Inside Carroll 2017

VOL. 03

INSIDECARROLL

EXCELLENCE • RELATIONSHIPS • CHARACTER & INTEGRITY • INNOVATION OPEN & HONEST COMMUNICATION • COMPASSIONATE SERVICE

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INSIDECARROLL A Publication of the Carroll ISD Board and Community Relations Department 2400 NORTH CARROLL AVENUE SOUTHLAKE, TX 76092 817.949.7080 SouthlakeCarroll.edu

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS CISD Superintendent Dr. David J. Faltys Assistant Superintendent for Board and Community Relations Julie Thannum, APR Assistant Director of Marketing Jill Webb Communications Specialist Hayley Herring

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Gillian Barth Kyle Conway Pamela Hammonds Rick Herrin Caitlin McKenzie Audrey Sellers Lori Stacy Mike Tesoriero

Superintendent’s Message Roy Disney once said, “When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.”

I truly believe that. Building on a Dragon tradition of excellence, the mission of the Carroll Independent School District is to foster a safe, caring and creative learning environment that inspires students to realize their full potential as they positively impact the world around them.

As Dragons, we value excellence, relationships, character and integrity, innovation, open and honest communication, and compassionate service. Being a Dragon doesn’t mean you are always the best, but rather it means you always give your best and do your best. It means striving for excellence and pushing yourself toward continuous improvement.

We want that for all our students, and we believe the path to get to a brighter future goes directly through the Carroll ISD Strategic Plan. Like Roy Disney, I believe that keeping our values clear and in front of us helps us have a clear vision as we make decisions in the best interests of students. In this sense, the Strategic Plan serves as our compass or true north, guiding us ever closer to our mission and vision for all students.

We work hard in Carroll ISD to protect the tradition of excellence that has become our culture and norm. We believe strong and meaningful relationships that value and respect the differences in all people are essential to success. We believe in helping children build resiliency as they reach their emotional, social and academic potential, and that children must feel safe and loved to learn effectively.

In Carroll ISD, character and integrity matter. In turn, we believe innovation and continuous improvement are essential for excellence and yield life-long learners.

Passion sustains excellence. And because we believe this, all students have unique talents, gifts and abilities and should use them to positively impact the world. If we follow our Strategic Plan effectively, our decisions and actions will always be student-centered.

Inside Carroll magazine is an annual publication dedicated to giving you a closer look at Carroll ISD. We are a proud community that believes in the value of education, and we want what is best for our children. But more than that, we strive to help each student find his or her voice, to discover individual talents and to help our Dragons, big and small, make a difference in the world around them.

As you read the stories and features in this year’s Inside Carroll, I hope that you’ll get a clearer picture of our vision for all Dragons and that you’ll join us on this journey.

#EXPECTEXCELLENCE

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Dr. David J. Faltys Superintendent INSIDE CARROLL • 01

CONTENTS 7 INSIDE THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM 12 LEARNING AND EDUCATION 21 TRANSITIONING FOR SUCCESS 29 3600 DRAGON 37 TEACHERS OF THE YEAR 42 COMBINED ADVICE 51 STEM 1.0 57 STUDENTS AND ACTIVITIES 66 THE CLASS OF 2017 71 A FAMILY AT EVERY CAMPUS 77 FACILITIES 83 ADMINISTRATION

VOL. 03

#EXPECTEXCELLENCE

96 THEN & NOW FLASHBACK

INSIDECARROLL

ON THE COVER

The unique Dragon logo featured on this year’s Inside Carroll cover can be seen from Southlake Boulevard as you drive by Carroll Senior High School.

Created for CISD more than a decade ago by national sports artist Mike Sullivan, the piece was updated during the 2016-2017 school year. Sullivan’s work continues to grow as he focuses on the human figure in sports and play, as well as other subjects created in his unique “chiseled” style of painting. His artwork of famous sports figures, logos and mascots can be seen on professional and college sports venues across the country. Learn more about the artist behind this one-of-a-kind Dragon art at mikesullivanart.com.

EXCELLENCE • RELATIONSHIPS • CHARACTER & INTEGRITY • INNOVATION OPEN & HONEST COMMUNICATION • COMPASSIONATE SERVICE

Photo by BluDoor Studios

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STRATEGIC PLANNING

Carroll ISD’s Compass to Continuous Improvement

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arroll ISD’s Strategic Plan isn’t just a document that sits on a shelf collecting dust. It’s more of a living, breathing guide that serves as a compass for the entire district’s journey towards continuous improvement.

Adopted by the Board of Trustees in 2015, the five-year plan was put together by a committee of citizens, parents and school employees representing each of the 11 attendance zones.

By 2020, school officials hope to have used the Strategic Plan to clear a path for students in pursuit of Dragon excellence.

“Too many times a Strategic Plan sits on a shelf and no one really knows what’s in it,” said Superintendent David J. Faltys. “Instead, we want our plan to serve as the guide for all the decisions we make affecting students, whether they be about programs, facilities, staffing or how we spend taxpayer dollars. We are proud of our Strategic Plan and want it to be a meaningful representation of the future we want our students to realize.”

The plan was used as a foundation for the work of the Capital Needs Planning Committee when they studied facility needs to help carry out the strategies identified for each goal and outcome. As a result, taxpayers approved a $208 million project list to support the work in the Strategic Plan.

“The voters have entrusted the future of their children and their tax dollars to us,” Faltys says. “We take that responsibility very seriously and will use the funds to help accomplish the strategies and objectives in our Strategic Plan.

Everything we do as part of this capital needs

04 • INSIDE CARROLL

program will be designed to meet the needs of our students and help them find their passion.”

Building on a Dragon tradition of excellence, the district’s mission is to foster a safe, caring and creative learning environment that inspires students to realize their full potential as they positively impact the world around them.

Carroll ISD has an uncompromising commitment to achieve three primary objectives: • Provide innovative and authentic instructional experiences that challenge and empower all students to be active participants in their own learning; • Cultivate a secure, supportive and nurturing environment where everyone feels safe and valued; and • Provide an adaptive, efficient and innovative infrastructure to optimize all operational areas in a fiscally responsible manner.

Throughout the pages of Inside Carroll, readers should be able to see real-life examples of CISD’s Strategic Plan at work. To assist you in seeing this 2020 vision, we’re providing direct references in each story or feature to the strategies and/or objectives being addressed by CISD. To learn more about Carroll ISD’s Strategic Plan, visit our website: https://www.southlakecarroll.edu/Page/1567

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Inside the

FL IPPED

Classroom How one Carroll ISD teacher is turning traditional teaching techniques upside down

By Audrey S ellers

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Imagine showing up for class and, instead of listening to a lesson, you’re ready to work on an assignment. That’s the idea behind a flipped classroom— the lecture and homework elements are reversed. Students watch recorded lectures in advance and, when they arrive in class, they use that time to work through the lesson and ask questions.

This simple twist on the traditional classroom format is transforming the way many Dragons learn.

Jessica Valles, an Algebra 2 teacher at Carroll High School, is beginning her fourth year of fully flipping her class. “I started flipping one lesson per unit,” she says, “but it’s more effective if I flip every single lesson.”

Valles has taught in Carroll ISD for 10 years with a primary goal in mind: She wants her students to enjoy math. “Many students come in thinking they’re not good at math, and my goal is to change that,” she says. “I want them to leave my classroom problem-solving and knowing how to think for themselves.”

That’s why the concept of a flipped classroom appealed to Valles; it allows her to use class time to help her students master math. When she saw a fellow Dragon educator’s success using the flipped classroom model, Valles was eager to try it herself. Although the concept isn’t anything new—flipped learning first appeared in the early 2000s as YouTube and online videos took off—Valles knew it had potential in her classroom.

“If kids could watch a video before they come to class, I could assist and not send them home to struggle,” she says.

“The biggest thing is building relationships with the kids. If teachers can do that, students will work hard for them.”

Valles re cords vide os on a Pro methean board and uses a platform called EDPuzzle to upload, edit and share the videos. On the first day of class, students create individual accounts on EDPuzzle, which they can access online or by downloading an app. Throughout the school year, Valles assigns videos via the platform and takes grades on completion and accuracy.

The biggest challenge, she says, is making sure students are actually watching the videos.

“When I first started [flipping], I used videos from tutoring.com,” Valles says.

“They were great videos that came with

downloadable and printable notes. But there was no way to track the videos; I didn’t know if students watched them.”

With EDPuzzle, it’s easy to track student activity. Valles can see what time students completed a video, how many times they watched a particular section and if they had any issues with it. And to keep her class accountable, she embeds questions in each video.

“You can’t just assign a video and expect them to watch it,” Valles explains. “That’s why I embed questions to make sure they’re still with me—similar to a traditional lecture.”

But there’s an art to getting the lessons just right. If the videos are too long, students won’t stick with them. And if they don’t watch the videos, they don’t get the lesson and fall behind. “Students have changed so much through my 10 years of teaching,” Valles says. “Their attention span is hard to capture.”

Valles’ general rule of thumb? Create videos that are about a minute per grade level. Her shortest video has been around two minutes; her longest about 18 minutes.

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THE CASE FOR A FLIPPED CLASSROOM When a traditional lecture is done, it’s done; students have only their notes to look back on. But in a flipped classroom, students can watch any video at any time. From a teaching perspective, Valles says the benefits abound.

“I like that I can record and share, and students can watch the instruction anytime they want,” she says. “I also like having more class time to practice. With math, it’s all about practice and repetition.”

In addition to maximizing class time, there’s another upside to flipping: teachers are able to better connect with their students. “I get to know every single kid and get a chance to help the ones who may be hesitant to ask a question,” says Valles. “I enjoy watching the kids get practice and challenging them. They don’t have to rely on parents or a private tutor; I get to help them in class.”

Is the flipped classroom concept destined for every Dragon classroom? Valles doesn’t think so. “It may grow, but it’s not for everyone,” she says. “If you’re forced to do it, it’s not going to work. Teachers should be able to choose how they want to teach. For me, it makes my job interesting—and it works.”

In Valles’ first year to flip her classroom, every single one of her 150 students passed. The next two years were also successful, with nearly a 100-percent pass rate for all of her students. It’s also rewarding for Valles because every day is new; she never knows what’s going to come up in her classroom.

Valles is so passionate about the flipped classroom model that she speaks nationally on the topic. She has traveled all over the country with the Bureau of Educational Research, a professional development provider for educators across North America, to give seminars on using technology in a secondary math program. Valles also authored

a handbook that outlines best practices for incorporating technology in the math classroom. If you ask her, EDPuzzle has been the biggest game changer.

“It’s a great tool for any teacher,” she says. “Many coaches who are out of the classroom for athletic purposes like using it, too. You can record yourself teaching instead of relying on a sub.”

Valles admits that some students love the idea of a flipped classroom while others are a little hesitant to embrace it. “There are some who enjoy it,” she says, “and some prefer a traditional classroom. I try to teach them how to be an advocate for themselves and find the resources that are available to them.”

Ultimately, Valles wants each student to leave her class feeling confident about math. “I’m pushing them to be the best they can be,” she says.

“I have high expectations for them.”

Strategic Plan Objective 3.

Provide relevant resources, along with quality ongoing training, to integrate best-of-class learning experiences and efficient work environments.

INSIDE CARROLL • 11

LEARNING AND EDUCATION

DRAGONS BLOOM IN NEW FLORAL DESIGN CLASS Carroll Senior High School was in full bloom this school year with a fun new addition to the curriculum: floral design. Led by Johanna Belwood, the students in floral design learned the art of floral design and got in touch with their creative side by completing numerous floral arranging projects throughout the year.

Some of their projects included the employee end-of-year reception, athletic banquets for various Dragon sports, graduation and the biggest project of all – the Carroll Senior High prom. The floral design class took orders for corsages and boutonnieres for the spring event, which was a very enjoyable project for both Belwood and the students. “The biggest project we did was prom,” said Belwood. “I had several students worrying they would ruin someone’s prom by not getting their corsage or boutonniere just right, but they all turned out beautiful and it was a successful event for us.”

“My favorite part of the class overall was watching the designs come together almost magically,” says floral design student Chaney Rose. There were a little over 100 students enrolled in the floral design class for the 2016-17 school year, and even more are signed

12 • INSIDE CARROLL

up for the 2017-18 class. Additionally, a Level 2 floral design class will be added for those who took the entry-level class this past year. “I love that this class is so hands-on and creative,” said Belwood. “I love seeing the process of the students from the beginning of the year until the end.”

Strategic Plan Objective 6: Action Plan 6.3 Create a transformative curriculum that expands curricular experiences outside of the school building and the school day.

CEF GRANTS IN ACTION For over 20 years, the Carroll Education Foundation (CEF) has been fulfilling its mission to enrich, expand and protect excellence in education by creating and distributing resources for the benefit of Carroll students.

During the 2016 Prize Parade, CEF board members, CISD trustees and administrators, and major donors paraded through all 11 CISD campuses, awarding $100,000 in grants to CISD classrooms and programs. These grants support the campuses and curriculum in the joint mission to better educate students.

In the two decades of its efforts, CEF has funded many incredible resources for teachers and students alike. The 2016 Prize Parade was full of unique and interesting grants that are helping students learn in innovative ways.

Durham Intermediate 6th grade math teacher Lance Mangham was for tunate enough to be one of the recipients for the 2016 CEF grants. His focus in attaining a CEF grant this year was to have new classroom furniture with a creative, innovative approach that will benefit an entire classroom on a daily basis. The Ethos Mobile Classroom desks and chairs he was granted provide a platform for active learning by allowing students to easily move from individual work to group work. continued on page 14

INSIDE CARROLL • 13

LEARNING AND EDUCATION

“Appropriate classroom design is key when creating a collaborative learning environment for projectbased learning and I hope to create a classroom that fosters collaboration and maximizes learning for CISD children,” said Mangham.

At the K-6 level, teachers received grants to purchase DrumFIT equipment for the PE classes, for both student and staff use. DrumFIT is a cardio drumming program that combines the mental health benefits of drumming with the overall health benefits of physical fitness for a full body workout. This non-competitive program appeals to students who are discouraged by competitive sports, while the drumming component attracts students who sometime shy away from traditional dance or gymnastic programs.

In addition to being a great source of physical activity, DrumFIT also provides essential “Brain Fitness” components like fine motor skills, coordination, reflexes, cross lateral movement, bilateral movement, spatial awareness, eye-hand coordination, unilateral movement and cognitive association.

At the Senior High School, choir director Paul Doucet wanted to advance the Carroll Choir Program with the purchase of a new piano. The piano the program was working with was used regularly by over 170 students and was in need of replacement.

Upgrading the piano included the opportunity to

14 • INSIDE CARROLL

save the district dollars on tuning the old one, which would not be necessary with a newer model. The choir had the opportunity to go and perform a special thank you performance for the sponsor of the piano grant. “It is the desire in the choral program to create an inspiring musical experience for all students that begins with confidence, and confidence begins with advancement,” said Mr. Doucet.

Strategic Action Plan 3.1 - Create 21st Century collaborative spaces to enhance environments that impact student-centered learning.

DRAGON TO THE CORE Shortly after arriving in Southlake, David Faltys identified quickly that the greater Carroll ISD community was a special place. With an eye toward excellence and a strong tradition steeped in school pride, he began immediately working with the Board of Trustees and leadership team to develop a set of core values that help define what it means to be a Dragon. These values have stood the test of time and became as much a part of the Carroll brand as the Dragon itself.

For that and many more reasons, Southlake Style magazine recently honored the popular superintendent with its 2016 Community Impact Award. At the annual awards ceremony, no one described the impact of Dr. Faltys and the Dragon core values better than Callen DiGiovanni, an honor student and Green Jacket from the senior class at Carroll Senior High School.

