TIGER NATION
August 27, 2018
Welcome Back!
The district is off to another great start and we are excited about this school year. New hires added to our existing staff will be a recipe for success for the students of Wills Point ISD. We believe our students will flourish as productive citizens by exemplifying qualities of character, service, and leadership to empower themselves and impact the community. WPISD values the importance of working together with parents, local businesses, and the community. Together, we will have a greater impact on the success of all students.
Email: communications@wpisd.com
Website: www.wpisd.com
Location: 338 West North Commerce Street, Wills Point, TX, USA
Phone: (903)-873-5100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WillsPointISDTX/
Twitter: @WillsPointISD
3rd Annual Homecoming Bonfire
3rd Annual Homecoming Bonfire, located at WPHS, October 3rd, 2018.
Carnival: 6:00-7:30
Pep Rally: 7:30-8:00
Enrollment is Up
District Calendar
Communications
WPISD understands the importance of great communication with parents and all stakeholders. We have been hard at work this summer bringing upgrades to communication channels by completely redesigning our websites. What many don’t know, is that we are actively working to enhance our mass notification system. This system will be available for not only emergencies, but to alert parents on attendance, lunch balances and eventually transportation issues. The system will even expand to transform parent and teacher communications by next year.
The district is also announcing the launch of a new mobile app. Available on both the App Store and Google Play, the Bb District by Blackboard app will be a parents go-to mobile application. Parents, family and students will find it convenient when viewing up-to-date news and stories, important alerts, calendar events and the ability to access grades and school and staff information. The new mobile app should launch at the first of September.
Every time we see on the news a story of a horrific mass shooting at a school the hearts of every parent, child, teacher, and school employee are filled with fear. As our hearts go out to all of those involved in these horrific situations, we want you to know that WPISD has a network of security procedures and practices in place to keep our children safe.
Sadly, there is no plan that guarantees 100 percent safety to all students and staff in our schools in every situation. However, please be assured that safety is our highest priority every day. We will continue to be vigilant and constantly work to maximize student and employee safety.
We do this by:
- Maintaining excellent relationships with our local police. They always provide outstanding rapid response services whenever called.
- Employing a full-time School Resource Officer who is present daily in our district.
- Regularly practicing school-wide drills at each campus, including lockdown drills, to prepare for worst case scenarios. Each campus has a lockdown and evacuation plan specifically designed for their campus.
- Requiring classroom doors to be locked throughout each day so that no one can enter the room.
- Providing active shooter training for administrators and teachers.
- Maintaining an emergency communications system that we use to connect rapidly with our parents by phone, text, and/or e-mail.
- The district recently invested in a security system that will allow exterior doors on all campuses to remain locked during the school day.
- In the near future, the district will allow certain employees to carry firearms on campus. Employees chosen to participate will be required to go through extensive training in order to carry a firearm on campus.
Wills Point ISD will continue to do everything we can to ensure that our children are educated in an environment that is safe, healthy, and supportive. Please feel free to contact the administration office at 903-873-3161 if you have any thoughts or concerns.
Last year, Texas legislature passed HB22, which evaluates school districts and campuses with A-F ratings based on the areas of student achievement, school progress and closing the gaps, according to the Texas Education Agency’s website. WPISD received their rating of 79.2. This rating is not a measurement of the hard work our students and teachers put in all year long, but an analysis of one test score. Our goal at WPISD is to produce well rounded students who are able to collaborate, problem-solve, think critically, work hard, communicate effectively, adapt, demonstrate character, and serve others. The new accountability system does not evaluate these important characteristics that are essential for success in life.
Moving forward, we will accept the rating we received as an arbitrary measurement with no effect on the way we teach, protect, encourage, and love our students. While the district believes in accountability, there is no evidence this system will improve the success of students. WPISD will continue a tradition of excellence with the support of our community, and we will continue fighting for a community-based accountability system that appropriately measures the strengths, weaknesses, and needs of all students, regardless of background, ZIP code, or socioeconomic status.
Middle School Facility Project
This summer the district took on a major project at the Middle School. A new roof was installed on the main building along with new heating and air conditioning units, and new ceilings and flooring in the classrooms. With the shortened summer, due to the earlier start to the school year, it was a challenge to get this project completed. Under the direction of Assistant Superintendent, Damon Davis, and Maintenance Director, Mike Williams, the project was completed in time for the start of the school year. The upgrades have brought much excitement and created a better learning environment for our students and staff.
Location: Wills Point Middle School, School Street, Wills Point, TX, USA
WPISD believes in creating learning opportunities for students that will help them to flourish as well round productive young people. For students to flourish we must go beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic. We strive to engage our students in problem solving, critical thinking and character development, in addition to their academics. Over the summer 30 professional development sessions were held for WPISD educators. These sessions were designed to help our faculty to continue to grow as professionals. As a district we are focusing on student progress and engagement.
This summer 50 teachers across the district began the first Wills Point ISD Learning Experience cohort. The Wills Point ISD Learning Experience is the product of work done last year. The district met with a group of parents, students, teachers, community members, and area business owners. The information gleaned from these meetings helped to design our Learning Experience. The WPISD Learner Experience framework is designed to focus student lesson on academics in addition to problem solving, critical thinking, and character. If we expect our students to solve problems, think critically, and persevere despite obstacles we must engage them in task that require problem solving, critical thinking, and perseverance. As a member of the cohort teachers will receive additional support and training during the 18-19 school year. All teachers will become a part of a Wills Point Learning Experience chort over the next three years.
Wills Point ISD Education Foundation
The Wills Point ISD Education Foundation is rounding out it’s first year as an established non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. WPISDEF is organization that is governed by a volunteer board of citizens who represent a cross section of the community. It was created for the sole purpose of supporting and enhancing the education of all students who attend WPISD. The purpose of the organization is to solicit, manage and distribute funds for the enrichment of program areas that are not supported by funding through WPISD. All funding to teachers and programs of WPISD is supplemental and does not replace or alter the use of tax based revenue.
The mission of WPISDEF is to engage students and encourage them to work to their highest potential. The foundation wants to recognize and support staff for their innovative teaching efforts and build community awareness, inspiring parents and the community to actively participate in enriching the education througout WPISD.
This year, the organization has identified fall teaching grants from $1000 to $5000, financial assistance for the WPISD Dual Credit program and creating a Tiger Trio Award as their major priorities. The Foundation has budgeted 50% of their annual allocations toward these goals. To learn more information about the WPISDEF, their mission, goals and financial transparency, log on to ww.wpisd.com and look under Community/Foundation. For additional questions, contact edfoundation@wpisd.com or call Donna Rowland, Executive Director at 903-873-5100.