Wildcat Weekly
November 04, 2019
Happy Birthday this Week!
HOFFMAN, BRENDA
3-Nov
OBERT, DREW
4-Nov
PIPPARD, WES
5-Nov
CUADRA, ARMIN
6-Nov
CARSON, ELIZABETH
7-Nov
RENEAU, PATRICE
8-Nov
Many thanks ...
To Steve Leonard and Jennifer Verdugo for all their work with Stuco to organize and execute Homecoming.
To Matt Cone for putting food poisoning at bay to manage the parade and then emcee the Hoco pep rally.
To Andy Jacob for all his oversight even when faced with "Things Andy Can't Win" like weather predictions. The parade was great; the cold, legendary. You Won!
A Homecoming Reflection
A poignant reminder of the joy and power that emanates from everyone coming together came in the form of our Homecoming King and Queen this year. As Anthony Tatum's mother put it, "The way these kids exhibit leadership, and quietly practice inclusion BY EXAMPLE, is simply amazing. We never feel like Anthony is included despite his challenges - on the contrary we usually feel like he's just "another kid" at PSHS. KINDNESS MATTERS!"
We have dozens of students who do just that every year through our Peer Assistants, Caring Cats, and even mentoring in some classrooms. Inevitably, these experiences help everyone learn and grow more as human beings.
Thank you to all of those who create these opportunities for our students.
And thank you to our Drumline for starting a new tradition -- playing at the pond and in the courtyard before school on the Friday of Homecoming. It was a great way to start the day.
Caring Cats
King and Queen
Hoco 2019
Faculty Council Meeting Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Leadership Attendees
Sara Bonser
Dr. Theresa Williams
Dr. Beth Brockman
Dr. Kary Cooper
Susan Modisette
Dr. Dash Weerasinghe
Randy McDowell
Dan Armstrong
Matt Frey
Lesley Range-Stanton
Mark Allen
Dr. Rhonda Davis on behalf of Dr. Katrina Hasley
Notes
Superintendent Sara Bonser opened the meeting and explained the purpose of the Faculty
Council Committee. She encouraged members to communicate freely and said the
environment was a safe and collaborative space. She stated that leaders aren’t defensive
and that they should “listen first, think second, and act last”. She is hoping that our
leadership team grows with this input so that ultimately our kids grow as well.
Dr. Theresa Williams, Chief Operating Officer, spoke about the changes in the meeting
format, having people sit in groups so they can talk to each other. She noted that
reminders will be sent out to members with meeting dates. She encouraged members to
email this year’s administrative council representative in advance of the meetings with
suggestions about topics, input, or concerns to discuss in upcoming meetings. She thanked
Dr. Brockman for her work in organizing the first meeting.
Randy McDowell, Chief Financial Officer, shared an enrollment update. He stated that
declining enrollment is a state-wide issue. Overall, the growth rate in public schools is
declining. Birth rates are down. He explained that the impact of charter schools continues
to pull more kids out of public schools. Currently, PISD has approximately 50,854 students
in grades K-12, not including pre-K, which is down 441 students this year. He explained that
we are experiencing some growth as multi- and single-family apartments are being built
sporadically in the District. Our largest issue is that the younger grades feeding in are larger
than our graduating classes. He stated that demographers believe that eventually our
neighborhoods will begin to turn over and younger people will be moving in.
Lesley Range-Stanton, Executive Director of Communications, shared that the Plano
Leadership Executive Committee requested a survey be conducted about the academic
calendar. The survey, advertised in newsletters, on-line, and through our social media
channels, was conducted from Sept. 10 - Oct. 7. The school year was measured in minutes,
not days (75,600 minutes). 5,584 people responded in English, and 22 people responded in
Spanish. 75% of the respondents in English were parents; 90% of the respondents in
Spanish were parents. The next step is getting the drafts to the board for possible approval
on Dec. 10. Council members were encouraged to use the index cards on the tables to
provide feedback and/or ask questions.
Dan Armstrong, Assistant Superintendent for Technology Services, talked about a topic that
he said is going around the whole state, not just in education, but in many municipalities as
well. Senate Bill 944 stems from the Texas Public Information Act, also referred to as the
Open Records Act. This law gives the public access to information as requested, which can
now include texts as well as email. It introduces a concept called “temporary custodian.”
