Vernon ISD

This week is School Counselor Appreciation Week and Vernon ISD would like to give a shoutout to our amazing counselors. These ladies care about both the students and staff on their campuses. They do an outstanding job of offering help when needed and on finding resources that can help our students be successful. A big THANK YOU TO: Ashley Bloom, McCord Elementary; Sierra Thomas, Vernon Elementary; Rachel Schur, Vernon Elementary & Middle School; Misti Dickerson, Middle School; and Sandra Kieschnick and Carol Taylor, High School.

Our Lions will square off against the Jackrabbits tonight in a District 7-3A game being played in Bowie. In the first round, these two teams went into overtime before Bowie managed to take the win. The game will begin at approximately 8 p.m., following the varsity girls' game. Tickets must be purchased online at https://events.hometownticketing.com/boxoffice/bowieisd/L2VtYmVkL2FsbA%3D%3D
Good luck Lions!!

Our Lady Lions are traveling to Bowie today for a District 7-3A game against the Lady Rabbits. This is the last road game of the season for the Lady Lions. The game will start at approximately 6:30 p.m., and tickets must be purchased online at https://events.hometownticketing.com/boxoffice/bowieisd/L2VtYmVkL2FsbA%3D%3D

📣 Vernon ISD Parent FYI — Progress Reports Are Coming!

It’s progress report time! BUT… did you know you don’t have to wait on progress reports to know how your child is doing?
Life gets busy, and sometimes a failing grade sneaks up on us before we know it. Don’t let that happen! Skyward can send daily progress reports, so you and your child can address concerns early — before it’s too late!
Help us help your child succeed! We appreciate your partnership and support!
Here’s how to set it up in Skyward:
Log in to Skyward
Go to Family Access
Click My Account
Scroll to Email Notifications
Check the box to receive grading emails for your student
Enter the grade minimum you want to be notified about (your choice)
You can also check the box to receive daily progress reports
Click Save

A quick setup today can prevent surprises later and helps everyone stay on track. ✔️

Let’s finish the grading period strong, Lions! 🦁

Our VES 2026 Yearbook is on sale now!! Yearbooks are $15, but that price goes up to $20 after Feb. 13.
Get your year of 2025-26 memories today!!

Two of our Vernon Lion wrestlers -- Bowie Eakin and Carlito Rodriguez -- are competing today and tomorrow in the Class 5A Region I Wrestling Tournament in Lubbock. Bowie will compete in the 165-pound class after taking second at district and Carlito will compete in the 175-pound class after finishing fourth at district. Two additional Vernon wrestlers -- Merrick Byars (126-pound class) and Isaiah Garcia (132-pound class) -- are alternates to the regional tournament and will find out today if they get to compete in the tournament.
Good luck to all of our Lion wrestlers!! We know you will make us proud!!

LOCATION CHANGE!!
Tomorrow's baseball scrimmage with Burkburnett has been moved from Jabe Brazzle Field to Chap Field on the campus of Vernon College. The start time will remain 4:30 p.m.

Some of our students dressed up today in celebration of our 100th day of school. Our 1st graders were tasked with getting 100 signatures from classmates and friends for their folder.

We celebrated the 100th day of school today!! Some of our students dressed up to celebrate the day, and in class the students played games and worked on artwork involving the number 100.

With UIL realignment comes a new football schedule with new opponents. The Lions' 2026 schedule has just four district games and those four opponents haven't changed -- Bowie, Boyd, Paradise, and Peaster. However, the non-district schedule is completely different, with the only holdover opponent from last year's non-district slate is City View. Vernon will be playing another team from last year's schedule, Iowa Park, but it will now be a non-district game, with the Hawks moving up to Class 4A. The 2026 meeting with the Hawks will be the 56th consecutive season for Vernon and Iowa Park to battle it out on the gridiron.
New teams filling out the non-district schedule include Mineral Wells, Wellington, Perryton, and Idalou.

