year for
TISD. It had the teachers and
students ready to get it started.