C-FB ISD Class Of 2012: Success! We Wish You The Best

It seems that every month is a blur of activities, but the spring months are non-stop especially for our graduating seniors. Senior events are fun-filled activities where the students are honored for their accomplishments during their four years of high school.

Dr. Burns, R. L. Turner Valedictorian Amy Stone,
Salutatorian Shohaib Virani
Principal Georgeanne Warnock

Our high schools hold honor breakfasts to announce the Valedictorian and Salutatorian as well as the top 10 graduates. The Senior Class also attends Senior Walks where students learn about scholarships, special awards and other tributes. And, finally, the really "Big Day" that students have been dreaming about all year:

 Graduation Day.

In C-FB ISD, that day is Saturday, June 2 for Creekview, Ranchview, R. L. Turner and Newman Smith seniors. The Early College High School (ECHS) on the Brookhaven College campus held their graduation on May 25. ECHS became our fifth high school in 2006 and is an educational choice for students beginning ninth grade.

Dr. Burns, ECHS Valedictorian Katherine Resa,
ECHS Principal Rosa Oliveira 

Part of the Texas High School Project, ECHS gives students the option to earn two years of college credit tuition-free while earning a high school diploma.

Dr. Burns, ECHS Salutatorian Jessica
Vazquez, ECHS Principal Rosa Oliveira 

This year, 23 ECHS students graduated from Brookhaven College the same year they received their Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD high school diploma. Many other ECHS graduates earned college credit while in high school. These students really do understand the district's goal of "high achievement."

Graduation Day is an exciting time. Parents, grandparents, siblings, other family members, friends, and educators always watch proudly as our high school seniors walk across the stage and receive their high school diplomas. There are many stories of dedication, effort and determination in the Class of 2012.

Although our graduating seniors are finishing their public education career, just as Dr. Seuss says in his book Oh, the Places You'll Go!, their time has just begun. Their learning has just begun. Whether they are off to college, to work or to serve their country, we in C-FB ISD believe that that they will always be learning.

Since our district's goal focuses on "high achievement for all students," it is important that we salute those students who earned scholarships.

Ranchview Principal David Hicks,
RHS Valedictorian Ted Tak, Dr. Burns

Newman Smith Principal Joe Pouncy,
NSHS Valedictorian Tanya Rajan, Dr. Burns

This year's class received over 15 million dollars in scholarships from colleges, universities, companies and other organizations. We want to thank our local service organizations, businesses and local community members for presenting scholarships to our students. Your support is allowing Carrollton-Farmers Branch students to pursue their dream of going to college. For some C-FB ISD students they are the first one in their families to go to college.

Ranchview Principal David Hicks,
RHS Salutatorian Sanat Valecha, Dr. Burns

Newman Smith Principal Joe Pouncy

NSHS Salutatorian Melissa Smith, Dr. Burns

We also have graduates who have chosen to serve their country as well as those who have received appointments to our country's military academies. To serve in one of the armed forces is such a great honor.  All of us in C-FB ISD are inspired and thank those who protect our freedom. We wish these C-FB ISD graduates well as they join the other men and women who protect and serve our country.

Creekview Salutatorian Soo Kim
Creekview Valedictorian Jill Gerberich

We honor all of our 2012 graduates, and we salute the valedictorians and salutatorians of our five high schools. They have "risen to the top." These 10 scholars are outstanding young people. They are not "bookworms" 24/7; they are involved individuals who give their time to their school and community.

They live by this William Arthur Ward statement: "If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it."

As the 2012 Senior Class fulfills their dreams of high school graduation and begin the next chapter of their lives, they are on a remarkable journey whether they are off to college, work or military service.  All of us in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch School District wish the Graduating Class of 2012 the very best. 

Celebrating Athletic & Fine Arts Achievements

When we talk about high achievement to students, families, business leaders and community groups, we emphasize that high achievement in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch School District is not just in the academic area.  Arts and athletics play vital role in students getting a well-rounded education, and doing you best to achieve to your highest potential is important.  

Once again, it was a banner year for our students who participate in our athletic and fine arts programs. We are extremely proud of the trophies, medals, awards and scholarships brought home by our students, coaches and directors to their respective schools and C-FB ISD.

