Inside Carroll 2018

VOL. 04

INSIDECARROLL

Cate Hall

CISD Bond Builder

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

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Lisa Quinn and Kelly Marcontell SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY AND EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION FOR 30 YEARS With longtime ties to the Southlake community, Lisa and Kelly are attuned to the local market. For all your residential real estate needs in Southlake and beyond, contact Lisa and Kelly today.

WE’RE ALL IN FOR THE DRAGONS! L i s a : 8 17- 6 5 7-12 9 4 • K e l l y : 9 7 2 -74 3 - 9 17 1 98 • INSIDE CARROLL

Giving Students A Voice Superintendent’s Message

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 & COMMUNITY RELATIONS Julie Thannum, APR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Justin Dearing ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Jill Webb COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR Hayley Herring

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mike Landers Denise McCrummen Meagan Prewitt Maleesa Smith

PUBLISHED BY

When we started the Inside Carroll magazine project, we wanted to find a way to give readers an inside look at life as a Carroll Dragon. More importantly, we wanted to tell the stories behind our amazing staff and students by connecting the community to the important work of our district’s Strategic Plan.

Our very first edition of the magazine in 2015 shared how a committee of citizens got together to identify key objectives and strategies to support our core values; it had a section on the early years of Carroll ISD and how the district had transformed under the leadership of Dragon legends like B. Carroll, Cleburne Eubanks, Robert Rockenbaugh and Jack D. Johnson.

The second edition celebrated our newest core value by giving readers insight into CISD’s work to expand our culture of compassionate service through knowledge and experience. The Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA) recently recognized that edition of the magazine with a Best of Category honor for magazines by school districts with 10,000 students or less.

The third edition of Inside Carroll concentrated on ways CISD ensures smooth transitions for our students as they change campuses and prepare for life after graduation. Every story in the magazine ended with a specific objective or action step straight out of the Strategic Plan.

Four years later, this award-winning publication is still dedicated to communicating specific objectives in that written plan. The 2018 magazine takes a look at the ways Carroll ISD is collaborating with families and community to support the academic, physical, emotional and social well-being of each student. You’ll learn about The Resiliency Project and our efforts to encourage mental wellness by teaching students how to manage stress and watch for early warning signs in others. This fall our staff and students will host a Parent University on Resiliency and Safety to showcase some of the programs and partnerships in place to ensure a safe learning environment for all.

You can visit our Growth & Expansion section to read about our talented Bond Builders Team of 23 unique K-12 students who are the voices behind communicating project updates as part of the #CarrollBond2017. Throughout the school year, every CISD facility will be under construction as we build and efficiently utilize financial resources across all operational and capital areas, and provide relevant technology resources, along with quality ongoing training, to integrate best-of-class learning experiences and efficient work environments.

The stories in this year’s magazine explain ways the district is effectively promoting communication between students, school personnel, families and the community. Through Let’s Talk, The Resiliency Committee and partnerships with the City of Southlake like SKIL, CISD continues to work to establish opportunities for students to provide meaningful feedback to the district before key decisions are made that affect them, thereby giving students a voice in their own education. This year I will be visiting face-to-face with various student groups in an effort to dialogue with, listen and learn from our young Dragons.

Student voice according to The Glossary of Education Reform, refers to the values, opinions, beliefs, perspectives and cultural backgrounds of individual students and groups of students in a school and to instructional approaches and techniques that are based on student choices, interests, passions and ambitions.

In Carroll ISD, we value excellence, relationships, character & integrity, innovation, open & honest communication and compassionate service. We believe strong and meaningful relationships that value and respect the differences in all people are essential to success.

It’s important during times of growth and change to listen. . .really listen to our students. We hope that inside the pages of this year’s magazine, you’ll be able to hear the voice of our Dragons.

We think you will find them growing Braver. Smarter. Stronger. Every day.

#EXPECTEXCELLENCE

SOUTHLAKE STYLE CUSTOM PUBLISHING 260 MIRON DRIVE, 110 SOUTHLAKE, TX 76092 817.416.4500 SouthlakeStyle.com

Dr. David J. Faltys Superintendent INSIDE CARROLL • 01

CONTENTS 6 STRATEGIC PLANNING GUIDES 10 BEHIND THE GAVEL 13 THE RESILIENCY PROJECT 27 DRAGONS GIVING BACK 33 EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION 47 DISTRICT OF INNOVATION 51 DRAGONS IN COMPETITION 61 GROWTH & EXPANSION 70 CISD’S TOP TWEETS

77 PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE 82 A NEW DIRECTION FOR CEF 84 ART, MUSIC & THEATER

#EXPECTEXCELLENCE

90 #SAFEdragon 96 DRAGONS THEN AND NOW

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Cover Photo by BluDoor Studios

72 THE CLASS OF 2018

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Dragon athletes have been awarded more than $50,000 in scholarships.

Insurance subject to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company: Northbrook, Illinois © 2011 Allstate Insurance Company.

EXCELLENCE IN PRINT Second Edition of Inside Carroll Magazine

Wins Big at Annual School PR Conference

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n its second year of existence, Inside Carroll Magazine won the “Best of Category” award at the Star Awards Celebration at the Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA) annual conference. The Carroll ISD Board and Community Relations Team, who produces Inside Carroll magazine in a partnership with Southlake Style, are TSPRA members and submitted the magazine as an awards entry ahead of the annual conference in February 2018.

“TSPRA Star awards represent the best our school PR profession has to offer,” says Julie Thannum, APR, Assistant Superintendent for Board & Community Relations. “Mike and Nicole Tesoriero are great to work with and embraced this crazy idea I had four years ago to do an annual magazine together. But it takes a team to pull off an award-winning project of this magnitude in just a few weeks after graduation each summer. I’ve got some

of the best school PR folks in the business working in our department, and I’m proud of what they accomplish on this project through selling ads, writing stories and capturing pictures that give readers a look inside Carroll ISD and the Dragon culture. It’s one of our marquee projects, and the Best of Category win confirms it.”

“Inside Carroll has become a must-read publication for our community,” says Superintendent David Faltys. “It’s been a great tool for prospective families and realtors, and it also provides our district with a way to tell the great stories about our staff and kids.”

Each year, TSPRA recognizes the accomplishments of communicators in school districts and education organizations for their hard work in electronic media and print categories. The Star Awards have 45 main categories covering various media such as writing, newsletter, video, photography, mobile apps, website and more. A record breaking 1,331 entries were received for the 2017 awards, the highest number since the creation of the awards program began. The entries are divided into three divisions based on numbers of students within the district, and are eligible to receive a Bronze, Silver or Gold star based on set criteria. Individual judges review the highest scoring Gold Star winners and then select the Best of Category award winner, the highest honor of each category.

“When it comes to the art of communications and community engagement, I’ve always been impressed with everything the Carroll Board and Community Relations Department accomplishes,” says Mike Tesoriero, Southlake Style Magazine Publisher. “I’m honored they chose to partner with the team at Southlake Style to launch Inside Carroll. Winning this award is a testament to the vision and follow through of the entire school district.”

“Being recognized at the state level is always nice. I’m proud of our Board and Community Relations Department and this project with Southlake Style,” Faltys added. “It’s a shining example of the kind of collaboration that works - between a business, school and community. It’s also satisfying to see other districts begin their own publications after using Inside Carroll as a model project.”

Inside Carroll magazine strives to give the Carroll ISD community an inside look into the district, highlighting student and staff achievements across the board. With a commitment to excellence, Inside Carroll will continue to show its readers what it means to be a Dragon, hopefully acquiring a few more Gold Stars along the way.

INSIDE CARROLL • 05

STRATEGIC PLANNING GUIDES

CISD’s Work on Behalf of Students

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arroll ISD’s Strategic Plan serves as a guide for the district’s journey toward continuous improvement for all students. Key components of the plan that will be major areas of focus for the CISD Administration during the 20182019 school year include providing safe and secure facilities for students and giving students more of a voice in their own education.

“It’s important that we recognize that our most important stakeholders are our students,” says Superintendent David J. Faltys. “Our goal is to meet faceto-face with as many students this year as we can.

We want to talk to them, and really listen to them.

Our Strategic Plan reminds us to concentrate on what our students are feeling and saying when it comes to their education.”

And students across the country are certainly talking about school safety. CISD campus administrators met face-to-face with students this past spring as they planned a walkout to memorialize the students lost in a school shooting in Parkland, Florida. More than 650 students participated in peaceful events before returning to class.

“If they don’t feel safe, they cannot learn,” Faltys adds. “We want our parents and taxpayers to know that safety is our top priority, and that we are studying ways to strengthen and fortify our schools. Our partnership with the City of Southlake is a model for other districts and quite frankly one of the greatest advantages of living in this community.”

Not only does Carroll ISD partner with the City of Southlake to implement the School Resource Officer program, but the district works cooperatively to educate the community through SPARK (Students and Parents Against Risks to Kids) and develop strong leaders through SKIL (Southlake Kids Interested in Leadership). The city and school district joined forces this past spring to host Safety Forums for both parents and students, and Mayor Laura Hill recently announced that an additional $550,000 will be earmarked to help support school safety initiatives.

In addition, CISD provides students opportunities to serve on key committees, and gives students direct access to dialogue with school officials through Let’s Talk, student hotlines and the Mobile Dragon tip line.

“We are constantly trying to find authentic ways to get face-to-face with our students and listen to what they think and feel about being a Carroll Dragon,”

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Faltys says. “Their feedback is important as we carry out the objectives of our Strategic Plan.”

Adopted by the Board of Trustees in 2015, the fiveyear 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 lay a strong foundation for students in pursuit of Dragon excellence.

“The work we do every day on behalf of students should support the objectives and strategies outlined in the written Strategic Plan,” Faltys says. “Our staff time and budget should be focused on making this action plan a reality for our students.”

The plan was used as a foundation for the work of the Capital Needs Planning Committee when they studied facility needs that would be necessary to carry out the strategies identified for each goal and outcome. As a result, in May 2017, taxpayers approved a $208 million project list to support the work in the Strategic Plan. Safety measures in the 2017 bond include increasing video surveillance cameras from 300 to 800 districtwide and adding more key swipe systems to secure facilities.

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: 1. P rovide innovative and authentic instructional experiences that challenge and empower all students to be active participants in their own learning; 2. Cultivate a secure, supportive and nurturing environment where everyone feels safe and valued; and 3. P rovide an adaptive, efficient and innovative infrastructure to optimize all operational areas in a fiscally responsible manner.

To learn more about Carroll ISD’s Strategic Plan, visit our website: SouthlakeCarroll.edu/Page/1567

WE ARE LISTENING! Carroll ISD is committed to ensuring a safe learning environment for all students. Implementing programs to encourage dialogue, making personal connections with each student, and providing an anonymous system for reporting bullying or safety concerns are just some of the ways CISD can accomplish this goal. Giving the public, and especially students, a voice addresses a key objective in Carroll ISD’s Strategic Plan.

And although strong relationships leading to face-to-face communication is always preferred, with 8,400 students and 1,100 employees, school officials know effective communication can sometimes be a challenge.

“Our goal is to provide authentic conversations with key stakeholders,” says Julie Thannum, Assistant Superintendent for Board & Community Relations. “The district leadership has always been committed to involving the community in key decisions, whether the topic is attendance zones, facility planning, student health or school safety. We use surveys, committee meetings and two-way technology tools like Thoughtexchange to reach out and obtain feedback. This feedback is shared with the School Board and district leaders before decisions are made that affect stakeholders.”

With a focus on student dialogue, Carroll ISD wants to ensure that all Dragons can reach out to their campus leaders or to district officials about important topics. State bully prevention laws require districts to have a means by which students can submit anonymous reports of bullying activities or school safety.

In Carroll ISD, students have at least three different ways to dialogue with school officials: Student Hotlines The Student Hotline system is managed at the campus level at schools with grades 5-12 with each having a unique phone number. The system is designed to help students anonymously report past, present and predicted concerns. If a student sees or hears something that is concerning, the student can call or text the hotline. Remember, the hotline does not replace the 911 emergency system.

Campus administrators and counselors at each school are responsible for receiving reports from the Student Hotlines.

Upon receiving an anonymous report, school leaders may take interim measures to ensure the safety, health and welfare of all parties pending the findings of an investigation.

Durham Intermediate

817.406.2516

Eubanks Intermediate

817.406.2517

Carroll Middle

817.406.2514

Dawson Middle

817.406.2515

Carroll High

817.406.2513

Carroll Sr. High

817.406.2512

Dragon Tip Line The Dragon Tip Line is available for all users of the Dragon Mobile App. The Tip Line allows the user to select from different topics, departments and schools to ask a question, share a success or submit a comment concerning school safety. The Dragon Tip Line has the ability to submit pictures with a tip, as well as specify a school related to the tip. Also, tips submitted through the Dragon Mobile App are sent directly to campus principals, as well as central office administrators. Users decide whether or not they want their message to be anonymous, or whether or not they want to submit their contact information so that school officials can return dialogue.

Let’s Talk!

Let’s Talk! Is available through the Carroll ISD website. It helps CISD build trust and open the lines of communication between parents, staff, students and our community. It’s important that the district make it easy for stakeholders to reach out to the district at their convenience – anytime, anywhere.

Let’s Talk! allows the user to select from different topics, departments and schools to ask a question, submit a comment or share a success.

A student-centered Let’s Talk! Focus area is launching during the 2018-2019 school year to allow students to quickly and easily dialogue with campus and district staff. A version of Let’s Talk! is also available from the website icon inside the Dragon Mobile App. Like the mobile app, Let’s Talk! allows the user to decide whether or not he/she wants the message to be anonymous, or whether or not the user wants to submit contact information so that school officials can return dialogue.

In an effort to ensure that students are aware of the multiple opportunities within CISD to dialogue with school leaders, officials are printing 11 by 17 posters with Student Hotline, Dragon Tip Line and Let’s Talk! Information. The posters will be hung in every classroom, counseling area, library and cafeteria in the district.

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Cardholder benefits are subject to change at any time without notice. By applying, you certify that all information provided by you at the time of acceptance is true, correct, and complete and that you are (a) at least 18 years of age and legally able to enter into a contract for the extension of credit and (b) a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Purchases must be qualifying signature rewards purchases in order to receive points and bonus points. Balance transfers, convenience checks, and any fees associated with the card do not qualify for rewards points. Refer to World Rewards MastercardÂŽ terms and conditions for full details.

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BEHIND THE GAVEL The Men and Women of the Carroll School Board

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he men and women of the Carroll School Board understand Dragon culture as much as anyone. Their seven families represent 16 students across the elementary, intermediate, middle and high school levels.

Trustees serve as the policy-making body of the public schools. They are elected to three-year terms without compensation, devoting their time and expertise for the betterment of the 8,400+ students in Carroll ISD. “We’re so fortunate in this community to have elected Trustees who are dedicated to the success of all students,” says Superintendent David Faltys. “Our Board members are fully invested in helping students with their academic, social and emotional well-being, while supporting our staff and keeping a watchful eye on fiscal management for taxpayers.”

Trustees bring a wide array of expertise and experiences to the Board table. They sometimes have to make difficult decisions and face intense political pressure. But behind the gavel, they are parents and taxpayers – committed servant leaders – who want to make good decisions for the children in their community.

PRESIDENT SHERI MILLS Sheri Mills was sworn into her second threeyear term in May 2017 and currently serves as president. She and husband, Mike, have been residents of CISD since 1998 and are the proud parents of three Dragons. Mills is the Vice President of Program Development for Neuroscience Education Institute and has worked in Continuing Medical Education for mental health since 1994.

She was named Volunteer of the Year for the City of Southlake in 2013. Mills served on the Board of Directors for the Carroll Education Foundation (CEF), was a 2012 graduate of the Carroll Leadership Academy for Supporting Success (CLASS), a member of Southlake Association of the Gifted and Talented (SAGT), a volunteer for various Parent-Teacher Organizations (PTO), and a long-time volunteer for GRACE.

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VICE PRESIDENT MICHELLE MOORE Michelle Fernandez Moore serves as the board vice president. After being appointed in July 2015, she was elected in 2016 to complete the third year of her term and was re-elected for a three-year term in May 2017. Moore is a graduate of CLASS and Leadership Southlake. She lives in Stone Lakes with her husband, Brandon. They are the parents of two CISD students. Moore is the National Director, Foundation & Corporate Relations for the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). She serves on the CEF Advisory Committee and is an active SAGT Board member. Her other activities include PTO, National Charity League, Carroll Medical Academy Boosters and Odyssey of the Mind as a volunteer coach. She has been recognized as the Campus Volunteer of the Year twice and in 2017 was named Volunteer of the Year by the Southlake Chamber of Commerce.

TREASURER DANNY GILPIN Danny Gilpin was re-elected to another threeyear term on the Board of Trustees in May 2018 and currently serves as board treasurer. He has resided in Southlake since 1999 with his wife, Kristin, and their two daughters who are both Dragons. Gilpin previously served on the Carroll ISD Board of Trustees from 2006-2009 and was a member of CEF from 2000-2015. He is a graduate of Southern Methodist University, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

He currently works as the vice president of Isles Ranch Partners.

TRUSTEE BRADLEY TAYLOR Bradley Taylor was elected to his first threeyear term in May 2014 and was re-elected in 2017.

He is a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso where he was a member of the UTEP Miner football team. Taylor works as National Account Executive at FC Construction Services based out of Dallas. He has resided in the CISD community since 2008 and has two daughters

who attend CISD schools. Taylor is a graduate of the 2012 CLASS program, sits on the CISD Budget and Finance Committee, is past president of Southlake Kiwanis, serves as a Pro Players Foundation board member and co-chaired Johnson Elementary All Pro Dad’s breakfast in 2014 and 2015.

TRUSTEE MATT BRYANT Matt Bryant joined the Board of Trustees in May 2018. He previously served on the Strategic Planning Committee and co-chaired the subcommittee focused on key teacher retention. He also served on the All Pro Dad’s leadership team at Walnut Grove Elementary, and still enjoys an active role with the Art Docent program at Durham and Eubanks Intermediate Schools. Bryant owns and operates NET Keller Real Estate, LLC and NET NRH Real Estate, LLC. He has lived in Southlake since 2005. He graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

Bryant and his wife, Lisa, have three children attending CISD schools.

TRUSTEE TODD CARLTON Todd Carlton was appointed Place 6 Trustee in August 2016. He has lived in Southlake with his wife, Liz, and their two sons since 2006.

