The Break is Here!

Folks,

I've been a terrible blogger lately, seeing that it's about to be Christmas Break, and my last post was from just before Thanksgiving Break!

But, let me tell you that if you've missed this month's Fine Arts performances, you've really missed out.

Our Band and Choir have put on amazing holiday performances, and our Theater dept. is putting on an Improv Game Show tonight and tomorrow night (12/17 & 12/18).

In addition, our Ellison Chamber Singers have made their presence felt throughout the community, performing at this morning's KISD General Staff Meeting, among other locations.

The Eagles are in flight, and the holidays are upon us.

Everyone, be safe, and enjoy the break.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Eagle Family,

Best wishes to everyone for a happy and restful Thanksgiving Day. Not just today, but every day, I am thankful for Ellison High, and for the chance to work with the students, parents, and staff that make it such a great place.

Take care!

Tragedy on Fort Hood

Eagle Family,

Please be mindful of all who have been and will be affected by the tragic events that took place Thursday on Fort Hood.

Our counselors stand ready to assist any students who need help.

If you are aware of anyone who is personally linked to this tragedy, please be sure our counselors are informed so they may offer assistance.

Many prayers for all those touched by these sad events.

Are You Ready for Homecoming?

Welcome to one of the most exciting weeks of the year!

It's Homecoming, 2009!

The halls are decorated, and we're gearing up for a week full of Eagle spirit, topped off by our Homecoming game vs. Shoemaker Friday night, and our Homecoming Dance Saturday night.

Click here for info on Homecoming activities. Alumni, we would love to hear from you this week.

Go Eagles!

The Screaming Eagle Band!

Congratulations to all members of the Screaming Eagle Band, as well as their directors, Mr. Jeff Smith, Mr. Tim Young, and Mr. Jordan Dolotina.

Our Band earned a 1st Division rating at this afternoon's UIL Marching Contest, held in Waco.

The Eagle Family celebrates this great achievement!

Great job, everyone!

Ellison Drama Club

Eagles,

I hope everyone will take the opportunity to come out and see our Drama Club in action. Mrs. Yanchak and her students have prepared a performance entitled "Friends for Hire", playing this week: Oct. 15, 16, and 17, at 7:30 pm in the EHS Auditorium.

Check out this article about the play!

Have a great Thursday!

Week #8: A Busy One!

Eagles,

I doubt you need a reminder that there is no school on Monday, October 12th, as all KISD staff will be involved in professional development activities. Enjoy the day!

Here's what we have ahead of us this week:

Tuesday, 10/13: Volleyball vs. A & M Consolidated

Wednesday, 10/14: PSAT, Grades 9 - 11
Fast Track to CTC, Seniors

Thursday, 10/15: Campus Site-Based Decision-Making Committe Meeting
Freshman & JV Football vs. Bryan

Friday, 10/16: Volleyball vs. Bryan
Football vs. Bryan

Saturday, 10/17: UIL Band Marching Contest, Waco Athletic Complex
Ellison performs at 5:15 pm

Nearing Report Card Time...

Eagles,

Be sure to mark your calendars for October 23rd, the end of the first nine weeks. There are just 11 school days left before grades are finalized for report cards.

Also, remember that there is no school for students on Monday, October 12th. Staff will be on campus for Professional Development activities.

Have a great week!

Great Win! Great Students!

Eagle Fans,

It was a hard-fought win over the Harker Heights Knights last night at Buckley Stadium. The Eagles fell behind early, but came back to take the game, 27 - 14. You can read the story about the game here:

Eagles Beat Knights

But, here's a part of the story you probably won't get anywhere else:

After the game was over and most of the stands had cleared, a group of Ellison students, about 10 in all, approached me and pointed out how much trash was left in the stands. Honestly, it looked pretty bad. These students didn't want to leave our bleachers looking that way, so they took a couple of trash cans and went through the stands, throwing away trash and giving the maintenance crew a head start on cleaning the stadium.

Eagle spirit on display!

Thanks to all of you who helped out.

Have a great weekend!

An Important Friday

Eagles,

Remember that Friday, October 2nd, is the cutoff for UIL Eligibility. We've been announcing this over the last several days, so I hope you have done all you can to make sure your grades are passing.

Also, everyone should be returning their Impact Aid forms to their 2nd period teachers this week! Students will receive a Free Tardy Pass for turning in their Impact Aid forms.

Ready for some football? Our Eagles take on the Knights of Harker Heights High School Friday night! We're the visitors; see you at Buckley Stadium!

Progress Reports!

Eagles,

Progress Reports will be handed out during 2nd period on Friday, September 25th.

Parents, please be sure to sign up for access to your student's grades online through GradeSpeed. Call our office if you have any questions.

