Introducing Skyward Family Access

We're rolling out a new student information system this year for our families. Skyward Family Access will replace the previous system, Infinite Campus, in 2012-13. Skyward Family Access is a web-based service that allows parents/guardians to view school-related information on their students and hopefully helps answer the question, “What did you do in school today?”

Skyward Family Access is your gateway to student information such as schedules, attendance, grades and more. Information available online includes:

• General student demographic information
• Assignment and term grades as released by the teacher
• Attendance entries
• Current and missing assignments in a custom calendar
• Schedule information
• Immunization records

The information in Family Access is real-time based on data in the District's Skyward Student Information Management System. However, please remember that grades are 'fluid' and change on a daily/weekly basis as teachers add assignments and grades to the system. Parents, you will automatically receive an email inviting you to access the new system in the next few weeks.

There is a Parent and Teacher Login page on our website (www.mansfieldisd.org/skyward.htm) that you may want to bookmark for future reference or just click to it from the homepage. Additionally, please consider adding ‘noreply@misdmail.org’ to your email contacts list to assure Skyward Family Access emails get delivered to your Inbox.

As with any new system, it is important to realize the staff receives training and then puts that learning into action. We appreciate your patience as teachers get accustomed to the work-flow in Skyward. Below are a couple of screen captures of the new Skyward Family Access gradebook and custom calendar:

Updated August 21: We appreciate your patience as we prepare the new system for the 2012-13 school year. We look forward to rolling the Skyward Family Access out to parents in the coming weeks.

Updated August 28: Over the weekend parents received emails for access to the Skyward system. We understand some families are still having some issues with their initial login process. All passwords were reset at 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 26. Parents should locate the email that has the subject line ending in "updated 10 PM" for access information. If you have any questions about Skyward Family Access account or passwords, please contact your campus receptionist for assistance.

Feed the Kids for Summer - Common Ground Network

The following is a special post for our community about the Feed the Kids for Summer program from the Common Ground Network:
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Created and administered by the staff and volunteers of the Common Ground Network, Feed the Kids for Summer is a program which assists struggling Mansfield ISD area families to meet their grocery needs during the summer break from school.

Families who depend on the government-sponsored school meal programs to help provide their children with nutritious food are left with a large void to fill during the summer months. Common Ground interviews hundreds of families to determine the most urgent needs and then goes into action to make sure that supplemental groceries can be provided to them for the duration of the summer.

Feed the Kids for Summer is designed to help supplement lunch and breakfast food for children in the Mansfield ISD. The food is kid friendly and does not require a stove or oven to prepare.

Additional information can be found on the Common Ground Network website. Also, if you know of a family who could benefit from this program, please download the Feed the Kids for Summer Distribution Flyer (pdf) and share with them.

In 2010, the Feed the Kids for Summer Program collected, bagged and distributed over 5,000 bags of food. The total cost was over $25,000.

The 2011 Feed the Kids for Summer Program, broke a record when they collected, bagged and distributed 6,839 bags of food at a cost of $35,334. This breaks down to $5.17 a bag.

Feed the Kids for Summer is one of several programs of Common Ground

Network created to care for families in need within the Mansfield ISD.

In 2011, volunteers like the ones shown above packed 700 bags of

food each week of the summer program.

Mansfield ISD is a partner with the Common Ground Network.

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.

Feed the Kids for Summer - Update

Thanks to the efforts of the staff and volunteers from the Common Ground Network, the Feed the Kids for Summer program is in full-swing. According to organizers, the program is up nearly 30% over last year. As of July 20, they've distributed 4,798 bags of food to area families.

Phil Stover, Feed the Kids for Summer program co-chair, was happy for us to share the news about the group's progress.

"By all means encourage contributions and volunteering," said Stover. "The food bags cost nearly $5.00 each, so we are spending right at $3,500 a week and money is still needed."

Feed the Kids for Summer is designed to help supplement lunch and breakfast food for children by assisting Mansfield ISD area families to meet their grocery needs during the summer break from school. The food is kid friendly and does not require a stove or oven to prepare.

Families who depend on the government-sponsored school meal programs to help provide their children with nutritious food are left with a large void to fill during the summer months. Common Ground interviews hundreds of families to determine the most urgent needs and then goes into action to make sure that supplemental groceries can be provided to them for the duration of the summer.

