A Message From Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney, Superintendent

Disponible en: Español

Dear Aldine Community:

September is here, and our schools are abuzz with inspiring learning opportunities and experiences. Visiting campuses each week, I witness the magic happening in our classrooms. I meet with teachers and campus leaders who know their why for choosing this profession — our students. 

The State of Education

I recently participated in the 2024 Texas Tribune Festival’s State of Education Panel. The topics were broad, but at their core, the panel discussed how public schools face challenging times. Texas educators are making amazing strides in the face of lackluster school funding, increased expectations and classroom mandates, a constantly shifting accountability landscape, and student population growth — especially those living in poverty or still learning English. You wouldn’t know it by some narratives, but public schools are performing better than they have since student performance started being tracked. We acknowledge these challenges and are committed to continuous improvement, ensuring our students receive the best education possible.

For a glimpse of our students’ remarkable achievements, I invite you to revisit my previous message, which highlighted some of the academic milestones we celebrated at the beginning of the school year, such as the College Board National Recognition Scholars and our nearly 100 AP Scholars. If you seek more inspiring stories, our website is a treasure trove of narratives that will captivate you with the extraordinary feats of our students. 

More students are graduating from high school. Parent satisfaction with their local schools remains high despite low perceptions of public education across the country. School districts across Texas, including Aldine ISD, are expanding choice and innovation in campuses and courses to ensure students leave high school college- and career-ready. These positive developments, such as the increase in graduation rates and the expansion of innovative programs, fill us with pride and optimism for the future. And while we have made increments in state testing, we know we can do better, which is why we have set a new strategic plan to accelerate gains. We know we must get it right for students each and every day — they depend on us to get it right.

State of the District and Thorne Stadium Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

We celebrated our State of the District Breakfast late last month at our newly renovated W.W. Thorne Stadium. Over 250 state leaders, business and community partners, higher education entities, and philanthropic organizations attended the event. Thank you to everyone who joined us to learn about all the great things happening in Aldine. And thank you to the W.W. Thorne family members who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony. We hope we made Mr. Aldine proud with the state-of-the-art stadium!

High School Football

What a start to the football season! Eisenhower, Nimitz, and MacArthur all won their first games! I hope to see you at our games, supporting our student-athletes, cheerleaders, and performing arts students who are giving outstanding half-time performances. Remember, all ticket sales are online. Click here to see the game schedule.

School Culture

September is School Attendance Awareness Month. Daily school attendance is a powerful catalyst for students’ growth. By fostering consistent high attendance, we can enhance students’ participation and open up a world of life opportunities for all. Click here to learn how you can make a difference.

Open House

Several of our schools have already held open house events, and others will be held this week and in the coming weeks. We hope you can attend your students’ open house to see what is happening in classrooms and all the opportunities we offer students. Your participation in these events is crucial to fostering community and involvement in our schools.

College Night

We are dedicated to helping students take the next steps beyond high school. From offering dual credit courses and programs like the University of Texas OnRamps, SAT preparation, or Career and Technical Education, we provide a wide array of college, career, and military readiness opportunities. It includes our annual College Night. I urge middle and high school students to attend the college fair set for Monday, September 30. We will have over 100 higher education and military representatives. And if you get hungry, we’ve got you covered, too. There will be food trucks on site. Click here for details and a list of institutions.

Follow Us

Before I close, I must shout out to all the staff and students wearing their college colors on #CollegeWearMondays! Even our parents are participating! I love seeing the color and college-going spirit in our schools, and what a great conversation starter to have with students about dreaming big and that anything is possible in their future. 

You have heard me repeatedly state that it takes a village to support our students. Thank you to the East Aldine Management District for showcasing our valedictorians and salutatorians at MacArthur High School and Avalos P-TECH School on a billboard! Thank you for taking that extra step to show your support for students. 

And I want to thank a special group of partners: our grandparents. Grandparents Day was Sunday, September 8. On a recent visit to Spence Elementary, I met several of our students’ grandparents. It made me miss my papa and Bigmama who raised me. Grandparents are truly a blessing, and I am so proud that our district celebrates grandparents! To our grandparents, thank you for the #AldineImpact you make.

Visit our website, AldineISD.org, to stay informed about the latest district news, and follow us on social media. We also encourage you to share your experiences and feedback with us. Your voice is important in our journey towards continuous improvement. 

With Aldine Pride,

Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney
Superintendent of Schools