December Construction Update

School Trustees get a monthly report that outlines the progress planned by the Construction Program Supervisor. The following items were included in the December 2011 report:

Lake Ridge High School 

The Lake Ridge High School sports facilities, including fields, will complete in January 2012 for early administrative staff move-in and use. The Complete Facility Substantial Completion Date for the campus is April 2012. The school is located at 101 N. Day Miar Road, Mansfield, TX.

December 1 aerial photo

Mansfield ISD Center for the Performing Arts 

The Substantial Completion Date for the Center for the Performing Arts is May 7, 2012, with MISD move-in date of May 1, 2012. The MISD Center for the Performing Arts is located at 1110 W. Debbie Lane, Mansfield, TX. 

As the first official use of the facility, all 2012 Mansfield ISD high school graduation ceremonies will be held at the Center for the Performing Arts. Get the graduations schedule.

December 1 aerial photo

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Note: The Executive Program Summaries are available through the School Board meeting agendas and minutes.

Timberview Football - A Season To Remember

The Mansfield Timberview High School varsity football team had the best season of any high school in Mansfield ISD history. Timberview battled their way through the playoffs before ultimately losing in the Class 5A Division II State Semifinals last weekend.

Congratulations, Wolves on your phenomenal season!

Video Tributes
Check out a couple of video tributes produced by Collin Tate, a senior at Frontier High School:

Intermediate School Renamed for NASA Event

For the month of January, 2012, Asa Low Intermediate School will be renamed NASA Low Intermediate School in preparation for a remarkable educational opportunity. The ceremonial renaming resolution was approved at the Mansfield ISD December School Board meeting.

Education Downlink

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) conducts educational opportunities called In-Flight Education Downlinks. In-Flight Education Downlinks allow educators and students to interact with crewmembers aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Asa Low Intermediate teacher, Patricia Londono (pictured at right), worked over two years on the submission with NASA's Teaching from Space team. On July 1, 2011, NASA awarded Asa Low Intermediate School with an In-Flight Education Downlink to be held on Tuesday, January 31, 2012.

In honor of this unique opportunity (and because the school name, Asa Low, was one letter away from the space agency's name) Mansfield ISD administrators chose to ceremonially rename the campus NASA Low Intermediate School for the month of January 2012 with the school board's adoption of a resolution in December. (We're even going so far as to add a big letter 'N' next to the school name on the outside of the building.)

NASA Low Intermediate will conduct over 100 space-related lessons and projects, webcasts, and a Space Night event in January 2012.

Click graphic below to read the full school board resolution: 

'Read to Me' Book Drive

Help us collect books for newborns. Volunteers are needed for the Methodist Mansfield Read to Me book drive on Friday, December 9 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM and on Saturday December 10 from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM at the Barnes & Noble store at The Parks Mall in Arlington. 

The book drive benefits the newest members in the community through the Read to Me infant book program. Newborns at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center receive a free book that can be read to and shared with siblings. The combined efforts of Mansfield ISD, Mansfield Sunrise Rotary Club, and Methodist Mansfield Medical Center was established in 2010 out of the hope to raise the number of children who become capable and enthusiastic lifelong readers.

“Reading to children is a great and easy way to build early literacy skills,” said Dr. Bob Morrison, MISD superintendent. “It lays the foundation for communication; builds listening, memory, and vocabulary skills; and introduces numbers, letters, colors, and shapes in a fun way.”

Please email angelbiasatti@mhd.com if you would like to volunteer for this weekend's Read to Me book drive. Help is needed during the book drive to stand beside collection boxes and make the customers aware of the book drive.

Superintendent Update - December 2011

Dr. Bob Morrison provides in-depth information regarding the proposed eight-period day schedule and the new attendance zone selection process.
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Survey: Please review and take the short Eight-period Schedule Survey.

Winter Weather Transportation and School-Closings

[updated December 4, 2013] What happens in Mansfield ISD when temperatures drop and our area has inclement winter weather?

I checked with our leadership team and the Transportation department to help explain some of the procedures, considerations, and decision-making during winter weather events. Here is what I found out:

1. At or before 4:00 a.m. a decision is made to deploy the Transportation weather team staff.
2. Before 4:30 a.m.., the weather team visually inspects various areas across the district of streets for icy, wet, or dry roads along with monitoring the weather information channels.
3. The weather team contacts the Director of Transportation with their road information.
4. Road conditions are analyzed along with other related information available from other school districts.
5. If roads are questionable, the Superintendent is contacted after 4:30 a.m. (but before 5:00 a.m.) to discuss findings and recommendations.
6. The Superintendent makes a decision by 5:00 a.m. whether or not to close schools.
7. We use our standard communication channels if any changes to the district schedule require adjustment including the District homepage, weather info webpage, our phone and e-mail notification system, DFW radio and TV news outlets, and via the district's Twitter profile, @mansfieldisd.

Other considerations and notable information

• Many area school districts' transportation directors have a local phone network so they can stay in communication and provide insight to what is happening road-wise with each other.

• How does weather forecasting play a part in the decision-making process? While the weather team reports actual conditions, what is expected to happen weather-wise is just as important to the decision process.

