Vega Independent School District

🖤💛VJH Volleyball played at Friona tonight! 🏐

🗳️ **Early Voting Begins Today!** You can cast your vote early for the VATRE from **October 21 - November 1** at the Oldham County Courthouse for Oldham Co residents or Deaf Smith County Courthouse for Deaf Smith Co residents. Don’t wait—make sure your voice is heard! 🗳️ OLDHAM COUNTY VOTING HOURS Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm Saturday, October 26 7am - 7pm Sunday, October 27 10am - 4pm 🗳️ DEAF SMITH VOTING HOURS Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm Saturday, October 26 7am - 7pm Sunday, October 27 7am - 1pm 💛🖤 #VegaISD #VATRE #VoteEarly #SupportOurSchools #CommunityMatters

📣 Traveling to the JH Volleyball game tonight? 🏐 Friona ISD uses digital ticketing and will not accept cash at the door. Make sure to purchase your tickets in advance using this link 👉 https://gofan.co/event/1991186?schoolId=TX12129 or buy at the door with Apple/Google Pay or a debit/credit card. Let’s show our Longhorn pride! 🖤💛 #GoLonghorns #LonghornVolleyball #VegaISD

❓Would a 4-Day School Week Fix the Budget Shortfall? **No, a 4-day school week would not resolve our budget shortfall.** For our district, a significant **75.9% of overall expenditures** were for payroll in fiscal year 2023. Most districts that implement a 4-day school week do so as an incentive to attract and retain staff. Importantly, these districts **do not reduce employee salaries**. Instead, staff members work longer hours during the shortened week, and students attend school for extended hours to meet the state’s required number of minutes for the school year. A 4-day week may improve work-life balance, but it won't solve the underlying financial challenges we face. 💛🖤 #VegaISD #BudgetTransparency #SupportOurSchools #CommunityMatters

Important Fact: Fentanyl poisoning is now the leading cause of death for individuals ages 18 to 45 in the U.S. This alarming trend highlights the urgent need for increased awareness and preventive measures. #FentanylAwareness #SaveLives

Reminder: First Responders Appreciation Meal is Tomorrow! We’re excited to honor our first responders at the First Responders Appreciation Meal tomorrow, October 21st at 6:00 p.m. in the High School Commons Area. We look forward to celebrating with you!

🎉 Exciting news! The Longhorn Band earned a Division 1 rating at the UIL Marching Competition today at Dick Bivins! Their hard work and dedication truly paid off, and now they’re heading to Area in Abilene! A huge congratulations to our talented band and Mr. Jackson for this incredible achievement! We’re so proud of you all—keep shining! 🌟 #LonghornBand #UILSuccess #MarchingOn

🎙️ Exciting news! Tune in to Longhorn Radio tonight to meet our new announcers (Slade Brorman & Carson Kirkland) bring fresh voices to your favorite sports 🏈 radio. Don’t miss out! 🎧🔥 #LonghornRadio #NewVoices #RadioTonight” www.network1sports.com/station/vegalonghorns

🚨 Support Our Regional Cross Country Runner! 🚨 Join us for an emergency escort this Sunday (10/20) at 1:30 PM at the Courthouse to show our support for Addy Kahlich as she prepares for Regionals! 🏃‍♀️ Addy will compete at Mae Simmons on Monday morning at 9:00 AM – let’s cheer her on to victory! 🙌🎉 #SupportAddy #RegionalCrossCountry #GoAddy #RunForTheWin

🗳️ What Will I See on the Ballot? When you vote, here's what to expect: - **Clarification**: This is **not a 36.18% increase in taxes**. Instead, it's a **36.18% increase in revenue** for the maintenance and operations tax compared to last school year, should it be approved. This reflects a **total tax rate increase of 12 cents per $100 valuation**. - **Voting Options**: - A vote **“FOR”** means you support passing the VATRE. - A vote **“AGAINST”** means you oppose the VATRE. - The ballot will also include language noting that the **$750,388** represents the **total projected increase** in local property tax revenue with the VATRE relative to the prior fiscal year. Make your voice heard! 💛🖤 #VegaISD #VATRE #EveryVoteCounts #CommunityMatters

