PROGRESS SPRING 2019
PEARLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Because of the Pearland community, students are able to learn, grow and achieve more daily
IN THIS ISSUE:
OUT AND ABOUT
ARTISTIC FLAIR
DISTRICT CALENDAR
Board members engage with legislators and community members
Students showcase artistic talents during Youth Art Month in March
Take a look at the 2019-20 school calendar, available inside
When does your child’s future start?
Children can learn so much from their own experiences and curiosity. Our Balanced Learning® approach sparks these lightbulb moments, helping children to develop creative and resilient minds.
The Leader in Early Education and Care® Infants – Private Kindergarten and After School Enrolling now! Primrose School of Pearland 713.436.4120 PrimrosePearland.com
Primrose School of Pearland Parkway 281.997.8855 PrimrosePearlandPkwy.com
Primrose School of West Pearland 713.436.0404 PrimroseWestPearland.com
Each Primrose School is a privately owned and operated franchise. Primrose Schools®, Balanced Learning®, and The Leader in Early Education and Care® are registered trademarks of Primrose School Franchising Company. ©2018 Primrose School Franchising Company. All rights reserved.
2 | PROGRESS
WHAT TEACHING DOES TO YOUR BODY, WE UNDO.
ADJUSTMENT Includes consultation & exam REGULARLY $39
Clear Lake
19431 Gatebrook Dr. #2 Webster, TX 77598 (281) 823-9281
League City
1620 W. FM 646, Suite C League City, TX 77573 (281) 724-0088
Pearland Parkway 2680 Pearland Pkwy., Suite #140 Pearland, TX 77581 (346) 229-5810
Shadow Creek Ranch
2810 Business Center Dr. #134 Pearland, TX 77584 (281) 205-0077
Thanks, teachers. We appreciate you!
Wellness Plans
Sitting and standing for an extended period
Best choice and lowest cost per visit, for patients who visit more than 2 times per month. Typically best aligned with Doctor’s Treatment Plan.
of time can do a number on your body. Chiropractic can help with back and neck
NO APPOINTMENTS
pain, migraines, joint discomfort and more.
NO INSURANCE NEEDED
Stop by our clinic to enjoy this
$0 COPAYS
special discount.
Receive up to 4 visits per month.
Adult
Cost per visit less than $18
$
69*/mo
Youth
Cost per visit less than $10
$
39*/mo
(under 18)
*Offer valued at $39. Valid for new patients only. See clinic for chiropractor(s)’ name and license info. Clinics managed and/or owned by franchisee or Prof. Corps. Restrictions may apply to Medicare eligible patients. Individual results may vary. © 2017 The Joint Corp. All Rights Reserved.
Est 1968
Cats * Dogs * Exotics
Hours: First Exam
Mon, Wed, Thur & Fri 7:30am-6:00pm Tues 7:30am-8:00pm
www.pearlandanimalhospital.com
New Clients Only Please.
Phone) 281-485-2496
One Coupon Per Household. Exotics Excluded.
Sat 7:30am-12:00pm
“Excellence in Caring”
Expires 12/31/2019 Pearland ISD Magazine
Microchip Implant For Any Existing/Returning Client One Coupon Per Household. Exotics Excluded.
1601 North Main, Pearland, Texas 77581
Expires 12/31/2019 Pearland ISD Magazine
www.pearlandisd.org | 3
Contents Issue 3 | APRIL 2019
Superintendent Dr. John P. Kelly Executive Director of Communications Kim Hocott Communications Coordinator Lexi Marshall Communications Specialist Cissa Madero
Youth Art Month
7
I Am Pearland ISD
8
Communications Department 281.485.3203 EF PAGES LLC Project Director Kari Wenner Sales Manager Christine Grudecki
Graduation Info
12
Your Bond @ Work
14
Lead Designer Rick Wallace Ad Design Ariel Levy CONTACT INFORMATION General Questions/Comments info@efpages.com Artwork and Design art@efpages.com Advertising advertising@efpages.com Progress / EF Pages LLC 404 W. Kenndale Pkwy Kennendale, Texas 76060 Ph: 214.728.8349 Fax: 817.330.0314
4 | PROGRESS
Sablatura Middle School student Kadari Simms-Austin learns the ins-and-outs of fire trucks and safety gear from Pearland Fire Department’s Dale Loewen.
