By Melanie Becker-Donovan
The Roswell Independent School District (RISD) school board heard presentations highlighting student learning and school programs during its Oct. 13 meeting. President James Edwards, Vice President Hilda Sanchez, board members Hess Yntema and Mona Kirk and Superintendent Brian Luck were among those in attendance.
The presentations highlighted how students at Mountain View Middle School, University High School and Missouri Avenue Elementary School are using classroom activities and school programs to develop academic, technical and organizational skills.
Raymond Lopez, an English language arts (ELA) teacher, discussed the Play-Doh literacy project alongside Brittany Rhoads. At Mountain View Middle School, students are using three-dimensional Play-Doh models to explore the meaning behind their writing, strengthen reading comprehension and support their interpretations with evidence. The project was also accepted for presentation at the Literacy Education Explosion Conference.
The project was designed to help students strengthen their reading comprehension, make inferences and support their interpretations with evidence from a text. By incorporating a hands-on activity, the lesson gives students another way to demonstrate their understanding of what they read.
Joshua Torres presented the school’s career and technical learning program and discussed the electrical students’ work. Students at University High School are also putting their classroom skills to work through the school’s electrical program. In partnership with the city of Roswell, students installed electrical circuits for a ticket booth for the National Championship Air Races at Roswell Air Center, gaining practical experience while applying the skills they have learned in class.
The project gives students an opportunity to practice technical skills while developing teamwork, communication and problem-solving abilities. Experiences like these can help students better understand how classroom lessons translate into real-world projects and potential career paths.
At Missouri Avenue Elementary School, Stacy Damon, principal, discussed the AVID program and National Demonstration School validation process. Students are developing academic habits through the school’s Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program. The school, which has been AVID-certified for five years, was invited to participate in the National Demonstration School validation process.
The process considers areas including student achievement, attendance, classroom practices and school systems. Students in kindergarten through fifth grade use binders and note-taking strategies to strengthen organization and develop skills that can support them throughout their education.
The three programs demonstrate different approaches to preparing students for future academic and career opportunities, from understanding literature and communicating ideas to learning technical trades and developing effective study habits.
The board also recognized school nurses who took on additional responsibilities during staffing shortages, acknowledging their work in supporting students and school communities.
Together, the programs show how RISD schools are helping students build skills that extend beyond the classroom, preparing them to communicate effectively, solve problems and apply what they learn to future opportunities.
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