Usually, we recognize our state and national award winners when the athletic and fine arts departments give their annual presentations at our monthly School Board meeting; however, the number of students being recognized was so large last year we divided the student recognition into two segments: one for athletics and one for fine arts. Since the success of both programs continues to grow, we held for the first time a special Fine Arts and Athletic Recognition Celebration on May 17.  On that evening, we honored everyone in athletics and fine arts who received state and national recognition and even international recognition during the 2011-2012 school year.

Our students spend many long hours preparing for their competitions. These young people learn so much through these experiences.  The College Board, an organization that oversees the SAT and Advanced Placement exams, reports that colleges and universities look for applicants who have done more than academic work in high school. In C-FB ISD, our students meet that qualification. They excel inside and outside the classroom.

We know that when students participate in sports and fine arts groups they develop a team spirit and a sense of belonging.  They also learn about the value of fair play, honesty and trustworthiness.  In reality what happens is these groups emphasize our district's seven character values: respect, pride, integrity, service, responsibility, cooperation and citizenship.

In our Fine Arts Department, more than 40 percent of our middle and high school students participate in choir, band or orchestra each year.  Fine art students are in theatre, speech and debate, art, and dance annually as well.

Below is a list of the groups and individuals from the Fine Arts Department recognized on May 17.
May 17 Fine Arts Student Awards List


Below is a list of the students and coaches recognized on May 17 by the Department of Athletics.

C-FB ISD Athletic Accomplishments


We also salute our teachers, directors, and coaches because the lessons, skills and knowledge that they share with their students help them compete at the highest levels.  C-FB ISD continues to have educators recognized in their respective fields for their expertise and their commitment to students.  This year, Creekview's Robert Shepard was inducted into the Texas Association Forensic Hall of Fame for his continued excellence.  Missey Head also from Creekview High School was named the 2012 School Educator of the Year by the Texas Educator Theatre Association.  Congratulations to these outstanding teachers. 

We also had individuals selected as Coaches of the Year. These include: Pierre Barboza, Bunker Hill, Terry Wright, Eric Ognibene, Jon Cleveland, Wendy Bartlett, Stephani Perkins, Kevin Kelson, Barb Bennett, Christina Hicks, Andy Reinberg, Michael Kuban and Drew Maher.  All of these educators are C-FB ISD bright spots.

We have had much success this school year  -- especially in athletics and fine arts. Thank you for your effort, your dedication, your commitment to purpose and your support of our district's goal of high achievement.

You can see the photos from the Recognition Event on May 17, 2012 below.

Photos from May 17 Event

We Need YOU! Become A C-FB Community Ambassador

We are C-FB ISD Proud!

We know there are devoted citizens who believe in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch School District!  We invite you to be members of our first Community Ambassador Academy.

We are offering three two-hour training sessions on how to be Community Ambassadors for C-FB ISD and Texas public education.  The programs will run 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on

• June 14
• July 19
• August 9

Participants must make the commitment to attend all three sessions.  We will meet in the District's Board Room in the Administration Building, 1445 North Perry Road, Carrollton 75006.  All three meetings will include lunch.  If you are interested, please call 972-968-6186 or email cfbinfo@cfbisd.edu.  Or, if you know someone who will be an excellent Ambassador, encourage that individual to be a member of our inaugural academy.

When you call or email, we just need to know your name, address, phone number and email address.  We will then follow-up with all details regarding the academy.

Many of you read Focus Points regularly so you know that the district has one goal: "high achievement for all students."  And, to meet that goal, we have four strategic objectives. 

We believe the Community Ambassador Academy will help increase stakeholder confidence and support of our school system.  If our citizens are united around their district's purpose, they will have a greater understanding of what is happening with the students and educators in their neighborhood public schools.

At the same time, we want you to be C-FB ISD Ambassadors in your neighborhoods, your grocery stores, your place of business, your faith community -- basically everywhere you go. We need your voice of confidence and support. 

The training will be provided by Friends of Texas Public Schools (FOTPS), an organization that formed in 2004 simply to bring more good news to light about Texas public education. The Friends organization believes that much can be accomplished when people understand what our classroom teachers really do. 

