The eLeader

Website: lpisd.org
Location: 1002 San Jacinto Street, La Porte, TX, USA
Phone: 281-604-7000

Greetings, La Porte ISD Family. Today is a great day to be a Bulldog!

Between athletics, academics and performing arts events, this past week in La Porte ISD was very busy. First, I had the pleasure of seeing La Porte High School's production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, and I was awe inspired! This is a show you don't want to miss, and I encourage you to get your tickets. They are on sale weekdays from 4-6 p.m. in the Sonja Angelo Theater lobby.

I want to thank all of the parents and staff who braved the rain for the annual Connect Fair at La Porte High School. We hold events such as these to provide students and parents a closer look at our course offerings, which helps them make more informed decisions. We will be holding several similar events this spring, including the Incoming Freshman Parent Night for La Porte Jr. High eighth graders tomorrow evening from 6-7 p.m. at La Porte High School. The meeting for Lomax Jr. High eighth grade students and parents is scheduled for 6-7 p.m. on Feb 5.

Just as our spring sports are getting underway, our basketball teams are starting to eye the end of their regular seasons with both the Bulldogs and Lady Dawgs in contention for playoff spots! Please join me in supporting our players and coaches during the stretch run. Game tickets are available on the La Porte ISD Athletics Website.

Finally, we said goodbye to La Porte Police Chief Doug Ditrich this weekend at the Bulldog Centre. Doug was a great friend to the City of La Porte and La Porte ISD. He will be missed, and we continue to offer our prayers and support to his family and our community.

Superintendent Shout-outs

• A huge shout-out to our finalists and winners in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Art Show. The quality of work produced by our art students never ceases to amaze me. I invite you to come see all of our Rodeo Art from 5:30 - 7 p.m. on Tuesday at James H. Baker Sixth Grade Campus.
• Congratulations to the La Porte Bulldogs Football Team, which is a finalist for the Touchdown Club of Houston Sportsmanship Award for the second straight year.
• I am very proud of our Bulldogs Swim Team, as 14 members qualified for the Region V Championships following outstanding performances — including some personal records — this weekend. Way to swim!
• Thank you and congratulations to the La Porte ISD Business Office. They were honored for the third straight year for their commitment to high professional standards in their purchasing operations. This is one more example of our district being excellent stewards of taxpayer dollars.

If you haven't already, I want to encourage you to mark your calendar for February 23, when the Harlem Wizards come to town to take on our LP Hoop Dogs. This annual event is not only a memorable night of fun for all ages, but it also supports our La Porte Education Foundation, which has granted more than $2.7 million back to our classrooms in its 30-year existence.

I wish everyone another great week!

With La Porte pride,

Walter Jackson, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Jan. 29 – Incoming Freshman Parent Night (LPJH students); 6-7 p.m. @ LPHS Student Center
Jan. 30 – Rodeo Art Show; 5:30-7 p.m. @ Baker Sixth
Feb. 1 – UIL Realignment; UIL scheduled to release @ 9 a.m.
Feb. 5 – Incoming Freshman Parent Night (LXJH students); 6-7 p.m. @ LPHS Student Center

Download the 2024-25 Instructional Calendar

Vet Med students have hit the ground running this semester at the La Porte Animal Shelter. With guidance from the animal shelter vet, students have been able to practice skills such as proper positioning and restraints on cats and dogs, handling sharps, and recognizing safe animal behaviors. This opportunity allows students to prepare for possible future careers in the veterinary field, while working toward fulfilling requirements for the Certified Veterinary Assistant Level 1 certification.

More than 120 elementary and junior high students participated in a district robotics competition on Saturday, with more than 40 volunteers who helped with judging. LyondellBasell sponsored the competition and served everyone lunch to wrap up the day. The next district robotics meet is scheduled for March 2.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Art Show’s Hayloft Gallery at NRG Arena will feature eight works of art by La Porte ISD students in 2024.

Students from La Porte High School, La Porte Jr. High School and Leo A. Rizzuto Elementary schools earned Best of Show awards for their respective age categories in the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Art Show. Artists from La Porte High School, La Porte Jr. High and Jennie Reid Elementary are represented in the Gold Medal category. La Porte High School was additionally recognized with a Special Merit ribbon.

Click here to see the list of all La Porte ISD winners and finalists. The list also includes a link to the winners gallery.

The La Porte High School Bulldogs Football team is a finalist for the Touchdown Club of Houston's Sportsmanship Award for the second straight year.

Coach Kevin Berneathy and one of his senior players will represent the Bulldogs at an awards banquet, which is set for 7 p.m. on Jan. 31 at the Bayou Event Center.

Squads are judged on their actions on the field, the actions of the support personnel in the stands, the number of personal fouls and unsportsmanlike fouls, and respect for the American flag.

The Touchdown Club of Houston is an organization dedicated to the sharing of fellowship through football. In addition to scholarships, the Club honors players and teams in several categories. Some previous honorees include CeeDee Lamb and Vince Young. La Porte’s Antoine Simpson won the UIL Player Award in 1993.

Thursday, Feb. 1 is a big day for Texas high school athletics programs, as the UIL will release reclassification and realignment information for the next two school years. La Porte High School has already been designated as a 5A division one school for 2024-25 and 2025-26. Thursday’s announcement will include specific information about the new districts.

Tickets are now on sale for the La Porte Education Foundation’s Hoops Classic. The event is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 23 at Bulldog Centre. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The action is set to get underway at 6:30. More information and tickets are available here.

Construction crews this past week began setting columns for the press box at Bulldog Stadium. Workers will soon begin the framing of the stands. Though weather and supply chain issues have affected most construction sites in our region, we are still within the 18-24-month Bulldog Stadium construction timeframe that we outlined to the community when the project began.

La Porte ISD has been recognized by The Texas Association of School Business Officials with a 2024 Award of Merit for Purchasing Operations. The Award of Merit was established in 2009 to recognize Texas school districts, open-enrollment charter schools, and education service centers committed to following professional standards in the acquisition of goods and services. Each year, TASBO officials review the award criteria to ensure it aligns with current best practices and reviews both new and recertification applications from organizations across the state. For 2024, only 77 recipients met the stringent criteria to qualify for the award. This is the third consecutive year that La Porte ISD has received the award and the sixth year overall.

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