Spriester Sessions: Northside ISD superintendent discusses why he’s leaving, hot topics facing Texas public schools
Dr. Brian Woods is leaving the city’s largest school district after 11 years. KSAT anchor Steve Spriester sits down with the Northside ISD superintendent to discuss why he’s leaving the district, school safety, and what Woods believes is the biggest threat to Texas public schools.
‘It’s truly just voter intimidation’: NISD pressured staff, tracked votes during bond election, records show
Employees at multiple Northside Independent School District campuses have told the KSAT 12 Defenders in recent weeks that administrators relentlessly pressured them to vote on a May bond measure, tracked whether they had cast a ballot and in one instance threatened discipline if they failed to do so.
Northside ISD says messaging over bond election was ‘miscommunication’ that was quickly addressed
Northside ISD officials on Monday defended their actions after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott indicated the district would be under investigation amid allegations that staff felt pressured to vote in Saturday’s bond election.
Northside ISD under investigation after some staffers felt pressured to vote in bond election, governor says
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Northside ISD will be investigated by Education Commissioner Mike Morath and the Attorney General’s Office after leaked emails suggested that staffers were pressured to vote in Saturday’s bond election.
Taking class to the construction site: Tiny homes built by Northside ISD students up for sale
Some Northside ISD students are doing big things in small spaces. Construction Careers Academy, located on the Warren High School campus, is hosting a tiny homes showcase Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Northside ISD parents concerned about overcrowding after students pictured sitting on top of each other in bus
Parents of Northside ISD students are frustrated and concerned about their children’s safety after the lack of bus drivers led to overcrowding on a Harlan High School bus in which students were sitting on each other.
Northside ISD to ‘strongly encourage’ face masks ‘for now’ despite San Antonio’s mandate
The largest school district in the San Antonio area said Wednesday they will not be enforcing a mask mandate, “for now,” despite a county-wide requirement issued Tuesday that students and teachers wear masks in public schools.
School education continues to suffer during dangerous wintry conditions
San Antonio – It’s been a tough week for families, as the winter weather has left many without power and water. Northside ISD parent Efrain Castillo said although power has been restored to many households, it’s still tough finding food. “We couldn’t get online this week,” Castillo said. A spokesperson for NISD said families can reach out to their child’s school or teachers for information regarding additional assistance. RELATED: These San Antonio-area schools, daycares, colleges announce changes, closures due to wintry weather
Northside ISD urges another week of virtual learning for students due to COVID-19 surge
SAN ANTONIO – Northside ISD Superintendent Brian Woods sent a letter to parents on Friday, asking them to consider waiting another week before sending students back to in-person learning due to the ongoing rise of COVID-19 cases in the area. “We had hoped to see an improvement in the city’s health metrics and allow students to return Feb. 1. “This applies to those who temporarily switched to virtual learning and those who had hoped to start in-person learning for the third grading cycle.”Woods said the district would determine the possibility of allowing additional in-person learners next week. The superintendent had previously urged parents to consider virtual learning for their kids through the end of January because of the surge in COVID-19 cases. Students who need a device to facilitate virtual learning will be able to get one from their child’s school.
COVID-19 testing site opens at Farris Athletic Complex
SAN ANTONIO – A drive-thru COVID-19 testing site opened Monday on the city’s North Side. Northside ISD’s Dub Farris Athletic Complex is now open for anyone with or without COVID-19 symptoms to get a free test. The testing site will be open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. You are encouraged to schedule an appointment but appointments are not required. The site is located at Loop 1604 at Hausman Road. You can find a list of other testing sites here.
7 uplifting KSAT Kids stories from 2020
SAN ANTONIO – This was a year unlike any other. To read more about all the fun and exciting things that are going on in and out of the classroom, head to KSAT’s kid-friendly zone, KSAT Kids. A 7-year-old boy in San Antonio has spent his time in quarantine helping other children learn math by way of a YouTube channel. A new book is catching the attention of Selena fans, especially those in the San Antonio area. When asked if the findings has convinced her to follow her mom’s advice, Sohn said, “Yeah, unfortunately.”Do you know someone who would benefit from KSAT Kids?
Schools in San Antonio press forward with in-person learning amid new wave of COVID-19 cases
SAN ANTONIO – The three largest school districts in Bexar County will allow in-person learners to stay on campus as cases rise and the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District puts the school risk level at “high.”Metro Health’s recommendations for high risk, which it posted online Monday, include not holding in-person instruction. Northside ISD and San Antonio ISD have both pumped the brakes somewhat on bringing more students back to campus. But both districts, along with Northeast ISD, say that students who are already on-campus will be able to stay there. San Antonio ISD Superintendent Pedro Martinez told staff in a letter on Monday that the district’s recorded positivity rate, based on its testing programs, is much lower - less than 1%. Chancellor also pointed to Metro Health data that shows just seven instances of cases transmitted in Bexar County schools this year.