Carlton has spent the last 17 years working in the wealth management business and

is the Texas president for BNY Mellon Wealth Management. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Texas Christian University and a master of business administration from Southern Methodist University. Carlton currently serves as an advisory board member of the CEF, is a graduate of CLASS, a former co-subcommittee leader for the Strategic Planning Committee, a former co-chair of the Capital Needs Planning Committee and previously served on the board of directors for CEF.

TRUSTEE DAVE ALMAND David Almand was appointed to Place 7 in October 2017 and elected for a one-year unexpired term in 2018. He has resided in Southlake since 2014 with his wife, Cathy, and their two sons, both of whom are Dragons. Almand is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and holds a bachelor of science from the United States Air Force Academy, a master of arts from Webster University, and a master of sciences from the Air Command and Staff College. He was a 2010 National Security Affairs Fellow at the Hoover Institution, is a graduate of the 2015 CLASS program and a CEF Advisory Board member. He has served CISD as a substitute teacher, volunteer and district committee member. Almand was recognized as the 2017 CMS Volunteer of the Year and is a 2015 graduate of the Southlake Citizens Academy.

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THE RESILIENCY PROJECT

Focusing On Mental Wellness

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cademic demands, peer pressure, social media and relationship issues are overwhelming today’s students at levels much greater than even 20 years ago. In 2015 alone, about three million teens ages 12 to 17 had experienced at least one major depressive episode, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

More than two million reported experiencing depression that impaired their daily function.

Students who demonstrate behavior, emotional and/or social needs are on the rise — and students at Carroll ISD are not exempt.

The good news? As part of its Strategic Plan, Carroll ISD collaborates with parents and the community with the goal to support the academic, physical, emotional and social wellbeing of each student.

With this goal in mind, a committee of staff members and students from every Carroll ISD campus met regularly throughout the 2017-2018 school year, discussing mental wellness, current CISD programs and ways the district could better support and encourage resiliency in our Dragons.

The group identified seven key areas of building resiliency and created a plan to focus resources, training and support for students, parents and staff: 14 • INSIDE CARROLL

1. Self-Care & Mental Wellness 2. Health & Nutrition 3. Bully Prevention & Kindness 4. Conflict Resolution & Coping Skills 5. Self-Defense & Personal Safety 6. Drug & Alcohol Education 7. Suicide Prevention “Building resilience in students is important because it provides them with strength and fortitude to confront overwhelming obstacles, whether it be grades, grief, abuse- both physical and emotional, anxiety… the list goes on and on,” says Janet McDade, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services. “By building resilience in students, we are building their capacity to handle those situations and the ability to bounce back from difficult situations.”

Through the motto — Braver than yesterday. Smarter today. Stronger than challenges coming my way — the primary goal of The Resiliency Project is to no longer have students at risk. The overall aim is to foster a sense of belonging in students who feel competent, useful and influential.

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AREAS OF FOCUS 1: Self-Care & Mental Wellness 2: Health & Nutrition 3: Bully Prevention & Kindness 4: Conflict Resolution & Coping Skills 5: Self-Defense & Personal Safety 6: Drug & Alcohol Education 7: Suicide Prevention

Therefore, the committee focused on addressing evidence-based actions into everyday practices in the classroom and District-wide to support the mental well-being of students.

“The Committee was originally established with students in mind,” McDade says. “We wanted to hear from students. We felt the students would be the ones to give us the inside glimpse of what was really needed and what could really be changed to make the most impact. We wanted their voices to be heard and by having multiple students from each campus I think we are accomplishing this goal.”

The committee took each of the seven focus areas and provided input into resources and research they felt were important keys to student and parent success in addressing and supporting our students in these areas.

Additionally, the Committee provided input into a Parent University on Resiliency and Safety that is

scheduled in October. The Committee gave suggestions for breakout session topics.

In addition, school officials plan to use the Thoughtexchange online platform tool to engage the parents, staff and students in dialogue about resiliency. The goal is to find out what each group feels Carroll ISD is doing well and in what ways the district can do better to build resiliency in students.

The Committee researched guest speakers to bring to address the seven focus areas. In addition, there is a link on the Carroll ISD website to post all of the information the Committee created and suggested for support and resources for students and parents.

In addition to regular monthly meetings during the 2018-2019 school year, The Resiliency Committee’s efforts will be echoed in the community through a series of programs.

INSIDE CARROLL • 15

Rachel’s Challenge Returns to Carroll ISD Rachel Scott could not have anticipated the incredible impact she would have on millions of students across the country. Or did she?

The 17-year-old may have been the first student to die in the 1999 school shooting at Columbine High School, but she will best be known for changing the world through her legacy of kindness toward others. As a result of the work of the Rachel’s Challenge program, millions of teenagers over the past two decades have committed themselves to starting a chain reaction of kindness.

Carroll school officials say the message of Rachel’s Challenge aligns perfectly with the district’s core values, where compassionate service and relationships are held in high esteem.

Students across the district will benefit once again from the message of Rachel’s Challenge as the program returns to Carroll ISD for the first time since 2012. Assemblies are planned at each CISD campus in September.

According to the Rachel’s Challenge program, “Rachel seemed to know that her life would be short, but that it would be meaningful; and she was at peace with this. When she was 13 years old she traced the outline of her hands on the back of her dresser and wrote: ‘These hands belong to Rachel Joy Scott and will someday touch millions of people’s hearts.’”

Since 1999, Rachel’s story has been shared with over 25 million people.

The mission of the Rachel’s Challenge program is to awaken “individual transformation and promoting safer, more connected schools.”

Rachel’s Challenge exists to equip and inspire individuals to replace acts of violence, bullying and negativity with acts of respect, kindness and compassion. Rachel’s Challenge is based on the life and writings of Scott.

Through her example, Rachel’s Challenge is making a positive impact in the lives of millions of people every year.

In 2017-2018 Carroll ISD had a strong focus on kindness across all campuses to address and combat anti-bullying.

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“With the rising number of issues around the globe, the district leadership felt it best that all campuses had one central focus, one familiar focus and therefore we selected Rachel’s Challenge” says Janet McDade, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services. “Rachel’s Challenge will help our campuses create school environments where harassment, bullying and violence is less susceptible.”

Rachel’s Challenge provides school districts and students with event materials that reinforce the message of kindness and compassion using age-appropriate messaging. KC Clubs form at the elementary schools, while Friends of Rachel Clubs form at intermediate, middle and high schools. These campus organizations give students an outlet for sharing the message of kindness with their classmates through projects and activities that promote Rachel’s message of inclusion.

McDade says the intent behind the kindness rallies at various CISD campuses this past year was to draw attention to the positive reasons why students should be kind. The campuses that held the rallies were all introducing a new campuswide positive behavior support system in which students were rewarded for kind acts toward other students around campus.

“We will continue these positive behavior supports systems at our campuses in 2018-2019 after seeing great results,” she says.

The return of Rachel’s Challenge during the 2018-2019 school year is part of The Resiliency Project to help meet the social and emotional needs of students.

The BEST Plan For Helping Struggling Students Dragon staff participated in two days of Behavior/ Emotional/Social Team (BEST) training in June and again in July. Campus administrators were asked to send a team to training - a general education teacher, a special education teacher, a counselor, a speechlanguage pathologist, and a nurse, paraprofessional or other staff member who expressed an interest in the training. Training involved sessions on the functions of a student’s behavior, practices for social emotional learning, strategies for de-escalation and evidence-based interventions for students struggling with behavior/ emotional/social needs.

Training culminated with each campus producing a BEST plan to meet the needs of struggling students.

Each campus identified their teams as well as a point person to coordinate campus efforts, meet with district Licensed Specialists in School Psychology, and supervise the use of intervention strategies. Campuses outlined current programs in place to assist students with skill building, friendships and self-esteem. Roles and responsibilities were defined for social skills groups, lunch bunches and clubs.

Staff will continue to participate in professional development opportunities on BEST strategies twice throughout the 2018-2019 school year. As Dragons, we will continue the tradition of excellence established in our summer training and pledge to carry out the district’s mission and vision to support the academic, physical, emotional and social well-being of each student.

Kindness Matters in Carroll ISD One of the seven pillars of The Resiliency Project is an effort to prevent bullying and encourage kindness.

Campuses across the district were asked to come up with innovative ways to recognize and promote kindness in their campus communities.

Johnson Elementary School opened the school year with a Kindness Rally that introduced the “Dragon Diamonds” program. This program was created to recognize students who were performing kind gestures. Students who were seen acting in a manner that could be supported by one of the campus’s monthly core essential values would receive a “Dragon Diamond” allowing them to enter in a drawing for various prizes.

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Dragon Basketball head coach Eric McDade was on hand to deliver a special message to the Johnson students. McDade explains that the prizes are great but the ultimate goal of the program is to promote great character.

“Character and kindness are the foundational tools of leadership,” McDade states. “Being a person that displays character and kindness is not about being a certain age; it’s about learning the tools and how to use them. I think what they have going on here at Johnson is a great thing.”

Walnut Grove Elementary gave staff, teachers and students an opportunity this year to recognize those on campus that were going out of their way to display the Dragon Creed. This kindness movement was truly a campus-wide effort.

During staff development, Walnut Grove teachers worked diligently to produce six “I will” statements that make up the Dragon Creed. The teachers adapted the Dragon Creed to fit into classroom lessons that taught the students what it looked like to have great character, to truly be a Dragon. As teachers, students and staff witnessed others exemplifying the Dragon Creed, they had the opportunity to brag about them.

At the conclusion of the nine weeks, each classroom teacher nominated a student from their class that exemplified the Dragon Creed. This student received a Braggin’ on this Dragon yard sign and a certificate filled out by his or her teacher.

18 • INSIDE CARROLL

WGES Assistant Principal Allison Fike believes this campaign – started and planned by the Walnut Grove faculty – has been campus-changing this year.

“Honestly, I am just so excited about how the teachers, students, and parents have embraced our new Dragon Creed and student recognition,” Fike says. “This program has truly been one of the greatest joys of this school year for me.”

For Amy Spurlock, Durham Intermediate science teacher, encouraging and recognizing acts of kindness became a passion project. In previous years, Spurlock witnessed students in her class work very well together and accomplish goals, but in the hallways, there were times that the same students were not very kind and encouraging to each other.

She was determined to find a way to change this behavior.

Spurlock and one of her colleagues spent their summer researching ways to promote a campus climate of kindness. The results of their research assisted in implementing a campus-wide push for kindness. Teachers and staff across Durham Intermediate committed to purposely looking and recognizing acts of kindness.

In Spurlock’s class, science was the main topic, but she hoped her students were learning a bigger lesson.

“If you ask any of my students, they will tell you that the number one thing I want them to learn in my class is how to be a good and kind person,” Spurlock says. “Without kindness in our society, nobody can or should expect to be successful.”

School officials agree with Spurlock and hope that these and other kindness projects across the district will continue a trend that encourages kindness among all students.

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Bringing HOPE to CISD Secondary Campuses Students sometimes just need to talk to other students.

Research reveals that seven out of 10 young people would tell a friend if they were having thoughts of suicide. Research also shows that peers have a greater impact as protective factors during adolescence than parents do.

That’s where the Hope Squad comes in. During the 2018-2019 school year, students at CISD secondary schools will be identified by their classmates and trained to watch for warning signs that could lead to depression and suicide.

The program is part of The Resiliency Project – a districtwide project covering seven different areas of mental wellness and health for students.

Officials say peers will select students who are trustworthy and caring individuals to join the Hope Squad at their campus. The kids in the program are trained to watch for at-risk students, provide friendship, identify suicide-warning signs and seek help from adults. The Hope Squad program is a school-based peer support team that partners with local mental health agencies.

“It’s powerful to have students trying to empower other students,” says Carroll High School Principal PJ Giamanco.

“I understand students are struggling in our community, and this gives us another way to reach our Dragons for their benefit. Hope Squad can be the eyes and ears of those struggling, I think it has the potential to be an unbelievable process for CISD and CHS to embrace.”

Hope Squad members are not taught to act as counselors, but rather are educated on recognizing suicide warning signs and how to properly and respectfully report concerns to an adult. Once invited to be a HOPE Squad member, students must get a permission form signed by their parents and go through training.

The Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation is the only organization in all of Tarrant County that provides an evidence-based, free, suicide prevention training available to all community members. Officials there say it takes two to three years to change a school’s culture. The Hope Squad is designed around a three-year curriculum. Topics include suicide warning signs, self-care, resiliency, mental health and grief.

The first year is designed for students to learn the fundamentals of peer support. Year two is designed to enhance the Hope Squad’s knowledge and provide a deeper understanding of mental health and suicide. The year three goal is for older Hope Squad members to become more active in teaching and training their fellow students and reaching out to the community.

20 • INSIDE CARROLL

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Save The Date – Parent University on Resiliency & Safety Parents of Carroll Dragons are invited to attend a Parent University this fall on the topics of Resiliency and Safety. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, October 13 at Carroll High School. Keynote speakers will cover topics important to the work of The Resiliency Committee, with breakout sessions by Carroll ISD staff, School Resource Officers and mental health professionals. Lunch will be provided for those who RSVP when the invitation is sent out.

“It’s been several years since we hosted a Parent University, and I believe it couldn’t be a better time for us to share what we are doing to build resiliency in our students,” says Superintendent David Faltys. “Our staff is dedicated to giving up part of their weekend this fall to educate and provide resources to our parents. They will even get a chance to tell us what they think we are doing well and what we can improve on when building resiliency in students. Teaching resiliency increases their capacity to bounce back from adversity, manage conflict and reduce stress.”

Shortly after the 2018-2019 school year gets started, parents, students and staff will be invited to participate in a Thoughtexchange process. Thoughtexchange is a network dis22 • INSIDE CARROLL

cussion and engagement tool that allows respondents to answer questions online, consider other people’s points of view and “star” statements in which they support or agree.

Carroll officials say information gleaned from the public engagement process will be used to create breakout sessions and keynote speaker content at Parent University on October 13. Areas expected to be addressed include mental wellness, suicide prevention, health and nutrition, personal safety, drug and alcohol education and more.

“I am excited Carroll ISD will have the opportunity to partner with parents through a fall Parent University to help build resiliency in students,” says Janet McDade, Assistant Superintendent for Student Service. “We are all working together to ensure the physical, emotional and social well-being of students.”

Parent University will be free to those parents who register to participate. More information about keynote speakers and breakout sessions topics will be shared with parents this fall.

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INSIDE CARROLL • 23

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DRAGONS GIVING BACK FIRST ANNUAL DRAGON EVENT MAKES IMPACT IN SOUTHLAKE COMMUNITY The Carroll ISD core value of compassionate service was in full swing at the first annual Dragon Event, a completely student-led day of service projects that took place on April 7. Combining 300 students from over 25 teams and clubs in Carroll ISD, the event had Dragons spend an entire Saturday working together on service projects for 15 different local organizations.

Carroll Senior High School student Jacqueline Hall founded the Dragon Event in the fall of 2017, during her junior year. Inspired by The Big Event at Texas A&M University, the largest, one-day, studentrun service project in the nation, Hall recruited 18 students to serve on the leadership team and begin planning for the big day in the spring.

“Though we greatly appreciated the support of our staff, it was very important to me to have the project fully student-led and not take on a teacher sponsor,” Hall says. “We met monthly and constantly sought and acted upon feedback and new ideas.

There has never truly been a project of this magnitude at CHS and CSHS, so The Dragon Event had to be built from the ground up.”

The overall goal of the project was to create a widespread impact in the Southlake community all within just one day. The 300 student participants were split into workgroups, each serving organizations like Run4Elise, Miracle League, GRACE Donation Station, GRACEful Buys, Grapevine Housing Authority, Christ’s Haven for Children, Stepping Stones Foundation, Community Storehouse, Community Table, Metroport Meals on Wheels, House of Shine, The Bowden and more.

Hall said she was overwhelmed by the participation and positive feedback from her peers.

“Seeing what began as a small idea come to fruition as an enormous project was truly one of INSIDE CARROLL • 27

DRAGONS GIVING BACK

the most rewarding and impactful moments of my life,” she says. “Having so many of my peers come together and dedicate their Saturday to serving our community meant more than I can express.”

The Dragon Event was designed to provide an opportunity for each and every student to be a part of something truly impactful. Through the hard work and dedication of Hall and her fellow students, that idea became a reality and will continue on for years in the future as the Dragon Event becomes a staple for the Carroll ISD and Southlake community.

ONCE A DRAGON, ALWAYS A DRAGON If there is one thing that is true about Carroll Alumni, it is that they protect the Dragon tradition with a fierce spirit of passion and pride. It is this fierce spirit that has led so many Carroll alumni, who have experienced the uniqueness of being a Dragon, back to Southlake to raise their families, thus breeding second (and even third) generations of fire-breathing Dragons.

The Mission: This overwhelming pride of alumni near and far is exactly what The Tradition:

28 • INSIDE CARROLL

The Dragon Alumni Network is all about. Established in 2017 as a part of the Carroll Education Foundation, The Tradition primarily serves as a liaison to strengthen the bond between faculty and administration and Dragon alumni. Through networking, The Tradition enables alumni, Carroll Education Foundation supporters and faculty to stay connected while giving back to the district, ensuring the beloved Carroll ISD traditions stay intact for generations to come.

The Vision: The vision for The Tradition began in 2016 at a Carroll ISD strategic planning meeting. At this time, the district recognized its hugely successful alumni following and proposed an alumni group similar to many college affiliations. In January of 2017, alumnus Brian Hodges joined the CEF board for the sole purpose of acting as a liaison to build the network.

“Providing the ability for alumni and faculty to stay connected with not only their class or generation, but all generations, is a really great thing,” Brian says of this mission. “I firmly believe that being a Dragon and having the opportunity to learn from people who are not only exceptional educators, but amazing people makes our community even stronger.”

Hodges, who graduated from Carroll in 1979, moved back to Southlake seven years ago so that his daughter Emily could also enjoy the Dragon experience. Emily graduated from CISD in 2015, and now Brian and his

wife Stephanie have been hard at work as the network’s founding members by raising awareness of the network, hosting monthly alumni meetings and organizing community events to fundraise for The Tradition Scholarship Fund.

“Hopefully, now that people are learning more about who we are and what we do, they will become more involved,” Stephanie says. “Ultimately, The Tradition is about being a network to support one another, even after your time at Carroll is over, hence our motto, ‘Once a Dragon, Always a Dragon.’”

The Support: In its inaugural year, The Tradition was able to award $8,000 — an impressive sum for a first-year organization. Four $2,000 scholarships were awarded to two graduating seniors as well as two Carroll alumni who are continuing their education. Not only does The Tradition raise funds in efforts to give back to current and past students through scholarships but also they give back directly to CEF, which provides financial support to district educators.

