RISD REPORT
The iTigers coordinator at the high school, Martha Gonzales, has the spotlight this week. She is excited to share the many benefits her program has to offer our students and community:
Studies have shown high–performing organizations have a common ingredient that points to their success. That ingredient is culture.
The culture of winning, perseverance, belonging, and overcoming adversity.
We witnessed this culture first hand, with the state championship Victory in football. High-performing doesn’t just happen overnight. It has to be rehearsed, repeated, and embraced.
I have spoken on several occasions about iTigers and I almost always get the question, “What is iTigers?” It is a culture that needs to be embraced, and why it is so important to have this program within our schools and community. The “i” in iTigers.
The lower case “i” represents the initiative to provide innovative exploration, instruction enrichment, in academics, classes that build the culture of success for the future, and inclusion of all students before and after school at Rockdale ISD.
iTigers wants to build a culture of student success by providing academic assistance through tutorials, testing prep, college readiness, and homework help. Each of our campuses focus on these aspects both before and after school, to include the summer.
We also build on incorporating enrichment activities such as cooking, sewing, games, theater, karate, dance, and clubs and all the while, promoting and engaging life skills in a safe and fulling learning environment.
For example, offering for the first time, a Driver’s Education Class during the school year. This approach can be adapted to the entire school year, before and after school, and it allows the students who wish to take this class the ability to complete it at their own pace.
iTigers’ grant pays a portion of the class total, saving families quite a bit of money. We have been successful in qualifying over 30 student drivers this last year and currently have 18 students enrolled in the class.
Beginning this month, we are offering photography classes and ESL classes, free to parents/ guardians of iTigers students.
We offer Education to Go (ED2GO) classes through Temple College? This means you can apply for online courses though Temple College for free.
With the work force being so stringent these days, many skill sets are needed. Job applications almost always ask for continuing education experience or certifications. ED2GO, gives you the opportunity to add to your skill set while earning college credits. Classes begin every 6 weeks.
Let’s get involved in these opportunities to engage our youth,
If you are interested in signing up for any of the adult classes, being on our parent/community advisory council, volunteering, or enrolling in any of the classes mentioned above. Please contact your campus coordinator to get you started:
• High school—Martha Gonzales, 512-430-6013, email at mgonzales@rockdaleisd.net.
• Junior-high—Leesa Perez, iTigers Coordinator, 512-430-6072, email at lperez@rockdaleisd.net
• Intermediate—Sandy Robbins, 512-430-6226 or email atsrobbins@rockdaleisd.net.
• Elementary—Valarie Willing-ham, 512-430-6144 or email at vwillingham@rockdaleisd.net.
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