Sunnyvale ISD E-News

Today SISD fifth grader Lucas Long took on the role of Superintendent as he shadowed Superintendent Matt Kimball, leading the district as part of our "Kids Rule the School" event! At Sunnyvale campuses, students stepped up as principals, teachers, and campus officers, showing what happens when kids rule the school. This hands-on leadership experience highlights our ongoing partnership with the Sunnyvale PTA. Way to go, Lucas! #KidsRuleTheSchool #RaidersRise

Sunnyvale ISD campuses kicked off the Thanksgiving season with a heartwarming Fall Feast celebration! On Thursday, Nov. 13, Sunnyvale Middle School welcomed families to campus for a festive lunch. SISD cafeteria staff delighted guests with a classic Thanksgiving menu—juicy turkey, all the traditional fixings, homemade pumpkin bars, and fresh-baked rolls. It was a wonderful opportunity for students, staff, and families to come together and share the spirit of gratitude.

📷Photos by SMS yearbook staff and yearbook sponsor Lillian. Hubbard.

Sunnyvale ISD came together for a powerful community pep rally and bonfire Wednesday night to support the SHS Varsity Raiders as they headed into their playoff game against the Van Alstyne Panthers. Raider spirit filled the air—and the turnout was truly impressive, drawing students, families, staff, and neighbors for a high-energy evening of music, cheers, and community pride.

Watch the video below. Shout out to SHS student Japheth George for his excellent drone footage!

Congratulations to Raider Varsity Football for their 49-41 win against Van Alstyne 49-41 on November 13.

On Tuesday, November 11, the Lady Raider basketball program took a moment to honor the First Responders in our community, represented by members of Sunnyvale Fire and Rescue and the Sunnyvale ISD Security Team.

These men willingly make daily sacrifices and readily put themselves in harm’s way to insure the safety of this community and the welfare of its residents. We wanted to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU for their acts of kindness and selfless heroism.

Representing Sunnyvale Fire and Rescue:
The names of firefighters on shift are Captain Richard Adkins, engineer Mike Tracy, firefighter Drew Bynum, firefighter John Downey, firefighter Richard Pfeiffer, and investigator Keith Adams.

Representing the Sunnyvale ISD Security Team:
Chris Higgins

These departments were presented a gift basket as a small token of our appreciation for the outstanding jobs that they do.

Several of our high school business students recently attended High School Business Day at AT&T Stadium, where they explored interactive stations focused on networking, personal branding, resume building, and more. It was an incredible opportunity to learn from industry professionals and gain hands-on insight into future career paths!

The SHS Bass Fishing Team finished 12th with 11.83lbs at the Richland Chambers tournament this past weekend. Coach McKethan shared that Jack Taylor and Luke Parks and 4 fish bag that weighed 10.05lbs. Congratulations!

Congratulations, Sunnyvale High School FFA members! SHS FFA competed against nine other schools ranging from 1A to 6A at the District 1 contest. The Public Relations team and brought home first place in the district contest, and Ag Issues won third place! Congratulations to our talented students and dedicated sponsors for this outstanding achievement. Next stop, Area 5 FFA contest! Good luck, FFA team!

Band wishes a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Bass Trombonist Luke Orendorff!

We are incredibly proud to announce that Luke has earned the #1 Bass Trombone spot in the entire state of Texas for the ATSSB All-State Jazz Band!

This remarkable achievement places him among the top 20 jazz musicians in Texas, and he will represent Sunnyvale this February at the ATSSB All-State Clinic & Concert in San Antonio, 2026.

Luke’s dedication, musicianship, and passion for jazz have truly set him apart. Help us celebrate this outstanding accomplishment—way to go, Luke!

Serve Sunnyvale recently made an outstanding impact by donating a total of 1,266 pounds of food to the Sharing Life Food Pantry, marking a significant increase from the 500 pounds collected reported in early November.

This achievement comes on the heels of their Halloween Varsity football game food drive, where student leaders and SISD families united to tackle hunger and support community members facing hardship due to federal program disruptions and the government shutdown.

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Serve Sunnyvale hosted donation boxes at all SISD campuses and encouraged participation district-wide. Community members responded enthusiastically, with local families, staff, and students dropping off non-perishable items that help stock the shelves at Sharing Life, providing immediate relief for neighbors in need.​

The Serve Sunnyvale initiative continues to embody the Raider spirit of service and community support. This collective effort not only raised awareness around hunger but also provided hope during a challenging fall season. Congratulations and thank you to all students, staff, and families who helped Serve Sunnyvale deliver 1,300 pounds of much-needed food to Sharing Life Food Pantry Pantry!

