Featured News
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Transportation Department at Southside Teaches Students About Bus Safety
The Transportation Department at Southside ISD always views safety for our students as their number one priority. That’s why Transportation Director, Jesse Berlanda and Bus Driver Trainer, Corina Speer took a trip to Menchaca Early Childhood Center (MECC) to give a “Bus Safety” presentation to all PK3, PK4, and Kinder students. Students were able to learn about bus safety, emergency exits, and even did a practice evacuation. Students were able to board school buses to practice expectations on the bus: how to sit in the seats, buckling and unbuckling seat belts, voice levels, and more. The drivers, who are all trained in bus evacuation practices, showed the students how each exit can be opened and explained the importance of staying calm and following directions in the event of an emergency. “Of course, we hope our students never have to put any of those skills into practice, but it was a great experience for students who are usually car riders and have never been on the bus before,” said Brittany Vincent, Instructional Coach at MECC.
**Free Financial Literacy Workshop**
**Free Financial Literacy Workshop**
Free dinner and childcare
Each adult will receive a $25 HEB gift card for participation.
RSVP to reserve your spot! (Flyers will be sent home)
Menchaca Revitalizes Outdoor Learning Environment with Community Help
Longer days and warmer weather give us the chance to get outside and focus on creative ways to bond with loved ones and selflessly serve others. Menchaca Staff, students, family members, and other volunteers helped put together raised garden beds, cleaned and painted tires, moved soil, and planted bare root plants, seeds, and bulbs. We’re so grateful to Nurse Heather Siebert for spearheading this outdoor learning environment update and gardening opportunity for students. Help was provided by Nurse Stephanie Guerra, Receptionist Meranda Zapata and her daughter MECC student Arya, Receptionist Rebecca Llamas, Principal’s Secretary Veronica Davalos, Pre-K teacher Adrienne Ortiz, student Jonah Huerta and his mom. Dual Language teacher, Mrs. Vanessa Guerra-Ledesma and her husband spent the day carefully sanding and then painting the wooden spools to become tables.
Menchaca Nurse, Heather Siebert, Receives SISD Education Foundation Grant
After hearing about a similar program in a district near Houston, Nurse Heather Siebert, RN, BSN, NBCSN knew she had to bring something similar to Southside Independent School District and the young Cardinals at Menchaca Early Childhood Center. She applied for an innovation grant to have a teddy bear clinic. This teddy bear clinic will help our littlest Cardinals learn more about their bodies, how to keep their bodies safe and healthy, and what to do in case they (or a friend or family member) gets hurt. Remaining calm is key to responding to potential emergencies and the best way to keep calm is to have the knowledge and tools needed to respond.
Nurse Siebert says, “Emergency response in the Southside area can take precious minutes and anyone at any age can do something to help in those situations. Just because our students are young does not mean that they should be discounted to help themself or someone else. Age appropriate first aid can be the difference for our families.”
Superintendent Rolando Ramirez and Director of Communications and SISD Educational Foundation Executive Director Sylvia Rincon, presented Nurse Siebert with the check for $1,837! We are immensely proud of Nurse Siebert and all she does for MECC!