Priddy Year in Review for 2023-2024
What are some highlights you’re most proud of from the past school year?
Priddy Independent School District has enjoyed its best year in a very long time! We have made great strides by focusing on our four top priorities: 1) Successful Students; 2) Strong Staff; 3) Satisfied Stakeholders; and 4) Serious Stewardship. Here are some highlights from our year in review.
Successful Students: Academics
The ten graduates in the Priddy Class of 2024 secured an impressive $170,000 in college scholarships. Two PHS graduates are headed to the Marines, and the others are committed to college or trade school to pursue careers such as health care, diesel mechanics, and business management.
The PISD dual credit program has experienced remarkable growth, with 15 students completing 23 college courses this spring, compared to just 2 students completing 2 courses last fall.
PHS seniors achieved a perfect 100% pass rate on all 5 STAAR End of Course Exams, positioning them for academic excellence in high school and beyond. Preliminary 2023-24 EOC and STAAR data for grades is promising, with perfect passing rates in several areas.
College entrance exam progress soared this year, from two high school students who had fulfilled all Texas Success Initiative (TSI) assessment criteria in the fall to a remarkable cohort of 14 fully complete (passing all three TSI sections) and an additional 14 partially complete (successfully passing one or more TSI assessments) for college entrance exams.
At the District High School Academic UIL competition, 26 of Priddy’s 40 high school students competed, with 15 moving on to Regionals and one making it to State. All19 of the Priddy junior high students participated in the Middle School Academic UIL district meet, and all of them secured placements in one or more events. At the elementary level, 25 students competed in 30 Academic UIL contests, earning a total of 47 awards.
Seniors had the opportunity to practice essential life skills across various subjects. In senior math, students used a grocery ad from Swartz’s Grocery to create a budget, plan a menu, shop for ingredients, and cook family-sized meals from scratch. In senior English, they learned to fill out job applications, write resumes, and compose college entrance and scholarship essays. In Government and Economics, their end-of-year projects involved researching "side gigs" to earn extra income as they transitioned to college, careers, or military pursuits.
Successful Students: Agriculture Programs and FFA
In the academic year 2023-24, the Priddy welding program continued its legacy of excellence, with 9 students achieving the esteemed American Welding Society (AWS) welding certification. This accomplishment reaffirms the district’s commitment to producing highly skilled welders who meet and exceed industry standards.
In Ag Mechanics, Priddy students competed in 10 Ag Mechanics shows. 30 Priddy students competed in the Mills County Show. Priddy Ag Mechanics earned:
Overall Grand Champion at the Texas State Fair in Dallas and the Mills County Show
Overall Reserve Grand at Kerrville and San Marcos
5 Division Championships
Showmanship Group Award
The Priddy FFA chapter sent officers to the FFA State Convention in Dallas, provided color guard ceremonies for Priddy Convocation, participated in multiple Leadership Development Events (LDEs) and vocational-related Career Development Events (CDEs) throughout the year, and participated in fundraisers and appreciation events to strengthen community connections.
In Animal Science, Priddy students competed and won in multiple state and local livestock shows, including hosting and competing in the Priddy Local Show. Priddy students won “best of” awards in multiple species under the banners of Priddy FFA, Priddy Jr. FFA, and Mills County 4H.
Successful Students: Athletics
This year marked the Pirates’ second season to offer football. Priddy competed in the 6-man Outlaw League, a precursor to the official UIL competition, and intentionally selected a more challenging schedule to ramp up to tougher competition that lies ahead. Next year, the Pirates will join the official UIL 1A Six-Man Football district play.
The Pirate Cross Country team participated in 8 invitational meets, with the Girls Cross Country Team securing 1st place at the district meet and finishing 5th at the Regional Meet.
In basketball, the Priddy girls finished 2nd in UIL District play with a 10-2 record, won the bi-district playoff game to reach the UIL Area tournament, and received numerous District honors, including District Co-MVP, District Newcomer of the Year, two 1st Team All-District honors, and one 2nd Team All-District selection. The Priddy boys' team, although falling short in district play, is set to return many starters next year, having lost only two seniors.
In tennis, Priddy athletes achieved multiple 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishes at two Waco Tournaments. At the UIL District meet, 16 players competed, with 8 advancing to UIL Regionals. The Girls team finished 1st overall at UIL District, with notable Regional 3rd place finishes by the Girls' Doubles and Mixed Doubles teams.
