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Volume 3, Issue 9 - 12/12/25
Volume 3, Issue 9: 12/12/25
Greetings Bulldogs! Happy Friday.
It is hard to believe we are only ONE WEEK away from the Christmas break.
With all of the elementary parties, middle school map testing, and high school midterms, please stay tuned to your campuses for information on next weeks schedules and how those events impact things.
Thorndale High School is an A Rated School!
As you have heard me say in many presentations, last year’s STAAR testing was incredible, and as a district, we improved in nearly every test. Additionally, the work to get students CCMR-ready went up as well.
That being said, in August, when we received the A-F ratings, we were shocked to see the high school rating DROPPED. With a bit of investigating and a ton of work in the background (thank you, Andie Warner and Becky Garcia), we were able to gather the necessary evidence to submit an appeal to TEA. The appeal was related to our documented CCMR rates and the discrepancies in TEAs report caused by our PEIMS data in Ascender.
Well, on Thursday, we finally received the verdict for our appeal.
I am overjoyed to share with you that for the first time in TISD history, we have an A (92) rated campus! Yep, that’s right, the 2025 official accountability score for Thorndale High School is a 92!!!
Theater Performance
Come see Thorndale ISD’s Theatre Arts performance of “It’s a Wonderful Life - A Life Radio Play” on Sunday, December 14th at 7pm in the TISD cafeteria. NOTE: The monday performance has been moved to during the school day due to an after school schedule conflict and to get more kiddos to see the performance.
TREE Foundation Grant Awards!
Please check out this awesome video of the joy shared by our education foundation as they awarded teachers from each campus with grants: TREE Foundation Grant Presentations 2025
TISD Bond Update:
Here are a couple of photos to give you a glimpse of the progress:
- Masonry work is going on as we speak. The majority of the building will be covered in brick to resemble our current campuses and tie in the current and the new. In addition to the brick work, there will be sections of metal to complement the large metal CTE building located on the South end of the building.
- All of the drivers, parking, and concrete walk ways are complete. The team is waiting for some of the heavy equipment to be complete before paving with asphalt to lower the risk of damage to the finished product.
- The internal framing is nearly complete. This really helps give shape and dimensions to each of the spaces from the classrooms, to offices, to the cafeteria, and more! You can really tell what this building is going to look and feel like!
- Dry wall is being installed and is nearly complete on one side of every classroom wall. Since the time of hte picture below, they are now insulating the walls and finishing up the electrical that runs through them.
TISD Alumni Spotlight:
December Alumni Spotlight: Trey Felton, Class of 1996
From State Champion to Air Force Captain to BBQ Legend
Thorndale ISD is proud to highlight Trey Felton, Class of 1996 — a Bulldog who has lived enough life for three people and still finds time to make jokes about his band days.
While Trey says he “played coronet and wasn’t very good,” he definitely made up for it elsewhere:
High School Highlights:
- UIL Physics: 1st Place State
- Cross Examination Debate: 3rd Place State
- Football: 1995–96 State Champion & First Team All-District Lineman
- Basketball: “Benchwarmer… but enthusiastic!”
- Golf: “Joined mostly to get out of school.”
- Baseball: Played all four years… then left during playoffs to join the military (and yes, the team won state after he left — he’ll tell you that part too!)
After TISD:
- U.S. Air Force Academy, Class of 2000
- MBA, Johns Hopkins University
- Pilot & Master Skydiver (D-22583)
- CISSP-certified Cybersecurity Professional
- Air Force Captain, 7 years Active Duty
- Assignments in Turkey, Germany, NSA, and MacDill AFB
- Worked at ERCOT managing IT Service Delivery
- Purchased Rodenbeck Farm & Ranch (2008)
- Opened Frank Felton BBQ–Butcher–Catering (2011)
- Acquired Catering by Mopsie in 2022
- Served two terms on the Thorndale ISD School Board
Trey speaks fondly of growing up in Thorndale — farmland, Friday nights, blue-collar grit, legendary Coach Don Cowan, and a tight group of teammates who played together from Pee Wee to back-to-back state championships.
In the classroom, he credits Linda Culp for sparking his love of science and Shirley Doherty for shaping his debate success.
Trey’s Advice to Today’s Bulldogs:
- “Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.”
- “Even the best plan won’t survive first contact with the enemy.”
- “Show up and work hard — people notice.”
- “Don’t shy away from dirty work. You’ll learn something every time.”
- “Use what you do have.”
- “Everyone starts on a different rung. Climb anyway.”
- “Stop trying to please everyone.”
- “Stay humble. Be gracious. Treat people with dignity.”
Trey also shares that he became a born-again Christian in 2022, a reminder that growth and transformation can happen at any stage of life.
A Bulldog Through and Through
From state titles to the Air Force, from cybersecurity to skydiving, and from ranching to running a thriving BBQ business, Trey represents the very best of Thorndale — hardworking, humble, community-minded, and always ready with a good story.
Thorndale ISD is proud to honor Trey Felton as one of our distinguished alumni.
To read more please visit - Alumni Stories
Nominate a TISD alumni for an upcoming highlight by scanning the QR code or visiting Nomination Form.
Girls Basketball:
Boys Basketball:
Thorndale Band Christmas Concert:
Recently,, we had several MS Band members go to Smithville and participate at the Region 18/26 All-Region Band Tryouts. There were approx. 600 students from 1A-4A feeders. We are very proud of everyone who participated and represented Thorndale ISD.
The following students made the Region Bands. They deserve a huge congratulations for a job well done!
- David Yanez - Trombone - Honors Band
- Brynn Robinson - Percussion - Honors Band
- Dylan Alfaro - Percussion - Honors Band
- Bridget Weber - Alto Sax - Symphonic Band
- Ava Vargas - Alto Sax - Symphonic Band
- Isabella Valdez - Clarinet - Concert Band
- Paul Melcher - Euphonium - Concert Band
- Enrique Martinez - Trumpet - First Alternate
Football Honors:
Cross Country Honors:
Previous Bulldog Bulletin’s - Superintendent’s Blogs:
In case you missed out on the 24-25 Superintendent’s blog and want to look back at any issue, here is where you can find them: Thorndale ISD website
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Most sincerely,
Zack Kleypas
Superintendent
Thorndale ISD
#TISDStrivingForExcellence
“Keep improving, always, in all ways.”