ISSUE 2 | DECEMBER 2021
VALE DRAMA PRESENTS
OKLAHOMA!
DIRECTOR DANIEL GAMBILL PRESENTED RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN’S ICONIC AMERICAN MUSICAL IN NOVEMBER PAGE 6
________
GET TO KNOW
CLARK MITCHELL
SISD DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS HELPS STUDENTS PLAN FOR LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL PAGE 10
________
STEP INTO A PHONICS LESSON WITH SES SECOND GRADERS SECOND GRADE TEACHER SARA LINDSEY BRINGS ELEMENT OF FUN TO LEARNING READING SKILLS PAGE 18
CELEBRATIONS AND INFORMATION FROM THE
SUNNYVALE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Proud Supporter of Sunnyvale ISD
From the Superintendent We are happy to bring you this second issue of Horizons, SISD’s new district magazine.
SUNNYVALE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 417 East Tripp Road, Sunnyvale, Texas 75182 phone | 972-226-5974 fax | 972-226-6882 www.sunnyvaleisd.com
Horizons is the magazine for the Sunnyvale Independent School District. Its purpose is to provide parents and students of SISD and other Town of Sunnyvale residents with useful information about SISD. It has a press run of 3,200 and is mailed to the same audience via postal carrier route through bulk mail delivery. Horizons is published three times annually by the Sunnyvale ISD Communications and Marketing Department. Articles are written by Director of Communications and Marketing Emily White and Communications Intern Karo Reese, with contributions by Jennifer Settle. Graphic Design is by Kristin Odom. Photography is by Emily White and the staff, students and community of Sunnyvale ISD. For questions about Horizons, please call 972-226-5974. cover main photo:
Halle Wigginton, SHS Senior
In this issue, I hope you’ll find the information on our campuses, new district initiatives and student accomplishments both informative and helpful. We are proud of the way our students and teachers continue to rise to the occasion. Since 2018, our vision statement, “Sunnyvale Raiders Rise!”, has been a statement of the excellence our students attain in whatever field it may be — STEM, fine arts, academics or athletics. But “Raiders Rise” is more than a reflection of our students’ achievements. It’s also our call to action. Never has that call to action been more necessary or appropriate than since March of 2020. All of us — the entire Sunnyvale community — have been affected in some way by the pandemic. Our students have been impacted in many ways, and we have encouraged them to rise and keep going — to press on. Growing up during a pandemic has not been easy or fun. But it has certainly prepared our Raiders (and all of us) for living through the stresses of what tomorrow may bring. We live in divisive times and our children need you — our Raider parents, town residents, school group leaders, members of our local town government, growing area businesses — to keep rising. We will strive to keep our community the positive, close-knit place we all call home.
Raiders Rise! Doug Williams Superintendent, Sunnyvale ISD
In this Issue Town of Sunnyvale Sunnyvale ISD enjoys a strong partnership with the Town of Sunnyvale. Please contact Town Hall at 972-226-7177 or www.townofsunnyvale.org. Facebook @sunnyvaletx Twitter @TownofSunnyvale Instagram @ townofsunnyvaletx Mayor Mr. Saji George mayor.george@townofsunnyvale.org
4
Student Showcase
6
Engaged and Well-Rounded
8
Bright Futures
12
SHS Learning and Progress
Fine Arts Students on the State-Wide Stage Q&A with Kim Ingram Oh What a Beautiful Performance Karen Holland Receives Legacy Award Carmen Elder Named Distinguished Alumnus Countdown to Early Admissions Q&A with Clark Mitchell New “Power Hour” Extended Lunch Q&A with Kayla Stamas Why I Created the Mind Over Matter Club
14 SMS Learning and Progress Adaptive, Resilient and Prepared Teachers Student Perspectives on In-Person vs Online 16 SIS Learning and Progress Engineering a STEM Culture at SIS Q&A with Mr. Bertrand 18 SES Learning and Progress Learning to Read is Fun with Phonic Awareness 20 Safety and Well-Being SISD Welcomes Best Buddies Chapter 21
Quality Staff
22
Mentor Program Provides Support
Community Engagement
STUDENT SHOWCASE
Fine Arts Students On the State-Wide Stage BY KARO BEAZLEY REESE, COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT INTERN
After a tough past two school years, rising above and watching a positive story about the resilience of teachers and their students is exactly what Texas public school leaders needed for inspiration for the 2021-2022 school year. In September, SHS and SMS fine arts collaborated to create that inspirational performance at the Texas Association of School Administrators’ fall conference. Superintendent Doug Williams is this year’s TASA President, which created an opportunity for SISD’s fine arts department to perform at their annual conference. “Our Sunnyvale fine arts students represented our school district in a powerful way at the conference,” Williams said. “Their message of We Will Rise resonated with the board members and school administrators at the convention and inspired each of them to continue to work for the students of their districts. I so appreciate our fine art directors and former trustee Kim Ingram for providing their expertise in helping make this production outstanding. It was a great day for Sunnyvale.” The 20-minute show was created, written and scored by former
4 | SUNNYVALE ISD HORIZONS
SISD trustee Kimberly Ingram. The performance featured students from grades 6-12 and was directed by SHS theatre teacher Daniel Gambill. The entire fine arts department — led by fine arts director Jacob Pipak — played essential roles in the production’s implementation. Three songs were performed: Seize the Day from the musical Newsies, The Beatles’ Blackbird (accompanied by senior Grant Conaway on guitar), and — for the finale — an original song written and produced by Ingram and local music producer and Sunnyvale resident Joe Milton, who is also the parent of a Sunnyvale fine arts alum. The story, called We Will Rise, demonstrated the struggle many school districts have faced since the pandemic began. By telling the stories of other school districts along with SISD’s, administrators were left with a message of hope in what has felt like a long period of uncertainty. “Our vision the entire time was presenting something that Mr. Williams and our school board (past and present) would be proud of,” Pipak said.