The Priddy track team set numerous personal records and sent 9 athletes to the Regional UIL Track meet, showcasing promising contenders for next year.
The Pirate golf team, featuring many young, new players, saw the girls' team win at the UIL District Golf and advance to UIL Regionals.
Successful Students: Fine Arts and Technology
All Priddy elementary students enjoyed music classes with the talented music instructors. Along the way, they developed essential social skills, embraced good citizenship, and promoted wellness and kindness. Priddy 3rd-5th graders not only learned to read music but also mastered playing recorders, ukuleles, and hand bells.
Junior high and high school students had the remarkable opportunity to take instrument lessons and perform in a stage band directed by the owner of a popular music studio in Comanche. This outstanding program offered students the chance to explore a variety of instruments, including guitar, steel guitar, bass guitar, dobro, mandolin, fiddle, ukulele, vocals, keyboard, and other strings and percussion instruments, fostering their musical talents and broadening their artistic horizons.
Priddy ISD offered high school technology courses this year. The district’s technology director/teacher is participating in an intensive professional development experience through ESC 12 to allow the district to offer more intensive computer science, coding, robotics, and other STEM-related courses in the future.
Strong Staff: Commitment to Continuous Improvement
Behind Priddy students' success stands a powerhouse team of educators, staff members, and board members. Ag Mechanics Teacher, Landon Buffe, was selected as one of the top eight rural educators in Texas as a state finalist for Texas Rural Educator of the Year by the Texas Rural Education Association (TREA). Secondary teacher Dean Peters and elementary teacher Pam Naglieri advanced to the TASA Regional Teacher of the Year competition after earning district honors. Cheyanne Benningfield was honored as District Paraprofessional Teacher of the Year.
The PISD Board Trustees and Superintendent have collectively invested over 150 hours in board training this year, with 3 individuals attending the prestigious TASB Board Governance Camp. The Board and Superintendent recently developed 5-year goals focused on supporting personalized professional growth for each staff member to ensure the PISD team remains strong over time.
Priddy ISD proudly secured a prestigious Texas Education Agency LASO Strong Foundations Grant worth $254,000. This substantial funding will enhance Priddy’s K-5 reading and math programs through new teaching materials, comprehensive teacher support, and professional development, reinforcing our commitment to educational excellence.
The Priddy Child Nutrition Department has demonstrated exemplary performance this year. This team of 2 ladies prepared and served an average of 80 breakfasts and 100 lunches daily, equaling a total of approximately 30,420 meals between August 2023-May 2024, while earning a 100% score from the Health Department and passing a three-year Texas Department of Agriculture audit.
Satisfied Stakeholders: Community Engagement
PISD reopened the campus to allow families to be more engaged in their children’s school experiences. Activities included Friday lunch dates with families, the annual community Thanksgiving feast, Grandparents Day lunch, and other parent events.
This spring, PISD proudly launched the Superintendent’s Advisory Council, featuring 15 outstanding student leaders from grades K-12. These remarkable students organized and led a community meeting, coordinated an impactful Teacher Appreciation Week, and spearheaded several wellness activities, showcasing their leadership and commitment to our school community.
The Priddy chapter of the National Honor Society experienced significant growth, expanding from 3 members to 12 by the end of the year. Additionally, members and sponsors successfully established a chapter of the National Junior Honor Society, inducting two middle school members. Their meaningful service projects included supporting the Mills County Food Drive, coordinating Red Ribbon Week, distributing weekly food care packs to families in need, organizing the elementary field day, and engaging in personal community service initiatives.
Priddy resident Debra Niemann developed a partnership to allow Priddy students to get a library card from the Jenie Trent Dew Library. About every two weeks, Mrs. Niemann, who is a JTD library board member, comes to lunch to check books in and out on campus. Mrs. Niemann also brings fresh books as needed. Even though this project did not officially launch until later in the year, students checked out and read a total of 262 books from Mrs. Niemann’s book cart.
Serious Stewardship
After implementing numerous new business and financial practices, the district was thrilled to receive an unmodified opinion with no material findings in its financial audit report this year. Engaging in a total of 10 routine or voluntary external audits, the district made significant strides in enhancing fiscal integrity, data reporting, special programs, safety measures, academic standards, and various other critical aspects of school operations.
