Maverick Monthly: February 2026

Welcome back to the Maverick Monthly!

Across all of EISD's campuses, we have great things happening every day. To put more of a spotlight on those events, and to keep you updated on upcoming events, EISD is reintroducing the Maverick Monthly!

February is really when the second semester starts heating up. Students are well into their studies, and are making final preparations for the upcoming testing season. In sports, Basketball season ends, and in its place, Baseball, Softball, Track, Tennis, and Golf all come into full swing. Band has Solo and Ensemble competitions, UIL One-Act Play cast and crew are making adjustments and readying themselves for upcoming performances, and Art students are winning medals for the masterpieces they submitted to the Visual Arts Scholastic Event contest. This year, Siebert's 4th Grade class has the special honor to present the Lion Kings Kids, and they are hard at work making sure they put on a good show for everyone.

This Maverick Monthly, we highlight all of these activities across campuses. We also want to thank all of the parents, guardians, and community stakeholders that work alongside our students and staff as we continue to power through this semester. The Eastland community has long been known for their strong Maverick Pride, and we are honored by your support.

Jeremy Williams
Superintendent
Eastland ISD

At the School Board meeting on February 12th, Breanna, Raiden, Aleida, Haiden, and Haylen were selected by Kindergarten teachers to represent Siebert Elementary and lead the pledge!

These students were selected by their Kindergarten teachers for their good behavior, inquisitive nature, and positive attitudes!

Congratulations to our Kindergarten students of the month!

At the School Board meeting on February 12th, Conner Randell and Tatum Palmer were named as Students of the Month for January!

Conner is noted by his teachers as being a great student with a good sense of humor and excellent critical thinking skills. He participates in FFA, and is also a member of the E-Sports Club. He hopes to pursue a career in programming in the future. Conner's favorite teacher is Mr. Perry.

"Conner is a deep thinker," Mr. Perry said. "He takes time to think through problems and is good at connecting the dots and drawing correct conclusions. Conner is also very witty! He is a great kid and really fun to have in class."

Tatum is an outstanding student athlete and musician. She is active in every Middle School sport and participates in Band. She wants to go the University of Texas and wants to be a meteorologist, Tatum says that Mr. Simmel is her favorite teacher.

"Tatum has a quiet demeanor with a great sense of humor," Mr. Simmel said. "She is an excellent student in class and is a joy to teach. She is one of the fastest runners in Eastland and loves track. One of her hidden talents is her love of drawing. Any extra time between assignments you will constantly see her creating new pieces of art in a small binder."

Congratulations to both of these outstanding students!

At the School Board meeting on February 12th, Antonio Alaniz and Evelyn Williams were named as Students of the Month for January! Evelyn was unable to attend this month's school board meeting, as she was competing at a track meet. She will be presented to the school board at the school board meeting in March.

Antonio is noted by teachers and students as a kind-hearted person and an outstanding student with a great smile. He has been active in Beta Club for three years, FFA for four years, and FCCLA for four years. In FFA, he has qualified for State three times, once for Spanish Creed Greenhand, and twice for Homesite. He has also qualified once for State in FCCLA. He plans to attend Texas A&M in pursuit of a degree in Civil Engineering. His favorite teacher is Mrs. Trammel. Mrs. Trammel praised Antonio for his hard work and dedication to academic excellence:

"It's no surprise that your dedication is being recognized. Your hard work in Physics was always impressive, and I know that you have continued to strive for excellence in all of your classes. It is wonderful to see it paying off... I wish you only the BEST in your future endeavors. It was a privilege to be your teacher."

Congratulations to both of these outstanding students!

At the School Board Meeting on February 12th, Steve Simmel was selected as Teacher of the Month, and Josh Nichols was selected as Employee of the month! Congratulations!

Mr. Simmel is a teacher who has mastered the art of inspiring students to excel. Some teachers try to impart their knowledge with their passion for the topics they teach, by setting strict expectations, or by having good humor and relating to the students on a personal level. Mr. Simmel uses a combination of all of these techniques. This allows him to create a classroom focused on making learning a rewarding and fun experience for students. From the moment class starts, regardless of which grade level is in his classroom, students are focused and putting their best efforts into the tasks he sets before them.

Officer Josh Nichols is the SRO (School Resource Officer) for Eastland High School. Officer Nichols has an outstanding ability to relate to students, build rapport, and calm students in crisis. His genuine care for the safety and wellbeing of students means that students often come to him with issues because they know he will listen and give them solid advice. Beyond that, he is diligent and takes his duties seriously, ensuring that the campus and any school events are properly secured.

Congratulations to both of these outstanding members of EISD staff on your well earned reward!