A Q&A with “We Will Rise” Composer
KIM INGRAM
Kim Ingram is a GMA Dove-nominated writer and composer, and owner of Open Heart Musicals. She served over 10 years on the SISD Board of Trustees, retiring in 2018, which positioned her uniquely to help with SISD’s “We Will Rise” performance.
WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT THAT THE SISD PERFORMANCE “WE WILL RISE” CONVEY A MESSAGE OF EMPATHY AND UNITY?
This performance was truly a team effort, with the SHS choir, the band and color guard, cheerleaders and theatre department, collaborating with the SMS choir to create a meaningful story. These groups rehearsed during SHS’s new Power Hour to perfect the performance. SCAN HERE “During the final rehearsals — as our students began to piece everything together — it really became a production,” Pipak said.
TO WATCH THE PERFORMANCE
Schools have faced such huge challenges these past two years, and I felt strongly convicted that SISD should share a message of hope and unity. Collaboration brought the “We Will Rise” theme of hope and unity home. I created an initial script, incorporating ideas from alum Kaitlin Ingram and theatre teacher Daniel Gambill, who had the idea for the show’s symbol, the phoenix. Choir director Megan Senter chose a great opening song: Seize the Day. Senter and middle school choir teacher Kellan Hickman started rehearsing with their groups the first day of school. Band director Jacob Pipak and cheer sponsor Victoria Matthews figured out how to incorporate the drum line, instrument ensembles, color guard, and cheerleaders. SMS fine arts faculty members Cara Craggett, Rex Novak and Michael Nation were part of the production planning, as well.
WHAT WAS THE PROCESS OF CREATING THE ORIGINAL SONG, “WE WILL RISE”? Kris Williams, SHS’s long-time English teacher and I met twice, talking about the challenges teachers and students have faced during Covid. I asked, “Can you find any blessings from this time?’” Kris said, “Sometimes difficulty can bring people closer. It’s like: we’ve shared the dark, and now we see with different eyes.” As soon as Kris said the last sentence, I knew that was the lyric. It has a good rhythm; it almost sings itself. The rest of the words came together so naturally for us after we had that one line. I gave a basic melody and chord chart to my long-time collaborator Joe Milton of JoMusik. Then Joe, a fellow SISD parent, worked his arranging and producing magic. ISSUE 2 | DECEMBER 2021 | 5
ENGAGED AND WELL-ROUNDED
Vale Drama and Director Daniel Gambill presented Rodgers and Hammerstein’s iconic American musical OKLAHOMA! on November 9, 11 and 13 in the SHS Auditorium. Photos by Daniel Gambill
6 | SUNNYVALE ISD HORIZONS
“I have enjoyed working with my team to put together something beautiful. It is great to thrust underclassmen into leadership positions and put fresh actors in an environment where they can thrive. It has been rewarding to see my friends transition into skilled actors.” — BLAKE PATTERSON, “CURLY”, SHS SENIOR
“The most rewarding part of working on our musicals is seeing students come into their own and find the talents inside themselves. For this production, our student actors embraced modernizing the portrayal of their characters: Kaylee Wilson focused on reclaiming her character of Ado Annie from a “flirty woman” caricature, while Morgan Hunter’s Laurey Williams is in charge of her own destiny, not waiting for men to take care of her. Overall, I think that our Sunnyvale audiences love seeing the product of our students’ hard work that is on display in the musicals.” — DANIEL GAMBILL, SHS DIRECTOR/DRAMA TEACHER
ISSUE 2 | DECEMBER 2021 | 7
BRIGHT FUTURES: SISD ALUMNI Karen Hollard Receives the Sunnyvale Alumni Association’s 2021 Legacy Award Beloved, long-time Sunnyvale ISD teacher Ms. Karen Holland has received the Sunnyvale Alumni Association’s Legacy Award for 2021. Ms. Holland has the distinction of being the employee who has taught the most years in a Sunnyvale ISD classroom — 40 years. She retired in 2020. During that time, she taught American History, Texas History, World Geography, Theatre Arts and World History. She also coached volleyball for eight years, sponsored the cheerleaders for six years, and advised the yearbook staff.