Priddy accomplished another significant improvement in its ongoing series of enhancements with the completion of a new field house and bleachers at the Priddy Sports Complex. This practical addition, funded by bond initiatives, reflects Priddy’s commitment to providing quality facilities for our students and community. The district celebrated this achievement with a memorable ground-breaking ceremony in the fall, followed by a community-invited 'Blessing of the Building' event.
PISD used the district’s allotment of “windmill money” to pay for free lunch for all students and staff and to begin a replacement cycle for the district’s aging HVAC units to ensure comfortable learning environments.
Priddy has benefitted from being awarded three TEA safety grants this year worth over half a million dollars, allowing the district to make significant improvements to safety infrastructure on campus.
Priddy provided free high-quality PreK program area for 3- and 4-year-olds, regardless of economic eligibility status, and extended this opportunity to transfer students as space allowed. Priddy continued to provide free transportation for all in-district and transfer students where possible.
Thanks to the generous support of our community, PISD was delighted to resume offering field trips this year. Highlights included a PreK trip to Glen Rose to learn about dinosaurs, a K-2 visit to a trampoline park, 6th graders engaging in the county soil science and leadership activities at the Tarleton Research Station, 7th and 8th graders venturing to San Saba, 10th and 11th graders experiencing the Holocaust Museum in Dallas, seniors enjoying the famed 6666 Ranch, and a senior trip to Florida. We look forward to planning more trips for the upcoming year.
What do you think are the most important issues for public education right now, and how is your school district addressing them?
As we reflect on this incredible year of blessings and look forward to the future of Priddy ISD, our school district remains firm in its commitment to delivering a high-quality, well-rounded education that prepares students for success. One of the most important issues we face is staying focused on our commitment to our children amidst increasing politics and information wars, especially as we get closer to the November elections.
Even with these challenges, our small, rural school has focused on helping students think critically and solve problems. We aim to graduate students who are ready for success in a changing world, with a strong emphasis on academic achievement and personal responsibility. In Priddy's close-knit community, students receive the attention they need to excel both academically and personally.
However, dealing with complex political issues has been tough, especially when it comes to funding. Much-needed funds have been held up in political arguments at the state level, making it hard for us to give our staff the raises they need to keep up with living costs. To deal with this, we have had to get creative with fundraising, grants, and other ways to ensure continuous improvement. Despite these hurdles, our determination remains strong, supported by the unwavering commitment of our parents, community members, alumni, and board members.
At Priddy, we want to be part of the solution. Recognizing how important it is for schools and families to work together, we have been working on better communication with our families and community members. We are improving our website and developing a mobile app so families can easily get the latest information. Strengthening this partnership through regular communication, family activities, and community events is part of our promise to partner with families to support our students' education.
As we navigate these challenging times, Priddy ISD remains dedicated to upholding our core values, with an emphasis on academics, participation, individual and group responsibility, good manners, work ethic, problem-solving, and patriotism. Teaching good citizenship is a cornerstone of our daily interactions with students. These efforts contribute to maintaining a safe and positive learning environment. Staying true to this simple focus amidst these complex times ensures another successful year ahead, brimming with blessings and opportunities.
What are you most excited about for the upcoming 2024-25 school year?
We are thrilled to elevate our achievements to new heights in the upcoming 2024-25 school year. Our staff eagerly anticipates a fresh focus on professional learning, where collaboration with Priddy team members, instructional coaches from ESC 12, and educators from neighboring districts promises to invigorate and inspire. Our staff finds it refreshing to engage in learning opportunities. Additionally, our leadership team is expanding to include more support from teachers and staff members, which helps with making good decisions for our school.
Meanwhile, students are eagerly awaiting the introduction of new STEM courses, expanded opportunities for field trips, and participation in our new UIL alignment, including UIL football for the first time. Furthermore, there's a shared hope to revive the beloved tradition of One Act Play. As we eagerly prepare for the 2024-25 school year, it's incredible to realize how quickly time flies. Before we know it, we will be rolling into another year of growth and learning. With these exciting plans in motion, we will blink, and it will be time for school to start—a testament to our readiness and enthusiasm for the journey ahead.