Athens ISD

Attention local subcontractors: Athens ISD’s 2025 Bond Program is moving forward, and Jackson Construction is building a bidders list for interested subcontractors. To be added, please email your company information to [bids@jacksonconstruction.com](mailto:bids@jacksonconstruction.com) and include your company name, primary contact information and scope of work. For questions about the bidders list, contact Bryan Parma, VP of pre-construction at Jackson Construction, at 903-469-9272. Bid documents for the Early Childhood Center and High School Additions & Renovations will be released May 25 and posted in plan rooms, the local paper, and at jacksonconstruction.com/bidding-projects/

🙌 A big Hornet congratulations to our newest Distinguished Alumni & Athletic Hall of Fame inductees! Approximately 135 people attended the induction banquet at Athens Country Club Thursday night, making it the largest such event the district has held to date. Pictured (from left) are Dan Dwelle, honored for his longtime leadership in community journalism and banking; Tommy Frizzell, honored for his standout Athens football career and accomplishments at Louisiana State University; Seth Murphy, honored for excellence in golf as both a competitor and instructor; Quinton Johnson, honored for his achievements in theater, film, music and production; and Superintendent Dr. Janie Sims. Earlier that day, Quinton also took the time to meet with students at AHS and AMS to share his experience in the performing arts. Once a Hornet, always a Hornet!

🥎 The Lady Hornets take on Sulphur Springs in the Area round! It's a best-of-three series at Edgewood High School. Game 1 is Wednesday, April 29, at 6pm; game 2 is Thursday, April 30, at 6pm; and game 3, if needed, will be Friday, May 1, at 6pm. Tickets are $5 for adults & $3 for students. Let’s cheer on our Lady Hornets in person as they continue their playoff run! #HornetNation

⚾️ The Hornets are headed to the Bi-District Championship! Athens takes on Spring Hill in a best-of-three series at Mike Carter Field in Tyler. Game 1 is this Thursday, April 30, 7pm, with Athens as the visitor. Game 2 is Friday, May 1, 7pm, with Athens as the home team. Game 3, if needed, will be Saturday, May 2, 1pm at Canton High Field. Tickets are available online only. Adults are $7 & children are $4. All passes will be accepted. Let’s support our guys! Tickets: https://fan.hudl.com/usa/tx/parkway-tyler/organization/192970/tyler-independent-sc/tickets

🏅Hooray! Liam Tinsley is the UIL 4A Region 2 Champion in Informative Speaking. After a long day of competition in one of the toughest regions in the state, the Athens High School junior earned the top honor and advances to the state competition at the University of Texas on May 18 & 19. Congratulations, Liam! We're proud of you. 🐝

🥎 BI-DISTRICT CHAMPS! The Lady Hornets brought the energy tonight in front of a packed house, shutting out Henderson with a 3-0 win to advance to the next round of playoffs. Information on round two to come. 👏 #HornetNation

Help the Class of 2026 raise funds for their Last Blast event by getting your vehicle washed! They'll be waiting for you this Saturday, April 18, from 9am-3pm at 1114 E. Tyler Street in Athens (First State Bank Tyler Street Branch). You'll have a sparkling ride AND help our students raise money for their senior activities. #HornetNation

Attention student athletes & families! Join us Tuesday, April 28, at 7pm in the large lecture hall for a free college recruiting seminar with guest speaker Todd Kelly. It's a great chance to learn more about the recruiting process, scholarships, eligibility, how to connect with college coaches and more. We hope to see you there! #HornetNation

🎉 Several AISD teachers were thrilled Friday to learn they are new designees in the district’s Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) program. In its second year at AISD, the locally developed plan recognizes high-performing reading/language arts and math teachers (in qualifying grade levels) based on classroom excellence and student growth. TIA is a state initiative that provides substantial financial incentives to qualifying educators. Pictured seated are new designees, as well as three who moved up a designation level. They are (from left) Jordan Carnes of Athens Middle School (moved from Exemplary level to Master level), Chantelle Allen of Central Athens Elementary (moved from Recognized level to Exemplary level), Angie Davis of South Athens Elementary (moved from Recognized level to Exemplary level), Spencer Hill of AMS (Exemplary level), Chera Gandy of CAE (Exemplary level), Christi Barnes of CAE (Master level), Heather Williams of CAE (Exemplary level), Sarah Willy of AMS (Recognized level), Sandy Howard of Bel Air Elementary (Recognized level) and Karla Rodriguez of BAE (Recognized level). Those standing are educators who earned their TIA designation prior to this school year. They are (from left) Amanda Huffer of Athens High School (Exemplary level), Polly Williams of CAE (Recognized level), Timothy VanOrden of AMS (Exemplary level), Edward Medvecky of AHS (Master level), Kelly Cohen of AMS (Exemplary level), Kaitlin Buchholtz of AHS (Exemplary level), Sherri Cole of AMS (Recognized level), Gary Barnes of AHS (Recognized level), Courtney York of BAE (Exemplary level) and Melanie Brown of CAE (Master level).

