Superintendent: School year holds great promise despite COVID challenge

By Mark Estrada
LISD Superintendent

Our Lockhart Lions returned to school last week, and every member of our team was thrilled to welcome them back. This school year marks the return of 100% of our students on campus, and for so many, it was the first time in a year and a half that they got to see their friends after being distance learners since March 2020. Both students and teachers were radiating joy and excitement for what this year has in store for them.
As we return, we are ever mindful of the reality of the current situation with rising cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19, and we approach this year with a sense of urgency in our ongoing commitment to take measures to help keep our staff and students safe as well as protect the continuity of learning and services for our students. While the Governor’s executive order prohibits school districts from requiring masks, we do urge everyone to wear masks to help slow down the spread and keep people safe. Also, many of our local pharmacies are providing free COVID-19 vaccines for those who are interested and are 12 years of age and older. Additionally, you can get a free vaccine through the Caldwell County Office of Emergency Management at 1403 Blackjack Street in Lockhart. They are open from 8 am – 4 pm, 7 days a week. Those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult, and everyone must bring a form of ID.
We will continue to monitor the updates and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Office of the Governor, the Texas Department of State Health Services, and the Texas Education Agency. Additionally, we remain in close contact with our partners at the City of Lockhart and Caldwell County to track confirmed cases in our community and surrounding areas, sharing information and resources to benefit our community. If you wish to track confirmed cases in Lockhart ISD, you can do so through our LISD COVID-19 Dashboard, which is located under “Quicklinks” on the district website.
Working together, we are focused on helping each of our students accelerate their learning, holding high expectations for them to be “Locked on Excellence.” We are committed to enriching their whole child education with opportunities for art, music, physical education, nutritious meals, and social-emotional support, keeping in mind the importance of having a “LockHeart for People” during a time in which we are each faced with unique as well as shared sets of challenges. We are better positioned for success with new staffing and resources from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds from the federal government, prioritizing those funds in ways that align with the feedback we received from you in the Thoughtexchange earlier this year. Because of this, we are confident we will be “UnLocking Potential” in both our students and staff in bigger and bolder ways.
This year holds great promise, even as we face its challenges together. Thank you so much for your continued support of our teachers and staff. We are #LockhartLeading because of the partnership between the parents, community, and the school district, and we look forward to our next steps together.