PROGRESS is a joint publication of the Pearland ISD Communications Department and School & Family Magazine/EF Pages LLC.
From the Desk of Superintendent Dr. John Kelly
HEROIC EFFORTS! At the March school board meeting, Chenda Moore (Pearland ISD Coordinator of Counseling and Guidance Services) gave a very “telling” report on the efforts underway in our district. She cited statistics about office visits to counselors throughout the district. Each month this year, there was an average of 3,500 students needing assistance. The biggest portion of those visits were by students grades 7-12. Also given were statistics on the crisis events requiring intervention from home and school for the current school year including occurrences of self-harm, suicidal ideation, anger management and hundreds of miscellaneous outcries. Remembering that parents are sometimes reluctant to share the mental health issues of their children, there remain undetected kids needing help. Often the school becomes aware only after there is a major crisis in the child’s life. In addition to counselors, there is a wide variety of faculty and special education personnel addressing mental health issues among our special needs students. Some students are treated in Behavior Intervention classrooms; others are addressed inside the regular classroom. Elementary teachers report that students coming to them now have substantially greater behavioral problems than in the past. Remember, one child with significant behavior problems can disrupt the education of the other students in that class. Counselors, teachers and administrators have a hand in a growing number of efforts to combat behavioral and mental health issues. These include individual and group counseling, mental health awareness training, “No Place for Hate”, anti-bullying efforts, Grit and Mindset curriculum, human trafficking awareness, RISE mentoring, suicide prevention, trauma Level 1 trainings, Communities in Schools, Mental Health First Aid, etc. We partner with community providers to bring therapists and other services right inside our buildings for student and family needs. We’ve added a “Carousel of Resources” for parents in which personnel from numerous community organizations set out their resources for people to visit and learn more. For counselors it must sometimes feel as if they are “bailing out the ocean with a teaspoon.” They work long hours and are often rushing from one crisis to another. Our board of trustees, recognizing the growing needs for mental health and safety/security, added a total of six counselors to the employee ranks this year. More are needed and the board sees mental health as a highest priority– but expansion of services awaits school funding decisions primarily made in Austin. Our counselors are truly heroes for what they do every day. They are joined by an army of educators who love kids and go the extra mile. They carry inside of them that precious commodity none of us can live well without: HOPE!
www.pearlandisd.org | 5
Endless
Possibilities
REGISTER NOW FOR SUMMER 2019! Classes are available at JB Hensler College & Career Academy, Shadow Creek High School and UHCL Pearland Campus. 281.756.3500 | www.alvincollege.edu/locations EOI
Mercer Insurance Agency
40 years strong!
Farmers Insurance
90 years strong!
MERCER INSURANCE AGENCY AUTO • HOME • LIFE • BUSINESS • RECREATIONAL
We offer teacher discounts!
281-485-2471
Se habla español
6 | PROGRESS
MercerInsuranceAgency.com
Artistic Flair The new year began with a flair for the arts for Pearland ISD students. Best of Show- “Loose Cannon”Chelsea Tran, Pearland Junior High West Cullen Ondracek, Natural Resource Manager at City of Pearland Parks & Recreation, admires students’ artwork during Youth Art Month.
Two events, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Art and Youth Art Month, had students breaking out their brushes and sketchpads.
HLSR Art Eight student artists displayed their best pieces in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Hayloft Gallery in February. The district boasted three best of show, four gold medals and one special merit for the Western-themed art.
Youth Art Month Local businesses served as art galleries for student art as Pearland ISD hosted its 10th annual Youth Art Month Art Walk. Special Merit- “Day at the Dude Ranch”- Marissa Devivar, Dawson High School
Twenty-one Pearland businesses displayed masterpieces during the month of March. This community-wide art gallery was open to all art lovers. Several schools throughout the district hosted special art events such as a Multi-Cultural Night and an art auction and show.
Gold Medal- “My Cactus Dream”- Avery Rives, CJ Harris Elementary
www.pearlandisd.org | 7
I AM PEARLAND ISD I AM
CHILD-CENTERED #HopeforJake
From January through March, Alexander Middle School fifth-graders Olivia Suarez, Baylee Black and Katy Cavanaugh held a t-shirt fundraiser for Jake Cox, a Pearland two-year-old suffering from Neuroblastoma as part of their service fair project. To promote shirt sales, the girls created an online order form, a video explaining the project and passed out flyers. They also printed and sorted order sheets, tallied shirt size totals and sorted and delivered the shirts. The project ended up selling over 130 shirts, raising over $1,000 for the Cox family.
