Shelby County Today

May 8, 2017 Nacogdoches — Puzzling looks situate on their faces as an unfamiliar teacher begins speaking Arabic. As words flow from her mouth, the students fall deeper into confusion. Scanning the worksheet, they see symbols that bear no meaning to them.

For a day, Stephen F. Austin State University students discovered what it was like being an English language learner, immigrant and refugee student during an immersive trip to Las Americas Middle School in Houston.

“I stepped into the students’ shoes,” said John Singleton, SFA junior music education major from Houston. “The teacher gave us an assignment in Arabic, and being an English speaker, I didn't know what it was. It made me think, ‘Wow, this is what immigrants and refugees go through.’ It changed my perspective on teaching in a lot of ways.”

This semester, Dr. Mary Catherine Breen, associate professor of secondary education and educational leadership at SFA, brought her students enrolled in a disciplinary literacy course to Las Americas Middle School to learn about immigrant and refugee students and their quest for English proficiency.

“This experience broadens students’ perspectives. No matter where our students teach, they will have English learners in their classrooms,” Breen said. “There are federal protections for the education of immigrant and refugee students as well as native-born English learners. It is important for our students to learn about the individual students who are afforded opportunity by these laws — not just the laws themselves.”

Las Americas Middle School is a newcomer campus that educates recent immigrant and refugee students who have no or limited English language proficiency and who often have had limited formal education in their native countries. More than 35 countries, including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Burma, Guatemala and Somalia, and more than 30 languages, including Hindi, Swahili, Spanish and Persian, are represented at the school.

During their visit, SFA students learn about the school and how it differentiates in language-proficiency levels. SFA students spend time in the classrooms working with students who have varying levels of language proficiency on different subjects.

“When our students meet the students at Las Americas and the teachers who serve them, it personalizes the subjects we learn in the classroom,” Breen said. “While language diversity is increasing in the East Texas region, most English learners here are native Spanish speakers. At Las Americas, there are many countries and languages represented. Our students often think you have to speak the students’ languages to teach them; this isn’t the case.”

A social worker who works exclusively with immigrant and refugee students shared her experiences. For example, the social worker has spent time overseas in refugee camps and in countries where many of Las Americas’ students are from in order to gain awareness of the students’ backgrounds. She explained how trauma affects physical, mental and cognitive development and ways she works with teachers to meet students’ needs in the classrooms.

“SFA students learn about the individual students and their experiences. I can tell them about immigrant and refugee students and teaching students who are learning English, but it becomes very real when they see a campus of more than 250 students who represent this unique population,” Breen said.

SFA students not only experienced urban education while visiting Las Americas, they also heard stories from students from all over the world about their home countries, why they left, their journey to America and their experiences here.

“Las Americas is a beautiful program. It changed my perspective of refugees,” Singleton said. “I never knew the things they go through. When they tell you their stories, you need a box of tissues because it is phenomenal. The fact that the teachers are trying to actually help the students and do all that is necessary to help them progress is beautiful.”

Breen said SFA students learn a variety of lessons while on the trip, such as different methods for teaching a student whose language they don’t share; federal, state and community resources for these students; and methods for helping students who have experienced trauma and the psychology behind how this can affect learning.

May 7, 2017 - City and School Elections were held Saturday, May 6, 2017 across Shelby County with the following unofficial results: (results will not be official until they have been canvased by their City Council or School Board of Trustees)

City of Joaquin

Mayor
Bill Baker (Incumbent) - 50 votes (25 early voting, 25 election day)
Pat Gray - 82 votes (36 early voting, 46 election day)

Two (2) At large City Council Position
Joseph Long (Incumbent) - 55 votes (25 early voting, 30 election day)
Cathy Atkinson - 58 votes (26 early voting, 32 election day)
LeeVern Stotts Gilliam - 31 votes (21 early voting, 10 election day)
Mike Cummings Jr. - 75 votes (28 early voting, 47 election day)

Joaquin ISD (Three (3) Board of Trustee Postitions, 3-year terms)

Jimmy Hamilton (Incumbent) - 178 votes
J.M. Wilson - 105 votes
Chad Alford - 107 votes
Brandon Neal - 194 votes
Chrisco Bragg (Incumbent) - 183 votes
Tam Hearnsberger (Incumbent) - 209 votes

City of Tenaha (Three (3) City Council Positions, 2-year terms)

