Several student groups from La Porte High School were in the spotlight as they greeted and entertained participants at the recent Texas Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development conference in Galveston.

The LPHS Varsity Orchestra performed for the opening of the general session of the 61st annual conference, which was held Oct. 19 through 21 at Moody Gardens. Music performed at the conference covered a range of different styles.

Included on the program were Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Henry Mancini's Pink Panther, Eleanor Rigby by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Cotton-Eyed Joe, and a string-bass feature titled Bass-ically Bluegrass. The orchestra also performed Palladio by Karl Jenkins, which became well known as the music for a national jewelry commercial. Selections from the soundtracks of Star Wars and Mission Impossible also were performed on the program. The orchestra is led by Dr. Geoff Carlton, Clint Brown and Rachel Carlton.

At the end of the 30-minute concert, the orchestra began the TASCD business meeting alongside a contingent of students from the high school's "Bridging Hearts" American Sign Language group, sponsored by Kathy Kimball. Nine members of "Bridging Hearts" joined the orchestra in performing The Star-Spangled Banner in sign language.

The La Porte JROTC, under the direction of Sergeant First Class Joseph Glennan, also presented the colors during the opening ceremony.

The LPHS Cheerleaders and Bulldog mascot greeted conference attendees and performed cheers and stunts during the ribbon-cutting ceremony to the exhibit hall. The LPHS Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of William Hoffman, provided music for the opening of the exhibit hall as well.

On Oct 20, members of the LPISD Faculty String Quartet performed at the President's Reception. They included violinists Rachel Carlton of La Porte Junior High School and Debbie Barker of Baker Sixth-Grade Campus, violist Clint Brown of La Porte High School, and cellist Alex Pancheri of Baker Sixth-Grade Campus.

LPHS band director Kevin Poe served on the 2008 TASCD Local Arrangements Committee.

TASCD is comprised of public, private and university administrators, counselors and educators from throughout the state of Texas. The conference was among the first to be held in Galveston at Moody Gardens since Hurricane Ike struck the island in September.