Westwood Way
Happenings In Panther Nation - January 2020
Over the last several years, my process of discovering my One Word has produced words such as:
Servant - 2014
Relationships - 2015
Committed - 2016
Brave - 2017
Impact - 2018
Love - 2019
This year as I contemplated the three questions:
What do I need?
What is in my way?
What needs to go?
It became evident that my direction would be different than the last six years. In the previous six years, my One Word had been centered on improving me so I could serve others at a different level, but this year, it appeared that the focus was shifting.
My time of reflection and searching ended much sooner than it has in the past, and my One Word for 2020 was obvious. It is a word that will lead me to focus on self-care and personal well-being more than any One Word I have had.
My One Word for 2020 is PEACE.
The first question that I reflected on, What do I need?, definitely could be answered with my One Word. While 2019 was a fantastic year, there was so much happening that I didn’t seek to find peace. With two failed bond proposals and the planning, meetings, and work associated with these campaigns, coupled with my personality, only caused me to work harder and shoulder much of the responsibility and accountability. An while that is all part of the job, I made it difficult for myself to find peace at the end of the day. And the reality is that my 2019 was void of peace.
The second question that I spent time on was, What is in my way? As I spent time alone, this was a straightforward question; it was ME. I was in my own way of finding peace. My reflection showed me that I kept trying to produce more, trying to create more, trying to bring people together quicker. I always thought if I worked harder and longer, more things would change, and I would discover what I was seeking.
And the last question, What needs to go? was a difficult question to deal with. It is always hard to participate in deep reflection and honestly evaluate the changes we need to make to move forward. I know I need to let go of my ego and eliminate the belief that I have to shoulder total responsibility for everything. I know that I must arrive at a point that allows me to accept the results even when they don’t meet/exceed my expectations. And most of all, I realize that God has a plan, and I must fully embrace that plan and let things work at His speed and capacity.
I am excited about the journey that PEACE is taking me on, and I look forward to the growth I will experience. Each One Word that I have had over the last six years has been perfect for me, and I know that 2020 will be the same!!
Please feel free to share your One Word with me, and if you feel comfortable, the story about how your One Word found you!
Wade
School Board Update
During the January Board Meeting, the following items came before the School Board:
Christine Bedre presented an overview of the Impact Cycle. In the report, she focused on Phase III: Improve
Dr. Kyle Penn presented an overview of the 2019-2020 budget to date.
The School Board unanimously voted to call the School Board Election for Places 2, 5, and 6 on May 2, 2020.
The School Board and administration discussed Chapters 18-27 of The Energy Bus.
The School Board acknowledged professional contracts as presented.
Curriculum
The first semester has flown by as we have dug into the heart of our curriculum and instruction. The second semester is full of fun learning, on-campus events, and refinement of new concepts learned. As we re-teach and refine, remember to share your passion with others. Students learn the most when they are engrossed in the content and process. As Jon Gordon states rule number seven; Enthusiasm attracts more passengers and energizes them during the ride!! The question I pose to you for reflection is, are we visibly enthusiastic each day where students eagerly want to learn more?
The District Site-Based committee chose a calendar for the 2020-2021 school year. In evaluating what is best for students as well as parents within the community, they worked hard considering all possible options. To view and give feedback on the calendar, please click here. The calendar will be presented to the school board for a first read in February and possible approval at the March board meeting.
Our district vertical alignment meeting will be held on February 24, 2020. We are excited to come together to continue our growth as a district! This will be a half-day of vertical district planning held at the high school campus. We will start in the gym for team building then break into content area groups for learning. In the end, we will report together to share our learnings with each other before dismissing back to campuses. Be on the lookout for specific group assignments will be sent out at a later date in February.
Westwood University (WWU) is an in-house three-day professional learning experience for staff to learn new concepts, refine current skills, and grow in their skills before the 2020-2021 school year. Dates for Westwood University 2020 will be May 26 - 28, 2020. If you would like to submit a specific session or want to present yourself to your peers, click here.
As testing rounds the corner this spring, do not forget about the online testing option with text to speech in Eduphoria. This will give our students the practice they need as well as the assistance to be successful. (Click Here for the webinar)
Instructional Coaches SMORE Links:
Other informational links:
Renaissance Webinar - Feb. 4th @ 3 PM - How to Act on Student Growth
Renaissance Webinar - Live Now - How to use Data to Drive Instruction
Science TEKS Review Work Group Application
Applications for the National Youth Science Camp
LiftOff 2020: Moon to Mars! Professional Development
Special Programs
Happy New Year!
