MFISD

The Marble Falls Independent School District (MFISD) is inviting feedback on its new website before it goes live in July.

A temporary link, http://Preview.MarbleFallsISD.org, has been established to access a red-button guide to the survey, although first-time visitors directly to www.MarbleFallsISD.org may receive the offer of the survey as well.

“Our hope is that users will find that the new website is more user- friendly,” said Jeff Gasaway, assistant superintendent of administrative services. “We will incorporate the survey feedback into the new design to help make the website as easy to navigate as possible.”

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

Marble Falls Independent School District will give all staff a three-percent midpoint general pay increase (MGPI) beginning in 2017-18 after the Board of Trustees voted to do so Monday night.

During a special called meeting, Marble Falls ISD trustees approved a plan to include the salary increase for teachers, nurses, librarians, administrative, administrative/professional, clerical/paraprofessional and auxiliary staff.

Also included was a $25 per month additional contribution to employees' health insurance benefits, which gives employees an extra $300 per year in their paychecks to cover the cost of their health insurance premiums.

Parking for Marble Falls High School (MFHS) Mustang football and Lady ‘Stangs volleyball has two overflow options and fans can depend on the Mustang Express Shuttle to get to the games, even on the most crowded nights.

For the best parking for Friday game nights this fall, the following parking tips from the Marble Falls Independent School District (MFISD) will be helpful to gain the most convenient access to events:

• Volleyball fans should arrive early to park in the “Home” parking off Mustang Drive for access to the Max Copeland Gym.

• Handicap parking for football is available off Mustang Drive behind the MFHS band hall. Handicap parking for Volleyball is available adjacent to the Max Copeland Gym.

Marble Falls Middle School Principal, Roger Barr, Marble Falls High School Principal, Manny Lunoff, and the District Technology staff, are looking forward to meeting with the parents and guardians of students going in to 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th grades to provide information about the distribution of new student laptops.

A new principal for Colt Elementary School was approved during the meeting Monday, May 16, of the Marble Falls Independent School District (MFISD) Board of Trustees.

The appointment of Erika O’Conner was recommended by Superintendent Chris Allen, PhD, based on an extensive search process. Staff, parents and community members helped set the search criteria used also to evaluate six Colt principal finalists. Allen conducted further interviews with two select candidates.

O’Connor replaces Keith Powell, who is retiring following 16 of service with MFISD and 31 total years in education, including the post of principal of Highland Lakes Elementary School.

Spicewood Elementary School (SES) students made an appearance on YouTube.com last week.

They took vision, mission, and motto statements and translated them into a video.

“We began the process by discussing and coming to a consensus on our core values as a campus,” said Sonya Smith, an SES instructional coach. “The staff discussed our campus needs and dreams for the future.”

They adopted the district motto, "Learners today...Leaders tomorrow...Mustangs Forever!", to emphasize unity with Marble Falls Independent School District (MFISD).

By Emily Hilley-Sierzchula

Not too often do fifth-graders shoulder titles like assistant director, camera operator and prop designer, but it’s just in a days work for Colt Elementary music class students. 

All fifth-graders are in Esther Jones’s music class, but music just isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. However, add to the mix a project like making a music video and kids ambivalent about music class came alive as they worked on productions based on their favorite songs.

“It almost gave me chills watching them,” Orts said. “Kids who normally aren’t excited about music class became really engaged, leading brainstorming sessions and showing interest in finding creative camera angles.”

Marble Falls High School audio-visual (A/V) students already have started editing some footage, with more to come. They’ll weave students’ clips into music videos to post on YouTube, making it a cross-campus collaboration.

By Emily Hilley-Sierzchula

It’s no secret that kids need entertainment, parents need an occasional breather, and the two demands often don’t coincide. That’s where Friday Nite Live!, a parents’ night out program, comes in.

The grand opening for the community event will be April 22 at Marble Falls Middle School, from 7-10:30 p.m. Friday Nite Live! is a partnership between the nonprofit organization Planet Kidz (and its company Communites for Kidz) and Marble Falls Independent School District (MFISD).

All school-aged children (kindergarten through 5th grades) can enjoy the night of activities for the $12 admission fee, even if not an MFISD student.

“I think it’ll be pretty neat. We love to give back and share,” said Tommy Schultz of Epic Fun, LLC, which partners with Planet Kidz. “It will be a huge and unique benefit to the community.”