Today, May 21, 2026, marks the end of the 2025-2026 school year for Lackland ISD. As students and staff prepare for a long summer, I want to thank everyone for their dedication, loyalty, and hard work throughout the school year. Students have experienced many triumphs academically and athletically and we are so very proud of you! We are proud of our students for their hard work and look forward to working with those who will be returning to Lackland ISD next school year. We also want to wish students who will not be returning next school year all the best in their new schools. We hope that you have fond memories and that we have taught you something that will help you along this journey called life. We are grateful for our parents who continue to serve our great country. We thank you for your service and your sacrifice.
A special shout out to the class of 2026! Whether you are enrolling in college, joining the workforce, or joining the Armed Forces, we wish you all the success you deserve. We are very proud of you!
We hope that everyone will have a restful, safe, and enjoyable summer. Please take care of yourselves and your family. We look forward to seeing you in the 2026-2027 school year!
Sincerely,
Dr. Burnie Roper
Superintendent of Schools
Lackland ISD is proud to announce the establishment of a new Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) unit located on the campus of Stacey Jr/Sr High School.
We are grateful to have partnered with John Jay High School TX-782 over the past five years to offer the AFJROTC program to students. This exciting milestone marks a significant opportunity for students to develop leadership skills, strengthen character, build confidence, and prepare for future success through one of the nation’s premier youth leadership programs while remaining on the Stacey Jr/Sr High campus.
The AFJROTC program at Stacey Jr/Sr High School will provide cadets with hands-on experiences in leadership development, citizenship, community service, aerospace education, and teamwork while fostering the core values of integrity, service, and excellence. Hosting our own AFJROTC unit will provide multiple benefits including a greater variety of course sections, increased opportunities for after-school activities, and more cohesive leadership with on-site instructors.
As the home of the United States Air Force Basic Military Training, JBSA-Lackland is uniquely positioned to support and inspire the next generation of leaders. The addition of an AFJROTC unit further strengthens the partnership between Lackland ISD, military families, and the surrounding community.
“We are excited to bring AFJROTC opportunities to our students,” said Dr. Burnie Roper, Superintendent of Schools. “This program will empower young people to grow academically, socially, and personally while creating pathways for college, careers, military service, and community leadership.”
The new unit is expected to begin serving students in the upcoming school year, with additional information regarding enrollment, program activities, and cadet opportunities to be announced soon.
Lackland ISD looks forward to celebrating this historic achievement and welcoming the inaugural class of AFJROTC cadets at Stacey Jr/Sr High School.
Around the District
26-27 School Year Registration Info
*Please complete this process promptly! Thank you!
Lackland ISD strongly desires parent engagement. You have an opportunity to share your voice and help us actualize our vision to ignite a passion for life-long learning and empower excellence. As you engage as a parent, we also invite your participation in campus and district-level committees. Below are the descriptions for these committees for your consideration. If you have additional questions, each committee’s point of contact is listed with the committee description.
Please read each description and share your interest in supporting the committee or learning more about it.
Lackland ISD continues to strive toward improving communication.
ParentSquare is a communication platform. Through the platform, you’ll be able to:
*Receive all district, school, and classroom communication via email, text, or app
*View the school and classroom calendar and RSVP for events
*Easily sign up to volunteer and/or bring items
*Securely receive important documents like report cards and other student documents
For the best ParentSquare experience, we recommend that you download and install the app. The name is ParentSquare, and it can easily be found in your device’s app store. If you don’t have a device, no need to worry: the platform is capable of both text and email, and you can log on via the web as well. ParentSquare receives its contact information from the Ascender Parent Portal. Please take a moment to make sure that you have the latest contact information on file there.
Parent Square Notifications
Under General Announcements, you can select how often you want to receive notifications for posts. Select Off, Instant or Digest notifications.
Off:no notifications about posts will be sent to you. Emergency Alerts and Notices will still be sent. School Alerts will still be sent if turned on.
Instant:you'll receive an email and/or text and/or an app notification every time a notice or message is sent.
Digest:you'll receive an email and/or text and/or an app notification once a day in the evening with all posts from that day.
The default setting is typically Digest, so that you receive all notices and post messages in one convenient notification once a day. All emergency notifications still come through instantly, and a school can override settings as needed for an urgent message.
Stacey Jr. / Sr. High
Congratulations Seniors!
State UIL Academics Meet
Senior Alex Sapp represented Stacey High School in the Computer Science event at UIL 2A State Academic Contest yesterday at the University of Texas at Austin!
To get to the State Meet, he placed 1st in the Computer Science event at the District Meet in March and then 1st place again at the Regional Meet in April.
At the State Meet Alex was up against 25 other competitors from throughout Texas and tied for 10th place in the individual contest!
If you see Alex today or tomorrow, please congratulate him on his accomplishments!