If you are interested in helping, you can consider volunteering. You can also a tax-deductible donation, by making checks out to, "Common Ground", memo FKFS and mail to - Common Ground, P.O. Box 1049, Mansfield, TX 76063.

For questions, contact FKFS Co-Chair, Phil Stover at 817-709-1174 or philstover@charter.net.

Mansfield ISD is a partner with the Common Ground Network.

School Supply Time - Common Ground Network

As the number of Mansfield ISD families in need continues to grow, there are many opportunities to lend a helping hand. Each year, hundreds of MISD families receive help with school supplies through Common Ground Network’s School Supply Program.

Sounds great! How does it work?

The Common Ground Network works diligently to find families that qualify for assistance and provide each child with a bag of school supplies (about $25 per child) and a Payless Shoe Store voucher for a new pair of shoes. The organization purchases many of the supplies in bulk, to keep the costs as low as possible.

The collection process begins in May to ensure that all qualifying students receive the necessary supplies by August. Volunteers from throughout the community will come together in August to prepare and distribute the supplies before school starts.

Does Your Family Need Help Purchasing School Supplies?

Necesita Su Familia Ayuda Para La Compra De Articulos Escolares?

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How can I help?

If your organization would like to support this program, send your tax deductible donation, made payable to Common Ground Network (Memo: School Supplies) to:

Common Ground Network
P.O. Box 1049
Mansfield, TX 76063

Contributors’ names will appear in the Mansfield News-Mirror as a Mansfield children’s supporter. The Common Ground Network will also provide a letter to each contributor for tax purposes.

In order for the organization to determine the number of students they will be able to assist, donations must be received by June 30.

Remember, when it comes to promoting the success of Mansfield ISD students, no amount of support is too small!

More about the Common Ground Network:

The Common Ground Network is an association of churches and support agencies in the Mansfield community who work together to coordinate programs that effect needy families throughout the Mansfield ISD. Each year, they join together to coordinate a number of different programs; food drives to support local pantries, holiday giving for children and two summer programs, School Supplies and Feed the Kids for Summer.

For more information, visit the website or contact Common Ground Network President, Susan Luttrell, 817-473-6650 or susanl@firstmethodistmansfield.org.

Common Ground is a non-profit agency. All donations are tax deductible.
Mansfield ISD is a partner with the Common Ground Network.

Feed the Kids for Summer - Common Ground Network

The following is a special post for our community about the Feed the Kids for Summer program from the Common Ground Network:
---------------------------------
Created and administered by the staff and volunteers of the Common Ground Network, Feed the Kids for Summer is a program which assists struggling Mansfield ISD area families to meet their grocery needs during the summer break from school.

Families who depend on the government-sponsored school meal programs to help provide their children with nutritious food are left with a large void to fill during the summer months. Common Ground interviews hundreds of families to determine the most urgent needs and then goes into action to make sure that supplemental groceries can be provided to them for the duration of the summer.

Feed the Kids for Summer is designed to help supplement lunch and breakfast food for children in the Mansfield ISD. The food is kid friendly and does not require a stove or oven to prepare.

Last year the program provided over 5,000 bags of groceries at a cost of over $25,000.00. As you can well imagine, the need this year will be even greater.

Additional information can be found on the Common Ground Network website. Also, if you know of a family who could benefit from this program, please download the Feed the Kids for Summer Distribution Flyer (pdf) and share with them.

Feed the Kids for Summer Stats:

2010 Program
Bags of groceries: 5,000+
Cost of program: $25,000+

Estimated Needs for 2011
Bags of Groceries: 6,000
Cost of Program: $27,500+

Mansfield ISD is a partner with the Common Ground Network.

Common Ground Network Holiday Assistance

Many families in the Mansfield community struggle throughout the year to meet their basic needs. For some of these families, the additional burden of providing Christmas gifts for their children is beyond their ability. Through Common Ground Network, these families can apply for Christmas gift assistance. Common Ground coordinates the application process, enabling our local churches, businesses and organizations to provide for these children.

The Common Ground Network is a group of churches and organizations who work together to help families in the Mansfield area. If you live in the Mansfield ISD and your family is not able to provide any Christmas gifts for your children, you may qualify for assistance through their Christmas program.

If your church or organization would like to participate as a sponsor for some of the children, please contact Pam Brady at Pamela.brady[at]ymail.com.

Also, if you know of a family who could benefit from this program, please download the Common Ground Christmas Assistance Flyer and share with them.

