Dear SAISD Family Member,
As I travel across our “79 Square Miles of Excellence,” I am constantly amazed by the level of talent I encounter with each and every visit. It is through these experiences that we find the true heart of SAISD and the “who” of who we are.
This month is designated as “National Social Work Month.” We would like to extend our sincere appreciation and gratitude to all of our outstanding social workers who serve as a change agent and a difference maker in the lives of our students and families.
Social work is a specialized area of mental health that warrants a distinctive set of knowledge and skills. Over 80% of mental health services nationwide are provided by social workers. Our 37 incredible social workers consistently remove complicated roadblocks and deliver exceptional opportunities for every child to succeed. They also provide an array of services, including, but not limited to, school-wide interventions, community outreach, consultation, and direct clinical services.
Aldous Huxley once stated, “The most valuable of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do when it has to be done.”
We are extremely proud of our amazing social workers for taking the risk of being great. Their efforts on a daily basis continue to make us the extraordinary school district we aspire to be. Please join me in extending our heartfelt gratitude to all of our social workers for a job well done!
Additionally, every spring, SAISD recognizes and honors our outstanding teachers and librarians through our annual teacher awards program. Beginning next week, we will kick off the nomination and voting process for the annual SAISD “Teacher of the Year” and principal-selection of a “Rising Star New Teacher.”
The SAISD Teacher(s) of the Year are selected from the campus-based applicants in three categories: Elementary (PK-5th grade), Middle (6th-8th grade) and High School (9th-12th grade). Academy grades 6th-8th are included in the middle school category. Eligible nominees are teachers or librarians with three or more years of experience, who possess a passion for teaching, provide rigorous classroom learning opportunities, actively engage in professional growth, serve as teacher leaders, and are in good standing with the campus/district.
All teachers and librarians participate in nominating and voting for their choice of outstanding teacher(s) to represent their individual campus. Online nominations will run March 21-25, and the following link will become active on Monday, March 21:
2021/22 Teacher of the Year Nomination (google.com)
All SAISD Teachers of the Year nominees will be honored at a district-wide celebration at Alamo Convocation Center on April 28, 2022, and this year’s SAISD Distinguished Teachers of the Year will also be announced.
The “Rising Star” is an annual award that recognizes outstanding new teachers to SAISD. The nominations are made by campus principals and honor instructors who demonstrate educational excellence, leadership, and embody the core values of SAISD. Categories for the Rising Star award are Early Childhood (PK, Headstart, Kindergarten), Elementary School (1st-5th grade), Middle School (6th 8th grade), and High School (9th-12th grade). Academy grades 6th-8th are included in the middle school category.
All Rising Stars will be honored at a ceremony on April 27, 2022, at the Alamo Convocation Center, and this year’s SAISD Rising Star Teachers of the Year will be acknowledged as well. We look forward to two awe-inspiring evenings as we celebrate these very special SAISD Family Members.
Edward Everett Hale once stated, “I am only one, but still, I am one. I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something; And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”
On behalf of our Board of Trustees and the entire SAISD, thank you for reminding us that progress always involves risk and that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.
We truly appreciate you and all that you do.
Have a “Fantastic Friday” and “Wonderful Weekend.”
"Dr. J"
Robert Jaklich, Ed. D.
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."
~Mahatma Gandhi