District in Pictures
December 13, 2019
26 IDEA Grants Totaling $24,353 Delivered Friday to 15 Campuses
The WFISD Foundation and WFISD funded a total of 26 IDEA Grants this year that were delivered -- with balloons -- in surprise visits to classrooms Friday. IDEA grants fund creative projects requested by teachers that cannot be funded by ordinary budgeted monies. This year, both WFISD Foundation and WFISD contributed money to meet as many requests as possible. Overall, $24,353 was delivered. Pictured: Burgess Principal Jeff Hill surprises Dana Arthur in her kindergarten classroom and announces her IDEA Grant win. Her IDEA Grant, written with Alissa Donaldson and Jamie Newberry, is titled "HeART Matters @ Burgess."
For a complete list of this year's winners, click on the link to the pdf below.
‘Parents As Teachers’ Program Receives National Recognition as ‘Blue Ribbon Affiliate’
WFISD’s Parents As Teachers (PAT) program, which operates under the supervision of Yolanda Lewis, earned a prestigious endorsement from the Parents As Teachers National Center, Inc. (PATNC). The WFISD program has been named a Blue Ribbon Affiliate, acknowledging it as one of the top-performing home-visiting affiliates within the PATNC’s international network. “We underwent a rigorous self-study from the National Center,” said Mrs. Lewis. “The process confirms we are meeting Parents As Teachers’ standards of fidelity. Blue Ribbon Affiliates are exemplary programs, delivering highest quality services to children and families.” The national PAT program serves nearly 200,000 families in all 50 states, in 115 tribal organizations, in six countries and one U.S. territory. The Wichita Falls-based program serves about 200 families.
Purchasing Specialist Earns Second TASBO Certification
Jennifer Lee, a Purchasing Specialist II, recently earned her second Certified Texas School Business Official Certification from TASBO (Texas Association of School Business Officials). She completed 10 courses totaling 60 hours that included ethics training. She submitted a Letter of Recommendation and was required to have logged at least three years in school business. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to attend TASBO training to develop skills and connect with other school business professionals,” said Ms. Lee. She earned her first certification in July 2018 and this second certification in September 2019.
Rider High School Football Coach Ends 2019 Football Season with Wise Words
What do you say at the end of a fantastic football season like the one Rider High School had? This year included the first-ever playoff game with hometown rival Wichita Falls High School on Nov. 29, a 56-20 victory, and a move into the Texas High School Football Region 1-5A state quarterfinals against Lubbock-Cooper, where a loss completed Rider’s season. Here's what Rider Coach Marc Bindel told his team: “Don’t let playing Rider football be the greatest thing you ever did. If that’s the case, then you failed this team. Go be great fathers and great men.”
Franklin 4th-Graders Focus a Week on the World According to ‘Toy Story’
Franklin 4th grade teachers Courtney Kittrell and Kinsey Flaherty turned their classrooms into “Toy Story” world by dressing in the characters’ costumes and tailoring learning activities to the Toy Story characters for an entire week. “We learned about characterization and conflicts,” said Ms. Kittrell. “We pulled all our examples from Toy Story. We answered questions to build Potato Heads and answered questions from The Claw.” Students designed toys and wrote descriptions about them. They ended the week with a breakout activity and a STEM project to build the tallest tower with popsicle sticks and clothespins to house army men. “This was one of my favorite transformations I’ve done so far this year,” said Ms. Kittrell. Pictured: Kinsey Flaherty, in Toy Story costume, helps a student.
Booker T. Washington 5th Graders Watch Egg Projects Dropped from School Roof
Fifth-graders in Janet Hughes’ science class at Booker T. Washington Elementary learned about force and motion with a fun STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) project. They designed containers to protect eggs from breaking, then tested their effectiveness by watching them being dropped, one by one, from the school roof. Associate Superintendent Peter Griffiths was on hand Dec. 6 to make the official drops from the Booker T. Washington rooftop. “If their egg survives the first drop, they get a 100, and it will be dropped from a higher location,” said Ms. Hughes. “If it breaks on the first drop, they receive a 90.” Egg containers could not have a parachute or be made with glass. Seven egg containers survived the first drop from a lower roof; four survived the second drop from a higher roof. Pictured lower right: Ms. Hughes stands with the students whose eggs survived both drops intact.