When people who believe in public school classrooms know how to promote the immense promise and possibility that exist within the classrooms, we gain confidence and support. FOTPS proudly embraces Texas schools and educators as their students meet higher standards. The organization's mission is to draw attention to the many untold success stories and zero in on the accomplishments of outstanding students, teachers, administrators, educational team members, and schools.

As you can see, their message is very similar to what we believe in C-FB ISD. We understand that what goes in the classroom is what counts; our teachers matter.  We are fortunate that we live in a community that believes in public education.  In a poll of registered voters in March 2011, C-FB ISD learned that 70 percent of those polled believe that C-FB ISD is an excellent public school system. When looking at registered voters with C-FB ISD students that number climbed to 90 percent.

However, that may not be true in other communities.  And, when people do not have a connection with their local public school district or the local school down the street, sometimes they either don't "have an opinion" or it isn't a a positive one.  And, that is where the C-FB ISD Community Ambassadors come into play.

Carrollton-Farmers Branch is a school district where families feel connected.  Our 2011 parent survey told us that 90 percent of our parents were satisfied with their child's campus.

“Our people are our single greatest strength and most enduring
long-term competitive advantage.”

Gary Kelly, President and CEO, Southwest Airlines

Like Southwest Airlines, C-FB ISD is an outstanding choice because of the people who have chosen Carrollton-Farmers Branch for their families and as their professional home.  This is one of the many reasons that C-FB ISD ranks consistently in the top 9% in academic performance of the 200 largest school districts according to the Education Resource Group (ERG).

And, we need you to help spread the word about the positive work of C-FB ISD teachers and students.  We invite you to be part of our team as one of the first C-FB ISD Community Ambassadors.  Sign up today! cfbinfo@cfbisd.edu

What People Are Saying About C-FB

2010-2011 Online Annual Report

Instructional Rounds: Expanding the Network One School at a Time

The student achievement presentation, given by Dr. Sheila Maher, associate superintendent for Educational Services, at the May School Board meeting focused on classroom instruction and the practice of Instructional Rounds. C-FB ISD began its implementation of Instructional Rounds in the spring of 2010.

We are all aware that educators have used classroom observations to improve instruction, but through Instructional Rounds, we have gained a structured process based on the professional practice of medical rounds used by doctors in teaching hospitals.  Through the work of Dr. Richard Elmore at Harvard University, C-FB ISD has developed five networks of schools: three elementary schools, one middle school and one high school.  Currently, 23 of our 40 schools are involved in Instructional Rounds.  Our goal is to eventually involve all campuses in the Instructional Rounds Networks.

Through Instructional Rounds, the individual Networks visit the schools once during the school year.  The principal and the Instructional Rounds campus team develop a Problem of Practice that their Network will observe during their Network day.  All Network participants follow the four components of Instructional Rounds. When selecting the Problem of Practice, our teachers and principals select an instructional practice that they believe will move their students forward in their learning. (see slide on left)

Principals, classroom teachers and Educational Service staff members visit classrooms in small groups, using expert and precise observation techniques. Once the Network members have observed in multiple classrooms, the Network reconvenes as a whole to share, analyze and come to agreement on what they observed.  The difference between these observations and other classroom observation practices is that the group focuses on factual descriptions of what was seen. There are no personal judgments or viewpoints allowed -- only observed teaching strategies as well as student and teacher behaviors. And, before the day concludes, the Network members provide suggestions for next steps or "next level of work" for that campus.

That is why, we believe the practice of Instructional Rounds is and will have profound impact on student achievement in C-FB ISD.  As Dr. Elmore points out, there are only three ways to improve student performance in school:

·         Increase the knowledge and skill of teachers

·         Change the content (make it more rigorous and meaningful)

·         Alter the relationship of the student to the teacher and the content

In C-FB ISD, we understand that what goes in the classroom is what counts; our teachers matter.  Everything we do should be about helping our teachers be the best they can be.  To know if they believe the Instructional Rounds program is beneficial, the Educational Services Division conducted a survey of our Instructional Rounds' participants.  Here are comments from three teachers.

• "I feel like I learn something every time I go on a Rounds visit. The dialogue that goes on really makes me think about my own instructional practices and ways I need to improve."
• "I have also seen things on other campuses, in other classrooms that I would like to try in my classroom. Every Rounds visit gave me more clarity and knowledge about the core to bring back to my classroom and campus."
• "Not only have I enjoyed the Rounds work, but I have learned so much from my experience. The opportunity to dialogue about the practice of instructional work as well as observe and learn from so many different teachers in a variety of content areas and schools has been invaluable."

