Latest Pflugerville ISD News

Dessau Elementary Meet and Greet Planned for August 25

Dessau Elementary students and parents are invited to join new principal Audrey Ware and the Dessau Elementary staff for a meet and greet on August 25 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. This is a great opportunity to get to know the DES staff and prepare for the start of the 2008-09 school year.

Parents are also encouraged to drop off school supplies during this event rather than sending them with the students on the first day of school.

Please contact Dessau Elementary at 594-4600 if you have questions.

Park Crest Middle School Sixth-Grade Camp Scheduled

Park Crest Middle School in Pflugerville is holding a camp for incoming sixth-graders on August 7 from 8:30 a.m. - noon. The cost is $12, which includes lunch for participants. Registration forms can be printed from the school website and mailed to:

Park Crest Middle School
6th Grade Camp
1500 N. Railroad Ave.
Pflugerville, TX 78660

Please include payment of $12 with the registration form. Checks can be made out to PCMS.

The school PTO will sell school t-shirts that day for $10 (adult sizes only). Cash or checks made out to PCMS PTO will be accepted.

For more information call 594-2400.

Board of Trustees Members Graves, King Attend TASB Leadership Institute

	Pflugerville ISD Board of Trustees members Dr. Cynthia Graves and Paul J. King joined recently local trustees from across the state at the Texas Association of School Boards' (TASB) Summer Leadership Institute in Fort Worth. More than 600 new and veteran school leaders received in-depth training on every facet of effective board governance, heard keynote addresses from renowned education experts, and gathered valuable ideas from district programs that work. Topics addressed during the two-and-a-half-day institute included high school reform, compensation trends, student religious expression, criminal background checks, crisis communication, and technology in schools. Breakout sessions also explored family involvement, employer-sponsored child care, trends in construction costs and contracts, innovative reading programs, board ethics, school safety issues, pre-kindergarten initiatives, and environmental and facility-related regulations. Special training sessions were available for new board members, covering basics in budget and finance, school law, district policy, teamwork, governance, and district planning and accountability. Board presidents' academy sessions focused on basic responsibilities, meeting preparation, superintendent evaluation, key legal duties, and guidance for building team relationships.
Cynthia Graves, DDS
Paul J. King

Pflugerville Food Services Department Receives Awards

Pflugerville Director of Food Services Geoff Holle was recently named ARAMARK Director of the Year, and the Food Services Department was honored with the Regional Operational Excellence award.

Holle is credited with expanding the services offered by the PISD Food Services Department, including the breakfast in the classroom initiative in select schools.

As a department, Holle’s staff seeks opportunities to strengthen the efficiency with which the Pflugerville account is managed, as well as develop outstanding relationships with students and staff. They consistently explore opportunities to improve service, enhance menu selections, and work hard to ensure a pleasant cafeteria experience for all patrons.

ARAMARK manages PISD’s food services.

Superintendent of Schools Charles Dupre Receives Honor

The University Council for Educational Leadership (UCEA) recently recognized Pflugerville Superintendent of Schools Charles Dupre at the Sixth Annual A Call for Social Justice event for his significant contributions to the improvement of administrative preparation. The University of Texas Educational Administration department nominated Dupre for the award because of his commitment to leadership development.

Knowing that leadership does make a difference in student achievement, Dupre has committed to leadership development as one path towards a District transformation process designed to ensure that Each Child is well prepared for Their Future in Our World.

Whether it is instituting monthly instructional leadership training for all PISD administrators, or asking a young person in the community about his future college and career plans, or even making himself available as a guest speaker at countless events, Dupre’s focus is on developing leaders for tomorrow. He sees the vital role of formal programs and training, but also values the learning achieved through informal mentoring relationships.

Dupre understands and values the importance of teacher leaders within PISD. Under his direction, the district has partnered with Lamar University to offer a master’s degree in teacher leadership for PISD staff. The district has committed to covering 25% of the cost of the program for each participant. This innovative program will create the beginnings of a network of teacher leaders in support of the district’s mission.

A cornerstone of Dupre’s commitment to leadership development is the creation of Administrative Intern positions within the District. Working closely with the UT principalship program, Dupre has created six district-funded internships for students that are in the UT program, and five internships for PISD staff who aspire to be future instructional leaders. These internships are a vital preparation component and provide students with structured leadership and learning opportunities. The internship program represents a financial commitment of over $500,000 and has doubled in size since its inception. To date, more than half of the original interns have been hired into administrative positions within PISD.