Mother hopes sending son back to Northside ISD campus will improve his learning experience
SAN ANTONIO – A mother in San Antonio is weighing the COVID-19 risks of sending her son back to in-person learning at Northside ISD after struggling with online schooling. Last month, Northside ISD revealed that its failure rate was close to double compared to the previous year’s first grading period. Northside ISD parent Katrina Ashworth said her two children have been learning online this year due to COVID-19 concerns. For her 9-year-old son, learning at home has been a significant challenge. Northside ISD campus staff members monitor student engagement and performance and are setting up systems to support struggling students.
COVID-19 cases on the rise in Bexar County schools, data shows
Northside ISD reported 191 student and 161 staff cumulative cases in the state’s last report for the week ending on Nov. 15. Staff cases went from 17 new cases in the Nov. 1-8 report to 44 new staff cases from Nov. 8-15. The state failed to add the district’s data for Nov. 8, but the NEISD website shows 15 new student cases and 17 new staff cases. The district reported 183 student cases and 49 staff cumulative cases on Nov. 15. NEISD reported 15 new student cases and 17 new staff cases for this period.
NEISD & NISD won’t roll back in-classroom instruction in face of worsening pandemic
“Work to balance the need we have to ensure students and staff are kept safe with the need to address learning loss and instructional needs of individual students,” Perez said. Though unlike NISD, the district is continuing its outreach efforts to struggling virtual learners. The number of NEISD and NISD cases alone is 573 -- with more from NISD counting off-campus staff -- but the Metro Health data only shows 423 cases for all campuses so far. Asked about the discrepancy, a Metro Health spokeswoman said the data may just not have been reported to them yet. While neither NISD nor NEISD plan to force any of their in-person learners to return to virtual learning, both districts say parents may choose to make that switch.
Northside ISD bus involved in crash
SAN ANTONIO – A Northside ISD bus was involved a minor crash on Friday morning, according to school district officials. The crash was reported near Babcock and Hamilton Wolfe Friday morning around 9 a.m. The bus had one driver and one student on board, Northside ISD spokesperson Barry Perez said. The high school student was not injured and was taken to school. The driver was taken to a medical clinic as a precaution, but no life-threatening injuries were reported, Perez said.
Southside ISD facing substitute teacher shortage amid COVID-19 pandemic
SAN ANTONIO – Southside Independent School District is struggling to find substitute teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sharon Fuery, executive director of human resources and administration at Southside ISD, said there are several reasons substitute teachers are not returning this year. Northside ISD, Northeast ISD and San Antonio ISD said the substitute teacher shortage is not impacting their districts. North East ISD said it is always in need of substitute teachers and advertises for them year-round. San Antonio ISD said it is aware of the nationwide substitute teachers shortages, but it is not impacting its district.
NEISD, NISD to allow more students to return to campus Monday
SAN ANTONIO – More students will be returning to the classroom Monday at North East ISD and Northside ISD campuses, school officials said Wednesday. Only students whose parents or guardians previously signed up for in-person learning for the second grading period will be allowed to return to the classroom. Parents can still keep their children in virtual learning, and they may change learning environments for them every four weeks. Once the new students are back on campus, they must wear masks, wash their hands and practice social distancing. Northside ISD also plans to accept new students Monday for in-person learning.
‘Helping people is the right thing to do': Northside ISD student sews over 1,000 face masks for San Antonians
SAN ANTONIO – A Northside ISD student is making a difference in San Antonio’s fight against the coronavirus, one stitch at a time. So his mother, Elizabeth Salinas, taught him how to sew face masks, according to NISD. His mother says, eventually, they began selling the face masks in mass quantities due to the high demand. To learn more about Mateo’s face masks, visit his Facebook page here. RELATED: Face masks have gone from basic necessities to fashion accessories
Five things you need to know before heading to high school football games
If you are feeling fine and plan on going to a game, here are five things you need to be aware of:1. Many school districts have gone to online ticketing as a way to keep track of the number of fans in the stands. Fans will be able to enjoy some of the staples of high school football games: nachos, popcorn, soft drinks. “People will be hearing announcements coming over like during timeouts and change of possession and things like that,” Parker said. To keep up with the latest on high school football, check out Big Game Coverage.
Northside ISD parents must decide between in-person or virtual learning by Wednesday
SAN ANTONIO – Northside Independent School District parents and guardians must notify the district through a survey by midnight on Wednesday whether their child will do in-person or virtual learning. The second quarter of school begins on Oct. 19, and the district says it’s prepared for more students. And we can provide it to them,” said Sandra Bonnett, executive director of elementary administration at Northside ISD. The district said more than 11,000 students are doing in-person learning. His daughter, who is in second grade, started in-person learning on Monday.
