Deep East Texas School Spotlight: West Sabine ISD

Rural Schools Collaborative’s mission is to build sustainable rural communities through a keen focus on place, teachers, and philanthropy. With a deep belief in the power of teachers, students, and schools to strengthen and transform communities, RSC partnered with the T.L.L. Temple Foundation to explore and celebrate educational successes in East Texas in 2024. Through this collaboration, RSC visited West Sabine ISD in Pineland, Texas, with gratitude to Partners for Rural Impact for their project facilitation.

West Sabine ISD

In early October 2024, the RSC team had the opportunity to tour West Sabine’s campuses, where a remarkable community-driven culture thrives. The purpose of the visit was to understand how teachers are preparing students for future careers and to highlight local partnerships that fuel innovation across this East Texas district. Between conversations with teachers and students, a quiet moment captured the heart of West Sabine’s unique community spirit. As a group of 3rd graders lined up to move between classes, most sporting tiger-orange, the excitement was palpable, a small reflection of the culture of pride and enthusiasm present throughout the district.

Dr. Carnelius Gilder, district superintendent, and Scott Simmons, Operations/Administrator, served as tour guides for RSC on top of their regular duties (emphasis on the plural) for the day. Transitions between classes in elementary schools can often be chaotic and cause challenging interruptions in a day, which often serve as a chance for expectations to break down. This was not the case on this random Thursday, but instead the moment served as a microcosm of how relationships and trust are built in West Sabine. Scott Simmons worked up and down the line of students, who were beyond delighted to see their bus driver on their home turf. Dr. Gilder made quiet conversation with a few 3rd graders and one passing teacher, subtly signaling to each of his 630 students that he sees them as an individual vital to the tiger community. Across the atrium from where the students lined up, a paper mural highlighted the three ‘rocks,’ or pillars, of West Sabine ISD: Academics, Culture, and Leadership.

For West Sabine ISD, these values are more than words on a wall—they are woven into every aspect of the school, from decor to curriculum, and extend out into the community of Sabine County. “The school is the hub of all things,” said Dr. Gilder, himself a West Sabine graduate and the district’s superintendent since 2020. In the recently renovated elementary cafeteria, he emphasized that in this true rural setting, where there is no formal county seat or chamber of commerce, the school is central to community life.

At West Sabine, students learn to take responsibility for themselves as members of a caring community. Even elementary students are guided in developing leadership through growth-mindset lessons, setting personal academic goals, and participating in monthly recognition of grade-level leaders. The district’s “Lighthouse Committee” allows students to present at board meetings, providing input on how the school is serving their needs. This supportive culture starts early, and all of it is geared toward helping students succeed beyond high school.

Students uniformly report a sense of support and belonging. Trelin, a 4th grader, describes West Sabine as a place where “everybody is nice. When I step into this building, it feels like home.” His classmate Reid adds, “It’s a loving environment. We can learn, talk things out, and it feels like a big ol’ family.” In Kristi Myrann’s 2nd-grade classroom, students work on laptops, learning at their own pace with an iReady curriculum that minimizes early learning gaps. Kristi explains, “We’re a family, from the youngest students to the oldest. At any event, you see the teachers, administrators, and friends supporting each other. This sense of support carries over into the classroom, making students work harder and enjoy school.”

In Kristina (Kristi) Myrann’s 2nd grade classroom, students focused hard on miniature laptops, learning through I-Ready, a research-based curriculum that allows students to progress at their own pace, limiting gaps that can cause students to fall behind early in their education. Kristi notes that there is a strong connection between the engaged learning environment and the school's relationship to the community: “We are definitely a family, 1000%, across the board, from your littles to your bigs. If you go to any type of event, be it a sporting event or educational event, you're going to see the teachers there, the administrators there, friends supporting each other. You won't see a bigger crowd. That just carries over when they come into the classroom. It makes them work harder. . . They just work hard, they enjoy coming to school, it’s a fun environment, they come in and work.”

In Kristi’s class, a colorful board posts small classroom jobs that students can apply to ‘oversee.’ The chores, little day-to-day tasks that both help keep the classroom clean and on track, also instill values of responsibility and ownership. Kristi notes the board’s newest job, “Shoe Ninja,” is for helping those unable to tie their shoes do so, a position that remained unfilled as of this writing. That’s because students must first demonstrate competency at the skill before ‘applying’ for the job, another nod to West Sabine’s persistent eye towards achieving successful post-secondary outcomes. As Kristi demonstrated the job board, a nearby girl completed her personalized assignment on the laptop, passing a checkpoint of learning, and did a small sequence of dance moves in her seat, privately celebrating her success before moving onto the next lesson.

Classroom jobs, such as the “Shoe Ninja” role for helping classmates with untied shoes, teach responsibility from an early age. At the middle and high school levels, students have hands-on opportunities in high-demand fields like agriculture, technical education, and health sciences, preparing them for post-secondary success without sacrificing community spirit. Kaylen, a senior, shares how her ag classes confirmed her dream of becoming a vet: “I got to give shots to animals, which made learning so hands-on and engaging.” Her friend Stormy feels equally prepared for a career in medicine thanks to experiences in West Sabine’s Health Sciences Pathway. “I got to draw blood, which helped me learn so much more than just talking about it.”

Beyond school pride, West Sabine fosters lifelong connections, exemplified by alumna Ladorsha Williams. A reading interventionist at her alma mater, she recalls that, even as a student, teachers cared deeply about her success. When she considered different career paths, her high school English teacher reminded her of her passion for reading, helping her pursue her career in education and ultimately inspiring her to pursue a principal certification. “Teaching here isn’t just about academics; it’s about building character,” says Ladorsha. “We’re teaching students how to survive in the real world and how to approach challenges as learning opportunities, not losses.”

Rural Schools Collaborative is deeply appreciative of Dr. Carnelius Gilder and Scott Simmons for hosting our team and sharing their journey at West Sabine. We also extend thanks to Jeff Walker of Partners for Rural Impact for facilitating the visit, as well as Drs. Sylvia Leal and Betsy Mijares from the T.L.L. Temple Foundation for their support of RSC’s storytelling efforts in East Texas.