Sundown ISD

Sundown Cross Country Meet this upcoming Saturday in Andrews! The meet starts at 8 AM with BOTH MS Girls and MS Boys! Come out and support our Roughnecks and Roughettes!

Elementary students in Grades 1-5 kicked off the year with an inspiring meeting led by our Elementary Principal Mr. Berry! He shared expectations for a great year ahead and encouraged everyone with the reminder: “You are a ten, building your future step by step.” This has been a great tradition started by our very talented Principal!

Cross Country Schedule 2025
All official schedules can be found on our Sundown Athletics Website:
https://www.sundownathletics.com/schedules

RUACH 2025 was a huge success at Sundown ISD! [RUACH - Hebrew for spirit or breath. We have tried to capture what makes Sundown so special and have worked towards spreading that to our staff and students.] We kicked off the week preparing for an incredible new school year under our RUACH 2025 theme: “Guard Against Distractions: Restoring Intent to Your Classroom.” This year, several of our own staff members took the stage to share their wisdom, encouragement, and practical ideas to inspire fellow educators. At Sundown ISD, we believe every student deserves a champion, someone who will stand beside them, believe in them, and push them to reach their full potential. Our hope is that each of us can be that champion, or connect students with someone who can. RUACH 2025 was the best yet, and the Sundown ISD Staff is ready to take on this school year with focus, passion, and purpose!

Help spread the word.
Join the Sundown ISD Family!
Job Opportunity Available: Maintenance (Part-Time)
Complete an Application at our Business Office during regular school hours (8AM-3:30PM). Feel free to email Brent Evans at bevans@sundownisd.com if you are interested.

Meet & Greet and Registration: Thursday, Aug. 7th
Community Meal in cafeteria | 5PM-7PM
Elementary Meet and Greet | 5:30PM-6:30PM
MS & HS Meet and Greet | 6:30PM-7:30PM
MANDATORY SENIORS & PARENT MEETING | 7:45 PM | @ Cafeteria

2026 seniors and parents please make note of this. Time change from the initial letter you were given. Still Thursday, but at 7:45 in the cafeteria vs 8:30.

Please review the attached document outlining our new Student Personal Communication Device Procedures | Sundown ISD. This update will bring changes for both staff and parents, so we encourage everyone to read and become familiar with the details.

Registration Information: Fri. Aug 1st [Returning] & Thur. Aug 7th [New]

RETURNING STUDENTS | Friday, August 1st, 2025
Online Registration Link: Registration Link

NEW STUDENTS | Thursday, August 7th [5PM - 7PM]
Where: Face-to-face at your Campus Office
What to bring if you are new to the District: Birth Certificate, Social Security Card, Immunization Record, Proof of Residency (ex. water bill, electric bill), Copy of last report card - if possible

If you have any questions, please contact your respective campus (806) 602-8823 [8 AM - 3:30 PM] | Elem: Betty Geisler ext. 4000 | MS: Keri Riley ext. 3000 | HS: Melissa Stephens ext. 2000

If you are a RETURNING student and you need computer access or assistance, make plans to attend the in-person registration night on August 7th (5-7 PM) at your campus office

New Students are also welcome to come to school to register during school hours starting August 1st, 2025

Meet and Greet & Registration: Thursday, Aug. 7th
Community Meal in cafeteria | 5PM-7PM
Elementary Meet and Greet | 5:30PM-6:30PM
MS & HS Meet and Greet | 6:30PM-7:30PM
MANDATORY Senior& Senior Parents Meeting | 7:45 PM | @ Cafeteria

More Important dates:
Sat. August 9th: Oil Patch Days
Tue. August 12th: 1st Day of School
Thur. August 14th: “Meet the Roughnecks”
Fri. August 15th: HS Football Scrimmage [THERE] vs Friona | 5 PM


School Supply Lists:
Sundown School Supply List 25-26

Backpack Pickup Day at SMS!
Sundown Middle School students can pick up their backpacks on Thursday, July 31st from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Sundown Middle School!
Each backpack will be stocked with FREE school supplies, thanks to the hard work and generosity of our incoming 8th graders and Coach Belew, who raised the funds and took care of purchasing supplies for EVERY middle school student!

We are incredibly grateful for their leadership, service, and commitment to supporting their fellow Roughnecks. 💙❤️

See you Thursday, July 31st! Let’s get ready for a great school year! Let's go!!!

Sundown Roughnecks Football Schedule 2025 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mPSOuRQM4S-VsTEvpWP3JsEQ-h52r79V/view?usp=sharing

Attention Sundown ISD Families: New State Law on Student Devices
House Bill 1481, recently passed by the Texas Legislature, will prohibit students from using personal communication devices, including but not limited to cell phones, smartwatches, tablets, earbuds, portable gaming devices, and other Bluetooth-enabled technology, during the school day.

Under this new law, all personal devices must be powered off and stored out of sight during school hours or stored in a secure location, secure pouch, or other avenues that the district will explore.

This law will go into effect beginning with the 2025–2026 school year. Sundown ISD is currently in the process of reviewing and updating our local policy to ensure full alignment with this new requirement. As we finalize our plans, we will continue to share important updates with students, families, and staff.

