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15 RISD Campuses Named 2011 NCEA Higher Performing Schools |
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Fifteen RISD schools have been named by the National Center for Educational Achievement (NCEA) as 2011 Higher Performing Schools.
Congratulations to:
Apollo Junior High
Berkner High School
Brentfield Elementary
Bukhair Elementary
Hamilton Park Pacesetter Magnet
Lake Highlands Freshman Center
Math/Science/Technology Magnet
Parkhill Junior High |
Pearce High School
Prairie Creek Elementary
Richardson High School
North Junior High
West Junior High
RISD Academy
Westwood Junior High |
The Higher Performing Schools (formerly known as Just for the Kids Schools) are identified by two measures: consistent improvement in student achievement from previous years (growth) and/or absolute student achievement using the school's Commended Performance results on the spring 2009-2011 TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) test.
NCEA's higher performing methodology controls for school and student demographics to allow for an apples-to-apples comparison of school achievement and to demonstrate that with the commitment of educators, all schools can have success no matter the zip code.
For more information, please click here. >Top |
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Richardson Adult Literacy Center |
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| RALC volunteer teacher Wendy Patterson teaches English to more than 30 parents at Spring Valley Elementary. |
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In a packed room at Spring Valley Elementary, the students are learning the basics – their ABCs and how to introduce themselves to people.
But the class is full of parents, not children. They are learning basic English skills in a program that pairs RISD schools with the Richardson Adult Literacy Center. By learning English, parents hope to better be able to communicate with their children's teachers, and school leaders hope to improve parent involvement on their campuses.
Spring Valley has more than 30 parents enrolled, while 12 are in the program at Terrace Elementary and 10 are at Prestonwood. RALC and RISD are also working to bring the classes to other schools.
"There's more support at home," Spring Valley Principal Kelly Colburn said of parents involved in the English classes. "They really ask questions. They're more eager to come to the campus."
Angela Huerta, who has a fourth-grade son at Spring Valley, said her goal in taking the class is a simple one: To learn English. She said that knowing English would also help her work with her two children at Richardson High School as well.
RALC Executive Director Katie Patterson said the center and its volunteers put together the curriculum and teach classes, while the schools provide the classroom space, often a cafeteria or teachers' lounge. In three years since the RISD partnership began, RALC has educated about 70 parents. >Top |
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RISD Welcomes Junior Achievement of Dallas Finance Education Program |
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Junior Achievement of Dallas celebrated a donation from Capital One Bank that will enhance personal finance education for students from Richardson and the surrounding area.
The Capital One/Junior Achievement Finance Park will be located at the RISD Professional Development Center through mid-November. While it is here, it will serve junior high through high school students from Richardson, Irving, Plano, Dallas and Garland.
RISD Superintendent Dr. Kay Waggoner said RISD was proud to host the Finance Park and that it offers unique opportunities for students to learn about personal finance and budgeting.
"We know it will significantly enhance the opportunities for students to participate in this program," Dr. Waggoner said.
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Junior Achievement of Dallas previously had to share a mobile Finance Park unit with other areas. With the donation from Capital One, valued at more than $300,000, the organization plans to increase the number of students it serves every year from 2,000 to about 10,000.
In the program, students are given a situation that includes the size of their family as well as an annual income. They then must budget for family needs including housing, transportation and food. At the end of the exercise, they learn how well they have budgeted – and what savings they have left.
"They understand that you have to have money left at the end of the month, not month left at the end of the money," said Linda Schoelkopf, president of Junior Achievement of Dallas. >Top |
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JJ Pearce Mighty Mustang Band Goes To State |
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IBM Grant Benefits Pearce Computer Science Students |
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RHS Auto Tech Students Partner With Park Place Dealerships
Richardson High School auto tech students recently visited the Park Place Porsche dealership in Dallas and were able to meet with professional automotive technicians and see an active shop environment.
During their visit, students learned the importance of customer service, the roles of different workers in an auto shop and the importance of everybody in the shop working together to get repairs right the first time. They also learned what it will take to work in the auto service industry – good grades, good attendance and a good driving record, plus the knowledge of electronics that is critical to repairing today's automobiles.
Congratulations to RHS, and thank you to Park Place Dealerships for their partnership with RISD! >Top |
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Network of Community Ministries Distributes
Dental Kits to RISD Students
Students at four RISD elementary schools are getting the tools they need to maintain good dental health, thanks to the Network of Community Ministries and many community volunteers. Kits with a toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss and an information booklet have been distributed to at schools with large numbers of economically disadvantaged students.
Network Director of Emergency Services Robin Wilson said kits have been delivered to Forest Lane Academy, Spring Valley Elementary, Bukhair Elementary and RISD Academy, and at least two more schools should receive kits by the end of the year. The Network has worked with volunteers from the Richardson Chamber of Commerce, UT Dallas and Rotary clubs to assemble the kits. |
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The dental kits complement services The Network provides to RISD students at its dental clinic, Wilson said.