• What about early dismissals? If winter weather conditions worsen during the school day, we determine if an early release is needed to get the students home sooner and bus drivers back to the bus barn safely prior to darkness. We try to make that decision prior to 10:00 a.m. in order to adequately coordinate the dismissal process. As soon as it is determined to dismiss early, the dismissal times for each grade level will be posted immediately on the District's website.
• How many different bus routes run every day? Each of our MISD buses run three or four schools. We run 165 buses, including Special Needs, but with three bell schedules, that is approximately 660 individual bus trips each morning and then again each afternoon.

We hope this helps provide a little insight into this process.

Eight-Period Schedule Update

A final decision on the proposed eight-period schedule for 2012-13 will be made by the administration after the Winter Break.
— Mansfield ISD (@mansfieldisd) December 14, 2011

Due to the fact the district was cut $13 million this school year by the Texas Legislature and will be cut an additional $13 million next school year, we’ve made the decision to move to an eight-period day at the secondary level (for high school, middle school, intermediate school).

We provided a draft schedule earlier on our blog for the MISD community to review prior to the Thanksgiving break to begin the conversation on this new change for next year. We received some valid concerns and valuable input through the comments in addition to emails, calls, and discussions.

Here's the latest update on the proposed eight-period schedule. The updated schedule includes:

• 45-minute classes
• High School will start at 7:30 AM and end the day at 3:00 PM
• Middle Schools will start 8:45 AM and end their day at 4:10 PM
• Intermediate Schools will start at 8:30 AM and end their day at 3:55 PM
• Elementary Schools will start at 8:00 AM and end the day 3:30 PM

How does an eight-period schedule save $6-$10 million?
On the A/B block schedule, teachers teach six of eight classes. On the eight-period schedule, teachers will pick up one class to teach seven of eight classes. That extra class translates to 67.5 teaching positions or $4 million. Additionally, the students taking courses at Ben Barber Career Tech Academy for 150 minutes on an eight-period schedule generates an additional $3 million in funding through the Career and Technology Education (CTE) Allotment. And finally, when MISD went to the eight-period hybrid schedule for middle and intermediate schools this year, it saved $3 million. We’ll realize that same $3 million in savings next year as well.

We’ve also heard some common academic concerns about changing schedules:

Instructional time - Currently, in a two-week period, high schools have eight classes (four on A days and four and B days). Each class lasts 90 minutes for a total of 450 instructional minutes per two-week period. On the eight-period schedule, the students have eight classes each day. Each class lasts 45 minutes for a total of 450 instructional minutes per two-week period.

Homework - On the A/B block schedule with classes every other day, students can potentially receive homework five days in a two-week period. With the eight-period schedule, schools will develop a homework schedule that enables teachers to assign homework five out of every 10 days in a two-week period. Example, 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th periods would be able to give homework on odd days of the week and 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th periods on even days of the week. As you can see, that translates to five days of potential homework in the 10 school day period the same as A/B block.

Testing (Six Week Tests)

A/B block schedule allows time for four tests on A days and four tests on B days.

On the eight-period schedule 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th periods would test on odd days of the week; 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th period test on even days of the week.

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Updated Wednesday, December 7, 2011 - A Mansfield News-Mirror December 7 article on the eight-period schedule incorrectly references the next steps in the decision process. The Mansfield ISD school board will not vote on the schedule. The schedule is an administrative decision (not subject to board vote). For reference, the administrative decision on the schedule will be made after the December board meeting.

Updated Wednesday, December 14, 2011 - The MISD Board of Trustees heard a Presentation and held a discussion during the December Regular School Board Meeting. A final decision on the proposed eight-period schedule will be made by the administration after the Winter Break.

Bikes for Angels 2011 Campaign

Guest post by Rick Curlee, Auto Tech Teacher at Ben Barber Career Tech Academy

Ben Barber Career Tech Academy's Jerry Bellows Automotive Technology Department kicked off the annual Bikes for Angels Fundraiser for Christmas 2011 earlier this fall.

Last year, our Auto Tech students raised over $26,000 to buy 600 bicycles for Angel Tree kids identified by our Intermediate and Elementary schools here in the Mansfield area. We also donated bikes to some of the High School Key Clubs to be distributed through Common Ground Network. It meant so much for the instructors and students delivering these bikes to see counselors, principals, teachers and some of the recipients with tears of joy in their eyes.

We are starting this year's campaign with the goal of trying to buy at least 700 bicycles for needy children who would otherwise not get bikes for Christmas.

Our students are getting so excited about this project and to start work on our Bikes for Angel’s fundraiser. We have had students bringing everything in from Ziploc bags full of change to a student turning over his weekly paycheck to help some of these children. We have had a couple of students who have actually been on Angel Trees and received bikes when they were younger.

We would sincerely like to ask the MISD community to help us beat last year’s total by making a donation of any kind to our fund. We can use almost any type of donation. Some examples are listed below:

• Cars, running or not, and in any shape. Cars must have title and will either be resold or scrapped 
• Auction items (For the December Dinner & Auction) 
• Any type of Scrap Metal. 
• Checks, cash, even your spare change is accepted. It all adds up to bicycles. 
• Salon Packages 
• Assorted Gift Certificates 

Dinner & Auction

A dinner and auction will be held at Ben Barber Career Tech Academy on Friday, December 2 at 7:00 pm to help raise funds. You must have a ticket for the Dinner portion of the event. (Dinner tickets were sold at  the campus.) No ticket is necessary to attend the Auction portion of the event.

