Lion List

🦁❤️ Welcome back, Lions!

This week’s Lion List is packed with exciting updates, including our Best of Caldwell County honorees, a visit from state legislators, our Junior Lions exploring future possibilities, the accomplishments of a recent Lockhart graduate, and so much more!

Catch up on all the latest Lion Pride and have a wonderful weekend! #LockedInForLockhart

On Monday, Lockhart ISD hosted state legislators for a firsthand look at Childhood UnLocked in action at Clear Fork Elementary! Our CFE Fine Arts Academy Drumline and Student Leaders gave a warm welcome to Representatives Caroline Fairly and Stan Gerdes, along with a representative from Senator Judith Zaffirini’s office!

During their visit, guests met with Board members, district leadership, educators, and parents to learn about the mission and vision behind Childhood UnLocked. They explored how the initiative comes to life on our campuses and heard directly from teachers about their experiences in the classroom.

With Childhood UnLocked, we’re reimagining the school day and creating learning environments that prioritize play, support student development, and give our Lions more opportunities to learn, connect, and thrive. At the elementary level, we have increased playtime by 50–67%. This work has also reduced screen time across the district for an average of 34 minutes per day at the elementary level or 36.3% and 2 hours 17 minutes per day at the secondary level or 35.1%.

We have also partnered with families and our community to help build a culture of Childhood UnLocked that extends beyond our classrooms. So far, 53 parents have signed the Childhood UnLocked Parent Pledge, committing to support healthy habits at home. In addition, the district has invested over $2 million in playground upgrades to provide our students and community with engaging spaces for movement, play, and connection.

Guests saw those investments for themselves when they toured the Mega Den and witnessed our students playing, connecting, creating, and exploring in one of these thoughtfully designed spaces. And, of course, they couldn’t leave without trying out one of the slides!

We are incredibly proud to share how Lockhart ISD is reimagining the school day and creating learning environments that prioritize play, support student development, and give our Lions more opportunities to thrive. Through Childhood UnLocked, we are embracing the power of play and building spaces where our students can learn, grow, connect, and unlock their full potential!

Thank you to our visiting representatives for taking the time to see the great work happening across Lockhart ISD as well as to our staff and students who made this visit a success! We are proud to be #LockhartLeading and look forward to helping shape legislation and resources that support a brighter future not only for our Lions, but for students across Texas.

🦁💡LIGHT THE LION! 💡🦁

Congratulations to the Roaring Lion Band and Color Guard on earning a First Division Rating at the UIL Region Marching Contest! This outstanding achievement reflects the dedication, hard work, and musical excellence of our talented student musicians and performers.

The excitement continues as the band advances to the UIL Area D Marching Contest on Saturday, October 24, at The Pfield in Pflugerville! Our Lions are ready to take the field and represent Lockhart ISD with pride as they compete for the opportunity to advance to the next level.

We are proud of our Lions and all they continue to accomplish! #LockedInForLockhart

We are so proud of our Lions! Last Friday, our players brought incredible determination, effort, dedication, and heart to home turf! They represented what it means to be a Lion!

A big thank you to our cheerleaders, Lionettes, Choir, Roaring Lion Band and Color Guard, and EVERYONE who showed up to support our team and represent Lockhart with pride. We’re grateful for a community that continues to show up for our Lions! #LockedInForLockhart

Our Junior Lions are exploring what their futures could hold! Last week, our eighth graders visited Baylor University and Texas State University for exciting opportunities to explore college life and future careers.

At Baylor, students heard from Dr. Emillie Cunningham, Medical Humanities Professor, learned about opportunities in the field, toured the campus, experienced college dining, and had a blast along the way!

But the exploration didn’t stop there! At Texas State University’s Ingram School of Engineering, students enjoyed a hands-on STEM experience featuring robotics, computer vision, computer-controlled machining, and a Formula SAE race car. They also learned from Texas State faculty and students about exciting possibilities in science and engineering.

We love seeing our Junior Lions discover new interests, explore their passions, and imagine what’s possible! A big thank-you to LJHS and GEAR UP for providing meaningful experiences that inspire our students to explore their futures and unlock their potential!

The Spirit of 1.5 is about living and celebrating exceeding expectations and fostering a deeply caring environment that grows everyone within Lockhart ISD. This spirit encompasses a heartfelt devotion to people, coupled with a relentless pursuit of excellence that consistently delivers impactful outcomes.