I AM
PASSIONATE Natural Beauty Campaign
In an effort to create a positive environment for female students struggling with confidence, Berry Miller JH created the “Natural Beauty Campaign.” For three days, students and staff went to school wearing no makeup or product in their hair, reinforcing that they don’t need to look a certain way in order to feel worthy or accepted. “Natural Beauty” sparked conversations about confidence, helped students and staff build deeper relationships and created an atmosphere of support for the entire school.
www.pearlandisd.org/IAm 8 | PROGRESS
I AM Pearagon
KNOWLEDGEABLE
PJH West’s Pearagon, an all-female robotics team, was recently recognized with the Motivate Award at the FIRST Tech Challenge Regional Championship. The award is presented to the team that represents the essence of the competition through team building and displaying enthusiasm. The accolade is evidence of Pearagon’s commitment to the competition and true team spirit.
I AM
COMPETITIVE
National Merit Scholarship Program Pearland ISD proudly announced 15 finalists in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program. These finalists include Pearland High School’s Angela Tran and Dawson High School’s Alexander Albert, Yupu Cai, Aayush Dave, Nethra Kaushik, Eric Li, Frank Li, Roger McNichols, Siddharth Nair, Morgan Spradlin, Willa Tao, Divjot Walia, Hans Wang, Helen Wang and Katherine Xie. To become finalists, students had to have outstanding academic records throughout high school, earn high SAT scores and demonstrate leadership in school and community activities.
I AM
WORLD-CLASS
Golden Broom Award
Pearland Junior High South February Winner
Each month, campus custodial staff are reviewed by supervisors and based on a merit criteria are awarded the District Golden Broom Award. All Pearland ISD custodians create a safe and clean learning environment for staff and students. The recognition extends beyond acknowledging employees for the routine duties and tasks they complete. The monthly Golden Broom highlights the custodial team that goes above and beyond to serve the success of the district and work Silverlake Elementary Alexander Middle School every day to make their January Winner December Winner campus shine. www.pearlandisd.org | 9
Around the District (Left) PJH West’s Raina Qiu (middle) claimed the 2019 Pearland ISD Spelling Bee championship. In second and third place were PJH East’s Katelyn Nguyen (left) and Berry Miller JH’s Aisha Khan (right), respectively.
ry Month a Black Histo n o d e rk o ts w nd the East studen ievements a h c a l (Above) PJH ra u lt u c senting the mural repre ans. ican Americ legacy of Afr
(Above) Chall enger Eleme ntary studen donated pet ts supplies to S a ve Rescue Coalition, inte racted with P unkin the rescue and le arned about adopting, fostering and animal safety .
(Left) PHS tenth-grader Kelsey Luna arm-wrestles with Pearland Police Officer Ryden Cohen during “Breakfast with a Badge”, hosted by PHS Law Enforcement students.
10 | PROGRESS
chool nder Middle S (Above) Alexa antez ebastian Cerv fifth-graders S d, Clarke use san and Benjamin ns and to create canyo water and ice t rock learning abou valleys while formations.
(Above) Jacob Longstreet (panda costume), Alex Smith, Brianna Hammons, Morgyn Dulany, Gabbie Cosino and Kassidy Rhodes present their research during Massey Ranch Elementary’s 4th Grade IB Exhibition.
llister, ers Peyton McA tn ar rg e d in k -olds ll Elementary up as 100-year ss (Above) Cockre re d e g d lle u d Garrett G Emily Cruz an ool. 0th Day of Sch during the 10
(Above) Silverlake Elementary kindergartner G abriela Rogaches ki enjoys some rode o-themed face painting during Go Texan Day.
(Above) Turn er CCHS nin th-graders G and Emily W risel Mena olfe interact with a table C-SPAN tou t in the r bus and le arn about th public affair e network’s s programm ing and reso urces.
www.pearlandisd.org | 11
PEARLAND ISD
GRADUATION 2019 Friday, May 24 NRG Stadium
Pearland High School 2 p.m. Dawson High School 5 p.m. Turner College & Career High School 8 p.m.