As always, thank you for your continued support and partnership with Sundown ISD.​

http://www.txswa.org/allstatesoftball25.php#2a 2025 Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association All-State SOFTBALL Teams. First Team Pitcher - Destiny Garza Catcher - Brynly Gregory Outfield - Camry Jourden Utility - Breigh Gregory Second Team First base - Araceli Ibarra Second base - Nayleen Morin Third Team Shortstop - Emry Jourden Honorable Mention Third base - Ericka Posadas DP - Paola Huerta

🎉 Shoutout to our amazing Sundown High School students and faculty! 🎉

Pictured here are Mr. Townsend (celebrating 20 years teaching with Upward Bound), juniors Silver Pando, Lincoln Keesler, and Janessa Cruz, freshman Ivan Maldonado, and Mrs. Whitehead (completing her first year teaching math for the program). These students earned multiple academic awards while attending Upward Bound at South Plains College this June!

We’re incredibly proud of their hard work, growth, and achievements. Upward Bound is a federally funded program that helps first-generation students succeed in high school and prepare for college. Thank you to our dedicated teachers and outstanding students for representing Sundown with excellence!

With deep gratitude and great pride, I want to share with our amazing Sundown community that Dr. Damon Lewis from Connecticut has been named the National Middle Level Principal of the Year. I offer my sincerest congratulations to Dr. Lewis, a man of strong faith and outstanding leadership, who is truly deserving of this national honor. This journey has been nothing short of incredible. From being named the Region 17 Middle School Principal of the Year, to being selected as a finalist and then Texas Middle School Principal of the Year, and finally being honored as a National Finalist, I am humbled beyond words. Through this process, I’ve been blessed to meet and learn from some of the finest school leaders in Texas and across the nation. Having my daughter, Alyssa, by my side here in Seattle made this moment all the more special. Being able to represent my faith in God, my children, my family, the incredible staff and students of Sundown Middle School, everyone who has ever poured into me and believed in me, Sundown ISD, and the beautiful community I proudly call home has truly been the greatest honor of my career. A heartfelt thank you to my incredible children, Michael and Alyssa, and to my entire family—my greatest cheerleaders and unwavering support system. To my Ralls community, where my professional educational journey began, thank you for your continued support, kind words, and encouragement. And to my beloved Sundown community, thank you for every message, every prayer, and every expression of kindness throughout this incredible journey. Sundown raised me. This town, these people, and this school district helped shape who I am today. I hope that in some small way, I’ve made you proud. My heart is full. Now, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get back to the important work ahead. We’ll continue doing what we do best, supporting each other with love, grit, and grace, but this time with renewed purpose, sharpened vision, and an even deeper commitment to our students, our school, and one another. Let’s make this upcoming school year our strongest yet. Together, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish. I think it’s safe to say… this will be the last post about Dr. Salazar for a while! (Trust me, I’m just as ready as you are!) Dr. Miguel Salazar

This past year at Sundown Middle School was outstanding! The kids and teachers knocked it out of the park in the classroom and on the field. As you know, such outstanding accomplishments do not just happen on their own. High levels of success happen due to thoughtful and thorough preparation, a lot of hard work, and a willingness to take risks! This is exactly the leadership Dr. Miguel Salazar has provided for his campus! Sundown ISD is honored and proud to have Dr. Salazar not only leading the way at SMS but also at the state and national level! Dr. Salazar is an outstanding ambassador for leading students and staff to achieve beyond their perceived realities and to dream of becoming more than they have imagined or hoped! If given a chance, please take time to wish Dr. Salazar “the best of luck” while at the NASSP (National Association for Secondary School Principals) conference this week. It is at this conference that Dr. Salazar will find out if he will be honored as the National MS Principal of the Year! We should all know something regarding this award late Wednesday evening! Good Luck Dr. Salazar! You are an integral part of positive change within education and the lives of those you lead and mentor! Sundown ISD is proud of you!

❤️💙SUNDOWN MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENTS💙❤️ As school supply lists come out and Amazon Prime deals are hitting, just remember… YOUR SCHOOL SUPPLIES ARE COVERED!!! Coach Belew & our Sundown 7th Grade Class raised money to purchase school supplies for all of Middle School. Amazon packages are flowing in and backpacks will be put together in the next couple of weeks for you to pick up! Thanks Coach Belew!!!

We know you’ve heard a lot about Dr. Miguel Salazar lately, but we couldn’t let this moment pass without sharing one more exciting update. As you know, Dr. Salazar is a finalist for National Middle Level Principal of the Year and will be heading to Seattle on Tuesday morning for the official announcement at The Gala of Excellence on Wednesday night (6:45–9:00 PM).
No matter the outcome, we are incredibly proud of Dr. Salazar, not just for this honor, but for the unwavering commitment he shows every day to our school, our community, and most importantly, OUR STUDENTS!

Please join us in wishing him safe travels and the very best of luck!
🎉 Check out the video our staff and students helped create to celebrate this moment!

https://youtu.be/0-NDFNaoAO8