Northside Backpack Connection

FEB/MAR 2016

Northside

Backpack Connection

A Better Approach to

ADHD

Prize Patrol Awards

Scarborough ES Highlights Celebrations

$90,500 to teachers

Connecting Our Families, Our Schools and Our Local Businesses In the Northside School District Backpack Connection

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Distributed into the Backpacks of 58,000 Plus NISD Elementary Students

February/ March

Art Direction Susie Fluckiger Sales Audra Miller Megan Wilson Publisher BP PUBLISHING LLC

In the Spotlight

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Finally a Better Approach

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Scarborough Elementary

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Spring Cleaning

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Content for the Elementary School pages contributed by each school. Backpack Connection magazines are published every six weeks during the school year by BP Publishing LLC. The advertisements in this magazine are paid for by the advertisers, which allows this magazine to be distributed free to the families of the HOHPHQWDU\ VWXGHQWV 8QOHVV VSHFLÂżFDOO\ QRWHG QR DGYHUWLVHUV products or services are endorsed by the publisher, BISD, or NISD, or any districts employees. Publishers (BP PUBLISHING LLC) are not responsible for omissions, errors or misinformation within this publication. All real estate advertised within this publication are subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act,which make it illegally to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings adverting are available on an equal opportunity basis. Reproductions of this magazine in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

ADVERTISING AND GENERAL INFORMATION Encouraging, Supporting and Loving the Children We Share...

BP Publishing LLC 209 Walnut Grove Rd. Boerne, TX 78006 MAIN (210) 367-3048 SALES (210) 310-6193

WEBSITE

www.backpackconnection.com 2

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COUNT & WIN!!!

Altitude Trampoline Park is sponsoring the logo contest for this issue. Count the Altitude logos (including this one) and email your answers to contest@backpackconnection.com by March 15 for a change to win a $50 gift card to Altitude Trampoline Park. All correct answers are placed in a drawing to win. Only one winner per drawing.

Colin Arserio correctly counted the Altitude logos in the last edition of Backpack Connections and won the drawing of all correct entries. Colin attends Colonies North Elementary School! Colin won a $50 gift card to Altitude Trampoline Park.

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in the

Spotlight NEF Prize Patrol awards $90,500 to teachers There was excitement in the air as community and business volunteers (also known as the Prize Patrol) fanned out across the District on a mission to surprise teachers and staff by awarding Innovation Grants, worth up to $5,000 each. Joining Northside Education Foundation (NEF) mascots Apple Eddie and Apple Annie, the NEF Prize Patrol visited 24 campuses and handed out more than $90,500.

Deadlines for the next round of grants are Feb. 25 for Innovation Grants ($5,000). Funds for grants are raised at events such as the NEF 5K Run/Walk to be held on May 7.

Pictured is Apple Annie presenting a $4,200 grant to Maria RamirezRios, math staff development teacher at Scobee ES and Principal Ron Tatch.

NEF looking for 6,000 5K participants as the “Race for Seis� is on!

Similar to the San Antonio Spurs chasing a sixth championship this year, the Northside Education Foundation (NEF) has a “Race for Seis� of its own.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 7. The Foundation’s goal this year is to have 6,000 participants in the NEF 5K Run/Walk & Family Wellness Fair at SeaWorld, presented by CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System.

In 2014 and 2015, almost 5,000 runners and walkers participated, setting a record for NEF. This year, NEF is on a mission to continue to be a champion for NISD by getting 6,000 people across the 5K finish line.

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Fiesta medal benefits Museum Association For the sixth year in a row, the Northside School Museum Association is selling Fiesta medals. These limited-edition collectibles can be purchased at the Partnerships Office.

This year’s medal was designed by Victoriana Shannon, a ninth grade student at Clark High School.

The medals, which sell for $8 each (cash or check only), have sold out each year, so order early. All proceeds go to the Museum Association. For more information, call 397-8599, or stop by the Museum located at the Northside Learning Center, 6632 Bandera Road, Building A. Campuses selling medals should send a jpeg of the medal/art and information to news@nisd.net.

BRIGHT BEGINNINGS Calling All Five-Year Olds!

Northside Kinder Roundup Register your kindergartner Week of April 4–8.