Dupre doesn’t just talk about leadership development, but he lives it through his life and work with others by attaching action to his strongly held beliefs.

TAKS Exit Retest July 15 - 18

Where: Pflugerville High School
When: Registration begin at 8am and will close at 9am, students planning to participate need to arrive at 8am to get registered. There will be no entries once registration is closed on each day.

The test will be from 9am - 4pm on each of the testing days.

YOU MUST BRING A PHOTO ID WITH YOU TO REGISTRATION. NO PARTICIPATION WILL BE ALLOWED FOR STUDENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE A CAMPUS ID, DRIVERS LICENSE, OR ANOTHER OFFICIAL FORM OF IDENTIFICATION!

No food or drinks will be provided, please plan to bring water and a snack.

TAKS Exit Retest Schedule:

Tuesday, July 15: English Language Arts
Wednesday, July 16: Math
Thursday, July 17: Science
Friday, July 18: Social Studies

Inquiries, please call: Todd Gratehouse 594-0112

Trustees Focus on Leadership

Carol Fletcher, Ph.D. Board of Trustees President

Elva Gladney Board of Trustees Vice President

Vernagene Mott Board of Trustees Secretary

Pflugerville ISD Board of Trustee officers Carol Fletcher, Elva Gladney and Vernagene Mott joined local trustees from across the state at the Texas Association of School Boards' (TASB) Summer Leadership Institute June 12-14 in San Antonio. More than 2,100 new and veteran school leaders received in-depth training on every facet of effective board governance, heard keynote addresses from renowned education experts, and gathered valuable ideas from district programs that work.

Topics addressed during the two-and-a-half-day institute included high school reform, compensation trends, student religious expression, criminal background checks, crisis communication, and technology in schools. Breakout sessions also explored family involvement, employer-sponsored child care, trends in construction costs and contracts, board ethics, innovative mathematics curriculum, school safety issues, prekindergarten initiatives, and environmental and facility-related regulations.

Thursday's general session featured Joan Brock, who shared her experiences as a teacher of the blind who then became blind. She was the subject of the television movie More Than Meets the Eye: The Joan Brock Story. In her session, she outlined what successful communication is and how it must be shared by all members of an effective team or organization.

Salome Thomas-El, Friday's general session speaker, discussed his award-winning work with inner city children in Philadelphia. His presentation underscored a deep commitment to expose students to options beyond the ones they know and stressed the importance of leadership, parenting, mentoring, and service to others.

Special training sessions were available for new board members, covering basics in budget and finance, school law, district policy, teamwork, governance, and district planning and accountability. Board presidents' academy sessions focused on basic responsibilities, meeting preparation, superintendent evaluation, key legal duties, and guidance for building team relationships.

Park Crest Middle School Student Takes Part in Youth Anti-Violence Summit

Park Crest Middle School student Anisa Ruiz recently participated in the Do the Write Thing Texas Challenge, a multidimensional youth anti-violence and academic program that provides 7th and 8th students with the opportunity to think profoundly about the issues surrounding the problems of violence. They examine and discuss the causes of violence, the effects on their lives, and communicate in writing what they think should be done to build a healthy civil society. This year 35,076 students, from 276 schools and 98 school districts across the state participated in the Challenge. Each student receives a certificate of recognition and every paper is read and evaluated.

The top two students, one boy and one girl, from each Challenge jurisdiction were selected as Finalists. They, their parents, and teachers were invited to the State Summit as delegates and each group developed action plans with defined goals. The students produced a document outlining specifics to promote safety, civility and wise decision making. The parents designed positive and constructive initiatives for parental involvement in neighborhood schools to create an environment for academic achievement and character building. The teachers prepared an action plan to improve school safety and academic success. These plans will be presented to the Governor of Texas and to other national, state and local leaders.

The summit culminated June 23 with the Recognition Ceremony in the Texas House Chamber; with Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson of the Supreme Court of Texas as the keynote speaker. Governor Rick Perry honored the delegates with proclamations and declared June 23, 2008, Do the Write Thing Texas Challenge Day.

This year there were 11 Challenge sites in Texas: Austin, Beaumont, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, Lubbock, Odessa, San Antonio and Victoria.

