Congratulations to the Abilene High and Cooper High School bands, each receiving a Division One rating Monday night at the University Interscholastic League (UIL) East Zone Marching Contest at Shotwell Stadium. Both bands will now advance to the area contest set for Saturday, Oct. 28, at Lowrey Field in Lubbock. This is the fourth year in a row that both bands have advanced to the area round of competition. Beginning this fall, all bands can advance to the state contest. The UIL has moved away from the every-other-year model that has been in place since 1992.

The AISD Memorial Park honors the memory of deceased AISD students and staff who honorably served in the United States Armed Forces. The park is located on the grounds of Dyess Elementary School and includes a Memorial Wall commemorating the names of those who served and have passed away. If you want to nominate a loved one for memorialization on the district’s Memorial Wall, please click here to submit their information. If you would like to search the AISD database for the 77 veterans that already have their names etched onto the wall, click here.

Fine Arts Roundup: The Clack Middle School band will host its Halloween Concert on Tuesday, Oct. 24, from 6-7 p.m. at the Clack gymnasium. Those in attendance are invited to take their lawn chairs into the show, titled Spooktacular. … That same night, the Mann Middle School band will host its Fall Concert from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Mann Auditorium, while the Clack Orchestra will host its Fall Concert from 7:30-9 p.m. at the Cooper Auditorium. … The Craig Middle School Fall Theatre Show is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 26, from 7-8 p.m. at Craig Middle School. … The Abilene High School band was joined in the stands at Shotwell Stadium by its two middle school feeder bands – Craig and Mann – on Middle School Band Night last Friday night for the Eagles’ game against Lubbock Cooper.

Cooper High School will host a Mini Cheer Camp on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 9-11 a.m. at the Cooper Gymnastics Gym. The camp is open to all kindergarten through fifth grade students. The cost is $30 per child and includes a T-shirt if the form is returned today (Friday, Oct. 20) with payment. Campers will perform on the field during the first quarter of the Cougars’ home football game on Friday, Nov. 3.

Ortiz Elementary School will host its first Trunk or Treat on Monday, Oct. 30, from 5:30-7 p.m. in the circle drive in front of the school at 2550 Vogel Street. If you can donate a bag of candy, please drop it off in the front office at Ortiz by Friday, Oct. 27.

The Cooper Cougars will be back at Shotwell Stadium tonight (Friday, Oct. 20) when they host Plainview in a key District 2-5A Division II game set for a 7 p.m. kickoff. The Cougars enter the game at 2-5 overall but 1-1 in district play after a big 28-21 road win last Friday at Amarillo Palo Duro. Four teams in the district are tied with 1-1 league records with three weeks left in the regular season, leaving all four playoff spots from the district still up for grabs. Plainview is 5-2 overall and 1-1 in the district after a 41-12 win last week against Lubbock High. The Bulldogs are coached by former Cooper assistant coach Johnathon Haddock, who spent three seasons as the Cougars’ offensive coordinator before he was named the Plainview head coach. You can watch and listen to Cooper’s game against Plainview here or here.

The Abilene High Eagles can clinch no worse than a tie for the District 2-5A Division I championship Friday afternoon if they can knock off Lubbock Coronado at Lowrey Field in Lubbock. The game is set for a 4 p.m. kickoff because Lubbock High hosts Wylie at 8 p.m. Friday at Lowrey Field. The Eagles enter their game against the Mustangs at 6-2 overall and 4-0 in the district, coming off a thrilling 38-35 win over Lubbock Cooper last Friday night at Shotwell Stadium. Dylan Slack threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Ryland Bradford with five seconds left in the game to give the Eagles the heart-stopping win. If the Eagles win their final two games of the season – Friday afternoon at Coronado and next Friday night against Amarillo High at Shotwell Stadium – they will clinch the program’s first district title since 2016. The Mustangs are 2-5 and 1-2 in the league, coming off a 66-14 loss last Friday at Amarillo High. You can watch and listen to Abilene High’s game against Lubbock Coronado here or listen to the AISD audio here.

Suppose you’re looking for a way to get into shape, shed a few extra pounds, or just a place to work out. In that case, AISD’s insurance provider – BlueCross BlueShield of Texas – is offering a special deal that eliminates the $19 enrollment fee for new members who sign up for its Fitness Program in October. Members will be asked to enter a coupon code OCTOBERWAIVED at checkout to qualify for the waived fee. The Fitness Program offers four flexible gym options from $19 to $99, convenience, and access to a nationwide network of participating facilities so members can work out whether traveling, at home, or work:

  • Members can select a plan option that suits their lifestyle based on location and facility access.
  • Once they join, they’ll have access to all locations within the purchased plan and in any of the lower-priced options.
  • Access thousands of digital fitness videos and live classes through an online platform, including cardio, boot camp, barre, yoga, and more. Digital access is included with Base, Core, Power, and Elite memberships.