🖤🏈 **GAME UPDATE!** 💛🏈 The **JH game** will kick off at 5 PM in Farwell, but the **JV game has been cancelled**. Come out and support our JH Longhorns as they take on the Farwell Steers! #LonghornPride #GoLonghorns #VegaFootball

🖤🏈 **IT'S GAME DAY!** 🏈💛 Vega JH and JV teams are hitting the road to take on the Farwell Steers tonight! 📍 **Location:** Farwell 🕔 **JH** starts at 5 PM 🕕 **JV** starts at 6 PM Come out and support your Longhorns! Let's bring that Longhorn pride! 💪 #LonghornPride #GoLonghorns #VegaFootball

📊 Vega ISD's Tax Rate History: A Look Back To put things in perspective: - The proposed $1.3555 total tax rate would be the **third lowest** tax rate in the past **10 years**. - The $0.8555 Maintenance & Operations (M&O) tax rate would be the **second lowest** M&O tax rate in the past **20 years**. This means that even with the VATRE, our tax rates remain historically low, helping to ensure financial stability for the district without placing undue burden on taxpayers. 💛🖤 #VegaISD #VATRE #SupportOurSchools #SmartFunding #CommunityMatters

Don't forget Donuts with Dad is tomorrow from 7:20-8:00 in the cafeteria. It will also. be the last day of the Book Fair!

Did You Know? A staggering 99% of fentanyl overdoses are accidental. Together, we can help reduce these tragic accidents. #FentanylAwareness #AccidentalOverdose

☕ Reminder: Coffee with Dr. Adams! ☕ Don't forget to join us TOMORROW MORNING for coffee and a conversation about the upcoming VATRE election. Dr. Adams will be sharing FAQs and answering any questions you have! 📅 Date: October 17 🕖 Time: 8-9am 📍 Location: Mama Jo's Come learn how VATRE impacts our schools and our community. Your voice matters! 💛🖤 #VegaISD #VATRE #CoffeeWithDrAdams #LonghornPride #CommunityMatters

📚✨ **Help Build Our Classroom Libraries!** ✨📚 Our amazing teachers have **book wish lists** for their classrooms, and you can make a difference by donating to their Book Fair Wish List! 🙌❤️ Support your child's teacher by helping them grow their classroom library with new books that will inspire and engage our students. 📖🎒 For more info or to donate, reach out to **Amy Kirkland** at **akirkland@vegalonghorn.net**. Let's work together to keep our kids' love for reading alive! #SupportOurTeachers #ClassroomLibraries #BookWishList #DonateBooks

🎉 The Lady Longhorns had a great day in Fritch! 🎉 Our JV team played hard but came up just short in two sets. The Varsity team fought through a back-and-forth battle and came out on top, winning in five sets! 🏐🔥 Special shoutout to Jaz Martinez for hitting an incredible milestone of 1000 career digs! 🙌👏 Way to go, Ladies! 💪 Second half of district play, here we come! Keep the momentum going! 🚀💯 #LadyLonghorns #TeamWork #HardWorkPaysOff #VolleyballVictory #CongratsJaz #1000Digs

Time is fleeting, hold on to the memorable moments with a Vega yearbook. Order by Friday, October 18, 2024 to get the lowest price of the year. Order yours 🔗 https://bit.ly/2025VegaYearbook

🏠 How Do Property Appraisals Affect School Taxes? The State conducts a **Property Value Study**, and the Appraisal District must ensure values are within 5% of the State's estimates. Here's how property appraisals impact school taxes: - Under the state's **Foundation Schools Program**, Vega ISD does **not necessarily receive more M&O funding** when local property values increase. As local tax income rises, the State reduces its share of school funding, creating an **inverse relationship** between local and state contributions. - School districts, like Vega ISD, receive funding from the state based on **student attendance rates**. To increase M&O funding without raising the tax rate, the only option is to grow **student enrollment**. This is why Vega ISD launched a transfer campaign in Spring 2024, welcoming students who meet the district’s high academic and behavioral standards. 💛🖤 #VegaISD #VATRE #SchoolFunding #SupportOurSchools #CommunityMatters