Go to nisd.net/kinder for details

NISD REPORTS 100 PERCENT OF TEACHERS “HIGHLY QUALIFIED” One hundred percent of Northside ISD teachers are classified as “Highly Qualified.” In accordance with Section 2141 of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act and the Texas State Highly Qualified Teacher Plan, the local education agency (LEA) is required to submit a report annually on whether the academic subject area classes are being taught by Highly Qualified Teachers. According to the data submitted for 121 campuses on Nov. 9, 2015, Northside reported: 100 percent Highly Qualified Teachers 100 percent core subjects taught

by Highly Qualified Teachers

100 percent Highly Qualified paraprofessionals at Title I campuses “We employ more than 7,000 teachers and we are proud that all of our classrooms are staffed by teachers skilled in the areas they teach,” said Patricia Hill, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources.

“Highly Qualified” means that the teacher: (1) has obtained full Texas teacher certification; (2) holds a minimum of a bachelor’s degree; and (3) has demonstrated subject matter competency in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches, in a manner determined by TEA.

NISD financial house in order Northside ISD’s financial house is in order. In fact, for the past 13 years, NISD has earned the highest financial rating awarded by the state according to David Rastellini, Deputy Superintendent for Business & Finance.

Northside ISD earned the highest rating of “Pass” under the state’s financial accountability rating system, called School Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST).

The primary goal of School FIRST is to improve the management of school districts’ financial resources.

The School FIRST rating is based upon analysis of staff and student data reported for the 2013-14 school year, and budgetary and financial data for the 2014 fiscal year as they relate to the seven FIRST indicators.

The report is posted online at nisd.net/business

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Family Night—Family Fun! Family schedules just aren’t what they used to be. Evenings seem to be full with sports practice, scouts or music lessons etc. Parents work long hours and family members eat at different times. Computers, texting and television keep us isolated, even in the hours that we’re together. Sound familiar? Well, fret not. We’ve come up with 10 great ideas to get the families spending time with each other.

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Cooking Competition Board Games or Cards Arts and Crafts Playdough Fun or Lego Design Family Movie Nigh Volunteering Photo album or Scrap Book Nature walk Play a Casual Sport Read under a blanket

Family nights do not have to be extravagant! Your kids just want your attention! Pick a night and put it on the family calendar. Thomas S. Monson said, “Family home evening is a time to enjoy each other and have fun together. Through simple activities—games, service, sharing talents, visits to local sites of interest—families create connections and build unity.”

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Finally, a Better Approach t’s Monday morning and today, nightmares and difficulty sleeping, nine-year-old Kevin S. is excited which was strange to me because I to go to school because some- never knew that he might suffer from thing has changed. HE has changed. this. The medication helped him to He is getting all A’s and B’s, is not get- focus, but did not improve any of the ting in as much trouble, has much bet- other behavioral issues. ter attention and is able to sit down “We decided to change strateand focus on his work. Kevin has gies,” she continued, “and I am SO even noticed that glad I found out he sleeps much about the program. deeper, wakes in I love it; this is the a better mood and best thing we ever people are happier did. Now he reads with him. Kevin has every night on his been struggling for own, likes his sister, years with the lawhich is awesome! bel of severe ADHD, He loves Dr. Seda which has affected and has a picture not only his perforof him on his bookmance in school but shelf and sees it “I noticed I am getting his home environevery night. He has smarter, I can feel it...I ment and of course, a lot of respect for his self-esteem. everybody on the feel less stressed...and Kevin is one team. Now we can I feel happier, a lot of many children go and have dinner happier.” and parents that as a family in a nice are addressing the restaurant and be root causes of their in peace. Before, we medical problems, rather than just had already given up on dinners in treating the symptoms with medica- nice restaurants.” tions. When asked, “Do you feel difKevin has been in a unique brain ferent?” Kevin said, “I noticed I am wellness program based in San Angetting smarter, I can feel it…Science tonio for just a few months. We asked and reading are easier…I feel less Dr. Seda (co-founder of the Peak stressed…and I feel happier, a lot Transformation Wellness Programs), happier.” what results do you typically see? He Kevin’s mom Ms. S. stated, “It’s responded, “The results are very consimply amazing; he is showing sig- sistent and beyond the expectations nificant signs of progression now, of most patients. Once you address compared to when he was on the psy- the core dysfunctions, the body starts chostimulant medication. His focus, healing on its own. Many times the behavior and vocabulary are much kids have been labeled with ADHD or better. other “brain conditions” but there are “While on the medication he was underlying causes that have not been having awful side effects like scary identified. Sometimes medications

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might be needed and we need to see if that’s the case or not.