For more information on enrolling in the program, please see the flyer here.

Congratulations to Abilene High women’s soccer head coach Tiffany Van Hoose, one of 30 nationwide coaches selected by the United Soccer Coaches Association to be part of the 2023-24 Class of the 30 Under 30 Program. The class features 30 individuals chosen from a pool of over 270 applicants. Launched in 2013, the 30 Under 30 Program is a year-long education and mentorship opportunity designed to support up-and-coming members of the coaching profession who are 30 years of age or younger. Each member of the 30 Under 30 Program receives an educational scholarship that provides registrations for the United Soccer Coaches Convention and an Advanced Diploma course of the coach’s choosing. Additionally, members of the 30 Under 30 Program are matched with peer coaches and mentors to work on a year-long project that will be presented at a future convention. Last year, in her first season as the Lady Eagles head coach, Van Hoose led AHS to an 18-4-2 overall mark and a District 4-5A championship with a 10-1-1 record. The Lady Eagles went four rounds deep in the Class 5A state playoffs and was voted the district’s Coach of the Year.

Abilene ISD Sports Roundup: The Abilene High School boys’ and girls’ cross country teams and one individual runner from the Cooper High School girls’ team will compete Monday, Oct. 23, in the Region I-5A championship meet at Mae Simmons Park in Lubbock. The girls’ race will begin at 9 a.m., followed by the boys at 9:30 a.m. On the same course, the AHS boys won the District 4-5A championship last Thursday (Oct. 12), and the AHS girls were second at Mae Simmons Park. Cooper’s Lila Murillo finished seventh (20:31.56) to qualify for the Region I-5A championship meet as an individual. The AHS girls qualified for the state championship meet last year for the first time since 1999 and only the fifth time in program history (1992, 1995, 1996, and 1999 are the other times). The AHS boys have never qualified for the state championship meet. … The Abilene High and Cooper volleyball teams are closing out their regular seasons over the next five days, and the Lady Eagles secured their spot in the postseason for a second straight season with a 3-0 win Tuesday at Lubbock Coronado. The Eagles are locked in as the No. 3 seed out District 4-5A behind Lubbock Cooper (10-0) and Wylie (9-1). AHS will close out the regular season Friday at 5 p.m. when it hosts Lubbock Cooper at Eagle Gym. … The Lady Coogs beat Lubbock Monterey Tuesday night, 3-2, at Cougar Gym to stay alive in the playoff race. Cooper is in sixth place in the league standings with two matches left (Friday at last-place Lubbock High and next Tuesday at home against Lubbock Coronado). If Cooper wins out to finish 4-8 in the district, Monterey loses its final match (vs. Lubbock High on Tuesday) to finish 4-8, and Coronado loses its final two matches (at Wylie on Friday and at Cooper next Tuesday), that will leave Cooper and Monterey tied for fourth, resulting in a one-match playoff at a neutral site to determine the district’s No. 4 seed.

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

Friday, Nov. 3 – End of 2nd grading period (early release)
Monday, Nov. 6 – Beginning of 3rd grading period
Monday, Nov. 20-Friday, Nov. 24 – Thanksgiving break
Friday, Dec. 22 – End of 3rd grading period (early release)
Monday, Dec. 25-Monday, Jan. 8 – Winter break
Monday, Jan. 8 – AISD Staff Work Day
Tuesday, Jan. 9 – Beginning of 4th grading period
Monday, Jan. 15 – MLK holiday (AISD closed)
Friday, Feb. 16 – End of 4th grading period (early release)
Monday, Feb. 19 – Student holiday / Staff Professional Development
Tuesday, Feb. 20 – Beginning of 5th grading period
Monday, March 11-Friday, March 15 – Spring Break
Friday, March 29 – Good Friday (AISD closed)
Sunday, March 31 – Easter
Monday, April 1 – Easter holiday (AISD closed)
Friday, April 5 – End of 5th grading period (early release)
Monday, April 8 – Beginning of 6th grading period
Sunday, May 19 – Baccalaureate Services, First Baptist Church
Thursday, May 23 – End of 2023-24 school year (early release)
Friday, May 24 – Abilene High graduation ceremony, Shotwell Stadium
Saturday, May 25 – ATEMS and Cooper High School graduation ceremonies, Shotwell Stadium