Weekly Message to CHISD Families
April 25, 2022
Dear Cedar Hill ISD Families,
Network Outage Planned for this Evening
You may be aware that last week, our district experienced network issues during our scheduled end of the year assessments for scholars.
Our Technology Department is exhausting all possibilities as we work to identify the cause for the network disruptions and issues.
On Monday April 25, Spectrum Internet will be on site to troubleshoot internet issues that the district has experienced last week. To help us identify issues, Spectrum will need to shut off our network at 5 p.m. today for approximately two hours.
This means if you are at a district facility during that time, you will NOT be able to access the Internet, district email and other network features. We have confirmed that telephone service will be available.
For those who are away from the district (at home or at an out of district event) you will be able to access the internet, district email, chisd.net, and most other network features. But, Skyward Finance and My.chisd.net will be down and not accessible during that time.
Register Your Scholar for Next School Year
Scholars in grades Pre-K through 12 are now able to register for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year. All CHISD scholars must complete registration every year and families can get started by accessing their Skyward Student Access accounts. Registration can be completed at chisd.net/register. Parents/Guardians will need their Family Access password to complete the registration process, for families who need assistance resetting their password they are asked to contact their campus registrars, a complete list of registrars is available at chisd.net/registrar.
If parents/guardians need assistance with returning student registration, we encourage them to contact their scholar’s attendance clerk. The Lacy Enrollment Center will be assisting new to district scholars, while the campuses will be supporting current CHISD families with returning student registration.
- For returning student registration, families will need to show their proof of residency with an April or May date with the parent/guardian listed on the bill.
- If registration is not completed, your scholar will not receive their schedule before the first day of school and may not receive their choice of classes.
Allen Earns Gates Scholarship
Congratulations, Cedar Hill High School senior Carah Allen on earning a Gates Scholarship. More than 37,000 scholars apply for this scholarship, and only are presented with it. In addition to paying her undergraduate education (she'll attend Scripps College in Claremont, California), it will also provide leadership development, mentoring, career guidance and other benefits.
Sincerely,
Dr. Hudson
Superintendent
HOOPLA Winners Announced
The Cedar Hill ISD Education Foundation (CHEF) recognized the final HOOPLA (Honoring Our Outstanding Paras, Lead Educators and Administrators) of the 2021-2022 School Year last week.
HOOPLA winners receive a $50 gift card, a banner and an invitation to be recognized at a CHISD Board Meeting.
This quarter’s honorees were Bessie Coleman Middle School Library Media Specialist Barbretta Baker, Permenter Middle School Administrative Secretary Diane Crowe, Collegiate Prep Elementary Teacher Latonya Gaither and CHISD Technology Employee Jordaine Whyte.
“To be awarded HOOPLA is a true honor that I do not take lightly,” Baker said. “I started with the district in 2001 as a parent volunteer and became an elementary teacher in 2005. As an educator, I am reminded of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who said ‘the function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically’.
Baker was nominated by BCMS colleague Leslie Moore, the 2021-2022 Cedar Hill ISD STEM Teacher of the Year.
Crowe continued the strong tradition of Permenter employees earning HOOPLA Awards. She was nominated by BCMS colleague Barimah Amoo-Asante, who earned a HOOPLA Award earlier this year.
“It is absolutely an honor to be recognized in a school district that has my heart,” Crowe said. “Receiving this award shows that the care, countless hours, and passion I have poured into CHISD doesn't go unnoticed! I have spent 29 years in education and 24 of those years with CHISD, I have witnessed my own two children and countless beautiful children I claim as family, grow up and graduate through this district over those same years.”
Gaither was a finalist for CHISD STEM Teacher of the Year and earned a Texas Trust Award earlier this year. She was nominated by Collegiate Prep Principal Dr. Xavier Lewis.
“Mrs. Gaither walked through the doors of Collegiate Prep and she has been making positive systematic changes,” Lewis said. Mrs. Gaither has gone above and beyond the requirements of the job by sponsoring an event on campus, innovating the science classroom, serving as a mentor and confidant for staff members, and playing a vital role in the community of Cedar Hill.”
Whyte was nominated by Monica Johnson of Permenter.
“Jordaine is always so helpful,” Johnson said “Whenever I put in a work order for something to be completed, he comes in and takes care of things quickly and efficiently. He is friendly, personable, and attentive.”
Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer Information
CHISD Parents & Guardians,
P-EBT benefits will be provided for the 2021–2022 school year. If your child is eligible, benefit amounts will vary because it is based on each student’s COVID-related absences, virtual attendance and school closures. This is different from previous P-EBT benefit amounts that were the same for all students at a campus.
There is no online application for P-EBT, but your child must be certified for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) to receive P-EBT.
If your child is eligible to receive P-EBT benefits, a notice will be mailed to you. If this is your first time receiving P-EBT benefits, the notice will have information on how to claim your benefits and get a P-EBT card mailed to you. If you have received P-EBT before, benefits will be issued on your Lone Star Card or P-EBT Card. If you no longer have that card, call the Lone Star Help Desk at 877-541-7905.
- P-EBT benefits for the first semester (August 2021–December 2021) should be issued in late April 2022.
- The second semester (January 2022–June 2022) benefits will be issued in July 2022. You might receive benefits for both semesters in July.
To learn more about eligibility, applying and getting your P-EBT benefits, visit hhs.texas.gov/pebt, or call the P-EBT Call Center at 833-442-1255, Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Central time.
National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Eligibility
Receiving free meals at school does not mean a student is eligible for NSLP, and it does not automatically make a student eligible for P-EBT. Some Texas campuses have offered free meals to all students during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Children can be eligible for NSLP in different ways. They are eligible if they have one of the following:
- NSLP household meal application approved by the child nutrition department.
- Families are encouraged to submit a meal application by April 29, 2022 to receive P-EBT benefits in a timely manner. However, meal applications may still be approved up until June 30, 2022.
- Direct certification through state or local programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, federally funded Head Start or Early Head Start, foster care, migrant or homeless youth.
- Enrollment in Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools or Provision 2 (P2) schools.
- Children attending these schools are NSLP-eligible and do not need to complete a NSLP household application. If you are uncertain about whether your child’s school is a CEP or P2 school, contact the child nutrition department (contact your child’s school to reach the child nutrition director).