In addition, The Tradition is a place for Dragon alumni to network with each another as well as praise their business and philanthropic efforts within the community.

Lindsay Jacobson, a Carroll Class of 1999 graduate, Dragon Mom and Carroll Senior High

teacher and coach, has felt the direct impact of how The Tradition has supported rising and current alumni. By working closely with the scholarship committee to collect almost 30 applications for the first four scholarship recipients, Jacobson was able to present the two senior scholarships at the CSHS Senior Awards ceremony in May. “It has been such an honor to see the hard work and efforts of The Tradition directly impact the deserving students I work with on a daily basis,” Jacobson says.

The Signature Event: The Tradition’s inaugural event last fall was centered on alumni recognition, making homecoming a true coming home event. As a roast and tribute to Texas High School Football Hall of Famer and Southlake legend Coach Bob Ledbetter, alumni and faculty spanning decades showed up to support past teachers and students who shaped the Carroll program and continue to give back to the community, making a difference in the lives of students and the district.

“The roast was a great success,” says Ledbetter, “It’s more of an honor than anything else to do something for the present, former, and future faculty, that raises money while focusing on what’s really important: the kids and the tradition that being a Dragon stands for.”

Ledbetter proudly stands behind the organization, seeing its vision and primary responsibility of keeping alumni connected with an added focus on giving back to the community, protecting traditions that make Carroll schools the best.

INSIDE CARROLL • 29

DRAGONS GIVING BACK CARROLL JUNIOR’S PROJECT HAS POTENTIAL TO AID RECOVERY OF OTHERS

Prior to the event, The Tradition’s leadership committee selected three alumni who demonstrate best what it means to be a Dragon and make Dragon Nation such a special place. Mr. Phil Barber, Outstanding Community Patron, Mr. Chauncey Willingham, Outstanding Faculty and Mr. Jay Armstrong, Outstanding Alumni received the inaugural awards. Going forward, these awards will carry the recipients’ namesake.

Just a few months away, Homecoming 2018 will once again serve as The Tradition’s signature affair of the year.

With events ranging from the parade through homecoming weekend, The Tradition hopes to raise funds and awareness of the organization with the mantra “Once A Dragon, Always a Dragon.” It’s a phrase Brain says, “Only Dragon alumni who have personally experienced what it means to be a Dragon can understand and can embrace this phrase to the fullest.”

Alumni Involvement: The future of The Tradition is strong. As The Dragon Alumni Network grows, so does the power of being a Dragon. Alumni can become involved by signing up at www.carrolleducationfoundation.org/alumni, stay in the loop by following The Tradition’s Facebook public group, ‘The Tradition-The Dragon Alumni Network’ or emailing CarrollDragonAlumni@gmail.com.

30 • INSIDE CARROLL

In his words, Carroll High School junior Allen Zhou has “always been a math and science kid,” but over the last few years he has formed a real interest in biomedical engineering and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses. Through his new-found passion, Zhou was able to research and execute an idea that has the potential to help people who are suffering from bone injuries.

Zhou spent the summer of 2017 researching and working with professors from the University of Texas in Arlington on a project that would have the potential to assist in the regeneration of bone structure when a fracture or bone break occurs. The now-Carroll Senior High School student was awarded a $1,200 research grant to fund his project and present at the Fort Worth Regional Science and Engineering Fair at UTA in February.

Zhou’s final product was an entire 3D replica of a human femur bone as well as a scaffold of a portion of the bone. One of the benefits of creating both a full replica femur and a scaffolded bone portion is to show the flexibility of creating scaffolds along any part of the bone, according to Zhou. The scaffold prosthesis is useful when fracturing or breaking of bones occur and bone regeneration must commence.

His project qualified for the Texas Science and Engineering Fair in Austin that was held in March.

Zhou placed second and earned him recognition from Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Governor Abbott awarded Zhou with a full scholarship to the Governor’s Science and Technology Champions Academy on the campus of Southern Methodist University during the summer.

Through this project and his recognition, Zhou wanted more students with his similar interests at Carroll Senior High School to have the opportunity to work together. Zhou approached Steven Nathman, his engineering teacher, about starting a biomedical engineering club with the ultimate goal of hosting Carroll Senior High’s first science fair.

“He said he didn’t want to be the kid who just puts a club name on his resume, he wanted to start a tradition,” Nathman states. “The leadership he showed in putting everything together is simply amazing.”

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EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION 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 Tercel Herreman and Allison Loftin, the 2017-2018 CISD Teachers of the Year.

INSIDE CARROLL • 33

EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION CISD 2017-2018 Teacher of the Year Old Union Elementary: Tercel Herreman

I

t’s a classic scenario: A little girl arranging her stuffed animals in neat rows and playing “school.” Tercel Herreman was no different, except for an added intensity to her adolescent games.

“Being a teacher has always been my dream, even as a child,” she says. “I remember asking Santa for an overhead projector.”

Even though Santa didn’t deliver on the overhead projector, Herreman continued pursuing her passion. Now, as a kindergarten teacher at Old Union Elementary, she is living out the only career she ever wanted. Her exuberance in the classroom has not gone unnoticed – Herreman was named Elementary District Teacher of the Year for the 2017-18 school year.

“I was so shocked,” she says. “The other people who were nominated have been teaching longer than me and they are amazing. Everyone on this campus is incredible, so for me to be named Teacher of the Year was amazing.”

Herreman has been with Carroll ISD for nine years. During that time, she has become wellknown as an advocate for literacy, diversity and equality. These might sound like heavy topics for five year olds, but Herreman masterfully creates fun lesson plans that teach her students to celebrate their differences. A large part of her motivation to convey the importance of diversity comes from her own upbringing in a local school system.

“I’m biracial, so growing up it was harder for me to fit in because I went to a predominantly white school,” Herreman says. “I want my kids to celebrate differences.”

She recalls small details such as not having Band Aids that matched her skin. Remembering feeling like an outsider, Herreman ensures that none of her kids will have to go through similar circumstances. She takes time to acknowledge each of her student’s holidays and use it as a learning point for the entire classroom. Most importantly, Herreman equips her students to

stand up for themselves and others in a productive manner.

“I teach them that one little person, no matter their age, can make a difference in our community,” she says, “No matter how big or small it is, if you feel a certain way about things, I want them to know that they have a voice and it matters.”

For the past three years, Herreman has also been instilling lessons of compassion in her students through a Kindergarten Animal Shelter Drive. Her class makes posters, does announcements and reads books about shelter dogs.

“I have a shelter dog and my kids love her,” she laughs. “A lot of them are just learning how to write, but they can all spell her name, ‘Zoe.’” And while she is living her dream, Herreman will be the first to admit the path getting there had some twists and turns. She graduated from Texas Woman’s University in 2005.

She then taught in Frisco ISD before coming to Southlake. Herreman happily stayed with Carroll ISD for years before taking a teaching position in Turkey. There, she taught a class of 3 and 4 year olds and a class of 4 and 5 year olds. The class centered on English immersion, so she was tasked with the job of teaching her language to young children with little to no knowledge of English.

“It was a lot of body language and a lot of tears,” she laughs. “But we figured it out and by the end of two years they were able to understand jokes and I could even hear a Texan accent start to come out of them.”

After two years in Istanbul, Herreman returned to Old Union Elementary to teach the only grade level she wants to teach – kindergarten.

“I always knew I wanted to teach, and I knew I wanted to teach kindergarten. It’s what I do best.”

INSIDE CARROLL • 35

EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION CISD 2017-2018 Teacher of the Year Carroll Senior High: Allison Loftin

W

hile some dream of teaching from a young age, there are those who actively attempt to avoid it. This was the case for 2017-2018 Secondary District Teacher of the Year, Allison Loftin.

The majority of Loftin’s immediate family are or were educators. When asked if she wanted to follow suit, Loftin laughs.

“Long story short, I always said I was not going into education,” she says.

“Teaching was not my plan when I was younger, but there’s nothing more I’d rather do now.”

And as Loftin puts it, her career came full circle – right into education. She graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree. From there she served as an athletic trainer for a university in South Carolina. Upon deciding that athletic training at the collegiate level was not for her, Loftin headed back to Texas and served as an Athletic Trainer at Colleyville Heritage High School from 2005-2008. In the fall of 2008, she joined CISD, where she was initially hired on as an athletic trainer. Soon, she was teaching Peer Assisted Leadership (PALS) at Carroll Senior High School.

“It all started with PALS,” Loftin says. “I kind of got the bug from that.”

That “bug” led Loftin to become involved in the Dragons Go Digital program, create a new Principles of Health Science class and established the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) chapter for Carroll Senior High School.

She has also taught anatomy and medical terminology classes.

“The kids are awesome,” Loftin says.

“I teach freshmen and they are just very driven and eager to learn. That makes it fun – when the kids are motivated and want to learn, it makes it easy on me, but also challenging because I want to find things that keep them interested. They challenge me to keep learning as well.”

While teaching, Loftin still juggles the responsibilities that go with being an athletic trainer. Depending on practices and game schedules, her work days can be long. But to Loftin, it’s all worth it.

“When you’re in athletics, the kids just call you coach. I love that title,” she says with a smile.

Her long days and her love for the kids were recognized as she earned Secondary District Teacher of the Year.

“I was pretty surprised, honestly,” Loftin says. “There’s a lot of great teachers in this district. It’s just a huge honor and very humbling to be chosen as one of the best in this district when everybody is great.”

This isn’t her first recognition for her work with the district. In her fifth year with CISD, she earned the Ken Locker Athletic Trainer Service Award for the North Texas Athletic Trainer Society. It honored her instrumental work in organizing athletic physicals for student athletes as well as her efforts in transitioning medical forms to an online process.

It’s hard to imagine a member of four national and regional training associations having any free time. But when she does, she happily spends it with her two dogs, Jax and Sully.

INSIDE CARROLL • 37

EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION CISD Honors Six Deserving Employees with the Inaugural Dragon Core Value Awards

C

arroll ISD is rich with tradition. This year, a new tradition began in the form of the Dragon Core Value awards, which recognize staff members who went above and beyond in an area representing one of Carroll ISD’s core values: excellence, character and integrity, innovation, relationships, open and honest communication and compassionate service.

Each year, Carroll ISD recognizes staff members at the End-of-Year Reception in the form of the Auxiliary Service Award, Paraprofessional Service Award, Distinguished Service Award and the Community Service Award. These recognitions allow the district to honor and celebrate the incredible achievements of the staff in one of these four areas. Rooted out of the Carroll Administration’s desire to recognize even more

38 • INSIDE CARROLL

staff members at the End-of-Year Reception, Carroll ISD partnered with Dragon Alum Corey Fickes from Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson LLP to bring this new award to life.

Carroll ISD Board of Trustees Vice President Michelle Moore played a crucial role in making these awards a reality in the district. She worked closely with Corey Fickes and secured a sponsorship from Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson LLP for the firstever Dragon Core Value Awards. According to Moore, immediately after Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson LLP was hired by the District in 2016, they sought opportunities to engage and give back to Carroll.

“They didn’t want to just be a District vendor, but a District partner that invests in our schools, teachers and students. This opened a dialogue that allowed us to think outside the box for an opportunity that

would honor their philanthropic spirit and values, which resulted in their sponsorship of this new Dragon recognition program,” says Moore. “I am beyond grateful to Corey Fickes and his firm for partnering with CISD to recognize exemplary teachers and staff that exhibit our Dragon Core Values.”

EXCELLENCE: ERIC GUERRERO The winner of the Dragon Core Value Award for Excellence was Eric Guerrero, the Band Teacher at Eubanks Intermediate School, who also leads the Dawson Middle School Band. Motivation is a large part of achieving excellence, and Guerrero knows just how to inspire his students to be their very best. His students work harder because of their desire to meet the standard of excellence he sets as a daily example for those around him.

“At Eubanks Eric has a talent of molding band students who are new to playing instruments into proud musicians,” says Eubanks Intermediate Principal Mary Stockton. “He does this by challenging them, encouraging them, and maintaining high expectations of excellence.”

Guerrero maintains excellence in and out of his classroom by building strong relationships with his students and encouraging them to commit to their musical studies. His students have the utmost respect for him as both a teacher and a person.

CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY: BARBARA CLINE Barbara Cline, an educational diagnostician who has been with Carroll ISD for 26 years, was awarded the Character and Integrity Dragon Core Value Award. She is always willing to lend an ear, brainstorm solutions, and will often push her own tasks aside to help others. Her character and integrity shine through as she spends countless hours with families and staff reviewing paperwork, educating the special education process and problem solving for the needs of her students.

“Barb receiving the district’s Core Value Award for Character and Integrity confirms how we feel about her in the Special Programs department and that every employee in our district is valued and plays a vital role in student success,” says Tyisha Nelson, Executive Director for Special Programs.

“Barb graciously empowers others with her guidance and impeccable ability to build strong relationships, and she is constantly seeking to develop continuous improvements to meet the needs of our students.”

Throughout her tenure with Carroll, Cline has consistently exhibited the qualities of character and integrity in her interactions with staff, students and parents. Teachers, counselors and administrators alike value her knowledge, honesty and unwavering principles.

INNOVATION: CHRIS PATINO Carroll High School STEM teacher Chris Patino received the Dragon Core Value Award for Innovation. Since he began in Carroll ISD in 2016, Patino has been an integral part of the success of the relatively young STEM Program.

He is involved in many aspects of life at CHS, but his involvement with students outside of the classroom is what truly sets him apart. Whether it be working after hours with students to build a rocket or working with kids on special projects in the computer lab, Patino is focused on his student’s success. Carroll High Principal P.J. Giamanco was especially impressed with the incredible commitment and dedication Patino had for the STEM Rocket Program.

He spearheaded the creation of the Rocket Program in STEM and has worked with the students to see tangible success with their rocket projects during their time in the STEM Program.

“Chris has brought the work skills from Lockheed Martin into the classroom and provided our students a link to the

INSIDE CARROLL • 39

EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION real world of ‘Innovation with Purpose’ and created a rocket program for our students to be successful in its first year,” Giamanco says.

Through hands-on activities and technology-centered lessons, all placing an emphasis on teamwork, he does an excellent job of finding the best ways for his students to grow through the innovative Rocket Program.

RELATIONSHIPS: TRACI FAIR For the Dragon Core Value Award recognizing Relationships, Traci Fair from Rockenbaugh Elementary was the winner.

She has been in the district for 15 years and is well-known for the caring and loving relationships she builds with her students.

She amazes her families with her compassion, love, and support of her students, and never misses an opportunity to celebrate with them when they meet a goal or make it through a tough time. She builds incredible relationships with her students by truly getting to know their strengths and weaknesses. Fair works hard to make her students feel loved and welcomed, making a lasting impact and strong relationship for years to come. Rockenbaugh Principal Janet Blackwell was thrilled for Fair to be represented for her strength in relationship building.

“She wants to build positive relationships so people feel comfortable coming to her if they need something, or just want to feel loved,” Blackwell says.

OPEN AND HONEST COMMUNICATION: LISA WALKER The winner of the Dragon Core Value Award for Open and Honest Communication was Lisa Walker, former Assistant Principal at Old Union Elementary School. Prior to accepting a Principal position at Birdville ISD for the 2018-2019 school year, Walker had been with the district for six years, and exemplified the characteristics of an effective communicator in many ways. Her open and honest communication style has positively transformed the culture and learning environment on her campus.

“Lisa promotes open and honest communication with staff, students and parents,” says Old Union Principal Jon Fike. “She fosters relationships while making sure that our families and staff are kept up to date with all the exciting events of OUES.”

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COMPASSIONATE SERVICE: KELLI WALTERS

Her encouragement has helped her staff grow professionally and relationally. Walker is known for leaving handwritten notes in her teacher’s boxes after evaluations, highlighting specific areas of excellence and hard work she saw when visiting a classroom. Walker used constant communication with the administrative team on her campus to create an environment that fostered a close-knit school community.

Kelli Walters was the winner of the Dragon Core Value Award for Compassionate Service. She has been with Carroll ISD for three years, and serves as both the school secretary and PTO President at Old Union Elementary. Few people want to do both of these jobs at the same time, but Walters does it with ease. She seamlessly carries out all of her duties with a calm, compassionate grace. She never hesitates to help, whether it is a parent, teacher, or child in need. Her compassionate service comes from within, and she donates countless hours of her time and energy for no other reason than to simply make a positive difference and help others. Walters has positively impacted her campus, district, and community with her willingness to serve with a compassionate heart, and is a shining example of a staff member who only wants the best for everyone.

“When she sees a need, she jumps in to serve others, always thinking of how she can help make OUES the best place to be,” Principal Jon Fike says. “We are so lucky to have her as a part of the OUES family.”

The Dragon Core Values are the core of the Carroll ISD community in every sense of the word. They shape the way administrators lead, the way teachers teach, and the way students live. The newest tradition in Carroll ISD represents these values in a huge way, awarding the employees who emulate them on a daily basis, and lead by example to all those around them.

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INSIDE CARROLL • 41

EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION Child Nutrition Department Welcomes New Director

S

tarting this school year, there will be a new face in the Child Nutrition Department – Susan Wilson, Director of Child Nutrition.

Out of 35 applicants for the position, Wilson’s leadership skills and innovation made her the top candidate for the job. She comes to Carroll from Highland Park ISD. Wilson will be taking over for Mary Brunig, who had been with Carroll ISD for 20 years before retiring this spring. She will oversee the entire food operations at Carroll ISD, from child nutrition at the campus level to Dragon Stadium concession operations. She joins the Carroll team after spending two years as the Director for Food Services at

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Highland Park ISD. There she oversaw the operations of six campuses and became familiar with the challenges and opportunities of operating a child nutrition program that is not on the National School Lunch Program. Prior to her time in Highland Park ISD, she was the Dietician for Coppell ISD for three years where she planned menus for 14 campuses and communicated nutrition information to parents via meetings and an interactive menu platform for schools.

“We are very excited to welcome Susan to the district,” says Scott Wrehe, Assistant Superintendent for Financial Services. “We believe the experience she has obtained will make her a great addition to the Child Nutrition team.”

Wilson has always been passionate about food services and nutrition.

She earned both a Master of Business Administration and a Master in Food Systems Administration from Texas Women’s University, is a registered Dietitian and the former President of the Child Nutrition Directors of North Central Texas.

She has been a dietitian since 2005, but did not find her spot in the educational food realm until 2013.

“I absolutely love working with the kids,” Wilson says. “It is so fun to see how excited they get about healthy options, which has a really special place in my heart.”

Wilson began her role in Carroll ISD in early July and is looking forward to the school year.

“I’m excited to get to know the community, and the students and parents in Carroll ISD,” she says.

