Well, the RAS school year has begun with a bang. Last year we ended the school year with an enrollment of 97 students and we ended with an enrollment of 92. This year we have begun with an enrollment of 109 students.

Our first grade teacher is Kathy Rodriguez. She is returning from last year. Our second grade teacher is Joanna Gendke. When our enrollment began to soar just before school commenced, the RAS board had to act quickly. Mrs. Gendke was hired the day before school commenced. She comes to us from Fort Worth where she had been teaching pre school. Our third grade teacher is familiar. Mrs. Dominguez has been teaching here for the past 4 years. In the fourth grade we have Elizabeth Bartell. She had been teaching second grade until she decided she needed to be promoted to the fourth grade. Our fifth and sixth grade classes are combined under the tutelage of Sharon Hanlon. She and her husband have come to us from Alamosa, Colorado. Our seventh and eighth grade teacher is also new this year. Roymond (pronounced Raymond) taught in the Adventist school in Tyler last year. He shares the ninth grade with Stephan Gray who also is principal. We have an outstanding staff.

Along with the new teachers comes a new curriculum for the seventh and eighth grade called AE21 (Adventist Education for the 21^st Century). It will be presented using video conferencing technology from Orlando Florida (that's full duplex video and audio for you techies speaking Techese). More about that another time. God has blessed our school and board with the able leadership of Loney Duncan. The RAS board consists of parents and concerned stakeholders bent upon making our school the best it can be.

S. Gray

Front Page