Jefferson First-Graders Make Shaker Salads
Who ever heard of a 1st grader who makes a salad? Well, now you have. At Jefferson Elementary, Chef Carrie Richardson and dietitian Sarena Glenn introduced 1st graders to shaker salads with ingredients like fluffy quinoa, savory garbanzo beans, crisp bell pepper and crunchy carrots. “Many of our Discovery Kitchen participants had never tried quinoa or garbanzo beans,” said Emily Kincaid, Chartwells marketing director. “Not to worry. Trying something new is a lot less intimidating when you get to shake it up!”
CPR Instructor Trains Child Development Students in Emergency Care
What’s one lesson students learn but hope to never use? WFISD’s CPR instructor Yvette Eipper taught Gretchen Nielsen’s Child Development students how to perform infant and child cardiopulmonary resuscitation – CPR. Students also were introduced to the AED (automated external defibrillator), which treats cardiac arrhythmia by administering an electric shock through the chest wall to the heart. They learned adult CPR and the effective techniques of the national awareness campaign Stop the Bleed that empowers bystanders to help in a bleeding emergency.
Kirby Beautification Club Creates Sticker Mural
It took the students in Kirby’s Beautification Club just two club sessions to complete a sticker mural currently hanging in a Kirby hallway. The mural depicts Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivering his “I Have a Dream” speech. It is made out of pre-cut squares and was constructed like color-by-number, but, in this case, sticker-by-number.
Wichita Falls High School Secretary Reunites Two Alums with Their Senior Rings
One little job at Wichita Falls High School was long overdue: cleaning out the safe. When secretary Veronica Kendick tended to the chore, she found some old senior rings tucked inside. One belonged to Josue Orduno from the Class of 2007. “We found him on Facebook and reunited him with his ring,” said Kory Dorman, assistant vice principal. “I asked him to describe his ring to be sure we had the right person, and he said he had to call his mom to find out what it looked like because it had been so long!” Another ring found its owner shortly after the first reunion in an even more serendipitous way. The owner “liked” the original Facebook post about Josue Orduno. When Mrs. Dorman saw his name, it matched the name engraved on the inside of another ring in the safe. “I contacted him through Facebook. He lives in Idalou, so we will mail it to him,” she said. Pictured: Secretary Veronica Kendick with Josue Orduno.
Ben Milam Choir Entertains Shoppers at Sam’s Club
It’s the season of entertaining, with Christmas choirs singing their hearts out. The Ben Milam Choir, directed by Laura Burnam, got creative and went to Sam’s Club to rally shoppers into the Christmas spirit. Actually, it was a natural choice, since Sam’s Club manager Emmanuel Carrillo is a Milam Elementary PIE Partner. “They are always so generous to us,” said Ms. Burnam. Mr. Carrillo’s four children all attended Milam, so he has a special spot in his heart for Milam. The Milam choir also sang at two nursing homes.
McNiel Middle School Student Doesn’t Wait for Christmas to Bestow Her Gift
McNiel teacher Missy McCartney was overjoyed when 7th grade student Shayla Ballard presented her with a drawing she made over Thanksgiving break. “She knows how much I love Harry Potter, so this was a truly thoughtful gift,” said Ms. McCartney. “Gifts like this are so meaningful to teachers. I’ll be framing this one for sure!”
Rider High School Students Create Mitosis Videos Using Play-Doh
It’s hard NOT to remember a process that you’ve spent a few hours illustrating with Play-Doh and videotaped in a stop-motion video. That’s why Rider Human Anatomy & Physiology teacher Alisha Crouch directed her students to illustrate the steps of mitosis (cell division) by using Play-Doh. They used Play-Doh to show the cell at each stage of division and took photos at each stage, then strung them together in a stop-motion video. “Finished products underway,” said Ms. Crouch.