This week, we are excited to celebrate Amara Garza from BBE, Stav Sela from NAV, and Nancy Lopez from LHS!

I would like to nominate Nancy Lopez for exemplifying the Spirit of 1.5 because she consistently goes above and beyond in service to our students, families, and campus community. As our Counseling Secretary, Nancy is often one of the first faces our students see when they walk into the Counseling Center. She has a genuine heart for students, and they know it. Our students love Ms. Nancy because she makes them feel welcomed, cared for, and supported while also doing whatever she can to help meet their needs. Nancy’s impact extends far beyond her role in the Counseling Center. She has willingly taken on additional responsibilities to support our campus registrar and the PEIMS office, helping ensure that our systems and processes keep pace with the demands of a large comprehensive high school. She sees what needs to be done and steps in—not because she has to, but because she cares about our students, our staff, and the success of our campus. Nancy is dependable, hardworking, student-centered, and truly embodies what it means to give that extra 1.5. There is so much that happens behind the scenes because of her, and quite simply, we would be lost without her. She is incredibly deserving of this recognition.

Earlier this month, our talented Lockhart High School Mariachi Corazón de León students took the stage for Entre Dos Cielos (Between Two Skies) at the Gerry Ohlendorf Performing Arts Center!

We’re incredibly proud of our student performers, Jennifer Diaz Vences, Kayla Colombo, Jeremiah Herrera, Juan Carlos Rizo-Estrada, and Luis Rizo-Estrada, along with technicians Hannah-Joy Berthon and Bella Bliss, for helping bring this special production to life and representing Lockhart with pride!

A special thank-you to the 78644 Podcast and Cirque Vida for including our Lions in this meaningful production celebrating the connections between Texas and Mexico. We’re grateful to everyone who helped make this unforgettable experience possible right here in Lockhart! #LockedInForLockhart

We are proud to celebrate our Lockhart ISD honorees recognized as the Best of Caldwell County by the Lockhart Post Register! 🎉

Congratulations to our honorees:

🏆 Holly Prine | Best Teacher K-5
🏆 Kyle Cooper | Best Teacher 6-8
🏆 Matthew Burton | Best Teacher 9-12
🏆 Coach Mike Maldonado | Best School Coach
🏆 Lion Stadium | Best Sports Venue
🏆 Carver Early Education Center | Best Early Education Center/Pre-School

These honors reflect the incredible people and places that make Lockhart ISD special. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our Lions and our community every day! 🦁❤️ #LockhartLeading

Congratulations to our Lockhart Lions and Lady Lions Cross Country teams on a great showing at today’s District 25-5A Cross Country Meet!

A special shoutout to Ethan Herrera, our two-time defending District Champion, who finished as District Runner-Up with an impressive time of 16:17! Ethan advances to the Regional Meet for the FOURTH consecutive year!

Eli Estrada also turned in an outstanding performance, finishing 11th with a time of 16:53, narrowly missing regional qualification by just ONE place!

Our Lions and Lady Lions also turned in strong team performances across all four divisions:

🏃‍♀️ Varsity Girls – 5th Place

🏃‍♀️ JV Girls – 3rd Place

🏃‍♂️ Varsity Boys – 4th Place

🏃‍♂️ JV Boys – 3rd Place

We are incredibly proud of ALL our student-athletes for their hard work, determination, and the way they represented Lockhart ISD!

A BIG THANK YOU to Coach Hippensteel, Coach Ortiz, Coach Buehner, and our entire cross-country coaching staff for their dedication to our Lions and Lady Lions!

WAY TO GO, LIONS! #LockedInForLockhart

Excellence deserves the spotlight!

Recent Lockhart ISD graduate Jocelyn Ortega is making her mark with her artwork, “Lost and Found.” Her masterpiece is on display this week at the Texas Fine Arts Administrators Conference in Austin, showcasing her skill and talent to educators from across the state!

Her incredible work earned the 2026 State V.A.S.E. Gold Seal, recognizing her outstanding artistic talent and creativity.

We’re so proud of Jocelyn and can’t wait to see all the amazing things she’ll accomplish! Once a Lion, always a Lion!

Our Lions having a stellar night at Clear Fork’s annual Space Odyssey! Students and families explored the wonders of the universe through engaging science, fine arts, and literacy activities. From creative costumes to hands-on adventures, the evening was filled with curiosity, creativity, and out-of-this-world fun! #LockedInForLockhart