The new year brings about some new assessments and assessment practices in some of our special programs. The campus counselors, who also organize and complete gifted and talented testing on their campus, met to review our current assessment process and make necessary adjustments to meet the needs of the learners at Westwood ISD. Our gifted and talented population should reflect the demographics of our total student population, and we want to be sure that we have assessment practices in place that are not biased or exclude certain populations of students. The counselors plan to finish the assessment and identification process of gifted learners by the end of next month.
Last month, TEA announced the new single, statewide norm-referenced standardized achievement test for the reclassification of English Learners. The Iowa Assessment, Form F, will be used to satisfy the requirement of state standardized reading assessment component of the English Learner Reclassification Criteria for grades 1, 2, 11, and 12. We will be sure to have staff trained to administer this assessment for this group of students. If you haven’t before, please familiarize yourself with the aforementioned reclassification criteria chart so that you are aware of the criteria an English Learner has to meet to be eligible to exit the ESL program.
In working with Mr. Schuessler, we were able to identify the best use for our Title V funds in increasing technology on the campuses for students to use in the four core content areas. As we continue our transition to online testing, we understand the importance of having technology available to students during daily instruction. We hope to see the new devices on campuses in the coming weeks.
Business & Finance
Our auditors came in during the final week of December, and we received their report back this week. It was a fantastic report highlighting areas of improvement and noting an increase in our fund balance. This was very encouraging feedback showing the work of the business team through the 2018-2019 school year, as well as stewardship of campus and department leaders.
The spring brings a number of other areas of focus. We look at making sure we are staying within the budget, revenues aligning with our projections, and that we are spending enough in our special program areas and grants. In addition, we begin to review annual financial agreements we are a part of and compare to make sure they provide the best value for the district, and if not, take necessary steps to change those services. Planning for the 2020-2021 budget will begin in the next 1-2 months.
Please make sure to read our operations department reports and keep up with the work they are doing.
-Kyle
PEIMS
Happy New Year, and welcome to 2020, Westwood ISD!
In December, a challenge was made for our campuses to break the low attendance trend that hits each year during the fourth marking period in Region 7. I am proud to say that we are off to a great start! During the first week of the fourth marking period, our district average daily attendance was 96.84%! For some perspective, a decent average daily attendance rate is 95%. Last year, our average daily attendance rate was below 94% for the fourth marking period. So, keep doing what you are doing, Westwood - something is working!
In the PEIMS universe, January brings deadlines for a couple of data submissions to TEA: the ECDS (Early Childhood Data System Collection) and Mid-Year PEIMS submissions. ECDS involves testing and demographic data from kindergarten students, while Mid-Year PEIMS submission includes budget and finance data from the previous school year. We are currently working diligently on getting these pieces tied up to be sent to TEA in a neat package.
In leadership meetings, we have been discussing our One Word for 2020. I feel led to share that my One Word for 2020 is GRATITUDE. While going through Jon Gordon’s questions to find my one word, gratitude was a consistent presence in all of my answers. That being stated, you should all know how incredibly grateful I am to be a part of your team in Westwood ISD! Our students are worth every minute of hard work that you put in, and I am so grateful for all of you and what you do! Thank you for making Westwood ISD a great place for our students to learn!
Food Service
Facilities Services
Our Facility Services Departments have been busy over the holidays completing many projects and necessary maintenance. Thanks to them, our schools are clean and prepared for the return of students and staff. Please take a moment to pat them on the back for their job well done as they do not get the lengthy breaks in the fall, winter, spring, and summer as it is necessary for them to be here to catch up on cleaning and maintenance.
To highlight a few of these projects, please note that the gym floors at our High school and Junior High have been refinished. Maintenance striped a parking lot and repaired a significant water leak at the Elementary. Maintenance is also in the process of a small remodel of our High School library. The baseball and softball fields have been cleaned up and are ready for practice to start in February. Our team even found time to pick up trash on Bassett and West Point Tap between the Primary and Elementary schools before the students returned from break. Thanks to our Facility Services Departments for all of their hard work and swift response to incoming work requests.
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday break.
Thank you for taking the time to keep up with the happenings here at Westwood ISD. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to call or email me at (903) 373-5108 jkshultz@westwoodisd.net
Transportation
The Westwood ISD Transportation Department had an excellent first semester in 2019. Our bus drivers and monitors continue to do an excellent job. This past month we have installed bus cameras, new radios for some buses, and had some buses refurbished at the Ellis Prison. Our Safety Topic for January is Loading and Unloading Procedures. Trips for the district are in full force as we have basketball, soccer, tennis, in full swing. Remember, in January and February; we will have some cold weather, so dress your kids for the weather. If at any time If I can assist you with a Transportation problem or concern, feel free to contact me at 903-723-0425. In closing, the transportation department will continue to do what is best for students daily.
