BCISD Curriculum Connection
January 2021 Edition
Vaccination Questions
BCISD will not be able to request or receive vaccinations for staff members according to the information we have available to date. If you believe you have health issues or characteristics that could place you personally in Priority Group 1B (see the list linked HERE), your best course of action is to contact your personal healthcare provider to request a vaccine.
Next week we introduce "Gem"
BCISD will pilot a new communication tool with students’ families called All Here. We were selected to receive a grant-funded pilot of the program from over 7,400 school and district applicants nationwide. The technology-powered tool will facilitate two-way communication at times convenient for families.
All Here uses an artificial intelligence interface much like “Siri” or “Alexa” to engage families, promote attendance at school, and answer questions via text messaging. Research indicates that text messages are more likely to be read and result in a response than either postal mail or email. The BCISD interface, named “Gem,” will be programmed to answer a variety of questions about BCISD. For questions that are not part of the pre-loaded information, the system will route the question to a staff member for assistance.
We are looking forward to piloting this option for families to conveniently connect with our schools in new ways. As part of the rollout, official accounts will be created for all the educators and parents in BCISD. Recipients will have the option to opt out at any time. Keep an eye out during the first week of February for a welcome message from Gem!
State Assessment and Accountability are Moving Targets
Lead4Ward does an outstanding job at summarizing complicated materials into QuickLook one-pagers. If you are interested in the changes so far this year and what lies ahead for the next two years, visit the Lead4Ward.com Resources, or click on the linked picture below.
Texas Holocaust Remembrance Week: 1/25-1/29, 2021
While a meaningful and respectful observance is important, we also want to be respectful of students' past trauma experiences and the age-appropriateness of activities. The THGC does not recommend explicit Holocaust instruction before 6th grade. Elementary schools may choose their own materials that cover broader themes, such as community, tolerance, being an upstander, and anti-bullying.The state has developed a website (HERE) with menus of activities and resources. Please work with your campus administration as you select appropriate activities to comply with this new required state observance.
Academic Core: TEKS Resource System Document Updates
New Math Resource in TRS
SBOE Updates
The State Board of Education met in November to discuss the revision process for science standards. The following took place:
- HS Biology, Chemistry, IPC and Physics TEKS were adopted.
- Grades 6-8 are still in review/revision.
- K-5 will begin as soon as Grades 6-8 are complete, along with the remaining HS Science courses and CTE courses for science credit.
Below is the schedule as we know it today for implementation of standards in other areas:
2021-2022:
- Implement NEW Pre-K Systems
2022-2023:
- Implement NEW PE/Health
2023-2024:
- Implement NEW Science TEKS
2024-2025:
- Implement NEW Tech Apps TEKS
2025-2026:
- Implement NEW Math TEKS