CISD STAFF BY THE NUMBERS H TEAC ERS &

710

& AUX

PA

RA

P RO

Dedicated Staff 1,135

AVERAGE YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE

WITH CISD

8 YEARS

OVERALL

13 YEARS

79:21

PRO 430

CISD TEACHER SALARIES 46

FORMER DRAGONS EMPLOYED BY CISD

STAFF WITH MASTERS DEGREES

35%

START

$52,600

START

$40,017*

MAX

$69,829

MAX

$56,010*

*Texas Association of School Boards

CISD

STATE

INSIDE CARROLL • 43

EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION Say Hello to the New Johnson Elementary School Principal

J

ohnson Elementary School will have a new leader at the Principal helm for the 2018-2019 school year – Dr. Rene Moses. Moses has been in education for 26 years, 24 of which have been in Carroll ISD. For the last four years, she served as the Assistant Principal at Johnson Elementary, working alongside longtime Dragon Lori Allison, who retired in the spring.

“I am so proud Dr. Moses has been selected to lead Johnson Elementary School,” says Janet McDade, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services. “Her knowledge of and love for the students, parents, and staff at Johnson, along with her passion for the campus, will help her continue the strong foundations that are built upon the Dragon tradition of excellence fostered within the campus culture.”

44 • INSIDE CARROLL

Moses worked in the Curriculum and Instruction department for 10 years prior to becoming the Assistant Principal at JES. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M in Biology, Life/Earth Science, her Master’s degree in Educational Administration and her Ed.D. degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of North Texas.

At an early age, Moses was inspired to have a career in education. Rather than sit in a chair all day listening to the teacher lecture like she experienced when she was in school, she wanted to make school exciting for kids.

“I wanted to show students that learning can be fun and engaging,” Moses says.

Moses’ time in education has included numerous leadership positions and trainings. She is a member of the Texas Association of Elementary School Principals and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum, organizes and facilitates team RtI processes and PLC protocols, leads campus professional development and teacher evaluation, has completed Curriculum Audit Training and Dupont Leadership Training, and much more.

Since she has been serving as the JES Assistant Principal for the last four years, Moses has a unique perspective and opportunity heading into a new role at her current campus. She loves the family feeling at Johnson that exists between the faculty, students and families.

“I love the hugs and smiles I get from students every day – they come to work eager to learn and that makes me smile,” Moses says. “Johnson is such an inviting place.”

Moses hopes to “maybe put a little bit of a ‘Moses’ spin on things” at Johnson, and is looking forward to growing the relationships she has created with students, teachers and parents, all while helping her campus continue to thrive.

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DISTRICT OF INNOVATION It Really Is More Than Calendar Changes

INSIDE CARROLL • 47

DISTRICT OF INNOVATION

I

n theme with the district’s mantra, “Creating an environment that fosters excellence,” Carroll ISD joined the ranks of Texas schools becoming Districts of Innovation this year.

This special designation for schools with high academic accountability affords qualifying districts even greater flexibility regarding the employment of: innovative curriculum, instructional methods, campus governance and other provisions beyond the standard state maxims.

During the 84th Session of the Texas Legislature, H.B 1842 was amended to create Districts of Innovation. Districts are eligible for this designation if certain performance requirements are met and the district follows the state’s comprehensive procedures for adoption. A district may then operate under this designation for the next five years before having to renew through the same process.

But what does it really mean to be a District of Innovation? For many districts across the state, including Carroll ISD, the largest component is the school calendar. The entire concept behind the designation was to allow public schools across the state to have the same flexibility as Texas’ openenrollment charter schools. This encompasses areas such as more innovative curriculum, school schedules, attendance rules, class-size ratios, staff requirements and student discipline provisions.

With many surrounding districts already becoming Districts of Innovation and implementing

48 • INSIDE CARROLL

changes to school calendars, staff at Carroll ISD knew it was time to start the process.

“We needed to be more aligned with surrounding districts,” says Janet McDade, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services. “We have a number of teachers who live in other districts, and their children go to schools there. Differing start dates were creating conflicts.”

HOW DOES IT IMPACT CISD? Despite the flashy title, it is fairly common for school calendars to be the most notable changes among Districts of Innovation. While students and faculty can expect to see some schedules shift, Carroll ISD has even more in store as a District of Innovation. The district established the designation with three components: first and last day of instruction, certification required and teacher appraisal system.

As of May, the district had no new hires who need certification waivers so the second component of its District of Innovation designation may not have immediate impact. However, it opens schools and classrooms up to exciting possibilities.

“We’re looking at specific certifications and credentialing for unique situations such as Career and Technology certifications for teachers, even in some areas such as art, engineering and technology,” McDade says. “If they come from the industry but do not have a teaching certification, we could give them a district certification.”

The district’s new flexibility to certify industry professionals means that students can learn trades from people who work with them day in and day out.

For example, an IT professional can become districtcertified and teach students skills such as coding.

The final component speaks to Carroll ISD’s unique situation as a high-performing district. In previous years, teachers had been evaluated under the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS). The appraisal system is a growth model that was a vast improvement on the previous teacher evaluation, McDade says, but it still didn’t fully fit for Carroll teachers.

“We want to put our own Carroll ISD spin on it,” she says. “One of the components of T-TESS is a student growth measure that is tied back to the teacher’s evaluation. You have to show a year’sworth growth in your students. But in Carroll ISD, our students perform very well every year. It’s hard to show growth when performing at 98 percent on our state assessment every year.”

Also starting this school year, parents and students will notice a difference in school calendars. This will include different first and last days of instruction and two additional long weekends. McDade also says with the way the dates fall, students will also experience a longer winter break this year.

“Our last day of instruction is not as impacted, but if we can fit it in with our required minutes, we could try not to go into June,” McDade says.

As a District of Innovation, Carroll is now opting out of the state’s mandatory start date, the fourth Monday of August – which is August 27 this year. Instead, school started a week earlier, on August 20. The last day of school is slated for May 30, 2019.

INNOVATION DOESN’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT On May 1, 2017, the Carroll ISD Board of Trustees adopted a resolution to consider becoming a District of Innovation – the first official step in the process. This started a seven-month process of meetings, committees, planning and communication to families.

In Carroll ISD’s case, the District Advisory Committee (DAC) became the group that advised the board on implementing the designation. The DAC is the district equivalent of campus site-based teams and is an

integral part of CISD operations, serving in an advisory capacity to the Board of Trustees.

“Our District Advisory Committee is made up of members from every campus,” McDade says.

“Teachers, nurses, librarians, administrators from our entire district, as well as community members and business partners all serve on DAC.” The group typically meets once per month during the school year. With District of Innovation duties on their agenda last fall, they had to meet more frequently. In September, a public hearing was held regarding the topic. The Innovation Plan Committee and Subcommittee met over the following two days and again in October. In keeping with state guidelines, they had to post the local innovation plan to the district’s website. Before voting on the plan, the Texas Commissioner of Education had to be notified of CISD’s intent to vote on it.

The list of tasks goes on, but on December 4, 2017, they saw the fruits of their labor as Carroll ISD officially became a District of Innovation.

Now, with more freedom to tailor curriculum, calendar and hiring processes, this should only yield positive changes for teachers, faculty, students and their families.

INSIDE CARROLL • 49

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DRAGONS IN COMPETITION BASEBALL SWEEPS THROUGH PLAYOFFS FOR THIRD STATE CHAMPIONSHIP After coming up short last season in the state semifinal, the Dragon Baseball players came together early in the offseason and set the goal of taking care of unfinished business. The team came out in practice with a laser focus on returning to Round Rock and earning the team’s third state championship in school history.

Behind the outstanding performances on both sides of the ball, the Dragons earned the UIL 6A Championship with their victory over San Antonio Reagan. Huge performances from Will Quillen and Kyle Warden helped seal the team’s first state championship since 2002.

“At the beginning of offseason I was a little worried, I felt as if they were okay with the result from last year and didn’t have the fire to return,” says Head Coach Larry Vucan. “I had a conversation with some of the seniors and they assured me that they had unfinished business. I saw it building in the regular season but once we hit the playoffs, it was obvious, they were on a mission.”

The Dragons spent much of the regular season ranked in the top tier of 6A teams in the state. From the first game of the season, they were setting up for a special run. In the opening game of the Spring Branch ISD preseason tournament, senior pitcher Nicco Cole sat down 27 batters in a row en route to a season opening perfect game. This was the first game of an impressive season for Cole. He would finish the season with an unblemished 13-0 and a sub 1.00 earned run average.

INSIDE CARROLL • 51

DRAGONS IN COMPETITION

The Dragons continued through the preseason and district play with very few mishaps on their record. The team clinched the 5-6A district championship on April 24 with a 9-1 victory over the Hebron Hawks. They went on to finish the regular season with a 24-6 record.

The combination of starting pitchers Cole and Warden would prove to be an outstanding one-two punch throughout the playoffs for the Dragons.

Warden opened the playoffs for the Dragons on the bump against Plano and held the Wildcats to one run over five innings before the run rule kicked in. Warden would continue that dominance throughout the playoffs picking up four total wins.

The offense throughout the playoffs flexed their muscle as well in support of the outstanding work that was done on the pitching mound. Over the 11 games in the playoff run, the Dragon offense outscored their opponents 73-16.

Lead by seniors Quillen, Cade Bell and Adam Stephenson, the Dragons took advantage of each opportunity presented to them to put runs on the scoreboard.

The biggest at-bat of the season came from one of the younger players on the squad. With the score tied at one each in the bottom of the sixth inning of the state semifinal matchup against The Woodlands, sophomore Jorge Figueroa stepped up to the plate and drove a ball to the 375 sign in left center. The massive basehit cleared the

52 • INSIDE CARROLL

bases and put the Dragons up for good in the game and stamped their ticket to a championship matchup with San Antonio Reagan.

For returning senior Jake Miller, the opportunity to not only get back to the tournament but to also advance to the final was redemption for the Dragons after their early exit last year.

“We felt like we should have won that semifinal game last year, and to get a second chance to make it right was our goal all year,” Miller says. “We worked hard, we made it back, and we needed to finish the goal that we set.”

The Dragons finished strong in the championship game. From the first at-bat of the game to the last pitch, it was obvious there was one goal for the team.

The first play of the game resulted in an errant throw on a routine ground ball that pulled the Rattlers’ first baseman off the bag causing a hard collision with Bell, the Dragon leadoff hitter. Later in the first, Quillen drove in two runs on a basesclearing triple that started the offensive explosion. The Dragons went on to push the score to 7-0 through five innings.

Warden took the mound in the championship game after Cole threw a gem the night before

to get the Dragons to the trophy match. Warden was spectacular throughout the entire game. He worked out of two potential jams in the middle of the game, and his only blemish came late in the game once the game was all but finished. Stephenson came in to close the game out for the Dragons by a final score of 7-2. His lone strikeout of the game clinched the game and the championship for the Dragons.

Warden remembers growing up with these players and talking about this day from a very young age.

“We all played Dragon Youth Baseball together. We would talk all the time about being the group that would win it all again,” Warden recalls. “The day of the game we were all anxious, I could not sleep, I just wanted to get on the field and get after it.”

Warden was awarded the tournament’s Most Valuable Player Award. The one-two punch of Cole and Warden proved deadly all season long for Dragon opponents.

The two combined for a 21-1 record overall and a spotless undefeated record in the playoffs.

“I didn’t even know they had an MVP award,” Warden admits. “I just went out there and did my job for that game and when I was announced as the MVP, I was completely shocked” Cole, Warden, Bell, Figueroa and Millsap were all named to the All-Tournament team.

“What an amazing season!” says Superintendent David Faltys. “It was fun to watch our kids, especially after a heartbreaking loss in the semi-finals last year. Our kids developed a resolve to work hard. Even when they ran into hurdles this season, they came together as a team to develop a plan and reenergize their goal. It was phenomenal to watch.”

“As Superintendent, I was just worried someone was going to get hurt in the dogpiles!”

The graduation stage was replaced with the first baseline at Dragon Baseball Field, the traditional mortarboards were replaced with Dragon Baseball Caps with tassels, and Pomp and Circumstance was replaced with each athlete’s walk-up music. Fans filled the stands and heard special messages from the three Dragons during the ceremony. Jake Heffron, Adam Stephenson and Cade Bell addressed the team and talked about the unfinished business they had in front of them in the state tournament and the importance of graduating as a team.

Head Baseball Coach Larry Vucan thanked the Carroll ISD Administration for being so willing to assist in making this ceremony special for these students.

“The willingness to make this event happen in the manner it did and as quickly as it did, is just another example of how special this district really is,” Vucan states. “From the minute the series with Marcus was set in stone, the administration here in Carroll was focused on doing whatever they could to make this a memorable night.”

The ceremony honored the baseball athletes, trainers and one other special honoree from the Carroll Class of 2018. Senior pitcher Kyle Warden was joined by his twin sister Mollie Warden during the ceremony. It was important that they finished together. Having his sister join him on the field for their graduation was something he will remember for a long time.

“It was great to get to have my sister there,” Warden says. “She has grown up with these guys her entire life just like I have, and I was happy we got to celebrate together with family and friends.”

A DRAGON DYNASTY: COACH KEVIN MURPHY CONTINUES TO BUILD HIS LEGACY AS THE CARROLL SWIM AND DIVE HEAD COACH

DRAGON BASEBALL GRADUATION With the first pitch of the second game of the UIL Regional Final and Carroll Class of 2018 Graduation scheduled to begin at the same time, the 22 seniors with Dragon Baseball took part in a special graduation ceremony before the series kicked off.

Not one, not two, but ten. That is how many state championships the Carroll Varsity Boys Swim and Dive Team has brought home in the last 20 years. Eight of those just happen to be consecutive, and all under the reign of Coach Kevin Murphy. Since arriving in Southlake as the new Carroll Swim and Dive Head Coach in 2005, Murphy has slowly but surely built a Dragon dynasty like no other. It only took six years for Murphy to lead the Varsity Boys Swim and Dive team to a state championship, and they haven’t looked back since.

Murphy barely remembers life before the pool. He began swimming at age seven, swam for three years at Oklahoma State University and only took a brief hiatus to join the US Naval Reserves. Upon returning from active duty, Murphy went back to school to get a degree in education and pursue a career as a full-time

INSIDE CARROLL • 53

DRAGONS IN COMPETITION

high school teacher and swim coach. The rest is history, and he has been coaching for over 30 years now.

“We are all a product of our experiences and the guidance we have received from our parents and mentors,” Murphy says.

He credits much of his success to those who made an impact on him during his life – his father, his wife Patti, the numerous coaches he has had over the years, and coaching friends and co-coaches.

“Personally, I am not sure that what has been accomplished here at Carroll so far could have taken place anywhere else,” Murphy says. “It is like a perfect storm and I am just riding the wave and trying my best to steer the boat.”

54 • INSIDE CARROLL

And steer the boat he has. Coach Murphy coaches roughly 140 swimmers and divers in the program.

“Carroll is a very special place, where many of the athletes and parents truly prepare to win, rather than just talk about it,” he says. “This is a reflection of the community culture.”

Coach M urphy takes the C arroll approach of “protecting the tradition” in his program very seriously.

“Every year is a new year with new goals, both individual goals and team goals,” Murphy says. “As long as we strive to excel and make sure that our team goal is for everyone to improve, then we are successful and have protected the tradition of our swim and dive program.”

He loves seeing his student athletes succeed, both in and out of the pool.

“We want our swimmers and divers to learn ‘cause and effect,’ that hard work brings success in all of life’s endeavors,” Murphy says. “If our swimmers and divers can learn that hard work reaps positive benefits, then they can transfer that lesson into everything they strive to accomplish in their entire lives.”

For those who know Murphy, have been coached by him, for him or simply seen him in the act, it is evident that he cares deeply about his student athletes. He is not only passionate about their success in the pool and representing the program he has built, but their growth as individuals out of the pool as well. This mindset has not only made him a spectacular coach leading a spectacular program, but the type of mentor that he had – the ones who push you to accomplish great things with great outcomes.

For the last 13 years, Murphy has created a team motto to live by for the season ahead. His first-ever motto at Carroll was “Chase the Dream.” Little did he know, that dream would evolve into a legacy that would define the Carroll Swim and Dive Program in a magnificent way for years to come.

important as the countless lives I have been able to have a positive impact on over all my years as a coach and a teacher.”

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

SOFTBALL COACH REACHES MILESTONE IN WINS In a season that saw the Lady Dragon Softball team compete for a district title, make the playoffs and perform at the highest levels, the biggest game of the season may have been a come-frombehind win in April.

With the Lady Dragons down two heading into their final at-bat, a single, a walk and a few costly errors from their opponent notched three runs and the historic victory for the Lady Dragons. The win was head coach Tim Stuewe’s 300th career victory.

“For Coach Stuewe to earn that victory, in that fashion, is just a testament to him as a coachs,” says Paul Pinson, former Interim Executive Director of Athletics. “Those athletes wanted that win, on that night, for their coach and they earned it.”

Stuewe just finished his 10th year with Carroll ISD as a teacher and head softball coach. In 2018, Stuewe led the Lady Dragons to an overall record of 23-10 and a district record of 10-4. The Lady Dragons fell to Wylie in the first round of the playoffs.

For Stuewe, the win was less about a number and more about an opportunity to reflect on the impact he hopes he has made over his career.

“It was great to reach the 300th win milestone, but for me, it was a time for reflection as to how many outstanding student-athletes that I have had the opportunity work with over my career,” Stuewe says. “I have been blessed to coach many great teams and players. The wins are great, but not as

For three of the Carroll ISD Athletic programs, this season will feel like a homecoming of sorts. Dragon Football, Lady Dragon Basketball and Lady Dragon Volleyball will all feature new head coaches who all have previous experience as Dragons.

Bringing former students or employees back to Carroll ISD is something that not only excites the players and fans of the Dragons, but also excites Carroll ISD’s Superintendent.

“We love opportunities to hire our former students and staff members,” saiys Superintendent David Faltys. “They understand the Dragon culture and the community’s expectations. They work so well with our kids. I’m really excited about this next year.”

“They bring a new energy and understand protecting our tradition,” Faltys adds. “They each understand what it means to be a Dragon and that it’s also important who you are and what you do off the field or court. We want our students to give their best, to look for ways to help others through compassionate service and we want them to always be kind.”

Teresa Dunn: While new Lady Dragon Head Volleyball Coach Teresa Dunn may not be a Carroll graduate, she has past coaching experience in Carroll ISD. Dunn said that her time here revealed just how special this district and community truly are.

“Coming back to Carroll ISD is a huge honor.

