Dear Bobcat Families & Staff,

Spring is one of my favorite times of the year. It always gives a sense of renewal as flowers bloom and new crops grow. This time of the year is also extremely busy in the life of a school system. Our teachers are hard at work preparing our students for their upcoming STAAR assessments as well as the many activities that take place in and out of our schools. The STAAR test is just one indicator of the strength of a school, but it is one indicator we want to do well on. Our students and teachers have been working extremely hard all year to ensure that our students get the best instruction possible. Families, please encourage our students to do their very best when they take their STAAR assessments. Your child’s campus will keep you updated on the exact dates and times of their tests.

I am very proud of our students, coaches, and sponsors for excelling in extracurricular activities. I want to congratulate our 7th-grade girl's track team for bringing home 2nd place in the district track meet. They missed 1st place by only 3 points. I am very proud of all of our track athletes but I wanted to shout out this team for doing such a great job all year long. We also have several high school track athletes who have qualified for the Texas Relays in Austin and we wish them well at their meet. Another shout out goes to our UIL One Act Play team. They were awarded bi-district champions at their most recent One Act Play competition in Sealy, TX. The team is headed to the Area Meet in a few weeks. Keep your eye on the district website for more information. Finally, I want to congratulate our high school color guard team for winning Nationals at their most recent competition. The team won its second National Championship in the 15-16 Ensemble Category. Our students are representing Hempstead ISD well in all their activities. 

We are excited about our Early College High School program's inaugural cohort. I wanted to update you that we are finalizing the 2024-2025 cohort this week. We are excited about this new endeavor and how it will have an immediate impact on our students at Hempstead High School. It is important to create unique learning experiences and opportunities for our students to be successful both now and in the future. 

This week, I hosted the first Bond 2024 community meeting and I am thankful for all the community members who showed up. I would love for you to be my guest at our next community bond meeting. It will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9, at Hempstead Early Childhood Center, 524 Austin Street. Childcare will be provided. Our board of trustees called a $45.7 million bond referendum made up of two propositions. Please visit our Bond 2024 webpage to find out all the information as it relates to the upcoming May 4, 2024 bond election. Remember, you have until April 4 to register to vote. Learn how to get registered to vote.

Finally, I want to wish you a Happy Easter. I hope that you can reflect on those good things that we have been afforded. Thank you for your continued support of Hempstead ISD and your belief that we truly can go to #HigherHeights together.

With Bobcat Pride,

Herbert O’Neil
Superintendent
Hempstead ISD

The last Hempstead ISD school bond election was held 18 years ago in November 2006. This bond focused on campus renovations and growth. More information can be found at hempsteadisd.org/bond2024