Gator Family News 2/12

Vision:

Empowering today’s students to embrace tomorrow’s possibilities.

Mission:

Our mission is to foster and motivate high level learning through innovative strategies to create lifelong learners in a safe and positive environment that partners with a diverse community.

Gator Family!

We've made it to the end of the 4th Six Weeks! With the end of the Six Weeks, also comes the end of basketball season. Congratulations to our 7th and 8th grade boys and girls teams for a great season. A special congratulations to the 7A boys basketball team for an undefeated season!!!

I would also like for you to join me in congratulating our 2020-2021 Teacher of the Year, Holly McWilliams. Mrs. McWilliams is our amazing Theatre Teacher!

Learn a little more about Mrs. McWilliams: "I’ve traveled to and lived in many places, and have had many cool jobs, but teaching has been the most rewarding by far. I honestly never thought I would teach. In fact, my grandmother would tell me that I would make a great teacher, and I would vehemently contradict her. I was a performer, having acted in many national tours for children’s theatre companies. I was going to go to New York to make it big on Broadway. Thank goodness that was not to be my path! Fast forward many years, to when I was managing a bakery in Houston. I was the special events coordinator, as well as the trainer for the new employees. I can pinpoint my decision to become a teacher to this moment. I was teaching a new server how to make a latte, and there was this moment when the kid mastered making the drink. I saw that “click” behind my student’s eyes, that moment of realization, and the pride that immediately followed as he beamed at his accomplishment, and I felt proud of him. I heard my grandmother’s voice, “You would make a great teacher”, so in 2015 I became one. This is my 6th year teaching in the public school system, two years in Houston ISD, and four here at Three Lakes in TISD, but I think I’ve been a teacher in my heart for longer than I knew."

Chromebooks are coming soon! To receive a device, students must first become eligible through the parent's completion of the district Technology Device Agreement. Without a signed agreement from a parent, the student will not receive a device.

If you have not completed the Technology Device Agreement for your child/children, please do so as soon as possible. The Technology Device Agreement can be completed in the Parent Portal: https://www.tylerisd.org/page/grades-online. No student will be issued a Chromebook until they appear on the Frontline report and this requires the electronic acceptance.

The 2021-2022 ECHS Applications are now available. The link is available here: https://www.tylerisd.org/o/echs/page/application-admission.

Why Early College High School?

• Earn FREE TJC Associate Degree

• More than 40 Dual Credit Courses

• Eight Degree Plans to Choose From

• ALL Pre-AP & AP Courses

• $25,000 Value

Additional questions you may have are answered in the Frequently Asked Questions on the link above.

Order your yearbook today on ybpay.lifetouch.com using the Yearbook ID Code: 12679321.

Yearbooks must be ordered by May 7, 2021.

Tyler ISD is thrilled to announce our new app for mobile phones! Stay up-to-date with access to news from the District and your campus, student stories, daily cafeteria menu, and even emergency notifications.

For more check out this video: https://youtu.be/95HPsaysqrA

You can download the app for free on both Google Play or the Apple App Store.

Download for Android: https://bit.ly/31z5vNc

Download for iPhone: https://apple.co/3jirhuu

Improving attendance at Three Lakes Middle School is a top priority this school year. There is a direct correlation between student attendance and school success, so encourage your students to attend school and discuss the importance of them being here daily.

Here are some helpful hints to help with attendance:

• Establish and stick to the basic routines (going to bed early, waking up on time, etc.) that will help your child develop the habit of on-time attendance.
• Talk to your child about why going to school every day is critical and important unless they are sick. If your child seems reluctant to go to school, find out why and work with the teacher, counselor, or administrator to get them excited about going to school.
• Come up with back up plans for who to turn to (another family member, a neighbor or fellow parents) to help you get your child to school if something comes up (e.g. another child gets sick, your car breaks down, etc.).
• Reach out for help if you are experiencing tough times (e.g. transportation, unstable housing, loss of a job, health problems) that make it difficult to get your child to school. Other parents, your child’s teacher, principal, social worker, school nurse, counselor, or community agencies can help you problem solve or connect you to a needed resource.
• If your child is absent, work with the teacher to make sure she or he has an opportunity to learn and make up for the academics missed.

"If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves." ~Thomas Edison

Email: christopher.blake@tylerisd.org
Website: https://www.tylerisd.org/o/tlms
Location: 2445 3 Lakes Road, Tyler, TX, USA
Phone: (903) 262-2970
Facebook: facebook.com/threelakestylerisd
Twitter: @ThreeLakesTISD