“Most people, even doctors have no idea that science is at a point in which we can do detailed brain mapping and guide the brain to retrain itself.” He added, “We can even check and address nutritional deficiencies, certain gene mutations, inflammation markers, brain chemicals, food reactions etc. By investigating further we can understand what was really going on with the patient and what to do about it. This program does not only benefit ADHD, it could be very helpful for autism, memory issues, anxiety, depression, insomnia, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s among others.”

Vital Life Wellness Center has created the Peak Transformation Wellness Programs, and their Peak Brain F(x) program, like their other programs, is based on finding and treating the underlying root causes, instead of just medicating the symptoms with drugs.

Currently Dr. Seda is having FREE DINNER SEMINARS to understand this approach. Take action and reserve your spot because space is limited.

Call 210-488-8841 or go to the website link http://www.vitallifewellness. com/educational-dinner-seminars/ You may also scan the QRS code below.

To check out the full interviews with Kevin and his mom at http://www.vitallif ewellness. com/brain-wellness/

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This edition’s highlighted school

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spring cleaning It’s the time of year when as everything starts to blossom and grow again many of us feel the urge to tidy up. With kids in the home, you may feel like there is more clutter than ever. Did you ever think little ones could have so much stuff?

If you feel the urge to get organized, but are low on time and energy, there are still some things you can do.

Remember, it all doesn’t have to be done today. Tips from mom’s just like you might help! Good luck and good cleaning!

Ideas from Backpack Connection Readers When you say spring cleaning it can seem a little overwhelming, but I learned that organizing your tasks can make it easier. Clean your space from top (ceiling fans and vents) to middle (counters and walls) to bottom (vacuuming and mopping floors). Any debris from the vents blowing or dusting, falls to the floor and can be swept up last! - Heather Dryer sheets are for WAY more than just making your clothes smell good and be static free! Use them to cut your bathroom cleaning time in half! It makes mirrors and bath fixtures SPARKLE and cuts right through soap scum on the bathtub. Also use to get sticky dust right off of furniture, blinds, and baseboards. They clean up stove tops and greasy cupboards super fast! Try soaking paintbrushes in warm water with a dryer sheet and watch the paint come right off! Clean dead and icky bugs from the car.

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Wipe pet hair off clothes and furniture. Run over thread before sewing to keep tangles away. Keep mosquitoes off! - Maranda Use rubbing alcohol (in a spray bottle) to clean stainless, marble, mirrors & glass...streak free!! (Keep it off wood surfaces though.)- Kim Dirty microwave? Put a tablespoon of vinegar in a glass bowl with 2 cups of water in microwave and put on high for about a minute or two and then just wipe out microwave. Easy and food safe! - Sandy When I was recovering from a broken leg, I started using a mop to clean the showers walls and bathtub.

- Christine Clip (with binder clips) a microfiber cloth around the end of a broom to clean baseboards. - Kelly Clean the hard residue from your glass stove top mixing about 1/4 of dish soap, 4 tablespoons of water and 4 tablespoons of baking soda forming a paste, proceed to apply it on the stove top and cover with humid paper towels. Leave the formula overnight. The following morning remove the paste with a soft sponge.

You may need to scrub more over the most difficult residues.

- Dunia Grandma’s Lye Soap (found at Bergman’s Lumber in Boerne) is great for getting out

stains. You can grate some in a bucket to soak clothes with ground in stains.

For grass stains I soak the pants then put the bar inside the pant and scrub on old fashioned scrub board! Bonus is, it makes clothes soft! always check for color fastness. - Sandra Don’t wear your glasses—makes everything look better! - Linda I only use vinegar and baking soda to clean with. No harmful vapors and works like a charm. So easy. - Gay If you have a few minutes here and there, turn on Pandora and hit the house quickly with a static duster. An extendable one will reach the cobwebs near your ceilings and the light fixtures. - Michelle Jaynee suggests going to: http:// simplykierste.com/2013/12/a-cleanhome-every-day.html for great ways to organize you cleaning including a cleaning schecule!

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