As an assistant here, I can say it was one of my best years in the classroom and on the court,” Dunn recalls. “I knew this district was rich in tradition but once you are fully immersed in it, you never want to leave. I wasn’t sure my path would ever lead me back here, but I sure am glad it has.”

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DRAGONS IN COMPETITION

Dunn graduated and played college volleyball for West Texas A&M (WTAMU). During her time at WTAMU, she made four regional finals, two final fours, and one national championship appearance in postseason play. She served as a varsity assistant coach from 2012-2016 for Marcus High School, before joining the Lady Dragons as an assistant varsity coach in 2016.

Last season, Dunn took over as head coach for the Midlothian Lady Panthers and led them to the third round of the playoffs. She was also awarded the Thirty Under Thirty Award from AVCA, a very prestigious award given to the up-and-coming talent in volleyball coaching.

Dunn wants her student athletes to be passionate about the game, but also passionate about serving others.

“One day the volleyball world disappears and they are left being adults and being the future for this country. In the grand scheme of things, volleyball is only a small part of this life,” she says. “Quite a few former Dragon volleyball players have made a name for themselves in this community off the court. I think it’s important as a coach to help make these kids servant leaders.

I’m excited to get these kids more involved in the school and the community.”

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Riley Dodge: On March 26, Riley Dodge was named the new Dragon Head Football Coach. As a former Dragon, Dodge was a three-time state champion, two-time UIL 5A Texas State Player of the Year and former Parade American.

After graduating Carroll ISD, Dodge earned his bachelor’s degree at McNeese State. For the last six years, his focus has been on coaching football. His experience includes game planning and scouting for Texas A&M University as well as Defensive Secondary and Recruiting Assistant for the University of Texas at Austin. Coach Dodge spent time as the offensive coordinator for Marcus High School and Northwest High School. In his most recent stop, Dodge led the Northwest High School offense to the distinction of being the top offense in the district.

For Dodge, returning home has been a very surreal and humbling experience.

“I grew up in this fieldhouse, in this town, at Dragon Stadium, not only as a player but as a coach’s kid,” Dodge states. “It has finally set in, but it was very humbling to know I am back home.”

His advice to Dragon fans heading into his first season at the helm is to “show up early, stay late and be ready because it’s going to be fun.”

While one of his major goals is to win football games, Dodge realizes that it is more important to teach and prepare his student-athletes to be productive assets to society.

“Yes, we want to win football games, but more importantly, we want these kids to be productive in the classroom and in the community,” he says.

“They have the little eyes of younger Dragons watching them all the time and the choices these student-athletes make on a daily basis are important. This coaching staff and I are here to help them grow not just for the next four years, but for the rest of their lives.”

Robyn McCoart: For new Lady Dragons Head Basketball Coach Robyn McCoart, it was Carroll ISD or bust.

“It was only Carroll ISD for me. I was not pursuing jobs in any other districts.” McCoart says.

“This is and always has been what I have called home and where my husband and I want to raise our children. This is the program and the school community for the McCoarts.”

Coach McCoart was given her new title on April 27. During her time as a player at both Carroll and Ouachita Baptist University, Coach McCoart received numerous awards and accolades. She was part of the AAU Junior Olympic National

Championship Team in 1997, and then continued her success at the college level where she served as team captain for two years and earned the Gulf South Conference Elite 8 Award.

McCoart envisions the Lady Dragons continuing to build on the traditions set by coaches before her, and she believes that her student-athletes have the ability to bring more to the program than ever before by working harder than anyone else and by controlling the things that they, as a team, can control.

“My vision for Lady Dragon Basketball is one of ‘uncommon attitude and effort,’ where we will strive daily to improve, compete and win, always giving our full selves while staying focused on the things we can control,” she says. “Our five controllable behaviors are our physical conditioning, our on-court communication, our pre-game preparation, our spirit of selflessness and our fight.”

STUDYING PAYS OFF FOR UIL SOCIAL STUDY TEAM For most, sitting in a quiet room answering complex questions and formulating an elaborate essay would be nerve-wrecking, but for the Car-

roll Senior High UIL Social Studies team, it is just another day of competition.

The UIL Social Studies Contest consists of 45 objective questions and an essay. Students are expected to master primary reading selections and be familiar with general-knowledge concepts and terms. Each year, the contest focuses on a different topic area and a reading list that is provided by UIL. The team, made up of Paul Keller, Daniel Formella, Matt Varriale and Michael DeCamp spent hours preparing for their competition.

This year’s topic was “Russia and the Former Soviet Union.” The questions covered content from the early 20th century until present day, and students were also expected to be able to identify over 200 terms related to the subject.

The UIL Social Studies Team won first place in district, and second in regionals. Individually, Keller won first in district and second at regionals which gave him the opportunity to compete at the State UIL Meet.

UIL Sponsor Rebecca Colvin loves seeing her students working through the process of learning the competition material.

“I am extremely proud of this team. It was a very difficult topic and required a great deal of studying all on their own, outside of school. It took a lot of dedication and work,” Colvin states. “They do not do this for acclaim or recognition. They do it because they have curious minds and love to learn and to compete.”

ROBOTICS TEAM CLINCHES WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP After numerous rigorous local, regional and state tournaments, Carroll Robotics sent 24 students from three different teams to Louisville, Kentucky, to compete against teams from 34 nations at the VEX Robotics World Championship in April.

INSIDE CARROLL • 57

DRAGONS IN COMPETITION

In the Robot Virtual Worlds Challenge, students write an autonomous code to control a virtual robot that performs the VEX challenge. Carroll Robotics senior Sriram Avirneni wrote a code for the competition that scored highest of all the competitors in the world. This accomplishment qualified his team 7110Z for the VEX World Championships. Avirneni’s team was recognized on the VEX Worlds Stage and awarded a World Championship trophy.

Team 7110Z also received the Think Award at the VEX World Championship.

The Think Award is presented to a team that develops and effectively uses quality programming as part of their strategy to solve the game challenge. To receive this award, judges check that all programming is cleanly-written, well-documented and easy-to-understand. The team must also display good teamwork, conduct a thorough interview and display the highest level of professionalism throughout the entire competition. Receiving this award demonstrates a team’s outstanding ability to not only program a virtual robot, but to also

58 • INSIDE CARROLL

apply coding skills to their physical robot to complete the challenge.

Carroll Robotics sponsor Leah Schwedler is amazed by what these students have accomplished and looks forward to their very bright futures.

“One of the things that this robotics program has taught me about our Carroll STEM students is that there is no bar too high to set for them. If we give them a challenge and the tools they need, they will amaze us,” Schwedler says. “Many of our robotics graduates will be studying engineering or computer science, and I firmly believe that the hands-on, problem-solving experience they have had in robotics has prepared them for the next step in their education and their futures in STEM.”

DRAGON DEBATE COMPETES NATIONALLY The Dragon Speech & Debate team was busy this past school year competing in multiple circuits as they set their eyes on receiving bids to the national tournament.

There are four major circuits in which the Dragon Speech & Debate compete and they are working on breaking into an additional one. Currently, Carroll competes in UIL, Texas Forensics Association (TFA),

the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA), and Tournament of Champions (TOC).

Juniors Paul Doherty and Sahaj Singh qualified to represent Dragon Speech & Debate at the UIL State tournament in Austin in May. Doherty finished fourth in Lincoln-Douglas Debate and Singh finished fourth in Informative Speaking.

This year, Carroll Senior High had more than 20 students compete at TFA State in Congress, Public Forum Debate, Lincoln-Douglas Debate, and Domestic and Extemporaneous Speaking.

Of the students who competed, Gautam Iyer and Samir Mohsin made it to the triple octoround of Lincoln-Douglas Debate, while Aman Patel made it to quarterfinals.

Alanna Miller and Ankith Kurapati advanced to the octo-final round in Public Forum Debate.

Cameron Waltz and Usman Alam advanced to the semifinal round of Congress and Singh was named Congress state champion. Sahaj also made it to quarterfinals of Extemporaneous Speaking.

For the Tournament of Champions, Myron Mageswarren, Waltz, and Singh qualified in Congress, Miller, Kurapati, Anika Shah, and Reagan Larimer qualified in Public Forum Debate, and Danielle Kapper qualified in Original Oratory. Waltz made it to semifinals

in Congress and Singh made it to finals, taking ninth place.

Miller and Kurapati made it to the octo-finals round of Public Forum Debate.

Over the summer, at the NSDA National Tournament, Kappler competed in Original Oratory, Iyer competed in LincolnDouglas debate and was ranked in the Top 28 in the country.

Singh made it to the finals of his event and received an award for the top presiding officer.

Carroll Senior High School also received a School of Honor Award in Debate at the national tournament.

A new competition opportunity opened up for the Dragons this year when Kappler became the first student from Carroll to receive a bid to the National Individual Events Tournament of Champions which was held in May in Denver, Colorado.

Debate Coach Jordyn Kuehn is amazed by the amount of time her students are willing to dedicate to their craft in order to achieve goals set early in the school year.

“We compete in one of the toughest areas for speech and debate, so state qualifications, Tournament of Champions bids, and national qualifiers are hard to come by, but this team pulls it off year after year,” Kuehn says. “These kids give up their weekends and portions of their breaks to compete, sometimes even spending long weekends out of town competing so they can represent Carroll doing what they love and it has been an absolute privilege to work with such bright and passionate students.”

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GROWTH EXPANSION SHAPING THE FUTURE OF CISD

I

n May 2017, voters approved a $208 million bond with plans to fund a wide variety of school maintenance, transportation, safety, technology, extracurricular and building improvements. The years of foresight and planning are now reality in what will be several years of great change across the district.

The 2018-2019 school year will require flexibility and patience from students, staff and parents as CISD experiences a few growing pains.

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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, ser vers, 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.

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“We are excited about the projects planned for each of our facilities and the work that is being done for current and future Dragons,” says Superintendent David Faltys. “It won’t be without some temporary inconveniences for everyone involved, but it will be worth it when these amazing facilities open up and are in use by our students.”

The bond, the largest in school history, did not increase the actual tax rate, but will generate enough money on the current rate to pay for projects at all 15 CISD facilities over its lifetime.

School officials say it will take three to five years for the entire bond program to be completed, so projects are being done in phases and will require timelines that accommodate student needs during the school year.

“We are working closely with our campus principals to ensure that we minimize disruptions to the learning environment,” says Program Manager John Haugen. “Great time and attention is being paid to the safety of all students and staff.”

Haugen says construction areas will be fenced off and all workers have been vetted with full state-required background checks. CISD’s policy is that construction crews have zero contact with CISD students while working at the campuses.

Noise will be minimized as much as possible, with special attention to testing days and campus special events. District and campus staff will communicate any changes for traffic or building use to parents, staff and students.

Up until the beginning of the 2018-19 school year much of the work that has been done has involved sight unseen improvements to HVAC systems, technology infrastructure and wireless access points. However, school administrators are gaining excitement, as even more projects become physical realities.

“One of the best things about the 2017 bond program is how many programs and facilities will be positively impacted by the work,” Dr. Faltys adds.

“The Capital Needs Committee did a great job of maximizing the educational impact on programs such as band, choir, theatre, STEM, journalism, athletics and academics. We appreciate the support of the community and cannot wait to see the end product.”

The Sound of Construction at CSHS Is Music To Our Ears Work on the new music facility at Carroll Senior High School will coincide with the 2018-2019 school year and have a domino effect on numerous programs for students in grades 9-12.

Huckabee Architects worked with school officials throughout the summer to design and plan for construction. The project is slated for completion by the start of the 2019-2020 school year, but will happen in phases to ensure continuity of programming throughout the school year.

Visitors to CSHS will eventually be rerouted onto a new road in front of the music center, which will have a connecting foyer with the existing auditorium. The new parent and bus drop-off route will be communicated in advance of the changes. Officials say the layout and design helps tie the new music facility into the existing art building and auditorium, giving CSHS a concentrated area for all fine arts programs.

“The goal of this facility is to be all about the music,” says John Haugen, Program Manager for the 2017 Carroll Bond.

“The space won’t be complicated or ornate. It will be simple, pure – focused on sound. It’s going to be a very unique facility for the K-12 setting. It’s more like what you would see at a junior college or university level.”

The music center will feature a 700-seat performance auditorium, band and choir classrooms, storage and office space, soundproof practice rooms and restrooms.

“The acoustical practice rooms will vary in sizes to accommodate individuals and ensembles,” Haugen says. “Visitors to the senior high campus can eventually expect to see a new road that goes in front of CSHS near Southlake Boulevard so that

the existing lobby used now for the auditorium can be used to tie the new and existing facilities together.

This will make the foyer area a joint-use area for the music center and the theatre program.”

Based on the new design, the existing road between the art building and the auditorium will go away completely. The west entry to CSHS will be transformed during construction to create a separate and identifiable entry for the gymnasium. The band program will have direct access to the new music facility to load instruments and to access practice marching areas either in the student parking lot or on the newly turfed field just west of the CSHS field house.

Haugen says the music center’s performance hall will seat about 500 on the main level, with about 200 in a balcony level. The room shape and layered configuration will give the band and choir programs flexibility for performances and crowd sizes.

“This is just going to be a great facility not only for Carroll ISD but for the community,” Haugen says.

“One of the goals of the Capital Needs Planning Committee was to create opportunities for facility rental so that revenue could be generated to help offset the effects of being a Chapter 41 Robin Hood district. This music center will essentially become an additional revenue source for CISD’s operational budget.”

Construction at CSHS will occur in phases beginning with the new music center so that the existing auditorium at CSHS can be renovated for the theatre/ drama program, as well as make space for the Dragon Media journalism program.

“We are essentially rebuilding the orchestra pit,” Haugen adds. “And the project includes a larger black box theatre and significantly more space for students and parent volunteers to build scenery for musicals

INSIDE CARROLL • 63

63

and dramatic productions.” Once the band program vacates their space at Carroll High School, that area will be renovated to accommodate STEM. The new music center at CSHS isn’t the only way the Dragon Band program benefitted from the 2017 Bond Program. They also received new instruments and new uniforms. The choir program received dress uniforms from bond proceeds, as well.

Haugen said he has been meeting regularly with directors of the various programs and members of the CSHS and CISD Administrations to ensure they have sufficient input in the architectural design.

New Construction At Elementary Schools Provides Additional Classroom Space Johnson Elementary, Carroll Elementary and Old Union Elementary schools are getting classroom additions that will be ready for the 2019-2020 school year.

“The school building renovation and additions projects are coming along nicely,” says Matt Miller, Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services. “There is a lot of behindthe-scenes work that has been done with selecting architects, selecting contractors, planning and designing. We have great architect and contractor teams on board, and we’re pleased to be able to see construction start. We are also extremely grateful with how well the City of Southlake has assisted Carroll ISD with the permitting and approval process in this 2017 Bond program.”

JOHNSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL The project at Johnson is being completed in phases. New construction is the first priority, which means the existing auditorium had to be converted into temporary classrooms to accommodate students and programs displaced by construction. The JES project includes a new gymnasium and 11 classrooms. The new gymnasium will serve as a code-compliant storm shelter able to accommodate all students and staff and withstand 250 mile-per-hour winds. Once the new construction is completed – which school officials say should be in early 2019 – renovation of the existing gym and classroom areas will begin. Program Manager John Haugen said the existing JES gymnasium will become a fourth-grade classroom wing. The project includes a renovation of the auditorium, resurfacing of the playground, new hardware for classroom doors and additional surveillance cameras and safety features.

CARROLL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL The project at Carroll Elementary will also be done in phases. The new gymnasium at Carroll will serve as a storm shelter and all special classes will be relocated up near the library area. Six additional classrooms will be built at CES, and the kitchen/cooler and stage area in the cafeteria will be renovated.

The design at CES features an outdoor learning classroom or 64 • INSIDE CARROLL

courtyard area. The playground will be resurfaced and additional surveillance cameras will be installed.

The project at CES includes technology, mechanical and electrical upgrades, as well as new flooring and wall covering installation for some areas.

OLD UNION ELEMENTARY SCHOOL A new classroom wing at OUES is being constructed on the southeast corner of the building. A portion of the new classroom addition will serve as the storm shelter built beyond the code requirements to accommodate all OUES students and staff. The campus is getting 10 additional classrooms, along with renovations to existing spaces. Like the other two campuses, the work will be done in phases throughout the school year. OUES will get a new canopy system along walkways and bus-loading areas, as well as playground resurfacing, technology, mechanical and electrical upgrades. The project at this campus also includes new flooring and wall coverings, as well as additional surveillance cameras and safety features. The office area at OUES will be relocated to the front of the building.

New School Buses Seen About Town One of the most welcomed sights of the 2017 Bond Program was the arrival of new school buses to update the Carroll ISD fleet. These buses were the first phase of a five-part plan to update and replace school buses and support vehicles.

Eleven new, conventional 77-passenger school buses arrived in the district July 9. The district also used bond dollars to purchase two regular 47-passenger buses, two special education buses and two flat-nosed transit buses for student activities, competitions and long-distance travel. A second order for another 15 buses was approved by the School Board on February 26 and will also be available for use during the 20182019 school year.

“Our plan is to replace all of the aging buses owned

by Carroll ISD,” says Scott Wrehe, Assistant Superintendent for Financial Services. “Voters approved $7.5 million in the bond package to not only replace buses, but also to renovate and update the Transportation Center. This will help us continue to provide safe and efficient transportation for bus riders across the district.”

Work on the Transportation Center began during the summer months. The project includes updated lighting and safety features in the bus parking area, as well as fencing and gates. Site work improvements, as well as technology, mechanical and electrical upgrades will be completed on the building. This marks the first renovation of the facility since it opened in 2001.

Transportation Director Ranjan George says Carroll ISD transports about 3,500 students a total of 2,000 miles back and forth to school daily. In addition, the

district logs about 1,500 extracurricular trips during the school year. The district operates its own bus transportation system and employees about 67 drivers and monitors.

As a property-wealthy district, the district does not receive transportation funding from the state, therefore, CISD charges a bus rider fee to transport students.

“Bus transportation is still the safest, most economical way for students to get to and from school,” says Wrehe. “The new buses will help the district provide reliable transportation services to our Dragon families.”

During their year-long review, the Capital Needs Planning Committee (CNPC) heard presentations from the Transportation Department on current bus and vehicle inventories, fleet age, route counts, student rider trends and the pros and cons of buying diesel buses.

Prior to the bond purchases, all of CISD buses were at least 10 years old.

School officials say all the recently purchased buses meet the new legislation regarding three-point seatbelts, have safety vision camera systems and a five-year warranty. The new legislation requires seat belts on all newly purchased buses after September 1, 2017. School officials say they assigned the new buses with seat belts to routes for the youngest riders and will continue to phase in the new buses for secondary students over the life of the bond.

