2011-12 By the Numbers and Stats

During the summer months the District and campus administrators take time to prepare and plan for the next school year. Part of that process includes looking back at the previous year and analyzing some numbers. Here are few interesting stats and facts about Mansfield ISD in the 2011-12 school year:

• A total of 589,609 messages were sent from the District and campuses to families using the phone notification system for community messages, notices, and emergency calls.
• Our website received a total of 5,341,371 visits.
• We sent 21 MISD Messenger email newsletters and special announcements to subscribers. (See the archive and subscribe.)
• The District saved over $42,000 through an internal recycling campaign.
• The MISD Education Foundation gave $173,934 to District educators for innovative teaching grants.

Note: The above graphic is available on the MISD Welcome webpage. Also, we may periodically update this post as additional information from other departments are shared.

As a reminder, school starts Monday, August 27, 2012. You can now get back to school information by campus including schedule pickup and meet the teacher dates, school supply lists and more.

We hope you are having a safe and happy summer.

Shelbi Vaughn: National Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year

Congratulations to Shelbi Vaughn, Mansfield Legacy HS graduate, for being named the 2011-12 Gatorade® National Girls Tack & Field Athlete of the Year. Check out the Player Bio for Shelbi Vaughn.

Below is the full-page ad in the July 5, 2012 Ft. Worth Star-Telegram:

On June 27, the Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, announced Abraham Hall of South Grand Prairie High School (Grand Prairie, Texas) and Shelbi Vaughan of Legacy High School (Mansfield, Texas) as its 2011-12 Gatorade National Track & Field Athletes of the Year.

At the USA Track and Field Junior Outdoor Championships, Vaughan had a throw of 198 feet, nine inches, that set the national high school and junior records in the discuss throw. She also won the discuss throw at this year's 5A state championships. She finished 4th in the Women’s Discus Throw at the Olympic Trials in Oregon last month. (Shelbi Vaughan "the future of throwing" - ESPN.com)


Check out the announcement videos on Shelbi here, here, and here
Emmitt Smith surprises Shelbi Vaughan: 2011-12 Girls Track and Field POY

Mansfield ISD congratulates Shelbi Vaughn.

Solar Car Team Takes the Challenge

Students from the Ben Barber Career Tech Academy are voluntarily working through their summer vacation to compete in the Solar Car Challenge which will be held later this month at the Texas Motor Speedway.

Thanks to team advisors Jackie Bishop (auto tech teacher) and Rob Goodson (engineering teacher) along with a lot of help from generous sponsors, the students are building the District's first solar car for competition while learning some valuable skills. Approximately 25 students have been busy working on weekdays and a few Saturdays here and there in the BBCTA automotive garage to finish the solar car in time for the race week, July 15-19. The solar car team is primarily for engineering and auto tech students, but anyone can help according to advisor, Jackie Bishop.

While the car will sport large solar panels on its top for power, it has some some simple automotive roots. The chassis is from an old Legends Car that was donated. It has a four-wheeler front-end suspension and a motorcycle rear-suspension. In order to make this solar car and race a reality, students had to learn a lot about solar power, electronics, steel, construction, welding, and even amateur radio skills (and licenses) for track communication.

Check out the MISD Minutes video feature on the Solar Car Challenge (YouTube or MISD Video Portal).

Happy Independence Day: 4th of July Facts and Fun

 

The Fourth of July, or Independence Day, is a federal holiday that celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of the Independence.

On this day in 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress, setting the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July holiday.

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Did you know...

2.5 million - In July 1776, the estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation.

313.9 million - The nation's estimated population on this July Fourth. (Source)

There is something written on the back of the Declaration of Independence, but it isn't a secret map or code. Instead, there are a few handwritten words that say, "Original Declaration of Independence/ dated 4th July 1776". No one knows who wrote this, but it was probably added as a label when the document was rolled up for storage many years ago. (Source)


Related links:

• A Chronology of Events, June 7, 1776 to January 18, 1777 - USHistory.org
• Declaration of Independence text - USHistory.org
• Declaration of Independence video - History.com
• The Fourth of July 2012 - US Census Bureau
• Why July 2 is really America’s independence day - Washington Post
• Top 5 Myths About the Fourth of July! - History News Network