Updated Friday, December 2 - It’s not too late to reserve your ticket for tonight’s Bikes for Angels Dinner & Auction! We have extended the deadline for the purchase/reservation of Dinner tickets for tonight!

If you would like to join us for the 2nd Annual Bikes for Angels Dinner & Auction, please RSVP to Misty Smitherman via email mistysmitherman@misdmail.org or you can call 817-299-1941 by 2:00 pm today (12/2/11).

Join us for a Cajun Themed Dinner catered by Savvy’s Bistro

Where: Ben Barber Career Tech

Time: 7:00

Cost: $15

Thank you for considering this year's Bikes for Angels campaign. If you give by check, please make it out to "MISD Auto Tech" and put Bikes for Angels in the memo line.

For questions about the program, please email Mr. Rick Curlee at Ben Barber Career Tech Academy at rickcurlee@misdmail.org or contact by phone at 817-299-1939.

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Check out the photo gallery from the 2010 Bikes for Angels Presentation.

Eight-Period School Schedule

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UPDATED Monday, November 28, 2011 

We are currently working on revisions to the eight-period schedule for next year. A revised schedule will be released later this week that will include 45 minute class periods and changes to the start and end times for the day. We appreciate your patience on this schedule update as we address the valid concerns and valuable feedback from the community.

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Original Post from Friday, November 18, 2011 at 11:59 AM

Due to the fact the district was cut $13 million this school year by the Texas Legislature and will be cut an additional $13 million next school year, Mansfield ISD has made the decision to move to an eight-period day at the secondary level (high school, middle, intermediate). Compared to other available options, the decision to change our schedule is in the best interest of our students, staff and district. No programs are being eliminated, so our students will continue to be able to participate in the current programs offered. No staff members will be laid off because of the budget cuts.

The length of the school day and the start and ending times of classes have not been finalized. We are continuing to gather feedback on these times from our students, staff and parents. If you have a question or comment, you may comment on this blog post or send it to info@misdmail.org . We will add frequently asked questions below the graphic as new questions are asked. Thank you for taking the time to review this information and providing input.

Dr. Bob Morrison
Superintendent, Mansfield ISD

Click graphic above for larger image. (Graphic updated at 3:40 PM, November 18, 2011.)

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FAQs

Why are we changing our schedule?

Mansfield ISD’s state and federal funding was cut $13 million in the 2011-12 school year and is expected to be cut another $13 million in 2012-13 school year. The change to the district’s bell schedule will result in an estimated savings of $6 million per school year. The district has made changes to operations in the last two years to reduce expenses, but the district is now entering a phase where tougher budget decisions will have to be made. 

Why do we need eight periods, instead of seven?

All MISD students must earn 27 credits to graduate. A seven period day would only allow for 28 credits and students would lose the ability to take certain elective courses that they enjoy. Students who need to repeat a course would have very little flexibility in their schedules to do so. An eight period day gives our students more flexibility.

How will this change impact instructional time at the high school?

An eight-period schedule will increase instructional time for high school students by approximately 10%. The new eight-period schedule will have 8,850 minutes of instructional time for the year, in place of the current 8000 minutes offered by the A/B Schedule. Students will also be able to see their teachers every day. Teachers will have a planning period every day.

How will students manage the load of classwork (tests, etc.) and homework required for an eight period day?

Principals and teachers will work together to develop a homework, test and project schedule that is manageable for students, so they are not overwhelmed.

Summit Library Aide Humbled by Heartbeat Award

Brenda Wells has a heart for helping others and an eye for opportunities to serve. As a library aide at Summit High School, Wells goes above and beyond her day-to-day responsibilities to make a positive difference in the lives’ of those around her.

Wells was nominated for the MISD Heartbeat Team Award by her coworkers, who had no shortage of positive things to say about her. When Dr. Morrison, Superintendent of Schools, surprised Wells with the award on the morning of November 11, she was overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude.

“I don’t think I’m deserving of this,” she said. “There are so many other people in this school that do so many great things!”

Even in a moment that was intended to honor her, Wells’ instinct was to focus on lifting up those around her.

“We have a great school and great kids,” she said. “The staff is just like a big family and everybody is willing to help everybody and pull together in any situation.”

It’s not uncommon to hear stories about Wells’ generous spirit. She supports many special events at Summit, but is also known for initiating her own special programs. When she heard that a student was in the hospital and would have to miss out on Homecoming and her birthday, she worked to create a poster with hundreds of student signatures and messages for her.

“Brenda has a spark about her,” said Keli Cullen, Teen Leadership teacher. “She is always giving and wanting to do more.”

Wells does so much to make those around her feel special, but thanks to her peers it’s her turn to feel the love. The Mansfield ISD administration is proud to present the November 2011 Heartbeat Team Award to Brenda Wells for her commitment to helping the students and staff of Summit High School.

About the Heartbeat Team
The Mansfield ISD Heartbeat Team was established to recognize employees who display heart in their lives and inspire other district employees through their actions. Heartbeat Team members are nominated only by other district employees. Winners are selected during the school year from those nominated. Those named to the Heartbeat Team are still eligible for other district honors.

Happy Veterans Day

Happy Veterans Day! To the men and women of our Armed Forces, thank you for your dedicated service. 

