Dear Innovators,

As we close out the November/December season, we are proud to share powerful highlights from the Young Innovators Program and our Advanced Academics community across Alief ISD. This semester didn’t just end strong it ended intentional, aligned, and excellent.

Our SIA 1 results were outstanding, with 100% of RLA YISA cohorts maintaining a 60 AMM or higher. Even more impressive, the majority of our students’ predicted STAAR performance landed at Masters a clear signal that rigorous instruction, high expectations, and strategic planning are paying off. This level of performance is not common, accidental, or luck-based. It is the result of educators who refuse to lower the bar.

To celebrate this achievement, we recognized our students in a big (and sweet) way over 250 cupcakes were passed out to students who performed well on both Math and RLA SIA assessments. Excellence deserves recognition, and our students rose to the occasion.

As we celebrate these gains, we must also protect them. Advanced learners require consistent challenge, purposeful enrichment, and continued monitoring to prevent performance drop-off. Maintaining momentum is the work now. Our students are exceeding expectations and we intend to keep it that way.

In this edition, you’ll continue to see strong instructional artifacts across all content areas. From complex texts and analytical writing to high-level math reasoning and hands-on science investigations, our classrooms reflect deep thinking, engagement, and joy in learning. The excellence is visible and measurable.

Looking ahead, we will reconvene for our next alignment meeting on January 5th in the Board Room. This session will focus on collaborative planning, vertical alignment, and strengthening our instructional moves as we move into the spring semester. We will also officially begin Phase 1 planning for YISA Year 3 yes, already because sustained excellence requires early vision and thoughtful design.

Tips to continue growing and motivating advanced learners:

• Keep instruction complex and intentional avoid unnecessary repetition.

• Use student data to adjust upward, not just remediate.

• Provide opportunities for student discourse, choice, and leadership.

• Monitor advanced students closely to ensure continued engagement and challenge.

• Celebrate growth often students should feel their success.

Finally, a friendly but necessary reminder: please renew your GT hours and ensure all documentation is up to date. Our students deserve educators who remain equipped, informed, and aligned to best practices in advanced academics.

On behalf of Mr. Hare and myself, thank you for your consistency, creativity, and commitment to excellence. You are building something special, and the results continue to speak loudly.

Let’s keep the bar high, the collaboration strong, and the vision clear as we move into the new year.

Together, we are building brilliance one Young Innovator at a time.

— Ms. Harris & Mr. Hare