Everything you text now becomes a part of public information. He said we are building a
comprehensive explanation of how we are going to comply with the law but offer flexibility
for us to do our work. He encouraged council members to write down comments on how
this will impact your practices. PISD will take the common questions and answer those
questions in a comprehensive document to be shared with Principals. Our Tech
Department is working on a solution involving Microsoft Office / Outlook in the cloud,
which has a companion product which operates in the same manner, running as an app on
your phone and on desktops, but that information stays in the cloud. Should a request
come in, the District can use the same process we have now to comply with the request.
We may be recommending it as a solution. We want to be compliant and yet keep our
employees safe in this process. Dr. Theresa Williams suggested that teachers use email if
they are concerned about the new law and the implications it imposes.
Dr. Kary Cooper, Assistant Superintendent for Student Engagement & District Services, had
safety and security reminders. We can celebrate the many things PISD is already doing due
to Joe Parks (Executive Director of Safety and Security) and his team being proactive. In
some instances PISD has more than the requirements already in place (ie: required drills).
Dr. Cooper also discussed the weather notification system and its recent test. PISD tries to
make closure decisions the night before after having conversations with our neighboring
districts. If that isn’t possible, they are monitoring the parking lots overnight and staying in
touch with the police departments. If teachers did not get the phone call that tested the
system not too long ago, they need to go to their profile in TEAMS and update their phone
numbers and preferences. MY EOP, standard response protocol, is a recommendation
from Senate Bill 11 which the Texas School Safety Center is providing guidance on. Plano
ISD has used it for several years already. Members were encouraged to download My EOP
to their phones. Lastly, PISD is enhancing our school resource officer program. Officers are
back on campuses, and each senior high has an additional officer allotted. Middle school
officers patrol their elementary feeder schools as well. Since many of our elementaries are
in neighborhoods, these additional patrols may allow for faster response times between
Plano ISD and Plano PD.
Dr. Beth Brockman, Assistant Superintendent for Employee Services, closed the meeting by
asking members to write down their questions on index cards found in the middle of the
tables and give some input. She reiterated what a valuable resource the members of this
committee are in regards to the information we will share.The meeting was adjourned at
5:30 p.m.
Next Meeting Agenda Items
Members were given an email address for the new council representative who will collect
information, suggestions, input, and questions to share with the leadership team.
The Holiday Season
Guidelines Regarding the Cat Corner --
Students should not be getting out of class to go to the Cat Corner, however.
It is FANS policy that a student may only purchase items at the Cat Corner Store with their student ID number only and as long as they do not have a negative balance in their account. FANS is also trying to minimize negative account balances so that students are motivated avoid negative balances so that they can continue to purchase items in the store.
Students are to only buy items for themselves and not for staff/faculty.
Professional Learning for '19-'20
Opportunities for professional and collegial learning and growth may be found by clicking on the link below which takes you to all kinds of information. (This is the same Google Sheet Coryn shared with you last Friday.)
Be sure to note that one of the options includes being a part of the Plano 2025 discussions through various sub committees. Please consider being a part of envisioning Plano Senior High's future!
Upcoming Events -- Please send corrections or other events to be added.
Nov 13 -- National Signing Day, 8 a.m., Gym
Nov 22, 23 --Jazz Swing Dance, 7 p.m., Cafe
Dec 4 -- Extended lunches for faculty Holiday Luncheon, C111
Dec 5 -- Percussion Winter concert, Cafe
Dec 6, 7 -- Choir Madrigal Dinner, Cafe
Dec 7 -- Orchestra Cluster concert, Gym
Dec 17-20 -- Final exams
Jan 6 -- Teachers return
Jan 7 -- Students return
FOOTBALL
WILDCATS vs.Prosper, Fri. Nov. 8th @ Prosper at 7:00pm.
GOLF
SWIMMING
BASKETBALL
WILDCATS @ Wildcat Scrimmage, Sat. Nov. 9th @ PSHS. Time is TBD.