There are many campus observances being held today across the District. From large events to small gatherings, the students of Mansfield ISD take time to thank and honor veterans. 

We'll collect photos from the events and share them in the online photo gallery.

Pirates make landfall at Worley Middle School

Two Texas History teachers from Worley Middle School, (above L-R) Jeff Horn and Darryl Swinney, dressed up like pirates on Monday, October 31 for a class presentation on pirates who played a role in Texas history.

In a storytelling mode, they both explained the role of pirates Jean Lafitte and Louis-Michel Aury in the Mexican War of Independence. 

According to the principal, students were thrilled to see their teachers perform for them. 

"The history department here at Worley goes above and beyond to provide our learners with authentic historical experiences," said Dr. Butler, Worley Principal. "It’s almost like our students get to sit on the sidelines of history and watch it take place."

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It was also a pretty good excuse to get dressed up for work on Halloween. 

Well done, guys.

Superintendent Update - November 2011

Dr. Bob Morrison discusses the MISD Bond election, new marketing opportunities for the district, the Lake Ridge HS colors and mascot and information on the new attendance zones.

Student Fundraising Efforts Rewarded with...Slime?

On October 7, the students of Willie Brown Elementary took part in a Fun Run to raise money for the PTA. For about two weeks leading up to the event, students asked family members, friends and neighbors to sponsor them with a lump sum or $5 per lap. By the end of the run, the students raised almost $25,000!

You may wonder what kept these students motivated throughout their forty-lap course. Was it the pizza party that would be provided to the class in each grade level that raised the most money?

Perhaps.

What about the iPod Touch that would be won by the student who raised the most in the entire school?

That’s probable.

How about the promise that if they did a great job they would be able to watch their P.E. Coach, Principal AND the Superintendent get SLIMED?

DING DING DING!

After the overwhelming success of the event, the slime victims knew their fate was sealed. On the afternoon of October 21, students and teachers of Brown Elementary gathered in the school courtyard to watch Superintendent Dr. Bob Morrison, Principal Kyna Eastlick and P.E. Coach David Johnson get covered in purple, pink and green slime (you can imagine the thunderous applause).

PTA Fundraising Chair Caryn Angus played a big role in organizing the event and she is also credited with convincing Dr. Morrison to take part.

“We know how much he loves the schools and teachers and he knows how much we love Willie Brown Elementary,” said Angus. “He has now proved that he is the coolest Superintendent out there… and he can wear purple slime like no other!” 

Not only was the Fun Run a blast for the students, it was a healthy way to raise money for the school.

When asked if she would volunteer to be slimed again next year, Eastlick replied, “Of course I would! It was for a good cause and it allowed us to show the students how much we appreciated their hard work.”

Aide Sparks Strength through Struggle

Some people may think of a soldier or a firefighter when they hear the words “hero” and “warrior,” but for the staff at Elizabeth Smith Elementary, these words describe their teammate Zondra Stepney.

Stepney has inspired her coworkers at Elizabeth Smith Elementary through the courage she displayed throughout her battle with breast cancer last year. Despite challenging circumstances, she continued to uplift others. Her uplifting spirit and efforts were evident in the Heartbeat Team nominations she received from campus staff.

“She is an inspiration to everyone on the team,” said Ira Okogbodu. “She is always smiling with a good word for everybody, even when she is in pain.”

Stepney’s attitude has made a positive impact on her coworkers, but she finds her own inspiration in the students she works with each day.

“I didn’t want to let breast cancer get me down,” said Stepney. “It was encouraging to come work with these kids because they have disabilities that they have to live with as well.”

In addition to her job as a Special Ed Aide, Stepney is a devoted wife and mother of four. Throughout her illness, she continued to put others first, scheduling all of her doctor’s appointments in the evening so that she did not have to miss a day of work.

“I think there were more days last year that she felt horrible and probably should not have been here, but she fought through it,” said Principal Lea Boiles. “It never showed that she didn’t have the physical endurance to be here.”

The Smith Elementary team offered an outpouring of love and support last March, before Stepney’s surgery. The staff and students planned a surprise pep rally featuring dance tributes, cheers and special care packages for Stepney and her family.

The pep rally in Stepney's honor was titled “Stomping Out Cancer,” which is exactly what she did - with a beautiful smile on her face.

Congratulations to our courageous October 2011 Heartbeat Team Award winner, Zondra Stepney!

About the Heartbeat Team
The Mansfield ISD Heartbeat Team was established to recognize employees who display heart in their lives and inspire other district employees through their actions. Heartbeat Team members are nominated only by other district employees. Winners are selected during the school year from those nominated. Those named to the Heartbeat Team are still eligible for other district honors.

Trustee Inspires Students through Storytelling

Keeping the attention of about 300 middle school students near the end of a long school day might prove to be a daunting task, but MISD School Board Trustee, Raul Gonzalez certainly stood up to the challenge on the afternoon of October 12.

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15), Gonzalez delivered a presentation to the seventh grade students at Coble Middle School. He talked to them about the rich Hispanic culture in his hometown of El Paso, explaining that family, hard work and determination were fundamental values in his upbringing.

He highlighted the importance of work ethic as he proudly told the story of how his father worked his way up through the ranks at the Post Office until he became the Postmaster, with only a high school education. His father’s tremendous work ethic taught him to persevere in his own job at a law firm, where he has worked for 28 years and is now the Director of Administration.