Callen DiGiovanni

The excerpts below are shared from Callen’s speech: “Walking the halls of Carroll ISD from kindergarten to senior year and knowing Dr. Faltys, Carroll ISD superintendent, on a personal basis have allowed me to believe that the core values of excellence, relationships, character and integrity, innovation, open and honest communication, and lastly, compassionate service—the ones he implemented in his first years of leading this community—have simply derived from the innate character that he possesses. It is because of these values that my classmates and I are able to be a part of a school district whose academics are ranked near the top every year, with athletic programs continued on page 16

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INSIDE CARROLL • 15

LEARNING AND EDUCATION

that are able to win multiple state championships and achieve an award like the Lone Star Cup, not just once, but four consecutive times, and whose social programs such as community service and Student Council are able to excel year after year with no intention of settling for anything but the best.

These core values have forced our student body to follow a standard, one where each class hopes to surpass its predecessor in terms of excellence and pride. Without these values, slacking off would become a norm and our success rates would be nothing near what they are today. I can without a doubt in my mind say without these core values, our student body would not have numerous students being accepted to schools like Stanford, Harvard, Brown, Duke, Vanderbilt, Rice or students signing to play at a university ranked inside the top 25 of their respective sport year after year. Our student body thrives off the motivation we receive from our teachers and administration—a motivation rooted in the core values Carroll ISD depends upon.

As I stated in the beginning, the Faltys family is one-of-a-kind and a family I am grateful I can say I know well. With that, I have been able to build my relationship with Dr. Faltys outside of school. This growth in our relationship has allowed me to see what kind of man Dr. Faltys is outside of his office, and I can certainly say the selfless, outgoing and kind character he has is not just some facade; it is the person he truly is.

Having the opportunity to play on the varsity tennis team all four years, I found myself playing in a countless number of matches. No matter my

16 • INSIDE CARROLL

grade or part of the school year, I could often take a glance at the bleachers and find Dr. Faltys there, supporting myself along with the entire team in full force. I could think of an infinite number of things the superintendent of Carroll ISD could be doing besides watching my tennis match on a Tuesday afternoon, but of course his selfless character, a trait greatly a part of the core value of character and integrity, led him to supporting me along with the rest of the tennis team. It is because of small, simple acts like this one that I am now able to understand how valuable it is learning from someone like Dr. Faltys.

I now have the ability to use the core values not only to guide me through my day but even more so in times of adversity. Furthermore, these lessons and values have not only taught me how to persevere through times of adversity but how to turn these times of trouble into positive experiences.

Lastly, I assure you that these core values will be a part of our lives long after we walk across that stage at graduation because we now understand the importance that these values have in our lives, even past our grade school days.”

Callen and 670 of his classmates graduated June 2, 2017 at Dragon Stadium. He now carries the Dragon core values with him as a freshman at Vanderbilt University.

Strategic Plan Objective 2: Action Plan 9 Cultivate a secure, supportive and nurturing environment where everyone feels safe and valued while providing support to all students to achieve postsecondary goals.

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Transitioning for

SUCCESS

by Lori Stacy

Mike Wyrick, the principal at Durham Intermediate School, knows, each fall, that the phone calls will come in. Without fail, he will hear from parents of incoming fifth graders, worried about their children’s transition from the much more structured and supervised elementary years to their intermediate years.

with most of ten has to do The call he will get diad in e us s, lunch. Beca one thing: lunch. Ye ll wi er ad gr th freedom a fif tion to the relative t ec dir no th wi ds ng perio chhave—including passi e iat nch of dif ferent tea —k id s in int er m ed “Now, they have a bu nt re fe te ac he r su pe rv isi on dif w e ne th vig ate to navigate a whole an d th ey have to na s, er s,” tie ali school will also have t on no rs ll pe di ffe re nt e, one where they wi te ac he rs an d th eir learn lunchroom experienc which , om ro ss adds, “they need to cla he , eir so th Al th says Wyrick. der or in be required to sit wi ” d on an ati old niz , to find friends gement and orga ed na ne ll ma wi e s tim kid rk s an wo me n be the home g lunch. And that ca their sche dule and rin ge du na th ma wi to sit to . w, ss ne nts but m more than one cla r not just the stude loads coming in fro a scar y prospect fo rham and Eubanks, administrators at Du r Fo also their parents. l ipa n to intermediate s an assistant princ kids with the transitio ng lpi he th But Wyrick, who wa re fo re th e incoming fif hool for five years be ol be gin s lon g befo ho sc ol. at Dawson Middle Sc s ho ha sc eir first day of at Durham, where he graders come to th ought becoming principal underly on t no , fourth graders are br , ars ols ye ree At both scho milia r fa been for the past th e ar eir th ey s th fo r a to ur so bu t als o kn ow us ns er mp nc ca co e th eir to th s sta nd re the first bell fine. w campus long befo t ne jus e th be ll th wi wi ren ild ch ick th re e we ek s,’ ” Wyr rings in the fall.

“I te ll th em , ‘give it ll a wi , the building, to ys sa he , ely rar ry ve nks they get to see ry, ba ve Eu At says. And only eeo get to meet their concerns after that thr new friends . They als et me parent call back with is ck s. the reasons, as Wyri fif th-grade teacher at it week window. One of ds en fri ke ma d ilding is helpf ul in th an t bu s adap The tour of the tly en qu well aware, is that kid fre pints tre estions stude come in with some answers one of the qu at wh t quickly. They might ou ab ey is th , ich ek school, wh d of the first we have about middle d an r, he dation, but by the en ot eir an th to at ss l comfor table lk from one cla fee wa to to d e rte lik sta it’s ve ha ke will time to ma it ey will have enough th er eth ol. wh ho sc w ne aptut being late. a resiliency and ad to the next class witho But more than just ol ho sc ll ve: “How does my rro Ca the kids, the her question kids ha ot An ability on the part of e n, th re that this transitio locker work? ” rding district works to ensu ter, un co en ll wi deal to them , acco s nt de stu n itio ns tra The locker is a big tting ge first major t no ve a fear of CISD staff. They ha to goes smoothly. d an s e for many year their locker open.

“I taught four th grad s “D ragon de nt s stu er rm fo my intermediate school’ of e th me , at so th w ho To ed er wond th gr ad er s a ad e,” re d to inc om ing fif tra ns iti on to fif th gr fe e of th ,” le mp nd Ca ha uld wo , provides th e incipa l before school sta rts me diate Scho ol Pr s er ek Int s we nk few ba Eu ys sa ha nd , p” that allows the ow watching it fir st It’s a two-hour “cam s. er sw an Ma ry Stockton , “N d freee building and wrap with their new foun really get to know th to s kid they truly blossom ke the s including how a lity. They want to ma nds around new thing mi eir th me of dom and responsibi e lov o a time to meet so oud of them and we locker works. It’s als hool sc adults in their lives pr ce on g ll be seein formation.” e new faces they wi th es s oc pr witnessing this trans g re kin inc ma e fri en dnce is given in sta rts , be gin nin g th At CI SD, ind ep en de rd . wa rts to sta ol year gg es t tra ns iti on even before the scho and m en ts . An d th e bi nsition tra e th ongly in the camps is str s ols ve ho lie sc be e n th kto in e oc St nc de en ep se ind r the on Camp em grade. They have, fo ents who attend Drag ud “st , ys sa from four th to fif th out a lking into Eubanks passing period with more confidence wa ve ha to have first time, lockers, a ed om scho ol be ca use th ey , an d just mo re fre on th e fir st day of ct, pe ex te ache r supe rvising n ca at they n a sneak peek at wh tte go ed ne ey in general. th o wh e, and where n,” says Wyrick , o they will get to se wh “I ca ll it th e tra nsitio re mo ion to be ing given to go. no te s th at in ad dit e just somensition woes is not te rin g int er m ed iat tra en e ts th g en sin ud Ea st , om fre ed dents; they . incipals do for the stu more responsibility pr en e es giv th o als ing th are ol ipals scho th the parent s. Princ also work closely wi th e nd child re n wh o at te visit with pa re nt s of

23

More than just academically, school officials stress that at the interme diate schools, the fac ulty will ens ure tha t eac h chi ld is emotionally well taken care of as well.

And it’s important to remem ber that at any of the Carroll schools, the core values rem ain the sam e. Thi s in itse lf can hel p make the transition easier on a student—and his or her parents.

That means that those same core values that guided the kid s’ edu cat ion al exp erience during elementary school —excellence, relationships, character & inte grity, innovation , ope n & hon est com mu nic atio n, and compassionate service—will also be an integral part of their middle school experience.

Not only does the district adh ere to these core values in all of its school s, but it also has a strateg ic pla n, wh ich ser ves as the foundation for the district. Cam pus administrators were involved with the district as par t of the lea der ship tea m res pon sib le for reviewing the strategic pla n to ensure they are meeting all of their goals. One of those item s on the strategic action pla n?

To develop common best pra ctices to aid in grade transitions.

Why does CISD care about this enough to make it par t of their strateg ic plan, one that both campuses are execut ing so well?

Sch ool officials say the end result is that CIS D wants kids to be resilien t and adapt to change so that they are suc cessful in life.

The staff works to help teach them to adapt to change well. Change will be a constant presence in their lives, and lear ning to handle that challenge well will set the students up for future success.

“The kids,” Wyrick says with the reassurance of someone who has bee n through this before, “will be okay.”

various ele me nta ry sch ools that fee d into the intermediate campuses in the spring.

Wyrick also makes a point of visi ting the PTOs at the different elementary sch ools so that parents will have a chance to talk with him and ask him any questions they might have about their children making the transitio n.

“I overload them with info,” he admits. “I tell them, ‘we’re gonna love and take care of your kids. They will be OK .’”

Wyrick feels strongly that a suc cessful transition to intermediate school—o r any transition for a child—begins with the parent s.

“Th e kid s rea ct how the par ent s rea ct,” he says. It’s imp ortant, he notes, that parent s go home and talk to the kids with confidence. “Find the positives in the transition.”

So instead of portraying this as a scary change , Wyrick stresses telling the kids wh at a wo nde rful opp ortunity this will be to meet a lot of new kids and make new friends.

Int erm edi ate sch ool , he say s, is “wh ere schools blend and friendship s begin.”

CISD administrators know tha t parents play a key role in making the tran sition a good one.

Some of the best advice par ents can give their children during this time of tran sition is to remind the kids that they are ready for this and to offer reassurance.

At this age, kids are ready for that bit of independence.

“It’s scary for parents,” one adm inistrator said.

“But, you have to believe tha t your child can do this. We will take great care of your kids.”

CIS D staff members know tha t what makes parents apprehensive, especia lly those who are making this transition with the ir children for the first tim e, is not knowing wh at to exp ect . “It’s STR ATEGIC PLAN OB JEC TIV just change,” Wyrick adds. “Pe E 8: ople are afraid of ACT ION PLAN 8.1 the unknown.”

Establish a structured course The inte rme dia te sch ool is of action for the the ir firs t tran elem entary to intermediate school siti on and with that com es transition anxiety abo ut the add ressing the social, academ ic, and physiunknown. As a result, sch ool offi cials fee l this cal readiness of all students which suppor ts first transition is ver y import ant. The staff has relationships and engagements of parents and an enormous responsibility with faculty with continuity across parents and kids all campuses. to get it right. The first experie nce has got to be good for them so they are suc cessful throughout their education.

24

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STAY CONNECTED: MOBILE DRAGON School, work, and family life have us all on the run—and that is why we continue to streamline information for those who want to stay connected in real time. The Mobile Dragon app 2.0, the second generation of Carroll ISD’s innovative mobile resource, is better, faster, and more convenient than ever.

The updated Carroll Dragon app has a new look, new features and is more user friendly. It’s perfect for every Dragon family member and district employee. Available for iOS and Android smartphones in the App Store and on Google Play, the app allows users to email staff members from the directory or make phone calls directly. Calendar events can also be quickly added into your personal calendar.

Other exciting and new mobile-friendly features include flash notifications, updated lunch menus, photo albums and even a Dragon Tip Line. The app also allows you to follow your student’s specific schools. Simply tap your way to all the news, social media, and calendar items that you need.

If you haven’t downloaded the app, visit the app stores and search “Carroll Dragons.”

CISD/CAMPUS-BASED News – Up-to-the-minute news feed of posts to the district’s social media and MySouthlakeNews.com.

CALENDAR Always know what’s happening in Carroll ISD. This feature allows users to add events to their personal calendars.

LUNCH MENUS/LUNCH MONEY NOW Menu listing by campus in a mobile-based view.

Also, log into Lunch Money Now and monitor your student’s account on your phone.

FAMILY ACCESS Stay connected with your student’s grades/ courses and campus information through the Skyward parent portal.

STAFF DIRECTORY Campus-by-campus listing of all staff and email addresses and school phone numbers.

NOTIFICATIONS Get alerts on school closings, delays, #SAFEdragon alerts or other important messages.

DRAGON TIP LINE Send feedback to the district under multiple topics.

INSIDE CARROLL • 27

360 DRAGON

By Julie Thannum

Dragon 2011 alum John Kriegshauser comes full circle to fill his mentor’s shoes.

Every day feels a little like Freaky Friday to sixth-grade math teacher John Kriegshauser.

After all, switching places with your longtime mentor isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Kriegshauser, however, is up to the challenge. He is one of more than 50 Carroll graduates who attended school as a Dragon and now finds himself among the ranks of CISD’s employees.

In Disney’s popular 2003 Freaky Friday movie, a mom and teen daughter switch places and ultimately strengthen their relationship through greater mutual understanding and appreciation for each other after finding out life as the other isn’t quite as easy as it seems.

The movie was released the year Kriegshauser started the fifth grade at Eubanks Intermediate.

In 2002, he had moved to Southlake with his family from the St. Louis area, and transitioned into life as a Dragon at Rockenbaugh Elementary School. It was a tough year finding his place and making new friends

“It’s a dream-come-true,” Kriegshauser says of filling the teaching vacancy of his former mentor. “She had the biggest influence on me as a student and an educator.

She was everything I aspired to be, and now I get the chance to teach in the most challenging and most rewarding classroom; she’s my inspiration for teaching.”

But Kriegshauser nearly missed out on coming home as a Dragon. Upon graduating from the University of North Texas, he interviewed and was prepared to accept a position in a nearby school district. That’s when he learned that Arnold was retiring and leaving her position vacant at Eubanks.

“The timing was crazy,” Kriegshauser recalls. “I was prepared to accept the other job when I got an interview at Eubanks. I called Cindi first and she helped me process through the decision.”

The next thing he knew, Kriegshauser was hired to replace his mentor – a challenge not lost by some CISD parents. After all, Kriegshauser – a zero-year teacher – was chosen

“I tell my students, that they will get as much out of my math class as they put into it. I want them to know what it’s like to struggle and what it’s like to overcome those struggles.”

as a fourth grader. Kriegshauser recalls the transition to intermediate school being much easier for him. “It was a great experience,” he said. “I don’t remember it being hard at all. I loved changing schools every few years as a Dragon. It kept things fresh and I loved it – constantly going to a new campus and transitioning.”

Kriegshauser attended Rockenbaugh, Eubanks, Dawson, Carroll High and Carroll Senior High, graduating with the Class of 2011. His career would take a Freaky Friday sort of turn, but not before his path crossed with Eubanks Intermediate accelerated math teacher, Cindi Arnold.

Kriegshauser found himself as a student in Arnold’s class, a life-changing experience of monumental proportions. He would later serve as a math tutor for some of Arnold’s students. Now, he teaches in her previous position and Arnold is retired and tutors Kriegshauser’s students.

to replace Arnold who had given 33 years in the classroom, 22 of them teaching Dragons.

Standing before parents on curriculum night was no small task.

“The first thing I did was talk to parents about my love for math and my desire to help their students love math, too,” he said. “I knew the legend of Cindi Arnold and I knew it would be a challenge from day one, but it was a challenge I wholeheartedly accepted.

I came in as professional as I could and tried to show the parents I was worthy.”

