Happy Earth Day

Every so often we receive some unique bit of information, story or classroom work that seem like they would be good to share with the community. Today marks the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day and we heard from a few campuses that celebrated with Earth-friendly activities.

Here's one that was especially creative:

Wester Middle School students are studying Shakespeare and his sonnets. One class wrote a class sonnet titled Sonnet 155 to mark Earth Day. (Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets.)

Sonnet 155

Our tortured Earth, we will give what is due
And make sure nature is still blooming bright
We pick up trash and oft’ recycle too
Thus keep enjoying wonderful our sight

Clean salt waters into a sparkle new
Keep pure the air while song birds live flying
And underground, fish swim in oceans blue
Repay, return, or Earth will keep dying

Now picking up pieces of our planet
Earth’s creatures deserve beauty as a home
As does Michael Jackson’s sister, Janet
Lest we all leave this breath-taking, blue dome

Tis not fair why Mother Earth must suffer
Our life’s not fair, She has it twice tougher

Written by Mrs. McKinzey’s students
Wester Middle School
Earth Day, April 22, 2010

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Students from the Wester campus also did their part for Earth Day by picking up trash:
You can see a few other Earth Day photos from campuses on our Facebook photo album.

Superintendent Update - April 2010

We've started a new video feature: Superintendent Update. Mansfield ISD Superintendent, Dr. Bob Morrison, discusses some of the latest developments and events taking place in MISD in a new video offering...

Inclement Weather Procedures

In keeping with our desire to keep the community informed of some of the behind-the-scenes procedures of general interest, the Administration would like you to be aware of our procedures and preparations relating to weather-related issues.


When bad weather is predicted, administrators pay close attention to forecasts, stay in close contact with neighboring district administrators, and work in coordination with transportation to keep bus drivers on standby in case of early school closings or bus route delays.

During a typical springtime-like weather event (i.e. tornado or severe thunderstorms), Mansfield ISD will take measures to keep students and staff safe:

• MISD will keep students safely in the building until inclement weather passes;
• Safe places have been established for each MISD campus and building, students and staff will gather in these safe places;
• MISD Police stays in constant communication with local emergency services and advises campus administrators when the need arises to implement school procedures such as duck and cover, red alert, and shelter in place (lockdown);
• Any buses in the immediate area of inclement weather will be stopped at the nearest school, and the students will be kept in that campus until the danger passes;
• Since the district covers 94.5 square miles, measures will be taken based on the needs of only the affected campus(es).

Before the school day: The decision to cancel a school day will be made by the district administration as early as possible and the radio and TV stations listed on the weather information page will be notified. They, in turn, will help us announce the closure along with the rest of our communication efforts.

During the school day: If a significant weather event occurs while school is in session, campus administrators are the assigned decision-makers for appropriate action as need to ensure the safety of students and staff. Campus administrators stay in contact with MISD Police and District Administrators to help make the best informed decisions for their school.

Please do NOT call school offices or teachers for such information. Weather and road conditions can vary greatly from area to area. As a result, parents are the decision-makers on whether or not their students will attend school. Parents need to notify the school office if student will not be in school or if they should be dismissed early due to weather conditions.

Mansfield ISD conducts routine drills to reinforce proper weather procedures. Just like when inclement winter conditions occur, weather severity and road conditions can vary greatly from area to area so we plan and adjust accordingly.


As always, your patience is greatly appreciated during these times as we work to keep students and staff safe.

(Image credit: pixelroiber)

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.

MISD Research, Assessment, and Accountability Web site Launched

The Mansfield ISD has recently launched a comprehensive Web site dedicated to research, assessment, and accountability data. The primary purpose of this site is to provide the community a “one stop shop” for all data related to student performance.

What do we hope to achieve by providing access to this type of data/research?
Providing performance data will support the district’s efforts of identifying strengths, weaknesses, and any achievement gaps that may exist between groups. With this insight, we will be able to set goals, develop strategies, and plan more effectively, taking into account the unique needs of each student.

Site visitors will have access to all accountability summaries at the district and campus level so progress on state and national standards can be assessed.

Information on this site includes the following:

• Evaluation and research reports
• Relevant links to external Web sites
• Manuals and guides for administering the different assessments
• School and district level reports (and ratings) – both state and federal
• Information for parents
• State mandated test dates
• Three to six years of test results for each school
• State and National Accountability Reports
• College Board results and links on how to register for College Board and ACT exams

Why are we providing this Web site?
While it is great to praise progress, it is counter-productive to avoid accepting and dealing with academic short-comings. Therefore, all data are made available publicly so we can see where the district’s been, where it is currently, and can plan for where it wants to go in the future. The goal is to be pro-active and not ignore those areas where improvement is needed.

Staff Benefits
The old phrase knowledge is power is relevant when one considers the fact that with knowledge comes an increase in one’s ability to utilize resources including time, personnel, and funding in a way that positively affects our students. By having access to current and trend level data, district educators are empowered. Our capacity to more effectively plan begins with being able to identify what’s working and what’s not. By having access to up-to-date data, action plans that are meaningful, measurable, and on target can be developed and implemented. Lastly, and more importantly, providing teachers with easy access to student level data will hopefully prevent any student from falling between the cracks and will enable teachers to identify areas that need attention before a pattern of failure develops.

Benefits for Parents
Parents will have easy access to how their child’s campus is performing on state and national tests and will be able to determine where their support can be most beneficial and effective to the campus. Additionally, in a later phase of the site’s development we will provide parents with access to their child’s test performance. This will enhance their ability to make informed decisions and to monitor their child’s academic progress.

What’s next for the site?
The MISD Research, Assessment and Accountability Department has several online projects currently in development.

• Phase I, just completed, provides readers with campus and district level summary reports, research studies and other articles, and links to external sites. Most of the reports presented at this time are in PDF and easily downloaded.
  
• Phase II of the Web site’s development focuses on a “query-based” system that extracts data from a centrally-maintained database. This phase will be available to the user via the “Report Builder” tab. Access to this function will be available on a limited basis to campus level teachers and administrators. With the implementation of this interactive feature, campus personnel will be able to access student level test data including TAKS and norm-referenced results so instructional strategies can be planned based on the unique needs of each student.
  
• Phase III will expand the “Report Builder” functionality to include campus summary reports based on a series of selection criteria designated by the user.
  
• Phase IV of this project is focused on the development of a portal that will provide parents with the means to access their child’s test performance via a login and password. The goal for providing this access is to empower parents in a way that helps them more fully understand their child’s academic needs so they can be better informed advocates.

Please visit the Mansfield ISD Research, Assessment, and Accountability site and let us know what you think.

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.

Orchestra Program Implementation Update

Last November, the initial plans to the community were announced along with a presentation to the School Board on a Proposed Orchestra Program for Mansfield ISD. We will not begin an orchestra program in the 2010-2011 school year.

Mansfield ISD is still very committed to the eventual addition of orchestra to the Fine Arts offerings. However, at this time we will continue to study the issue in order to have a successful implementation. Currently at issue are facility needs at a few campuses that are too great to overcome in a short amount of time.

Starting an orchestra program is no easy task and the administration believes that by taking a measured approach and delaying the program’s start is in the best interests of the District, students, and community.

(Photo credit: Michael @ NW Lens)