Eastland High School has had an explosive start in spring sports! Our Golf and Tennis teams had their first real matches this month and had great showings! The Lady Mavs Softball team has been improving every game and looks to be in good shape for their first district game on March 3rd. The Mavericks Baseball has been making great strides as well, and went 3-0 in the Olney Tournament! JV Boys Track got 2nd place out of 17 teams at the Long Sleeve Relays in Hamlin and many personal records were set. Our athletes maxed out in the weight room and on average, Squat maxes went up 30 pounds, Bench went up 20 pounds, and Hang Clean went up 25 pounds. All of this marks a promising start for the spring sports season for your Mavericks and Lady Mavs!

EHS and EMS Track and Field athletes competed at the Maverick Relays on Thursday and Friday!

More photos from the EHS Maverick Relays can be found here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/GNj23EdHBzwXTHRu8

More photos from the EMS Maverick Relays can be found here:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/gmR8ejHaHJcuU3pp9

Region Awards:

Division 1 Medals: (Division 1 students have less than 1 full year of High School Art Instruction)

Whitney Anauo

River Charles

Greg Gideon

Adelyn Ray

Division 2 Medals: (Division 2 students have less than 2 full years of High School Art Instruction)

Destanie Anauo

Olivia Hernandez (2 Medals)

Brandie Hutchinson (2 Medals)

Raven McDivitt (2 Medals)

Meera Patel (2 Medals)

Rileigh Whitlock

Division 3 Medals: (Division 3 students have less than 3 full years of High School Art Instruction)

Meljyn Dagarag (2 Medals)

Jessica King (2 Medals)

Alma Sanchez (2 Medals)

Darian Spradley (2 Medals)

Division 4 Medals: (Division 4 students have more than 3 years of High School Art Instruction)

Amber Galloway (2 Medals)

Area Results

For area you either advance to State and medal or you receive nothing. In each division there are around 1,000 pieces. Only 10 are selected from each Division to go to State.

We have 3 pieces advancing to State! Our students advancing to State level VASE are:

Olivia Hernandez with both pieces (advancing with two pieces is a rare achievement!)

and

Whitney Anauo

These are some of the best results Eastland ISD has had for the VASE Region and Area competitions. 16 students attended with a total of 27 medals earned! Congratulations to all of our young artists!

Members of the EHS Band traveled to Stephenville High School to compete at the Region 7 SZ Solo and Ensemble Contest. All of our students earned a 1st division rating with two ensembles headed to State in May. These students worked incredibly hard on their events and represented EHS well!

Solos:

Zuleyka Raygoza - 1st division, Clarinet Solo

Reed Whittlesey - 1st division, F Horn Solo

WH Allman - 1st division, Tenor Trombone Solo

Christian Renfro - 1st division, Tuba Solo

Advancing to State in May!

Saxophone Trio:

Hogan Doar

Kiera Hendricks

Noah Williams

Trombone Trio:

WH Allman

Ethan Newman

Jrayden Veloz

Please congratulate these students when you see them!

EHS Jazz musicians gathered at the Eastland High School Auditorium on Thursday night to show off their skills and perform!

The Jazz Combo Night featured four groups of musicians.

Combo 1:

Christian Renfro - Jazz Guitar

W.H. Allman - 1st Trombone

Reed Whittelsey - Keyboard

Mr. LG - Drumset

Combo 2:

Ethan Newman - 1st Trombone

Noah Williams - 1st Alto Saxophone

Kevin Beasley - 1st Trumpet

Nathan Fron - Drumset

Combo 3:

Kiera Hendricks - 1st Alto Saxophone

Kimber Rimer - 2nd Alto Saxophone

Alissa Askins - 1st Trombone

Isabella Quiros - Drumset

Combo 4:

Hogan Doar - 1st Tenor Saxophone, 1st Bb Clarinet

Christian Renfro - Jazz Guitar

W.H. Allman - 1st Trombone

Jrayden Veloz - 2nd Trombone

Reed Whittelsey - 1st Trumpet

Adriel Roman - 2nd Trumpet

Nathan Fron - Drumset

More photos from the event can be found here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ohLZj7evXYqN4Txe8

On February 25th, Eastland High School's Junior Ambassadors, who represent EHS through the Eastland Chamber of Commerce, met with Mr. E.T Bradley to learn about EBAA Iron! Mr. Bradley spoke about how the business works, how it contributes to the community, and the importance of community and volunteerism. The Junior Ambassadors were also given a tour of the facility and saw EBBA Iron workers in action.

The stage is set and the 4th Grade class “Just Can’t Wait” for you to join them for a spectacular "Lion King Kids" performance!

Come watch our talented students bring the Pride Lands to life with unforgettable songs, colorful characters, and a whole lot of heart.

There will be two performances. The morning performance will be on Wednesday, March 4th at 9 AM. The afternoon performance will be on Thursday, March 5th at 6 PM.

Bring your family, bring your friends, and get ready to celebrate the circle of life!

Next Regularly Scheduled Board Meeting: March 16th @ 6 PM

Spring Break: March 9th - March 13th

Student Holiday / Staff Development: March 16th