PfISD Employee Express

• Upcoming Events & Holidays
• Pflugerville ISD’s Summer School Programs
  
• Professional Learning Conference Session Registration
  
• PfISD 2023 Staff Climate Survey Reminder
• The Utley Professional Development Scholarship
• PACE Pfun Run
• Pfifth Grade Pfitness Challenge Pfestival

• HHS FFA Plant Sale
  

• Help PfISD Design And Develop Employee Housing

• Updates on PfISD School Lunch Charge Policy
• 2023-2028 District of Innovation Plan Approval
• Pegasus
• Employment Corner
• Staff Shout Outs
• Fine Arts
• CTE Corner
• Athletics

Mental Health Awareness Month

Asian-Pacific Heritage Month

May 12: School Communicators Day

May 18: Board Meeting / Speech Language Pathologist Day

May 25: Early Release / Last Day of School

May 26: Student Holiday / Staff Planning & Prep

May 29: Student Staff Holiday / Memorial Day

May 30: Hendrickson HS Graduation

May 31: Pflugerville HS Graduation

June 1: Connally HS Graduation

June 2: Weiss HS Graduation

Individuals interested in supporting summer school please review the positions and Apply Here!

Pflugerville ISD’s summer school program is designed to help students improve their academic foundation as well as provide remediation, acceleration, and enrichment throughout a four-week summer program. Elementary and middle school students receive math and reading instruction to correspond to HB4545 tutorial requirements; identified students will be invited by their campus to participate.

High school students receive content area instruction to prepare for End-of-Course re-testing, to recover lost course credits, and to earn original credits necessary for graduation. Interested students currently in 8th-11th grade should contact their school counselor for more information.

The district also offers program-specific summer learning for these four groups:

• Secondary students new to the country

• Current emergent bilingual students who will be in kindergarten & 1st grade in 2023-24

• Students participating in select Career & Technical Education programs

• Certain special education programs.

Identified students will be invited to attend by district & campus program staff.

Information about the district summer school programs is available at https://www.pfisd.net/domain/301.

Registration for the August 9, 2023 Professional Learning Conference Sessions will open at 7:00 AM on Monday, May 15, 2023. Please follow the registration instructions on this flyer to first determine your required job-alike sessions before you register for choice sessions at your assigned job-alike learning site.

Visit our PfISD Professional Learning website for more information about the Professional Learning Conference on August 9th. This site will continue to be updated throughout the Summer.

Please direct any questions to pd@pfisd.net.

We always want to know how we are doing as an organization, and the next steps we can take to best serve those working alongside us. In addition to school culture being something that we both think about and talk to people about frequently, we also want to provide an opportunity to get additional context through an anonymous survey.

Any information will be very helpful in guiding our district's leadership team on how we can improve staff support and school culture.

Thank you so much for all you do every day to make Pflugerville ISD an excellent organization for our scholars, as well as for our team!

The Pflugerville Education Foundation (PEF) offers teachers a grant that provides financial support for all current PfISD educators pursuing additional education certification and/or educational-related degrees at the university level. PEF believes that we should address the challenges of our current and future society in order to produce strong thinkers and decision-makers. Ensuring well-prepared educators is critical to this endeavor.

The Utley Scholarship is sponsored by Dan and Debby Utley and founded on the principles of: a desire to contribute to a strong public education system; and, an awareness of the value of ongoing professional learning for educators.

Total funding is $800, and this scholarship is awarded in the spring of each year. Applications are now being accepted for the 2023 Utley Scholarship and are due at midnight on May 31st. Click Here to Apply

Join us for the PACE High School Pfun Run!

When? May 13

Where? Pfluger Park

Time? 9 Am - 12 Pm (Please arrive 15 - 20 minutes before the start time!)

Registration fee : $30 per runner

Register HERE or scan the QR Code

Become a Sponsor or Make a Donation

If you have any other questions please contact: Mike.Harvey@pfisd.net

Join us on Friday, May 12th from 6-8pm for the Pfifth Grade Pfitness Challenge Pfestival, hosted by the PfISD Physical Education Department at The Pfield!

This is a fantastic opportunity for 5th graders to visit The Pfield with their families, meet and interact with other 5th graders from across the district, and even connect with middle and high school coaches and athletes.

Don't miss out on this exciting come-and-go event, where the kids can participate in a variety of activities organized by the Elementary Physical Education teachers or their campus representative!

Join the Hendrickson High School FFA at their Annual Plant Sale!

When? May 11-12 from 8 am - 5 pm

May 13 from 8 am - 12 pm

Where? HHS Green House located next to the Agriculture Building at the back of the school

Payment? Cash or Check made out to HHS FFA

Please view the flyer for a list of the plants you can be expecting!

