Applause - Leander ISD

Transcription

1/21/2014
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Applause
Thank Your School Board Members
January is School Board Recognition Month and Leander
ISD is taking this opportunity to thank these local leaders
for devoting time to support public education and serve our
local schools as volunteers. The 2013-14 Board
members are President Pamela Waggoner, Vice President
Aaron Johnson, Secretary Grace S. Barber-Jordan, M.Ed.,
Russell Bundy, Don Hisle, Lisa Mallory and Will Streit.
Thank you for all you do for the students of LISD! Email the
entire Board at governance.team@leanderisd.org to share
your appreciation!
Peace Through Pies Rally Draws
Students and Staff
Students and staff from Leander Middle School and
Leander High School hosted a "Peace Through Pies"
social last week. Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King's
dream of community, Peace Through Pie strives to rekindle
meaningful conversation. The concept is based on
bringing people from all cultures and backgrounds
together to find things we share in common. The founder,
Luanne Stovall, a local artist in Austin, also attended the
event in Leander ISD.
Below: The Bow Wow Reading Program is helping
students at Block House Creek Elementary practice
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their reading skills. Photo from @BHC_Elem.
Ab ove: Mason Elementary students shared
b ilingual stories with author Michael Hodge and
practiced their Spanish! Photo
from @Mason_Lib rary.
CRMS Students Learn About Forensics
Students at Canyon Ridge Middle School learned about
forensics and professions within forensics when Officer
Kevin Ward visited their classrooms. Students learned
more about how careers in forensics have changed over
the years and what those jobs are like today. Officer Ward's
presentation spurred a number of questions as students
thought about their future careers.
RHS Latin Team Wins First
The Novice Latin Certamen team from Rouse High School
won first place at a recent tournament. In the
preliminaries the team was the top team by 90 points and
won the final by 80 points. Congratulations to team
members: Sara Basinger, Daniela Gutierrez, Hannah
Simmons and Mark Simmons. Certamen is similar to a
Latin quiz bowl; the students are asked questions over
Roman history, mythology, customs and Latin grammar.
Please note: Applause is a snapshot of campus events and
is not inclusive of every achievement or activity in LISD.
To see more LISD accomplishments check the LISD Facebook page.
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News and Information
OWN IT: Fund Your Future - Free Financial
Aid Application Workshops
College can be expensive, but did you know that financial
assistance is available to many students to help pay for
school? The first step to securing scholarships, grants and
loans that can help you afford college is completing the
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Leander
ISD is partnering with our faith-based community and the
United Way of Williamson County to offer additional
opportunities to help students and their families submit
this very important form and begin the college financial aid
application process. Families may attend any event.
Please allow ab out one hour to complete the process.
February 9 at Hill Country Bible Church
Leander 2-6 p.m.
February 16 at Hill Country Bible Church
Austin (Bldg A, Northwest Lobby) 2-6 p.m.
February 23 at Life Church 2-6 p.m.
March 2 at HighPoint Fellowship 2-6 p.m.
See more dates, times and locations and make plans to
be there!
Influenza Health Alert
Please read the attached information from the Texas Department of State Health Services regarding
Influenza.
GO RED for WOMEN is Friday, February 7
Make a date with your HEART! Friday, February 7 is National Wear RED Day and Leander
ISD is asking students and staff to participate by wearing RED to show support for Heart
Health.
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January is National Mentoring Month
Who is a Mentor? Mentors are caring adults who have a
Heart for Encouraging, Respect, Optimism, Enthusiasm
and Self-confidence with our students, while providing
guidance and support to cultivate personal, social and
academic development. These everyday people —
parents, community members, business professionals —
are just like you! A child is waiting for you to become their
hero…Mentor today.
LISD Board of Trustees Approves 2014-15 Calendar
At the meeting on Dec. 19, the LISD Board of Trustees approved the district calendar for the 2014-15 school
year. See the approved calendar.
Gifted and Talented Conference
Round Rock ISD is hosting a conference for all parents of Gifted and Talented children on Saturday,
February 15 from 9 a.m. - noon at Walsh Middle School. The deadline for registration is February 12 and is
available through the Texas Association of the Gifted. More information is available here.
Download the LISD App!
Leander ISD is excited to announce the arrival of the official Leander
ISD App for smartphones (iPhones and Androids). Go to your favorite
app store and search for "Leander ISD," download the app for free and
get quick access to LISD school contact information, view the LISD
event calendar, access the txConnect Portal and even pay for school
meals right from your smartphone.
