Sundown ISD

Team camp is about more than basketball, it’s about building relationships and making memories! For one of Coach Neighbors team-building activities, everyone drew a teammate’s name and had to pick out an outfit for them from Goodwill. The catch? They had to wear it out to dinner! Needless to say, there were some interesting fashion choices and plenty of laughs along the way. These are the moments that bring a team closer together and create memories that last long after camp is over. Who do you think won “Best Dressed?” Coach Neighbors will be hard to beat!

Sundown Middle School hosted 6th Grade and New to SMS Orientation this morning and had a great turnout! Mrs. Pena would like to thank Coach Neighbors, Mrs. Neighbors, Mrs. Terry, Ms. Marek, Mrs. Mesquias, Mrs. Zapata, Mrs. Majors, and Mr. Dietz for making today a huge success! We are so proud to have these students at the middle school!

Sundown ISD Start of School Year Information for Students
Sundown ISD is ready to welcome our Roughnecks and Roughettes back for an incredible 2026-2027 school year!

Please take a moment to review our Start of School Information below and mark these important dates on your calendar!

Registration Information
Returning Students
Friday, July 31 - Online Registration opens
www.sundownisd.com [Online Registration Link on the Right Hand Side]

New Students
Thursday, August 6 | 5:00–7:00 PM
Register in person at your campus office.
Please bring: Birth Certificate | Social Security Card | Immunization Record | Proof of Residency (water or electric bill) | Copy of the student's most recent report card (if available)

If you need assistance with online registration, campus staff will be available during registration night on August 6 from 5:00-7:00 PM.

Meet & Greet - Thursday, August 6
Community Meal (Cafeteria): 5:00-7:00 PM
Elementary Meet & Greet: 5:0-6:00 PM
Middle School & High School Meet & Greet: 6:00-7:00 PM
Elementary Title I Parent Meeting @ 6:30 PM [Learn about Title I Funding - Not Required]
Mandatory Senior & Parent Meeting: 7:15 PM (Cafeteria)

Other Important Dates
Friday, August 7 - 7th-12th Grade Mandatory Drug Testing at Facility [1 -3 PM]
Saturday, August 8 - Oil Patch Days
Tuesday, August 11 - First Day of School
Thursday, August 13 - Meet the Roughnecks
Friday, August 14 - High School Football Home Scrimmage vs. Ralls (6:00 PM)

If you have any questions, please contact your campus office during regular business hours.

We can't wait to welcome everyone back for another outstanding year at Sundown ISD!

Love Others. Work Hard. Embrace Excellence. - Sundown ISD

More 9th orientation pics.

39 Freshman showed up for orientation today! They will still be a little nervous on the 1st day, but hopefully a little less so after!!

Yesterday, we had the opportunity to welcome the newest members of the Sundown ISD family during our New Teacher Orientation!

A special thank you to Mrs. Katie Pena, our new Middle School Principal, for leading and organizing an outstanding orientation. She was joined by fellow administrator Jeremy Griffith and two of our veteran educators, Cam Buchanan and Mike Richardson, who shared valuable insight into the culture, traditions, and heart that make Sundown ISD such a special place to serve.

We are excited to welcome the following staff members to Big Red:

High School
Crockett Neighbors - MS/HS Dyslexia Teacher

Middle School
Katie Pena - Middle School Principal
Dominique Mesquias - 7th/8th Grade Science
Daniel Lander - Assistant Band Director

Elementary
Sarah McCown - Special Education Teacher
Yolanda Sanchez - Kindergarten Teacher
Shay Lopez - 3rd Grade Teacher

Custodial
Leti Rivera - Middle School Custodian

Aides
Mary Gonzales - A.C.E. Aide
LaTryle Sehon - Elementary Aide
Allie Herrera - Elementary Aide

Cafeteria
Isaias Samarron - Cafeteria

Please join us in giving each of them a warm Sundown welcome! We are excited to see the impact they will have as we continue preparing every student to reach their full potential while living out our values of Love Others, Work Hard, and Embrace Excellence.

Current K–8 Families at Sundown ISD: Today is the day to pick up your child’s school supplies! (Unfortunately this does not include any NEW students to Sundown ISD) Please stop by today from 4:00–6:00 PM in the Back Gym (Old Gym) to pick up your supplies. Please enter through the ramp door, and our staff will guide you through the pickup process. It is important that every family comes by during this time so your child receives their supplies. We want to avoid having to hold and distribute supplies on another day. We can’t wait to see you this afternoon!