Our teacher housing initiative is moving forward. We may have the option to provide housing for staff other than teachers (custodians, bus drivers, education associates, etc.). Therefore, we are seeking teacher and staff participation for our feasibility study. This study is a preliminary exploration of our proposed housing project to help us determine its merits and viability.

If you want to participate in housing focus groups, surveys, and other study methods, please complete this Google document. We would love to have you join us. Thanks for helping PfISD create housing options for our teachers (and possibly other staff), the ability to live within our city and be part of the same community as their students and families, as well as provide the convenience and cost-savings of living close to where they work.

As we shared with Staff and Families in the past few weeks, due to a large balance of unpaid lunch charges owed to PfISD (more than $180,000 at this time), PfISD has reinstituted a pre-COVID policy of substituting the main entrée for those students who currently owe more than $6 on their lunch account. We have received several questions and seen social media content raising questions about the policy, and we wanted to share more information with our staff and parents.

We know that good nutrition is a cornerstone of a student's well-being, and although the entrée is substituted for a sandwich, the students are allowed to keep all sides included with the regular lunch meal. District and Aramark staff have reached out to families to attempt to set up a payment plan and have the families complete the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Application, which would reduce or eliminate the cost for these students to eat lunch. We will continue these efforts.

We have a balance deficit of over $180,000 due to unpaid lunches –ten times the previous norm. The district was fortunate enough to leverage federal funding and offer several years of free lunch options for students due to Covid. Unfortunately, those federal funds have decreased or ended. We began informing families last summer that the free lunches were no longer available for students for the 23-24 school year. Pflugerville ISD has been lucky to be one of the few districts still offering free breakfast to all students.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees school lunches, school districts must pay for any outstanding school lunch balances from their general fund at the end of the school year. We must redirect funds away from students' programs and teachers' resources to meet this federal payment requirement. In Pre-Covid years, the district could expect to see a negative lunch balance of $16,000 - $18,000 at the end of the year. This year, we increased our budget for unpaid meal accounts to $30,000K in anticipation of growing needs within our district. Additionally, PfISD has not raised meal prices in 5 years. Since 2011, the USDA has mandated price increases for school lunches; however, districts with positive fund balances can opt out and NOT increase the price of school lunches, which PfISD has done.

MySchoolBucks (Lunch Payment System)

PfISD uses MySchoolBucks as its payment processing system for school lunches. This is a preferred system used by many school districts in our area, and is one of the largest providers of this type of payment system.

Any parent or guardian can place funds on their child's account via MySchoolBucks. The $2.75 surcharge by the vendor is per transaction, whether you put $5 on a student's account or $5,000. We have tried negotiating surcharges for MySchoolBucks in the past but have yet to be able to reduce their fees.

To enroll in My SchoolBucks and pay for lunch meals online:

1. Go to www.MySchoolBucks.com and register for a free account.
2. You will receive a confirmation email with a link to activate your account.
3. Add your students using their school name and student ID (Just the number, no "s" needed before the numbers).
4. Make a payment to your student's accounts with your credit/debit card (there is a $2.75 charge per transaction) or echeck.

A program fee may apply. You will have the opportunity to review any fees and cancel if you choose before you are charged.

If you have any questions, contact MySchoolBucks directly:

• 1-855-832-5226
• Visit myschoolbucks.com and click on Help/FAQ's

Parents can also pay for their child's lunches via check or cash. Checks can be made out to Pflugerville ISD. Payment can be sent with a student to give to cafeteria workers, parents may bring the deposit to the school cafeteria, or they can deliver it to the Aramark office (Pflugerville IS Food and Child Nutrition Services Office, 1401C W. Pecan St., Pflugerville, TX 78660)

Board Agenda Item

Food service funds can only be spent on food service-related items. Costs can include the percentage of square feet of a campus used for food services (kitchen, servery, dining room) applied to utilities; cafeteria FFE including tables; and kitchen equipment.

The items on the board agenda reflect food service items needed to sustain the program. Many items are original pieces of equipment at respective schools for which the district and Aramark are diligent in maintaining. They are replaced as they are obsolete, have obsolete or costly parts, or are a safety concern. Without a food service fund, these would be paid for by general fund.