Also, remember that grades will be checked for UIL Eligibility at the end of next week, October 2nd.

Take care of business!

Trivia Question

You might have seen the Ellison trivia question on the principal's Twitter page: Do you know what the C.E. in C.E. Ellison High School stands for?

We did have one correct response turned in on the Twitter page, and the answer is:

Casper Eugene Ellison

Dr. Ellison was the Superintendent of the Killeen Independent School District from 1953 - 1973.

Congrats to Mr. Key!

The Eagle Family congratulates Assistant Principal Mr. Key and his wife on the birth of their third child, a little girl! This new addition to the Key family arrived Friday, September 17th.

Congrats to Coach Jones!

Ellison Head Boys' Basketball Coach Alberto Jones and his wife are celebrating the birth of their first child, a baby boy! The newest Eagle arrived today, September 15th.

Congratulations!

Open House

Open House was a big success! Thanks to all the parents & students who came out tonight, & thanks to our teachers for putting in an extra long day!

Handicapped Parking

A question arose regarding access to handicapped parking spaces around the Ellison campus. Our campus police are reviewing our parking patterns to ensure access to handicapped spaces.

Thank you for the information, and please contact our office if there are any problems in the future.

Thanks,

Eagles are 2 - 0!

The Eagle Faithful were treated to a great half of football Friday evening, going into halftime with a 21 - 7 lead over the Del Valle Cardinals. The halftime show was top-notch, featuring outstanding performances by the Screaming Eagle Band & the Ellison Emeralds.

Halftime also brought lightning, and the game was called for safety concerns.

Congrats, Eagles, on a great win!

Here's the story:

Tutoring

Eagles,

Plans are underway to set up peer tutoring to assist seniors gearing up for the October round of TAKS testing.

If you are a senior, strong in Math, and are interested in tutoring classmates, please join me for a short meeting Friday, September 4, during lunch. (A lunch -- room 240, B Lunch -- room 133).

See you there!

New Traffic Laws

Eagle Family,

Please be advised of new traffic laws effective Tuesday, Sep. 1st.

*Drivers under 17 w/restricted licenses not permitted to use wireless devices while driving.

*All drivers restricted from using wireless devices while driving through school zones.

Please review these laws before Tuesday!

Drive safely,

What a Game!

Eagle Fans,

If you missed last night's football game against Killeen High, check out this article to catch up on the game. It was a close battle all the way through, but the men in green pulled it out in overtime. Congrats to our players and coaches on a great win!

In case you're curious, today's student count at Ellison was 2,505 students.

Thanks!

To all our students:

Thank you for your attention at our grade-level assemblies yesterday and today. I appreciate your input, and look forward to a positive year at Ellison. Thanks to all of you who have shared your ideas with me!

Remember: Being the best is something we have to prove continually, year after year. I know you'll do your part to make it happen.

And we're off!

Well, the first morning of school has arrived, and we are off to a great start!

A big thank-you to the Ellison Eagle staff for all the work that went into our smooth start this morning!

It's the first day of a great year!

In the Morning...

Eagles,

Tomorrow is the day we've all been waiting for! We officially kick off the 2009-2010 school year at 8:45 am!

Getting a ride to school?

Be sure to remember that student drop-off and pick-up is located in the parking lot on the Elms Road side of the campus. Also remember to keep the fire lanes clear at all times. Parents, please do not park cars in the fire lanes waiting for students to exit the building.

Not sure where to go when you arrive in the morning?

Freshmen, report to the small gym for a new copy of your schedule, then report to the auditorium for our opening assembly.

Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors, report to the large gym for a new copy of your schedule, then report to 1st period.

All students are welcome to have breakfast in the cafeteria, with service beginning at 8 am.

Let's have a great first day!

Patterson Cavaliers!

Remember the Dedication Ceremony for the new Charles Patterson Middle School today at 3 pm. The Patterson Cavaliers are a welcome addition to the Ellison Eagle Family!

Check it out!

Spirit Spectacular 2009

What a great evening it was at Buckley Stadium!

At KISD's annual Spirit Spectacular, the Screaming Eagle Band and the Ellison Emeralds gave wonderful performances. Congratulations to our outstanding students, and to their hard-working directors.

See y'all on campus Monday morning!

New Students!

We had a great turnout today for New Student Orientation! Thanks to all our new Eagles who came out and toured the campus. Also, a huge thanks to our Band, Choir, Cheerleaders, and Emeralds, who all put on outstanding performances!

Eagles, enjoy your last weekend before school starts! We can't wait to see you Monday!

Off to a Great Start!

Eagle Staff,

Thank you for a great first day of Staff Development yesterday! Your Eagle pride shined through, and I think we all sensed that this is going to be a great year.

