January 6

January 6, 2023

Welcome back, everyone.

This first week back from Winter Break has brought a refreshing start to our spring semester. We had two days of staff development and teacher planning, and two days with our students. What better way to begin than doubling down on our efforts to help our Pirates in the classroom?

No matter how big national news can get, it can sometimes find its way back into local communities. Such is the case this week with the story of Buffalo Bills cornerback Damar Hamlin, who suffered cardiac arrest during Monday night’s football game versus the Cincinnati Bengals. The life-saving measures of Buffalo’s training staff have been well documented and I want to take a moment to let our families know their students are also in good hands, right here in Crandall ISD.

Aside from quick-thinking, two things were critical in saving Hamlin’s life—CPR and an AED (automated external defibrillator). Thanks to the hard work of CISD Health Services and CISD Athletics over the past few years, we have at least one AED at every campus. Some campuses have more depending on size and student population. All school nurses, coaches and athletic trainers are not only trained how to use an AED, they are also certified in CPR.

This means that at any point during the day, should any one of our Pirates suffer cardiac arrest or stop breathing, more than 65 people throughout the district—and multiple people at each campus—are trained how to save lives.

While the country continues sending best wishes to Hamlin and those who saved his life, I simply want you to know that we here in CISD place the same priority on being prepared in these situations. Yes, we are here to teach, but we put just as much effort into keeping kids safe—in every sense of the word.

Welcome back, Pirates. It is going to be a great second semester.

Pirates forever,

Dr. Wendy Eldredge
CISD Superintendent