General Information No tickets necessary. Parking is $12 per vehicle. www.pearlandisd.org/graduation 12 | PROGRESS
“What If” with STUDENTS
Raul Ortiz ry 1st Grade, Lawhon Elementa s granted, If you could have any 3 wishe what would they be? dogs, I would get a teddy bear, two d. yar kittens and a cow for my
Philip Nguyen 5 Grade, Rogers Middle School th
What if you could trade lives with somebody famous? Brian Barczyk, he has his own reptile zoo and his own reptile store where you get to interact with the animals.
Sharon Nyaude 8 Grade, PJH South
Kylie Nance hool 9th Grade, Dawson High Sc
What if you could only take three things with you to a desert isl and?
ort message to the What if you could send a sh entire world?
th
My favorite book, “The Long Search” by Isabe lle Holland, a communica tion device that would wo rk on a desert island and a survival guide.
e for anybody else. You Be yourself and don’t chang is no one like you and are your own person, there the world wants to see you.
www.pearlandisd.org | 13
PJH West gym
MARCH 2019 UPDATE Additions and renovations are complete at Jamison and Sablatura middle schools. Construction continues at Dawson, Turner, and Pearland high schools, as well as PJH East, PJH West and seven elementary schools. These projects will be completed in 2019.
Dawson HS commons
Security upgrades at all schools are being implemented during 2019. Upgrades include security vestibules, access control card readers, additional cameras and fencing. The bond program is progressing on schedule and within budget. For more information, visit the bond website: www.pearlandisd.org/bond. Tennis courts at Prensner Stadium
PJH East science lab
14 | PROGRESS
Partners in Education The Partners in Education program provides an avenue for the Pearland community to become an integral part of the education process. This collaborative effort connects students and classroom teachers with:
• Corporate sponsors
• Civic and government leaders
• Volunteers and mentors for a mutually-beneficial and rewarding relationship
Partnerships enrich and support Pearland ISD student learning and achievement. From contributions that promote educational excellence to classroom lectures given by business professionals, partnerships enhance the educational experience and promote student success district-wide. Pearland ISD looks forward to continuing its current partnerships as well as establishing new ones to support educational excellence.
www.pearlandisd.org | 15
Grants in Action Enriching Teaching, Inspiring Learning
Funding the Arts Pearland ISD offers strong arts programs and the foundation is pleased to support music, art and band classrooms. Rustic Oak Elementary music teacher Sara Johnson has received two education foundation grants for new instruments and innovative music education curriculum. In five years, the foundation has awarded over $60,000 to fine arts classrooms.
Getting Active Inspired by the latest trends in fitness and health, Coach Jaramillo at Lawhon Elementary has implemented a circuit training program for her students. With modifications and direction, every student is able to participate. The foundation funded 100% of the equipment, which includes resistance bands, jump ropes, sandbells and warrior ropes. Over $17,000 has been awarded to physical education programs since 2014. 16 | PROGRESS
Rethinking Learning Spaces From desk pedals and exercise balls to wiggle stools and floating tables, the traditional classroom environment is being modernized to increase student engagement and collaborative learning. Sablatura Middle School teacher Ashley Arnold used her foundation grant funds to purchase seat pads for her students.
5
Thirteen campuses have received over $45,000 to help create flexible seating classrooms.
Years of Grant Giving
In 2014, 13 grants were selected for funding of $10,000
Today, total of 233 Innovative Teaching Grants awarded Over $344,000 in total grant funding Foundation will award up to $115,000 in 2019-2020
Smallest Grant Award: $147 for nuclear chemistry set at Turner College and Career High School Any Pearland ISD employee who provides instruction or student support services is eligible to submit a project for potential funding Maximum Award Amount: $5,000 SUPPORTING OUR MISSION Many thanks to the Bateman and Gartrell Family for helping to spotlight these outstanding classroom projects. We appreciate our donors and welcome new supporters. To contribute to our charitable mission, contact foundation@pearlandisd.org or 281-997-4987. www.pearlandisd.org | 17
Out & About With the Board Crystal Carbone greets a child at a recent board recognition night. During board recognition, students, staff and community members are acknowledged for their hard work, accomplishments and dedication to the district.
Crystal Carbone, Rebecca Decker, Lance Botkin, Sean Murphy and Jeff Barry, along with Dr. John Kelly, meet with Governor Greg Abbott to advocate for Pearland ISD’s legislative priorities.