“Mr. B heard that I was looking for a job and had interviewed at Highland Park,” she said. “He called their district office and they gave him my contact information. He called me at my best friend’s house, and would you believe he hired me right then over the phone?”
She also touched the lives of countless Sunnyvale kids. “Karen Holland helped shape the person I am today,” alumna Carmen James Elder (SJH ‘88) said. “She loved me at times I felt unlovable and showed tough love when I needed it. I wanted to be just like her.” Ms. Holland began working for Sunnyvale ISD in 1980 after being hired by long-time Superintendent Gwinn Blankenship — believe it or not — over the phone.
She spent the next 40 years in service to SISD, guiding students and teaching them about history and life. “What I loved about teaching in Sunnyvale is the relationship we built with the kids,” Ms. Holland said. “As soon as they left for high school, they became our friends. Here I am 40 years later, and I have former students who call me regularly and take care of me as they would their parents. I just love when that happens. Where else in America does that happen except Sunnyvale, Texas?”
Carmen James Elder (SJH Class of ‘88) Named Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Few Sunnyvale alums have made an impact on the Town of Sunnyvale the way this year’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year has. Through her contributions as a Sunnyvale school principal, a community volunteer and a town business advocate, Carmen James Elder has touched the lives of countless Sunnyvale Raiders. 8 | SUNNYVALE ISD HORIZONS
Carmen graduated from Sunnyvale Junior High School in 1988 after attending the then K-8 campus during kindergarten and first grade and then again from fifth grade through eighth grade. At the time, because Sunnyvale did not have a high school, students attended Poteet High School. Carmen graduated from Poteet High School in 1992. She then graduated from Texas A&M University in 1996. “My favorite memory growing up as a Raider was the weekly pep rally,” Carmen said. “As I got older and became part of the pep rallies, I remember being so excited to carry on the traditions of those kids that went before me. I still love when everyone stands and sings Sunnyvale Our Sunnyvale together.”
BRIGHT FUTURES: STUDENT READINESS
COUNTDOWN TO EARLY ADMISSION My name is Karo Beazley Reese and I am a senior in the class of 2022! I truly believe that Sunnyvale has prepared me for the college admissions process in a way that has set me up for success. Here are some of the steps I’ve taken since my junior year to prepare: • Nearing the end of my junior year, Mr. Mitchell set up a meeting for my class and our parents to give us an overview of what to expect senior year. This way, I was able to know what to prepare for. order a brick online at:
www.bricksrus.com/donorsite/ SunnyvaleRaiders
• The summer going into my senior year was crucial in my college admissions process. I am so grateful that I took the time in the summer to prepare my applications so I didn’t have to worry about it during my busy senior year. As school approached, though, I was able to contact Mr. Mitchell whenever needed and he helped me out with any questions that I had! • Along with being open to answering questions, Mr. Mitchell also set up college application workshops before school started where he was able to help out with navigating the application programs. Having some extra help before the school year is always appreciated! • Once senior year got into full swing, we had another follow up class meeting about exact dates and topics like High School Project. Having those dates on mine and my parents’ calendars really helped us to feel ready for all the events.
Sunnyvale ISD
In 1996, Carmen began a career in education that spanned over 20 years. She worked as a teacher in Mesquite ISD and later became a principal. In 2010, she returned to her roots and became the Sunnyvale Middle School principal. “The Sunnyvale community made a huge impact on my life as a principal in so many ways,” she said. “I never expected to get more from a community than I gave as a principal. I can truly say that being in this district and in this community made me a better principal, mom, friend, and over all better person.”
• Another helpful resource that I discovered Mr. Mitchell offers is his web page on the SHS website. It has all the links I ever needed for any extra help with applications, and direct links to all the resources seniors need on Naviance. Having everything streamlined online for us is super useful! • I also began to have one-to-one meetings with Mr. Mitchell during my senior year. I had so many questions to ask him, and he was great at answering every single one of them. I also met with him to check on all my supplementary materials, like my recommendation letters and transcripts, before he sent them in. I always left his office feeling so much more reassured about my process than I did before!