Despite a couple of challenges along the way, Kriegshauser says the reaction from parents has been significantly supportive.

He has quickly earned the respect of many, but has been in contact with Arnold on a limited basis during his first year.

“I haven’t reached out as much as I probably should have,” Kriegshauser said. “She wanted me to take ownership and I wanted to figure things out on my own. It’s been a

INSIDE CARROLL • 31

cool sort of changing of the guard, and now, she tutors some of my kids.”

Kriegshauser said he feels honored to get to come back to the school where his love for math began. He said being a Dragon – seeing the #ExpectExcellence hashtag – means “doing the right thing with the fullest of intentions and full of passion. It means finding your place and doing what you love to do with all of your heart.”

Kriegshauser said he works hard to help students develop a strong work ethic and that he tells his students he wants them to find maturity in their math. “What I got from Ms. Arnold in the past was that if I want to succeed, then I need to develop a meticulous, purposeful work ethic.”

“I tell my students, that they will get as much out of my math class as they put into it. I want them to know what it’s like to struggle and what it’s like to overcome those struggles,” he said. “This is intended to be the hardest year of math they ever experience at Carroll – it’s two years of math (both above grade level) in one year.”

Kriegshauser recalls how relatively easy Algebra I felt after completing Accelerated Math in intermediate school. “I want my students to look back and realize how much they’ve grown,” he adds.

The transition from elementary school to intermediate school can be difficult for some.

“With social media and all the changes academically and socially, I would imagine that parents feel like they have lost a little bit of control,” he said. “I just want to encourage and tell them, ‘your kid is going to be changing so much. Just be supportive and love them as much as possible. They are at a critical juncture in their lives and your student needs to stay grounded in the values of your family.’”

For students who say that math is not their favorite subject, Kriegshauser said if they are assigned to his class, he wants them to know that they are capable of everything and anything put in front of them. That’s something he learned from his mentor, Cindi Arnold.

32 • INSIDE CARROLL

“I love and believe in the Accelerated Math program,” says Arnold. “We worked very hard to develop and put in place an advanced math program for Carroll’s gifted math students in the intermediate school. I have always believed gifted math students can make a huge difference in our society.”

Arnold said she was honored to have John, her former student, take her place.

“I consider it the ultimate compliment to have someone want to take over and continue what you love,” Arnold said. “John saw my passion to help students develop their talents and learn how to be top students in math and science; I believe he will continue that task. I am very proud of him and honored to have been his teacher and his mentor.”

While a student in CISD, Kriegshauser was involved in Battle of the Books, Running Club and Student Council. Later he became active in National Junior Honor Society and basketball. He remembers MATHCOUNTS competitions and UIL math competitions in high school.

“I quit basketball in high school to focus on my AP (advanced placement) courses,” he recalls. “I ended up becoming the President of the National Honor Society and the National Spanish Honor Society. I’m not fluent but I am a pretty good communicator.”

It was in high school that Kriegshauser began serving as a math tutor for Kumon. His senior year he left to focus on college applications. He started college at the University of Notre Dame before deciding to transfer schools and move closer to home. Upon returning, he began working at Mathnasium of Southlake, where he stayed for three and a half years while acquiring his teaching degree from the University of North Texas.

“History and sociology were a passion of mine,” he said. “But when I realized I didn’t want to do that every day, I found my true career interest and everything came right back to math.”

Kriegshauser said he is living the dream and thanks his mentor Arnold for playing a role in making it happen. He is working in the classroom to instill the same kind of love for math as his mentor helped instill in him.

“I want them to be unsatisfied with not knowing how to solve a problem,” he said. “I want them to be able to defend their reasoning – to not feel like there’s only one solution, which I know sounds strange coming from a math teacher. I want them to defend math in a thousand different ways.”

Strategic Plan Objective 1: Provide innovative and authentic instructional experiences that challenge and empower all students to be active participants in their own learning.

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360 DEGREE DRAGONS

More Alumni Return to Carroll What was your favorite meal in the cafeteria as a child? Oh my, how I loved grilled cheese and tomato soup days. Honestly, it’s one of my guilty pleasures today, too.

What was your favorite book that you checked out of the school library? I absolutely loved (and still love) “A Bad Case of Stripes!” It’s so fun now to share it with my students.

What do you remember doing during recess? My fondest memory of recess is playing on “the caterpillar” at Johnson, and now I get to watch my students play on the same caterpillar.

What is your favorite memory as a student in Carroll ISD? As a young student, field days were so incredibly exciting. I remember counting down the days until the annual Johnson Elementary field day.

I still have vivid memories of those chaotic, exhausting activities. I also cherish every single Friday night at Dragon football games. My senior year on CREW was the ultimate privilege as a lifelong Dragon fan.

BAILEY BUCK 1st Grade Teacher, Johnson Elementary Graduated: 2011 What grades/campuses did you attend in Carroll ISD? I spent all of my 13 years at Carroll ISD. The elementary school I went to just so happens to be where I work today, Johnson Elementary. I also attended Durham Intermediate, Carroll Middle, Carroll High and Carroll Senior High.

Who was your favorite teacher and why? I would say my second and third grade teachers Beverly James and Pollyanna Patterson stand out. I remember feeling excited every morning coming to school, due in large part to their exceptional work as educators. Mrs. James and Ms. Patterson made each student feel special. I consider them to be my mentors and heroes.

What was your favorite subject? In elementary school, I remember always loving science lab. The experiments were so fun and engaging. Getting a hands-on experience helped to understand concepts being taught in class.

34 • INSIDE CARROLL

Did you always know you wanted to teach? I have always dreamed of teaching since I was a student at Johnson Elementary. Little did I know I would come back to Johnson and actually fulfill the dream. Once a Dragon, always a Dragon as they say.

What is your educational teaching philosophy?

Because I’ve chosen to teach, I have taken on a responsibility beyond that of a normal 9-5 job. It’s truly an extension of who I am. I believe it is my job to serve each student and provide the best experience so they are equipped to succeed in the future. I believe every student is unique. Though I can’t tailor each lesson to fit a student’s individual needs, I try my hardest to offer multiple ways for my class to learn a concept.

Why did you come back and apply at Carroll ISD? Not only have I always dreamed of being a teacher, part of the dream was becoming a teacher at Carroll.

Each school I attended, Johnson especially, felt like being at home with family. I applied to other districts to maximize my options, but my heart was set on Carroll from the beginning. I hope to be a fraction of the inspiration that my teachers were to me.

What has been your best experience so far as a Carroll teacher? The best experience of teaching is when you see the excitement of a student when they learn a new concept and are so incredibly proud of themselves. This is so rewarding. The students see all their hard work paid off and it is the sweetest moment.

Strategic Plan Objective 2: Action Plan 5 Attract, recruit and retain highly qualified personnel.

DANIEL DODSON Assistant Principal, Rockenbaugh Elementary Graduated: 2004 What grades/campuses did you attend in Carroll ISD? My family moved to Southlake during the middle of my third grade year. I went to Carroll Elementary, Durham Intermediate, Carroll Middle (back then we were the Knights!), Carroll Junior High (which is now Carroll High School) and Carroll High (which is now Carroll Senior High School).

Who was your favorite teacher and why? I had so many great teachers. Mr. Behrends, Mr. Fawks, Mr. Pierce and Mr. Bach had a huge impact on me. I learned numerous lessons during their band classes as well as the time with them as we traveled to competitions and performances. They gave great advice and helped mold me into a person who cares about others, has self-discipline, and can work hard to accomplish a goal.

What was your favorite subject? My favorite subject was history. I loved listening to the stories that my teachers told about important people and events.

What was your favorite book that you checked out of the school library? As a kid I couldn’t wait for the Bluebonnet list to come out every year. I loved “The Giver” and highly recommend it for older kids and adults, too!

What do you remember doing during recess?

Football! We would play every day whether it was sweltering hot or freezing cold, and we loved every minute of it. If recess was a subject, it would have been my favorite.

What is your favorite memory as a student in Carroll ISD? One of my favorite memories was going to the UIL State Marching Contest. We played at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco. The Dragon Band worked so hard to reach the state competition. We came up short, but I remember how special that time was.

What activities were you involved in during high school?

I was heavily involved in band. I loved the jazz band, marching band and concert band. I developed some of the greatest friendships during this time.

Did you always know you wanted to teach? Not necessarily. I knew that I wanted to help others. I felt called to become a teacher after my first semester of college. I love working with kids and seeing them grow.

Where did you go to college?

I am a proud member of Texas A&M University’s Fightin’ Texas Aggie Class of 2008! Whoop!

Strategic Plan Objective 2: Action Plan 5 Attract, recruit and retain highly qualified personnel.

INSIDE CARROLL • 35

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#EXPECTEXCELLENCE

TEACHERS OF THE YEAR Every year, one teacher from each CISD campus is acknowledged as their campus’ Teacher of the Year. All 11 teachers are then recognized for their devotion and achievement in creating excellence in their classrooms. However, only one elementary and one secondary teacher can be chosen for the district’s highest honor. Get to know Becca Calvert and Greg Oglesby, the 2016-2017 CISD Teachers of the Year.

INSIDE CARROLL • 37

CISD 2016-2017 TEACHERS OF THE YEAR K–6 Teacher of the Year Mrs. Becca Calvert

By Caitlin McKenzie

T

“

o show kids that math is not dry and boring—and numbers are cool.” That’s been Becca Calvert’s mission since starting at Carroll 14 years ago. Calvert is a true local.

She grew up in Grapevine, and then went on to study at Baylor University as an education major, and found herself back in Southlake after school.

When she’s not teaching accelerated math at Eubanks Intermediate School, Calvert’s four kids keep her busy. Twins Nathan and Jordan are eight, and Carson and Harper (also twins!) are four. Her husband, Bryan, is an elementary school principal in Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, so they’re able to enjoy the summers with the kids, traveling, visiting family and spending time with church friends.

Calvert’s mother was a teacher, and she knew from an early age that she wanted to follow in her footsteps. “I used to play school with my sister growing up. She was an artist – I was not – so she always liked to be the student. That way, she could just color and draw the way she liked, while I got to pretend to be the teacher; it worked out well!”

While she always knew that teaching was her future, Calvert credits one teacher from her high school days with sparking her interest in math. “I took pre-calculus during my junior year of high school, and I had a teacher who really inspired me to love math. It sounds terrible, but math teachers kind of have a stigma,” she admits. “Boring, maybe?”

While pre-calculus is not always exciting, Calvert’s teacher got the fine points across to her students, but in a fun way. “She would bring us outside to do things, and that’s when it clicked for me—math didn’t have to be boring!” Calvert carried

her newfound love of numbers to college where she enrolled in a math specialization on top of her degree. Along the way, she realized life as a math teacher held a special place in her heart.

Calvert also holds Carroll ISD as a special place.

Something really unique about Carroll, she says, is how strongly the community values education. “The students value education because their homes do. This makes my job as a teacher totally fun, because I get the luxury of a classroom full of kids who are excited to learn—kids who want to know more.” In fifth grade, students often don’t know exactly what lies in their future, but at Carroll, “they know that there’s more,” she says. “They know that it doesn’t stop here, and that it doesn’t stop when they graduate high school.”

Calvert cherishes most the relationships she builds with both students and their parents.

Because the district is so family-oriented, Calvert often reminds herself that her job should be a team effort. Of course students need support from their teachers, but “parents are also in need of support as they raise these kids.” One of her favorite things about getting to know the families is when she gets to teach multiple kids from the same household, and see the unique personalities that develop. “I’ve built 14 years’ worth of relationships here, which is pretty amazing,” she says. “It’s so fun to watch them grow up, to see these kids that you invest a year in leave, and then come back even better. I spend so much time trying to inspire these kids to love math, but what happens is they end up inspiring me to keep going. It’s rewarding.”

INSIDE CARROLL • 39

CISD 2015-2016 TEACHER OF THE YEAR

CISD 2016-2017 TEACHERS OF THE YEAR Secondary Teacher of the Year Mr. Greg Oglesby

By Caitlin McKenzie

F

or secondary teacher of the year Greg Oglesby, the most rewarding aspect of teaching is building relationships. “Connecting with kids on a deeper level,” he explains, is important, because “once you do that, then you can convey knowledge and share life experiences.”

Oglesby teaches U.S. history at Carroll Senior High School, where he also coaches the Lady Dragons soccer team. He started the soccer programs at both Grapevine High School and Carroll, and while his dedication to coaching has paid off in the form of several state titles and local coaching awards, teaching has been his lifelong passion.

Before he was filling trophy cases, Oglesby studied at Oregon State University, where he earned a teaching degree with emphases in history, health and kinesiology. Oglesby had always felt that teaching was his calling, but says it was really during his sophomore year of college that this was confirmed for him. His program allowed for student teaching opportunities, and he explained these opportunities often served to “weed out” those who realized they didn’t truly want to pursue education—for him, it did just the opposite.

“These little tastes only validated what I’d felt all along, that teaching was what I wanted to do.”

He also credits one “tremendous mentor” with keeping his confidence afloat in his future as an educator. “She passed on her passion and love

for education to me,” he begins. “And then she became my wife!”

Building these relationships that Oglesby finds so vital often takes both time and significant effort. Each of these kids, he explains, comes from “a different background, with different abilities, interests and talents, so you sometimes have to go about it in many different ways before you’re able to make that connection.”

Oglesby says he could talk all day about Carroll and what an amazing place it is. “What I love most is that everyone in the community, from kindergarten on up, is a Dragon,” he says.

“And it’s not just about academics,” he continues. “Another thing that makes this district so special is that we excel in multiple areas.”

He believes the diverse selection of courses available to students provides an opportunity for every kid to fit in and find an area where they excel.

Oglesby also feels very fortunate to work under leaders like Principal Shawn Duhon and his fellow administrators. He stresses that in any establishment, it ’s important that it ’s driven from the top, down. “We have a great superintendent, a great school board, and topnotch administration at CSHS. They establish standards, they set the bar and then they hold us to it in a really positive way,” he explains.

“They’re constantly providing an environment for teachers to flourish and be successful. I’m very blessed,” he concludes. “Very honored.”

INSIDE CARROLL • 41

COMBINED ADVICE...

F O R PA R E N T S & S T U D E N T S GILLIAN BARTH Dragon Mom

As a parent of three kids in Carroll ISD (one a recent K-12 graduate), I was asked to write what I wished I had known before the senior year. It was our first rodeo with this unique year, so if it’s your first time too, saddle up for a wild ride. Senior year and all that comes with it is overwhelming. Where to begin? So many cliches, so little time— and yet they’re all true:

TRUST YOURSELF: You don’t have to pay exorbitant amounts for college consultants. Google is your friend. Use it. A lot.

DON’T LISTEN TO OTHER PARENTS: ... like the friend whose son applied to all his colleges over the summer (meanwhile by October mine hadn’t even activated his Common App account). Or the one whose kid “whittled it down” and only applied to 14 schools, while mine barely eeked out five applications. You’re only setting yourself up for sweaty, sleepless nights.

START EARLY: Make your student do as much as possible over the summer. Pretty soon, band or football or debate will be here and there will BE. NO. TIME. Yes, the Common App has streamlined the process, but each college still has its own individual questions and requirements.

42 • INSIDE CARROLL

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED: The two colleges I wondered why we were touring ended up being my son’s favorites. The colleges I thought he’d get into—he didn’t. The ones I thought he wouldn’t—he did. This is a ride. Enjoy it.

LISTEN TO THE EXPERTS: From bookshelves to Twitter to podcasts, they’re everywhere. You and your senior will find support in books like Frank Bruni’s “Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be” or David Marcus’ “Acceptance,” in parent information sites like Grown and Flown and University Parent, and in college application podcasts like Getting In. Forgo the slick campus marketing materials and get it straight from the horse’s mouth: the people actually attending the schools. Websites like Unigo and College Confidential and books like “Princeton Review’s Best 381 Colleges” are written for students by students. Attend talks from our own community experts. Organizations like The Southlake Association for Gifted and Talented (SAGT) hold brown bag lunches with parent panels who have “been there done that” and are happy to tell about it.