Mansfield ISD is a partner with the Common Ground Network.

National Take-Back Day in MISD

On Saturday, September 25, 2010, the Mansfield ISD community is invited to join the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Mansfield Police Department, and Cook Children’s in a local and nationwide effort to halt the disturbing rise in addiction caused by the misuse and abuse of drugs.

Collection activities will take place from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM at sites established throughout the country. The Mansfield drive-by drop off location will be at the Mansfield Public Safety Building located at 1305 E. Broad Street Mansfield, TX 76063.

The National Take-Back Day provides an opportunity for the public to surrender expired, unwanted, or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications for destruction. These drugs are a potential source of supply for illegal use, and present a poisoning danger to children as well as to public health and safety.

This one-day effort is intended to bring national focus to the issue of increasing pharmaceutical controlled substance abuse.

• Participants will be held anonymous and will not be subject to arrest.
• Prescription and over the counter solid dosage medications, i.e. tablets and capsules accepted.
• Intra-venous solutions, injectables, and needles will be accepted.
• Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine will be accepted.

Many Americans are not aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are increasing at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – both potential safety and health hazards.

"With this National Prescription Drug Take-Back campaign, we are aggressively reaching out to individuals to encourage them to rid their households of unused prescription drugs that pose a safety hazard and can contribute to prescription drug abuse," said Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary G. Grindler. "The Department of Justice is committed to doing everything we can to make our communities safer, and this initiative represents a new front in our efforts."

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Please note: You can search other collection-sites for locations near you.

In Memoriam: Annette Perry

We are saddened to learn of the passing of Annette Perry over the weekend.

Mrs. Perry, who was the namesake for Annette Perry Elementary School in south Mansfield, lost her battle with cancer.

"The Perry Elementary Campus Family is deeply saddened to learn of the loss of Mrs. Perry," said Sondra Thomas, Perry Elementary Principal.

"She was a remarkable lady, and I feel very blessed to have known Annette. She enjoyed visiting the campus, and the students loved Mrs. Perry's visits.

"As a campus we will do our best to carry on her legacy that all students are capable of making great strides and reaching to new heights."

Our thoughts are with the Perry family.

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Annette Perry began her education career in the Head Start program in Mansfield ISD in the summer of 1970 followed by seven years at Alice Ponder Elementary. While teaching, Annette married Gerald Perry in 1978. She left the district to teach in Bryan ISD for two years before returning to Mansfield ISD for 25 years. She spent five years teaching in a self contained class at Mansfield 6th Grade with students who had a wide range of disabilities. Perry finished her career at Erma Nash Elementary teaching resource, STAR, FALS, and PPCD. She served as the Special Education Team Leader for many years at Erma Nash as well as helped develop and implement a successful Inclusion Program.

Annette Perry retired from Mansfield ISD in 2008 after 34 years as a dedicated educator. Annette Perry Elementary School opened in January 2010.

Thanks for coming to our party

"What if we throw a party and nobody shows up?!"
That was the thought I had over the weekend before the Centennial Celebration at Newsom Stadium on Monday, May 10.

Thankfully a good number of people in the MISD community decided to show up, approximately 2,300 of you actually. The event was a great success from our perspective: we were able to provide a free event for the Mansfield ISD community that included family-friendly activities and games as well as food and live entertainment.

Best laid plans
Of course, no special event goes according to plans. We had a few issues to overcome including the weather. No rain, but the evening was very windy. Very windy. There was so much wind that we were only able to safely use three of the planned six inflatable attractions. The other issue was food lines, apparently free food is a major draw. Our team of cooks, and food prep did a tremendous job of feeding the masses in a timely manner, but we know the lines were long at times during the event.

Overall we were highly pleased with how the event turned out and hope attendees appreciate the effort, planning and work that went into it. We weren't really sure how many people might come out to the event so the numbers were a pleasant surprise.

Thank you to the sponsors, workers, volunteers and vendors for providing the support for the 100th Anniversary wrap-up party.

Lastly, be sure to check out the photo gallery from the Centennial Celebration. We've included some photos from attendees. (If you have photos from the event that you'd like to share, please send them to mansfieldisd[at]gmail.com.)

Now it's your turn
If you joined us at the event, please share your thoughts in the comments below. What did you think of our anniversary party? The comments are yours.