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INSIDE CARROLL • 65

CISD’S

BOND BUILDERS Aliana Franco

Ava Watts

Blair Konopa

Cate Hall

Dane DeLugo

Devan DeLugo

Dillan DeLugo

Django Hollingsworth

Emma Le

Evan Watts

Finnegan McDevitt

Grayson Vasquez

66 66 • INSIDE CARROLL

District Launches Program to Communicate Bond Projects Last school year, Carroll ISD announced the 23 students that will partner with the district as part of the Bond Builders Team. The program allows students to tell the stories behind projects from the 2017 Carroll Bond. Students are featured in bond-related videos, newsletters and more. In order to earn a spot on the Bond Builders Team, students had to submit audition tapes, and semi-finalists had to go through an interview process. The district received over 90 audition tapes.

Now, months into the program, these students are familiar faces in the community. When new bond-funded buses rolled in, the

Bond Builders were there to try them out for the first time. Younger students in the program were able to deliver live newscaststyle morning announcements at Carroll Elementary School thanks to equipment provided through bond funds. The new digital device rollout was announced in a video featuring Bond Builder Jetta Thompson. The list goes on and will continue to for the next three to five years. As bond projects progress, the same students will share how it affects them and their fellow students.

Jackson Dockal

Jetta Thompson

Kimbyl Belnap

Libby Lester

Lucy Lown

Maxwell Ort

Millie Black

Obed Schultz

Risha Kanukolanu

Safiy Islam

Will Walters

67 INSIDE CARROLL • 67

Creating Digital Dragons Beginning with this school year, students in grades 7-12 will receive Dell laptops preloaded with standard software. Students in grades K-6 will receive iPads at the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year.

“The Digital Dragons program opens up a whole new world, not only for our students to consume information, but to create innovative content as well,” says Superintendent David J. Faltys. “By equipping our teachers and students with the same devices, we can eliminate the time teachers and technology staff spend troubleshooting issues, and spend more time doing the most important job we have. . .teaching kids.”

By providing a device to students, Carroll ISD seeks to give every student a chance to explore new learning methods and personalize their educational experience. The goal is to encourage students to be innovative and think creatively.

THE DIGITAL DRAGONS PROGRAM • Prepares students of today for the world of tomorrow • C reates conditions for future success by helping students become the types of candidates desired by colleges and employers

“It was exciting to engage students in the device selection process,” Stuart says. “They worked hard to research the devices. The students took the responsibility very seriously and truly wanted the best tool for the job. Students have been integral in the selection of many aspects of bond technologies.”

Secondary devices will consist of a Dell 3380 touchscreen laptop with 128GB hard drive and 8GB memory. Students will also receive a charging cord and sleeve/case.

The laptop will be pre-imaged to contain software which Carroll ISD licenses for use within the district for educational purposes. The software installed includes: Windows 10, Microsoft Office, VLC Media Player, Adobe Reader, Flash Player, Chrome Browser and iTunes.

Parents will pay a non-refundable $45 device fee, which will be utilized to repair accidental damage to the device. Secondary students will be allowed to take their device home each night and over the summer, keeping it from year to year until graduation.

There will be technicians assigned to campuses to provide on-site assistance for device support, repair and replacement, as well as, to assist the student with usage questions. The technician will be centrally located at the campus so that students can: • Ask questions

• Provides digital resources on devices

• D rop off device for repair after completing the Google Form stating the issue.

• P rovides equal access to technology in and out of the classroom

• P ick up devices when repair is completed

“Computers are a basic requirement of any work place today,” says Randy Stuart, Carroll ISD’s Executive Director of Technology. “Since most instructional curriculum today is online, these devices will open up great opportunities for more engaging learning 24/7. These resources will be a huge blessing and will help to complete our digital learning environment.”

In 2015, the Strategic Planning Committee recommended that Carroll ISD adopt a plan to provide each student and teacher with a mobile device to use both at school and at home to encourage and support 21st century learning, anytime, anywhere.

A Device Selection Committee comprised of students, teachers, administrators and district curriculum and technology department members researched and tested multiple devices in spring 2017.

68 68 • INSIDE CARROLL

Throughout both the Strategic Planning and the Capital Needs Planning processes, committee members shared the need for additional wireless access points throughout the district. In visiting other school districts, committee members saw the standard in education as one access point per classroom.

Before the 2017 Bond, Carroll ISD only had one access point for every two classrooms. During the Bond Planning process, the Technology Department budgeted for Wireless Access Points (WAPS). The project was completed in the spring of 2018 and replaced all outdated WAPs and added access points in classrooms that did not have access on secondary campuses.

Intermediate and elementary classrooms will get WAP improvements the following year prior to receiving their devices.

INSIDE CARROLL • 69

CISD’S TOP TWEETS Whether it’s a rocket soaring a mile into the atmosphere or another class of Dragon graduates walking the stage, Carroll ISD has been sharing its stories on the district’s social media accounts. Check out some of the top stories of 2017-2018 in 280 characters or less.

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@CarrollISD

Facebook.com/southlakecarroll

vimeo.com/carrolldragontv

INSIDE CARROLL • 71

THE CLASS OF 2018 SALUTATORIAN SARA REDDY

VALEDICTORIAN - ARMAN DAVE For Carroll 2018 class Valedictorian Arman Dave, protecting the tradition means more than just competing at the highest levels on the tennis court.

According to Dave, “protecting the tradition has always been about high morals and working hard to get to the highest achievement possible.” Both in the classroom and on the athletic field, Dave did just that in his time in Carroll ISD. Dave has been a Dragon since first grade. He remembers his 8th grade science teacher, Mr. Matthew Colvin, having a sit down conversation with him at the end of his school year.

“Mr. Colvin told me I could do anything I set my mind to, even becoming the valedictorian” Dave says.

“It was so inspiring to have someone believe in me that way, and even more inspiring to know he did this for every one of his students that year.”

On the tennis court, Dave has learned about teamwork and the importance of working together to achieve goals. He believes that the best thing about high school tennis isn’t the trophies and the recognition for success, but the aspect of setting a goal and working as hard as possible with your team to accomplish it. Dave accomplished one such goal early in his high school career when he captured a state championship in tennis as a sophomore.

He credits much of his maturity and success to tennis coach Corey Aldridge. Dave sees Coach Aldridge as someone he can trust to help him make the right choice, both on the court and in life.

“He is a person who helps keep me morally grounded,” Dave says.

In the fall, Dave is heading to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to study Computer Science and to play tennis on scholarship. His goal is to “carry on his father’s dreams and visions of solving some of the world’s greatest problems by using computer science.”

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Class of 2018 Salutatorian Sara Reddy credits not only her family, but teachers and fellow Dragons for her success during her time as a Dragon.

“I have felt challenged by my teachers and other students from the first day,” she says.

Reddy feels that the students of Carroll are all motivated to be the best version of themselves, which drove her to be the best she can possibly be. She has been a Dragon for all but one year of her educational journey, as she came to Carroll ISD in the first grade.

Throughout her time in Carroll, Reddy is thankful that her parents have been overly supportive of her various activities and her successes in the classroom.

“Their support has been a huge motivator for me,” she says. “I just want to make them proud.”

Looking back at her last few years of high school, Reddy says that she has learned some life-changing lessons from a teacher she believes has greatly influenced her life. English teacher Barbara Milhizer, took a subject that Reddy admits was not her favorite and taught it in a way that opened her eyes to things outside of her usual STEM-oriented coursework.

“She pushed me to look outside the box and she taught me it was okay to enjoy something I may not be the best at,” Reddy says.

Reddy enjoyed all of the great achievements that the Carroll Class of 2018 has accomplished together and says she will miss Carroll as she steps out into college.

“I have made some great memories over my time here. It’s going to be sad leaving,” Reddy says. “But this is just a short part of the story of the Class of 2018.”

Reddy plans to attend the University of Pennsylvania and study Electrical Engineering. Her ultimate goal is to join a tech firm or tech startup to use her passion for computers and technology to continue to create new technological advancements.

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THE CLASS OF 2018

I

t was a warm, beautiful night at Dragon Stadium as members of the Dragon Class of 2018 accepted their diplomas and took the first steps as Carroll graduates.

A total of 23 of the 712 members of the Class of 2018 graduated on the baseball field before going on to win the first round of the State Finals on graduation night. They would a day later cap off a storybook ending with another Dragon State Championship.

Back at Dragon Stadium, Senior Class President Tess Williams set the tone for the ceremony by talking to her classmates about being a part of the Dragon culture.

“For one last night, we are all gathered here as Dragons,” Williams says. “Next fall, some of us will be Longhorns, Owls, Horned Frogs and Bears, learning new traditions and wearing new colors. But no matter where we began, or where life takes us, we will continue to be Dragons in our hearts, and this will unite us even as we’re apart.

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“As the saying goes,” she adds. “Once a Dragon, always a Dragon!”

Student Council President Taylor Cubit also spoke about the unique qualities that make the Class of 2018 special.

“We are the last, born in 1999, and the first, born in 2000,” Cubit says. “Raised alongside technology and using it to spur our own growth and creativity, we are destined for bright futures.

If there’s one thing we are not, it’s one thing. We are the astronauts, the entrepreneurs, the politicians, the teachers and the artists, the engineers and the stock brokers. We are the future.”

Valedictorian Arman Dave plans to attend MIT to study computer science. He thanked his teachers, coaches and family for their part in helping him achieve success.

“What can we ultimately take away from all these experiences and this amazing journey through our wonder years?” Dave asked his classmates. “The answer is that Carroll Senior High School – that Southlake – has been a home.

Home is the place where you explore every nook and cranny, and run around with your friends, and be exactly who you are. . . and no matter where our journey takes us, we can always come back home.” “ We are luck y to have teachers who encourage us to grow every day,” Salutatorian Sarah Reddy said at graduation.

She plans to attend the University of Pennsylvania to major in electrical engineering.

“To the Class of 2018,” she continued.

“Thank you for going on this journey with me and helping create a lifetime’s worth of memories. I couldn’t think of a better class to have by my side these past 12 years. We’ve finally made it!”

There’s a saying in Dragon Nation that tradition never graduates. And like two classes before them, the Class of 2018 rode yellow school buses down Southlake Boulevard to Dragon Stadium behind a police escort.

They earned about $24 million in scholarship monies and completed more than 68,000 community service hours.

Carroll ISD’s graduation rate is 100 percent, and 97 percent of CISD’s graduating class goes on to attend colleges or universities. Graduation is not an end, but rather the beginning of a beautiful future for these talented Carroll graduates.

#ONCEADRAGON #ALWAYSADRAGON

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PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE Young, Successful and Protecting the

Tradition: A Look at Three Carroll Alumni

F

rom TV shows to classic coming-of-age movies, high school is often portrayed as an awkward time of transitioning and figuring out who you are as a young adult. In Carroll ISD, however, high school is viewed as a competitive, challenging, enriching stepping stone that sets students up for lifelong success. Or at least, that’s what Carroll alumni say.

GREG MCELROY - CLASS OF 2006

Photo courtesy of SEC Network.

Playing quarterback for The University of Alabama is just about any young football fan’s dream. But when asked what his proudest achievement is, Greg McElroy directs the conversation off of the field.

“Being a Rhodes Scholar finalist was really special for me,” he says. “It takes a lot more than I originally thought. Being one of 32 in the country was definitely one of my proudest moments.”

Yes, the retired NFL quarterback has quite the diverse resume. From being named Texas 5A Offensive Player of the Year in 2005 after leading the

Dragons to a state title, to being named 2010 ESPN Academic All-American of the Year as Alabama’s quarterback, McElroy has proven himself in the classroom and on the field. This included winning a national title for the Crimson Tide in 2009. Now, at only 30 years old, he has his own show on ESPN’s SEC Network.

“Thinking Out Loud” premiered last September, featuring McElroy and fellow SEC Network analyst, Marcus Spears. Airing on Monday nights during college football season, the show aims to recap and analyze some of the previous weekend’s biggest events in SEC football.

“It’s really rewarding because it’s really the first show that I’ve ever been on that is entirely our own brain child, between myself and Marcus,” McElroy says.

“It is the most authentic show I’ve ever been on as well because it is really just us. There is no blueprint.”

It’s not often that people his age are entrusted with their own show. But for McElroy, the path from high school quarterback, to national title-winning college quarterback, to NFL quarterback to TV personality

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PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE was surprisingly smooth. In fact, McElroy was offered a job with ESPN straight out of college.

“It was humbling, but I had to scratch an itch to play in the NFL, otherwise I would have always wondered ‘what if,’” he says.

However, a media job wasn’t even on his radar back then. McElroy’s original plan after retiring from the NFL was to go to law school. As a Rhodes Scholar finalist backed by his own university, he clearly had the grades for it. His zeal for academic excellence wasn’t founded at The University at Alabama, though.

“I always took school very seriously,” he says. “It’s no secret that Southlake is about as good as it gets and also about as competitive as it gets scholastically. To know that you make straight A’s and barely finish in the top 10 percent is pretty amazing.”

McElroy credits his time at Carroll for preparing him for his multifaceted life. Clearly, his time playing for the Dragons paid off, but McElroy also points to teachers like Linda Rose who taught electives that laid a foundation for his current career.

“I was on KDGN my senior year,” he says. “I never did it with the thought being ‘12 years from now I’ll be on ESPN.’ I think it’s kind of amazing that the craft I was honing in high school was actually what I ended up doing as a profession. Usually, that happens in college, but high school really did do that in a number of ways.”

ALEXA TRUJILLO - CLASS OF 2012 Heading into a California high rise that houses her office, Alexa Trujillo smiles. It was her childhood dream to work in a skyscraper, and now, as a Senior Communications Specialist at Deloitte Risk and Financial Advisory, it is her reality.

Trujillo earned a degree in business administration from the University of Southern California. She graduated with honors and with the Global Scholar distinction in 2016. A few months later, Trujillo joined Deloitte as a marketing specialist and quickly rose to her current position of Senior Communications Specialist. In her role, skills such as leadership and public speaking are in constant demand. Trujillo says she feels well-equipped, in part, thanks to her high school experiences.

“Southlake Carroll is hard,” she says. “College is even harder, but I think the course curriculum, taking AP classes, having teachers who challenge you and expect good work from you, that was something I was really thankful for after graduating high school, because it formed a stepping stone to the next.”

A 2012 Carroll graduate, Trujillo was captain of the Emerald Belles during her senior year of high school. She

78 • INSIDE CARROLL

PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE credits her time with the team for many of her successful practices, particularly, being prompt.

“Those 6:25 a.m. Belle practices really taught me to be on time and ready to go,” she laughs. “If you were late, it could mean 100 high kicks.”

She puts her public speaking skills – another thing she credits to being a Belle – to use even outside of work. At USC, she was the chapter founder of I AM THAT GIRL, a nonprofit organization aimed at empowering girls to love, be and express who they are. She has also given TED Talks about instilling confidence in young women. The topic is a personal one for Trujillo, and she uses her story to convey her message, “You Are Enough.”

EMILY ZAPINSKI - CLASS OF 2013 A recent graduate from The University of Alabama – Class of 2017 – Emily Zapinski is representing Dragon excellence halfway across the world. She is currently in Malaysia under a Fulbright Scholarship – a prestigious scholarship program that allows students or recent graduates to teach abroad.

“We’re here to contribute to cross-cultural exchange and we do that through teaching,” she says of her mission as a Fulbright Scholar.

“On any given day, I could be almost anywhere in Malaysia.”

Becoming a Fulbright Scholar is no easy feat. Students applying for the scholarship go through a rigorous application process in which they must submit essays and three to six letters of recommendation. Once selected, scholars are expected to represent the United States in their host countries and serve as ambassadors of cultural exchange. For Zapinski, being abroad is not a foreign concept.

During undergrad, she completed her Spanish major in Costa Rica. She graduated from The University of Alabama with a bachelor of science in management and a bachelor of arts in Spanish.

In addition to earning two degrees, Zapinski was on the swim team at Alabama. She earned Volunteer of the Year for SEC swimmers two times. During her junior year, she served as team captain. Prior to swimming in college, Zapinski swam for the Carroll Dragons and North Texas Nadadores. She was highly com-

petitive and earned two state championships in 2012 and 2013 as well as being a member of the national dual meet champion team in 2012.

With her incredible swimming resume, it’s no wonder Zapinski was given a scholarship for swimming. However, her successes extend far beyond the pool. From multiple honor societies in high school to the Dean’s List in college, Zapinski’s rigorous practice schedule didn’t stop her from studying.

“When I look back on my time at Carroll ISD, I just feel really proud because the ‘Culture of Excellence’ is real,” she says. “I’ve had easier transitions because high school was so challenging. That is paying off now.”

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CISD BY THE NUMBERS

CLASS OF 2018 TOTAL STUDENTS 8,468

ENGLISH, LANGUAGE ARTS & WRITING 1141 903

100%

941

COLLEGE BOUND

ATTENDANCE RATE

MATH 606 472

97%

489

ACT

TOTAL SCORE

27.1 26.8 26.6 26.1 25.7

26.6

23.9

27.1 19.5 26.9 20.7

25.7

24.5

24.3

ENGLISH627

MATH

26.0

24.9 24.2

1,429

GRADUATION RATE

96%

SAT

68,000 VOLUNTEER HOURS

1,375

4,059 FEMALE

1,746

4,409 MALE

CISD STATE REGION

Carroll ISD’s latest scores

READING 27.3 21.1

SCIENCE 2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

COMPOSITE SCORES AT ALL-TIME HIGHS 2005-2017

2017

26.5 20.9

CISD

STATE

100%

Dragons are state leaders in College Readiness The Dragon Class of 2017-18 excelled well beyond state averages on ACT benchmarks for college readiness. The class exhibited its highest scores in over a decade, scoring 37%-46% higher than their state peers.

94%

57%

COLLEGE ENGLISH COMPOSITION

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86%

40%

COLLEGE ALGEBRA

86%

45%

COLLEGE SOCIAL SCIENCE

80%

35%

COLLEGE BIOLOGY

73%

26%

MEETING ALL FOUR

Dragons are also well-rounded as well— nearly tripling the state average (73% vs 26%) of students meeting college readiness in all four ACT exams.

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A NEW DIRECTION FOR CEF

B

ig changes are on the horizon for the Carroll Education Foundation.

As it enters its 22nd year, the Carroll Education Foundation (CEF), a nonprofit organization, is emerging as a revitalized organization with a passion for establishing a culture of philanthropy to the benefit of Carroll ISD. Through shifting its direction from funding classroom grants to funding teaching positions, CEF’s new mission benefits every student through attracting and retaining even more excellent teachers than the district’s budget alone can provide.

