The Board of Trustees of the Italy ISD will have a called meeting on Monday, August 10, 2009. The board will conduct a budget workshop for the 2009-2010 school year operating budget. There will also be a presentation by Mr. Bill Herries of A+ Learning Systems.

Your 2008-2009 Italy Gladiators Yearbook will be a treasured keepsake and a lasting memory of the 2008-2009 school year at Italy High School.

The Board of Trustees of the Italy ISD will have a called meeting on Monday, August 3, 2009. The board will accept teacher resignations from Kelly Vernon and Jennifer Bell-Damours. Recommendations for the Spanish Teacher opening and the Special Education Teacher opening will be considered during Executive Session.

It is that time again! Time to be thinking about getting your children ready to go back to school. And of course school supplies will be on your list.

The Italy ISD Board of Trustees will have a called meeting on Tuesday, July 14, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. The agenda denotes a Board Training Workshop to be conducted by Ms. Amber Fulton, a school board consultant.

Avalon ISD announced the results of the district’s 2009 TAKS testing. According to school administration, based on preliminary results from all tests taken this school year and an evaluation of all subgroups, Avalon anticipates maintaining the state rating of “Recognized” for the fourth consecutive year.

The Italy ISD Board of Trustees will meet on Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. Agenda items include considering bids for surplus property as well as consider approval of the interlocal agreement with the City of Italy regarding the Park. During executive session the board will consider the applicants for the Junior High/High School Principal and Director of Special Programs positions.

June 7 through June 10 Italy’s varsity cheer squad attended the ’09 UCA Cheer Camp in Waco. The UCA camps separate the cheerleaders and mascots which helped the two develop the desired traits needed to become the best. Four days of hard work payed off with several awards for the Italy squad and mascot.

Graduation has come and gone for the seniors of Italy High School. Their plans have been tentatively set and forward they march.

The Italy ISD School Board of Trustees will have a called meeting next Tuesday, June 9. The meeting will be held in the administration offices at 300 South College Street.

On Thursday, June 4th 2009, eager parents filed into Avalon’s Monolithic dome gym to see their sons and daughters graduate….from kindergarten! The beautiful young ladies and handsome young men were stunning in their formal attire and graduation caps as they entered the gym.

Senior students from Italy High School enjoyed Mexican pile-ons at Central Baptist on Thursday. The graduates practiced for graduation and then made a bee-line for lunch. This is a tradition with the church and this year is no exception.

The Italy High School seniors and Principal Scott Herald spent a pleasurable evening at Union Baptist Church of Italy on Wednesday night. The church hosted a hot dog supper in their beautiful fellowship hall and the students appreciated a message from the pastor.

The Italy Church of Christ hosted a luncheon on Wednesday for the graduating seniors of IHS. Brother Walter Buchanan of Italy Church of Christ and his congregation invited the students for hot dogs and melt-in-your mouth homemade cookies. The seniors obliged their hosts and enjoyed their meal.

Carolyn Maevers’ voice is all I heard as I entered Stafford Elementary’s cafeteria Thursday morning. One name after another was being called as the students came up and accepted their awards. Everywhere you looked there were proud parents, grandparents, other family members and very proud students enjoying the last honor assembly of the school year.

The sounds of the Beach Boys and Elvis singing Blue Hawaii trickled through the halls of First Baptist Church of Italy on Tuesday night. The seniors were eating chicken, wearing their beach clothes and bowling Hawaiian style.

Thursday May 28th the Stafford Elementary cafeteria was filled with science projects completed by Mr. McLean’s fifth grade science class. The projects were on endangered species. Each student picked an endangered animal, researched it and then put pictures along with information about the animal on poster boards.

OK, it’s time for some ice cream! That’s what the IHS seniors said on Monday as they gathered at the First United Methodist Church. This is the first of many parties held for the graduates this week.

Tradition as old as graduation itself was apart of this week’s schedule set for the seniors. This year’s Baccalaureate was hosted by the Italy Ministerial Alliance and held at the First United Methodist Church. Rev. Mittie Muse, pastor from Mt. Zion AME Church brought a message of change to the graduates.

Italy Head Football Coach Craig Bales and his Defensive Coordinator/Head Track Coach Robert Sollers, will be representing Italy at the State Track Meet next week. Coach Bales as a Member of the THSCA UIL Advisory Committee and Coach Sollers as a State Track Meet Official for the 27th consecutive year.

