In the Know
An Internal Newsletter from the SISD Communications Dept.
We hope you had a fantastic break and got some much-needed rest. It’s great to have everyone back and as always, it’s great to be a Sherman ISD Bearcat!
District Surveys!
Sherman ISD is committed to continuously improving our district to ensure that we are meeting the evolving needs of our students and staff. We value your opinion and want to hear from you about what we’re doing well and where we can improve. We are happy to provide you with an opportunity to give feedback about our district's organizational health, the academic calendar and the legacy of Sherman High School. Please take a few minutes to fill out our short, online surveys, and we thank you in advance for your input!
SISD Organizational Health Survey
2019-2020 Academic Calendar Survey
SHS Legacy Survey
The Sherman Education Foundation Circle of Success grant applications are now open. All grants are designed to be innovative enrichment projects that enhance instructional approaches to fulfill SEF's vision statement. We welcome and encourage the submission of grant applications today!
- Read the Guidelines BEFORE completing the application.
- Technology-related grant applications should be submitted by January 18, 2019.
- All other grant applications should be submitted by January 31, 2019
- Send all grant applications to Kathy Bickerstaff at the Sherman ISD Service Center.
- Click HERE to access the Circle of Success Grant application.
SmalTalk with Smalskas
Assistant Superintendent of Student Engagement & Support, Dr. Tamy Smalskas would like to share helpful information on classroom procedures, management, discipline and student behavior. If you have any questions or helpful tips you may use inside of your classroom, please feel free to reach out and share with Dr. Smalskas at TSmalskas@ShermanISD.net.
Triple Crown Training: Have we Trained to Finish the Race?
Happy New Year and welcome to 2019! I hope you all had a fabulous break and got much need rest. You have now completed 85 days of the 2018-2019 school year, and we are halfway through. Congratulations!
So what's this blog have to do with the “triple crown?” As a lover of horses and a big fan of horse racing, we know that to be successful in any competition or race, we need to train? Just like Justify did to win the Kentucky Derby in May of 2018. Justify had his trainer/teacher Bob Baffert, who keeps this 3-year old focused on daily routines and procedures, and had a very structured ‘training routine’ every day. There may have been some downtime to allow Justify to run in the pasture and rest from intense training, but following the downtime, Mr. Baffert would bring the colt back to the track and begin the routine all over again, maybe with higher expectations.
Our students are like racehorses. You have spent time training and preparing our students in the first semester on classroom routines, procedures and classroom expectations. Our students have been put out to ‘pasture’ as they have had a two-week break? So as their trainer and as these kids come back from the break, how do you get them back into a routine to be ‘physically fit’ to finish their race and receive their triple crown? Let me give you some great websites on what some teachers recommend to do with students after the Christmas break. Remember, we ‘teach students to read, we teach students to swim,' we need to prepare students to understand your expectations and practice your routines and procedures. Take time this week to do this with your students.
Here are some helpful links:
- “5 Ways To Help Students Transition From Winter Break"
- “Six (Slightly Conflicting) Tips for Returning From Winter Break Strong”
“Classroom Management to Help Students ReFocus After Spring Break” (one of my favorites - I have posted this before)
I would love to see what you are doing! Send me an invite. The first three teachers who read this blog and invite me to come to their classroom to observe classroom procedures or routines, I will bring you a sweet treat!
Dr. Smalskas
Our district is proud to participate in the American Heart Association’s Go Red District Heart Challenge! We want to inspire staff to get their blood pressure checked, be active and learn about how to keep our hearts healthy. By partnering with the American Heart Association, we will raise awareness and help fight heart disease and stroke, the No. 1 killer and No. 5 killers of Americans.
REMINDER: Thursday, January 10th is the LAST DAY to order your American Heart Association Go Red T-shirt to wear on Go Red Day!
To complete this today, simply text DHCSHERMAN from your phone to 41444. You will receive a link to our district’s custom donation form. You can also CLICK HERE to donate online.
ALL proceeds benefit the American Heart Association and their mission – to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.
New Sherman High School Design Update
Final design plans for the new SHS building were presented to the SISD Board of Trustees during the December 17th board meeting. VLK Architects provided the update that showcased a final design plan that included eight specific design features the charrette design committee considered priorities in the new school’s design. The eight features included Pride, a grand entrance, natural lighting inside of the building, a pride walk, outdoor learning areas, Career and technical education spaces, the reflection of tradition, and experiences. Throughout the presentation, VLK showcased how each design objective is included in the design of the school to create a great learning environment for the students of Sherman High School.
Cadence McShane Construction closed out the presentation and discussed their building bid process, which included a total or more than 300 bids from companies throughout the United States and several from the Grayson County area. Currently, construction on the new SHS is progressing with one hundred percent of the site being mass graded. The building pad is complete, and utilities for the building are going in. The company is on track to have vertical construction going in by the beginning of May, 2019.
Upcoming District Events
Jan. 21-27 - No Name-Calling Week
Jan. 21 - MLK Day (No School)
Jan. 21-MLK Breakfast Celebration 2019
Monday, January 21st from 7:15am-8:30am at Austin College
RSVP on Facebook
Jan. 22 - SISD School Board Meeting @ 5:30pm
Jan. 24-SISD PTAs Present Screenagers the Movie @6:30 at SHS Auditorium
Upcoming Community Events
Thursday, January 10th from 5:00pm-7:00pm at Grayson Hall
*FREE* RSVP on Facebook
Online and Sexual Predator Parent Awareness Seminar
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Grayson County Criminal District Attorney’s Office in conjunction with the United States Attorney’s Office - Eastern District of Texas will host a sexual predator awareness seminar January 15, 2019, at 6 pm at the Grayson College Main Campus. During the event, parents will hear from the FBI, Texas Rangers, and the Sherman Police Department on how to keep your children safe online, trending apps your children are using and the tools that are available to safeguard your child. Admission is free and limited to adults 18 or older. For additional information, please contact the Grayson County DA's Office at 903.813.4361.