You can also hear from McKamy Elementary teacher LuAnne Smith by clicking on this video:

You can also hear from DeWitt Perry Middle School principal Brooke Puricelli by clicking on this video:

I want to thank Dr. Sheila Maher, associate superintendent for Educational Services, for leading the charge in Instructional Rounds. She is one of our bright spots in C-FB ISD.  Thank you to all of our teachers, principals, and Educational Service team members who are a part of our Instructional Rounds practice.  You are influencing our instructional practices, and impacting the learning of our students.

In Focus Points, you have read that we have a culture of continuous improvement in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch School District. That is why, our teachers, principals and Educational Services staff recognize the benefits of Instructional Rounds.  Our teachers want to improve their craft because everyone in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch School District understands that we are about one goal:  "high achievement for all students.


The Instructional Rounds PowerPoint Presentation from the May 2012 School Board Meeting is below:

Instructional Rounds Presentation May 2012

It's All About the People

Dedicated people who truly care about the education and welfare of all children allow the Carrollton-Farmers Branch School District to meet its singular goal of "high achievement for all students."  And, we have several opportunities to celebrate and recognize those individuals who call C-FB ISD their professional home.

On Fri., May 4, the Board of Trustees and the Administration will celebrate the hard work, effort, determination and spirit of the C-FB ISD team and volunteers at "The Event" from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Downtown Square in Carrollton.  The Event is free and paid for by sponsors who believe in our educational team and volunteers.  The afternoon is a tribute to everyone who has worked with our students to help us meet our goal and four strategic objectives.  Check out the fun activities by visiting our special website: The Event

In 1984, the National PTA established the first full week of May as Teacher Appreciation Week, and this year’s week is May 7-11.  To all individuals throughout our nation who have chosen public education as their profession thank you for choosing do the most important job in the world.

Journalist/historian Henry B. Adams was correct when he wrote: “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell, where his influence stops.” At the center of any effective public school system are classroom teachers.  A great teacher is someone who encourages individual students by challenging them to be more than they thought they could be. As I visited our C-FB ISD schools this year,  I have witnessed first-hand our classroom teachers motivate and inspire their students to higher levels of learning.  These educators are bright spots for our C-FB ISD students. 

Regardless of their roles or assignments, all our staff members join with our teachers to support the learning in our classrooms. Our team members believe in our one goal and help us meet one or more of our four objectives.  I want to thank our team for their commitment to C-FB ISD. 

In our 2011 employee survey, 92% of the C-FB ISD staff members said they would recommend this district to a friend as a good place to work.  That is incredible feedback and support. 

This is one of the reasons that C-FB ISD ranks consistently in the top 9% in academic performance of the 200 largest school districts according the Education Resource Group.

Next week, May 7-11, is also National School Nutrition Employee Week.  We have about 240 team members who make up Student Nutrition Services.  They oversee the cafeterias in our schools where they serve about 1 million breakfasts and more than 3 million lunches during the school year.  In addition, they work with the educational team on a daily basis to provide information about food safety, food systems management and nutrition.

Our Student Nutrition Services Department website http://cfbisdnutrition.com/ provides families with online menus, nutritional information and numerous forms.  Families can also visit the "virtual cafe" which allows families and students to plan school meals together.

We know that when students eat well they have a better overall academic performance. We appreciate the work of Student Nutrition Service team.  This department is part of the C-FB ISD team who works together to accomplish the district's goal of high achievement.

Since May 7-11 is an appreciation week for school district team members, now is an excellent time for you to "share your story" about a C-FB ISD team member who has made a difference in your life.  Share Your Story Form

The C-FB ISD staff reminds me of this Albert Einstein quote, “Your job is a self-portrait. Autograph it with excellence.” The C-FB ISD team members sign each and every assignment with excellence and quality.  Thanks to the C-FB ISD educational team members, you have a public school system that is meeting the goal of "high achievement for all students."

Read What People Are Saying About C-FB ISD People

Find Out How To Become A C-FB ISD Partner