Pflugerville High School Graduate Named Miss Juneteenth

Pflugerville High School graduate Jaquece Black was recently crowned Miss Juneteenth, and participated in the Juneteenth Parade in Austin.

PISD Summer Hours

Many PISD schools offer a variety of summer programs and may operate on a different hourly schedule than during the regular school year. Please contact your campus for hours of operation and programs that may be offered in the summer.

The PISD Administration Building and other support facilities operate on the following schedule through August 1, 2008:

• 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday
• 8 a.m. to noon on Fridays

Dessau Elementary Principal Named

The Pflugerville ISD Board of Trustees at its May 15 meeting named Audrey Ware principal of Dessau Elementary. Ware replaces Denise Monzingo, who was recently named principal at Park Crest Middle School.

““Audrey is an experienced instructional leader whose previous experiences align perfectly with the profile of Dessau Elementary,” Pflugerville Superintendent of Schools Charles Dupre said. “She is committed to joining the Dessau team and working with the teachers to support a positive learning environment where both students and staff members can experience success, and where parents and community members are part of the educational process.”

Ware most recently served as principal at Franklin Elementary in Ardmore, Oklahoma, where she supervised the campus of 250 students in grades 1-5 since 2004. Ware was responsible for providing training for both professional and para-professional staff members, and increased academic and behavioral performances.

Prior to her stint at Franklin, she was principal at North Elementary in Lamesa, a school of 450 students in grades 3-5, where she led the school to double-digit increases in state testing results.

Ware began her career in education in 1983 at St. Mary’s Episcopal School in Big Spring. In 1987, she joined the Big Spring school district, where she worked as a teacher until 2000.

Ware holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a master’s of education from Angelo State University.

Hendrickson Student Places Third at National Leadership Conference

Matthew Jacobs of Hendrickson High School placed third in C++ programming at the Business Professionals of America (BPA) 2008 National Leadership Conference, “Find Your Fit,” in Reno, NV, May 7-11.

Matt joined over 6,000 other conference delegates from across the nation to participate in national level business skill competitions, workshops, general sessions, and the national officer candidate campaigns and elections. Matt also competed in the Java programming competition at the National BPA Competition in New York City last year.

“This is Matt's second trip to nationals, and he is only my second student to win at nationals in all of my 23 years of being a BPA sponsor. By the way, the Hendrickson Chapter of BPA has been to nationals every year since we started our chapter. I couldn't be prouder of Matt and the achievements of our chapter!” said Hendrickson BPA Adviser Karen Arneson.

Business Professionals of America is a national organization for high school, college, and middle school students preparing for careers in business and information technology. The organization’s activities and programs complement classroom instruction by giving students practical experience through application of the skills learned at school. Business Professionals of America acts as a cohesive agent in the nationwide networking of education and business and industry. BPA is contributing to the preparation of a world-class workforce through the advancement of leadership, citizenship, academic, and technological skills. Business Professionals of America is assisted in this endeavor with financial support from corporations and companies including Shell and South-Western/Cengage, who sponsor BPA’s National Leadership Conference, and member career building programs and scholarships.

Pflugerville High School Junior Places Third At State Academic Meet

Pflugerville High School junior Karen Evans recently placed third in the 5A News Writing UIL State Academic competition.

Hendrickson Current Issues Team Wins State

Sam Kieke, Tom Lucas, Andrew Hamann, Sam Johnson, Sheyda Aboii

The Hendrickson UIL Current Issues team of Sheyda Aboii, Andrew Hamann, Sam Johnson, and Sam Kieke recently won the 4A State Championship. Their combined score of 90 points exceeded the score of every other team in the competition, including 5A teams.

In the individual 4A competition, Sam Johnson ranked sixth, and Andrew Hamann won the gold medal by scoring 35 points on the multiple choice section and a perfect 10 on his essay. Hamann scored the highest of any individual from any division in the

competition.

“The students did a tremendous job," Hendrickson teacher and UIL coach Tom Lucas said. "The hours spent reading and studying the events of the world paid off, and I’m sure that they are looking forward to a break from the news.”

Pflugerville High School Students Attend National Math and Science Initiative

Pflugerville High School seniors James and Amina Sawyer recently traveled to Washington, D.C., at the invitation of the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), to attend a convocation which assessed problems in math and science education.