Gonzalez encouraged students to take advantage of the opportunities surrounding them and to never use the words “I can’t.” After delivering a captivating message about culture, values and hard work, he left the students with one final lesson, “We all come from different backgrounds, but we must always work together.”

(The 8th Grade Advanced Boys Choir kicked off the assembly with their performance of "Viva Tutti") 

 

Kick Chance Raises Cash for Joplin

Della Icenhower Intermediate School student, Kyra (pictured above at right) went through Joplin, MO with her dad this summer and wanted to do something to help. The school decided that they would use the Principal's Extra Point at the Friday, October 7 football game at Newsom Stadium as a way to help the tornado-ravaged community. About 20 staff members decorated a milk jug and collected change. The Icenhower staff member who collected the most change would take the kick at the game instead of the principal. The school raised about $379 dollars, Kyra was able to be down to the field, and teacher Ms. Del Fierro (above left), took the kick.

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The Prinicpal's Extra Point is in its second-year through the Athletics Department. It is an opportunity to give the school principals from our elementary and intermediate campuses a chance to win money for their school's PE department from the MISD High School Athletics Booster Clubs. 

Education Foundation Diamond Ball

The Mansfield ISD Education Foundation Presents: The Diamond Ball on Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 6:30 PM at the Omni Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas. Join the Education Foundation and KDFW news anchor Steve Eager, as they honor Chris Huckabee, Philanthropist & CEO of Huckabee, Inc as well as Ashley Purgason, Distinguished Scholar from the 2002 class of Mansfield HS who is now a NASA Researcher.

• Black Tie Optional
• Private Reception for Honored Guests and Table Sponsors
• The event includes Dinner, Dancing, Live Music, Silent and Live Auctions

Single Tickets are available at $125 per person and a limited number of Table sponsors are still available at $2000. RSVP online by October 24, 2011 or contact the MISD Education Foundation office for more information at 817-299-6355.

Student Testing Update - STAAR/EOC

New state testing begins this school year with the implementation of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness or STAAR The standardized testing program includes tests for students in grades 3–12.

Mansfield ISD will use this blog, the MISD Department of Research, Assessment and Accountability website, as well as information at the campuses to keep parents informed of the changes in student testing.

About STAAR (3-8)

Texas is phasing in the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exams which will test the same subject areas as the TAKS tests. STAAR testing will begin in March 2012 on these subjects:

• Grades 3 through 8: reading and math
• Grades 4 and 7: writing
• Grades 5 and 8: science
• Grade 8: social studies

End Of Course
Ninth grade in the 2011–2012 school year will be the first class required to take STAAR End Of Course (EOC) assessments. The 12 EOC assessments are:

• English I, English II, English III
• Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II
• Biology, Chemistry, Physics
• World Geography, World History, and U.S. History

The test will have three levels of proficiency. Level 1 is for unsatisfactory academic performance, level 2 for satisfactory performance and level 3 for advanced academic performance. State accountability ratings, which will be based largely on STAAR results, have been suspended for the 2011-12 school year.

Source: Texas Education Agency

Additional Resources:

Open publication - Free publishing - More assessment

STAAR - A guide to the High School Testing Program

STAAR - A parent’s guide to the student testing program

Wondering what the STAAR and End of Course exam questions will look like? 

Wonder no more, see the STAAR Released Test Questions.

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On Tuesday, February 28, the Mansfield ISD school board voted to amend the grading guidelines so that the End-of-Course assessments are not calculated in the final course averages for this 2011-2012 school year.

Third Grade Water Safety Classes

All third grade students in the District receive water safety classes at the Mansfield ISD Natatorium. It takes a while to schedule every single class, but by the end of the school year all third graders learn some important lessons in order to have safe experiences in and around public and private pools and other bodies of water.

Simple tips like Look B 4 You Leap (taught with hand signals as a memory tactic) and others are encouraged to be taken home and shared with family members.

The MISD Natatorium is the home for the high school swimming and diving teams, the Mansfield Aquatic Club, as well as Adult Swim and Learn to Swim Class available to the Mansfield ISD community. You can get additional information on the Natatorium website.

Website Service Interruption

The Mansfield ISD website (www.mansfieldisd.org) will be down for maintenance today (Tuesday, October 4) beginning at 4:30 PM. The Technology Department will be working to restore access to the site as quickly as possible. Mansfield ISD online services like Web Mail and Infinite Campus will not be affected by the outage, but you will need to access them via a direct link. We have provided direct links to a few of those services below:

Infinite Campus (Parent Log-in):
https://cst.epm.infinitecampus.org/campusE/portal/mansfield.jsp

Infinite Campus (Teacher Log-in):
https://cst.epm.infinitecampus.org/campusE/mansfield.jsp

TeleParent (Staff):
https://www.teleparent.net/login.php

WebMail (Staff):
http://mail.misdmail.org

As a reminder, the Mansfield ISD Blog and MISD TechNotes Blog are great resources for updates and information during an outage. Thank you for your patience and understanding at this time.

Superintendent Update - October 2011

Dr. Bob Morrison discusses the new STAAR and EOC testing, MISD Parent/Teacher Conference Day, and info on the upcoming district-wide College and Career Night.