The main thing that Sunnyvale offers that has helped me the most is support. I applied to eleven schools, and at the end of my junior year I was terrified to dive into all the applications. But after help from teachers, administrators, and especially Mr. Mitchell, applying to college was made a whole lot less stressful. I know this is a time I will remember for the rest of my life, and I’m so grateful that SHS put me in the position to feel prepared for the application process and college itself! ISSUE 2 | DECEMBER 2021 | 9
BRIGHT FUTURES: STUDENT READINESS
A Q&A with Director of College and Career Readiness
CLARK MITCHELL
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH SUNNYVALE HIGH SCHOOL AS THE COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS DIRECTOR? I am currently in my ninth year at Sunnyvale High School. My wife and I have two young Raiders, CJ in fifth grade and Ethan in second grade.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE ALL THE PROGRAMS YOU OVERSEE AND THE WORK YOU DO ON A DAILY BASIS? As the Future Readiness Advisor, I work with students to discuss their plans for after high school. This varies from attending a twoyear or four-year college or a trade school, to joining a military branch, to going into the workforce. Each student has different goals and helping them find the right path to reach their goals is something I do not take lightly. I always let students and parents know that I will not make the decisions for the student, but I am
10 | SUNNYVALE ISD HORIZONS
there to assist in any way possible. Sometimes my role is to simply listen to the student and offer encouragement; other times my role is to offer suggestions of ways the student can reach their goals using an approach they had not thought of yet.
YOU HAVE A SUCCESSFUL TRACK RECORD OF HELPING SHS SENIORS GET INTO COLLEGE. WHAT IS YOUR SECRET? I enjoy the opportunity to talk with students starting their freshman year and watch them grow during the high school years. As I talk with students and get to know them, it helps me have a better understanding of their future goals. Each student has different goals and may need different approaches to reach their goals. I aim to assist the student in determining the path that fits their needs while helping them reach their goals.
BRIGHT FUTURES: STUDENT READINESS
I have a meeting towards the end of the students’ junior year to start planning for the college application process during their senior year. This meeting offers recommendations of things the students can work on over the summer to get prepared for when applications open up. At the beginning of August, I host College Application Workshops. This is an open format that allows seniors to come and go as their schedule permits, to ask questions and work on their applications. Some students complete their application and submit it during the Application Workshops, while others use the time to get a jump start on their applications to submit during the fall semester. Throughout the fall, I meet with students before, during, or after school, depending on what is best for each student, to help reduce their stress of finding time to get help. The application
process is stressful for most seniors, but I am here to help as much as I can. Some students will come to my office frequently for assistance, while other students prefer to just email me. My advice to students and parents: the college application process is a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t rush the process because it is easy to miss something if you are rushing.
DID YOU KNOW SISD GRADUATES HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AT MORE THAN 250 COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES? SCAN HERE FOR THE COMPLETE LIST!
ISSUE 2 | DECEMBER 2021 | 11
LEARNING AND PROGRESS
SHS SUNNYVALE HIGH SCHOOL
New “Power Hour” Extended Lunch Period Offers SHS Students Flex Time for Tutoring, Clubs BY KARO BEAZLEY REESE, COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT INTERN
There are many parts to a Sunnyvale Raider’s school day: core classes, fine arts, athletics. However, an essential part of a school day that is commonly overlooked is the importance of lunch, and this year SHS is taking theirs to another level. The past few years at SHS have been a challenge for everyone, but creating a time like Power Hour — an expanded lunch hour with benefits for students and teachers — has been very helpful for Raiders to get back into the swing of things. SHS principal Brian Nickel spent lots of time in past year preparing for and researching the benefits of what SHS students now call Power Hour. “We did some campus visits in 2019,” Nickel said. “At Frisco Wakeland and Wylie East, we learned about Power Hour scheduling as a way of creating a time during the school day for students to have access to their teachers for tutoring.”
12 | SUNNYVALE ISD HORIZONS
Not only is this extra time beneficial for tutoring and academic purposes, but it has allowed for more opportunities for students to create and meet with clubs that they might not have had time for before. “Power Hour also creates a time for us to have club meetings during the school day,” Nickel said. “A large percentage of our students are heavily involved in extracurricular activities and cannot get tutoring or attend clubs if they occur before or after school.”
Q&A with SHS Chemistry Teacher Ms. Kayla Stamas COULD YOU PLEASE LIST YOUR POWER HOUR WEEKLY SCHEDULE? My power hour schedule is tutorials during A block on Monday/Wednesday/Friday and Dungeons and Dragons Club during A Block on Thursday.
HOW HAS POWER HOUR BENEFITED YOUR STUDENTS WHO COME TO TUTORING? The students who attend tutoring have time to get one-on-one help with concepts that they didn’t understand. It also gives me time to help with corrections and attend to each student’s personal learning needs, without the chaos of 25 other students in class.
WHY DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS? DO YOU PLAY OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL? Dungeons and Dragons is a lot of fun. I started playing four years ago at a local comic book store, and I play every Wednesday with the same group. I think it’s something everyone can enjoy.
WHAT OTHER BENEFITS DO YOU THINK POWER HOUR PROVIDES STUDENTS? My students have time during the school day to make up tests, labs and quizzes. It allows the students who have a full plate to get everything done during the day, so they can still attend practice before or after school. It also gives kids a much needed break. They can sit and enjoy time with their friends.