NMSI, a non-profit organization funded by ExxonMobil, Bill Gates and Michael and Susan Dell, focuses on increasing the numbers of students taking rigorous math and science classes to generate intellectual capital that can drive the economic engine of our future prosperity.

The students met with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, and Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman, to promote the benefits of Advanced Placement classes. Then the Sawyers visited Capitol Hill to speak in more detail with the education assistants for Senator Hutchinson and Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson in hope that the legislature might be able to provide more funding to support students in Advanced Placement classes.

Pflugerville students were invited to the convocation because of the District's extraordinary success in growing its Advanced Placement program. For example, only 408 AP exams were taken across the District in 2001, but in the 2007-08 school year, 2114 exams were taken.

In order to create an inclusive AP program, PISD teachers, counselors, and administrators have attended extra training and have implemented innovative methods in order to better support students.

Steve Fuller Retirement Reception

Please join the staff of Park Crest Middle School and Pflugerville ISD at a reception for Park Crest principal Steve Fuller, who is retiring at the end of the school year.

Steve Fuller Retirement Reception

May 15

4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m.

PCMS Library

Two Connally Students Named National Merit Scholars

	Connally High School seniors Soa-Yih Sher and Victor Vu were recently named National Merit Scholars. From more than 1.4 million students who entered the 2008 National Merit Scholarship Program, only about 16,000 were named Semifinalist. In order to advance in the competition and be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, a Semifinalist had to become a Finalist by fulfilling several requirements that included submitting a detailed scholarship application and presenting a record of very high academic performance. All winners of about 8,200 National Merit Scholarships are chosen from a group of approximately 15,000 distinguished finalist.
Soa-Yih Sher
Victor Vu

Kelly Lane Middle School Science Olympiad Success

Kelly Lane Middle School Science Olympians were victorious in their
quest for gold at the 2008 State Science Olympiad competition, held at Texas A&M April 25 and 26. The Knights earned their first place finish after competing in 23 separate engineering and academic events against 29 other teams from across the state. Ten first place medals were awarded as well as three second place medals, three third place medals, and one fourth place medal.

The students have been training daily since last fall under the guidance of Kathleen Negrito, a veteran Science Olympiad coach who will now lead her seventh team of students to the national competition to be held at The Georgetown University in Washington , D.C.

Science Olympiad is a national program that brings science to life,
emphasizing problem solving and teamwork. This program promotes a high
level of achievement and a commitment to excellence, demonstrating that
American students can perform at levels that surpass expectations of
even practicing scientists and engineers.

As Kelly Lane is only in its second year of existence, funds are requested
to support the students' trip to Washington , D.C. on May 30 - 31, 2008.
At this final competition, the Knights will compete against the rest of
the nation bringing their talent and teamwork to the forefront of the
Science Olympiad program.

Connally Yearbook Wins Second National Award

The 2007 yearbook for Connally High School won their second national award, taking home a Pacemaker at the National Scholastic Press Association convention in Anaheim, California, April 19. The Governor was one of 54 yearbooks across the country selected as a finalist last month. On Saturday, Connally's yearbook was one of 28 named a Pacemaker winner. This is the first time in school history the yearbook has won this national award. Last month, the yearbook won a Silver Crown at the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. Both national awards are for the 2007 yearbook.

"I was so thrilled when we were named a finalist, I never expected us to actually win the award," yearbook adviser Kelly Lemons said. "It was a wonderful surprise to have two plaques to bring home to the staff. It is amazing to see the students' hard work honored at the national level."

Pflugerville ISD Middle School Bands Win UIL Recognition

Area middle schools recently participated with great success in the UIL Concert and Sight Reading Contest held at Anderson High School. Competing with schools in the Austin, Pflugerville and Bastrop Independent School Districts all five band programs earned accolades for their performances.

Non-varsity bands from Westview, Kelly Lane, and Park Crest won Superior ratings in concert performance. The Pflugerville Middle School non-varsity band was named UIL Sweepstakes winner, earning superior ratings in both the concert and sight-reading portions of the event.

The varsity band from Pflugerville Middle School earned superior ratings in Concert. Earning Sweepstakes honors with a superior division in both the Concert and Sight-Reading portions of the Varsity competition were bands from Dessau, Westview, Park Crest, and Kelly Lane.