Parent Information Opportunities on Human Sexuality Instruction
Leander ISD will be hosting three opportunities for parents to learn more about the district's human
sexuality instruction. Information related to human sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases and character
education will be covered. The presentations will be given by Austin LifeGuard, a character and sexuality
education provider in the Austin area that currently delivers presentations to Leander ISD students in
grades 7-12 through their health classes. If you have any questions please contact Ray Langlois,
Leander ISD Asst. Director of Safe and Healthy Students, at ray.langlois@leanderisd.org or 512-570https://asp.schoolmessenger.com/leanderisd/editmessageemail.php
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0383.
Upcoming Human Sexuality Education Parent Workshops:
Wednesday, January 22 – Rouse High School Lecture Hall at 6 p.m.
Wednesday, March 19 – Canyon Ridge Middle School Library at 6 p.m.
Wednesday, May 7 – Cedar Park Middle School Library at 6 p.m.
Several Positions Open in Transportation and Child Nutrition Services
LISD's transportation and child nutrition services departments are currently hiring. To learn more about
the positions that are available, click here. Apply now to become a part of these fantastic teams!
College and Career Readiness
ReadiStep and PSAT Scores Coming Soon!
For eighth-grade students, the ReadiStep is the first assessment along the pathway to college readiness,
with the PSAT and SAT (and/or ACT) to follow in high school. Eighth-grade students should receive their
ReadiStep scores in the mail by January 17. For more information, go to the Readistep “After the Test”
section on the College and Career Readiness web site. PSAT scores will also be available for students
and their parents to review soon. By the end of January, all freshmen, sophomores and juniors who took
the PSAT will receive their scores in their English classes. Check out the "After-the-Test" resources.
Secure Financial Aid - Complete the FAFSA
Every student who plans to seek any type of post-secondary education should complete a Free Application
for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), even if he or she thinks he or she won’t qualify for financial aid. The sooner
a student completes his or her FAFSA, the better his or her chances are for getting financial aid. Go
to www.fafsa.ed.gov to learn more.
Interested in Advanced Courses?
Interested in taking advanced courses? Review the Course Planning 101 Document to see if advanced
courses are for you. If so, LISD offers Pre-AP courses at all high school campuses and Pre-IB courses at
Leander HS for all students interested in participating in the IB Program.
Make Plans to Attend Eighth-Grade Parent Nights
Parents of eighth-grade students who will be entering ninth grade in the fall 2014 are encouraged to attend
the informational Parent Nights held in January. This is a great opportunity to help in the high school
transition. Come hear from the experts! See the homepage of the middle school your child attends for
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details.
Learn More About IB!
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme is designed for the
highly motivated student seeking educational challenges and tends to be a
good fit for GT students. Parents, you are invited to learn more about IB on
Thursday, Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Leander High School Little Theater. Please
park behind LHS and enter through the back door to avoid construction. If you
are unable to attend the informational session, please contact LISD IB
Coordinator Julie Cooper at 512-570-1026 or julie.cooper@leanderisd.org.
Family-Friendly Activities
Destination... Life - A Regional Transition Fair
Central Texas school districts are coming together to offer "Destination Life - A Regional Transition Fair"
on Saturday, Feb. 8 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Round Rock High School (300 N. Lake Creek Dr. Bldg.
100) for families of students with disabilities or special needs. The event will feature 70 booths and five
break-out sessions, along with information on college opportunities, careers, where to live, how to live,
legal matters and more. This fair offers families a great way to learn, plan and understand what options
are available for their student and their family. Spanish interpreters will be available.
New Activities Added to LISD's Community Fliers Page!
Visit the LISD community fliers page to find information on district, campus and community activities,
fundraisers and events, including upcoming benefits for non-profits, library activities, sports programs and
much more! Information is added weekly so check back frequently.
Watch DOGS Night Out with the Texas Stars
Don't miss the annual Watch DOGS Night Out with the Texas Stars on Saturday, Jan. 25. Terrace level
tickets are $10 ($12 for executive level). Learn more!
Superintendent's Message
This week, Dr. Champion addresses common myths about financial aid.
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Upcoming Events
January
23
LISD Board Meeting, 6:15
p.m., Reed Elementary
30
LISD Board Retreat, 6:15
p.m., Support Services
February
2-5
Staff Development/Student
Holiday
6
p.m., Reed Elementary
20
p.m. Reed Elementary
26
LISD Early Release
For more information on events in Leander ISD, check out the monthly events calendar by going
to www.leanderisd.org
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