THE IDEA FOR CHANGE: A NEW DIRECTION Since 1996, CEF has focused funding on providing support to educational programs not covered by the district’s normal operating budget. Throughout the last 21 years, CEF has made a major impact inside of CISD’s classrooms by raising more than $2.7 million dollars with a distribution of over $1.4 million in classroom grants and over $200,000 in student scholarships.

After a thorough analysis of the district’s greatest needs, it was established that it was time for a change in direction for CEF. With the district spending 84% of the maintenance and operating budget on staff, it became abundantly clear that the largest impact CEF can have on each and every student is to shift their focus from programs to staff.

In addition, the state’s Robin Hood plan of redistributing funds from wealthy districts to lower income districts, one third (32% or $26.2 million) of Carroll’s tax dollars never make it to the classroom, making staffing that much more important in CISD. With the projection of this number growing to $37 million over the next two years, it is clear to see why the campaign platform is focused on funding teacher positions on every CISD campus. More detailed information is provided by C arroll ISD at www.carrollbudget.com.

Under the new campaign, CEF ambitiously hopes to raise over $500,000 to fund one teacher on each of CISD’s 11 campuses.

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Gina Peddy, CISD Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, recognizes the impact CEF has had on district programs in the past. “Because of the generous support from CEF, our teachers have been able to be more innovative in the classrooms thus allowing our students to be more engaged in the lessons.” However, nothing is more important to a child’s education than the teachers and staff who surround them. “We knew if we wanted to make an even bigger difference for our children and our teachers, an annual campaign centered around funding teachers would be most compelling to parents of Dragons, former Dragons and businesses in our community that rely on the business of our Dragons,” remarks Laura Grosskopf, CEF Executive Director. “We believe this will have the largest impact on the district, in a way that benefits every child.”

THE CEF DIFFERENCE While the organization as a whole is overhauling its vision and mission, two things will always remain the same about the Carroll Education Foundation: every child on every campus benefits from fundraising and graduating seniors will continue to receive scholarships.

The level of interaction with families across the community and school campuses, however, will look

different as CEF becomes dramatically more present in the coming months. An increase in presence will not only raise awareness of CEF, but also raise awareness to the changes in what CEF is trying to accomplish.

In the years past, CEF has been popularly known through their signature fundraising event, the Culinary Celebration, each September. With a shift in focus to an annual campaign, CEF has also shifted their focus for their event, which will now take place in May. More appropriately aligned with the end of school and celebrations, the primary focus is celebrating the Foundation’s accomplishments in funding teachers and the hard work of all of our district teachers in educating our Dragons.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND INVOLVEMENT With the desire to have as much community support and involvement as possible, CEF is structuring itself to be primarily centered around family giving while continuing to recognize and support local businesses.

“We are thrilled to already have two title sponsors on board,” says Kathy Talley, CEF’s Board Chair, “Keller Williams International Luxury Division is our inaugural Teacher Fund Presenting Sponsor and Park Place Lexus Grapevine is our 2019 Gala Presenting Sponsor.

It is significant in that their commitment was solidified last spring, well prior to our campaign launch.” It is clear that CEF’s new platform is already gaining traction.

In addition to business partners, CEF is also partnering with campus PTOs. Since CEF is no longer providing program and classroom funding, the campus PTOs will now be able to fulfill these needs while CEF raises funds to attract and retain the best teachers for our Dragons.

“Together, CEF and campus PTOs will work hard to do everything we can to enrich the educational experience for our students at all ages and grade levels,” Talley says.

There are so many ways to get involved with CEF. For more information, go to www.carrolleducationfoundation.org.

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ART, MUSIC & THEATER CARROLL ART STUDENTS WORK ON DISPLAY AT ADMINISTRATION BUILDING If yo u walke d th ro ugh th e C IS D administration building at any point during the spring semester of the 20172018 school year, you would have been immediately greeted by the artwork of Carroll’s own K-8 students. Led by Dawson Middle School art teacher Emily Trammell, the administration worked together with the elementary, intermediate and middle school art teachers to create a space for the student artwork to be displayed and get as much deserved attention as possible.

For the last few years, the art program has spotlighted student art at a board meeting in the spring semester.

Showing off student art achievements to the Board of Trustees and displaying those pieces in the CISD Board Room has been one of the highlights of the school year for the board, administration and art program.

“It was nice to have our student’s hard work, along with the entire art program, featured for our School Board Trustees,” says Dawson Middle art teacher Emily Trammell.

These displays had so much positive feedback that Trammel worked with the CISD administration to find a way to display the artwork for a significant portion of the year, landing on the available gallery space at the front of the administration building.

“As art teachers, we are always seeking ways to showcase as much student work as possible,” Trammell says. “That’s

84 • INSIDE CARROLL

where the idea to use the administration building came into play.”

D uring the spring of 201 8 , the galler y displayed artwork from all five elementary schools, both intermediate schools, and ended the year showcasing the Junior Visual Art Scholastic Event, or Junior VASE, competition pieces from the Carroll and Dawson Middle School students. Additionally, these middle school award winners were recognized at an April school board meeting and were able to show off some of their award-winning pieces.

“It was a great moment for them to be honored for their talent and work,” Trammell says.

DRAGON BANDS MARCH INTO PROGRAM HISTORY The Carroll Band program made history last school year when 10 different ensembles in the program received Superior ratings at UIL contests, the first time this has ever been achieved by the program. The combination of awards from the Varsity Marching Band, Carroll Concert Bands, and Carroll and Dawson middle school bands over the fall and spring competition seasons allowed this historical feat to take place.

In the fall of the 2017-2018 season, the Carroll Dragon Marching Band received Superior ratings at the Region 31 UIL Marching Assessment. This achievement set the stage for them to continue the school year and competition season with one goal in mind: earning the highly coveted “UIL Sweepstakes” trophy. This award is earned through receiving all Superior ratings at both the fall marching assessment, as well as the spring concert and sight-reading contests.

Last spring, the Carroll Concert Bands competed in the UIL Region 31 Concert and Sight-Reading Assessment. Each ensemble performed three prepared songs on stage for

three judges and then moved to a sight-reading room to perform a song never before rehearsed in front of three different judges.

The Symphonic Winds White and the Wind Ensemble, both directed by Gary Barnard, and the Symphonic Winds Green and the Wind Symphony, both directed by Ken Johnson, all received First-Division Superior ratings both on stage and in sight-reading. History was also made at this particular contest, marking the first time that Carroll has had four high school concert bands achieve this honor in the same year.

These Superior ratings, combined with the Superior ratings earned by the Carroll Dragon Marching Band in the fall, earned the program the “UIL Sweepstakes” trophy they had been hoping and working toward.

“We were extremely proud of all the students across the district for their preparation for the UIL Concert and SightReading Assessment,” says Johnson, Carroll ISD Director of Bands. “In the concert area, our bands were presented with demanding literature that challenged the individual performers and the ensembles.”

The success of the Carroll Band program did not stop at the high school level, but carried down into the middle school level as well. Last spring, the Carroll and Dawson Middle School bands participated in the middle school Region 31 UIL Concert and Sight-Reading contest. Following in the footsteps of the high school bands, five concert bands were awarded the highest honor of the contest.

The Carroll Middle School Symphonic Band, directed

by Anna Lee Moore; the Carroll Middle School Wind Ensemble, directed by Bethni Lown; the Dawson Concert Band and Dawson Wind Ensemble; both directed by Becky Click; and the Dawson Symphonic Band, directed by Eric Guerrero, all received Superior ratings both on stage and in sight-reading.

“In the sight-reading area, the middle school bands faced new pieces of music that presented unique challenges and it was very rewarding to see that the hard work in the classroom resulted in Superior ratings in this contest,” Johnson says.

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ART, MUSIC & THEATER The combination of hard work and persistence allowed these middle and high school students to combine their efforts and make program history for the Carroll Dragon Band program.

“Our message was that if you continue to work hard and repeatedly do things the correct way in practice, then the ratings and results at UIL would simply reflect those efforts,” Johnson explains. “We hope we have laid a great foundation, and can use this year’s district-wide UIL performances as an example for future Carroll bands.”

CARROLL CHOIR PURSUES ALL-STATE HONORS LIKE NEVER BEFORE Each school year, approximately 15,000 high school choir students from around the state of Texas begin the process of All-State Choir recognition. Last school year, the Carroll Choir program had a record number of 31 students qualify for the Region 31 Honor Choir, a recognition just a few steps away from All-State Choir.

Region 31 is a small region, but is highly competitive.

Comprised of 200 students from Birdville ISD, Carroll ISD, Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, Coppell ISD, GrapevineColleyville ISD and HEB ISD, the Carroll Choir had 31 representatives on this prestigious choir, setting a huge record of student participants from previous years.

This increase in participation is a direct result of the emphasis Carroll ISD Choir Director Paul Doucet has placed on the All-State Choir process. Doucet has been serving as the Choir Director at Carroll ISD for two years and sees incredible value in the All-State process – not just for the potential of recognition, but for the educational value held within the process itself.

“We are trying to encompass more participation and encourage the students to be a part of the all-state process,” Doucet says. “They not only get to sing with students from our Carroll Choir, but also kids from competing choirs in other districts, which is a great experience for them.”

Incoming seniors James Wade and Amber Meagher have thoroughly enjoyed pursuing the all-state process, both for the motivation and hard work it brings out in them throughout the year.

86 • INSIDE CARROLL

“I think all of us have just generally learned to be better musicians, but in particular it has taught me how hard you really have to work to achieve your goals,” Meagher says. “Slacking off is not an option.”

Wade has also learned important life lessons through this process. “It has reaffirmed in me how much I need to be a good sportsman no matter the result,” he says. “The process has also developed an efficient work ethic in me.”

In his two years as Carroll Choir Director, Doucet has seen incredible growth and joy in his students as they work together to achieve this goal.

“It has been amazing to watch them come alive on stage,” Doucet says. “My favorite part of my job is seeing the joy and passion the students have when they perform.”

Doucet and the Carroll Choir program are already gearing up for the 2018-2019 all-state process. The students received collegiate level musical pieces on May 1 – the official pieces they will need for the upcoming auditions – and many students spent the summer at all-state camps working on these audition pieces. About 70 students from the Carroll Choir program will be pursuing all-state for the 2018-2019 school year, and results and honor choir recipients will be announced in the fall semester.

CARROLL JAZZ ORCHESTRA DAZZLES IN THE BIG APPLE Start spreading the news… This spring the Carroll Jazz Orchestra returned to New York City for the fourth time in program history to compete in the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival, one of the most innovative jazz education events in the

world. The Carroll Jazz Orchestra was one of 15 high school jazz band finalists in the country selected through a rigorous screening process.

Each finalist band received an in-school workshop led by a professional musician before heading to New York to put up their “Dukes” and perform before Wynton Marsalis and a panel of esteemed judges. When the band arrived in New York in May of 2018, they spent three days immersed in workshops, jam sessions, rehearsals and performances at Jazz at Lincoln Center. The students had the opportunity to see famous jazz artists perform at the legendary Village Vanguard jazz club, were able to meet and work with the members of the world-famous Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and had the opportunity to perform in front of a massive worldwide audience.

“It would be hard to conceive an experience that could be more educational, memorable and rewarding than this one was,” says David Lown, Carroll ISD Director of Jazz Bands. “I think the students would tell you that the best thing about the weekend was the camaraderie and community they developed with other students of jazz from around the country.”

Recent Carroll graduate Liam McCabe emphatically agrees with his former director.

“The best thing about the trip was getting to meet so many other young musicians who shared a common interest in jazz,” he explains.

“The level of talent at the festival, among both individual soloists and the other 14 ensembles was unbelievably high.”

Not only did these students have the honor of being selected as a finalist for the festival, but they also earned multiple awards for their performances in New York. Walter Gaman, Justin Little, Elisabeth Adkins and Chase Adams earned Outstanding Trumpet Section; McCabe was named Outstanding Guitar Soloist; Kade Lehman was awarded Outstanding Piano Solosit; Samual Ma earned Outstanding Alto Saxophone Soloist; and Kyle Cantrell and Brendan James were both named Outstanding Tenor Saxophone Soloists.

The Carroll Jazz Orchestra represented Carroll ISD’s values and commitment to excellence to the fullest during their time in New York City, and in the months of preparation leading up to the festival.

“We inspired other young musicians and they inspired us,” Lown says. “It is an incredible experience that we will never forget.”

Although McCabe is no longer part of the Carroll Jazz Orchestra, he has high hopes for the future of the program. “With the high standard Mr. Lown holds his students to, I have no doubt that the jazz orchestra will be heading back to New York soon.”

ART HISTORY COMES TO LIFE AT CARROLL HIGH SCHOOL Art History took on a whole new meaning last spring when art students at Carroll High School dove deep into some of the most iconic paintings of our time. The students stepped into the pieces themselves in the program’s first living art project. This new tradition allowed the students to take a more interesting dive into Art History, with collaborative and presentation pieces that are not always included in a studio course.

“Students in my course have a lot of control over the subject matter in their work but in this project they were completely and totally immersed from start to finish,” says Carroll High School art teacher Christine Roberts.

For this particular project, the students had complete control over how they wanted to produce the work and the way they wanted it presented. Some students chose to create the necessary props and costumes completely from scratch, while others found costumes from resale shops and repurposed old belongings, all while keeping the appropriate time period for their piece in mind.

Sophomore Sierra Axline-Minotti chose to recreate the iconic “Mona Lisa” for this assignment. Out of all the intriguing aspects of this project, Sierra’s favorite part was the opportunity to paint the background for this piece, especially due to the improvement she has seen in her own painting throughout her first year in the CHS art program.

“I have learned to be confident in whatever art piece I create and to not let mistakes ruin my artwork,” Axline-Minotti says.

For Ross Ramirez, a sophomore at Carroll High School, the best part of this project was seeing all of the living art recreations together overall as a living museum piece. He recreated a painting

by Michael Carson called “Man in Jacket.”

“I’ve learned that there are infinite possibilities of what you can do with art, using only certain materials you can find, you really can do anything with it,” Ramriez says.

Roberts’ hope and inspiration behind this exciting project was for students to experience the artwork of their choice from different perspectives, and that was certainly achieved.

“In our world, things are too instant and on demand, this project allowed for what is called ‘slow looking,’ the ability to really evaluate a work of art and all of the qualities within it,” Roberts says. “I really believe this project had a much deeper impact on how the students will view art in the future.”

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ART, MUSIC & THEATER

CARROLL THEATRE’S PRODUCTION OF GYPSY RACKS UP MORE THAN ONE DOZEN AWARD NOMINATIONS The Carroll Theatre program’s rendition of Gypsy, which debuted at Carroll Senior High December 7-11, wowed not just its audience, but earned local awards as well. During its run, Gypsy garnered nominations from three major local award programs: the Dallas Summer Musicals’ High School Musical Theatre Awards, Casa Mañana’s Betty Buckley Awards and the Schmidt and Jones High School Musical Awards.

Gypsy is considered by many to be one of Broadway’s all-time triumphs. With lyrics by Stephen Sondeheim, Gypsy tells the story of ambitious showbiz mother Rose, who treks across the country with her daughters Baby June and Louise in search of success with their homespun act.

“Gypsy was an amazing story empowering individuals to not give up on their dreams and to keep working hard,” says Shawn Duhon, Carroll Senior High School Principal. “Our theatre team did an amazing job collaborating together to share this experience.”

The Carroll Theatre program received a total of 18 nominations in the three awards competitions they entered. Jamie Pringle, the Carroll Theatre teacher who directed Gypsy, deems herself very lucky to work in a school district that loves and supports the arts as much as Carroll ISD does.

“Working with the musical theatre students in our district is a dream come true,” Pringle says. “The talent and dedication they display is breathtaking and seeing how hard the students work to be part of our musical each year is astounding.”

88 • INSIDE CARROLL

The first round of award nominations were for the DSM High School Musical Theatre Awards ceremony, held on May 17 at Musical Hall at Fair Park. The High School Musical Awards is the second largest of its kind in the country and recognizes the talented theatre programs all around North Texas. There are 16 categories available, and the Best Actor and Actress winners receive an all-expense paid trip to New York City to represent DSM and The High School Musical Awards at the national level. Carroll was nominated in the following categories: Best Featured Actress (Devan DeLugo), Best Stage Crew/Technical, Best Orchestra and Best Musical Direction.

Devan DeLugo, who was nominated for best supporting actress at two of the awards ceremonies, was excited by the challenge of playing a character so different from herself.

“Diving into a role like Dainty June was very daunting, because not only was it very physically demanding, but it took a lot of emotional depth to portray her sincere heartbreak and longing to follow her dreams,” DeLugo explains. “My favorite part about Gypsy was getting to share the stage with some of the most talented and dedicated people that I’m lucky enough to call my best friends. Being a part of something as special as the Carroll Theatre family truly has made Gypsy one of the best experiences in my high school career thus far.”

The next awards show on Carroll Theatre’s agenda was the Betty Buckley Awards, held on May 24 at Casa Mañana in Fort Worth, where Carroll’s Gypsy was nominated for seven awards. The Betty Buckley Award program recognized talent from all counties

across North Texas, and award the winner with a $1,000 scholarship. Gypsy was nominated for Best Musical, Best Lighting, Best Set Design, Best Choreography and Best Orchestra – winning the latter.

Actors Devan DeLugo and Katie Cross were up for Best Supporting Actress and actor Luke Preston was in the running for Best Supporting Actor. DeLugo remembers the Betty Buckley Awards as one of the most memorable moments of the awards season.

“A large number of Carroll Theatre nominees, supporters, parents, and directors were able to attend,” she says. “It was so heartwarming to hear the huge cheer each time a Carroll nominee was announced.”

The following evening, May 25, Carroll Theatre attended the Schmidt and Jones High School Musical Awards at the Majestic Theatre, where they were honored with nominations for Best Orchestra, Will Ferner for Male Ensemble, Kati Cross for Actress in a Minor Role, Coleman Hahn for Actor in a Minor Role, Devan DeLugo for Supporting Actress, and Michelle D’Amico for Lead Actress. D’Amico took home the trophy in her category for Lead Actress.

The success of Gypsy is no surprise based on the hard work that was evident from the actors, crew, directors and all students involved in the production. Carroll Theatre’s annual musical is always a high point of the season, and with the recent success of their musical production Gypsy, the excitement has been built and the stage is set to see what amazing musical production the students bring this year.

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#SAFEdragon District Aligns Safety Messaging

IN AN EMERGENCY with State Program WHEN YOU HEAR IT. DO IT.