(Please note: If you cannot view the above video from inside the MISD network, please use the alternate video portal version.)

Business Group Honors Tipps Elementary

Mansfield ISD is proud to announce that Roberta Tipps Elementary has been named to the Texas Business & Education Coalition (TBEC) 2011 Honor Roll. The staff and students at Tipps Elementary should be proud for being included in this very select group for a fourth year. According to TBEC, of the more than 8,000 Texas public schools, less than 4% are honored.

The TBEC Honor Roll is a prestigious award for sustained, academic excellence in Texas. It recognizes schools that have demonstrated three years of consistent, high performance in all subjects compared to other schools serving similar student populations. TBEC Honor Roll schools have the highest percentage of students performing at the state’s most rigorous standard - commended - in every subject.

Congratulations to Tipps Elementary for earning a place on the Honor Roll through continued hard work and student achievement.

High Five to Savvy's Bistro - Doors Open Sept 27

Tuesday, September 27, Savvy's Bistro is putting out the mat and welcoming Mansfield ISD patrons to join them for lunch, marking the bistro's opening for the 2011-2012 school year.

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the student-run bistro located inside Ben Barber Career Tech Academy/Frontier High School (located at 1120 W. Debbie Ln., Mansfield, TX, 76063).

Savvy's focus is on the education not the bottom line, so featured items come delivered to you at a very reasonable price. The bistro is open to the public for lunch from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Additional parking for the Bistro is located in the back of the building. 

Don't delay; come by, order lunch, be amazed by the student's skills, and give the chefs a high-five congratulating them on five years of success. Get the menu.

MISD remains among top-rated districts in FAST report

Last week, the Texas Comptroller's Office released the Financial Allocation Study for Texas (FAST) report.

For the second year in a row, Mansfield ISD received a 4.5 out 5 star rating and a "very low" (which is good) spending index according to the report.

The report grades districts on how well they spend money compared to student performance.

The Comptroller’s Financial Allocation Study for Texas (FAST) examines both academic progress and spending at Texas’ school districts and individual school campuses.

Each district and campus is assigned a FAST rating of one to five stars, indicating its success in combining cost-effective spending with the achievement of measurable student academic progress. Five stars reflects the strongest relative progress combined with the lowest relative spending.

Read more about the FAST Results.

Click graphic below for Mansfield ISD results from the report:

Update for Mansfield ISD iPhone App Now Available

It's been less than a month since we launched our iPhone App, and we are already making improvements to better meet your needs!

Version 1.2 of the Mansfield ISD App was released in the App Store earlier this week.

What's New in Version 1.2?

• An updated link to Infinite Campus
• We have updated the breakfast/lunch menus to mobile-optimized pages (you will be unable to view the menus until you download the update)

Don't miss out on the enhancements to the MISD iPhone App, download the update today!

Students show respect for fallen local soldier

This morning, the funeral procession for SPC Jesse W. Dietrich (a former MISD student) took place along Hwy 1187, Main St., and Broad Street in its way to First Baptist Mansfield Church. According to a release, 20-year-old US Army 10th Mountain SPC Jesse W. Dietrich was killed in action on August 25, 2011 in Kandahar province, during a battle with enemy forces who attacked his unit using small arms fire.

Jesse Dietrich attended Tarver-Rendon Elementary, Donna Shepard Intermediate, Rogene Worley Middle, and attended Summit High School.

Schools along the route took some time out of the morning to send students outside out of respect for the fallen soldier and his family.

Sheppard Elementary, Shepard Intermediate, and Erma Nash Elementary brought students outside anticipating the funeral procession.

Sheppard Elementary

Nash Elementary

At Legacy High School, the Bronco Battalion JROTC cadets showed their respects with an Honor Guard while almost the entire student body lined the school's front sidewalk.

Legacy High School

“As a parent, I feel for any family that loses a loved one. As an American, I have tremendous gratitude for those who have chosen to put their life on the line to defend the principles of this country,” Principal David Wright said. “As a principal, I have a great pride in seeing our students and staff recognize that “it is not about me, it is about others.” (Quoted from The Rider Online.)

Central Admin staff as well as Maintenance and Facilities staff came out in front of their respective complexes as the procession rolled by.

This community should be proud of these students and they way they all showed the proper respect for this fallen local soldier. Many others from local businesses, the City of Mansfield and community members also lined the route to honor Dietrich and his family.
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Jesse Dietrich served with the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, based at Fort Drum, New York. He joined the Army in March 2009 and arrived at Fort Drum in July 2010 to join the 10th Mountain Division.

His awards and decorations include the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal and the Combat Infantry Badge.

Student Makes the Most of Leadership Position

by Abby Cloud

Senior Jordan Robinson has more on his mind than college, prom and graduation. As the President of the Texas Association of DECA, he leads over 10,675 members and represents the third largest association within the National DECA organization.

I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Robinson to discuss his role as Texas DECA President, his recent leadership conference in Washington D.C. and more.

Abby: This is a really big year for you! How did this leadership opportunity come about?

Jordan: When I decided to run for office, I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into. Once I got to the conference and set up my campaign booth, I learned quickly that I had to come out from behind the booth to build connections and have one-on-one conversations with people.

Abby: I hear you gave an epic campaign speech. Why do you think it was so successful?

