A Message from Dr. Vaszauskas

The following was shared with MISD staff on Friday, August 30, 2013.

Dear Colleagues,

On August 12, I had a surgical procedure to remove a mass located under my ribs. We were fortunate to have caught this growth in its early stages, and my wonderful surgeon was able to remove everything but microscopic traces of the growth.

The mass, called a thymoma, is very rare. Thymomas are very slow growing, tend not to spread and respond very well to treatment, so the long-term prognosis is very good. If you are curious, you can learn more about thymomas at this link.

To give myself the best chance of never having to deal with this again, I am choosing to undergo a six-week course of radiation treatment that should begin sometime during the week of September 10. I may need to miss some work during this time.

We have a wonderful leadership team in MISD, and they have done an exemplary job running the district while I have been out for surgery. Business will continue as usual. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to work with our outstanding Board of Trustees in service to this district. They have been very supportive during this time and have full confidence in our leadership team.

If you have a problem, a concern, or need assistance, follow our normal procedures. When I am out of the district, Karen Wentworth, Associate Superintendent of Human Resources, will serve as the acting superintendent.

Thank you for what you do for the students of Mansfield ISD.

Dr. Jim Vaszauskas
Superintendent, Mansfield ISD

Teachers take school beautification needs into their own hands

Three teachers at the Alternative Education Center took it upon themselves to spruce up an area of their campus to provide a more appealing and inviting area. Science teachers Mr. Shannon Helm and Mrs. Sally McClure along vocational electives and economics teacher, Duston Moore thought a spot in the foyer was in need of some beautification. So they literally took matters into their own hands. They bought mulch and plants and then spent a few hours planting and trimming in the area to make sure it was ready for school. The result is a more appealing section of the school.

"They did this on their own time and with their personal money," said Raymond Cook, social studies department head. "As you can see, it is a great improvement and we were ready to greet our students with pride."

Before

 After

Thanks and kudos to these teachers for going above and beyond their duties for students.

Staff kicked the year off with Convocation

On Wednesday, August 21, the entire Mansfield ISD staff gathered for the annual Convocation event to kick off the school year. Convocation is our pre-back-to-school event when we get a chance to bring all the employees together in what we hope is a fun, festive and motivating experience. This year, we tried something a little different and asked one of our assistant principals, Josh Roberts, to be our host. (In addition to serving as a veteran educator, Josh is also no stranger to the stage as one of the members of Four Day Weekend improv comedy troupe in Ft. Worth.)

Our keynote speaker was Mr. Flip Flippen from The Flippen Group and he gave an inspirational message of encouragement and support through stories. Flip is Chairman of the Flippen Group, a respected leadership development and talent assessment company and the largest educator training company in North America. (Mr. Flippen also laid the groundwork for the Teen Leadership teacher certification program and classes that are offered at all MISD high schools.)

Check out the photo gallery from the 2013 Convocation:

 

A special thank you to the cadets from Legacy High School Junior ROTC for the presentation of colors and to our MISD staff singers who performed the National Anthem:

• Adam Zrust, Legacy, Director of Choirs
• Keli Ferrier, Summit, Director of Choirs
• Reginal Wright, Mansfield, Director of Choirs
• Jane Andrews, Mansfield, Associate Director of Choirs
• Josi Alexander, Timberview, Director of Choirs
• Philip Glenn, Lake Ridge, Director of Choirs 

On top of the fun atmosphere, funny host, and motivational speaker, staff heard from the new Superintendent, Dr. Jim Vaszauskas, School Board President, Mrs. Beth Light, as well as Education Foundation Board President, Mr. Mike Leasor.

The following videos were also shown during the event:

God Made a Teacher

What Makes a Great Teacher?

Superintendent Update - August 2013

New Mansfield ISD Superintendent, Dr. Jim Vaszauskas, discusses the latest on district preparations to welcome returning students, new school construction, the new semester exam pilot program at Lake Ridge High School and an update on the budget.

Watch the August Superintendent Update:

Photo Galleries:

• Tarver-Rendon Elementary Construction 
• Judy K. Miller Elementary Construction
• J.L. Boren Elementary Demolition

As a reminder, the new Judy K. Miller Elementary is the temporary staging campus for J.L. Boren Elementary starting in the 2013-14 school year. Read more: bit.ly/MISDBigMove