Pictured: Jorge Salgado, Westview Symphonic Band; Galilea Estrada, Park Crest Honor Band; Aimee Jiang, Dessau Wind Ensemble; Bianca Padavick, Westview Wind Ensemble; Shaun Harr, Park Crest Wind Ensemble

Notice for Credit by Examination
Grades 1 – 12 End-of-Year Administration

PISD to hold Public Hearing for the American Indian Education Program

The first Parent Advisory Committee meeting and Public Hearing for the American Indian Education Program for PISD is set for 6:30PM, Wednesday, May 7, 2008 at the Pflugerville ISD Administration building, 1401 West Pecan, Pflugerville, Texas, 78660.  We will meet upstairs in the Curriculum Library. At that time a parent advisory committee will be formed and a set of bylaws adopted. All interested parties should plan to attend. For questions please contact either of the parties below:

Gail Sims
Austin ISD American Indian Education Program
3908 Avenue B
Austin, TX 78751
512.414.0195
512.626.2583

Emily Beaird
Director of Student Services
1401 West Pecan Street
Pflugerville, TX 78660
512-594-0106

PISD Offers Athletic Physicals on Saturday, May 10th

Sports Physicals (as required by UIL) for all incoming PISD secondary (high and middle) school athletes (Current Grades 6th – 11th) will be held on Saturday, May 10th at Connally High School.  Connally High School is located at 13212 N. Lamar Blvd. Austin, TX.  All student-athletes need to report according to the following schedule:

CHS:  8 AM
PHS:  9 AM
HHS:  Contact 594-1153
Middle Schools:  10 AM

There is not a definite end time to this event, but all student-athletes should arrive by 10 AM.

(Attire:  T-shirts and shorts, sport bras for girls).

The cost is $20.   Physical forms for high school athletes will be available in late April to pick up from any high school front office.  The physical form for middle school athletes is on the district website.  A parent/guardian must sign all forms.

All students wishing to participate in ANY Pflugerville ISD middle school or high school extracurricular sport are required to have a physical and completed participation form on file with the District prior to next school year.  If you have an existing medical condition, you must see your own physician for the required physical.

For more information or questions, please contact the
PHS athletic training staff at 594-0553 
CHS athletic training staff at 594-0853
HHS athletic training staff at 594-1153

Connally Indoor Drumline Wins Texas Color Guard Circuit Championships

The Connally High School Indoor Drumline recently won first place at the Texas Color Guard Circuit Championships in Houston. Connally defeated five other groups in its class and had the second highest score of the twenty-four groups competing in all classes at the Championships.

“The students have really worked hard to be so successful year after year,” said Connally band director and indoor drumline leader Jason Russell. “They really stepped up in the final weeks of the season to make the push to win the championship.”

The indoor drumline comprises thirty students drawn from all sections of the Connally band, including students who normally play other instruments. The students rehearse four mornings a week before school, as well as one evening a week to put together the six-minute program titled “Bionic.”

The activity is similar to marching band but competitions take place in basketball gyms. The members wear specially designed uniforms, march on a tarp that is specially decorated to work with the show’s theme, and perform more intricate music and movement than they do with the full band in the fall.

“We lost a lot of seniors last year, but we worked really hard to make this a successful year,” said Alex Ortega, Connally senior and drumline captain. “We had a lot of inexperienced players, and there was a lot of pressure on us after winning the last two years, but we stepped it up and managed to win again.”

This is Connally’s third straight win and sixth overall championship since the drumline began competing in TCGC in 2000.

New School Times Set for 2008-09

After listening to input from teachers, parents, and campus administrators, and with the help of the Pflugerville ISD Transportation Department, the District concluded that a change in school hours will be beneficial to the effective and efficient operation of campuses. Elementary school times are 7:40 a.m. - 2:50 p.m., middle school hours are 8:10 a.m. - 3:35 p.m. and high school times are 8:55 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.

Parents will be able to drop students off earlier at the elementary level, yet the school day will begin only 10 minutes earlier than before. Middle school students will have extended instructional time in several core subject areas. High School students will benefit from a viable zero hour class (8-8:50 a.m.), which will allow them to seek additional credits. High school students will also have one hour for lunch with the new schedule, which will allow time for additional tutoring and study groups.

The District will have an estimated savings of more than $1 million in transportation costs due to the changes.

School Times for 2008-09

Elementary School -- 7:40 a.m. - 2:50 p.m.

Middle School -- 8:10 a.m. - 3:35 p.m.