"We realized that we can do things for them at our clinic, but we wanted to do more," she said. "A lot of kids at the clinic had never seen a dentist before."
Thank you to the Network of Community Ministries for promoting dental health in RISD schools! >Top |
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Oreo Day at Northwood Hills |
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Mohawk Junior Beta Club gives pumpkins and smiles! |
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Pilot Programs Test Water and Energy Conservation Projects |
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| Fourth grader Demetrious Dee (second from right) and third grader Melanie Blanco (right), students in the Mark Twain Elementary PACE program, tend to a garden plot using water harvested from air conditioning units. |
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It's not every day that RISD's facilities staff gets to contribute directly to students' education. But trial projects at Mark Twain Elementary and Hamilton Park Pacesetter Magnet are doing just that – and conserving limited resources at the same time.
At Mark Twain, collection tanks that use water harvested from rain as well as air conditioning units are being used to water gardens for an afterschool PACE program. And a new air conditioner at Hamilton Park is powered in part by solar panels. Students will be able to see how much electricity off the power grid is saved, as data will be uploaded to a website so students can compare it to an air conditioner without solar panels.
"It's something that can be a learning tool for the kids," Director of Facility Services Scott McKie said. "They'll be able to see that both are doing the same thing, but we're using and paying much less for electricty with the solar-powered one."
Facilities staff is monitoring water and electricity savings at both the Mark Twain and Hamilton Park projects to determine whether they're cost-efficient enough to be implemented elsewhere. In Mark Twain's case, the goal is to let schools build gardens without having to use water from the tap, minimizing the cost of the gardens and use of scarce city water. |
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Every time equipment is replaced or a building is renovated is an opportunity to save money that can then be spent directly on educating students, McKie said. Other recent efficiency initiatives include buying computer equipment for schools that can be cooled with less electricity, and new mowers will be fueled by cleaner and less costly propane. New light fixtures and better insulation are also cutting RISD's power use.
"If we're going to re build with bond dollars, we're going to build smart," McKie said. >Top |
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RISD Celebrates Red Ribbon Week |
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Apollo Cheerleaders Collect for Susan G. Komen |
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Scary Times at Jess Harben |
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RISD Campuses Earn 155 Gold Performance Acknowledgments |
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Fifty-one of 53 eligible RISD schools received at least one Gold Performance Acknowledgment (GPA) from the Texas Education Agency this week.
GPAs are part of the state's accountability ratings and measure school performance beyond the traditional school rating system, recognizing areas that schools have done especially well in with student achievement. Schools can receive GPAs in one or more areas, such as TAKS commended passing rates by subject, attendance rates and college readiness.
In addition to the campus GPAs, RISD as a whole was recognized in two areas: Social Studies Commended and Texas Success Initiative in Mathematics.
For more information on Gold Performance Acknowledgments, please visit www.tea.state.tx.us.
A full listing of GPAs by RISD campus is available here. >Top |
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Education Expert Leads Seminars for RISD Parents, Principals |
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As RISD elementary schools further implement enrichment clusters this year, education expert and University of Connecticut professor Dr. Joseph Renzulli recently spoke to parents and principals from the district.
To parents from the Richardson Gifted organization, Dr. Renzulli presented both the philosophy behind the Renzulli Learning model, which RISD is using as the basis of its enrichment program, as well as examples of work students have done using the model.
In enrichment clusters, students identify areas that interest them, from filmmaking to sciences. Working in small groups, students then explore their areas of study through research, guest speakers and online activities.
Joyce Wilson, assistant superintendent for elementary instruction and operations, said that feedback about the program has been overwhelmingly positive so far. She said RISD also wants to further implement the Renzulli Model by incorporating more high-level learning and new types of enrichment into the curriculum, which Dr. Renzulli's training session with principals was intended to help with. Students will learn through more in-depth research and work on individual and small-group projects that put what they've learned to use.
Wilson said the enrichment program helps to fulfill RISD's Vision 2020 plan by engaging students in the classroom and by incorporating a higher level of learning.
"When you want to do something, you're going to want to pursue it. You're going to want to take it further," Wilson said. "Out of this, we can have kids pursue careers that they may not have dreamed about because they haven't had the exposure before." >Top |
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RHS SCHOLARSHIP TO HONOR ARLEEN FAULKNER |
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SCHOOL TIMES NOW! ARCHIVE |
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Did you miss an issue of School Times Now!? Click here to view the archives. >Top |
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Mark your calendars for the weekend before Thanksgiving for the Berkner Bazaar! Get a head start on your holiday shopping with over 50 vendors and student groups. In addition to great crafts, jewelry, home decor and more, there will be bake sales provided by The Mighty Ram Band and Berkner Bandoleras. This event is sponsored by the Berkner PTA. Berkner is located at 1600 Spring Valley Rd. 