Limiting A La Carte items

Parents have always had the ability to limit their child's account and choices. There are instructions on the district's website under Food Services, or you can complete this form and email it to denise.meserole@pfisd.net

A La Carte Item Prices

Regarding the pricing of a la carte items, PfISD prices are already significantly lower in comparison to a local drive-thru coffee shop; PfISD found the following-

• PfISD Otis Spunkmeyer muffins ($1.55) vs. coffee shop "muffin top" ($4.55)
• PfISD 12 oz coffee (when sold) ($1.95) vs. coffee shop ($3.10)
• PfISD 12 oz latte (when sold) ($3.25) vs. coffee shop ($5.45)
• PfISD Large cookie ($1.25) vs. coffee shop ($3.95)
• *To note- USDA requires specific sizes and nutrients deemed healthy via SMART SNACK initiatives.

Regarding the contract with Aramark

• Aramark purchases all the food and staffs the labor at their cost.
• Aramark can only take annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) for each annual renewal of a five-year contract. In the last three years, the timing and the rate of CPI versus actual inflation have not been equivalent. CPI has not kept up with the cost of food/ inflation.
• If food cost or labor wage leveling occurs, Aramark incurs that, not PfISD.
• Aramark absorbs the cost of a replaced meal. A replaced entrée is the price of two entrees (the discarded one and the sandwich). The district does not incur this c

2023-2028 District of Innovation Plan Approval

The Board of Trustees considered and approved our 2023-2028 District of Innovation Plan. This plan will provide flexibility for our district across seven different policies, and district departments are now refining and aligning practices and procedures within the approved innovation areas

The plan is currently publicly posted for review and input. To provide feedback or comments on the proposed 2023-2028 DOI plan, please respond to DOI@pfisd.net.

We still have seats available in the Pegasus program at several campuses and are accepting applications. The purpose of the Pegasus Program is to provide onsite preschool for children of district staff members while also providing preschoolers with disabilities an opportunity to interact regularly with typically-developing peers.

Children of district employees serve as positive role models for the students identified with special needs. This research-based model benefits both groups by providing quality preschool instruction in a supportive, inclusive setting. Pegasus is open to district employees, substitutes, Aramark employees, and relatives of all three.

Visit https://www.pfisd.net/pegasus for more information or click on a link below.

o Pegasus Parent Agreement 23/24

o Pegasus Application 23/24

Please contact Julie Schwarz at Julie.schwarz@pfisd.net or 512-594-0173 with any questions.

Did you know that Pflugerville ISD has great opportunities for Nurses (RNs) on campus and Licensed Electricians? If you or anyone you know is skilled in these areas please consider joining the PfISD Pfamily!

Check out our Careers page for details on the great benefits of working for PfISD and the Jobs Board for current opportunities.

We love our PfISD staff members and we know our parents do too! We want to provide an opportunity for our parents to publicly recognize and thank our staff members who serve our students, staff and the community. We have created a Google Form to provide information directly to us to share with our staff as a whole and let you see the difference you are making in a student's life every single day. Please click here for the Google Form.

These Shout Outs will be included in upcoming issues of the Parent and Staff Newsletters. If a Shout Out directly references a student, we will not include the parent name to protect the child's anonymity. If you are recognized in an anonymous Shout Out and want to learn the parent's name, please contact Tamra Spence at tamra.spence@pfisd.net.

THANK YOU TO OUR AMAZING PFISD STAFF MEMBERS FOR EVERYTHING THEY DO FOR OUR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY!

Emily Swain of Murchison Elementary School (via Brandy V.): Ms. Swain is an absolute gift to the district. My son has reading challenges, and I have seen a spark in him to learn and read again after spending time with her just starting in January. She truly cares about her students and their ability to learn, grow and do their best. Thank you.

Jacqueline Cardenas of Hendrickson High School (via Yesenia S. ): She is always attentive of students, you always feel safe and comfortable in her classroom, and by far the best teacher I’ve ever had.

Mrs. Stewart of Windermere Elementary, 1st grade (via Amy F.): Mrs. Stewart is an amazing teacher. She has helped my son want to do his best and he is wrapping up first-grade loving reading and poetry. I am so grateful for you Mrs. Stewart and everyone at Windermere Elementary!

Mrs. Rowley, Mrs. Garcia, Mrs. McKinney, and Mrs. Gladwin of the MES Pegasus Team (via Desiree S.): I am so thankful for this absolute DREAM TEAM of teachers who have provided a wonderful preschool experience for my son. Thank you all for your constant encouragement and enthusiasm, unwavering patience, and last but not least, for creating a nurturing environment for our littles to learn and grow. You're amazing!

Jordan James of Kelly Lane Middle School (via Stephanie and Ian R.): I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for all that you have done for my family over the years. As you know, you have had the honor of teaching all three of my children during their time at Kelly Lane Middle School, and I cannot thank you enough for the positive impact you have had on their lives.