REMEMBER...THIS IS YOUR KID’S JOURNEY, NOT YOURS: Keep your hands off your child’s college application essay. Believe the admissions officers when they say they can smell a parent’s touch a mile away. As someone who has sat on PTO scholarship committees, I concur. The essays that stand out are the ones that sound like they’re coming from a teenager’s mouth. Wartime soliloquies and Shakespearean sonnets? Not so much.

Once they’re in to a few colleges, let them choose.

They might talk only about the iced coffee in the dining hall or how the students dressed (or in my son’s case, finally being around other Boston sports fans). This is them falling in love with their new home. Let them.

HINDSIGHT IS 20/20: It really does all work out in the end, but not without a few lessons along the way. We soon realized you don’t have to attend every information session when touring colleges.

After a few, they all blur together and are basically the same (yes, they have study abroad opportunities; yes, they accept AP credit). There’s nothing you can’t find online (remember, Google is your friend). Better to do the walking tour with the student guides, get the inside scoop and see the all-important dorm room. Jump-start that GPA freshman year of high school. You may not realize when you apply to colleges, that you are applying with your cumulative 9th-11th grade GPA. So start high school guns blazin,’ doing the best you can in the most challenging courses you can muster.

HAVE TWO BACKPACKS: one for A day and one for B day. This will save you time from switching out all of your books every day and helps you organize your materials and assignments.

HAVE A PLANNER, AND BE ORGANIZED. This will help you manage your new classes and form new study skills. Your first day might present some challenges, all of the sudden you may receive more assignments and have more tests and quizzes then you had in middle school.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK ON THE NIGHT IT WAS ASSIGNED, NOT THE NIGHT BEFORE IT IS DUE. IT GOES BY IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE: I still remember my son’s first day of kindergarten at Rockenbaugh, and how the kids sat in a circle and organized themselves alphabetically by first name.

Now I’m frantically teaching him how to cook an egg, balance a checkbook and scrub a toilet (properly) before he walks out the door for good.

We’ve won some, we’ve lost some. We’ve survived a lice outbreak (or two, or three) along the way.

We’re tired. But we are proud. My cliched advice to you? Trust yourself. Trust your kid. Trust your district. You’ll be fine. Just hang on!

MICHAEL OLSON AND LUCY YEAGER

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH AP AND PREAP CLASSES. They may seem pretty intimidating, but if you study hard enough and put effort into it they are definitely manageable.

TRY NOT TO OVEREXTEND YOURSELF. If you realize that one class is too much, do not be afraid to reach out for help from a teacher, parent or counselor. Remember that college is not next year, take it slow, establish a base of strong skills and you will be successful.

Class of 2017

DEAR CLASS OF 2021, Welcome to high school! Having just finished our senior year, we gained a lot of knowledge along the way and would like to share with you some things we wish we had known as freshmen.

Before you even walk in the door of Carroll High School, here are a few tips...

DO YOUR SUMMER ASSIGNMENTS. They provide a good background for a class before you arrive.

STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE. Volunteer for organizations you are interested in, and get involved in clubs. Make sure to cherish the memories, because the next four years go by faster than you would think.

GOOD LUCK AND GO DRAGONS!

Strategic Plan Objective 9 Provide support to all students to achieve post-secondary goals.

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Thank you we care sponsors Platinum Sponsors

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Thank you to the top sponsors of the We Care Program - Carroll ISD’s initiative that funds employee appreciation throughout the year.

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COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Carroll ISD 2016-2017 retirees at the End-of-Year Reception, funded entirely by the generosity of We Care program sponsors.

WE CARE SPONSORS HAVE SUPPORTED CISD STAFF FOR MORE THAN A DECADE Carroll ISD is home to over 1,000 public educators who serve the community’s children in a variety of ways. From the classrooms to the cafeterias, on buses and on ball fields, these dedicated men and women have helped create a long-standing tradition of excellence. They do more than just teach lessons from textbooks; they serve as friends, confidants and mentors for tomorrow’s leaders. They love and nurture the students of this district in an effort to help them achieve their goals.

Call it Dragon Spirit or simply service to children, CISD employees have worked hard to make this district what it is today, and for more than a decade, the district has shown its appreciation for these hardworking individuals through the We Care program.

The We Care program is an employee appreciation initiative that is focused on supporting and appreciating Carroll ISD employees throughout the school year.

Whether it be a small token such as a birthday card, a surprise sweet treat at various times throughout the year, or a token of appreciation upon retirement, We Care uses its funds to give back to employees through acts of appreciation.

“I think some of the best ideas we’ve ever come up with were written on a napkin at a school PR conference as we brainstormed ways to support Carroll ISD,” says Julie Thannum, Assistant Superintendent for Board and Community Relations. “We Care is a simple concept with a sincere message, and it has made a powerful impact, I believe, on employee morale here in our district. Without the generosity of our We Care sponsors, many of our efforts to recognize and thank staff would not be possible.”

The We Care program is independent from the district’s general operating fund, but instead uses money raised through the support of local businesses, organizations and even individuals to recognize and thank CISD staff. Sponsors of this program are giving back to their local school district, and have the added benefit of advertising directly with Carroll employees.

We Care sponsor levels range from $100 to $1,000 annually, which includes advertising opportunities throughout the year to Carroll employees, and even a logo license for the Platinum Level sponsors. All We Care sponsors are listed on the district website, with the Platinum level sponsors receiving the added benefit of a link to their website directly from the CISD page.

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SUPPORTING ALL DRAGONS

How Carroll Education Foundation Impacts Students on every campus

F

or families wanting to support Carroll ISD, there’s no better way than through the Carroll Education Foundation (CEF). Since its inception in 1996, the nonprofit has distributed more than $1.3 million for students and teachers at all 11 campuses in Carroll ISD. The foundation’s sole purpose? To enrich, expand and protect excellence in education by creating and distributing resources for the benefit of all Dragons.

“CEF is the only organization that provides funding to all schools in the district,” says Sarah Mason, president of CEF. “I hope that every single parent, teacher, paraprofessional and administrator in Carroll ISD will become a CEF supporter.”

One of the ways CEF benefits Dragons is through Teaching Grants for Carroll ISD educators. Last year, CEF approved $101,000 for 26 grants impacting all campuses. The awards were bestowed with much fanfare as CEF board members, CISD trustees and administrators, and major donors joined along with the Carroll Dragon Drum Line in the always-entertaining Prize Parade.

Educators used the much-needed grants in many ways such as getting a new piano for Carroll Senior High School choir students and incorporating cardiodrumming programs for K-6 P.E. classes. No matter students’ campus or grade level, CEF teaching grants help transform the educational experience for all Dragons.

As a Chapter 41 Robin Hood district, Carroll ISD is estimated to surrender $19 million in local tax dollars back to Texas this year. The state has recaptured more than $215 million from CISD since the district became a Chapter 41 district in 2001. With increased Robin Hood payments for Carroll ISD, it’s important now more than ever to ensure excellence in every Dragon classroom.

CEF is unveiling a new fundraising strategy that aims to fund the gap in the approved CISD budget to help ensure continued excellence in our academics.

This means the foundation will work to fund the gap between state funding per student and actual cost for a Dragon education. And to ensure top educators stay in the district, CEF will focus on directing more financial support for teachers.

continued on page 49

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SUPPORTING ALL DRAGONS “CEF is committed to the teachers in our district,” says Laura Grosskopf, CEF executive director. “They work with our students every day and are a main factor of success across our district—academics, athletics, arts and other extracurricular areas.”

In addition to supporting teachers, CEF also awards Senior Scholarships to Dragon seniors. At the Senior Awards Assembly at Carroll Senior High School in May, CEF presented $10,000 in scholarships to 10 Dragons.

Nearly 60 Carroll seniors applied for scholarships this year, and 10 students received $1,000 scholarships based upon a completely blind review process.

A new memorial scholarship, funded by Karen Malone, honors Cole Malone, a former Dragon (Class of 2017). The Cole Malone Memorial Scholarship rewards a student for his or her commitment to leadership in the areas of science, technology, engineering or math.

The foundation’s outreach doesn’t end when Dragons graduate. Interested Dragon alumni have formed an official alumni network - THE TRADITION – through the foundation. Bringing together all Dragon alumni near and far, Dragons can reconnect with fellow classmates, stay updated on district happenings and help protect the tradition for current and future Dragons through an Alumni Fund.

Whether it’s supporting Carroll ISD educators and students or funding scholarships for Dragon seniors, CEF can’t carry out its mission without cash contributions and donations from generous Dragon supporters.

“Our biggest challenge is reaching out to the community and informing parents about the importance of CEF,” Mason says. “We want everyone to know about our foundation’s ability to impact students and teachers on every single campus in partnership with the district.”

WAYS TO GET INVOLVED If you want to contribute to CEF, there are giving opportunities at all levels. Visit www.CarrollEducationFoundation.org to sponsor a grant, scholarship or simply give to the annual fund to support our teachers and students.

The Community Partner program also benefits CEF with many businesses offering to host events that provide a portion of profits back to the foundation. Some of the most successful events were hosted by Kendra Scott and Taverna Rossa. DINE for DRAGONS is the most popular within this program and the easiest way for the community to contribute to CEF – just dine out

the last Tuesday of the month at participating restaurants! There’s no punch card to remember or app to download; all you have to do is say “Dine for Dragons” and a portion of your bill is donated. Follow CEF on Facebook and Twitter for each month’s featured restaurants.

In September, CEF will host its largest fundraiser of the year – the 2017 Annual Benefit & Celebration – Viva Las Dragons, presented by Park Place Lexus - Grapevine. The fun kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, September 9 at the Hilton Southlake. Favorite local chefs will serve up the finest culinary fare, and an auction helps raise funds for students and teachers in Carroll ISD. Get a group of Dragon friends together for an evening of music and dancing, great food and exciting auctions that includes a few items exclusive to this event! Tickets are available at www.CarrollEducationFoundation.org.

From the Annual Celebration & Benefit to the Prize Parade and everything in between, CEF’s volunteers are driven by a common vision: To champion innovation and excellence in education.

CEF’s board members are all volunteers—they’re parents, business leaders and community members who have a passion for education in Carroll ISD. In addition to the executive and general board, an advisory committee comprised of past board members, including CEF founders, and major donors also provides direction for the foundation.

If you ask CEF’s president, the most rewarding aspect of working with the foundation is creating a deeper impact for the students and educators in Carroll ISD. “I know all our work is worth it when we see the joy of teachers and their students working with the creative and innovative instructional tools that are awarded to their classrooms or programs,” Mason says. “By working together, we have the ability to affect change in ways we are just dreaming of today.”

You can access the most current and detailed information on all of the foundation’s programs at www.CarrollEducationFoundation.org.

Strategic Plan Objective 1: Action Plan 1.5 Actively engage the CISD community to strengthen partnerships that support the evolving needs of students in the district.

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50 • INSIDE CARROLL

The first generation of Carroll STEM branches out.

B y M i k e Te s o r i e r o

If “

you want to take robotics, make sure to start taking STEM classes as soon as you possibly can,” says Ammar Ahmed.

Ahmed, a 2017 graduate, represents the first generation of Dragons to successfully complete all four years of Carroll’s budding Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) curriculum. STEM courses are relatively new to many parents, teachers and students, but the early successes of the program have proven it to be one of the new and exciting ways Dragons are getting and staying ahead of the academic curve.

Carroll High School Principal PJ Giamanco and fellow CISD administrators have proudly dubbed the handful of 2017 graduates, such as Ahmed, as “Generation STEM 1.0.” Giamanco looks back on the first four years of growth with admiration. “In year one, we had one robotics teacher and one engineering teacher,” he says. “And in the three years since, we have been lucky to add two more teachers to fulfill our student desire.”

But it’s not growth for growth’s sake; the program is also getting better each and every year. Carroll Senior High was recently ranked No. 5 in North Texas and No. 14 on a list of the State’s Best High Schools for STEM. The list, created by Niche.com, is based on rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education.

Rankings were based on state math test scores, enrollment in advanced math and science courses, math SAT/ACT scores, alumni interest in STEM majors and colleges, and STEM school ratings.

Word is spreading across the state and among students and parents alike as more and more Dragons choose to take advantage of the program. Contrary to

popular belief, STEM classes are not just an Advanced Placement endeavor. Roughly 1-in-4 students registered in STEM are non-AP. And, in just three short years, the number of students enrolled in the program has more than tripled from just under 100 in 2014 to more than 320 now. Students are registering for classes such as Concepts of Engineering and Technology, Computer Science III, Advanced Programming, and Robotics and Automation.

If the classes sound collegiate in nature, that ’s because they are designed with college-bound students in mind. Engineerturned-CISD-teacher, Leah Schwedler, has taught Concepts of Engineering and Robotics and is excited about what STEM classes at Carroll offer her students.

“The project-based learning opportunities that students have in the STEM program are preparing them for college and the future,” says Schwedler. “When students work in teams on projects, they are able to connect their [conceptual] learning to an actual product. They learn to problem solve, work with others and communicate their results.”

Fellow Carroll STEM teacher Christopher Patino agrees. “STEM students feel more comfortable and more prepared to meet the difficulties of college,” he says.

To become a leader in tomorrow’s global economy, students must be prepared with more than knowledge. They must also have continued on page 54

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Students like Stalder and Ahmed may sign up for the college-level c l a s s e s , b u t t h ey s t ay e n g a g e d because of innovative team-based projects, including solar boat races, 3-D printing and, of course, the VEX Robotics Competition. Through it all, Stalder and his classmates just can’t get enough. In the last four years, the program has grown from two to 10 competitive robotics teams.

In February, Carroll hosted a VEX Robotics competition, where nine of the 10 Carroll teams reached the elimination rounds. Ultimately, seven Carroll teams went on to the state championships in Greenville, Texas, with Carroll team 7110W being crowned state champion. The team then went on to compete at the VEX World Championships with fellow Carroll Team 7110Z. Not resting on its robotic laurels, Patino, Schwedler and company have big goals for the future of their program. “Currently, we have plans to add both a rocket design class and a drone racing team,” says Patino. “We think both classes add excitement and, more importantly, give more outlets for students to design and compete at high levels.

the ability to apply that knowledge to solve complicated problems and then communicate that knowledge to their colleagues. All goals for STEM curriculum at Carroll.

Carroll’s STEM program takes classroom learning to new levels.

Students are not only expected to learn, but they are also encouraged to take on leadership roles throughout group projects and ultimately deliver presentations on what they and their teammates have learned. And for those who excel at the highest levels, the STEM program offers credits for independent study and internships with area businesses—giving college-bound students a welldeserved head start.

With so much to learn and complete, students can’t help but stay engaged. “I’ve witnessed teams of students come together to work on a common goal and spend most of their free time working in the robotics lab,” says Schwedler.

STEM 1.0 student Ryan Stalder could be counted among those enjoying free time in the robotics lab. Stalder highly recommends that others follow in his footsteps and says, “Building a competitive robot was my most memorable project. Taking the robot we created from scratch to the world championships was a very proud moment for our team.”

As he heads to major in computer science and engineering at Texas A&M University, Stalder fully expects the lessons and skills obtained throughout his STEM courses to be extremely valuable.

54 • INSIDE CARROLL

Strategic Plan Objective 1: Action Plan 1.1 Create essential real-world experiences that will inspire and empower students, parents, and community members beyond traditional academics.

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#EXPECTEXCELLENCE

STUDENTS & ACTIVITIES The traditions of Dragon Nation are many and varied. Achievements both in and out of the classroom are integral parts of the Dragon way of life.

