TAKS pep rally—Rockdale Elementary students and teachers got “fired up” in a pep rally preceeding the all-important Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test. Students grades kindergarten through fifth met last Friday for the rally, which was puncutated by an appearance from the RHS drum line.
 Above, fifth-graders (from left) Jamaal Baker, Derek Whitsel, Mason Crump, Hayden Offield, Dylan McCartney, Zachary Melendrez, Jacob Moreland (back), Tyler Land and Ricky Cervantes, got painted up and decked out to “Beat the TAKS.”
 Principal Pam Kaufmann said the event “helped blow off a lot of steam” after lots of TAKS preparation.