From the moment my oldest child first walked into your classroom, we knew that we had found a special teacher. Your passion for teaching and your dedication to your students are truly inspiring, and it is evident in the way that you approach every lesson and interaction with them. You have a unique ability to connect with each of my children on a personal level, and they have always felt valued and respected in your class.

Your commitment to fostering a love of learning in your students has not gone unnoticed. My children have always been excited to come to your class, and they have learned so much from you. You have challenged them academically, while also providing a safe and supportive environment for them to grow and develop as individuals. Your influence has extended beyond the classroom, and my children will hopefully take the skills and knowledge they have gained from your class with them throughout their academic careers.

Once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you have done for my family. You are an amazing teacher, and we are all so lucky to have had the opportunity for my children to learn from you.

Sherri Vigil of Kelly Lane Middle School (via Stephanie and Ian R. ): I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for all that you have done for my family over the years. You may have not realized, but you have been the school counselor for all three of my children, and your guidance and support have been invaluable to us.

From the very first time I met you, you made us feel welcome and comfortable. You took the time to get to know each of my children, and you always made yourself available to answer any questions or concerns we had, even during the summer when Duncan's schedule wasn't working. Your genuine care and concern for their well-being did not go unnoticed. Aidan remembers when he was struggling in the first few weeks of school and you took the time to help him adjust, even calling me to come for lunch to make him feel better. Evan said you helped him when he was being bullied and he knew he could trust to come to you for help. Duncan says that he loves that he has you for support and he loves that he can come to you for any reason. He tells me you are one of the nicest people there.

Over the years, you have provided my children with invaluable guidance and support. You have helped them navigate the challenges of middle school, including academic struggles, social issues, and the stresses of adolescence. Your kindness, empathy, and understanding have made a world of difference to them, and to us as parents.

As Duncan prepares to graduate from Kelly and move on to Hendrickson, I can't help but feel a little sad that our time with you is coming to an end. But I know that your impact on our family will last a lifetime.

Thank you again for all that you have done for us. We are so grateful for your support, and we will always remember the positive impact you have had on our lives.

Robin Simpkins of Murchison Elementary (via Belinda P.): Xavier has learned so much from Mrs. Simpkins this year. She is such a kind, sweet and fun teacher. Even though Xavier may not say much in school, he raves so much at home. You will never be forgotten. Thank you!

Jessica Blevins of Pflugerville High School (via Brooklyn S.): She is one of the best teachers I know and she is always putting students before her. She is super nice and deserves everything good!!

Cathy Duong of Highland Park Elementary School (via IJS): Mrs. Duong is such an amazing teacher! She always goes above and beyond and truly care for her student's well-being and academic success!

Paula Rea Manning of Riojas Elementary School (via Erin P.): Mrs. Manning had encouraged and fostered my son’s absolute love of music. It is his favorite specials class and would be in there every day if it was possible. He plays music around the house that he was introduced to by Mrs. Manning. We love her so much and are so thankful to have such an amazing music teacher at Riojas!

Frida Idunate-Jackson of Riojas Elementary School (via Melissa L.): My daughter loves Mrs. Jackson, and it is a joy to see her happily walk to class every day. She is not only a loving and thoughtful teacher, but she is also an excellent educator. Her classroom parents also appreciate her constant communication and photo sharing.

Diego Perezchica of Riojas Elementary School (via Melissa L.): Mr. Perezchica is such a fun and wonderful teacher. His students, past and present, think the world of him. My daughter often mentions the fun things she is learning in class, and she is very motivated to be an independent learner.

Over 100 3rd-5th graders across the district participated in the annual PfISD Music Memory Contest at Hendrickson High School last Saturday. These students have been studying famous composers and their music from many different time periods, locations around the world, and musical genres. For this competition, students had to listen to 16 different pieces of music and identify which song it was. To receive full credit, they also had to name and correctly spell the song’s composer. Congratulations to the following students who earned a perfect score:

• Krithik Tenneti, 3rd grade, Murchison Elementary

• Wyatt Major, 3rd grade, Brookhollow Elementary

• Khiem Nguyen, 4th grade, Windermere Elementary

• Lily Breinholt, 4th grade, Carpenter Elementary

• Sem Ariyo, 4th grade, Mott Elementary

• Isabella McCane, 5th grade, Carpenter Elementary

• Meliha Celiker, 5th grade, Carpenter Elementary

• Anthony Pedroza, 5th grade, Parmer Lane Elementary

• Giosue Lopez Corsi, 5th grade, Parmer Lane Elementary

• Arilynn-Britt Rundquist, 5th grade, Windermere Elementary

• Noella Bradford, 5th grade, Windermere Elementary

Schools who brought 3 or more students from the same grade level also qualified to participate in the team competition. Congratulations to our 1st-3rd place teams from each grade level!

