Royal Junior High hosts 2023 Falcon Health Fair

Royal Junior High hosted the 2023 Falcon Health Fair Feb. 27. About 130 people attended, with booths staffed by the following organizations and departments:

• Brookshire Youth Sports League
• Katy YMCA
• Mission Education
• Next Level Urgent Care
• Royal Boys & Girls Club
• Royal Culture & Well-being
• Royal Health Science
• Royal Health Services
• Royal ISD Administration
• Royal Nutrition Services
• Royal Police Department
• Royal Sports Medicine
• Royal Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC)

Royal Junior High students named as finalists, alternate to 2023 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo art competition

Four Royal ISD Junior High art students were named as finalists and one student was named as an alternate in the 2023 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo art competition. All are eighth graders at Royal Junior High. Meleny Arellano, Kayla Gaston, Emily Hernandez and Yazmin Trejo are the finalists and Ziara Kanu is the alternate.

Katy ISD to offer commercial driver’s license program for students

Beginning next fall, Katy ISD will offer a commercial driver’s license (CDL) student training and licensing program to rising 11th grade students turning 18 and interested in obtaining their commercial driver’s license. This new program is in partnership with Katy ISD’s Raines Academy and Rio Grande Valley Services LLC.

“With access to one of the world’s largest ports serving the region, the state of Texas and the United States, along with multiple warehouses in the Katy area, this program is an excellent opportunity for our students to explore this lucrative career locally,” said Katy ISD Superintendent Ken Gregorski. “Through this partnership, Katy ISD will be providing students with free training that can lead to job opportunities after graduation and will ultimately assist with the current supply needs across the country.”

The district will host CDL informational programs across its high school campuses this month.

• March 29: 8:30 a.m. Mayde Creek High School; 11 a.m., Morton Ranch High School, and 1 p.m., Taylor High School.
• March 30: 8:30 a.m. Jordan High School; 11 a.m. Seven Lakes High School, and 1 p.m., Tompkins High School.
• March 31: 8:30 a.m., Paetow High School; 11 a.m., Katy High School, and 1 p.m. Cinco Ranch High School.

The average salary for a truck driver is $81,999 per year, according to the employment website Indeed. The Raines Academy CDL program will provide training and licensing for Class A (no additional endorsement) or Class A with a Class B Passenger/School Bus Endorsement.

Local students selected for collegiate dean’s lists

College student from the Katy area have been selected for dean’s lists at these colleges:

• University of Minnesota-Twin Cities: Maya Albertin, a senior in the College of Liberal Arts; Kathleen Hand, a sophomore in the College of Design; Heather McMasters a junior in the College of Liberal Arts, and Kaitlyn Rayos, a freshman in the College of Liberal Arts.
• University of Wyoming: Savannah F. Garcia.

Board of Trustees approve additional holiday for staff

Katy school trustees, at their Feb. 27 meeting, voted to update the 2022-2023 Instructional Calendar to provide staff members with an additional paid holiday on April 10. This was previously a professional development day for staff and was already a student holiday. With the approved change, both students and staff will enjoy a four-day Easter weekend. Visit the website, the abbreviated URL for which is bit.ly/3KX7GkM.