COUPLAND NEWS | Susan Garry
COUPLAND — Plans continue to move forward for a proposed high school in the Coupland Independent School District, trustees said during a July meeting.
The new middle school under construction has the space to also include a high school, according to officials. The new campus will open in August 2026 for grades seven through nine, and each year after that, a grade level will be added.
The current eighth graders will be the first high school graduating class, the class of 2030. In the past, Coupland had a high school, which closed in 1946.
Meanwhile, Cowboy Summer Camp for students from first to seventh grade was held from June 16 through 20. Activities included fun with food, robots and drones, fishing, art, music and bridge building.
Assistant Fire Chief Jared Cummings and Firefighter Andrew Lopez presented a program on drones. They discussed how the Fire Department uses drones to locate concealed fires and for search and rescue.
“The campers had great questions and it was a fun presentation,” Assistant Principal Kate Knapek said.
On Aug. 1 from 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., the school will hold Cowboy Corral for sixth through eighth graders.
“Students can pick their lockers, have pizza for lunch and meet their teachers. Each middle school student will receive a free T-shirt,” Knapek said.
The first day of school in Coupland ISD is Aug. 12.
St. Peter’s Church of Coupland
St. Peter’s Church of Coupland, 108 Wathen St., has welcomed new pastor the Rev. Burt Burleson and his wife, Julie. A tea for the latter was hosted by Cynthia Wittliff in her home June 22.
That same Sunday marked Burt Burleson’s first appearance in the pulpit.
Burleson attended Baylor as a ministerial student and met his future wife during his first year of seminary.
After 15 years of student ministry and pastoral counseling, he became the first pastor of the DaySpring Baptist Church in Waco. In 2007, he left DaySpring to become university chaplain and dean of spiritual life at Baylor for 18 years.
He oversaw global mission trips, local service projects, campus ministries, sports ministries and Dallas nursingschool
ministries. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Baylor, a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Seminary and a Doctor of Divinity from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
Free Community Senior Luncheons for all Coupland area senior citizens are held on the third Tuesday of every other month. Following the luncheon, attendees will play bingo and 42 dominoes.
On Sunday, July 27, there was a potluck lunch after services.
Aug. 16 is Back-to-School Playday from 9-10:30 a.m. at the church playground with free ice pops and pencils.
On Mondays at 7 p.m. is Dance Fitness, a free class open to the community. Each Tuesday at 9:30 a.m., St. Peter’s hosts Community Connections with coffee and conversation in the conference room.
St. Peter’s sermons and special music are on the St. Peter’s Facebook page, facebook. com/stpeterscoupland. The St. Peter’s monthly newsletter is on the website at StPetersCoupand.org.
The email is StPetersCoupland@gmail. com; the office phone is 512856-2433.
New Sweden Lutheran Church
The annual New Sweden Lutheran Church picnic took place 1 p.m. Sunday, July 27, at the Ramm home near Elgin. After a potluck meal, there will be games and water sports.
The church is at 12809 New Sweden Church Road in Manor.
New Sweden’s Ladies Bible Study is 6:30 p.m. the first Thursday of the month.
The Rev. Hans Lillejord holds Bible Study on the second and fourth Tuesday at 10 a.m. The Adult Bible Class is 9:30 a.m. Sunday.
All are welcome to Game Days at New Sweden — the second, third, fourth and fifth Thursdays at 12:30 p.m.
Every fall, New Sweden provides backpacks and school supplies to needy children in three area elementary schools. Supplies were collected in July and will be placed in backpacks Aug. 2.
The backpacks will be blessed during Sunday service and will be delivered the week before school starts.
Homesteading and Everyday Living is a project of New Sweden which offers monthly classes for church members and friends. Classes are listed on the website, newswedenelca.org, and announced each Sunday.
For information, call the Evangelism Team’s Gayle Anderson, 512-670-6945. Attendees will learn bread making, auto repair, raising animals, gardening, making candles, health topics, teaching CPR and more.
The New Sweden website includes sermons by Lillejord, calendar events and newsletters.
