MISD Minutes - Apple iPod Touch for Pre-K

Before the school year ended, elementary Pre-K students received a head start on the technology learning curve by using Apple iPod touch units in class. This is the first program of its kind in the MISD.


The Details
(from Yvonne Davault, ESL/Bilingual Foreign Language Program Coordinator)

How many? PreK ~ 63, (3 per PK classroom in the district)

How much $? Approximately $14,500.00 (iTouch, $193.00, shield, $6.88, case, $15.04, 4-unit charging dock, $51.54)

Where did the funds come from? Title III or Limited English Proficiency (LEP) funds

Which campuses? These devices were purchased for all elementary campuses, including Perry, except Boren and Spencer that do hot have PreK.

What was the motivation for this implementation? With the introduction of the new TEA Prekindergarten Technology Guidelines we were perplexed at how to meet the goals for using to extend their knowledge and to enrich their learning of curriculum content and concepts. During one particular meeting, new Superintendent, Dr. Bob Morrison, took out his iPhone and the idea was born. We decided to obtain the Apple iPod touch, which is an iPhone without the phone, and accomplish all these goals and more.

From there we made the purchase, prepared and implemented a six-hour training day for the PreK teachers to receive their iPod touch(es) and training focused using applications specific to early childhood and English Language Learners. The idea was for each PreK class to have a technology center using the iPod touch(es). The day was a huge success! The teachers were excited and prepared to use the devices the very next day.

What's next? We will continue to support our PreK teachers with this project through training and update information as we learn.

Our next "project" is 5th and 8th grade LEP Science students. We have purchased 260 Apple iPod touch devices for the 5th and 8th grade LEP students to help increase their science knowledge through a different a method of learning. Title III monies were also used for this purchase.

MISD Minutes - The Art of Dairy

Legacy HS graduate places 3rd out of 9000 nationwide entrants in the Lucerne Dairy art contest. Contestants submitted ideas for the contest and finalists created their visions on life-sized dairy cows.

Related

• Mansfield student artist wins big with creative cow

Linda Nix Memorial Garden Dedication

On Friday, June 5, the staff of Ben Barber Career Tech Academy gathered to dedicate a small garden outside of the campus in honor of Linda Nix, a business teacher, who passed away in early December, 2008 after a long battle with cancer.

Attendees of the dedication heard from a few of Nix's co-workers and family members and each received a balloon to release along with bookmarks with advice that she gave freely. [Dedication Photo Gallery]

Linda's Advice for Living:

1. Find your passion and pursue it.
2. Uncover your natural talents
3. Try out lots of different jobs before you choose a career.
4. Meet all kinds of people and stay in touch.
5. Live below your means.
6. Do for others.
7. Exercise, eat right, don't smoke or do drugs.
8. Travel.
9. Read everything you can.
10. Find the "right one."
11. In relationships, isolation is a bad thing.
12. Do your best for yourself.
13. Always do the right thing.
    

Linda Nix taught business in the district for over eleven years. In addition to preparing real-world projects to supplement state approved business classes, she wrote proposals for several innovative business/finance courses. She pioneered the BCIS II course in which students have the opportunity to take the Microsoft Office Specialist certification tests. She applied for and received a Tarrant County College Mini-grant in order to fund the certification service for Ben Barber students. She also received several of the Mansfield ISD Education Foundation innovative teaching grants as well as the Heartbeat Award.

Photojournalism students give back through Giving Gallery

Note: This is a guest post by Sharon Ellman, Summit High School Photojournalism Teacher

[On Monday, June 1] a group of my advanced photo students took a big check over the the Mansfield Education Foundation to surprise the Executive Director Linda Bacsik. I think she really was surprised and the kids had a great time finishing what they started.

In case you haven't been following my story I'll give you a recap. The Mansfield Education Foundation awards innovative teaching grants

to teachers in MISD. When a teacher wins they have a prize patrol that comes to the teachers classroom with a big check for the amount of the grant and balloons. The prize patrol consists of school board members, the superintendent, members of the foundation and the media. It's all very exciting for the teachers and students.

I have been the lucky recipient of several innovative teaching grants. I won my first one in 2003, my first year teaching in Mansfield for a grant I called FACES: Friends Across Cultures Experience Success. I was so surprised and excited, that year they even had our school drum line marching through the halls as part of the prize patrol! This fall I won a grant called

The Giving Gallery where my students would host a galley show and sell their photos in a silent auction donating the proceeds to charity. Since the Foundation has been so generous to me and my photo students I thought it would be appropriate to donate the proceeds to them and my students agreed.

Our show was a huge success and we raised $1815 through our silent auction. We decided that it would be fun to turn the tables on the Education Foundation and have our own little prize patrol to surprise Linda to give her our donation. Richie, Terry and Jerry over at MISD communications helped us set her up with a "meeting" so she would be in her office when we arrived and Richie and Jerry came with us to present the check. It was great! Thanks to all the people who bought prints at the auction and supported my students. Thanks to all the people who helped us with our prize patrol today. Thanks to all my students who inspire me to be a better teacher every single day.

If you are interested in making a donation to the Education Foundation to support innovative teaching grants, please visit their website.

(See the photo gallery from the surprise.)

We dropped the ball

It has been far too long since our last post here on the district blog. In our defense, our department has had our sleeves rolled up dealing with communication needs for issues such as Swine Flu, construction delays at a new elementary school, and even Tuberculosis! Plus, we've had a hand in the district's employee reception, administrator retirement receptions, as well as preparations for high school graduations.

(Whew!)

That said, we want to continue to provide a trusted source for district information, behind the scenes knowledge and useful updates so we will work to get (and stay) on a better schedule for you.

You can help
What would you like to see covered here on the district blog? What do you want to know about within the district? There may be a few posts out there waiting to be written.

Thanks for your patience and for your valuable time. Also, look for more guest posts from other people in the district. There are great stories out there and we'll try to bring them to you.