• 3rd grade 1st Place: Caldwell Elementary

• 3rd grade 2nd Place: Brookhollow Elementary

• 3rd grade 3rd Place: Mott Elementary

• 4th grade 1st Place: Windermere Elementary

• 4th grade 2nd Place: Mott Elementary & Caldwell Elementary

• 4th grade 3rd Place: Carpenter Elementary

• 5th grade 1st Place: Parmer Lane Elementary

• 5th grade 2nd Place: Caldwell Elementary & Carpenter Elementary

• 5th grade 3rd Place: Windermere Elementary

May 8-12 is Teacher Appreciation Week. The Career and Technical Education (CTE) leadership team would like to recognize the 103 teachers in PfISD who teach CTE courses/programs to over 8,000 students in the District.

CTE teachers work tirelessly to prepare students with academic, technical, and employability skills through hands-on, industry-relevant learning experiences. They help students explore and select career pathways that lead to in-demand, high-wage occupations, develop leadership skills through competition and service, and participate in ongoing professional development to stay updated on industry practices and trends.

Many CTE teachers join the teaching field from the industry, bringing years of experience and a passion to share with students. CTE teachers are industry credentialed in many fields, and train students to earn industry-based certifications; some teachers are even adjunct faculty with Austin Community College and lead students through college credit coursework.

With 22 CTE programs in the District, it’s a busy, tiring job – but we see their passion, purpose, and drive to help every student achieve and express a public THANK YOU to all the CTE teachers!

Congratulations to the CTE teachers named Teacher of the Year for their campus, and/or by community organizations!

Pilar Gonzalez-Munoz (Hendrickson HS) – Teacher of the Year

Taylor Sims (Weiss HS) – Teacher of the Year

Keri Smith (Weiss HS)– Austin Area Alliance of Black School Educators

(All schedules can be found on rankonesports.com)

Track:

Connally High School hosted a Unified Champions track meet!

To view photos from the event, check out our Facebook and Instagram page @pfligervilleisd

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Baseball:

4 players nominated for Academic All-State (Brandon Clark, Myles Flores, Kyle Rahn, and Jayden Rodriguez).

4 players committed/signed to play at the next level (D.J. Pinkerton – Bossier Parish Community College, Jayden Rodriguez – University of Dallas, Cameron Williams – Odessa College, and Jaden Bahl – Odessa College)

Soccer:

1st Team All-District: Erick Rios, Jacob Youngkin, Isaac Santamaria, Jaxson White

2nd Team All-District: Chris Caceres, Ethan Gilbert, Damo Kouakou

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Baseball:

The Panthers are Bi-District Champions and advanced to the second round of the Play-offs. They will be facing Magnolia West.

Softball:

The girl's softball team is advancing to the 3rd round of playoffs for the first time in 25 years! They will be playing against Lake Creek High School tonight at 5 PM. Good luck girls!

Track:

Javier Mora- Ortiz qualified for state in the 800! He placed 3rd in the 800m and broke the school record (formerly held by J. Sims) and placed 7th in the 1600m.

View photos from the meet HERE!

Kylie Harris -400m and Zion Moffett -100mH and 300mH both got 10th in each of the running events

In the Discus, Ava Roberts placed 2nd and Lauryn Jackson 3rd. Also, in the Shot Put, Lauryn got 2nd and Ava placed 1st, making her a two-time Regional Champ in this event and the second year where both of them qualified 1st and 2nd.

Ava Roberts, Lauryn Jackson, and Javier Mora-Ortiz are State Qualifiers and will be competing in the TX State Track & Field Championships on May 12th at UT, Austin. Congratulations!

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Golf:

Dayne Bachmeyer signed to play Division I golf at Texas A&M Commerce

Soccer:

Patrik Fagan is playing in the TASCO HS All-Star game in San Antonio this weekend.

Ryan Martinez was offered by the University of Dallas and will be signing soon.

Basketball:

Last week Boys Basketball beat McNeil 68-56 in our final game of spring league to finish 4-1

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Walter Arnold (Weiss HS) Helps all the swim teams in the Pflugerville District.

Coach Kate Kennedy (Bohls MS): she is always one of the first coaches here, she keeps the boys’ coaches in line and is always willing to go above and beyond for her students in PE and athletics without hesitating! She works well with the staff and always makes sure that we have all of our paperwork turned in, parent communication sent, and the game-day checklist done! She is a great worker and so glad that she is part of the Bronco coaching staff!