Reminder for incoming 6th and 9th graders about orientation tomorrow.

6th grade 10:00-12:00

9th grade 1:00-3:00 (download the Goosechase App if able) if not, no worries, we will make sure you are in a group that someone has it.

Both will begin in the auditorium.

Reminder: Football Camp is tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. Registration is in the weight room. Please bring payment in the form of check or cash when you register. Walk-ins are welcome.

School Supply List 2026-2027
Sundown ISD
All 3 Campuses

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DAXWLpVUTwGgcn95b8WxbFmSG1NQZ6WX/view?usp=sharing

Reminder for Our K–8 Families! Our School Supply Distribution is happening this Wednesday, July 29, from 4:00–6:00 PM in the back gym! Where to Park: Please park by the ramp on the east side of the building, between the football field and the school, and enter through the ramp door. Every K–8 student will receive their school supplies packaged in a box, ready for the new school year! We will also post the complete school supply list for all families. We can’t wait to welcome everyone and help get our students ready for an amazing school year. See you Wednesday!

Every now and then, we receive a message that perfectly captures what it means to be part of the Sundown family.

We wanted to share a picture of Coach Kayla Belew and Coach Sarah Goodman pouring into our cheerleaders and mascots, not only by encouraging, motivating, and coaching them, but by praying with them and leading by example.

While we're certainly excited about any awards our students may bring home, we're even more grateful for coaches who understand that the greatest victories happen off the mat. They are helping shape young people of character, faith, and integrity who are prepared to succeed in life.

Thank you, Coach Belew and Coach Goodman, for investing in our students and representing Sundown ISD so well. We are proud of our coaches, our students, and the culture we continue to build together.

#TheSundownWay #LoveOthers #WorkHard #EmbraceExcellence #GoBigRed #WePrayTogether

FACILITY - TUESDAY, JULY 21ST
Our facility will be back up and running tomorrow afternoon! We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we worked through a few technical issues with our door locking system. Ensuring everything is operating safely and properly was our top priority. Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back tomorrow afternoon!

Mr. Mack Bibb was inducted into the Texas Bandmasters Association Hall of Fame on July 18, 2026 - one of the highest honors a Texas band director can receive. Thank you for the lasting impact you’ve had on countless students, colleagues, and band directors, including Mr. Mauldin, who began his career as your student teacher at Coronado High School. We are grateful for your years of dedication to music education and your continued support of the Sundown Roughneck Band. Congratulations, Mr. Mack Bibb! Courtesy of Sundown Roughneck Band Facebook Page

Kaytlin Clausen was named to the 2026 Texas Girls Coaches Association All-Star Cross Country Team.  She was honored today in Arlington as one of only six girls from all of Texas Class 2A to receive this prestigious award!

Servant Hearts in Action! A huge THANK YOU to Coach Berry for taking some of our Sundown Cross Country athletes to volunteer at the South Plains Food Bank! We were proud to hear such wonderful feedback about our students. The Food Bank coordinator praised them for how much they were able to accomplish, how attentive they were, and the respect they showed throughout their entire volunteer shift. This is what it means to represent Sundown! We are proud of our students for giving their time to serve others and make a difference. Thank you, Coach Watson, Coach Berry, and Sundown Cross Country, for demonstrating a true servant's heart and representing our district so well! Work Hard. Love Others. Embrace Excellence. #SundownISD #SundownCrossCountry #LoveOthers #ServantLeadership

Information for incoming 7th - 12th graders:

Calling All Sundown PreK Parents!

Your child's educational journey begins with a strong partnership between home and school. We invite all PreK parents to attend our Mandatory PreK Parent Meeting as we discuss how we can work together to help your child have a successful school year.

When: Wednesday, July 29th
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Round Room - Sundown Elementary
Please note: Childcare will not be available.

This meeting will provide important information about the upcoming school year, classroom expectations, routines, and ways we can partner to give your child the very best start.

We look forward to meeting you and beginning this exciting journey together. See you on July 29th!

Sundown Middle School is excited to welcome all incoming 6th graders and new students to Sundown Middle School.