Technology
Wow! 2020 is upon us — the start of a new decade. Happy New Decade! Wow, it’s exciting to know we are starting a new decade of opportunities to start fresh, grow, learn, and share. One opportunity our department is excited about is finalizing the District’s Technology Plan. As I mentioned last month, we have been working on a Long-Range Plan for Technology (LRPT). The LRPT is a multiyear plan, generally, five years that identifies a shared vision for technology and focuses on the mission, vision, and goals of the district. The plan outlines goals, objectives, and strategies for technology and is based on the district’s current technology status and the desired outcomes for classroom technology. The Technology Committee will meet later this month to finalize the plan so we can present it to the Board.
After Thanksgiving and Christmas break, January is the time we start gearing up for State testing, and it is the time our department starts reflecting and planning for summer and end of year projects. One project we have been working on this month is a much-needed classroom computer refresh. The plan is almost complete, and I cannot wait to share the details with y'all next month.
In last years’ technology survey, there were many comments about wanting more Chromebooks and iPads. At the end of December and the beginning of January, Technology added more Chromebook carts to the campuses. With special thanks to Tiffany, her grant fund has secured several carts of Chromebooks and iPads for the District. We are finalizing the order, and once we receive them, we will get them out as soon as possible. Hopefully, before testing starts.
2020 is a transition year for E-Rate. What is E-rate, you ask? E-rate is an FCC program that makes telecommunications and information services more affordable for school districts. Based on our eligibility, we receive discounts on our phone lines, Internet access, and all the equipment and services related to the internet. Our discounts range from 80-95 percent. Within this transition year, we have received extra funds and have been working on a plan to purchase and upgrade our network switches and wireless network to make it better and faster.
Helpdesk at a Glance: The technology department has resolved 1061 tickets since the start of school. Within the last 30 days, we have resolved 93 tickets.
We continue to maintain and support our current systems and infrastructure by monitoring, tweaking, and resolving problems as they arise.
Athletics
We are focusing on building Champions instead of Winning Championships.
We have reached a pivotal phase in our athletes’ training regiment (the mental training).The athletic department focus during this phase (BOOT CAMP) is two-fold:
1.YOU WILL SINK TO THE LEVEL OF YOUR TRAINING.
2. F.A.M.I.L.Y. - Forget About Me I Love You.
We are excited about the opportunity to watch them GROW through this phase when faced with adversity.
Philosophy
The Panther Mission Statement: (program/coach’s part)
To GROW men and women of integrity who relentlessly pursue excellence.
The Panther Vision Statement: (athlete’s part)
GROW Everyday
Execute Westwood DNA
Be the toughest program in Texas
WESTWOOD DNA (core values):
Energy/Tempo Monday - relentless effort. We will attack with tenacity and make them quit.
Competition Tuesday - 1-0 Mentality. We are one play warriors who always compete.
Toughness Wednesday - comfortable being uncomfortable. We will impose our will and dominate with toughness.
Family Appreciation Thursday - value others above ourselves. We are a team of ‘foxhole’ brothers.
Discipline/Finish Friday - Discipline - always doing what needs to be done. We will continue to row the boat every day.
Finish - do more than is expected. We are a freight train that terrorizes with our finish.
Updated results from Powerlifting, Boys & Girls Soccer, Girls and Boys Basketball:
Soccer:
Both the Boys and Girls Soccer teams have made great strides this season. At the halfway point of the season, the girls' soccer team has already surpassed their win total last season as well as holding the record for most wins in a season in school history. The boys' soccer team continues to play extremely competitive against quality competition. They will have more opportunities this week with two home games vs. Tenaha and New Waverly.
Lady Panther Basketball:
The Lady Panthers are gROWing and making great strides as they finished up the first round of a tough district schedule. This young and inexperienced girls team continues to gain invaluable knowledge and court time as they will start their second round of district on Tuesday, hosting Teague.
Boys Basketball:
The Panther Varsity Basketball team currently sits at 9-15 on the year while the JV is at 11-4, almost through the first half of district play. The program has a huge week ahead as they host Teague on Tuesday and travel to Buffalo on Friday. The boys are right in the middle of a very competitive district race, as well as the playoff race.
Powerlifting:
The boys and the girls' powerlifting teams opened their season this past weekend with a strong showing at Trinity. The boys' team won the overall team championship. Every member of the boys' team placed with multiple wins and/or PRs in each weight class. The girls' team competed well with multiple Top 3 finishes as well.