Why I Created Mind Over Matter Psychology Club
WHAT CLUBS MEET DURING SHS POWER HOUR? Book Club BPA Calculator Apps UIL Chess Club Children’s Charity Club Choir Council Class Officers CommUnity Club Dance to Express Dungeons and Dragons FCA FFA History Club HOSA 日本語のクラブ (Japanese Club) Math UIL Mind Over Matter NAHS National Arts Honor Society Pickleball Club Raiderette Dance Team Rock-Doc Review Rubik’s Cube Club SRPD Club STUCO/PTSA TSA UNICEF Club Vale Drama Video Gaming
BY CHINAZA ONUNGWA, SHS SENIOR
I’ve always felt that the high school had a lack of “social clubs.” Sure, students had organizations like HOSA, BPA, or UIL, but I wanted to create something that would connect a diverse range of people. Psychology affects all of us. Whether you are obsessed with sports or, on the other end of the spectrum, theater, you are constantly using your mind to navigate through life. Facilitating an environment where my generation can tackle prevalent mental health issues sounded like a great idea. That’s why I founded “Mind Over Matter,” SHS’s psychology club. Members debated over controversial psychological topics during our first event. In other meetings, we hosted a successful “watch party,” simulated a criminal trial, and conducted a social experiment where we analyzed the effects of social conformity. Telling Mr. Nickel about the club and finding sponsors (thanks to Coach Stutts and Mrs. Batten) was pretty straightforward. However, after approaching strangers and organizing posters and announcements, I learned that public relations is a valuable skill. Power Hour was a great addition to this year! A lot of my friends and I are involved in extracurriculars both in and out of school, so that extra hour to study before a major test is helpful. The teachers are almost always available to answer questions during that time too. Overall though, the largest benefit of Power Hour is being able to socialize with people you don’t see in classes. Building and maintaining relationships with other students is easier now that we aren’t confined to the cafeteria. I discover a niche club almost every other week now, and I truly love that Power Hour is being used to its full potential.
ISSUE 2 | DECEMBER 2021 | 13
LEARNING AND PROGRESS
SMS SUNNYVALE MIDDLE SCHOOL
ADAPTIVE, RESILIENT AND PREPARED:
Teachers Bring Their Talents Back to Their Classrooms
Sixth graders in Mrs. Thompson’s fourth period honors Math class hold up special QR code cards to show their answers to the problem their teacher has placed on the screen. She holds up her smart phone and scans each student’s card to check for their understanding of the material she has just introduced: ratios. These Plickers — the QR code cards — are just one of the many strategies in Thompson’s toolbox. “Good… good… yes, correct,” she says. She notices another student’s work and encourages her. “You’re almost there — just change your set up and you’ll have it.” Thompson is, like all teachers this year, trying to make this first post-COVID-19 school year as successful and positive as possible for her students. That means finding the right blend of the learning strategies that worked well for last year’s at-home learners and for inperson learners. Thompson has found that striking a healthy 14 | SUNNYVALE ISD HORIZONS
balance between inclass, good old fashioned on-paper learning and unique digital strategies is healthy for her students — and for her. “Last year, having to figure out a way to teach inperson kids and online kids simultaneously was overwhelming for sure,” Thompson said. “I started to look into resources that I’d be able to use for both.” Thompson said she found resources like PearDeck, GimKit and Plickers that were interactive and included both groups of students — those at home and those in the classroom. “I was able to connect my in-person kids with my at-home kids very well.” Adapting lesson plans and learning materials was challenging for teachers during the 2020-2021 school year.
E
NE
N
The best part of learning in the classroom again is, of course, being able to see my friends and teachers. But the other best part is that being in an actual classroom environment helps me focus, and get work done.
DY W
I L SO N
AD
KE
WHAT’S THE BEST PART ABOUT BEING BACK AT SCHOOL, LEARNING INPERSON?
G H T ,8
R
WHAT DO YOU MISS ABOUT AT-HOME LEARNING?
“It was so hard because it felt like almost everything I had for my lessons from the year before was obsolete,” she said. “I had to take almost everything I had and figure out a way to make it digital, which was so time-consuming and so much work. And on top of that, we were all in a pandemic and I had my own children to help, as well.”
I
TL YN
AD
CA
Once SISD made the decision to move back to in-person learning this fall, Thompson says she was relieved but still had lots of work to do in order to prepare for her students.
E
What I miss about learning online at home is the long breaks during lunch. Since we didn’t have to join Google Meets for the lunch break, I had a lot of free time during that period and was able to rest.
“I was happy when I heard we were coming back in person,” she says. “But it has been a lot of reinventing because yet again, we’re back to the same situation where the digital materials I used the year before are mostly obsolete. There’s been a lot of shifting back and forth.” Thompson says this challenge in teaching styles has strengthened her as a professional. “Honestly, I think it made me a better teacher,” she said. “Was it hard? Yes. Do I want to do it again? Not really. But, doing it made me really think through what’s valuable and what’s a good use of my class’ time.”
CHA N DY, 7T
WHAT’S THE BEST PART ABOUT BEING BACK AT SCHOOL, LEARNING INPERSON?
