The Gazette-Enterprise

SEGUIN — While some students may want summer break to last longer, teachers are ready to get back to the classroom.

Marsha Lippe doesn’t mind heading back to school. A Seguin ISD alum herself, the Juan Seguin Prekindergarten teacher has been looking forward to summer’s end.

“I’m very excited and looking forward to a great year,” Lippe said. “This is an excellent school district. I went to school here and got a great education, and now I’m back teaching.”

While students start back to class next week, the SISD faculty and staff started back on Monday morning.

Celebration was on the agenda as the new school year kicked off under the banner of an academically recognized district.

Hundreds gathered at the Goldie Harris Gymnasium for the 2009 Opening Pep Rally, beginning with a breakfast in the parking lot where teachers greeted their returning colleagues with hugs, stories of the summer, and plans for a new school year.

The celebration then moved inside the gym where Superintendent Irene Garza and other board members greeted the crowd. “You Make a Difference” was the appropriate theme for the day. After Garza’s speech, the mayor took the podium to congratulate the school district on the new Texas Education Agency Recognized status.

The TEA rates districts and individual schools each year based on factors including TAKS testing scores and dropout rates. This is the first year Seguin has received a recognized rating.

“You are wonderful role models,” Mayor Betty Ann Matthies said. “As a proud Seguin High School graduate, I take personal pride in this school district.”

Mathis proclaimed Aug. 17 as SISD Academic Recognition Day. Board members presented the individual schools with Texas Education Agency flags that recognized their academic ratings.

“This is the culmination of the effort of a lot of talented individuals,” Anna Kelton, a teacher at F.C. Weinert said.

Following the presentation of the flags, the band marched in and played the fight song for the crowd. The cheerleaders displayed the district recognized flag for representatives from each school. Motivational speaker Dave Weber gave the keynote speech—complete with massages—to get the year started.

He told the crowd of educators that they should never underestimate the influence of a good teacher.

“One teacher believed in me and changed my life,” Weber said. “You may have a kid like me in your class. You may get the chance to change a life this year. So go out there and change lives.”

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