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STUDENTS & ACTIVITIES

THE CARROLL GUARD SOARS EVER HIGHER The Carroll Guard spent the 2016-17 school year waving their flags high and breaking records left and right. From having their largest squad to date to placing 18th overall at the World Championships, the Carroll Guard had another amazing year.

Split into two portions of the year, the Color Guard performs and competes in the fall with the marching band, and the Winter Guard competes alone in the spring semester. The Carroll Winter Guard had an exceptional competition run, bringing home multiple gold medals, and topping off the year with their highest placing yet – 18th at the WGI National Competition.

Since its origin, the Carroll Guard has seen incredible program growth. The 2016-17 squad had 37 total students, and was able to make up a JV and Varsity team. The team is led by Carroll High School teacher Daphne Adkison, who is in her second year coaching these guard teams.

58 • INSIDE CARROLL

“Our goal is to create a group that is inclusive, kind encouraging, and values hard work and fulfilling their potential,” said Adkison. “We could not be where we are without the support of the district, administrators, board, band directors and parents.”

The Carroll Guard program is not just for high schoolers, but also is inclusive to Dawson Middle and Carroll Middle students. The Carroll Cadets are an official facet of the Guard program, and compete in their own cadet competitions. The Cadets have been around for about 10 years, and are continually working to mirror the high school teams as an effort to strengthen the program overall.

Carroll Senior High teacher Tim Johnston used to oversee the program, and has enjoyed watching the continued growth and success of the program he worked with for many years. “I’m so very proud of the program and its success – color guard and winter guard offer such genuine rewards for those that participate,” said Johnston. The Carroll Guard looks to maintain their level of competition for the 2017-18 school year.

Strategic Plan Objective 1: Action Plan 6 Identify and define students’ unique gifts and abilities, and then develop resources and programs to support students’ individual paths.

CARROLL ISD GOES PINK FOR PINKALICIOUS! The Carroll Theatre department painted the town pink during its spring production of Pinkalicious the Musical.

Pinkalicious the Musical, based on best-selling books

by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann, has been performed off-Broadway since 2007 and made it to the Carroll Senior High stage in May, 2017. Pinkalicious follows the story of its title character who loves all things pink, and is turned pink from head-to-toe by way of indulging in too many of her favorite colored cupcakes. Carroll Theater used this light-hearted and family-friendly show to get the entire Southlake community involved and excited for the production.

Lead actress Devan DeLugo, who played Pinkalicious, had the unique opportunity to travel to Carroll elementary schools dressed as her character, visiting with the students and reading to them from the Pinkalicious books.

“It was an amazing experience as a performer to get up close and personal with so many young Dragons,” DeLugo said. Many of the students were fans of the Pinkalicious books already, and were laughing and reciting the lines along with Devan. “The highlight of the day was returning to my own stomping grounds of continued on page 60

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STUDENTS & ACTIVITIES Johnson Elementary, where the students treated me like a rock star with hugs and high-fives,” DeLugo said.

In addition to the elementary school visits, the Pinkalicious cast hosted a Twitter competition, offering free tickets to the winner of a “show us your pink!” contest. In the days leading up the show, CISD students and staff alike wore pink to school to get everyone excited for opening night of the show. The cast, including Pinkalicious herself, offered a meet and greet after the show.

The entire Carroll community was able to experience the fun of this production both on and off the stage during Carroll Theatre’s portrayal of Pinkalicious the Musical.

15 years ago. The second-place CMS team was made up of students Kiera DiCesare, Sydney Nickel, Heloise Hoffmann, Tanner Hunt, Emma Johnson, Diya Panjabi and Lizzie Garcia, and coaches Diana DiCesare and Shelli Nickel.

Each Carroll OM team had so much work to be proud of this year. The teams look forward to returning next year and reaching the same level of excellence at the World Finals level and continuing the legacy of excellence that has come before them.

Strategic Plan Objective 1: Action Plan 6 Identify and define students’ unique gifts and abilities, and then develop resources and programs to support students’ individual paths.

7TH HEAVEN: DRAGON SWIMMING TEAM CONTINUES STATE DOMINANCE

CARROLL ODYSSEY OF THE MIND TEAMS PROTECT THE TRADITION AT WORLD FINALS Comprised of some of the most creative problem solvers Carroll has to offer, the Carroll Odyssey of the Mind teams returned to the World Finals Competition this year, and they did not disappoint.

The Odyssey of the Mind World Finals competition was held May 23-28 on the Michigan State University campus. Carroll students traveled to compete against over 800 teams from across the United States and beyond, all of whom had been competing in regional and state tournaments to earn their spot at the World Finals.

The competition consists of teams of seven students competing in a Spontaneous Problem Challenge and one of five Long-Term Problems: Vehicular, Technical, Classics, Structural or Performance. Carroll kicked off the year with 22 total teams at the North Texas Region Tournament, and 18 of those qualified for the State Finals in Houston. Ten of those teams advanced and earned a trip to the World Finals.

The Carroll ISD tradition of excellence was fulfilled with the second-place trophy being awarded to the Carroll Middle School team. They are carrying on the OM tradition that was set before them

by Carroll High, who brought home the silver five years ago, and the original Carroll OM team who also earned silver at their very first competition

60 • INSIDE CARROLL

Strategic Action Plan 1.1 Create essential real-world experiences that will inspire and empower students, parents and community members beyond traditional academics.

The Carroll Dragon swimming dynasty continues. In February, the Dragon boys’ swimming team left Austin for the seventh consecutive year with a state championship from the state’s largest classification. This, and a celebratory dive in the pool, has become an annual tradition for longtime head coach Kevin Murphy.

Carroll won the Class 6A state title and added some flair to the victory this year. The Dragons won in record-breaking fashion, scoring 327 points besting the previous state mark of 295.

Among the events, the Dragons won four state championships. Right now, Carroll is the king of the pool in Texas and appears loaded for the future.

“Each group blazes the trail and raises the bar for the next group,” Dragon swim coach Kevin Murphy said. “The first set of young men, the class of 2011 and those right below them, broke through to win the first of these seven state titles in a row. Each class, since then, in its own way, with different strengths, has built on that tradition.”

This year’s state championship was highlighted by two relay and two individual state titles.

Alex Zettle won the 200 freestyle and set a school and state record with a time of 1:36.27. Teammate Jack LeVant won the 100 butterfly gold medal with a school-record time of 47.64. Zettle and LeVant also joined Landon Armstrong and Colter Carman as 400 free relay champions.

The 200 medley relay also finished first and included the team of LeVant, Evan Kolde, Gus Karau and Armstrong.

Zettle and LeVant will look to lead the team toward Austin again next year as seniors.

DRAGONS FOR WATER The Carroll Indoor Percussion team had a landmark year in many ways. Breaking team records and reaching new goals each competition became a regular practice for the team this year, but one achievement that stood out from all the rest—the team’s season-long endeavor to raise awareness and funds for a clean water initiative.

Students were inspired by the story their competition piece FROM DUST was telling—about overcoming obstacles and rising from the ashes. So, the students decided early on to launch a season-long fundraising initiative, attempting to raise enough money to build a well in a country that does not have access to clean water. The theme of their show was brought to life by partnering with the organization Charity Water. Carroll Indoor Percussion launched “Dragons for Water” and dedicated all of

their shows to this fundraiser, using their performing platform to draw attention to this important cause.

All while exhibiting the Dragon core value of compassionate service in their fundraising efforts, the Carroll Indoor Percussion team was still able to have an incredibly successful year. In the spring, the team placed second overall at their Regional Competition, with a score that was the second highest in the country for all other regional competitions. Additionally, Carroll Indoor Percussion brought home the firstplace trophy for the first time in program history from the NTCA Championship.

The Carroll Indoor Percussion team has only existed at Carroll for four years, and continues to grow in both size and skill.

CISD is especially proud of their efforts to support the district’s core value of compassionate service through their Dragons for Water efforts.

Strategic Plan Objective 1: Action Plan 10.1 Provide innovative and authentic instructional experiences that challenge and empower all students to be active participants in their own learning and expand our culture of compassionate service through knowledge and experience.

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STUDENTS & ACTIVITIES

OZARKA – THE SPONSORSHIP THAT GAVE BACK By now, most Dragon fans are probably familiar with the marketing partnership between Carroll ISD and Ozarka at Dragon Stadium over the last three years. And in a place like Dragon Nation, Dragon fans are no strangers to sponsorships, advertising and marketing partnerships whether it be through booster clubs or the CISD marketing department.

Sponsorships by their nature are about what each side “gets” from the relationship. But in the case of Ozarka, the sponsor wanted to know what they could “give” to the relationship with CISD. Having just experienced some recent tornado damage at one of their plants in east Texas and being the recipient of help from the community to get their plant operational, Ozarka officials wanted to dedicate their partnership with CISD to helping others.

So, with a few brainstorming sessions completed, the idea of the “Compassion Cup” was born. The idea was simple and tailor-made for CISD students; a competition to see which campus could collect the most food for community outreach programs including GRACE (Grapevine Relief and Community Exchange) and the Tarrant Area Food Bank over a one-week period. The winning campus would

62 • INSIDE CARROLL

receive an actual “Compassion Cup” trophy and bragging rights for a year.

This project aligned perfectly with one of CISD’s Core Values. Not only did students and staff bring non-perishable food items to school as part of the Compassion Cup competition, fans attending the Dragon football game were encouraged to bring canned foods to donate to the cause.

“The Compassion Cup surrounding the Ozarka food drive was a perfect way for one of our Core Values, Compassionate Service, to be highlighted for all CISD students to see and experience first-hand. It really put action behind our stated values,” said Julie Thannum, Assistant Superintendent for Board & Community Relations.

Representatives from Ozarka were on the sidelines of the home Dragon football game to announce Johnson Elementary School as the winner of the Fall 2016 Compassion Cup. In turn, students were presented with an engraved Compassion Cup during an assembly at their campus. They proudly display the cup at the winning campus.

Be looking for a return of the Compassion Cup this fall. And since most sponsorships are measured in numbers and results, consider this: 2016 WINNING CAMPUS: Johnson Elementary Winning Weight: 1,817 lbs.

Total Food Collected: 5,849 lbs.

Meal Equivalent: 2,000 meals Bottled Water Donated: 20,000 bottles Strategic Plan Objective 10 Expand our culture of compassionate service through knowledge and experience.

PROTECTING THE TRADITION: DRAGON HALL OF HONOR

DRAGON BASEBALL PRODUCES STATE TOURNAMENT RUN

One thing is certain about Carroll and Dragon athletics—there is tradition and history.

To honor the history of one of the most successful athletics programs in the state, Carroll ISD created the Hall of Honor in 2011. Dragon tradition runs deep back to the start of the school district in 1959. The district’s commitment to excellence in all sports has been reflective by the nearly 40 athletic team state championships.

Along with the athletes and coaches, the administrators and devoted Dragons supporters have combined to forge a foundation of support and success.

Each year, nominations are taken and multiple members are selected to the Athletic Hall of Honor by a Hall of Honor committee. Once nominated, an individual will stay on the nomination list. Nominees can be coaches, teachers, administrators, athletes, fans, or booster club members who have contributed significantly to Carroll ISD athletics programs. Once nominated, individuals remain indefinitely on the nomination list for future consideration.

After the yearly inductees are announced they are honored at the Dragon homecoming parade and halftime of the homecoming game at Dragon Stadium. To date, there are 28 Dragons whose names are enshrined in the Hall of Honor.

The first class in 2011 included the cornerstones of Carroll ISD athletics – Jack Johnson (administrator), John Lowrey (coach/administrator), Bob Ledbetter (coach/athletic director), Kathy Harston (basketball player) and Phil Barber (community supporter).

To find out more about the Hall of Honor and nominate a Dragon, visit the district website at southlakecarroll.edu and click on the athletic department page.

The Carroll Dragon baseball team stepped into a new era in 2017. At the helm was a new leader – Larry Vucan. The former Dragon assistant replaced longtime coach Larry Hughes, who retired after 20 years and 19 playoff appearances. The Dragons transitioned to a new leader with a team of mostly unknown players at the varsity level.

After it was all said and done, the Dragons had one of their best seasons in school history.

It was a matter of a new coaching staff molding a new unit together and a little Dragon playoff magic thrown in for good measure.

Just like old times, but for a new team. Carroll returned to the Class 6A state tournament in Round Rock for the first time since 2008 and the seventh time in school history. The Dragons finished as state semifinalists after a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to eventual state champ Deer Park.

Despite the loss, so much was gained with the return to state.

“It meant a lot putting Carroll back where it belongs,” said Vucan, whose team finished 32-111. “But also for me personally it gave our staff a sense of satisfaction that we had built a solid new foundation for the program to continue.

We expect to continue to keep Carroll at the forefront of high school baseball in Texas and even in the country.”

Three core seniors - Kole Ramage, Ross Cadena and Jake Murphy – anchored the process. Together, the trio helped lead the way for the varsity newcomers. Two new seniors, who played junior varsity last season, were more than

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STUDENTS & ACTIVITIES capable of the new level of play as well. Designated hitter Wyatt Stapp (.370 batting average) and right fielder Ryne Ryskoski (.348) were key components with a band of junior newcomers who delivered a District 5-6A championship.

District 5-6A is regarded as one of the toughest in North Texas and includes Flower Mound, Marcus, Hebron, Lewisville, L.D. Bell, Trinity and Byron Nelson.

The Dragons went 11-3 and it included two-game sweeps of powerhouses Flower Mound and Marcus.

“Truly remarkable how they accepted the challenge of having to play in such a tough district and then maintain and exceed the expectations of what the Dragon baseball community expects,” Vucan said. “Those were the only three (Ramage, Cadena and Murphy) with any previous district experience and they deserve the credit for being inclusive to the newcomers. Their personality and buy-in to what we were doing was fundamental to our success.”

Ramage, an Arkansas signee who was 10-4 on the mound and hit .336, was named the district’s MVP and was joined by Cadena, a first-team catcher who hit a team-leading .396. Murphy was a second-team selection at shortstop. Stapp was selected first team and Ryskoski was second team.

Carroll’s district run showed it would be a contender in the postseason. The Dragons lost only one playoff game before the state semifinal in Round Rock. Along the playoff road, the Dragons dispatched Plano, Waco Midway, Allen, Fossil Ridge and Martin.

None were bigger than Martin. Not only because a berth to state was on the line, but because the Warriors had knocked the Dragons out of the playoffs three of the last five years. The cold spell ended at Dallas Baptist with a Dragon series sweep. And this team added flare to the finish with a four-hit shutout by Ramage and a three-hit shutout by sophomore Cutter Sippel (10-0 record) and junior Nicco Cole (7-2).

In Round Rock, the Dragons’ state championship hopes were dashed on a controversial balk call in the bottom of the sixth that scored the go-ahead run. It was a crushing defeat for the Dragons, but a lesson of adversity that will help motivate next year’s team.

The Dragons finished the year by winning 21 of their final 26 games, including a 10-2 mark in the playoffs.

And moving forward, the future looks promising.

The Dragons return four first-team, all-district starters - 2B Cade Bell (.313), 3B Cole Johnson (.348), CF Adam Stephenson (.376) and LHP Sippel - next year.

Unlike this year, plenty of experience returns and its experience from having high-pressure at-bats at state.

“I think watching Coach Hughes do what he did the last five years put me in a good position to learn from him and also to implement a new vision that embraced

64 • INSIDE CARROLL

the past but worked to change a few things,” Vucan said. “I think the vision has always been from my perspective that we are in the greatest school district in America and one that is very unique. I have just sought to enhance and celebrate the ‘One Dragon’ mantra and bring Dragon Youth Baseball and the Dragon baseball community together in the spirit of Dragon Nation.”

RUN REED RUN! Reed Brown never stops running. He has run all over the trails of Southlake for years and has run past most of his state and national high school competition. His special gift is running long distance and doing it faster than most.