Jordan: The day before the speeches I talked to a lot of members and I got a really good feel for what they wanted and expected from a President. I realized my original speech did not line up with their feedback, so I was up until about 2:00 that night making changes to my speech. Also, mine was one of the last speeches delivered, so after hearing everyone else’s, I knew what I needed to do to set myself apart.

Abby: Fast forward to your current position as President… what responsibilities do you have on your plate?

Jordan: I’m gearing up for a leadership conference in New Braunfels. We’re working on a Dress for Success workshop that will help give people the basics on professionalism. I’ve also been coordinating community service projects for our chapter, which is something I am really passionate about.

Abby: How much of your free time is spent working on DECA projects?

Jordan: I work on DECA stuff every day! I made myself take a week off during the summer, but then I ended up with two weeks of work to catch up on. It’s definitely a huge responsibility, but I know it is worth it.

 Abby: What about the fun stuff? How was your leadership trip in D.C. this summer?

Jordan: It was definitely an opportunity for me to bond with my leadership team. We went on a lot of different tours, so I was able to see the Smithsonian and the Arlington Cemetery, which was awesome! I think the most valuable thing I took home from the trip was what I learned about coordinating and leading a team.

Abby: In what ways has this leadership position allowed you to impact others? 

Jordan: I think I have inspired my teammates through my accomplishments. Now there are other people in my chapter that want to run for district or state office. I helped show people that even if you come from a small town, you can still do big things.

Abby: Now the inevitable interview question for seniors… How about those future plans?

Jordan: I’m hoping to start college at TCU next year, and if they don’t already have a DECA chapter, I would love to get one started and get others involved. I’m interested in studying chemical engineering or computer science. Even though DECA has more of a business focus, I have learned things about time management and organization that I think will be helpful to me no matter what career I choose.

Abby: What else do you want people to know about you?

Jordan: When I decided to run for DECA office, a lot of people were worried that it would change me. Yes, I am the state president and I have a lot of stuff to do, but I would still drop anything to be there for my friends. I’m still Jordan, just a busier version. 

Good Fun for a Good Cause

When members of the Women’s Division of the Mansfield Area Chamber of Commerce began planning the 2011 Mansfield Style Show and Shopping Expo several months ago, they set two goals: to raise over $60,000 for the community and to create the biggest and best style show and shopping expo in Mansfield history.

The event will take place Saturday September 10, from 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. at Tarrant County College’s Southeast Campus. The program is packed with fun activities for the whole family:

• 100 shopping booths by local merchants with free samples and door prizes throughout the day


•  A community stage featuring local performing arts groups and organizations


• Mansfield ISD student art contest featuring participants from 14 campuses


• Taste of Mansfield event with local restaurants and caterers offering delicious samples – Nothing Bundt Cakes, The Melting Pot, Double Throw Down BBQ and more


• Celebrity Chef Carol Ritchie will demonstrate some of her famous healthy recipes


• Miss Mansfield will be the emcee for the Children’s Showcase Style Show featuring clothing from local boutiques modeled by local children 


• Style Show featuring local fashions modeled by a combination of professional  models and local residents

This event will benefit many local charities and organizations, including the Mansfield ISD Scholarship Program, Mansfield ISD Education Foundation and the Mansfield ISD Fine Arts Department.

Visit the event website for additional information and to purchase tickets.

First Day Photos 2011

Thank you to all in the District community who shared your photos from last week for our 4th annual First Day Photos online gallery.

Once again, we had over 100 photos shared with us. Check out this year's photos.

New Foundation Mini-Grant Program

The MISD Education Foundation has started the "WeCan...Choose!" mini-grant program. This new grant program inspires teachers to write grants for projects and materials for immediate implementation in their classrooms.

The goal is to give our parents and our community an opportunity to help us fund more of these terrific projects and get much needed resources into our classrooms to benefit our children.

NOTE: From August 29 – September 29 you can donate online to specific "We Can...Choose!" grants.

The MISD Education Foundation is a 501c3 organization that has provided more than $2.3 million to teachers in our district to fund innovative projects in our classrooms. Over the past 12 years the Foundation has funded more than 990 grants though two grant rounds a year. In addition to the new mini grant program, teachers can apply for up to $1000 and a grade level or campus can apply for up to $5000. Special THINK BIG grants provide $10,000 in funding. These grants are made possible by the generous donations from businesses and corporations and individuals and organizations in our community.

Superintendent Update - September 2011

Dr. Bob Morrison discusses a new bond election, the balanced budget, the opening of Nancy Neal Elementary and the new MISD iPhone app.

Thank you, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center

Guest Post by Eric White, MISD Athletic Trainer

On behalf of Mansfield Independent School District Athletic Department, I want to express my gratitude to Methodist Mansfield Medical Center, its physicians, nurses, and staff for the spirit of volunteerism that they displayed on Saturday, July 30, conducting sports physicals and echocardiograms for more than 300 athletes. Their generous donations of time and equipment ensured many of our athletes are ready to compete safely as the season gets underway.

Volunteering their time at Mansfield Summit High School were local physicians Darin Charles, MD; Nancy Georgekutty, MD; Donna Shannon, MD, Keto Trivedi, MD; Mary Welp, MD; and Jeff McDaniel, MD. Cardiologists Joshua Jacobi, MD and Alan Taylor, MD.

