🏳️🌈 Get…ready…for…PRIDE! The week we return we’ll be celebrating Pride in the classroom. It’ll cap off with the Pride Party in the Park March 26!😃Funny story, I was talking with my cousin Ryan (an 鶹ý ISD parent), and when he first got this newsletter and saw it was from his cousin he thought I had started a newsletter about the family…because it’s called the Family Newsletter. Sorry to disappoint, Ryan.📚Do YOU have a good story? Submit it via our story submission form on the website. It could be featured in this newsletter!Time for the news… |
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Family Newsletter |
By Cristina Nguyen + Jason Stanford ● Mar 11, 2022
Smart Brevity™ count: 3.5 mins... 966 words
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🏳️🌈 Get…ready…for…PRIDE! The week we return we’ll be celebrating Pride in the classroom. It’ll cap off with the Pride Party in the Park March 26!
😃Funny story, I was talking with my cousin Ryan (an 鶹ý ISD parent), and when he first got this newsletter and saw it was from his cousin he thought I had started a newsletter about the family…because it’s called the Family Newsletter. Sorry to disappoint, Ryan.
📚Do YOU have a good story? Submit it via our story submission form on the website. It could be featured in this newsletter!
Time for the news…
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How we’re approaching elementary art, music, and P.E.
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We’re giving the power to your campus to create a schedule that accommodates art, music, P.E., and additional planning time for their teachers.
Why it matters: About 50% of our elementary kids are on grade level, and our teachers need more plan and prep time to get them on level.
The details:We’ve provided principals with some parameters on what has to go into their schedule, then we let them take it from there.
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After that, principals had free reign to collaborate, brainstorm, and develop master schedules that work for their campus communities.
For example, the principals at Langford and Overton created a schedule that gives classroom teachers time for two planning and collaboration sessions a week.
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In this example for these two elementary schools, art and music will be held for one hour each week, then a third enrichment activity will be incorporated on Fridays.
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Adding in new activities, such as bicycle club, pottery, or drama club, for example, will allow students to participate in what would be extracurricular activities during the school day.
That’s one example.Your campus may come up with something different that better fits your child’s needs.
What’s next: Principals will be reaching out to staff and families for feedback.
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Rosedale opens modernized campus for students with severe disabilities
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The new Rosedale School has officially opened, and the modernized campus is packed with features to help in its mission.
Why it matters: The Rosedale School is a campus for students with severe special needs. The old campus had lagged behind in features that we know help special needs students.
Now the campus has modern sensory rooms, accessible playgrounds, living areas, classrooms with special lifts and ramps, and more.
What they’re saying:“This building is going to change lives,” said Principal Elizabeth Dickey.
Did you know: The architect who designed the school is a Rosedale parent, and he used his experience to bridge the team’s designs with what parents’ need.
Dive deeper: Learn more about Rosedale and see photos on our website.
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Our student and staff cases are goin’ down!
We love to see COVID cases decline, but historical data shows that cases will often go up after a break. So stay up-to-date on your vaccines and get a COVID test if there’s any reason for concern.
This is the lowestcases have been all year while (except when the district was closed).
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What you need to know about recapture
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Under the state’s school funding formula, 鶹ý ISD has to send more than $700 million to the state each year — more than three times the next highest district
Why it matters: Recapture was supposed to help low-income kids in areas without as much taxable property value.
But guess what? 51% of our students are low income, and we need at least some of that money to help address issues right here at home.
What’s more, the state doesn’t even need to use the money they collect from recapture on education.
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It’s a back-door property tax from the state, using school districts as the middle man.
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While we’re making cuts to balance our budget, the state is using your school taxes to balance its own.
Go deeper: The funding formula is complex, and if you’re anything like me, numbers can often make your head hurt.
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That’s whywe’ve written an explainer on our website on how recapture works.
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That’s not all, we’ve also outlined some of the possible solutions we’re hoping the state will listen to.
The bottom line:Recapture is supposed to help educate poor students, but it’s hurting our families and staff in 鶹ý.
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Just a reminder, there won't be a newsletter next week because of spring break. If you want to of the upcoming student climate survey, this is your last chance.
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Like this style and format? to Axios HQ — the tool and templates you need for more engaging team updates.
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