Volume 4, Issue 1 - 8/21/26
Volume 4, Issue 1: 8/21/26
Greetings Bulldogs! Happy Friday.
Welcome to the Bulldog Bulletin, also known as the Superintendent’s Blog. This message goes out to all of our families every two weeks to share important information and updates regarding Thorndale ISD.
As I enter my fourth year in the district, I am so proud of the amazing things this community has accomplished leading into this school year. A new high school, historic academic success, positive climate and culture, remarkably low staff turnover, and much more! Not only that, but you can sense the positive vibes and that the best is yet to come!
I am so thankful at the start of every school year to see so many friendly and familiar faces. That being said, we have some new families joining TISD, so I would like to take a moment to reintroduce myself.
My name is Zack Kleypas, and I am the proud Superintendent of Thorndale ISD.
I am excited for this 2026-27 school year, and I am very optimistic about the great things we can accomplish together. Thorndale is a very special place with a rich tradition of success. We are known for our small-town feel, where everybody knows everybody, but if we have not met yet, please do not hesitate to come say hello if you see me.
Before arriving in Thorndale, I was the High School principal just 40 minutes away at Pflugerville High School and Park Crest Middle School before that. Before becoming an administrator, I was a high school math teacher.
My family is very important to me, and you will see them near my side at games, events, and other school functions. My wife Kayla is the 3rd-grade math teacher at the elementary school, and we have 5 children: Madelyn (17 years old), Jaxson (8 years old), Easton (6 years old), Harrison (5 years old), and Kennedy (1 year old).
As both a Superintendent and a parent, I realize that communication is very important between the school and families. Thus, please stay connected to important information in each issue of the Superintendent’s Blog, and feel free to reach out to me anytime at Zack.Kleypas@Thorndale.txed.net
Welcome Back!:
What a great start to the school year! I saw smiles and hugs, handshakes and high fives. One of my favorite things about a “small town” school is the connections kids make with one another and their teachers and staff.
As I walked through the halls, cafeterias, and classrooms, it almost felt like we never left for summer break. High schoolers were eagerly looking for friends in their new cafeteria, middle schoolers were enjoying their “new-to-them” building, while preK kiddos were giggling as they shared silly stories with new friends and faces.
It never ceases to amaze me just how lucky we are in Thorndale ISD to have such great kids!
Afternoon PreK-3rd Grade Pick Up Line Logistics Recommendation:
From Tuesday to Friday, the pick up line has moved drastically faster and smoother! We shaved 11 minutes off from Tuesday to Wednesday, then 2 more minutes from Wednesday to Thursday.
Thank you for your patience and your help with that.
The one area of concern I have is cars queuing in the 79 turn lane. With so many kiddos to pick up, it's hard to avoid. However, an easy solution is to join the pick up line by going down either N. Cornelius (behind CEFCO) or down Quinn from N. Main. From there, we can stack more cars down Quinn street and avoid dangerous areas. If you find yourself waiting on 79 to turn in, I would like to provide the recommendation (pictured below) of turning into CEFCO and moving through the parking lot towards N. Cornelius. From there, you will have a safer area to wait for the cars ahead of you to move forward.
How Did We Do - Feedback Wanted?:
We would LOVE it if you would take just a moment to provide us with some feedback. The form allows you to share GOOD things and areas we can improve. Plus, it is anonymous, so you don't have to worry about hurting anyone's feelings. The principals and I will look over this feedback in the coming days so we can continue to improve our systems and processes.
Please use this link: First Week of School Feedback
TISD A-F Rating Accountability Scores:
You may be seeing a lot of other districts' posts about their accountability scores (A-F ratings) for their district and campuses.
Thorndale will soon be excited to share our results but has held off because we are currently awaiting an update to an error in the scores of the high school campus. TEA has acknowledged that they did not update our data from our resubmit, which in turn negatively impacted the rating of the high school, and thus the whole district. Once they factor in that data, both the high school and the district will go up!
In addition, we received a message just the other day that some of the English exams that are graded by Artificial Intelligence (AI) were regraded by humans (they use human graders to “check” the work of AI). Their message said that at least one, if not more, students will receive higher grades after the human checks (pretty frustrating), and this too could positively impact our ratings.
Nonetheless, according to the representative with TEA, we should know by the end of next week what our final, official A-F ratings are, and I look forward to making a specific post to share the growth we have seen as a district!
TISD 25-26 State of the District Magazine:
We hope that every family was able to grab a copy of our annual Thorndale ISD State of the District magazine at open house. We are so thankful for our supporting sponsors who helped us generate enough funds to provide every family with 1 FREE copy of the magazine. If you did not get one, or know someone in the community who would like one, please send them to the central office building to grab their FREE copy.