R I think the best G H part of being back in
person is that we can have interactive activities, and that we can have a better understanding of the things we were learning.
WHAT DO YOU MISS ABOUT AT-HOME LEARNING? What I miss about learning at home is how easy it was to access assignments and classes. I wouldn’t have to worry if the teacher had run out of copies or if the assignment is lost, because I had saved it on my computer.
ISSUE 2 | DECEMBER 2021 | 15
LEARNING AND PROGRESS
SIS
SUNNYVALE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL
Engineering a School-wide STEM Culture at SIS
Sunnyvale Intermediate School third grade teacher Jonny Bertrand loves teaching his students through hands-on projects where they can use creativity and explore the applications of STEM concepts. In a recent project, Bertrand and his fellow third grade teachers challenged students to create an animal habitat. They then tested the habitats’ safety by having their animals zip line.
Third grader Kinison McGregor found this lesson especially fun. “I love getting to make really anything and putting my imagination to work,” Kinison shared. To the everyday observer, it may seem that Kinison is simply working on a science project. However, she’s actually building toward the foundation of her dream job — she wants to be a teacher or an engineer when she grows up. Thanks to a partnership between Sunnyvale ISD, the Sunnyvale Education Foundation and local community partner Fritz-Pak Corporation, Kinison and her friends will have the opportunity to be classroom creators daily with STEM curriculum from Club Invention. Club Invention is a nationally recognized non-profit enrichment program with curriculum developed by the National Inventors Hall of Fame. The program is designed under the guidance of the Hall of Fame’s inductees. SISD has found Club Invention to be a perfect fit for its district STEM goals. “Sunnyvale Intermediate School’s Campus Improvement Plan, which connects directly to our overall Strategic Plan, calls to continue to build upon our STEM Program,” SIS Principal Sara Staley said. “After hearing about Club Invention, I knew this was a program that we wanted to continue for years to come. It promotes engagement, problem-solving and critical thinking skills; the design process is central to the curriculum. Again, fitting in with our SISD goals.”
Club Invention is Supported in Part By Fritz-Pak Corporation
Sunnyvale ISD would like to thank Fritz-Pak Corporation for their generous support of Club Invention. Owned and operated by the Ojeda family, Fritz-Pak’s concrete admixtures have been improving concrete for over 20 years, and we’re grateful for their help in improving the lives of our students. Thank you, Fritz-Pak Corporation!
16 | SUNNYVALE ISD HORIZONS
It’s all part of Staley’s goal to build a culture of STEM at Sunnyvale Intermediate — not just separate science or STEM objectives. “Even though our teachers teach in a specific content area, we have built a school-wide STEM culture,” Staley said. “Each homeroom teacher provides instruction for Club Invention to their homeroom class, which is what helps make our program even more successful. My goal for our students is that they do not see STEM as only being in the science class with the science teacher. All teachers are active facilitators in Club Invention.” Each Club Invention activity is linked directly to one of the TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) — the standards by which all Texas students are evaluated. Sunnyvale Intermediate students have had the opportunity to work on a number of STEM activities
through Club Invention, including “Rescue Squad” during 20202021 and “Camp Invention” in the summer of 2021. Staley’s goal for creating a school-wide STEM climate around her school has been enhanced by valuable community support. “Many of our Club Invention sponsors have also participated in STEM Career Day and have added to creating student excitement in STEM-related fields,” Staley continued. “Our sponsors have seen how STEM has had an impact in crosscurricular ways and in engaging our students. When we began our Club Invention programs our students were eager to learn through problem solving and design thinking!”
SCAN FOR ZIPLINE CONTEST VIDEO
Q&A with Mr. Bertrand About Club Invention PLEASE DESCRIBE THE ZIP LINE PROJECT. Students worked in groups to create a squad pod that carried their avatar and cargo box. Their goal was for it to land in a safe place using a zip line. The tournament played out to have a winner from each class. Then they competed against the three winners of the blue pod to find a blue pod champion. For the championship, the winner of each pod raced against each other from the second story of the building. Blue pod won this year!
WHAT DID OUR THIRD GRADERS LEARN FROM THIS PROJECT? The project is closely aligned with TEKS (classroom standards) 3.6B: Demonstrate and observe how position and motion can be changed by pushing and pulling objects such as swings, balls, and wagons.; and 3.2E: Demonstrate that repeated investigations may increase the reliability of results. Beyond that, students learned how zip lines work, how to collaborate with a team, and grew in their authentic problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
WHAT WILL OUR THIRD GRADERS REMEMBER MOST? This activity will be remembered forever, especially the school-wide competition where everyone was chanting for their pod to win.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THIS PROJECT? I loved the competitive nature and the determination our kids had to construct the best squad pod.
ISSUE 2 | DECEMBER 2021 | 17
LEARNING AND PROGRESS
SES SUNNYVALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Learning to Read is Fun With Phonemic Awareness Activities As Sunnyvale Elementary teacher Sara Lindsey walks around her classroom, she calls to her second graders: “Okay, time to get out your choppers.” Her students excitedly agree and comply.
