Dear Staff:
Veterans Day is tomorrow, and campuses across the district will be honoring the occasion. You’ll also see our JROTC and LOTC cadets visible across their campuses and throughout the city as they honor those who have served our nation.
I want to take a moment to recognize the members of our SAISD family who have served in the military. Thank you for your service to our country and for continuing to make a difference through your dedication to our students. Your life experiences and your success are an inspiration to our students daily.
The education our students receive today lays the foundation for their future success, whether that path leads to college, military service, or a career. To help keep those opportunities front and center, for the rest of this school year, I encourage everyone to wear a college or military shirt with jeans on Mondays as a visible reminder of the many pathways available to our students.
Our students continuously achieve, and I am proud to share some of their many accomplishments beginning with some “firsts.”
We recently learned that the SAT scores of students at Young Men’s Leadership Academy were higher than the overall SAT scores at the district and state levels, which is the first time this campus has earned this distinction.
A Fox Tech High School student was selected from a pool of 250 state applicants to represent Texas as a YMCA of the USA Youth Advocate. Nahomi Balderas is the first student from the City of San Antonio to be selected for this prestigious program.
And for the first time in district history, an SAISD school placed in the Bands of America Super Regional Competition, which is considered one of the toughest marching contests in the country. The Jefferson High School Mighty Mustang Band earned second in Class AA at Bands of America, and they also earned seventh overall in the UIL area finals.
We also have some highlights in Athletics:
The football teams at both Sam Houston and Brackenridge high schools have made it to the playoffs. Sam Houston now earns the designation of being back-to-back district champions, and Brackenridge earns a spot in the playoffs for the first time in five years.
I also want to give a shoutout to the volleyball teams at both Burbank and Fox Tech high schools for advancing to the second round of playoffs.
As Thanksgiving break approaches, I am thankful that we can do a small part to support our community. In collaboration with the San Antonio Food Bank and RBFCU, we have a food distribution planned for Nov. 18 for 600 families. This distribution will include turkeys and other traditional food items for the family table.
I am also thankful for you. Please accept my sincere gratitude for everything you do. Your hard work, dedication, and care for students inspire me, and I know our children are in good hands.
I wish you and your loved ones a happy Thanksgiving and a restful break. Enjoy this well-deserved time with family and friends.
Best,
Dr. Adrian Bustillos
Superintendent