The Sunnyvale Golf Team competed in the Keeton Park Classic on Thursday, November 6, earning an impressive 3rd place finish. Standout performances came from Wyatt Moore and Colton White. Moore shot a 78, a top-10 performance that earned him 7th place overall, and White finished with a strong score of 82. Congratulations to our golfers on a great tournament!

Heath Science teacher Carie Stanfill taught Health Science Theory students a Watermelon PPE Lab last week.

They’ve been learning about the importance of proper personal protective equipment, and put their skills to the test by correctly donning PPE and safely exploding a watermelon. It was a fun, hands-on way to reinforce safety, precision, and real-world clinical habits.

HOSA had an after-school bake sale from Nov. 3 to Nov. 7 and raised $289 for Project C.U.R.E.

Led by HOSA advisor and Health Sciences teacher Mrs. Fussell, Jesslynn Gigi and several HOSA students volunteered their time to help make the fundraiser a success. Their hard work and generosity will help support medical needs around the world through Project C.U.R.E.

Assistant Swim Coach Carie Stanfill shared that swimmers and diver are off to an incredible start this season, breaking school records and stacking the podium!

New Team Records

1. Harper Bryant – 56.13 (100 Free)

2. Felipe Castellon – 5:18.89 (500 Free), 1:03.69 (100 Back), 1:11.55 (100 Breast)

3. Ek Wall – 193.95 (6 Dives), 356.70 (11 Dives)

Their hard work, discipline, and team spirit are on full display with numerous 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishes, and we couldn’t be prouder of how they’re representing our school!

Way to go, Raiders!

Raider Nation (SMS Student Council) will be hosting a toy drive from Dec. 2 - Dec. 9. Whichever grade level brings in the most toys will receive a free class period with cookies and hot chocolate! Boxes will be set up in the entrance to the middle school. We will be donating those toys to Sharing Life to bring a little joy to children in the area. Grab an extra toy if you can over the Thanksgiving break!

The show planned for November 13 has moved to Friday, November 14 due to the Varsity Football playoff game.

The last day to purchase your 2026 yearbook at the current price is Friday, Nov. 14 at midnight.

The price will go up at midnight on 11-14.

You can purchase online at jostensyearbooks.com or by clicking on the below link:

Saturday, November 15 from 10 am - 2 pm at Sunnyvale Elementary School in the cafeteria is PTA Reflections. This is an Art, Dance, Music, and Writing competition held through PTA and students have created Artwork using the theme, "I Belong". Attached is the flyer and video announcement for the event.

The Parent Pick Me Up Podcast

Try to say that three times fast. Or just listen three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday), wherever you get your Podcasts. You'll get insightful tips and encouragement from Technology Director Buck Baskin on dealing with the many things our kids are facing that affect their social and emotional health, behavior, and achievement.

Hope Coffee is having a spirit night on November 18th from 12-7pm for the Raider Pride Marching Band. 15% of all sales will be donated to the band! Please support us and follow with dinner at Choirs spirit night at Panda Express. We appreciate your support of Sunnyvale Arts!

Raiders,

Before you go into “break” mode (that’s right… Thanksgiving is less than 3 weeks away), I wanted to share some exciting news- Explorica is offering a last-minute Thanksgiving deal for our upcoming Italy & Greece tour!

If you’ve been thinking about joining but haven’t signed up yet, now’s your chance to lock in $200 off! Don’t wait too long – this deal ends BEFORE we leave for the holiday, on November 20th, 2025!

http://www.explorica.com/Buck-4032

Enroll by November 20th, 2025 with code Thankful for $200 off!

Let’s make this a trip to be thankful for!

Your program leader,

Kelly Buck

Tune in all year long as Raider Media broadcasts games and playoff games for all Raider Athletics.

Are you interested in advertising on Raider Media? Contact Emily Henvey, Director of Communications, at emily.henvey@sunnyvaleisd.com for information.

Sunnyvale ISD is pleased to partner with Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, located at1980 N Town E Blvd, Mesquite, TX 75150. Thank you for partnering with us!

The kindergarten, 2nd grade,3rd grade, and 6th grade SRYSA football teams all made it to the Superbowl! They will be playing this Saturday, Nov. 15 in Greenville.