LOCKOUT! Get inside. Lock outside doors.

IN AN EMERGENCY, WHEN YOU

TUDENTS

TEACHER

HEAR IT, DO IT. Bring everyone indoors eturn inside Lock outside doors That’s the primary focus of a statewide initiative usiness as usual led by the Texas SchoolIncrease Safety situational Center inawareness conjunction Business as usual with the I Love You Guys TakeFoundation. attendance These organizations provide free materials and resources to public Get inside. Lock outside doors. A lockout is a schools in Texas. As a result, Carroll school officials are combination of a reverse evacuation and a soft aligning all existing training materials and drills with the lockdown. Students quickly get into the buildTUDENTS TEACHER program. ove away state from sight Lock interior doors ing and stay safe inside their locked classrooms, aintain silence“Our goal is to ensureTurn lightscommon terminolweout arethe using while classes go on as usual. Staff get everyone o not openogy the door away from training sight and best practicesMove in our safety and drills,” indoors, lock outside doors and classroom doors, Do not open the door TUDENTS TEACHER says Superintendent David Faltys.

“We’ve had a compreincrease situational awareness, take attendance Maintain silence everyone eturn inside hensive safety program Bring in place for aindoors number of years but Take attendance and continue teaching class as usual until given Lock outside doors usiness aswe usual continue to observe,Increase learn and strengthen our overall the “all clear!” situational awareness messaging and protocols.”

Business as usual TUDENTSCarroll ISD has had Take TEACHER attendance Operations Plan an Emergency ring your phone Lead evacuation to locationsince 1998.

(EOP) outlining 31 different crisis scenarios eave your stuff behind Take attendance The plan was put together with the help and input of ollow instructions Notify if missing, extra or injured TUDENTS TEACHER fire and police first responders, American Red Cross students ove away and from representatives sight Lock interior doors Several years from DFW Airport. aintain silence Turn out the lights the district provided mini versions of the EOP in o not openago, the door Move away from sight the form of crisis flip charts that hang all classrooms Do not open the in door TUDENTS TEACHER Maintain silence crisis team were and offices. Members ofTEACHER each campus TUDENTS azard Safety Strategy Leadattendance safety strategy Take Locks, lights, out of sight. A hard lockdown conalso provided with mobile versions of the plans should Bring everyone indoors eturn inside Evacuate to shelter area Take attendance ornado Lock outside doors sists of students staying completely silent while usiness usual the emergency take them outside the building or offsite, azmat as Seal the room Increase situational awareness hiding in a dark classroom and moving away arthquake like Drop, cover and of hold in the case a bus accident involving student riders.

Business as usual TUDENTS TEACHER Get to high ground sunami from windows. Teachers lock interior doors, turn Applicants for substitute teachers go through trainTake attendance ring your phone Lead evacuation to location out the lights, move away from sight and do not ing behind before they substitute CISD classrooms. The orieave your stuff Take in attendance open the doors in any circumstances. They quickly entation/training covers a lot of topics including ollow instructions Notify if missing, extra or injured safety TUDENTS TEACHER students account for all children by taking attendance and procedures.

TUDENTS TEACHER emain in the classroom until Close and lock classroom door ove away from sightyear, Lock interior doors encourage students to remain completely quiet Last Carroll ISD teamed up with first responde “All Clear” is announced Business as usual aintain silence Turn out lightsdistrict facility and until the police or an authorized school adminisers to create tactical maps forthe each Take attendance o not open the door Move away from sight trator unlocks their door and gives the “all clear!” school.

Key emergency management information is now Do not open the door TUDENTS TEACHER included in a password-protected online program called Maintain silence azard Safety Strategy Lead safety strategy opyright 2009-2016, All Rights Reserved.

The “Ito Loveshelter U Guys” Foundation.

CO. The Standard Response and Extended incident, Logo are Trademarks of offiThe “I Love U Guys” Foundation and may be Take attendance Rapid Responder.

InBailey, the event of aProtocol school Evacuate area Take attendance ornado tered in certain jurisdictions. This material may be duplicated for distribution per “SRP Terms of Use”. SRPX POSTER | V 2.0.1 | Revised: 09/12/2017 | http://iloveuguys.org azmat Sealand the room cials first responders can access key safety informaarthquake Drop, cover and hold tion and maps via this online software.

Get to high ground sunami TUDENTS TEACHER For the 2018-2019 school year, Carroll is aligning ring your phone evacuation to location safety messaging withLead materials from TXSSC and eave your stuff behind Take attendance the I Love You Guys Foundation.

Poster-sized notices ollow instructions Notify if missing, extra or injured TUDENTS TEACHER explaining typesstudents of drills posteddoor in each emain in the classroom the untilfive

Close and will lock be classroom classroom, cafeteria, library and counseling area. In e “All Clear” is announced Business as usual Move to an announced location. Students leave Take attendance the Parent Reunifiaddition, the district is incorporating their stuff behind, bring their phones and walk cation Plan into the district’s response plan.

TUDENTS“The drills required TEACHER orderly to the appointed evacuation site. Teachby the state are essentially the azard Safety Strategy Lead safety opyright 2009-2016, All Rights Reserved. The “I Love U Guys” Foundation. Bailey, CO. The Standard Responsestrategy Protocol and Extended Logo are Trademarks of The “I Love U Guys” Foundation and may be ers lead their students to the evacuation site, take tered in certain jurisdictions.

This material may beeveryone,” duplicated for distribution per “SRP Terms of Use”.says.

SRPX POSTER“But | V 2.0.1 | Revised: 09/12/2017 | http://iloveuguys.org same for Faltys we believe it’s Evacuate to shelter area Take attendance ornado attendance and notify campus leaders if anyone important for our students and our staff to understand azmat Seal the room is missing or injured. arthquake what Drop,each coverdrill and entails hold and how communication will hapGet We to high ground sunami pen. want to teach them that in an emergency, when

IN AN EMERGENCY WHEN YOU HEAR IT. DO IT.

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it, do it.”

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emain in the classroom until e “All Clear” is announced 90 • INSIDE CARROLL

TEACHER

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EVACUATE!

Bring your phone Leave your stuff behind Follow instructions

Lead Take evacuation attendanceto location Take attendance Notify if missing, extra or injured students

LOCKDOWN! Locks, lights, out of sight.

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TEACHER

Lock interior doors

out the lights SHELTER! Hazard andTurn safety strategy.

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The program was operational and fully implemented just a few months later when the 20132014 school year started.

SROs work in partnership with the school EVACUATE! To the announced location.

Tsunami district to provide students with important mesSTUDENTS This is a hazard and TEACHER safety strategy to get away sages about bullying, cyber-bullying, alcohol and Bring your phone Lead evacuation to location fromclassroom. danger like a tornado, earthquake HOLD! In your Clear the halls. or Leave your stuff behind Take attendance drug abuse, Internet and chat room safety, bicycle Students evacuate to a shelter STUDENTS Follow instructions hazmat threat. TEACHER Notify if missing, extra or injured helmet safety and more.

They also serve as posiarea, help seal the room from outside air and/ Remain in the classroom until Close and lock classroom door students tive role models to students through coaching and the “All Clear” is announced Business as usual or perform duck and cover until the emergency Take attendance mentoring to help them make good choices and In the event of flooding, students might SHELTER! passes.

Hazard and safety strategy. learn about the consequences of negative behavior. be asked to move to higher ground. Teachers STUDENTS lead students safely TEACHER A SRO is a highly-trained veteran police officer to the shelter in place © Copyright 2009-2016, All Rights Reserved. TheStrategy “I Love U Guys” Foundation. Bailey, CO.Lead The Standard Response Protocol and Extended Logo are Trademarks of The “I Love U Guys” Foundation and may be Hazard Safety safety strategy registered in certain jurisdictions. This material may be duplicated for distribution per “SRP Terms of Use”. SRPX POSTER | V 2.0.1 | Revised: 09/12/2017 | http://iloveuguys.org who serves as a resource for faculty and staff in location and take attendance, accounting for Evacuate to shelter area Take attendance Tornado the area of crime prevention and development of Hazmat Seal the allroom students.

Earthquake Drop, cover and hold security measures to make campuses safer. The Get to high ground Tsunami dedicated men and women who serve as SROs in classrooms would also become first responders HOLD! In your classroom. Clear the halls. on the scene in the event of a campus or school STUDENTS TEACHER emergency.

Remain in the classroom until Close and lock classroom door Hill’s plan calls for additional funds to be the “All Clear” is announced Business as usual Take attendance earmarked for school safety measures as determined by yet another School Safety Task Force.

“Our most precious resource deserves our best This when classes held in place toof The help © Copyright 2009-2016, All Rights Reserved.

The “I Loveis U Guys” Foundation. Bailey, CO. The Standardare Response Protocol and Extended Logo are Trademarks “I Love U Guys” Foundation and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. This material may be duplicated for distribution per “SRP Terms of Use”. SRPX POSTER | V 2.0.1 | Revised: 09/12/2017 | http://iloveuguys.org efforts,” Hill says. “Which is why I have discussed clear the halls. Students remain in the classroom with the Southlake Crime Control and Prevention until given the “all clear” and teachers close and District funding more than $500,000 in the coming lock classroom doors, while taking attendance year to support the exploration and implementation and accounting for all students. As an example, of new innovative safety and security initiatives at the Hold! command might be given if a student Southlake schools.” has a medical problem, and an ambulance Hill says the new Safety Task Force will form to responds to transport the student. make recommendations for how the money will be spent.

“The initiatives will come from law enforcement’s finest minds at the federal, state, and local MAYOR PLEDGES MONEY FOR level, as well as Carroll ISD, our longtime partners,” SCHOOL SAFETY she explains.

Mayor Laura Hill took to Facebook in late “Parents, you have been with us at every step of May to pledge more than half a million dollars this journey; stay with us now as we work toward to Carroll ISD for school safety initiatives. In her solutions that will improve school security and social media post, Mayor Hill said via video from the safety of our kids,” Hill adds. “We want our her office at Southlake Town Hall, that she was students to feel safe, secure and protected. And grateful to City and School District leaders and if we work together, we will find the best solutions supportive families for keeping the safety of for Southlake.” children first.

Superintendent David Faltys and School Board “Southlake leads the way when it comes to President Sheri Mills immediately responded school safety and protecting our children,” Hill with a video of their own, that included a thank says. “Since 2013, the City of Southlake has you message from students inside a secondinvested over $1 million a year for our Southlake grade classroom.

School Resource Officers program. That makes “Thank you for this generosity,” Mills says. it possible for an SRO to be assigned to every “We are so happy with your initiative and your Carroll ISD school – listening, talking and engagcall to action.” ing with our children and with us.”

“We want to reassure our parents and taxpayers Southlake’s School Resource Officers (SRO) of the long positive relationship we’ve had working program was recommended by a Mayor’s Safety with the City of Southlake to ensure a safe environTask Force led by then mayor John Terrell. The ment for our students and staff,” Faltys adds. “We group formed shortly after the fatal shootings are looking forward to identifying the best way to at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, utilize the funds and to put them to good use in Connecticut, and had a recommendation for fulltime officers at every CISD campus by March. our schools.

Hazard Tornado Hazmat Earthquake

Safety Strategy Evacuate to shelter area Seal the room Drop, cover and hold Get to high ground

Lead safety strategy Maintain silence Take Take attendance attendance

SHELTER!

®

HOLD!

®

INSIDE CARROLL • 91

Carroll ISD Bus Transportation Carroll ISD is pleased to offer bus transportation to all students who wish to participate. We believe that our service is second to none and can provide safe and efficient transportation to and from school.

Annual Pass: $275/student or $550/family Semester Pass: $148/student or $296/family Bus routes now available online.

CarrollBudget.com School Budget & Facility Planning

Visit our website CarrollBudget.com to learn more about: 1) School Budget 2) Strategic Plan 3) Capital Needs 4) Facility Planning 5) Bond Election

Share your feedback using Let’s Talk on CarrollBudget.com 92 • INSIDE CARROLL

EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION Michelle Moore Represents Carroll at State Level

S

chool Board member Michelle Moore’s advocacy for public education reaches well beyond the borders of Carroll ISD. This past year, she was elected as a representative to the Legislative Advisory Council for the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB).

The TASB Legislative Council (LAC) is responsible for merging the regional priorities identified by school board members around the state into a statewide list of legislative priorities. The council’s recommendations are submitted for adoption to TASB’s Delegate Assembly at the Association’s annual convention in the fall.

“I am excited to be part of the TASB Legislative Advisory Council representing Carroll ISD and Region 11,” Moore says. “The Council has met twice over the last few months to establish TASB’s Advocacy Priorities for the 2019 Texas Legislative Session. These priorities will help guide TASB in advocating for the more than five million students attending public schools in Texas.”

Moore says it is truly an honor to have been elected to LAC and to have the opportunity to champion change at the state level to improve public education in Texas.

“As a Trustee, I am in a unique position to affect change both locally and statewide and build support for proven and promising programs and policies

that will improve student outcomes, cultivate college-going behaviors and ensure all students are receiving a high-quality public education,” she adds. “In education, advocacy is critically important, and I intend to work closely with my fellow Trustees and the Administration to ensure Carroll ISD’s legislative priorities are heard by our local and state legislators.”

The LAC is comprised of school board members representing all 20 Education Service Center regions of the state.

During each TASB Grassroots Meeting, participants elect school board members to serve on the LAC. “As a Trustee, I’m am thankful for the extensive time Michelle has dedicated to work on the state level on the Legislative Advisory Council for TASB,” says Board President Sheri Mills. “She has been a voice in creating objectives to take to our State Representatives, State Senators, Lt. Governor and Governor to advocate for our schools in Carroll. But more importantly, as a parent, I am personally grateful for Michelle Moore because she advocates for all students in our district, including mine and yours. I applaud Michelle’s efforts over the past few months, and the district is better because she is here.”

In 2017, Moore earned the designation of Master Trustee after completing Leadership TASB, a program sponsored

by TASB. “Leadership TASB was a unique opportunity to learn and grow as a Trustee,” Moore says. “The program allowed me to build relationships with school board members from around the state and gain insight on the challenges and opportunities facing public schools in Texas. I believe this experience will make me a better Trustee for CISD.” Moore was part of the 2016-2017 Leadership TASB class met in conjunction with TASB’s Summer Leadership Institute in Fort Worth. More than 1,000 new and veteran school leaders received extensive training on every facet of effective board governance, heard keynote addresses from renowned education experts, and picked up valuable ideas from district showcases and networking opportunities.

After the graduation ceremony, participants joined the ranks of more than 800 school board members statewide who are Leadership TASB alumni.

The 2017 Leadership TASB class, composed of 33 school board members, represented Texas school districts of all sizes and property wealth. Participants who completed all required elements of the study program earned Master Trustee status, the highest designation recognized by TASB. Leadership TASB is sponsored in part by H-E-B. TASB is a voluntary, nonprofit association established in 1949 to serve local Texas school boards. School board members are the largest group of publicly-elected officials in the state. The districts they represent serve more than 5.3 million public school students.

INSIDE CARROLL • 93

EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION Carroll Dragons Go Kagan

C

arroll ISD hosted the Regional Conference for Kagan Professional Development during the week of June 11-15, 2018. Over 100 Carroll ISD educators attended the five-day training with educators from Oklahoma, Louisiana and other districts in Texas with Tom Searle, an International Kagan Trainer. Throughout the training, the participants learned and practiced different active engagement structures and strategies to use with students to enhance their classroom environment along with strategies to increase engagement and transfer the academic skills.

Kagan Professional Development was rooted out of a research program begun by Dr. Spencer Kagan in 1968. His research revealed that children of all ages, all over the world, responded with enhanced cooperativeness when placed in

94 • INSIDE CARROLL

certain types of situations. In an effort to apply these findings to the classroom, Dr. Kagan started a research program to create simple ways teachers could structure the interaction of their students.

As stated in the Kagan training workbook, “Kagan’s structures not only led to greater cooperativeness, but led also to greater academic achievement, improved ethnic relations, enhanced self-esteem, harmonious classroom climate, and a range of social skills. Thus Dr. Kagan fathered the structural approach to cooperative learning which is now used in classrooms at all grade levels, world-wide, to produce revolutionary positive results.”

As an attempt to increase student engagement and build classroom environments of respect and excellence, Carroll ISD principals

worked together to bring Kagan to Southlake.

Providing this type of extensive training is a commitment of resources and time that will be continuously supported with on-campus professional learning next school year.

Each Carroll ISD educator participates in professional development during the summer along with time during the school year to continue to grow as educators to better instruct our Dragons.

For the 2018-2019 school year, CISD educators are required to attend 18 hours of flex time to meet the requirement of their contract. Kagan Professional Learning meets the professional development requirements of the teachers, and also provides teachers with a different philosophy of student engagement to use as they begin planning and instructing their Dragons.

Kagan Structures and Strategies are fun for teachers and students, but more importantly these concepts can be used in any content area for any grade-level. The strategies provide students with a structure to improve thinking skills and social skills through cooperative learning.

“Our emphasis on the active engagement structures creates a learning environment where all students have an opportunity to interact and learn with and from each other,” says Mike Landers, Principal of Walnut Grove Elementary School. “As part of our campus Positive Behavior Support Initiative, the structures add a layer of social skills where students practice taking turns, actively listening, complementing one another,

and coaching each other through the instructional content.”

Several classroom teachers have implemented a cooperative, active engagement approach in their classrooms, where students collaborate and enhance two important language skills: speaking and listening. Teamwork and accountability are promoted through quick and engaging structures such as Time-PairShare, Rally-Robin, Round-Robin, Rally-Coach, Quiz-Quiz-Trade, Showdown and NumberedHeads-Together. “ K a g a n s t r u c t u r e s h ave d r a m a t i c a l l y improved so many aspects of my classroom,” says Jen Merritt, third grade teacher at WGES. “From building content knowledge to working on classroom community, the cooperative learning structures support everything that goes on in the classroom on a daily basis. It has changed the quality of learning and interacting.”

Last June, at the completion of the five-day Active Engagement Workshop, participants were provided an action plan to convert workshop knowledge and experiences into successful classroom implementation.

As Cecilia Castagnola, sixth grade teacher at Eubanks Intermediate shares, “With this knowledge, our students will have positive interdependence, individual accountability, equal participation and simultaneous interaction skills to help them become a better student, classmate, and community member.”

INSIDE CARROLL • 95

DRAGONS THEN & NOW | FLASHBACK

1985

Student computers in 1985 were substantially different than the new touchscreen laptops that will be deployed in Carroll ISD this year.

2 018 96 • INSIDE CARROLL

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