🐭 Get ready for a fun night on Bruce Field for our students. There will be a district-wide showing of the move "Ratatouille" on Friday, April 17. Gates open at 6pm, with games and craft tables on hand until the movie starts at 7:15. Admission is free, snacks will be available for purchase, and free popcorn will be provided by Weinstein Law. High school students may attend on their own, but all other students must have a parent or guardian present. Bring something to be comfortable for the movie (blankets, pillows, beach chairs), your own covered drink, and come enjoy the movie with us. If it rains, we'll move into the gym by the horseshoe parking lot. Don't miss it! #HornetNation

Athens High School seniors (from left) Yahir Garcia-Castaneda, Miguel Landaverde and Carolyn Randall stand with Athens Police Chief Chad Allen at Tuesday’s weekly Kiwanis Club meeting. The students shared a bit about their experience as members of the high school bowling team. Chief Allen spoke to Kiwanians about one of his passion projects: The Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) for Special Olympics. The fundraiser run will take place Wednesday, April 22, starting at 10am. It will start and finish at TVCC. Community members are encouraged to stand in front of Kiwanis Park area on South Prairieville Street and cheer on participants. Some Special Olympic athletes will be present as well. The event is part of a statewide effort to raise awareness and funding for Special Olympics Texas. All donations go directly to support athletes through training, coaching, equipment, facilities and transportation. To donate, visit  
https://www.classy.org/give/692802/#!/donation/checkout

🌱 A big shoutout to our AHS Key Club students for spending time at the East Texas Arboretum Dream Garden helping with spring cleanup. They helped get the garden ready for the influx of spring visitors. We love seeing our students serve the community and show what leadership looks like beyond the classroom. Thank you to advisor Gisselle Penny and these amazing students for representing AHS so well: Zaria Thomas, Jasmine Good, Valentina Campa, Geraldine Nieto, Annastasia Cummings, Laura Munoz, Yarely Pinedo, Katy Silva, Yareisi Segura, Starlette Johnson and Josue Govea. 👏 #HornetNation

Athens ISD is very proud to be hosting a regional meeting of superintendents today where State Rep. Trent Ashby is discussing legislative issues facing public education. Rep. Ashby, who recently won the Republican nomination for Senate District 3, was an instrumental member of the House Education Committee in the most recent legislative session and is passionate about the importance of supporting public education.

🙌 A big congratulations to all members of the AHS UIL academic team for an outstanding showing at this weekend’s district competition. We had 37 students competing across 21 events. Our Number Sense team brought home first place with every member advancing to region, including Kobe Calloway (third), Gage Stasko (fourth), Gaden Riquelme (fifth), and Devin Bushman (sixth). As a team, Athens earned third place overall in academic sweepstakes and second place in speech team sweepstakes. In speaking events, Liam Tinsley placed third and qualified for region, while Caleb Burks (fourth) and Kraven Parker (fourth) will serve as alternates. Our Calculator Applications team placed second with Gaden Riquelme earning second individually and Olivia Silva placing fifth, and our General Math team also finished second with Gaden Riquelme (second) and Gage Stasko (sixth). In writing events, Jasmine Good placed fourth in Editorial Writing and sixth in Feature, News and Ready Writing, while Ariel Silas placed fourth in Ready Writing. Best of luck to our regional qualifiers! They compete April 25 at East Texas A&M University in Commerce for a chance to advance to state.

💪 Two more strong finishes on the state stage for our Hornets! Senior Brandon Casas (left) placed 13th at the Texas High School Powerlifting Association state meet, setting personal records in the squat (645) and deadlift (500) and finishing with a total of 1,630 pounds across three lifts. Senior Jose Rincon placed 15th, setting personal records in all three lifts, squat (630), bench press (430), and deadlift (515), for a total of 1,575 pounds. Thank you, Brandon and Jose, for the way you’ve represented #HornetNation 🐝

❤️ We can't help but brag on these two homegrown Hornet leaders. Brothers Devon (left) and Desmond Bowie are proud AHS graduates from the class of 2011 and were part of the record-setting 2010 varsity football team that advanced to the fourth round of the playoffs. After graduating college, both returned to Hornet Nation in 2016, and we’ve been fortunate to have them serving our students ever since as coaches and classroom teachers. Des is in his first school year serving as co-girls athletic coordinator and head girls basketball coach, as well as being an assistant football coach. We're also excited to share that Von will serve in the upcoming school year as an administrative intern at Athens High School, taking on the responsibilities of an assistant principal while continuing to be an assistant coach for football and boys basketball. The Bowies are a great example of the dedication and heart that make Athens ISD the educational heart of East Texas. If you know them, share some love in the comments. 🐝 #HornetNation

🎭 The cast and crew of the Athens Creates Theatre program (ACT) spent the day in Brownsboro preparing for the UIL 4A District 15 One-Act Play competition taking place there tomorrow! Our talented thespians will be performing The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man by Tom Wright—the reimagined story of Joseph Merrick, known as “The Elephant Man,” who searches for acceptance in industrial London. Break a leg, Hornets; you’ve got this! 🙌