Much faster. Brown, who graduated from Carroll in June and will run at Oregon, showed in early June just how fast with a history-making run that became national sports news. On the day before his graduation, Brown produced one of his great achievements by running the mile under four minutes.

Brown ran the mile at an event in St. Louis in 3:59.30. The feat was historic and capped his medal-decorated high school career. He became the first high school runner in state history to run a mile under four minutes. Just 10 high school runners have ever run a four-minute mile.

“Breaking the four-minute mile put an exclamation point on a great career,” Carroll cross country and track coach Justin Leonard said. “Becoming the first Texan and fourth fastest ever really speaks for itself. I’m so proud of him and glad that I was able to be apart of his journey.”

Brown’s career as a Dragon is a journey of medal presentations and standing atop podiums after events. Few in the history of Carroll have been so special. This Dragon becomes a motivating force for future Dragons to someday run like Reed.

“Reed is leaving a lasting legacy here at Carroll and one that will inspire future runners to chase their dreams and goals,” Leonard said. “Reed has made what others seem impossible now possible through hard work and dedication. He has carried himself with class and has represented Carroll in the highest fashion.”

Among Brown’s top honors in high school was being named the Gatorade Boys Runner of the Year in Texas for the past two years.

At the University Interscholastic League Class 6A State Track and Field meet in Austin, Brown’s name was a regular among the medalists.

Brown won the state title in the 3,200 meter event the past two years, competing in the state’s largest classification. He also finished second in the

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1,600 the past two years at state and broke the state record this year with a time of 4:02.39 and was just .09 seconds behind the title winner.

In addition to his track highlights, Brown was a cornerstone of the cross country program. He helped the Dragons win a state title in 2014 and led two secondplace finishes the last two seasons.

Looking ahead, Brown now sets his vision on Eugene, Oregon and becoming a top runner for the Ducks.

“Reed has a bright future ahead of him,” Leonard said. “He will continue to develop and get better throughout his collegiate career and beyond. We are excited to follow his career and see where running takes him.”

Most likely to the front of the pack.

Strategic Plan Objective 6 Identify and define students’ unique gifts and abilities, and then develop resources and programs to support student’s individual paths.

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INSIDE CARROLL • 65

THE CLASS OF 2017

T

he Dragon Class of 2017 waited a long time to get to graduation day, and on the evening of June 2, they had to wait a little longer.

Rain and lightning delayed the outdoor ceremonies for about 90 minutes. Students in the senior class took to social media, jokingly blaming the delay on past bad weather pleas to #SAFEdragon to grant them a snow day. But when the skies finally cleared enough to begin the Pomp and Circumstance, a rainbow spilled across the sky and 676 Dragons walked across the stage to get their diplomas.

Senior Class President Callie Colvin set the tone for the event by talking about special memories experienced by the Class of 2017. Her mom, Rebecca, is a teacher for Carroll ISD and graduated from CISD, as well.

“My advice to you, Class of 2017, is to truly live, to go out there and make so many memories and experiences of your own,” Colvin said.

“Go, enjoy your lives and have so much fun and

66 • INSIDE CARROLL

do amazing things and achieve all your goals and explore the world and make a difference.”

Student Council President Kate Dyche also spoke about growing up in Southlake. She encouraged her classmates to be people of virtue. “You are what you do, so display integrity, humility, honesty and courage,” she said. “Be thoughtful in all that you say and do, and follow the Golden Rule, and your character will be your greatest asset in achieving a successful and happy life.”

The Class of 2017 had 91 of its members earn honors by the National Merit Scholarship Program. The class earned about $26.6 million in scholarship monies and completed more than 72,000 community service hours. They will attend a myriad of colleges and universities across the nation.

Valedictorian Samira Mehta plans to attend the University of Pennsylvania to major in biology. She hopes to pursue a career in medicine.

“For all of the little girls in the audience, let me just mention that our class president, student council president, salutatorian and valedictorian are all girls this year,” she said proudly. “This is a reflection of what strong, dedicated women can achieve, regardless of what society tells us. “. . .to the graduating Class of 2017. We did it. Carroll has prepared us well for the new journey ahead. Now, let’s go out into the world and change it.”

Salutatorian Emma Lin plans to attend Harvard University in the fall to study government and philosophy.

“Don’t worry about chasing your passion,” Lin told her classmates. “Instead, be passionate about what you chase. Treat every opportunity like it’s the golden opportunity.

Take your time, but don’t waste your time.”

The Class of 2017 waited out the storms together at their home campus Carroll Senior High. They were the second class to ride yellow school buses down Southlake Boulevard to Dragon Stadium behind a police escort.

Carroll ISD’s graduation rate is 100 percent, and 97 percent of CISD’s graduating class goes on to attend colleges or universities.

PROUD TO BE A DRAGON FAMILY!

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We ❤ being Dragons!

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THE CLASS OF 2017

CELEBRATING CLASS OF 2017 Samira Mehta – Valedictorian: Despite her obvious academic achievements, for Carroll’s 2017 class valedictorian Samira Mehta, “Success is not defined by ranking or GPA – success happens when you can look back and know you put your heart and soul into everything you did.” Anyone familiar with Samira and her time at Carroll would agree her words follow her actions.

Mehta has been a Carroll student for 12 years, during which time she has challenged herself, set goals for her future and discovered some of her biggest passions. “I liked the fact that I was able to take as many AP classes as I wanted,” she said. This allowed her to explore her interests early on and prepare for her heavy college workload. She loves science, and her favorite classes were AP Biology and AP Physics C – both challenged her, but she found it “fascinating to learn about the world and the way it works.”

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Outside of her regular academic schedule, Mehta is involved with several clubs and organizations, including Carroll Medical Academy and the National Spanish Honor Society. She is also both the founder and president of the Southlake Junior World Affairs Council (JWAC), a club whose mission, she explains, is “to spread cultural and international awareness throughout the Southlake community through service projects.”

One of her favorite memories from her work with the JWAC is working with Isla Urbana, an organization fighting the water crisis in Mexico City.

During her junior year, Mehta was invited to visit Mexico City and help install a rainwater collection system. She was able to meet and speak with many of those in the affected community, which she says motivated her to “continue helping those without a voice.” This summer, she will return to Mexico City as an Isla Urbana student leader, and intends to continue working with them for years to come.

In the fall, Mehta will head off to the University of Pennsylvania, where she plans to study biology. She most looks forward to the “vast research opportunities” that will be made available to her in college. She hopes to go to graduate school and learn how to make the world a better place with her scientific knowledge. As she sets off, Mehta follows a piece of advice given to her by her dad: “Do what you love,” he tells her. “Then it won’t seem like work!”

Emma Lin – Salutatorian: Class of 2017 salutatorian Emma Lin feels very lucky to be a Dragon – regardless of each student’s unique background, says Lin, there is a shared value of excellence and service that feels universal. “It’s a unique experience,” she recognizes, to have “traditions that cross cultural and generational boundaries.”

Lin has been a student of Carroll nearly her whole life – she came to the district during first grade, and has thrived here ever since. She is the oldest of three sisters – both siblings (Amber, 7, and Katy, 13) attend Carroll schools as well. Her parents, she says, are also very involved in the community.

On top of their regular jobs, both Lin’s mother and father are involved with the PTO, the AP Booster Club and the Debate Booster Club Board.

Lin was a member of the Varsity Speech and Debate team all four years of high school, and served as president for two years. She doesn’t mind that debate takes up all of her free time, because she loves the sense of empowerment she gets from speaking and considers it the “single greatest influence in her life.” She even had one experience – during her very first congressional debate speech – when she accidentally spoke on the wrong side of her debate topic, and didn’t realize her mistake until she was finished. “It was embarrassing,” she admits, “but it was actually a relief, to know that I’d just made one of the worst possible mistakes one could make in debate, and my life wasn’t over.” She has since been ranked among the top five debaters in the nation two years in a row. She has also coached at several local youth speech and debate clubs, and feels very passionate about passing on her skills to younger debaters – proof, that with discipline and dedication, she could do things that seemed impossible when she was just starting out.

Alongside two of her friends, Lin also established the Carroll Women in Technology Club, in

order to meet with female industry leaders and learn more about the work that they do.

In the fall, Lin will attend Harvard University, where she plans to study government, philosophy or economics, and potentially attend law or business school. While she’s not yet certain what she wants to do in school, she doesn’t worry – she remembers some advice from her parents, who reassured her that the student population is diverse enough to represent many different interests, and she will either “find a community wherever she goes, or she will make one herself.”

Whether she becomes a human rights lawyer, works in the business sector, or forms her own non-profit, Emma Lin is determined that her future career be truly fulfilling. She stresses that to her, being a Carroll Dragon is all about embodying the guiding principles that the community has instilled in us all – to demonstrate excellence – wherever she goes.

Strategic Plan Objective 9 Provide support to all students to achieve postsecondary goals.

INSIDE CARROLL • 69

The Tradition begins at Home

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G ina and Kyle ParKs

are not just parents of four children. They are raising four Dragons who each have varied interests and passions their parents doggedly ensure they pursue. So how does one maintain a sense of family life amid scheduling that requires the skill of a time management specialist? For Gina, it starts with breakfast and the Bible.

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RECREATION

Every morning before school, while Gina packs four lunches, the kids—Tatum, 14, Cade, 12, Caitlin, 10, and Shelby, 6—eat breakfast together and share a devotional. “After our family devotional, we talk about what everyone has going on that day,” Gina says, “and then Kyle and I do a debrief before he leaves for work to go over who is doing which pickup. It definitely requires teamwork.”

Since dinner is often eaten in shifts, breakfast has become command central. Gina goes over what equipment is needed for after-school practices and ensures each child knows who will be picking him or her up.

It ’s a necessary step made even more essential this fall when all four children will be at different schools within Carroll ISD—Shelby at Old Union Elementary, Caitlin at Eubanks Intermediate, Cade at Dawson Middle and Tatum at Carroll High. In addition to academics, the kiddos participate in myriad afterschool activities throughout the year. “While they’re young, I feel like they should try out different interests so they can discover what

they’re most passionate about,” says Gina. “Then, as they get older, they can wean off their activities to focus on their studies, and activities take more time as they get more competitive.”

Tatum has already dropped band, piano, dance and volleyball to allow more time for soccer (both club and school) and horseback riding. She plans to join the school’s rodeo team and run track. Plus, she’ll join SASO (Scholars and Athletes Serving Others) and Young Life.

Cade now focuses on football, basketball (club and school), lacrosse (club in Dallas and Southlake) and Students Standing Strong [a precursor to Young Life].

He used to play baseball and soccer but gave those up for his other pursuits.

Since moving to Southlake in 2005, the Parks made a pact to stay in Carroll ISD from start to finish for all four children. The district provides exactly the right continued on page 75

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setup for this busy family of four Dragons. From dropping off the kids at four schools each morning to transitioning from one school to the next, the Parks’ kids are well-prepared for what lies ahead. “I’m a total believer in the intermediate (fifth/sixth grades) and middle school (seventh/ eighth grades) campuses preparing them for the next step,” Gina says.

At first, Gina thought the school setup required substantial change, but now she is convinced the district is designed for student success. “Each school year we talk about what the new year means as far as a commitment to academics,” she adds. And then the family decides what extracurricular activities can be given up in favor of a better balance of school and play.

Gina recalls having “a wake-up call with time management ” when Tatum started middle school. “The kids have always been good students,” she says, “but in seventh grade, Tatum was going straight from school to soccer and then homework was done after we got home.”

She ended up dropping an AP class down to grade level, at the advice of a guidance counselor. “It was a great decision and a real moment of maturity for her,” Gina adds.

The two younger girls dance and Caitlin plays basketball and rides horses. She’s also starting piano lessons and Students Standing Strong.

Over the summer, she tried her hand at theater.

Along with sports, the family also believes the arts help make a well-rounded child. “It helps them use all parts of their brain,” Gina says, “and helps them look at things with a different perspective.” Kyle plays the guitar, and so the whole family has an appreciation for music. “We have lots of dance parties at our house,” Gina adds.

As a family, they attend Gateway Church and are involved in many of the church’s programs.

Even when their schedule has some leeway, the days can still be hectic. Gina depends on other parents to help carpool—and she does her share for them—and she keeps a planner filled with who has to be where and when. “It takes a village to raise this small army, and I rely heavily on my friends,” she says. “We joke about one day someone getting left behind. It’s bound to happen eventually.” But the older kids know they might have to wait around for their pickup at times, and Tatum has a phone to help her stay in touch. During school, Cade can reach out via his iPad if he’s forgotten something. His cell phone is likely forthcoming.

Even though the kids have summer activities, including Dragon sports camps, the school break provides a much-needed respite. The Parks can be found relaxing at their cabin in Canton, pick-

ing berries, riding horses, fishing, kayaking and attending the First Monday Trade Days, the town’s epic monthly flea market.

When Shelby starts soccer this fall, her sister Tatum plans to be on the sidelines helping coach her team. Having her own horse allows Tatum a little more flexibility in her schedule this year.

The Parks try to attend a few high school football games as a family to experience firsthand: Once a Dragon, Always a Dragon. “The high school kids are like celebrities to mine,” Gina says. “The schools do such a good job fostering school spirit.”

Having such a busy family is a fairly new experience for Gina, who grew up with only a stepbrother, in an era when kids didn’t have as many options vying for their attention.

But she wouldn’t trade her busy days for anything. “I always wanted a big family and thought we’d have five boys, but God had other plans,” she says. “I’m learning right along with them.”

Strategic Action Plan 8 Develop common best practices to aid in grade transition.

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FACILITIES

#SAFEdragon DRAGONS KNOW THE DRILL Operation #SAFEdragon is a comprehensive school safety program that combines training, education and prevention to help ensure the health, safety and security of Carroll ISD’s students and staff.

E a c h ye a r, th e d i s tr i c t updates its multi-hazard Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), which is a thorough , written plan that identifies staf f responses for 31 potential crisis situations. The EOP is not readily accessible to the general public, however, so as not to compromise the district’s response to safety and security situations.

The district’s EOP contains four major areas of emphasis as recommended by the Texas School Safety Center (TSSC): • • • •

PREVENTION PREPARATION RESPONSE RECOVERY

Flip charts and escape route maps are posted in each of the district’s classrooms and office areas. Training and tabletop exercises are conducted throughout the school year on topics such as weather emergencies, active shooters, bus safety and more.

The EOP and its collective scenarios help train staff and students for the unexpected.

Preparedness builds the capability to respond effectively and recover from emergency incidents, according to the TSSC. Regular training, drilling and exercising using pre-determined and appropriate protocol reduces the possibility that students and staff become victims in an emergency. In addition, training, drilling and

exercising ensure that staff and students know what their responsibilities are during any type of emergency.

Carroll staff and students discuss and/ or practice five different types of safety drills throughout the school year.

District officials coordinate emergency response ef forts with local fire, police and medical first responders and document drills as required by the law.

DRILLS INCLUDE: Fire/Evacuation: Monthly fire drills are conducted so that if smoke and fire are ever present in the school building, students and staff can safely and calmly exit the building in an organized fashion and quickly be accounted for by campus administrators.

Lockdown: Students and staff practice soft and hard lockdowns in the event there is an immediate threat in or around the building. Hallways are cleared, classroom doors are secured and teachers continue teaching during a soft lockdown.

Students and staff lock doors, turn out lights and quietly hide from danger until help arrives in a hard lockdown.

Reverse Evacuation: A reverse evacuation is an organized and planned way to get students and staff into the school building in the event they are outside during an emergency. Reverse evacuation procedures are practiced in conjunction with other drills each semester.

Severe Weather: Students and staff practice severe weather “duck and cover” drills each semester in an effort to take shelter in interior rooms without windows during approaching bad weather. Each campus is equipped with a weather radio and communications during a storm are coordinated at the central office level.