High School -- 8:55 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.

KICKSTART Program Coming to Three Middle School Campuses

Dessau, Kelly Lane and Westview will offer program in 2008-09

Beginning in the 2008-09 school year, students at three Pflugerville middle schools will have a new option for meeting their physical education requirements. KICKSTART, a martial arts program, will be offered at Dessau, Kelly Lane and Westview middle schools.

The program will help the District meet the requirements of Senate Bill 530, which requires students in grades six through eight to participate in daily physical activity for a minimum of 30 minutes for at least four semesters during those grade levels.

KICKSTART is much more than just a typical PE class, however. The program uses martial arts training to teach discipline, instill a sense of belonging, provide meaningful opportunities for participation in the community, teach students to set reachable goals and increase family participation in school events.

“PISD values the importance of offering students a variety of programs that address the social and physical needs of students,” Executive Director of Middle School Instruction Dr. Terrence Eaton said. “The KICKSTART program meets out district’s values by providing students positive role models, physical and mental conditioning, goal setting skills, and helps students have hope for the future through increased self-confidence and self-esteem.”

Eaton believes the KICKSTART program will not only make an immediate impact on students, but will also have a long-term, lasting effect on those who participate.

“Participating in KICKSTART is a privilege for students, and they know in order to remain in the program, they must behave properly and have a good attitude at school,” Eaton said. “Administrators who have KICKSTART at their schools say that attendance improves, grades improve, and the overall sense of respect students show, both for themselves and for others, increases as a result of the program.”

KICKSTART provides a qualified instructor for each campus, and offers at least two days of after-school karate classes. Belts and safety equipment for students are provided, and belt ceremonies are held throughout the school year. A minimum enrollment of 150 students is required, a number Eaton believes the schools will easily meet.

“Based on our initial contact with Dessau, Kelly Lane and Westview, the interest in the program is overwhelming,” Eaton said.

Students will be required to pay $100 annually, which will cover the costs of a uniform and will allow the student to participate during the school day as well as in a after school and summer programs. Financial assistance, ranging from scholarships to payment plans, will be available to assist families with the registration fee.

Soccer Playoff Information

Connally Boys vs Vista Ridge
Friday
7:30 p.m.
Connally High School

Rowe Lane Fifth Graders Follow Elections

Rowe Lane Elementary teacher Landria Ratliff's fifth grade class has been following the presidential primaries as they study current events. Each day, the class takes a few minutes to discuss the news and who is leading in both the Republican and Democratic Primaries.

"They are really into the topic," Ratliff said. "They quickly realized there wasn't much of a contest in the Republican race, so they have focused most of their energy on the Democrats."

The class constructed a map of the United States and has been charting the wins of each candidate. Ratliff anticipates carrying the project over to next year.

"We have already discussed putting up a map that will carry over into my class for next year to keep up with the election," Ratliff said. "That way we can compare the results of how states are voting now and if they go the same way in November."

Hendrickson Student Wins Optimist Club Essay Contest

Hendrickson student Issac Gifford was recently awarded $500 by the Optimist Club of Pflugerville. Gifford took part in the group's essay contest based on the theme of "Today's Choices Shape My Future."

Gifford's essay will be sent to the district level to be judged along with winners from other Optimist Clubs in the district. The winner of the district competition will be sent to the international-level contest. College scholarships are available for top winners at the district

and international levels.

Dessau Elementary Camp Write-A-Lot

Dessau Elementary fourth grade students recently participated in the school's 2nd Annual Camp Write-A-Lot. The goal of the event is to expose students to experiences they may not normally take part in, which they are then able to draw from when writing for the TAKS test.

"It was our goal to provide varying activities throughout the week," Dessau teacher Shannon Pourmanafzadeh said. "The children sang camp songs, teachers performed skits, groups met to discuss good writing, and special entertainment was provided."

Monday centered around a camping theme. The stage was decorated with tents and sleeping bags. A special visitor straight from East Texas stopped by – the black bear! Pflugerville ISD English Language Arts Coordinator Carol Trovall also stopped by and spoke with students.

Tuesday’s theme was snow day. Students dressed in their snow gear, listened to The Polar Express, and discussed good vocabulary. Bilingual students were read to in Spanish, groups met to discuss writing pieces and some classes “made” snow.