It may sound like an experimental cooking lesson for early childhood education, but in reality, her students’ “choppers” are actually just their hands and they will use them to “chop up” words. It’s a phonemic awareness lesson. “D-U-CK,” Mrs. Lindsey pronounces phonetically. “D-U-CK… DUCK!” her students responded as they “chop” the word up by sounds in unison. Having a basis in phonological and phonemic awareness is the foundational skill of reading. Students learn to understand that letters and words make sounds, which then help them to make connections between what letters and words look like and what they sound like. Sunnyvale Elementary School is utilizing the Heggerty Phonemic Awareness System to help implement this important foundational reading skill. “The system teaches students about sounds more than letters,” Lindsey said. “The whole idea around phonemic awareness is that you can’t see the word. So, the students aren’t focused on 18 | SUNNYVALE ISD HORIZONS
spelling necessarily, they’re focused on the sounds they hear and then they can blend the sounds together.” (This is called phoneme segmenting and phoneme blending.) Lindsey — who is currently participating in the Reading Academy, as all teachers of grades Pre-K-5 in Sunnyvale are required to do — says the skills she is learning in the program have supported her work with students in phonemic awareness. “It’s given me a straightforward approach to reading instruction,” Lindsey said. It’s demystified the science of reading.” Lindsey says the Heggerty program teaches teachers the correct path to take. “You have to teach them to first hear the sounds and then manipulate sounds,” she says. “It is systematic and moves from least difficult to most difficult. New learning builds upon previous learning. It’s very structured.” Lindsay’s students share a common phonics vocabulary in the classroom — words like digraph and phoneme —and use these terms in their daily reading lessons.
SCAN HERE TO WATCH MRS. LINDSEY’S CLASS CHOPPING IN ACTION
ISSUE 2 | DECEMBER 2021 | 19
SAFETY AND WELL-BEING
SISD WELCOMES BEST BUDDIES CHAPTER Thanks to a donation from local non-profit 100 Women of Sunnyvale, SISD will now have a Best Buddies Chapter. Best Buddies International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Sunnyvale resident Linda Milton, who is employed by Best Buddies, wrote and submitted the grant to the 100 Women of Sunnyvale, who selected the grant by random vote among its membership. The grant will benefit students with intellectual or developmental disabilities at Sunnyvale ISD. So far, Director of Special Programs Erica Lawless says that the Best Buddies chapter has planned the following events: Special Olympics events (basketball and track and field), Best Buddies Winter Ball, Best Buddies Spring Walk, and end of the year picnic. At the group’s initial informational meeting, 14 SHS students signed up to participate. SISD Best Buddies will expand the SMS soon.
Thank You, Donors! SISD appreciates the Marquez De La Plata family, who recently donated 330 cans of canned food to the SISD Cares Closet from their neighborhood Halloween haunted house project. SISD would also like to thank other donors to the Cares Closet, including: the Sunnyvale Garden Club, Rays of Sunshine, Swan Electric Heating and Air, Jan Aoun and all other community members who have dropped off clothes, food and toiletries. Families can access the Cares Closet by contacting SISD’s Crisis Counselor, Melissa James or any of the campus counselors. There will be an opportunity for holiday giving through the Cares Closet. For more information, please contact melissa.james@sunnyvaleisd.com.
20 | SUNNYVALE ISD HORIZONS
DONATE TO THE SUNNYVALE CARES CLOSET Do you have items you can donate to the Sunnyvale Cares Closet? ITEMS NEEDED:
• New or Gently-Used Clothes and Shoes • Individually Wrapped Snacks • Hygiene Products • School Supplies • Backpacks
MENTOR PROGRAM PROVIDES TEACHERS NEW TO SISD WITH SUPPORT
QUALITY STAFF
Because the teaching profession has layers upon layers of daily responsibilities, having a strong support system is crucial to a teacher’s success and longevity in the profession. — JENNIFER SETTLE, SISD DIRECTOR OF LEARNING
Transitioning to a new school can be challenging for new teachers. However, thanks to SISD’s mentoring program, new Sunnyvale teachers can find support and guidance from their campus mentors — veteran teachers who help coach new teachers and provide them with emotional support. Such support is crucial as teachers and students have returned to the classroom after an unusual pandemic year of teaching in 2020-21. “SISD has always paired new teachers up with a mentor that serves as a contact person readily available to help the new teacher transition to our district,” Director of Learning Jennifer Settle said.
“But we wanted to take that model and expand the support, connection and guidance in both the instructional aspect and social-emotional wellbeing for new teachers.”
meet twice a month with their mentors. Each month the topics include an instructional focus as well as a social-emotional focus.
