On New Year’s Day, Mr. Xavier Broughton participated in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. He was one of 350 band directors from across the United States, Mexico, and Panama selected to perform as part of the Saluting America’s Band Directors Marching Band.
The Rose Parade was truly an experience of a lifetime for Mr. Broughton. “Being selected to march in the Band Directors Marching Band gave me an opportunity to dive in and become the band kid all over again,” he shared.
We’re excited to have Mr. Broughton bring his talent and passion to Alto beginning this summer as the new Band Director of the Mean Sting Marching Machine! 🐝🎶
A Jacksonville native and former NFL quarterback, Mr. McCown shared his journey from being a top national high school recruit to a four-year starter at Louisiana Tech, where he set multiple school and NCAA records. He was selected in the 4th round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns and went on to play for several teams, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he helped lead a division title run.
Mr. McCown connected his experiences to real-life lessons, encouraging our scholars to be serious, diligent, focused, disciplined, and resilient in the classroom and beyond. Thank you, Mr. McCown, for investing in our scholars and inspiring our Yellowjackets to strive for excellence! 💛🖤
Congratulations to Juan, Jenna, and Jaycee for achieving success on the TSI test! We are proud of the hard work these students have shown as they take important steps toward their future goals.
We would also like to recognize our Staff Member of the Week, Mrs. Tiffany Weatherford! Mrs. Weatherford has dedicated 22 years to teaching at Alto Elementary and brings an incredible passion to her classroom each day. She makes math exciting, holds students to high expectations, and inspires them to rise to the challenge. We are grateful for her commitment, energy, and impact on our students.
Congratulations to all of our honorees—thank you for making Alto Elementary such a special place to learn and grow! 🐝
We are so proud of these students for their hard work and commitment to excellence. Keep up the great work—you represent the best of AHS!
We also want to congratulate Mrs. Cates, our AHS Teacher of the Month for December. She was nominated by a colleague who shared: "Mrs. Cates is one of the most deserving teachers to receive this reward. I am sure it can be overlooked but everything we do is based on communication and understanding the English language. Every test we take, every professional email we send, every report we fill out is all thanks to an English teacher. She is wise, and she is always helpful." Thank you, Mrs. Cates, for supporting our students and helping them build skills that matter.
Mr. Cesar Lopez has already joined the program as Assistant Band Director. He is a 2020 graduate of AHS, a proud MSMM alum, and has been playing with the Prairie View A&M University Marching Storm Band. We are excited for the future of the Mean Sting Marching Machine! 🐝🎶.
The Yellowjacket basketball team helped with drop-off duty this morning, and our elementary students were thrilled to see them! 🐝🏀
Come support them tonight at home — JV Boys tip off at 5:00, with Varsity Girls and Varsity Boys to follow. Let’s pack the stands!
Join us for Substitute Orientation next Tuesday, January 13, at 1:00 PM.
Why substitute teach?
✔ Flexible schedule
✔ Meaningful work supporting our schools
✔ A great fit for parents, retirees, and those seeking flexibility
We’re looking for substitutes who are:
⭐ Firm and fair
⭐ Dependable and positive
⭐ Enjoy working with children and/or teens
For more information, contact Holli King at hking@alto.esc7.net or 936-858-7103.
There will be a mandatory parent meeting for all high school softball athletes and their parents on
🗓 Thursday, January 8
⏰ 6:00 PM
📍 Cafeteria
Important information for the upcoming season will be shared.
Here’s to new opportunities and continued success!
May your days be filled with joy, laughter, and time spent with the ones you love. Thank you for being such a special part of our Yellowjacket family—we’re grateful for our students, staff, families, and community!
Mean Sting-
Thank you for another GREAT week at Alto ISD!!☝️
I would like to share a few highlights of "Hard Work and Respect" from this week with you:
1. Alto Junior High Boys Basketball defeated Carlisle on Monday (50-12 Gold team and 24-0 Black team)!!🏀
2. Enrollment stays up at 525 students.⬆️
3. Alto Middle School students worked hard in completing our second round of Gold Standard testing in reading and math. 📚
4. Alto Elementary presented an excellent Christmas program to a packed house at Devonte Mumphrey Memorial Court last Thursday night. 🎄
5. Every Alto ISD student received a visit from Santa and were gifted with a "Hard Work and Respect" t-shirt for Christmas. Special thanks to Duplichain Contractors, Pearman Motor Company, Austin Bank, and Fredonia Graphics for helping us with very generous donations. 🧑🎄
It is always a great week to be a Jacket!!🐝
--
Derrick Conley
Superintendent
Alto ISD
🎄🧝♂️ Elf Academy was a hit! Families learned how to add fun to learning by transforming traditional games into educational activities. Along the way, they enjoyed refreshments, stories, and prizes—all while making great memories together.
A huge thank you to Mrs. Hammons for organizing this wonderful event, our community partners at Alto Family Medical Clinic and the Alto Police Department for lending a helping hand, and HM Photography for capturing all the festive fun with amazing photos! ❤️🎅📸