Shelter in Place: Although rare, shelter-inplace drills are discussed primarily by staff in the continued on page 78

INSIDE CARROLL • 77

FACILITIES

#SAFEdragon event of a hazardous material emergency near the school building. Similar to a lockdown, students and staff remain inside the building with HVAC systems turned off to prevent the flow of any hazardous or unsafe air.

Parents are encouraged to discuss the #SAFEdragon drills with their students each year. Please feel free to direct any questions about school safety or security to your child’s campus principal.

Strategic Plan Objective 2: Action Plan 4.4 Cultivate a secure, supportive and nurturing environment where everyone feels safe and valued by developing/enhancing safety training for CISD employees.

SROS KEEP CISD SCHOOLS SAFER There’s no doubt that the presence of trained police officers at every Carroll ISD campus is reassuring for parents, staff and students. In fact, in a recent survey conducted by Carroll ISD, 94 percent of the parents and staff surveyed said they believe Carroll schools are safer because of the presence of the School Resource Officers (SRO).

Whether it’s Officer Frank opening doors for car riders at Walnut Grove Elementary, Officer Petrie teaching students to make good choices at Durham Intermediate or SRO Rogers discouraging distracted driving by teens at Carroll Senior High, campus police officers have earned a position of respect in the minds and hearts of Carroll Dragons.

Since 2013, the City of Southlake has provided a trained SRO at each school, and in May 2017 voters reinforced their support of the program by overwhelmingly approving a crime control sales tax that would continue to fund safety programs for another 20 years. The May special election garnered 81.5 percent voter approval.

SROs are committed to providing a safe campus and environment for teachers and students. Along with providing enhanced security, SROs are also dedicated to making a positive impact on students by investing in their lives in a variety of ways.

“The SROs are such an integral part of our Dragon family,” said Carroll Superintendent David J. Faltys.

78 • INSIDE CARROLL

“We appreciate our ongoing partnership with the City of Southlake to help make this program possible and our schools safer for everyone. It’s truly a model program for other school districts to emulate.”

SROs work in partnership with Carroll ISD’s #SAFEdragon program to provide students with important messages about bullying, cyber-bullying, alcohol and drug abuse, internet and chat room safety, bicycle helmet safety and much more. They also serve as positive role models through coaching and mentoring to help students make good choices and learn about the consequences of negative behavior.

The partnership between the City of Southlake and Carroll ISD began in 1989 when the first DARE officer began teaching in the elementary schools. As the district grew and the relationship between the city and the school district strengthened, officers were also placed at secondary campuses.

From 2005 to 2013, Southlake and CISD schools operated with three SROs. These officers were assigned at Carroll Senior High, Carroll High, and an officer who divided time between Carroll Middle and Dawson Middle.

In December 2012, the nation was shocked by the violent school shooting that resulted in the loss of 26 lives at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut. It was this pivotal event in our nation’s history that resulted in a special Southlake Mayor’s Safety Task Force that recommended a SRO for every CISD school.

Using a 1/8-cent crime control sales tax, city officials agreed to fund the $1 million needed annually to implement the K-12 SRO program. City officials say 75 percent of the crime prevention funding comes from outside visitors who shop and dine in Southlake.

Campus SROs serve as a resource for faculty and staff in the area of crime prevention and development of security measures to make campuses safer. As a law enforcement officer, the SRO responds to all types of offenses on campus, takes reports, investigates criminal offenses involving youth, both on and off campus, acting as both the first responding investigator and an expert in juvenile law. School Resource Officers enforce violations of the law only, and do not enforce school rules, nor is their presence used to “persuade” compliance.

More importantly, the SROs develop strong relationships with students, staff and parents, and provide a greater sense of safety awareness and visibility for the greater Dragon community.

Strategic Plan Objective 2: Action Plan 4 Cultivate a secure, supportive and nurturing environment where everyone feels safe and valued.

CARROLL ISD IMPLEMENTS RAPID RESPONDER PROGRAM Carroll school officials continued their commitment to having safe and secure schools by contracting to implement Rapid Responder beginning with the 2017-18 school year. The program was being used by Midlothian ISD school officials and caught the eye of Matt Miller, Carroll’s Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services.

“We’ve been looking for a product that would help us better organize our response plan and conveniently store documents and site maps online for instant use by first responders and school leaders in the event of an emergency,” said Miller.

Rapid Responder is an all-hazards emergency preparedness and crisis management system that securely stores and shares emergency operating procedures and response plans used by facility staff and first responders to effectively prepare for, respond to and recover from any emergency.

The system can be accessed online, installed on a laptop, stored encrypted on a USB drive or via the iOS or Android app.

“This seemed like a perfect next step in our comprehensive #SAFEdragon program,” said Julie Thannum, Assistant Superintendent for Board & Community Relations. “The real strength of the program, as Matt identified, is for those responding to a campus emergency to be able to have instant access to secure response plans and maps through a password-protected online portal. We’ve currently been using written plans and printed classroom flip charts.”

In February, members of the superintendent’s cabinet met with campus administrators and first responders from the Southlake police department and the fire department to plan and prepare for an active shooter emergency on each campus.

The meeting served as an opportunity for all the agencies and individuals involved in managing through a school emergency to come together to discuss and prepare tactical response maps for each CISD building.

Rapid Responder is the most widely deployed school crisis management system in the United States, protecting thousands of campuses across the country. The system is certified by the Department of Homeland Security, and it securely stores critical information for use by campus personnel and first responders in the event of an emergency.

The company’s website says Rapid Responder turns your “three-ring binder into an E-Ring binder, quickly providing the most updated emergency response information to all crisis response team members and first responders.”

In the event of a crisis, first responders and school personnel need instant access to campus emergency response information. Campus information stored in Rapid Responder is designed to be securely distributed and shared throughout a school community. First responders and school officials have secure access to detailed school emergency response information displaying everything from floor plans and emergency response plans to escape routes and evacuation plans.

Rapid Responder has been proven to be reliable and effective in actual campus emergencies including a campus shooting.

Strategic Plan Objective 4: Action Plan 4.2 Utilize current and appropriate security-related technology, as recommended by security subject matter experts.

INSIDE CARROLL • 79

DRAGON ZOO Carroll ISD is home to many animals of different shapes, sizes and countries of origin. All throughout the district there are famous, and some infamous, pets that have joined students in the classroom throughout the school year. Whether they are a new addition to their campus or top the most tenured teachers, these animals make a lasting impact on the Dragons they befriend.

TUCKER | GOLDEN RETRIEVER

JR “JUST A RODENT” | HAMSTER

Homeroom Teacher: Ellen Bruder, RES

Homeroom Teacher: Rebecca Alexander, WGES

In his third year at RES. His favorite things to do with the kids are listening to great stories, having his kiddo friends tell him in their own words about the story and getting treats.

His first year at WGES. JR once got out of his cage and traveled across the entire classroom, “all the way over to the bookshelf,” as told by one of his first-grade classmates.

SPOON | SUGAR GLIDER

EMILY | GUINEA PIG

Homeroom Teacher: Cammie Justus, CMS

Homeroom Teacher: Katie Hoeflich, WGES

He has been at CMS for two years. He can often be seen jumping from his cage onto students’ shoulders.

In her second year at WGES. Emily loves playing with the kiddos, eating, getting belly rubs and listening to music.

80 • INSIDE CARROLL

ROSIE | ALBINO BURMESE PYTHON Homeroom Teacher: Brittney Divittore, DMS Rosie is 15 years old and 15 feet long. She weighs 120 pounds and can live up to 30 years.

SAMSON’S BIG ADVENTURE Carroll ISD and the entire Southlake community had quite the scare in May when Samson, the beloved Carroll Middle School tortoise, went missing. Thanks to help from the Southlake police department, local media coverage, Carroll families and the Southlake community, Samson was found safe and returned home to CMS. We got a chance to visit with Samson, the runaway turtle, about his big adventure and what he plans to do with his newfound celebrity.

Q: WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE ON THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR HABITAT AT CMS? A: Much bigger than I was expecting. I couldn’t believe there was so much open space without walls and gates!

SNICKERS | LOP-EARED RABBIT Homeroom Teacher: Brittney Divittore, DMS Snickers is 10 years old and is a very sleepy rabbit. She will fall asleep in the arms of any student.

Q: HOW LONG HAD YOU BEEN PLOTTING YOUR ESCAPE? A: A few months now. I never intended to leave CMS for good, but I wanted to see what life was like on the outside for a few days.

Q: WHAT WAS YOUR ORIGINAL DESTINATION? A: I was trying to make it all the way to the Fort Worth Zoo to see some old friends, but realized a few days in I had underestimated the length of the journey.

Q: DID YOU MAKE ANY FRIENDS ON YOUR TRIP? A: Definitely. There were some very friendly cows in the pasture near CMS. I was a little afraid to talk to them because they were so big, but I came out of my shell to say hello.

Q: WHAT WERE YOUR FAVORITE ROAD TRIP SNACKS? A: Mostly grass. The friendly cows were kind enough to share some of theirs with me.

BEAKER | BIRD Homeroom Teacher: Cammie Justus, CMS Beaker is two-and-a-half years old and is quite the dancing queen. Beaker loves when students play music so that she can dance for them.

Q: WHY DID YOU LEAVE YOUR FELLOW TORTOISE DELILAH BEHIND? A: I was afraid she would slow me down, and I didn’t have any time to spare on my already tight schedule. I was sad to leave her, but I knew I would be back soon. Hopefully she didn’t miss me too much while I was gone.

Q: WERE YOU DISAPPOINTED TO BE FOUND SO EARLY IN YOUR JOURNEY? A: I have mixed emotions about that – I was sad my thrillseeking journey only lasted a few days, but I was starting to miss the comforts of my home at CMS. The Synetra employees who found me were very nice and just wanted to get me home safely.

INSIDE CARROLL • 81

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82 • INSIDE CARROLL

ADMINISTRATION

There’s No Place Like Home For Janet McDade

J

oining the Carroll ISD leadership team was like coming home for Janet McDade, the newest member of the superintendent’s cabinet.

After all, McDade bleeds green and is no stranger to life in the Emerald City. She is the wife of Dragon boys’ basketball coach Eric McDade and mom to two Dragons, Bryson, a sophomore at Carroll High School, and Braylen, a seventh grader at Dawson Middle School. “ I had already been a Dragon for four years as a parent and wife supporter,” says McDade. “I knew the traditions, the excellence of the district and I wanted to be a part. I knew the leadership team was the best in the state, and I wanted to be a member of that team and join the Dragon family.”

The Carroll School Board approved McDade in September 2016 to serve as Assistant Superintendent for Student Services. In this role, she supervises campus principals and oversees the Special Programs Department, Technology

Department, Fine Arts Department, Career and Technology Education (CTE), Physical Education, Counseling Services and Nursing Services.

“An area of focus for my department in the first couple of years is going to be customer service as we serve the parents, teachers and campuses,” McDade said. “We have been doing a book study in the Curriculum and Instruction Department first, “Inside the Magic Kingdom,” by Tom Connellan where we have really focused on how we can support the teachers and campuses in a manner in which we pay attention to the details.”

McDade has 21 years of experience in education and previously served in two larger school systems – Garland ISD and Mansfield ISD. With a Master’s degree from TCU and undergraduate degree from Angelo State, McDade is currently working toward her doctorate at Texas A&M University-Commerce.

Her first steps since becoming a Dragon have been to build relationships with her team, to listen, be supportive, and learn more about the great things happening in Carroll ISD. The Strategic Plan is the other area of focus for McDade’s department. “We have worked over the last nine months to keep the Strategic Plan at the forefront of our decision making and ensure that we are implementing the processes and programs that will support student success,” she said.

Most recently McDade served as Garland ISD’s Executive Director of School Transformation, a role she held since 2014.

In this position, McDade provided support to the Superintendent, Executive Council members, 71 campus administrators, the Board of Trustees and supervised five major education and counseling departments across the district.

McDade has experience as a former principal and assistant principal in Mansfield. She was the principal of the Ben Barber Career Tech Academy and Tarver-Rendon Elementary, giving her both a secondary and an elementary perspective.

Before arriving in Mansfield, McDade taught in Bastrop and Birdville ISDs. She likes to read and shop. “I enjoy watching my boys play basketball,” said McDade. “If you can’t find me at work or home, I’m probably in a gym somewhere.

“To be a Carroll Dragon is an honor,” McDade added. “It truly is! I thank the Lord each day for giving me the opportunity to work in this special district, with these special leaders and students, and of course, it means we #ProtectTheTradition and #ExpectExcellence in everything we do.”

Strategic Plan Objective 1: Action Plan 6 Attract, recruit and retain highly qualified personnel.

INSIDE CARROLL • 83

ADMINISTRATION

District Selects Longtime Dragon as Next Carroll Band Director

A

familiar face is now leading the Carroll ISD Band program. Ken Johnson, who has worked with the Carroll band for the past 18 years, is the new Carroll ISD Director of Bands. He was approved in late May and takes over a tradition-rich program with an exciting future.

Johnson’s familiarity with the Dragon students, expectations and tradition make him the perfect fit.

“Mr. Johnson is a longtime Dragon who has a unique ability to connect with students, parents and the community,” said Shawn Duhon, Carroll Senior High School (11-12th grade) principal. “His passion for seeing students and the marching band succeed is very personal to him and he takes great pride in this.”

Johnson replaces Jay Bach, who retired after 23 years with Carroll, including the last six as director.

Johnson’s career path to leading the program is similar to his predecessor. Before becoming director, Bach spent 16 years as assistant director working with another longtime Dragon, Ron Behrends.

“Since being hired by the district in the fall of 1999, I feel I have come to be a part of the Southlake community and have loved every minute of being a Dragon,” Johnson said. “I can’t wait to continue this journey in my new role.”

Johnson started as Assistant Band Director and Director of Percussion Studies and in 2010 he was elevated to Director of Carroll’s Marching Band.

During his tenure, he has helped coordinate and direct the Dragon Band in UIL Marching Region and Area contests, invitational marching and drumline

84 • INSIDE CARROLL

contests, halftime spirit and playoff shows (“LIDS”) and UIL Solo and Ensemble entries.

“His love for the Dragon Band is seen daily throughout Carroll ISD and the state of Texas,” said P.J. Giamanco, Carroll High School (9-10th grade) principal. “His enthusiasm for music and music education has us eager to see him working more closely with our members, advanced and beginner players alike, as well as our directors to produce more excellence for CISD.” The Dragon Marching Band is a consistent finalist at marching contests, including the Golden Triangle Classic, which it has entered every year since 2010. They have won multiple caption awards and were named the 2014 Grand Champion.

The coming years will provide growth and new space for the Dragon Band following the approval of the May 2017 School Bond Election. The bond projects include renovating the band hall and building a new 700-seat music center at Carroll Senior High School.

Johnson will oversee a program that will also transition to being entirely based at CSHS by 2019. Currently, the band hall and all practices are held at CHS. The project list includes adding artificial field turf to the practice field at CSHS for marching band practices. The transition is scheduled to take place during August 2019.

In the meantime, the Dragon Band will begin a new era under its newest leader. One who already knows all about protecting the tradition.

Strategic Plan Objective 1: Action Plan 6 Attract, recruit and retain highly qualified personnel.

CISD STAFF BY THE NUMBERS CHERS TEA &

WI T

H

12.5

79:21

8.0

P 46

LL RA CISD

694

& AUX

AVERAGE YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE

RO

Dedicated Staff 1,135

A RA

OV E

P

PRO 441

CISD TEACHER SALARIES

FORMER DRAGONS EMPLOYED BY CISD

$50,600 START $40,017 START* $68,161 MAX

35% INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF HAVE MASTERS DEGREES

CISD STATE

$56,010 MAX *

*Texas Association of School Boards

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ADMINISTRATION STATE BUDGET FORECAST GLOOMY School funding gave local districts a stormy outlook in the 85th Legislative session after members of the Texas Senate tried to slip in a voucher-type program. The proposed program was to use public funds for the private school tuition of special education students. The House rejected the school finance bill and what follows will be a lack of funding for education in the Texas budget. Many districts across the state will have to put more of a burden on local taxpayers or face less state funding in the next biennium.