Wednesday found students and teachers alike dressed in pajamas and slippers, wrapped in blankets and cuddling teddy bears, as Seeju Dupre, starring as Granny, entertained the school with some very scary stories. Teachers performed as Dracula, mummies, and werewolves.

Thursday was Sports Day, and Board of Trustees secretary Vernagene Mott spoke to students. Connally High School athletes visited the school and provided encouragement to the students, and most exciting of all was the visit from Bo Schobel, member of the 2006 Colts Super Bowl team.

Rowe Lane Raises Money for Heart Association

Rowe Lane Elementary students recently raised over $9,000 for the American Heart Association. Surpassing the goal of $8,000, the students won the right to tape RLES PE teacher Suzanne Isenhower to the gym wall. Isenhower also agreed to kiss a pig as part of the fund raising efforts.

Transfer Window Opens March 17

From March 17 to April 30, Pflugerville ISD will accept transfer requests for the 2008-09 school year. A parent or guardian must complete an intradistrict transfer form each school year. An approval or denial letter should be received by May 15. Visit the transfer information page on the district website for transfer forms and for answers to frequently asked questions. Please contact the Policy and Administrative Procedure Department at 594-0085 if you require additional information.

Transfer Information Page

The Write Stuff Art/Writing Contest Accepting Entries

Pflugerville ISD students, it is time to use your talent to submit entries for the 2008 Write Stuff Anthology. A winning cover will be chosen for each of the three anthologies (K-2, 3-5, and 6-12), and the written work of students will be considered for inclusion in the appropriate anthology

Steps to submit artwork:

• Develop an original design for the cover which supports the theme of writing with purpose. See your language arts teacher for the scoring guidelines.

• Turn in your artwork to your language arts teacher before March 20, 2008!

• Plan to pick up a copy of the anthology and attend a writer’s workshop on the morning of April 26, 2008 at Kelly Lane Middle School.

Cover Art Guidelines

Steps to submit writing:

• Take something you have written/are writing this year (poem, story, essay, etc.) through the writing process (revise and edit). Follow the formatting guidelines available from your language arts teacher.

• Turn in your writing to your language arts teacher before March 20, 2008!

• Plan to pick up a copy of the anthology and attend a writer’s workshop on the morning of April 26, 2008 at Kelly Lane Middle School.

Planned Technology Outage

The Support Services data center will be completely shut down from March 10 through March 12. Affected services will be:

• The PISD website will be offline
• All Internet services into or out of the district will be unavailable
• Internal phone systems will not work (Including voicemail and fax machines)
• E-mail will be offline and cannot be sent or received

Pflugerville High School Principal Larry Bradley to Serve as NASSP President

At the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) conference in San Antonio, Pflugerville High School principal Larry Bradley received his National President's Pin and will serve as president of the National Association of Secondary School Principals during the 2008-2009 school year.

Bradley has been very active in both organizations during his twenty-seven year tenure as principal at Pflugerville High School. Over the past twenty-seven years, he has served in various leadership roles for the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP). He was the Assistant State Coordinator, State Coordinator, Second Vice-President, First Vice-President, President-Elect, President and Past President. In addition, Bradley has been a TASSP Workshop Presenter/Facilitator, Small Schools Committee Chair and was the Region 13 High School Principal of the Year in 1991.

Bradley has also served in many leadership roles in NASSP. He has been a member of the NASSP Board of Directors, Small Schools Committee and Advisory Board, Region VIII Vice-Chair, Chair of the NASSP Finance and Audit Committee, a member of the NASSP Steering Committee, NASSP Representative to the CSIET Board and a Breaking Ranks Trainer.

He received the Distinguished Service Award from the Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE) and has served on both the TAFE Board of Directors and the Board of Directors for the Texas Association of Student Councils. Under Bradley's leadership, Pflugerville High School received the Governor's School of Excellence Award.

Pflugerville High School Student Named Texas All-State Symphony Orchestra

Pflugerville High School senior John Searcy recently competed at the 2008 Texas Music Educators Association Clinic and Convention. Each year over 10,000 students enter the competition at the region level, with hopes of advancing to the area and state levels. John was a unanimous first place by all the judges and earned a spot in the prestigious Texas All-State Symphony Orchestra. John has earned numerous awards and honors as a student of the Panther Band. He will compete once again in May for a third straight outstanding Texas State Solo and Ensemble participant.

<< Older Posts | News Archive | Newer Posts >>