Cougar Community Newsletter

Aurora Griffin, a fifth grader at Double Creek Elementary School, wrote this month's character trait essay about Respect. Click on the tab below to read her essay about why respect is important.

Our Cougar Champions of the month were recognized for their outstanding work.

Jarrell Elementary School: Aaron Smith (Student), Carola Merino (Staff)

Double Creek Elementary School: Ayden Kouadio (Student), Alexiz Quintanilla (Staff)

Igo Elementary School: Zanelle Alforte (Student), Kimberleigh Smith (Staff)

Jarrell Ranch Middle School: Ari Carbajal (Student), Brandon Grigsby (Staff)

Jarrell Middle School: Julian Pabon (Student), Miguel Munoz (Staff)

Jarrell High School: Raneem Albattat (Student), Alan Haire (Staff)

*All presentations are attached below*

Communication and Informational Items:

- Student Outcomes/Voice/Athletics presented by Assistant Superintendent Laura Buckley and Athletic Director Coach Alan Haire

- College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR)/Career and Technical Education Update presented by Director of Teaching & Learning Kelly Blair and CCMR Coordinator Alison Martone

- Budget Update and Workshop Forecast presented by Robert Navarro

- Sledge Engineering presented the monthly 2023 Bond Update

Action Items:

In addition to approving the consent agenda, the board:

- Approved the committee's recommendation on New Attendance Zones (Additional details are below)

- Approved the recommendation regarding the Senate Bill 11 Requirement

- Approved the Purchase of Technology Devices

- Approved an Amendment to the 2025-2026 Compensation Plan

- Approved an Application for Delay in Implementing HB2

At the February 17th school board meeting, the Jarrell ISD Board of Trustees voted to approve new attendance zones. The new boundaries were developed by a dedicated committee comprised of staff, parents, and community members. Based on feedback and votes from the community, parents, and staff, there was overwhelming support for Attendance Zone Plan 4, which is what the school board approved.
As our district continues to grow, updating attendance zones is necessary to balance enrollment, maintain manageable class sizes, and fully utilize our campuses. The approved plan reflects months of committee meetings, reviews, and discussions.
Attendance zone maps are now available for families to review. These new boundaries apply only to the elementary schools. They go into effect in August for the 2026-27 school year.

Jarrell ISD is proud to announce the addition of Sergeant Ronald Cole, a seasoned law enforcement professional and United States military veteran, to our team.

Sergeant Cole began his career in communications with the United States Army, serving in multiple conflicts and earning recognition as a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

His commitment to service continued in 2007 when he joined the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. During his time with the Sheriff’s Office, Sergeant Cole served in several roles, including Patrol Deputy, Marine Enforcement Deputy, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Deputy, and School Resource Officer.

In 2020, Sergeant Cole joined the Round Rock ISD Police Department, where he served as an officer and detective before becoming a sergeant. He brings nine years of dedicated school policing experience, with a focus on campus safety, student support, and community partnerships.

“I’m thrilled to join the Cougar family,” Sgt. Cole said. “Serving Jarrell ISD alongside Chief Mezayek and such an outstanding team of officers is truly a privilege. I’m excited to contribute to a department that is deeply committed to the safety, support, and success of every student.”

Sergeant Cole holds numerous professional certifications, including Master Peace Officer, Mental Health Officer, Field Training Officer, Certified Instructor, Advanced School Resource Officer, and School-Based Law Enforcement Officer.

“We are honored to welcome Sergeant Cole to our team,” said Jarrell ISD Chief of Police Sharif Mezayek. “His depth of experience, leadership, and commitment to student safety will be an incredible asset to our schools and community.”

Sgt. Cole will work at the high school.

The Jarrell ISD Board of Trustees approved the 2026–27 Academic Calendar at its board meeting on January 21, 2026. Families and staff can now begin planning for key dates, including the first and last day of school, holidays, staff development days, and student breaks.

The 2026–27 academic calendar is available on our district website or for download below.

Jarrell ISD now uses SchoolCash Online as our preferred payment method for all school fees, including field trips and yearbooks. The system replaces Revtrak.

Benefits to parents and schools

SchoolCash offers 24/7 shopping convenience to parents/guardians, allowing them to manage all their child/children's school activity fees with a single account. Parents/guardians receive email notifications as new items become available for purchase and can access their account history at any time to view activity and print receipts as needed. Over 100 languages are available.

How it works
Powered by KEV Group, SchoolCash Online is the industry leader in the safe and secure management of school fees. The system lets you pay all your students' school-related fees online. Schools post their items and activities and assign the relevant fees to your student, so you can then make purchases online using your credit card. This keeps you informed about upcoming school activities while helping you track the school fees that require your attention.

*NOTE: This change does not impact breakfast/lunch accounts.

Jarrell ISD changed its student ID Badges for the 2025 - 2026 school year.

• Pre-K to First Grade Badge is bright yellow with the name and photo of the student and a QR Code
• Second through fifth-grade students have a bar code, a QR code, and a photo of the student and their name. The barcode is for the library and the cafeteria. The QR code is for the student's class account.
• Middle School badges have a photo of the student, their name, and a barcode to use in the library and cafeteria.
• High school badges have a photo of the student, their name, a barcode, and the student's graduating class year.

If you have any questions about the new ID Badges, please email transportation@jarrellisd.org.

Stopfinder is the all-in-one, easy to use app for viewing & sharing your student’s transportation schedule.

Click on the links below to learn more about Stopfinder.

Stopfinder - English

Stopfinder - Spanish

Jarrell ISD has a clear bag policy for all sporting events at the high school stadium. Please click the link to download the policy for more information.

Clear Bag Policy - English

Clear Bag Policy - Spanish

You can also contact the Jarrell ISD Police Department for assistance or to report concerns and criminal activity.

In the event of an emergency, it's vital that we have your up-to-date contact information. 15% of our parent population has incorrect contact information on file. It's critical we have your correct address, email address, and phone numbers. Please log in to the Ascender - Parent Portal to verify that your information is accurate.

In addition to having your correct information on file, filling out a Parent Reunification Card is vital for an emergency. Click on the link below to learn more about our Parent Reunification Plan.

School news never takes a break. Stay connected with us by downloading the Jarrell ISD app with new and improved features.

Jarrell ISD is located in northern Williamson County. The mascot is The Cougars. It has six campuses: Jarrell High School, Jarrell Middle School, Jarrell Ranch Middle School, Igo Elementary School, Double Creek Elementary, and Jarrell Elementary. The district serves more than 4,500 students. Enrollment is projected to double in the next 10 years.

Email: communications@jarrellisd.org
Website: www.jarrellisd.org
Location: 504 N 5th Street, Jarrell, Texas 76537
Phone: 512-746-2124
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JarrellISD
Instagram: @Jarrell_ISD

Twitter: @Jarrell_ISD