Franklin Dyslexia Therapist Assumes Role of School Greeter
Jena Chavez may technically be a dyslexia therapist, but three years ago she also assumed the role of a greeter at her school, Franklin Elementary. She started off giving high-5s to students each morning. Then, when her campus adopted the Capturing Kids' Hearts program, she began offering handshakes. She stands at the front door each morning at 7:45 a.m., shakes each student’s hand and tells them, “Good morning!” She loves it – but so do her students. One student proved it by writing her a note (pictured), thanking her for her greetings. “I had no idea that the simple act of telling her good morning and shaking her hand gave her that little extra boost she needed,” said Ms. Chavez. The practice gives Ms. Chavez a good start to her day and allows her to meet students she doesn’t see often otherwise. “It gives students a chance to share stories. Some students even come in who have not had a good start. I stop them, give them a hug, and let them know their day is going to be all right now that they have made it to school.”
Medical Microbiology Students Decorate Microbiolo-Tree with Bacteria Ornaments
Students in Sabrina Bradley’s Medical Microbiology class chose a bacterium normally found in or on the human body, researched it and turned it into an ornament that they could hang on the classroom Microbiolo-Tree. Similarly, her Medical Lab Practicum students chose from a variety of immune cells to create ornaments for their Immuno-Tree. “They got to learn more about their bacteria or white blood cell, and they got to be creative and make an ornament that they can take home at the end of the semester!” said Ms. Bradley. Pictured: The Immuno-Tree.
Welding Technology Students Build Metal Fabricated Bench for Scotland Park Elementary
Three advanced welding students – (pictured left to right) Jonathan Altstatt (Rider), Ethan Boren (Hirschi) and Caleb Gould (Wichita Falls High School) -- in B.C. Gilbert’s Welding Technology class used the Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) process to create a metal-fabricated bench for the Scotland Park Elementary campus. “Scotland Park wanted a Buddy Bench similar to the one we built for Fowler Elementary last year in memory of their former student,” said Mr. Gilbert. The Rotary Club sponsored the project.
Lamar Elementary Gears Up for Two New GaGa Ball Pits
What’s the only thing that’s better than one new GaGa Pit? Two GaGa Pits! Builders Lumber owner Larry Scott contacted Lamar Coach Kyle Redding and said he would donate lumber and supplies to Lamar Elementary so the school could build a GaGa ball pit. The next day, City Hope Church volunteers visited the school to host Lamar Family Day. “Not only did they build one pit, they also purchased all the wood and supplies for a second pit to be built,” said Kaycie Taylor.
West Foundation Student Council Members Round Up 1,000 Rolls of TP
West Student Council members were rolling in toilet paper rolls and Kleenex boxes after soliciting the paper and boxes to gift to the Red Door senior community. The WFISD Warehouse staff helped West transport all paper goods to the Red Door. Meanwhile, Sweet Tooth Donuts rewarded Student Council members with donuts.
Hirschi Theater Students Put on ‘A Seussified Christmas’
Twenty Hirschi students rehearsed three weeks to present the comedy, “A Seussified Christmas,” as a holiday production on Dec. 6 and 7. “The students did such a great job! It was high energy, and they embraced the silliness of the piece,” said Brandi Walker. “Comedy is a totally different ballgame. This show was a great example of how students learned different techniques and skills within their craft.”
Kirby Middle School Holds First ‘Young Man’ Meeting
Kirby teacher Zach Davis held the school’s inaugural ‘Young Man’ Club meeting by quoting Andy Mineo when he said, “Being a man has nothing to do with age. You can be a boy til the day you lay in your grave.” He asked his 27, 8th-grade boys what characteristics they associate with a man. Their list: respectful, strong, gentleman, wealthy, good job, responsible, treat women right, caretaker, provider, leader, role model. When asked the characteristics of someone who is “not a man,” they listed: leave, drugs, drink, abusive, disrespectful, lazy, gang affiliated, in prison, cheat, steal, kill, cuss. This new club will introduce the boys to practical skills like interviewing for a job, changing a tire, and tying a tie.