School board members and Superintendent Dr. John Kelly visited the Texas State Capitol in Austin to meet with state legislators and discuss important topics such as school funding, student mental health initiatives and other educational topics.
Pearland Mayor Tom Reid presents the district with a proclamation declaring March as Youth Art Month in Pearland.
The Pearland ISD Board of Trustees hosted “Timely Topics: A Town Hall on Budget & Taxes” where they discussed the process of creating the district budget and how the tax rate is set.
Board of Trustees Rebecca Decker | President Charles Gooden, Jr. | Vice President Jeff Barry | Secretary 18 | PROGRESS
Lance Botkin | Member Crystal Carbone | Member Mike Floyd | Member Sean Murphy | Member
August 2019 4 11 18 25
5n 12 19 26
1 2 6n 7 8 9 13 14 [15 16 20 21 22 23 27 28 29 30
February 2020 3 10 17 24 31
2 3 4 9 10 11 16 17 18 23 <24 25
September 2019 1 8 15 22 29
2 9 16 23 30
3 4 10 11 17 18 24 25
5 12 19 26
6 13 20 27
2 9 16 23 30
7 14 21 28
3 4 5 10 11 12 17 18] 19 24 25 26 31
1 2 3 8 9 10 15 16 17 22 [23 24 29 30 31
3 10 17 24
4 11 18 25
5 6 12 13 19 20 26 27
7 14 21 28
2 3 4 5 6 9* 10* 11* 12* 13* 16 17 18 19 20] 23 24 25 26 27 30 31
5 6* 7* 12 13* 14* 19 20 21 26 27 28
2 9 16 23 30
5 12 19 26
6 13 20 27
7 14 21 28
2 [9 16 23 30
*
7 14 21 28
3 4 10 11 17 18 24 25 31
STAAR Testing (SUBJECT TO CHANGE) < > TELPAS (Assessment Window)
n
New Teacher Orientation
4 11 18 25
2019 - 2020 School Year
5 6 7 12 13 14 19 20] 21 26 27 28
1 8* 15* 22 29
2 9* 16* 23 30
3 4* 5* 6* 7* 10 11* 12* 13* 14* 17 18* 19* 20* 21*] 24 25 26 27 28 31
3> 4 10 11 17* 18 24 25
1 2 8* 9 15* 16 22g 23 29 30
June 2020 1 8 15 22 29
7 14 21 28
January 2020 1 8 15 22 29
1 8 15 22 29
M AY 2 0 2 0
December 2019 1 8 15 22 29
7 14 21 28
Holidays
September 2 (Labor Day) November 25 – 29 (Thanksgiving) December 23 – January 3 (Christmas) January 1 (New Year’s) January 20 (Martin Luther King, Jr.) March 9 – 13 (Spring Break) April 10 (Good Friday) May 25 (Memorial Day) July 4 (Independence Day)
April 2020
November 2019 1 8 15 22 29
6 13 20 27
March 2020
October (H) 2019 1 6 7 8 13 14 15 20 [21 22 27 28 29
5 12 19 26
2 9 16 23 30
3 10 17 24
4 11 18 25
5 12 19 26
6 13 20 27
6 13 20 27
g H
7 14 21 28
August 7 – 13 (Staff Development) August 14 (Workday) September 3 (Staff Development) October 14 (Staff Development) January 6 – 7 (Staff Development) January 8 (Workday) February 17 (Staff Development) May 22 (Workday)
[ ] Grading Periods
First Semester (84 days) 1st August 15 – October 18 2nd October 21 – December 20 Second Semester (88 days) 3rd January 9 – March 20 4th March 23 – May 21
Early Release December 20 May 21
Report Cards
J u ly 2 0 2 0 5 12 19 26
Staff In-service
(No school for students)
1 8 15 22 29
2 9 16 23 30
3 10 17 24 31
4 11 18 25
October 23 January 8 March 25 May 21 (KG-4) June 5 (5-12, mailed)
Progress Reports September 11 October 2 November 13 December 11
February 5 February 26 April 15 May 6
Graduation Pearland History Month
Pearland Independent School District • 1928 N. Main, Pearland, Texas 77581 • 281-485-3203 • www.pearlandisd.org
www.pearlandisd.org | 19
20 | PROGRESS