Additionally, volunteers who helped organize and assist in the sports physicals and echos were Angel Biasatti, Henry Burdine, Mario Chavez, Casey Darwin, Julia De La Guardia, Annie Dukes, Christie Enslin Rijan Giri, Carol Hague, Beverly Hill, Stacey Hensley, Herman Jaime Jr., Bernnie Kennedy, Jay Lavers, Patricia Looper, Kalinda Longino, Victoria Mays, Paula McMahan, Rosa Nyaoga, Jeanne Reeves, Amber Roten, Sandra Sanchez, Shelby Shaw, Debra Stafford, Christina Tillotson, Teresa Tucker, Kimberlee Williams, Michelle Williams, Karen Yates and Vicki Yoder.

With the help of Methodist Mansfield Medical Center the Mansfield Independent School District athletic department has benefited immensely and we are appreciate of their community outreach efforts and their health programs that benefit our entire community.

While we partner with Methodist Mansfield year-round, this one-weekend’s effort has not only helped our coaches, it has brought increased visibility to our role in mentoring and supporting healthy athletes in our community.

The Mansfield Independent School District athletic department thanks Methodist Mansfield Medical Center for its commitment to building a healthy community and we look forward to continuing to work toward a better community.

Sincerely,
Eric White
Athletic Trainer

District joins the City of Mansfield for "Daybreak" segment

On Friday, August 19, community members, staff, parents, and students took part in an early-morning opportunity to show some community spirit, while showcasing the City of Mansfield and the Mansfield ISD.

Mansfield ISD and the City of Mansfield was the featured community on Daybreak (WFAA Ch. 8) at Victory Plaza south of the American Airlines Center.

Many students helped out in providing some morning spirit including the Mansfield HS Band, Varsity Cheerleading squads from all 4 MISD High Schools; and some student athletes/teams that won a State Championship during the 2010-2011 school year. According to Daybreak anchor, Ch. 8's Cynthia Izaguirre, this morning's group set a record attendance.

Thanks to all who joined in on the fun.

Mansfield ISD launches iPhone App

The App's out of the bag!

Mansfield ISD has launched the long-awaited and planned iPhone App just in time for the start of the 2011-12 school year.

The idea for the iPhone App materialized last summer and we received some early interest, wishes and suggestions for functionality.

We listened to that feedback and put together a comprehensive mobile app for our community.

» Get the Mansfield ISD
iPhone App

We wanted to provide our parents, students, and staff with as much of the relevant and useful Mansfield ISD information, links, documents, resources, etc. at their fingertips.

Through the MISD iPhone App, users will find:

• Campus and department directory complete with phone numbers and maps
• Cafeteria menus and meal pricing
• Infinite Campus access for online grades, attendance and student information system
• Interactive map and portal to our web search engine used for attendance zones and bus routes
• News and blog updates, MISD YouTube videos, and quick access to our online photo galleries
• and much more....

Why did we choose to do an iPhone App?

MISD iPhone App home screen

We're always looking for ways to expand, enhance, and improve our school district communication and this seemed like a pretty solid way to do that to reach an ever-increasing mobile audience.In the 2010-11 academic year, our website traffic increased in the area of mobile devices. Leading the pack of mobile devices was the iPhone, with over 102,000 visits. We took into consideration iPod and iPad device access to our site and determined that right now, the traffic could support an iPhone App.

Android users, we haven't forgot about you. Our current plans are to begin the process soon for an Android App since that platform brought the next highest number and percentage of mobile device traffic.

For now, please let all of the iPhone users in Mansfield ISD know about the District's app and be sure to let us know what you think.

Fan Fest 2011 Photos

Thank you to all who joined us last week for the 5th Annual Fan Fest.

The Mansfield ISD Athletics Department held the 5th Annual Fan Fest on Thursday, August 11, 2011 at Vernon Newsom Stadium. Fan Fest has become an annual free kick-off event at Newsom Stadium. It features the District's high school varsity football teams, drumlines, cheerleaders, and drill teams. Community members were invited to choose their seats, purchase football season tickets, meet the football players and coaches on the field while enjoying an evening in a pep rally-like atmosphere.

Reasons for the five minute earlier high school start

Mansfield ISD high school students will report to school five minutes earlier this year due to an adjusted bell schedule.

Mansfield HS, Legacy HS, Summit HS, Timberview HS will start school five minutes earlier at 7:10 AM (Classes are dismissed at 2:30 PM.)

Ben Barber Career Tech Academy/Frontier HS will begin the day at 7:00 AM (Classes are dismissed at 2:30 PM.)

So why the change?
The earlier start time was done for several reasons. Basically, the earlier start times create more flexibility for students taking courses at Ben Barber Career Tech Academy. We also had to adjust the schedule to transport students to and from BBCTA on the morning and afternoon bus schedule to ensure they would not miss class at their home campuses. Additionally, Tarrant County College Southeast Campus requested longer class times for duel credit courses that students can take at the BBCTA campus. And lastly, the adjustment will allowed Ben Barber CTA to qualify for additional funding which, in this economic climate could not be ignored.

Change can be tough (and maybe even a little unpopular according to a few of the Twitter replies we've seen from students) but we appreciate everyone's flexibility and understanding for this adjustment.

Get a printable copy of the high school bell schedule chart is available on the MISD website.

Photo credit: svenwerk