Barwise Students Decorate Chemis-Tree with 3D-Printed Molecule Ornaments
When Barwise science teacher Jennifer Parker visited The Garage at Carrigan recently with a group of robotics and TAME students for a STEM day, she saw several 3D printers lined up on a counter. She decided those would be perfect to print out the 3D molecule Christmas tree ornaments she wanted for her class tree. But she needed help. She asked technology specialist Joe Camacho for his assistance, and he printed them out for her. “It would be great to expand this project to be more student-involved next year,” said Mrs. Parker.
West Foundation Elementary Students Make Recycled Paper
Students in Gina Maness’ 4th grade class learned how to make their own paper using water, toilet paper and mesh screens. They learned that half of all trash products from humans is paper waste. “The students saw first-hand how difficult it is to turn something old into something new,” said Ms. Maness. She wanted students to see the value of discarded material for new use “and to think of new methods to make the process more efficient for future generations.” Once their paper dried, students wrote on the paper, then took it home to show their families.
Cunningham Pre-K Students Make Gingerbread Houses with 5th Grade 'Buddy Class'
A sure sign of Christmas is the sight of little children and their parents building gingerbread houses at their schools. At Cunningham Elementary, Jessica Jacob’s pre-K students were joined by 5th grade students from Melanie Bloomfield’s class. The two classes partner with one another as “Buddy Classes” for several activities each month. “Younger students enjoy the time spent together, but it is also true that the 5th grade students learn things from their young friends, too,” said Ms. Bloomfield. “Our 5th grade students have a chance to practice patience, listening, and how to be a good role model. It benefits both classes.”
Booker T. Washington Students Learn the Joy of Giving
“Teaching small humans compassion and giving is a great thing,” said Cristina Manzel, a Booker T. Washington interventionist and frequent participant in Donors Choose fundraising projects and Sonic’s "Limeades for Learning" campaigns. She has worked creatively to help meet a current list of school hygiene needs by writing up a Donors Choose project to request funds. When her project missed the timeline for "Limeades for Learning" funding, she asked her students to complete a few Google lessons that would earn special Donors Choose gift codes that she saved to cash in on “Giving Tuesday,” when Sonic matched all donations. “In the meantime, Arconic made nearly $400 of donations to this project,” she said. “The original price of the project was $614. I funded the remaining amount with gift codes we earned as a class. Some students were moved to tears when I told them we got all the money needed for these very unconventional things.”
Sheppard Elementary Lights Up School with Christmas Kindness Lights
Every student at Sheppard received a large paper Christmas light. They wrote on it the one act of kindness they would like to do before Christmas break. The lights are displayed throughout the hallways. Students were also given little paper light bulbs where they can record the acts of kindness they do each day. They can place each little light bulb on Sheppard’s large, “Light Up the School with Kindness” sign. “The goal is to get students looking for positive things going on,” said Brenda Deleon.
Barwise Middle School Lunch Team Brings Christmas Spirit to Lunch Lines
Just because you’re working in the cafeteria doesn’t mean you can’t join in on school fun, like the special dress days. Here, the Barwise lunch team brings holiday spirit to the lunch line for Elf Spirit Days.
Fain Elementary ‘Mad Scientists’ Examine Tree Rings
Fain students who come to Veronica Snell’s Space Station, titled “Mad Scientist,” get to explore science concepts every week. This week, students investigated the age and climate of a tree by looking at the rings in a slice of its stump. “One year’s tree growth is determined by one light and dark ring,” said Ms. Snell. “Students learned the lighter shade of each ring was the spring/summer growth. The darker shade was the late summer/fall growth.” Is the lighter area thick or thin? A thick band reveals a rainy season; a thin band reveals a dry season. “The Mad Scientist station allows students to view science with a wide lens and hands-on experience,” she said. “Students learn that science is everywhere and in everything.” In prior weeks, students have covered a capillary action, immiscible liquids and density, and static electricity.