2025-26 TISD District Magazine
Bond Phase 2 Updates:
By now, I hope you have had a chance to see the new high school and how the bond dollars were used there. If not, please reach out, and we would love to give you a tour!
Moving along to phase 2, I wanted to provide some progress photos. We are in the midst of heavy construction, so it is messy, but things are starting to take shape:
- Playground: the elementary playground took on a huge transformation. We have not one but TWO new playscapes that are fully covered and complete (see pictures below). In addition, we repainted the perfectly good swing set poles and have refreshed them with new swings. New sod has been planted in both the playscape area and the open field (area where the 5th grade portables used to be), which will be used for soccer, football, and all other field-related playing. These spaces are great additions to the covered pavilion that houses basketball and courts and 4-square.
- Connection Hallway: The area between the Upper and Lower Elementary is being heavily prepped for the connection hallway. Deep holes have been dug and concrete and repair pillars have been poured to create stability for the slab of the hallway.
- Parking Lot: The groundwork has been completed for the parking lot area. Since we are keeping that a construction parking and equipment zone, they will hold off laying the asphalt until the entire project gets closer to completion. We appreciate that so that heavy equipment and construction vehicles don’t damage it accidentally. Lastly, in this area will be the new awnings that will stretch the majority of the building and to the MS gym. Those materials have longer lead times and will be one of the final pieces to be installed.
- Front Office & Special Education Rooms: The walls are all up, and doors and rooms have been completely reconfigured. In fact, quite a bit of new drywall is in, and spaces are really taking shape. They will continue to finish the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing, and then close in the ceilings and walls. It is exciting to see the new front office/entry and upgraded special education spaces take form.
NEW - TREE Foundation Education Grant (Student Version):
Did you know your child can write a grant to the Thorndale Education Foundation for consideration during the 26-27 school year? How cool is that! If your child is passionate about something we could purchase to make their classroom or their campus even better, here is their chance!
Here is more info:
Stay Connected through the TISD Website:
Have you visited the TISD website recently? If not, you may be missing out on lots of helpful information. Even if you have, the website was given a huge refresh last year and looks great, so please take a second to check it out!
If you have trouble finding any of your favorite items from the website, feel free to use the “popular links” or the search bar as seen below:
Further down, you will find upcoming events and resources for current or potential new families:
2026-27 TISD Sports Schedules:
With fall sports gearing up for another season, stay up to date with all of the games and schedules on our website here: Thorndale ISD - Athletics
TISD Social Media - Communication & Student Recognitions:
I wanted to take a moment to remind you of our many TISD social media accounts. Please take a second to see if there are any you want to follow.
Parent Square App:
Parent Square is a big part of our communication at this school. One way to help parents organize the messages is to download the free app!
How to Download Parent Square - Espanol
If you have any trouble, please simply email Lindsay.Franklin@thorndale.txed.net
Thorndale ISD Community Involvement Program:
Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at Thorndale ISD?
The Thorndale ISD Community Involvement Program offers community members the opportunity to learn more about our schools through campus tours, classroom visits, conversations with district leadership, and a closer look at the programs shaping the future of TISD.
Participants will:
- Tour TISD campuses and facilities
- Meet campus and district administrators
- Observe classroom instruction
- Receive updates on current bond projects
- Learn about the future of Thorndale ISD
Application Deadline: September 1, 2026
Meeting Dates:
- October 7
- December 9
- February 24
- April 14
8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Scan the QR code on the flyer to apply or visit Community Involvement Application
We look forward to welcoming another group of community members who want to learn more about Thorndale ISD and the work taking place across our district.
District Academic Advisory Committee (DAAC):
Our Community Involvement Program isn’t our only way to get involved.
Want to get involved, but can’t make meetings during the day? I might have the perfect spot for you. We are looking for interested parents, community members, or business representatives to serve on our DAAC committee alongside our teachers and staff.
The purpose of this committee is to review District & Campus annual improvement plans, accountability & Title 1 campus status, discuss the annual district calendar, and much more!
This committee will meet approximately 4 times per year in the early evenings. Meeting dates are TBA, but if you are interested, please email me at Zack.Kleypas@Thorndale.txed.net by Friday, September 11th, 2026.
Note: Whether you are an expert on public education or don’t know a thing… This committee is open to anyone interested!
Previous Bulldog Bulletins - Superintendent’s Blogs:
In case you missed out on the 25-26 Superintendent’s blog and want to look back at any issue, here is where you can find them: Thorndale ISD - Bulldog Bulletin - Supt Blog
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Most sincerely,
Zack Kleypas
Superintendent
Thorndale ISD
#TISDStrivingForExcellence
“Keep improving, always, in all ways.”