Angel Tree Project 2018

Before & During your Black Friday Shopping, consider the Angel Tree Project with those "save later" coupons, whether to donate to the 1st grade team or with your own adoption.

Gateway Teacher Donates U.S. Flag for School's New Main Gymnasium

(Nov. 12) -- In conjunction with Veterans Day, Gateway's 4th grade math and science teacher, Tiffany Coleman, and her husband, Marcus, both veterans, donated a U.S. flag to be permanently hung in the school's new main gymnasium.

Ms. Coleman served in the U.S. Army as a 68D (Operating Room Specialist) from 2005 to 2014. She was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood (Missouri), Fort Sam Houston (San Antonio), Fort Jackson (South Carolina) and Fort Hood (Killeen). She was also attached to the 14th Combat Support Hospital in Fort Benning (Georgia).

Mr. Coleman served as a 19K (tanker) from 2001 to 2004. He was stationed at Fort Knox (Kentucky) and Fort Hood. He completed a combat tour in Iraq from 2003-2004.

The couple comes from a family of veterans. Both of their fathers honorably served in the Army and Tiffany's grandfather served in WWI and WWII. She said the couple has acquired many flags over the years. This flag has never flown, but was preserved in their family home since 2008. "We are honored that Gateway will be its final resting place, where it will proudly be displayed," she said.

In the photo holding the donated flag are representatives of the Boy Scouts and an Air Force auxiliary group at Gateway, along with Ms. Coleman and Head of School Ben Boorman. They include (from left) Garrick Knott, Oleg Dylla, Aidan Hartline, Ms. Coleman, Mr. Boorman, Carsten Gallini and Joseph Gaddy.

 Funds for New LED Vision Board for New Gym Being Sought

(Nov. 12) -- FUNDRAISING ALERT.....Orenda Education is attempting to raise monies to fund an LED video display board to be mounted in the new Main Gymnasium on the Gateway College Prep campus. Donations totaling $50,000 are required to purchase the 6.6 foot-tall by 11.48 foot-wide pixilated board and control system.

The LED board would enhance a K-12 school community experience by promoting all the activities that occur in the gym... from athletic events to pep rallies to fine arts performances to graduation exercises.

“We feel this is a great opportunity to showcase our students and our school environment to all who will view content on this state-of-the-art media tool, including students, families and visitors to the campus” said Tommy Turner, Director of Community Relations.

Turner said much of the content for the display board also would be created by students studying video production and broadcasting courses now offered at the secondary school level. The video board will need to be staffed during events and student volunteers would help in those roles.

Eventually, advertising space could be sold with revenue helping to underwrite a portion of the cost of the board. Multi-year contracts could be sold to larger advertisers or local businesses with smaller budgets could purchase digital announcements during a single athletic event, for example, Turner said.

Persons interested in making pledges or donations to this project should contact Mr. Turner at tommy.turner@orendaeducation.org or call 512-869-3020.

Gateway Earns "A" Grade From TEA

The Orenda Charter School District, which operates Gateway College Prep, is among the very few Central Texas school districts that received an “A” rating in overall performance by the Texas Education Agency’s new “A-F” grading system that was published August 15th.

Gateway College Prep enjoyed a “met standard” rating while earning 6 out of 7 distinctions. The one distinction missed was by one indicator, attendance. The school earned an overall score of 95.

School districts earned an “A” grade by “serving most students well, encouraging high academic achievement and/or appropriate academic growth for almost all students,” according to the TEA website.

District scores are based on three main indicators: “student achievement,” which is primarily based on standardized test performance and includes other measures like graduation rates for high schools; “school progress,” which compares test performance year-to-year and between comparable school districts; and “closing the gaps,” which includes performances in special groups of students based on socioeconomic status and other factors.

The only other surrounding independent school district earning an “A” rating was Round Rock ISD. Georgetown, Pflugerville and Leander ISDs all earned a “B” rating.