For Carroll ISD, deficit budgets have become commonplace thanks to the Texas school finance formula and the district’s designation as “property wealthy.” This means the school funding formula caps the amount of property value tax collections Carroll ISD can keep on the maintenance and operations side of the budget. Any value increases above the state-set cap do not go to benefit Carroll ISD. In 2016, the Texas Supreme Court ruled the mechanism for funding schools in Texas to be Constitutional, barely.

“Our Byzantine school funding system is undeniably imperfect, with immense room for improvement. But it satisfies minimum constitutional requirements,” Justice Don Willett wrote in the Supreme Court’s 100-page opinion. The ruling leaves local taxpayers little hope that Chapter 41 or “Robin Hood” would go away any time soon. In place of hope is a gloomy forecast of increased Chapter 41 obligations for Carroll and other property wealth districts across the state.

From 2001 to the current budget, Carroll ISD’s total recapture payments were $215 million. As a result of the school finance system and growing services for CISD students, the district adopted a $1.6 million deficit budget for 2016-2017, but staff was able to manage out of the deficit budget scenario.

However, with no relief on the horizon, the district’s estimated Chapter 41 recapture payment for 20172018 is $26.3 million, an increase of $7.1 million from the previous year. This significant increase in the estimated “Robin Hood” payment will bring CISD’s continued on page 88

86 • INSIDE CARROLL

CISD BY THE NUMBERS

TOTAL STUDENTS 8,208

2016 TESTING

[

4,257 MALE

3,951 FEMALE

CLASS OF 2017

VOLUNTEER HOURS 72,000

SAT

]

CISD STATE NATIONAL

CRITICAL READING 581 466

494

GRADUATION RATE 100%

WRITING 560 449

508

26.8

*

ENGLISH

1,484 20.7

T SCORES AC

19.4

TE

TOTAL SCORE

26.6

COMP OS I

ACT

478

26.9

ATTENDANCE RATE 97%

1,747

MATH 606

1,393

482

97%

20.6

COLLEGE BOUND

MATH

READING

20.7

26.8

21.0

STATE SCORES

27.0

CISD SCORES

26.4

CARROLL’S HIGHEST ACT SCORES IN A DECADE

SCIENCE

TOP TESTS TAKEN BY SUBJECT U.S. HISTORY ENG. LANG. COMPOSITION CALCULUS HUMAN GEOGRAPHY PHYSICS

2,706

2,537

2,369

2,193

1,741

1,706

1,281

275 252 241 220 200

20 11 20 12 20 13 20 14 20 15 20 16 20 17

20 10

AP EXAM

CISD students are taking AP exams in record numbers

1,462

*26.6 is CISD composite score

MANY RECEIVE COLLEGE CREDIT

55%

SCORE 4 OR 5

INSIDE CARROLL • 87

ADMINISTRATION total Robin Hood contribution to $243.3 million—a number hard for local taxpayers to swallow.

If there’s any good budget news this year, it’s that estimated property values for Carroll ISD increased about 10.6 percent in net taxable value from the prior year. The estimated state funding for 2017-2018 is approximately $900,000 less than that received in the prior year. The district’s projected budget deficit for 2017-2018 already exceeds $2 million even before adding any kind of staff salary increase.

As of the Inside Carroll 2017 publication date, school officials were expecting a budget of about $104 million, funded by a $1.39 tax rate that remains unchanged from the previous year.

Strategic Plan Objective 2 Build and efficiently utilize financial resources across all operational and capital areas.

CISD ADMINISTRATORS PARTICIPATE IN BOOK STUDY All principals in the Carroll Independent School District recently completed a book study led by their supervisor, Janet McDade, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services. The book the group chose was “The Bully, The Bullied and Not-So-Innocent Bystander,” an international bestseller by the highly respected educator, author and speaker Barbara Coloroso.

School officials said the book is a guide to bullying prevention and intervention, while also providing readers with a definition of what bullying is and what it isn’t, resources and solutions to effectively deal with online and offline bullying, and how to help young people stand up, steak out and take responsibility.

“Bullying touches every community and socioeconomic status, and we are not free from bullying in Carroll ISD,” McDade said. “I saw a need to begin a discussion with principals around this topic.”

McDade said Superintendent Dr. David Faltys actually recommended the book after he had previously read an earlier version. As campus leaders discussed the book’s message throughout the study, they determined the importance of identifying bullying and having constructive conversations with students and parents concerning bullying in order to break the cycle.

“There’s no single matter of student conduct more worthy of our daily attention than bullying,” said Ryan Wilson, Principal of Dawson Middle School. “Taking time to link administrative arms and better our radar to identify and intervene on this behavior is forever worth the energy and effort. I appreciated the chance to

88 • INSIDE CARROLL

spend portions of our principal meetings diving in and sharing best practice with my colleagues.”

Johnson Elementary Principal Lori Allison agreed. “We, as educators, must focus with intentionality on breaking the cycle of violence and creating more deeply caring communities,” she said. “Through our rich discussions during this study, we united in our resolve to foster a safe, caring learning environment for all students.”

McDade said she would recommend the book to other educators and parents because it truly outlines the things to look for, how to intervene, and how school leaders can help rewrite the script for students and children giving them a healthier alternative to bullying therefore creating a more caring community.

CISD’s call to action following the book study is to stand up and take action against bullying on all campuses. “My goal is to work with our counselors to develop a more robust anti-bullying campaign that will be shared at all of the schools,” McDade added.

Strategic Plan Objective 1: Action Plan 1 Cultivate a secure, supportive and nurturing environment where everyone feels safe and valued.

Dr. Lowell Strike

Dr. David Faltys

Little Elm ISD, Little Elm, TX

Carroll ISD, Southlake, TX

Brad Hunt Coppell ISD, Coppell, TX

Dr. Rick Westfall Keller ISD, Keller, TX

FORT WORTH

DALLAS Dr. JJ Villarreal Rockwall ISD, Rockwall, TX

Dr. Robin Ryan Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, Grapevine, TX

Dr. Derek Citty Aledo ISD, Aledo, TX

Dr. Lane Ledbetter Midlothian ISD, Midlothian, TX

WACO Dr. John Craft Killeen ISD, Killeen, TX

Dr. Diane Frost Corsicana ISD, Corsicana, TX

ONCE A DRAGON, ALWAYS A DRAGON It could be said that Carroll ISD grows effective leaders. That’s what it looks from where we sit – especially since there are currently ten Texas school superintendents who have deep Carroll ISD roots. At least one is a Dragon graduate. In most cases, these individuals worked for or with Carroll Superintendent David Faltys during his 12 years leading CISD. In fact, Dr. Faltys mentored a good number of these former Dragons in their first year as superintendents. But they each have strong reputations for their life-long commitment to excellence and individualized personal success in meeting the needs of all students.

“Each of these administrators had a tremendous impact on our students and district, and I know they are continuing to positively influence all of those around them today,” Dr. Faltys said.

ADMINISTRATION

Voters Approve Largest Bond Election In School History

O

n May 6, Carroll ISD voters approved a $208 million bond proposition, the largest in school history.

The bond passed 64% (2,406 votes) to 36% (1,370) as 3,776 voters participated in the election. This was a singleproposition bond election, and the first for Carroll ISD since 2009.

The bond package includes classroom additions for each elementary school, a 700 seat performing arts center for band and choir at Carroll Senior High School and renovations to all existing facilities. It also includes maintenance projects district-wide, new school buses and fleet vehicles, technology infrastructure, teaching tools and student devices, surveillance cameras and key-swipe entry pads, field turf, band instruments and more.

“I’m proud of the work of our committee,” said Superintendent David J. Faltys. “This process started more than two years ago with the work of the Strategic Planning Committee, followed by a facility assessment by the Capital Needs Planning Committee. The vote confirms the work and recommendations put forth by these citizen committees. Our work is just beginning and we look forward to completing projects for our students.”

The bond election was the culmination of a year-long study by more than 40 citizens and employees who served on the Capital Needs Planning Committee (CNPC) and more than 30 public meetings in 2016 to gather community input.

The CNPC studied 1) capital improvements/ building use, 2) technology/instructional programming, 3) maintenance, transportation, safety and security, and 4) extra-curricular/ co-curricular facilities.

90 • INSIDE CARROLL

FUNDING OVERVIEW The $208 million bond will be divided into four focus areas.

1. MAINTENANCE, TRANSPORTATION, SAFETY AND SECURITY | $104 MILLION General maintenance (flooring, ceiling tiles, paint, roofs); site work (paving, sidewalks, parking lots, driveways); mechanical, electrical and plumbing projects; school buses and maintenance vehicles; surveillance cameras and keyless entry systems 2. TECHNOLOGY/INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMMING | $45 MILLION Infrastructure (phones, bell system, wireless, servers, switches, etc.); classroom presentation resources; 21st Century collaborative spaces; student devices (laptops, iPads, etc.)

3. EXTRACURRICULAR AND CO-CURRICULAR $41 MILLION Performing arts center for band/choir; renovations for STEM, theatre, language labs, journalism, etc.; artificial field turf on competition/practice fields; band instruments and uniforms; Aquatics Center and Dragon Stadium renovations 4. BUILDING USE AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS $18 MILLION Elementary classroom additions; core spaces and front office expansions; ADA compliance projects; language labs and robotics; canopies over student walkways.

SIGNIFICANT TECHNOLOGY WORK PLANNED FOR FIRST YEAR OF BOND IMPLEMENTATION The Carroll ISD technology staff is hard at work laying the foundation for the successful implementation of the 2017 bond program. In May of 2017 voters approved a $208 million election that includes $45 million in technology phased in over the next five years. The bond program was divided into four main parts: Infrastructure, Classroom Presentation Resources, Student Devices, 21st Century Collaborative Spaces.

Infrastructure: The system to ensure that technology devices work in public schools is dependent on the infrastructure in place to support those systems. Technology infrastructure generally refers to the hardware, software, network resources, facilities, servers and switches necessary to develop, test, deliver, monitor, control or support Instructional Technology services. Data center infrastructure refers to the power, cooling and building elements that create an environment for the technology infrastructure.

Approximately 46 percent of the technology bond monies were allocated for infrastructure. Following the May election, school officials immediately began the procurement process to purchase and upgrade the district’s firewall system, wireless access points, network cabling at Dawson Middle School and add additional network cabling at all four secondary campuses. This will help to support the district’s initiative of more devices for students and provide better utilization for all staff and students.

School officials planned the first phase of infrastructure upgrades to occur throughout the summer, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, conclude in the fall.

In addition to the above projects, a proof of concept for a classroom presentation system has been installed at Johnson Elementary School. Bailey Buck, a first grade teacher at Johnson who is one of CISD’s Dragons Go Digital teachers, is helping technology work out any issues before full implementation begins.

C l a s s r o o m P r e s e n t a t i o n R e s o u r ce s : Technology has the capability to improve how teachers run their classrooms. Interactive instructional displays, laptops, desktops, iPads, document cameras and voice amplification can all be used to improve the delivery of lessons and teach with emerging technology, while students use the technol-

ogy to shape how they learn. As classroom technology reaches its lifecycle, a replacement cycle helps provide teachers necessary 21st century tools and provide innovative and authentic instructional experiences for students.

Beginning mid fall, classroom presentation installation will begin at Johnson Elementary, Carroll Elementary, Durham Intermediate and Carroll High School as these campuses have some of the oldest classroom presentation systems in the district. Installation will take place after school hours with the expectation that teachers will receive training on their new classroom system within one week of installation.

Other summer projects as part of the technology portion of the bond included 260 desktop computers that replaced computers that had reached their lifecycle and an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) for the Stadium.

Over the course of the 2017-2018 school year, CISD technology projects will include district server and storage upgrades, all UPS upgrades, the district’s switch refresh for secondary campuses, digital signage, broadcast carts, and bell/public address systems for JES, CES, DIS, and CHS. Student Devices - The bond project list included about $8 million for student devices, including a refresh of existing devices and about $3 million in additional devices.

This gives CISD the flexibility to move closer toward the Strategic Plan’s goal of one device for every student.

As textbooks turn digital and more instructional resources are in the cloud, students will continue to need access to a student device to be successful in today’s learning. BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) has been a successful endeavor for our students. In efforts to free up instructional minutes for our teachers to provide instruction, and take away the troubleshooting that occurs with multiple type of devices, we are looking to standardize with a device and provide students with additional learning resources in a phased in approach across the district.

District committees for K-6 and 7-12 have met on the selection of student devices. These committees were comprised of campus administrators, teachers, students, curriculum, technology and other administrative personnel. This was the first task needed to aid in the rollout of a standardized device for students.

21st Century Collaborative Spaces - The bond project list includes money for each of the 11 CISD campuses to buy furniture and install power for collaborative 21st century learning spaces or maker spaces. 21st century learners require new dynamics. One way to achieve that new dynamic is with collaborative learning environments or CLEs. CLE’s can be in clusters or pods in order to accommodate today’s learners who prefer interactive and social activities. This allows students to work in small groups of two to six, to interact directly, see facial expressions and establish eye contact.

INSIDE CARROLL • 91

PROTECTING THE TRADITION

by Protecting the Logo

T

ypically high school logos are based on tired clip art renditions or are reincarnations of professional spor ts team mascots.

As our world gets smaller through the lens of social media, mascots are being viewed by more than local fans. Creating a notable design can protect a school district or campus from being accused of a copyright infringement. Having an original logo can also result in revenue opportunities through licensing.

One of the most unique and recognizable high school logos is that of the Carroll Independent School District and its beloved Dragon. The lightning boltbreathing dragon was originally inspired by the insignia of the U.S. Navy Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ-130), also known as the “Zappers.” These squadrons were deployed aboard aircraft carriers based throughout the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

Various incarnations of Dragons had been used in the past at Carroll schools, but one permanent logo was needed. In the early 1980s, the VAQ-130 logo was modified into the official logo for the Carroll High School Dragons. The logo features an intimidating dragon clawing his way up from the clouds sending lightning bolts out toward all competitors. Placed atop the state of Texas, this new dragon logo eventually became the mascot of all Carroll ISD schools.

As the district grew and Carroll students excelled in athletics, academics, fine arts and other pursuits, the Dragon logo became more recognizable. In 2003, the Dragon logo was trademarked with the office of the Secretary of State of Texas. This gave Carroll ISD the right to protect the logo for unauthorized use and license the trademark to others for

92 • INSIDE CARROLL

the production of merchandise. Obtaining the right to license a logo can be invaluable for raising revenue. Funds raised through marketing and advertising are not subject to recapture of Robin Hood (Chapter 41) funds. The trademark was renewed for another 10 years in 2013.

Carroll students keep pushing themselves and venture outside the state for both athletic and academic competitions.

As a result, Carroll ISD felt the need to “Protect the Tradition” and ensure the Dragon logo was safeguarded against unauthorized use outside of Texas. In 2015, the process was started, with the pro bono help of Southlake attorney Blake Bailey of Phelps Dunbar, LLP, to secure a federal trademark. On July 5, 2016 the United States Patent and Trademark Office officially registered the Dragon logo trademark.

The term “Dragon Nation” is more applicable now than ever, as the Dragon logo can legally be protected from unauthorized use throughout the United States.

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INSIDE CARROLL • 93

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operated. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. If your property is currently represented by a real e

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640 N. Carroll Avenue, Suite 100 • Southlake, TX 76092 Suite 460, Southlake Tel: +1 817 865-8913 RoxannTaylor.evusa.com roxann.taylor@evusa.com 817.416.2700 dallassouthlake.evusa.com

© 2015 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Engel & Völkers and its independent franchisees are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act. Each property shop is independently owned and operated. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. If your property is currently represented by a real estate broker, this is not an attempt to solicit your listing.