Zundy Elementary Librarian Aims for ‘Magical’ in her Christmas Décor
Since every Zundy student visits the library every week, librarian Abby Potts knew her Christmas décor would get lots of eyeballs. “Christmas time is my favorite each year, and I love seeing the kids’ faces when they see the Christmas decorations and start humming along to Christmas tunes I play,” said Ms. Potts. She read students the classic poem, “Twas the Night Before Christmas” and asked them to use their math skills to solve the age of the poem. “I used the app, ‘Novel Effect’ with a Bluetooth speaker, which added extra magic.” The app added music and sound effects as she read.
Haynes Northwest Academy Teacher’s Lesson Works for Science, English
Haynes teacher Maddy Barron introduced a lesson on how to make Borax crystals. The science lesson also presented an opportunity for students to learn about the sequence of events in a procedural, non-fiction text. The step-by-step instructions offered a reading lesson as well as a science lesson. “Awesome example of a cross-curricular lesson,” said Principal Lori Apple.
Hirschi High School Class Rendezvous with Iowa Park Class to Visit Fantasy of Lights, Frank & Joe’s
For their third annual Christmas social outing, the Hirschi Community Based Instruction class visited the Fantasy of Lights and Frank & Joe’s Coffee Shop on Dec. 10. As is their tradition, the class, led by Jordan Darnell, met up with the Mrs. Orr’s Functional Living Skills Class from Iowa Park High School. Ms. Darnell and Mrs. Orr have been friends since college and arrange the annual meet-up for their classes at Christmas time to enjoy Christmas lights and hot chocolate.
Lamar Elementary Leadership Groups Brush Up on Handshakes, Eye Contact
All students – girls and boys alike – benefit from learning how to give a firm handshake and make eye contact. At Lamar, the Ladies with Leadership group and Boys with Purpose group are focusing on those skills. “We learn about first impressions and the need to carry ourselves with confidence,” said Mindy Tedford, LWL sponsor. Both organizations recently volunteered at the Food Bank and hosted an annual Veterans Day meal and program. Coming soon: Goal setting and self-esteem lessons. Sponsors are Karen Nichols, Jennifer Edmondson, Melissa Horn, Jessica Hernandez, Jessica Davis, Kyla Stevens, Robert Maxwell, and Randy Hardin.
Haynes Northwest Academy Students Learn Chants to Remember Science Concepts
Whenever she gets the chance, 5th grade Haynes teacher Sheridan Woodward teaches information with songs, chants and hand motions. She bases her practice on research that suggests there are benefits to learning information this way. “There are many songs I remember from my childhood that helped teach me how to spell colors and the names and order of the presidents,” she said. She reminds us that we learned our ABCs with a song. This week, her students chanted, “Weathering, erosion, deposition – Breaks it, moves it, drops it!”
Cunningham Teacher Captures the Thing All Teachers Want to See
When 2nd grade teacher Daryl Trotta saw Cunningham 1st grade student Bailey Regouby walking the hall engrossed in a book, she pulled out her camera and snapped this photo. Ms. Trotta, who turns to photography as her side-hustle, said this just-can’t-put-my-book-down image captures the excitement for reading that is something all teachers long to see. “The moment spoke volumes to me,” she said.
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District in Pictures is a weekly publication developed by the WFISD Community Relations department. If you have events, recognitions or classroom activities taking place on your campus that you would like us to cover, please let us know by emailing Ashley Thomas at athomas@wfisd.net or Ann Work Goodrich at awork@wfisd.net. We would love to include you in our weekly district news. (Please know that we will do our best to cover every story idea submitted but it may not be possible to include everything every week due to time constraints.)
Email: athomas@wfisd.net
Website: www.wfisd.net
Location: 1104 Broad Street, Wichita Falls, TX, USA
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