Nearly 4,500 COVID-19 cases reported in Texas public schools
of State Health Services and the Texas Education Agency released its first set of numbers Thursday for confirmed COVID-19 cases in public schools across the state. The total count of on-campus staff cases during the same period is 2,175 confirmed cases out of just over 800,000. Greg Abbott expands business capacity, keeps bars closedLast month, the TEA and state health department collaborated to create a new system to monitor and report confirmed cases across Texas. School systems started to report confirmed cases to state health officials this month. The San Antonio Metro Health Department initially required Bexar County school districts to report positive cases on the districts’ websites.
2 San Antonio school districts make list of top 50 employers in Texas
SAN ANTONIO – Forbes released its list for best companies to work for in 2020 and two San Antonio school districts made the top 50 list for Texas. According to the NISD page, 106,863 students are currently enrolled in one of the district’s 120 schools. Also formed in 1949, NEISD is the second-largest school district in San Antonio. “It is an honor to be recognized by Forbes and Statista, however, it is beyond an honor that our employees put NEISD on this prestigious list.” said NEISD Superintendent Sean Maika. MethodologySurveys and responses were collected from Oct. 2019 to May 2020 to determine which employers made the list.
Northside ISD learning portal crashes on students first day of school
SAN ANTONIO Students with San Antonios Northside Independent School District are having issues logging in on the first day of school. Officials with the district posted on Facebook around 8 a.m. saying the MyNISD portal is down and that a resolution is currently in the works. This does not appear to be a district network or bandwidth issue.Officials are asking for patience while vendors work to find a resolution. We are working with our vendor on a resolution. Posted by Northside ISD on Monday, August 24, 2020The student tech support hotline, (210) 397-0020, is currently giving a busy signal.
Custodian spreads kindness with signs, donations + positivity
SAN ANTONIO – Margarita Santellanes is an employee with a work ethic that many could learn from. “Margie,” is what she’s known by, and at her school she is a grandmother to everyone. She also has set-up motivational signs throughout the pandemic, making sure all the kids feel special when they drive by her school. “We got a lot of compliments from families when they saw all those signs Margie put up,” Siano said. “We need to make sure they are safe here.”
Q&A: NISD discusses safety precautions, options for students in the upcoming 2020-21 school year
Now is the time to determine if you are selecting the virtual learning model or in-person learning for your student. As San Antonio’s largest school district of choice, Northside ISD is preparing to head back to school this fall on Aug. 24 with all virtual learning. “At our high schools, the in-person option will actually be an alternating hybrid model. Once it’s safe to have students in the buildings, the schools will need a schedule for the students based on virtual learning and in-person learners. Northside is home to more than 106,000 students in 120 schools, including its high school and middle school magnets.
Northside ISD cafeteria worker dies of COVID-19
SAN ANTONIO Condolences have been pouring in for a Leon Valley Elementary School cafeteria manager who died of COVID-19. Michelle Villarreal, has worked at the school since she was hired in January 2010, Northside ISD officials said. Villarreal was featured in a Northside ISD video about the districts efforts to distribute free meals to families soon after the coronavirus pandemic shut down schools in San Antonio. Thanks to everyone, like Michelle Villarreal, who is making sure NISD continues to be there for students & families. #NISDFamily pic.twitter.com/RfDv4iy4gI Northside ISD (@NISD) March 24, 2020Related stories:
Boerne ISD to start Aug. 12 with in-person and e-learning for students
SAN ANTONIO – Despite an assurance from the Texas Education Agency that schools could offer remote-only instruction without losing funding, Boerne ISD plans to go forward with an option for students to attend in person. According to school district officials, families can choose to do traditional in-person learning or the Boerne E-learning option for their students. The school year for Boerne ISD is slated to begin August 12. According to Boerne ISD, parents can make their selection in their child’s Skyward Family Access Account and will need to make a separate selection for each child in the family. San Antonio doctor, teacher, psychologist weigh in‘It’s going to be an all hands on deck situation,’: Northside ISD superintendent says on school reopenings
Northside ISD, North East ISD will delay in-person learning at start of the new school year
SAN ANTONIO – Northside ISD and North East ISD will delay holding in-person instruction for students at the start of the new school year. Instead, both school districts will utilize distance learning for students in an effort to stay safe and limit the spread of the coronavirus. Northside ISD will begin its 2020-2021 school year Monday, Aug. 24 with distance learning. According to school district officials, there will be no in-person instruction until at least the Tuesday after Labor Day, which is Sept. 8. The school district said it will also offer assistance to families that may not have devices or internet for their children to use for distance learning.