Celebrate Texas Public Schools

Like our students, the Mansfield ISD is a work in progress. However, just as we like to celebrate the scholastic, athletic, and artistic successes of our students, we also have have reasons to celebrate Texas public schools.

Good things are happening in our Texas public schools and each year school districts throughout Texas open their doors and invite their local communities to take a first-hand look at the educational programs and opportunities occurring on their campuses. Traditionally this occurs in March during Texas Public Schools Week (TPSW). But in recent years TPSW has expanded into a yearlong campaign called Celebrate Texas Public Schools (CTPS).

Building Leaders. Today They Learn. Tomorrow They Lead. is the 2010 CTPS theme developed by the Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA). The focus is on building up and equipping students today, so that tomorrow they will have the tools necessary to lead in an ever-changing world. Engaging and exciting activities that educate students about new opportunities will start students thinking about “what do I want to be when I grow up?” Providing these opportunities to consider their future careers will assist students in choosing educational paths that will lead them into these fields of study and work. And it’s never too early to start them thinking about these important life decisions.

Texas communities have reasons to be proud of their public schools. During the past few years Texas educators have worked hard to improve the post-secondary readiness of our students. In collaboration with Texas colleges and universities, educators have implemented early college high school programs; science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs and articulated career and technical programs. Districts have added dual credit classes, expanded Advanced Placement (AP) offerings and increased the rigors of high school classes.

An October 2009 report from the National Governors Association, provides evidence that Texas is making significant progress to reduce the dropout rate by implementing four significant strategies: promoting high school graduation for all; targeting youth at risk of dropping out; reengaging youth who have dropped out of school; and providing rigorous and relevant options for earning a high school diploma.

But educators cannot do it alone. Parent involvement and community support are critical for the success of young people. Volunteer to serve as a mentor or tutor. Visit classrooms to discuss your career, what led you to choose this field and the school subjects you pursued to get where you are today. Encourage elementary students to begin thinking early about post-secondary training and education. Help high school students work toward more clearly defining their career pathways with post-secondary education and careers.

You may be surprised to know that often the majority of people in a community or school district may not have children in public schools. If you are one of these people, take the time to visit a local school, especially during Texas Public Schools Week. We hope you'll be amazed at the exciting and important work students are doing to prepare themselves for their present and future lives as productive citizens. If you cannot visit one of our schools, write a note or send an email to a principal or teacher letting them know you appreciate their efforts to educate all students and prepare them for life.

Parenting with Love and Logic Free Training Seminar

Both educators and the general public often view disciplining of students to be one of the most challenging issues in schools today. From minor disruptions to major emotional issues that can affect the learning, appropriate discipline is an important discussion topic.

On Saturday, March 6, 2010 Mansfield ISD parents and teachers are invited to attend a free Parenting with Love and Logic® training seminar at Willie Pigg Auditorium, 8:30 am - 3:00 pm.

This free training seminar is provided through a LOVE CONNECTION grant through the MISD Education Foundation written for parents and teachers in the district by Mary Jo Sheppard Elementary staff.

The grant provides for a speaker from Love and Logic as well as a Parenting Curriculum kit to educate parents on some strategies that have proven to be successful. Join Jedd Hafer for plenty of laughs and lots of practical solutions to some of the most common challenges facing parents, teachers, and anybody who cares for kids. You will hear easy-to-learn strategies, for children of any age, that:

• Help them feel great about themselves
  
• Up the odds of them making wise decisions and resisting peer pressure
  
• Put an end to arguing, back talk, and power struggles
  
• Gain cooperation through the use of choices within limits
  
• Guide kids to own and solve their own problems

According to the Sheppard Elementary counselor, Teresa Franklin, the seminar is "a way to put all the adults in a child’s life on the same page and provide support for the child as well as each other. This program will benefit children all over the district as the most important people in their lives work together to help them develop into responsible citizens in society."

Love and Logic®
According to Charles Fay Ph.D. of Love and Logic, "research has shown that punishment-based approaches actually increase disruptive behavior thus the Love and Logic techniques were established to provide practical ways of teaching pro-social behavior along with responsibility while preventing ever increasing discipline problems."

These techniques are based on five principles including:

1. preserving students self concept;
2. teaching students to solve problems that they have created;
3. ability to share decision-making along with control;
4. providing empathy and warmth along with consequences; and
5. build adult-child relationships.

There will be a morning session as well as an afternoon session on a variety of topics. The training is open to any MISD parent and teacher.