Parents and community members may not know that new teachers begin with two days of New Teacher Orientation in August prior to the rest of the instructional staff. From there, they are paired up with a mentor on their own campus who has a similar teaching discipline. Throughout the year, new teachers and mentors meet monthly, participate in “New Teacher Huddles” led by Kristen Nester and Settle, and participate in observation/coaching sessions. First year teachers
“There are many benefits to having a connection and supportive, professional partnership with a veteran teacher,” Settle said. “Being able to ask questions, get answers and understand how the campus operates is a benefit to all new teachers at the start of a new school year. Because the teaching profession has layers upon layers of daily responsibilities, having a strong support system is crucial to a teacher’s success and longevity in the profession.” ISSUE 2 | DECEMBER 2021 | 21
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
BUILDING THE MACHINE Congratulations to the Lady Raider Cross Country team, who won second place at district and advanced to the regional meet.
SHS TENNIS ADVANCES TO PLAYOFFS Congrats to the SHS Tennis team on a solid fall season. The team finished second in district and lost in the first round of play-offs. We are so proud of you!
22 | SUNNYVALE ISD HORIZONS
ACTING VS. REACTING National PALS (Peer Assisted Leadership) Leader Tory Grant spoke to SHS students during Red Ribbon Week. “Anyone can act correctly,” he said, “but not everyone can react correctly.”
HOMECOMING COURT 2021 Congratulations to the 2021 SHS Homecoming Court (L to R): Jake Pecina, Mr. SHS; Ysabelle Matta, Miss SHS; LaLa Sierra, Football Sweetheart; Hannah Lawless, Homecoming Queen; Max Pate, Homecoming King; Angela Rillera, Band Sweetheart; and Preston Conaway, Band Beau
SHS STUDENT NAMED NATIONAL MERIT COMMENDED STUDENT Jude Jolly has been named a Commended Student in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program. Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2022 competition by taking the 2020 PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Congratulations, Jude!
PINK OUT FOR COACH MILLER SMS Raiders are tickled pink to support PE Coach Amy Miller as she battles breast cancer. Students and teachers were happy to welcome Coach Miller back to campus recently.
FOUR TEAMS, ONE DREAM Four teams, 13 matches, 26+ sets… the SMS Lady Raider volleyball teams had a great season! The 8A and 8B teams are your bi-district champions, the 7A team are consolation champs and the 7B team took second place in the bi-district championship game!
SPEAKING LIFE SMS students enjoyed the positive words of speaker Tory Grant during Red Ribbon Week, who challenged students to make good choices and support each other.
PERFECT SEASON The SMS Cross Country team took the District 13-4A Middle School Championship for 2021-2022. Congrats to these runners on a fantastic season!
ISSUE 2 | DECEMBER 2021 | 23
Sunnyvale Independent School District 417 East Tripp Road Sunnyvale, TX 75182
****ECRWSS**** Rural Route Box Holder Carrier Route Presort Sunnyvale, Texas 75182
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Mesquite, Texas Permit No. 256
SUNNYVALE ISD ADMINISTRATION DIRECTORY Mr. Doug Williams Superintendent
Mr. Buck Baskin Director of Technology
Mrs. Kristen Nester Literacy Coach
Mr. Michael Tillinghast Network Administrator
doug.williams@sunnyvaleisd.com
buck.baskin@sunnyvaleisd.com
kristen.nester@sunnyvaleisd.com
michael.tillinghast@sunnyvaleisd.com
Dr. Christi Morgan Assistant Superintendent
Mrs. Stacy Bellows Director of Human Resources
Mr. Jacob Pipak Fine Arts Coordinator
Mrs. Amy Tutle Director of Assessment and Accountability
christi.morgan@sunnyvaleisd.com
stacy.bellows@sunnyvaleisd.com
jacob.pipak@sunnyvaleisd.com
amy.tutle@sunnyvaleisd.com
Dr. Kyle Penn Assistant Superintendent
Mrs. Melissa James District Crisis Counselor
Mrs. Robin Plett Director of Child Nutrition
Mrs. Emily White Director of Communications and Marketing
kyle.penn@sunnyvaleisd.com
melissa.james@sunnyvaleisd.com
robin.plett@sunnyvaleisd.com
emily.white@sunnyvaleid.com
Mr. Keith Adams Director of Operations
Mrs. Sherrie Koerner Dyslexia/EL Coordinator
Mrs. Jennifer Settle Director of Professional Learning
Mrs. Stacie Wilson Federal Programs and At-Risk Coordinator
keith.adams@sunnyvaleisd.com
sherrie.koerner@sunnyvaleisd.com
jennifer.settle@sunnyvaleisd.com
stacie.wilson@sunnyvaleisd.com
Mrs. Aimee Bartis District Librarian
Mrs. Erica Lawless Director of Special Programs
Mr. John Settle Athletic Director
Mr. Karl Williams Director of Transportation
aimee.bartis@sunnyvaleisd.com
erica.lawless@sunnyvaleisd.com
john.settle@sunnyvaleisd.com
karl.williams@sunnyvaleisd.com