Its going to be an all hands on deck situation,: Northside ISD superintendent says on school reopenings
On Sunday, Northside ISD Superintendent Dr. Brian Woods joined Leading SA to speak about the plan in place as schools prepare for reopening. I think it enables us to provide a much safer experience for both staff and students, Dr. Woods said. If the Northside ISD school district had a lab-confirmed positive COVID-19 case, Dr. Woods said a closure or quarantine of some sort would be imminent. And if they dont, we can do distance learning in an effective way thats safe for everybody, Dr. Woods said. The full interview with Dr. Woods can be viewed in the video player above.
Black activist critically injured after being shot by Austin police is recent San Antonio high school graduate
AUSTIN, Texas A black activist who was critically injured after he was shot by Austin police with less-lethal ammunition has been identified by family as Justin Howell, a 20-year-old Texas State University student who recently graduated from Communications Arts High School in San Antonio. GoFundMe information for Taft Band alumni Justin Howell injured in Austin this week. Texas State President Denise Trauth also issued a statement on Twitter confirming Howell is currently a student. Today, I learned one of our students, Justin Howell, was critically injured in a protest in Austin on Sunday, May 31. Howell blasted Manley in the op-ed for failing to take responsibility or apologize to his family and the group of protesters carrying his brother.
Northside ISD announces plans for Class of 2020 graduation
SAN ANTONIO – Northside ISD will not host in-person graduation ceremonies at the Alamodome and will instead have a safe, contactless graduation recognition event at each high school the week of June 15. For the Class of 2020, the District is allowing graduates to wear cords and stoles from outside organizations for personal achievements. Graduates are asked to opt-in if they choose to participate in this campus event by completing an online Google form. The Google link will also be available on each high school campus website. A virtual graduation video will be issued to students in early July.
ChildSafe: COVID-19 Pandemic is ‘perfect storm’ for child abuse perpetrators
"It's a perfect storm, unfortunately, for the perpetrators of these types of crimes." Child abuse is a serious issue facing the city, respondents said. (KSAT)Now that children are no longer in school or the public eye, perpetrators can hide abuse, McGibeny said. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services reports fiscal years 2019 and 2018 each saw nine child abuse fatalities in Bexar County. Click here to learn how you can report child abuse.
Northside ISD looks for ‘gaps in learning, basic needs’
SAN ANTONIO – The vast majority of the 107,0000 students in the Northside Independent School District are engaged in distance learning due to the COVID-19 crisis, officials said. While 92% of students are participating in online learning, it’s the remaining 8% of students who aren’t connected that worry district officials. Ridgley said many times it’s not just the lack of technology that’s keeping students from distance learning. "What we want to do is really make sure that we're wrapping services around the families," Ridgley said. "If they've not reached out in some distance learning assignments, then there's clearly some barriers that we got to try to alleviate for the families."
Gun found in vehicle at John Jay High School, officials say
Gun found in vehicle at John Jay High School, officials sayPublished: December 19, 2019, 5:26 pmA social media tip led to the discovery of a handgun in a car at John Jay High School on Thursday, according to Northside Independent School District officials.
Gun found in vehicle at John Jay High School, officials say
SAN ANTONIO – A social media tip led to the discovery of a handgun in a car at John Jay High School on Thursday, according to Northside Independent School District officials. The social media post was reported to campus administrators, who were able to identify the 17-year-old student and his vehicle. Report: Police found drugs, AK-47 in student’s car near Madison High SchoolAuthorities found a handgun in the car along with a pill they have not yet identified. An arrest was not made Thursday, but officials said charges may still be filed at a later date. The teen did not make any threats, officials said.
Teen who says he was kicked by Warren football coach has fractured leg, medical records show
Teen who says he was kicked by Warren football coach has fractured leg, medical records showPublished: December 17, 2019, 5:17 pmA Warren High School student who claims the school’s head football coach kicked him in October has a fractured leg that could take up to nine months to heal, according to medical records related to the injury viewed by the KSAT 12 Defenders.
John Jay High School students treat elementary students to shopping trip
SAN ANTONIO – Northside ISD elementary students were treated to a shopping trip Tuesday morning, courtesy of John Jay High School students. “Just pick anything y’all want,” Victoria Cruz, a sophomore at John Jay High School told the two fourth graders from Mary Hull elementary she was helping during the shopping trip at Walmart. Each were paired up with a student from John Jay High School. John Jay High School students helped them figure out how much they can get. That money is raised and donated by John Jay High School students and the community.
16-year-old student taken into custody after weapon found on Northside ISD campus
SAN ANTONIO – Northside Independent School District police took a 16-year-old student into custody Monday morning after they found a weapon on him, according to officials. At 9:30 a.m., O’Connor High School administrators received information indicating the student could be in possession of a weapon. “Within minutes, campus police and administration located the student who cooperated fully and surrendered the weapon without incident,” officials wrote in a news release. Missing San Antonio man believed to be in danger, foul play suspectedThe weapon was not identified in the news release. “O’Connor HS administration and counselors are working together to ensure students and staff are being cared for accordingly,” officials wrote in the news release.