Many thanks go to his coach, Mr. Russell Keller, not only for coaching Alex and the Computer Science team, but also for all that he does for our UIL Academics program!
Virginia A. Stacey Jr/Sr High School Cross Country
What: Cross Country Running-Boys run a 5K and Girls run a 2-mile race over various terrains.
When: July 27th at 7AM
Where: High School Track
Who: ANYONE grades 9-12
We practice Monday-Friday*
*Incoming 9th and 11th grade students as well as new students will need a Physical before you can practice
The 8th graders took a trip to Skylark Bowling Center on May 18th to celebrate the end of middle school!
Senior Profile: Audrey Upton
by: Desiree Hernandez, senior
How long have you gone to school at Lackland?
I have been attending school at Lackland since 8th grade, so this is my fourth year here.
What clubs/sports did you participate in during high school?
I have been involved in a lot of activities at Stacey. I’ve participated in the Stacey golf team, Spirit Squad, Student Council, Student 2 Student, CyberPatriot, Yearbook, JROTC, Robotics, FCA, and HOSA, Student Officers, and NHS as well as outside of school I did competitive archery.
What are your plans after high school?
I will be enlisting in the United States Air Force and hope to pursue either Geospatial Intelligence, Aerospace Medical Services, or Loadmaster, but I’m still waiting to see which path is meant for me.
What was your favorite thing about Stacey?
My favorite thing about Stacey is how involved I’ve been in sports and extracurriculars. It gave me the opportunity to try a wide variety of activities that I don't think I would have tried without attending Stacey, as well as getting to kinda grow up and have some fun experiences with my best friend.
How are you feeling as your senior year is coming to an end?
Honestly, it’s starting to feel real, meaning there are definitely some nerves. Although I'm excited to graduate and move on, knowing I won’t be in the halls with my best friend and some of my favorite people anymore makes me sad.
What is something you wish you could tell your freshman self?
I would tell my freshman year self that even though it may feel like the world is ending sometimes, you just have to keep pushing forward, it will all be worth it in the end.
What would you say is your biggest accomplishment at Stacey?
My biggest accomplishment has been graduating early and becoming the Yearbook Editor-in-Chief. I worked really hard to get to this point, and I’m so glad I got to do it alongside my friends.
What is your favorite song of all time?
That’s a hard choice, but i would say ‘Willing and Able’ by Noah Kahan
Thank you, Audrey!
Senior Spotlight
Click spotlights to view enlarged post!
Lackland Elementary
5th Grade transition walk Congratulations!
Underground Spirit Week
Teachers and staff had so much fun last week in our "Underground" Spirit Week. A fun dress up week just for the adults, keeping a theme a little secret from the students 🙂
Glow Party Fun
4th grade food truck sales
Mrs. Smith’s class had a blast on party day with glitter bombs!!
Farewell 1st grade teacher Mr. Vaughn Franklin! Enjoy England!
5th grade with Mrs. Flores
Math Rocks Fact Fluency Initiative
The Air Force Band of the West concert was connected to the Math Rocks Fact Fluency Initiative that Mrs. Flores started at the beginning of the school year. Throughout the year, she collected and tracked data, collaborated with K–5 teachers, and supported the program as a voluntary campus initiative. Mrs. Flores also coordinated and organized the concert by writing and applying for the band to come perform for our students.
"I absolutely believe this initiative had a positive impact on students and may have supported their MAP growth, but the concert itself was the culminating celebration of the Math Rocks program and students’ progress with fact fluency." This project was something she put a lot of time, effort, and heart into throughout the year.
Library Scoop
Wow! It has been a big week! Students have enjoyed a puppet show with Goofy, Mickey, Minnie and Donald reminding them to look for their lost library books. Our fourth graders had fun helping to put the show on in the library! And we had a few sixth graders from Stacey Jr. High come in to check it out. Awesome!
Students that returned their library books enjoyed popcorn & play last week, and a few classes celebrated with their reward this week. Many of our classes have 100% of the students with a clear library account. Whoo hoo! I am grateful to our families and teachers that have encouraged students and helped them look for their books. We still have 33 books lost or damaged that need to be returned or paid for. Thank you for your support!
Please check out the flyer in this newsletter that shares some great summer reading options when the school doors close...Wonderful choices digitally or in person at our base library here at Lackland AFB. Happy reading! We look forward to hearing about your summer reading and your adventures in a few weeks....
Gifted and Talented
Spring
Dear Gifted and Talented Families,
Spring is always a season of energy and momentum, and our GT classrooms are no exception. As the year continues, students are diving deeper into complex thinking, meaningful discussions, and creative challenges that stretch their ideas in exciting ways.
Academically, learners are engaging in higher-level questioning, problem-solving, and opportunities that encourage them to analyze, evaluate, and create. We are intentionally designing experiences that allow students to think beyond the obvious, make connections across subjects, and defend their ideas with confidence.
