The first sounds of the school year at Haltom High School weren’t the morning bell or the shuffle of students finding their classrooms on Wednesday morning. They were the voices of the Haltom Herders spirit squad.

Before the sun was fully up, the Herders had already lined the entryway, ready to welcome their classmates. “H-H-S!” they chanted, in between a chorus of “Good morning, welcome back!” as students poured through the doors. 

Then, the speaker came to life, and the Haltom fight song began to roar. Singing and dancing along, the Herders welcomed their classmates for the start of the 2026-27 school year. The energy was abundant, and the excitement was palpable. 

A few miles away at Stowe Elementary, the same eager anticipation was also on display, as parents and students alike entered the building not only with smiles, but with warm greetings from teachers and staff.

From Birdville High to Richland High and every campus in between, those same moments were happening across BISD on Wednesday morning. No matter where you were on the first day of school, while the campus and location may have been different, there was a common theme that ran across BISD. 

A sense of belonging. 

“There’s nothing quite like the first day of school,” said Dr. Gayle Stinson, Superintendent of Schools. “You see the excitement on students’ faces. You see teachers who are genuinely happy to have their kids back, and you’re reminded how much the little things matter. A smile at the door, a familiar face in the hallway or someone taking a moment to make a student feel welcome. Those moments may seem small, but they are how belonging is built. And when we get that right, students don’t just come to school — they know they are home.”

The beginning of the 2026-27 school year comes on the heels of significant recognition for BISD. 

Earlier this spring, BISD was named a semifinalist in the 2026 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards. Out of more than 1,200 districts across Texas, only 25 were named semifinalists, recognizing BISD among a select group for its commitment to academic achievement, innovation and student success.

Last fall, the district’s nationally recognized Career and Technical Education (CTE) program earned District of Distinction status from the Career and Technical Association of Texas. Through hands-on learning, internships and partnerships with local businesses, CTE gives students opportunities to explore their strengths, build real-world skills and discover where they fit.

Creating opportunities like these takes more than vision. It takes a commitment to investing in the classrooms, programs, and people that make them possible.

In 2025, BISD earned an “A” Superior Rating for financial accountability and transparency under the School Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) for the 23rd consecutive year. That stewardship helps support the programs, relationships and environments students experience every day.

But in the end, belonging is built in moments that can’t be measured on a report.

A greeting at the door. A familiar face. A teacher learning a student’s name. A spirit squad cheering as students walk through the doors.

Different schools, different traditions, different first-day experiences — but the same feeling that greeted students when they arrived.

You belong here.