Lufkin ISD Superintendent Lynn Torres
There is nothing like a fresh box of crayons and the possibilities of a clean wide-ruled notepad. I love this time of year when everything is new, and everyone has a fresh start.
It’s time to start preparing for back to school. This will be my 48th and final year at Lufkin ISD, and with mixed emotions, I will attend a lot of “lasts” this year. Tuesday, Aug. 8, will be my last first day of school.
First things first, you must register your child online at lufkinisd.org whether your child is a new or returning student. This allows the district to prepare for all students who will be attending. On our website, you’ll see the dates and times for Meet the Teacher, dress code and school supplies, which, I’m happy to report, Lufkin ISD continues to provide a number of for free to students.
We had a very successful Meet the Bus event this past week at the Transportation Department, where students learned about bus safety and enjoyed tasty treats and door prizes. Parents were able to sign up their child to ride the bus and receive their SMART tag. The SMART tag system allows parents to view their children’s riding activity, current riding status (on bus, dropped off or has not ridden), manage text notifications and more.
It’s also time to sign up your child for after school care. Lufkin ISD offers the Texas ACE after school program that aims to improve academic performance/grades, school attendance, positive behavior and student engagement by providing students with a safe place to go during non-school hours for extended learning and enrichment activities. These services are free to parents. Space is limited, and the program begins Aug. 28.
Lufkin ISD is hosting a vaccination clinic from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday at Garrett Primary, 229 Leach St. Register on the Lufkin ISD website at lufkinisd.org. Vaccinations will be specifically available for PreK 4 going into kindergarten and sixth graders going into seventh grade; however, any student who needs to catch up on vaccinations is welcome to come.
With the beginning of school comes the beginning of football season. I’m already excited about being on the sidelines watching the marching band, drill team, cheerleaders and mascot rally on the Lufkin Panther football team. You’ll want to get your online season ticket renewals for Lufkin Panthers football scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Monday and continue through Aug. 4 . Go to the school’s website to access the ticketing system.
In-person season ticket renewals at the Lufkin ISD District Education Center, 701 N. First St., will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from July 31 to Aug. 4. Swap Day is scheduled for noon to 4 p.m. Aug. 7. New season ticket sales will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 8-11.
You also may purchase volleyball tickets online as the girls kick off their season Aug. 8 at the Panther Activity Center.
There is nothing better than watching our students be successful in whatever they choose to do, and at Lufkin ISD, there are a lot of options. I couldn’t be prouder to serve as the Lufkin ISD superintendent, and as a tribute to my favorite pop singer Prince, our theme this year will be a spin-off of his famous song “Purple Rain.” Our motto this year will be “Purple Will Reign” because we are determined to be successful and will “reign” in the new school year. See you Aug. 8.