Westhoff ISD celebrates end of pivotal year

• Representatives from Westhoff ISD gifted the DeWitt County Commissioners with “gold” shovels, which were signed by their students in preparation for the groundbreaking of the FM 240 re-route. Due to the Memorial Day holiday, the regular Commissioners Court meeting is rescheduled for Thursday, May 30 at 9 a.m.
• Students signatures on shovel heads. (Staff Photos)
• A kindergartener receives his award certificate while a loved-one records the event.

Families gathered Thursday at the Westhoff campus to celebrate the time-honored moving on of the eighth graders to high school and the growth of each student for the year. It was a pivotal year for the district with the changing personnel as well as funding of a long-awaited FM-240 re-routing.

In February, longtime superintendent David Kennedy resigned, and in March, Interim Superintendent Jim Stansberry came onboard. Stansberry is a retired superintendent, who came back to help districts like Westhoff update their curriculum, programs and procedures.

“We have a wonderful board,” Stansberry said. “They always ask how we can make the district better.”

At the ceremony new Board President Andrew Weikel shared his pride in the work of the students. District Coordinator Dustin Kenne described what he will miss about each 8th grader: from the “What? I’m innocent” facial expressions to extended “look it” games with a student breaking out of his shell to the over-excited hand waves of girls who persisted until he noticed them, Kenne said he was proud of them all.

Kenne announced that the PTC Spring Festival had earned $41,000 that year as its only fundraiser. He said though big changes occurred this year, “We’ll survive, we’ll thrive, and it’s a great day to be a Warrior.”

Speeches from Salutatorian Carter Collins and Valedictorian Destiny Gonzalez thanked their teachers, families and fellow students for supporting them.

Ten-year anniversaries for three ancillary staff were celebrated: Crystal Alvarez, Victoria Licon and Christina Wright. And Diana Gwodz retired from teaching after 24 years with Westhoff, 30 years total. She received an appreciative standing ovation.

Before the awarding of certificates for each student, the whole student body sang the Bob Marley classic, “Don’t Worry About a Thing,” while loved ones captured the moment on smart phones throughout the audience.