Craig Richard Gray - 68 votes (18 early voting, 50 election day) *Possible Run-off
Orinthia Johnson - 62 votes (16 early voting, 46 election day)
Natalie Harris (Incumbent) - 69 votes (16 early voting, 53 election day)
DeWayne Reese - 51 votes (13 early voting, 38 election day)
Durand Steadman - 96 votes (24 early voting, 72 election day)
Lee Gibbs - 68 votes (15 early voting, 53 election day) *Possible Run-off

• 120 votes for, 54 votes against - Local Option Election per Ordinance 2017-01-24-2 -- To Legalize: The Legal Sale of Beer and Wine for Off-Premises Consumption Only
• 68 votes for, 103 votes against - Local Option Election per Ordinance 2017-01-24-3 -- The Increase of the Municipal Sales and Use Tax in the City of Tenaha to a Rate of 2%

Note: This is an unofficial tabulation of results. Provisional ballots have not been considered in the totals listed above.   

Tenaha ISD (Two (2) Board of Trustee Positions)

Janice Barton - 75 votes (9 early voting, 66 election day)
Tracy Collins - 160 votes (28 early voting, 132 election day)
Vickie Jernigan (Incumbent) - 104 votes (28 early voting, 76 election day)

City of Timpson (Three (3) City Council Positions)

Tiffany Curtis Collins - 78 votes (26 early voting, 52 election day)
George Grace (Incumbent) - 63 votes (19 early voting, 44 election day)
Kyle Allen (Incumbent) - 74 votes (18 early voting, 56 election day)
Janell Baker (Incumbent) - 62 votes (17 early voting, 45 election day)
Charleston Johnson - 86 votes (30 early voting, 56 election day)

Total number of ballots cast - 146 (42 early voting, 104 election day)

Timpson ISD (Three (3) Board of Trustee Positions)

Steven Burgay - 138 votes (18 early voting, 120 election day)
Christopher Crockett - 81 votes (16 early voting, 65 election day)
Joyce Wolfe - 76 votes (11 early voting, 65 election day)
Brinson Stewart - 93 votes (13 early voting, 80 election day)

May 3, 2017 - The National Weather Service in Shreveport has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for south central Panola County in northeastern Texas, southeastern Rusk County in northeastern Texas, northern Nacogdoches County in eastern Texas, Shelby County in eastern Texas until 6PM CDT

At 435 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Trawick, or 10 miles north of Nacogdoches, moving east at 40 mph.

Hazard: 70 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail.

Source: radar indicated.

Impact: hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect considerable tree damage. Wind damage is also likely to Mobile homes, roofs, and outbuildings.

* Locations impacted include: Nacogdoches, Center, Tenaha, Timpson, Garrison, Joaquin, Patroon, Martinsville, Neuville, Trawick, Shelbyville, Douglass, Cushing, Appleby, Mount Enterprise, Huxley, Jericho, Stockman, Hurstown and James.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building.

May 3, 2017 - State Highway 7 West was the scene of a three-vehicle crash Wednesday, May 3, 2017 which occurred during inclement weather just under 3/4 of a mile from the Attoyac River bridge.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Keith Jones, at 9:50am a blue 2005 Jeep Cherokee Laredo driven by Kyemberley Kyersten Pea, 24, of Center was westbound with a minor female passenger, age 7, and a minor male passenger, age 1.

A white 2013 Dodge Ram 1500 driven by Terry Tyrone Buckley, 48, of Center was eastbound followed by a black 2009 Kia Rio driven by Jerry Lynn Sowell, 49, of Center when the Jeep hydroplaned into the eastbound traffic lanes and struck the Dodge. The Jeep was then struck on the passenger side by the Kia.

Emergency first responders worked together to help Pea get out of the Jeep. Sowell crawled from the Kia to a location away from the collision until EMS arrived and moved him to an ambulance.

The two minors received possible injuries due to the incident and were transported by ACE EMS to Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital in Nacogdoches with Pea who received non incapacitating injuries.

ACE EMS also transported Buckley and Nacogdoches EMS transported Sowell all to Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital for treatment of unknown injuries.

Pea was issued citations for unsafe speed, displaying expired registration, no insurance.

Initially responding to the scene were the West Shelby County Volunteer Fire Department, assisted by the Shelby County Sheriff's Department. Also arriving on scene were the Nacogdoches Fire Department, Swift-Shady Grove Volunteer Fire Department and Center Fire Department.