Equally important is our continued focus on social-emotional growth. Gifted learners often experience learning intensely, and we are supporting them in building resilience, managing big feelings, and strengthening collaboration skills. Encouraging healthy risk-taking and embracing productive struggle remain important parts of their development.
You can continue supporting your child’s growth at home by:
• Asking thoughtful “why” and “how” questions that spark deeper conversations.
• Celebrating effort and perseverance, not just outcomes.
• Encouraging independent projects connected to their interests.
• Helping them reflect on both successes and setbacks as opportunities to grow.
Gifted education is not just about moving ahead—it’s about growing deeper. Together, we can continue creating experiences that challenge, inspire, and empower our students to reach their full potential.
Thank you for your continued partnership and support.
With appreciation,
LISD Gifted & Talented Service
Vickie Johnson
PTSO Corner
Important Information
Dear Families:
Happy May! Our names are Dawn Bluhm, MA CCC/SLP and Cindi Martinez MS CCC/SLP, and we are speech-language pathologists at Lackland ISD.
We are writing to let you know that May is National Speech-Language-Hearing Month. This is a time to raise awareness about speech and language disorders, which are among the most common disabilities that school-aged children experience. This is also a time to help all students, no matter how they communicate, to feel included in their school community.
More than 1 million children nationwide receive treatment services for speech and language disorders each year through the school system. Left unaddressed, speech and language disorders can affect a child’s academic and social success. Speech-language pathologists in schools work with children who have difficulties in the following areas:
Speech sounds—A child may substitute one sound for another, leave sounds out, add sounds, or change a sound. It may be hard for others to understand them.
Spoken language—A student may have trouble understanding what others are communicating to them and may have problems explaining what they are thinking or feeling.
Stuttering (fluency)—A child may get stuck on certain sounds or words. They also may have tension or negative feelings about talking. This tension can get in the way of how they talk to others.
Voice—A child may lose their voice frequently or use a hoarse or breathy voice. They may also speak with strain or effort.
Augmentative and alternative communication—A child may need to find other ways to communicate besides talking, such as using a picture board or a speech-generating device.
Whether or not your child has a speech and/or language disorder, it’s important for everyone to reflect on how we can be respectful and supportive to those who do. Encourage your child to give people time to get their message out, to focus on what a person is saying rather than how they’re saying it, and to never bully someone for how they communicate.
We wish you all success as we approach the end of the school year!
Mrs. Bluhm and Mrs. Martinez
Special Education Corner
Meet our Lackland ISD School Psychologists, Gentry Ghandour, Nancy Garcia, and Marisol Murphree! School psychologists are uniquely qualified members of school teams that support students' ability to learn and teachers' ability to teach. They apply expertise in mental health, learning, and behavior, to help children and youth succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. School psychologists partner with families, teachers, school administrators, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments that strengthen connections between home, school, and the community.
SUMMER is almost here!
If you're searching for things to have your children participate in, would like training, or need some respite, look at some of the following opportunities.
UTSA has a Behavior Buddy project offering FREE Autism Caregiver online training to help support early and limited vocal communication skills. Learn more at this link: https://www.abautsa.com/behaviorbuddy.html
Summer camp for Adults and Children with disabilities; Parents’ Night Out and Family Day-Out Programs, weekend respite winter and spring; for children with any type of disability; non-disabled siblings are welcome. Learn more about CAMP: https://campcamp.org/
Special Reach is a respite program that provides summer enrichment programs and after-school clubs where children with special needs, ages 6-18, can foster independence by building social skills, improve physical fitness, and developing healthy outlets for stress reduction through structured, fun activities. Kids and Teen Party Nights! 6:30-9:30 PM on Friday nights, siblings (6 years & older) are welcome. Learn more about Special Reach: http://www.specialreach.com/
AMC is proud to partner with the Autism Society to offer unique movie showings where we turn the lights up, and turn the sound down, so you can get up, dance, walk, shout or sing! Our Sensory Friendly Film program is available on the second and fourth Saturday (family-friendly) and Tuesday evenings (mature audiences) of every month. Please check your local theatre listings for specific showtimes, and don't forget to share your family fun with #AMCSensoryFriendly. Learn more about AMC's sensory friendly movie showings: https://www.amctheatres.com/programs/sensory-friendly-films
There is an Animal Botanical Special Needs Summer Camp. This multi-themed, five-day camp is for youth ages 7-19 with special needs. Animal Botanical activities include education on animals and plants living in the garden, crafts, recreation and music; camp activities take place in the Garden and the air- conditioned Auld House; weekly Saturday classes available. There are two camps available, one for ages 7-12 and the other ages 13-19. Hours are 9 a.m. till 1 p.m. Pricing for garden members is $172 and for non-garden members it’s $190. Register online. Learn more at: http://www.sabot.org/education/childrens-education/summer-camps-2/