The 60th Annual FCCLA & FFA Awards Banquet went off without a hitch Friday night, May 22nd, inside the Gladiators Coliseum. Both groups recognized members for their hardwork during the 2008-2009 school year.

As friends and family gathered around the tables at IHS on Thursday night, the local National Honor Society hosted the 20th annual banquet honoring the students in the association followed by the induction ceremony for next year’s officers and new members.

The first graders have been working on their writing skills by writing letters to their friends or family members and learning how to address an envelope. To make it really fun for their students the first grade teachers decided to let them walk to the post office and mail their letters.

The Avalon Elementary Awards banquet was held on Tuesday in the Avalon Dome gym. After the students enjoyed a delicious complementary dinner -hot dogs, chips, cookies, and sweet tea, the awards banquet got started. Superintendent, Mr. David Del Bosque welcomed all excited students, smiling parents and enthusiastic teachers while introducing everyone to Miss Margaret Day, Avalon’s Elementary Principal.

The Italy Athletic Booster Club hosted the Athletic Banquet on Thursday night and honored the Gladiators with a wonderful dinner and awards. President of the Booster Club, Becky Milligan, and Head Football Coach, Craig Bales, welcomed students, faculty, honored guests, family and friends to the event. “This year has not always been a bed of roses. There has been growth and maturation from the first to the last game for everyone. I could not be prouder of these kids,” Bales explained.

I walked into the cafeteria May 14th at Stafford Elementary and for a moment I thought I was in the jungle. Everywhere I looked I saw, bears, tigers, lions, Tucans, alligators, monkeys and many more wild animals. But then I heard these “animals” singing! Whew, I was at the right place. The scary animals turned out to be Stafford Elementary first graders performing their annual play, “In the Jungle”.

During the Italy Junior High Awards Assembly on Friday morning, Brett Kirton was awarded the Oliphant Cup. The 8th grade recipient is selected every year by the junior high teachers. Criteria includes academics, attitude and citizenship. Kirton is the son of Lyall and Alysa Kirton of Italy.

On Thursday morning, the band hall was hustling and bustling with seniors wondering about their future, primarily if they would receive scholarship money. The place was filled with family and friends as honored guests distributed scholarships among several students from Italy High School.

Tuesday evening Milford ISD’s cafeteria was filled with proud parents, teachers and students. Everyone was gathered to honor and watch the newest members of the National Honor Society be inducted.

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May 15th, 2009 Avalon Elementary students participated in Field Day. This event was organized by Tony Hernandez and David Morgan. Thank you both for your hard work on making this a great day for the kids. Volunteers from the Avalon National Junior Honor Society were a key part in making the day a success.

Ellis County Justice of the Peace Jackie Miller Jr. administered the oath of office to Marty Haight and Cheryl Owen, newly elected members of the Italy Independent School Board of Trustees, Monday evening. Owen won her second term in office and Haight replaces Ricky Boyd.

On May 14th, 2009 in the Multi-Purpose Center, Avalon Elementary proudly presented a Talent Show. All of the students and teachers worked very hard on their performances and did a wonderful job.

What a year! Italy High School’s complex collaboration between students, teachers, coaches, general staff, the Booster Club, administration and School Board members have executed a successful and exciting 2008-2009 school year. And to celebrate their sports accomplishments, the athletic banquet will be held inside the Italy Coliseum (the dome) on May 21 at 7:00 p.m.

The Italy ISD Board of Trustees will meet on Monday, May 18, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. Agenda items include special recognition of Mr. Ricky Boyd for his service as School Board Trustee, administering of the oath of office for newly elected school board members Cheryl Owen and Marty Haight and election of school board officers.

Today at 2:00 p.m., the gifted and talented students from the Stafford Elementary School made a quick visit to the Monolithic headquarters. The students wanted to personally drop by and thank Monolithic, specifically Tessa South and Gary Clark, for having the kindergarten students over for games and fun times at the Monolithic campus last week during TAKS testing.

Tuesday night around 7:00 pm, faculty, parents, family and special guest, Wanda Scott, gathered at the multi-purpose dome at Italy High School to see honored students receive accolades for their grades. The 26th Annual Academic Banquet was underway.

The Milford Bulldogs Athletic Banquet 2008-2009 was a chance for students, coaches, family, friends and administration to look back on what was an exciting year for Milford Athletics.

Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. Milford ISD presented their Spring Concert by all three of their bands. The cafeteria was filled with proud parents, grandparents and beautiful music.