New Caney ISD is working to meet state bilingual/English as a second language requirements and prepare for potentially more students with language needs as the district continues to grow,by certifying 129 additional teachers to teach those courses by March, NCISD leaders said Dec. 9.

Current situation: State laws require teachers with bilingual/ESL students to be certified in those topics. Based on the number of bilingual/ESL students currently enrolled in NCISD—6,581 as of Nov. 6—129 teachers need to be certified across the district.

Looking ahead: With NCISD’s enrollment projected to grow by up to about 11,200 students over the next decade, the district could also see more students in need of bilingual/ESL learning services enroll and need more certified teachers.

Quote of note: “The number of teachers seeking ESL certification reflects ongoing state requirements and campus needs, not necessarily a sudden shift in demand,” said Erika Gutierrez, director of Multilingual/Migrant/Title III for NCISD. “Our district continues to support teachers in obtaining these certifications so they can effectively serve their students.”

Gold Rush is now open in Valley Ranch Town Center.

Diving deeper: Gold Rush offers services for precious metals—such as gold, silver, platinum and palladium—and diamonds, including: 

• Testing
• Valuations
• Cash or wire transfer offers for items

• Opened Dec. 6
• 21968 Market Place Drive, Ste. 100, New Caney

In June, Lone Star College hired Shantha Stokes as its new chief mental health officer. In an interview with Community Impact, Stokes reflected on the challenges and successes she's faced during her first year, as well as the new initiatives planned for next semester. 

More details: Some of the questions asked by Community Impact include: 

• What are your responsibilities as Lone Star College’s chief mental health officer?
• What initiatives does Lone Star College have currently to prioritize faculty and student mental health?
• What challenges have you faced, if any, and what do you hope to accomplish next semester?