The farmyard is set to come alive with competition and comradery as the 51st Walter Gerlach Livestock Show and Sale prepares to bring a weeklong display of agricultural prowess to the Northside ISD. Hundreds of excited FFA students are polishing their boots and primping their animals, hoping to impress judges and cash in at the upcoming auction.
Since its inception in 1973, this event has funneled nearly $23 million into college funds for these aspiring students, according to KENS 5. Last year’s auction alone brought in a whopping $1.5 million, setting a record and raising the stakes for this year’s participants. The show held at Steve Chumbley Park from January 20-27 taps into an age-old tradition of livestock management, offering a glimpse into the agricultural heart of Texas.
Meanwhile, across town, the Edgewood Independent School District is grappling with a different challenge. The Texas Education Agency is keeping a watchful eye on the district after officials submitted inaccurate reports on student numbers, as stipulated by San Antonio Report. Citing transition to a new attendance software and a crippling network outage, the district's data mishap may result in "special investigation, corrective action or sanction" if errors persist.
The Deputy Superintendent Phillip Chavez, in a statement obtained by the San Antonio Report, acknowledged the tough past of technical disturbances, emphasizing the need for "pristine" data moving forward. Chavez disclosed the district was simultaneously dealing with fallout from a network outage in December 2021, which he initially termed as an "attack." However, this description was later corrected as a "misuse of wording" by a spokeswoman.
The Edgewood district, which has seen a consistent decline in enrollment over the years, closed two schools last year due to low campus utilization. Now, amidst stringent monitoring that may last until March 15, 2025, the district is emphasizing the importance of accurate record-keeping and adherence to leaver codes, as reported by the San Antonio Report. The TEA has clarified that it will be closely examining Edgewood's reporting protocols to ensure compliance and prevent further missteps.
