Rattler Recap - October 5, 2026

Please mark your calendars!

• Thursday, October 8 — Student Holiday (World Dyslexia Day - Wear Red)
• Friday, October 9 — District Holiday
• Monday, October 12 — District Holiday

We look forward to welcoming our Rattlers back to school on Tuesday, October 13! Enjoy the long weekend, Rattler Nation!

SMCISD's afterschool program, Superstars, is offering a day camp to all SMCISD families on Thursday, October 8 at Travis Elementary from 7:30AM-5:15pm. To view the camp fee and to register, click on the button below.

October marks the beginning of National Principals Month, a time to recognize the dedicated leaders of San Marcos CISD who help our campuses thrive each and every day. Our principals do far more than lead from behind a desk. They are visible in classrooms, greeting students at the door, supporting teachers, partnering with families, celebrating accomplishments, navigating challenges, and helping create a school culture where every student has the opportunity to learn, grow, and belong.

Leadership in education is built on countless moments—listening to a student, encouraging a teacher, supporting a family, making a difficult decision, or simply showing up when it matters most.

This month, we celebrate the principals who lead with purpose, serve with heart, and continue to make a difference in the lives of our students and staff. Thank you for leading the way for #RattlerNation!

Rodriguez second graders stepped back in time and experienced Ancient Greece through hands-on, engaging learning experiences that made history meaningful—and memorable! Throughout their unit, students participated in a variety of interactive activities, including the annual and ever-so-popular Potato Olympics a Greek food tasting, a mythology-inspired writing project, and research-based learning about an ancient Greek city-state. Students didn’t just learn about Ancient Greece—they had the opportunity to experience it! Way to bring the learning to life, Rodriguez 2nd Grade Teachers!

After spending the start of the school year reviewing the fundamentals of culinary arts—from accurate measuring and following recipes to kitchen safety and proper food-handling techniques—our Intro to Culinary students in Ms. Ramirez's class finally got to put their skills to the test! Their first lab of the school year was a sweet one! Students kicked off October by preparing a delicious Monkey Bread dessert, giving them the opportunity to practice their measuring, mixing, teamwork and kitchen safety skills in a hands-on setting. From learning the basics to creating something delicious, these future chefs are showing that great culinary skills start with strong foundations!

Congratulations to Travis Elementary educators Amanda Nichols and Stacy Gullion, who were recently awarded PEC’s Educational Spotlight Grant of $1,000!

This grant will support their Outdoor School Learning Experience, providing students with opportunities to extend their learning beyond the traditional classroom and engage with hands-on experiences in the great outdoors.

We’re proud to celebrate Amanda and Stacy for bringing innovative learning opportunities to their students and creating experiences that inspire curiosity, exploration, and discovery. We can’t wait to see how this grant helps bring learning to life!

Join the SMCISD Gifted & Talented Instructors for an information Session on Tuesday, October 13 via Zoom. This is a dedicated opportunity to the parents and guardians of SMCISD students who are not currently enrolled in the GT program.

The Rattler Band has been hard at work with their 2026 production, Prismatic, and have reached the midpoint of their competitive season. This past weekend the Rattler Band competed in their third contest of the season at the Seguin Marching Festival. The Rattlers overtook Steele and Canyon High School in Finals performance, winning Best Color Guard caption award and placing 1st and overall Grand Champion!

The Rattler Band competes again this Saturday at the Comal Classic at Canyon High School (New Braunfels) with a 1:00 performance time! We hope to see you there!

Mr. Williams and Mr. Campbell’s 8th graders took science outside the classroom to explore Newton’s Three Laws of Motion through hands-on learning stations! At the ramp and seatbelt station, students experienced inertia firsthand, seeing how an object in motion wants to stay in motion—and how a seatbelt helps provide the force needed to stop safely. They also put Newton’s laws to the test at a volleyball station, exploring force, motion and action-reaction pairs.

Then, they ended class with the ultimate experiment—a rocket launch! As students watched their rockets take flight, they saw all three of Newton’s Laws come together in action.

Our SMHS CTE Culinary students are getting into the fall spirit by putting their skills to the test and baking homemade pumpkin bread! From measuring and mixing to following a recipe and practicing proper kitchen techniques, students are learning how culinary science comes together in a delicious way.

They’re not just baking bread—they’re building confidence, creativity and real-world skills one recipe at a time.

Attendance matters because every school day is a chance to learn, grow, connect and make progress. When students are in class, they’re not just marking a day on the calendar—they’re building skills, relationships and momentum for their future. Every Rattler. Every day! For our Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) students in Career & Technical Education (CTE), showing up means gaining hands-on experience that could one day help save a life. Let’s show up, stay engaged and make every school day count!

Our Pre-K through 2nd grade students are getting excited about the new stories and adventures waiting for them through the Texas Library Association’s 2x2 Reading List! These thoughtfully selected books give young readers opportunities to build vocabulary, explore new ideas, make connections and develop a lifelong love of reading.

In Ms. Miller’s 1st grade classroom, students enjoyed Mistaco: A Tale of Tragedy Y Tortillas, a story featured on the 2x2 list. Through this fun and imaginative tale, students not only experienced a new story but also learned that mistakes are a natural part of learning—and that perseverance, problem-solving and trying again can lead to something wonderful. From laughter and imagination to meaningful life lessons, every book opens a door to a new adventure!

This week, Interim Superintendent Dr. Sonya Y. Rodriguez and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Twila M. Guajardo began visiting San Marcos CISD campuses for a districtwide Data Tour—creating opportunities for campus leaders to take a deeper look at their student achievement data, instructional trends, enrollment, and other key data that inform campus planning for the 26-27 academic year. These collaborative conversations are helping leaders identify areas of strength, examine opportunities for growth, and use evidence to guide instructional priorities and resource planning. Dr. Rodriguez states, "Data should never sit on a spreadsheet. It should lead to questions, conversations, action, and ultimately stronger instruction in every classroom. This is the work: supporting our principals, strengthening instructional leadership, and maintaining a relentless focus on student outcomes."

Ever wondered what it’s like to drive a school bus? Come experience it for yourself on Thursday, October 8 at Toyota Rattler Stadium! Get behind the wheel, take the driver’s seat and see what it takes to safely navigate a school bus.

Unity Day, started by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center in October 2011, is the signature event of National Bullying Prevention Month. This is a day when we can come together to send a visible message of building community through kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. The call to action is simple: wear and share the color orange. This vibrant statement becomes a conversation starter, showing support for students who have been bullied and for bullying prevention.