Groundhog Day was Monday, but Wednesday was Shadowing Day for 57 Vernon High School seniors, as they visited local businesses and companies to get a taste of what a “day in the life” of someone working in their chosen career might look like. From bakers to welders and teachers to doctors, our students had the opportunity to follow local residents and see what happens during a regular work day. To find out more, including all the businesses that partnered with us on this project, please click on this link: https://www.vernonisd.org/article/2684119

Saturday is the day!!
Our VHS chapter of FCCLA is partnering with the Wilbarger Humane Society to host an adoption drive from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, in the United Supermarket parking lot. There are many animals in need of a loving home that are ready to meet their furever family. If you can't adopt right now, you can still be a part of the event. Supplies and monetary donations will be accepted. You can stop by the event and grab a wishlist of items the Humane Society needs, or you can scan QR code that will be onsite to make a direct donation.
Don't forget -- this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the United Supermarket!!

Last night our girls' basketball teams were recognized during halftime of the Lady Lions' game against Henrietta. Unfortunately, not all of our players were able to make it to the game, but those who were there were recognized at mid-court and took a picture with the Lady Lions. We look forward to seeing these ladies competing on the court at D.O. Fulton Gym in the future.

This week our kindergarten students wrapped up their unit on Serving Our Neighbors and Helping in the Community, and to close out that unit of study they gathered in the cafeteria Tuesday afternoon for a presentation from Vernon ISD's new Director of Safety and Security and McCord SRO, Lt. Autumn Thames. The officer talked to the students about her duties both as an SRO and as a policeman in the community. Lt. Thames showed them her bulletproof vest she wears whenever she's on duty, and explained what the vest does and why it is important. She also showed them the other equipment she carries including her radio, handcuffs, tourniquet, Taser, flashlight, and ammunition clips, and explained what those items are used for and why officers carry them. When it came to her weapon, Lt. Thames explained she could not remove it from the holster and she talked about gun safety.

A few weeks ago our fourth grade English Language Arts classes concluded Unit 5 in Bluebonnet Learning which included The American Revolution. Mrs. Inman's class celebrated competing the unit with a revolution-themed tea party. Some students dressed up in costumes depicting the late 1700s, and Mrs. Inman provided decorative teacups, plates, tablecloths, cookies, tea bags and sugar cubes. Each student received their own teacup and plate, and Mrs. Inman demonstrated proper tea etiquette, including how to hold a teacup and steep a tea bag before serving the tea. Students were also given two or three sugar cubes to sweeten their team. The tea party served as a meaningful way to reinforce the knowledge and understanding students gained through reading and studying the American Revolution.

Our McCord Students of the Month for January are Allayna Pryor, Pre-kindergarten; Olivia Hernandez, Kindergarten; Jumi Soe, 1st Grade; and Ezekiel Nino, Specials. Congratulations!! Keep up the excellent work!!

Congratulations!!!
The District -3A Cross Examination Debate Tournament was held recently at Holliday High School, and our students captured second place!! Six students make up the team, with the students broken into three duos to compete. Logan Luster and A.J. Ragland finished fifth, while Jacobi Pedigo and Grant Penter finished sixth, and Leah Mena and Emily Contreras finished seventh. The points each duo received were added together for the overall team score. We're very proud of all of them!!

After missing school four days due to winter weather, we know there have been some questions concerning the remainder of our 2025-26 school calendar. In the letter below, Vernon ISD Interim Supt. Dr. Blaise Boswell explains where the district currently stands on that issue..

Students in our Economics class were taught inflation and deflation using balloons in class on Monday. Each student had to draw a “piggy bank” to represent their savings while bread, gas and candy were on the other side. As they blew up the balloon, the bread, gas and candy grew in size and while the piggy also grew, the color diminished greatly - signifying the reduced value of money with inflation.
Finally, students went outside and were divided into groups. Each group had to keep a balloon above their heads for 25 touches. This signified financial planning and strategy, and the wind represented risk in the financial sector.

Our Lions will hit the court at D.O. Fulton tonight as they square off against the Henrietta Bearcats in a District 7-3A battle. The boys' game will begin at approximately 7:30 p.m., following the Lady Lions' game. Tickets must be purchased online at: https://www.vernonisd.org/page/ticket-purchases
Go Lions!! Trap the Bearcats!!