Special thanks to our Cheerleaders and Choir for their surprise performances! That's a birthday celebration I won't soon forget.

Looking forward to another great day today!

FEET Camp

Freshmen Entering Eagle Territory:

Calling all Ellison Freshmen! Be sure to come up to campus today for FEET camp, from Noon - 3 pm. Lots of activities are planned to help get you familiar with Eagle Territory, and ready for the first day of school.

We'll see you there!

Attention Eagle Staff:

All Ellison Employees,

Be sure and check your e-mail today for the schedule for next week's Staff Development activities. We have a great week planned to get the 09-10 school year started right. It has been so good seeing all of you who have been up to the campus, and I can't wait to launch the new year!

See you Monday, the 17th, at 8:30 am, in the auditorium.

A Big Thank-You!

Eagle Family,

What a great start we have had to Student Regisration week at Ellison!

I'd like to thank all the teachers and staff who have worked so hard to keep our lines running smoothly, and to meet the needs of students and parents coming to register.

Students, don't forget:

*Sophomores Wednesday

*Freshmen Thursday

*Make-ups Friday, for any students who haven't registered.

See you at the cafeteria!

Ellison's Accountability Rating

Eagles,

KISD has received each campus's accountability rating from the Texas Education Agency, and Ellison High School earned the Academically Acceptable rating for 2008-2009. A lot of hard work by teachers and students brought about academic gains in many areas, and we will strive to build on that success in 09-10.

Great job, everyone!

"Learn to Fly" Camp

Incoming Freshman Football Players:

"Learn to Fly" Camp is for you!

Dates: Monday - Thursday, August 3 - 6

Times: 8 am - 11 am

This camp will cover the fundamentals of Offense, Defense, and Special Teams used at Ellison. All incoming Freshmen interested in Eagle Football are encouraged to attend.

Student Schedules

Eagles,

Be sure and mark these dates on your calendars for distribution of Student Schedules for the 09-10 school year:

*Monday, August 10: Seniors

*Tuesday, August 11: Juniors

*Wednesday, August 12: Sophomores

*Thursday, August 13: Freshmen

*Friday, August 14: Make-up Day for any students who were unable to come to campus on their designated day.

More details about this event will be sent home to all students in the coming weeks.

Students will be assigned alphabetically to specific periods of time, and should either bring a lock for their locker, or come prepared to purchase a lock. Also, any student who owes money for textbooks will be required to make payment before being issued textbooks for 09-10.

Our FEET camp (Freshmen Entering Eagle Territory) will take place Saturday, August 15, from Noon - 3 pm.

Things are coming together. . .

Office Changes

Eagle Family,

Please welcome our Assistant Principals, who returned to campus July 21.

I want everyone to know where to find our AP's:

Our Curriculum Director, Mrs. Harris, can still be found in the front office.

Mr. Welch and Mrs. Yearwood will be handling our freshmen, and will be located in what used to be the Attendance office. This office will now be the Freshman AP Office.

Mrs. Frisch, Mrs. Gray, and Mr. Key will handle grades 10 - 12, each assigned to a segment of the alphabet. These three AP's will be located in the AP's Office by the commons area and cafeteria.

The Attendance Secretary and Truant Officer will now be located in the front office area, to your right as you come in the front entrance on the Trimmier side of campus.

Things are coming together!

100 Meter World Champ!

Ellison Eagle Prezel Hardy is in the news. Prezel ran last week at the World Youth Championships in Bressanone, Italy, and claimed the world title in the 100-meter dash. Congratulations on an amazing performance!

Click here to read the full story.

233 Years

Happy 4th, everyone!

The Ellison Family celebrates America's independence, and honors all who serve and have served our great nation to earn and preserve our freedom. Our thoughts and prayers are with our deployed troops, today and every day.

Phone Prefix Change

Eagles,

Be sure to make note that all KISD phone numbers now begin with 336, not 501 or 200.

Our front office: 254-336-0600.

Our New AP's

Ellison Family,

I am pleased to introduce you to our three new Assistant Principals:

*Joseph Welch, Assistant Principal at Copperas Cove Jr. High School.

*Susan Frisch, Assistant Principal at Liberty Hill Middle School.

*Jeremy Key, Biology Teacher/Head Boys' Soccer Coach at Harker Heights High School.

Each of our new AP's will bring unique talents to Ellison, and I know they will make a positive impact on our campus.

Go Eagles!

Welcome to the Blog!

Ellison Family,

What an honor it is to have the opportunity to serve as principal of Ellison High School. I look forward to a wonderful school year in 2009-2010.

I plan to update this blog often, and I hope it will help you stay informed and up to date.

Please feel free to leave comments.

Go Eagles!