Talk, Talk, Talk

We believe that for high achievement to take place, our schools must be safe and focused on learning.

What do C-FB ISD parents say about student safety?Our 2012 spring parent survey shows that 91 percent of parents responding feel that "their child's school provides a safe environment".

Our teachers, principals, counselors, and other educational team members use many great strategies to ensure that our schools are positive learning environments.

How do we accomplish this task? We teach students to talk.  That might sound strange.  Many schools want students to sit quietly.  In C-FB ISD, we know that learning to talk and express feeling, thoughts and ideas appropriately is crucial to social and emotional development.

We also teach our district's character values of integrity, pride, respect, responsibility, service and citizenship in our classrooms. Our students learn extensively about the ideals on which our country and community were founded. Also, the C-FB ISD District Improvement Plan includes action strategies to address bullying, dating violence, conflict resolution, and suicide prevention.

You might have heard about our elementary program called R time.  This program is about talking.  It also emphasizes C-FB ISD's long-established character values as well as promoting courtesy and good manners. Our elementary teachers find R time helps our students build stronger relationships with one another and adults.  The weekly reinforcement of courtesy, respect, good manners and listening skills helps our elementary students not only with their academic achievement but also with their emotional and behavioral well being.

Here is an example of students learning to talk in appropriate ways. In a third grade classroom at Davis Elementary, students were discussing different strategies to solve a math problem.  Two students used two different methods to solve a problem and they came up with different answers.  "I disagree with Susie because..." one student remarked in a polite manner.  The discussion was focused on finding a solution to the problem while still encouraging students who might not have had the "right" answer.  This type of classroom environment encourages risk-taking and allows students to explore and learn without feeling demeaned or isolated.  Across our district, students are learning to talk in appropriate ways with one another and adults.

An extension of R time, Negotiate is a program C-FB ISD is using at our six middle schools. Negotiate provides a forum in which the students explore and share their views on a complete range topics, including how to make and maintain friends, how to resolve conflicts and problems, how to plan and work cooperatively. Through the sessions, we want to students learn that they may not always agree with their partner's viewpoint, but they can talk about ideas and learn to respect and value differences.

Teens face challenging issues at school, at home or in their neighborhood. C-FB ISD has a staff of qualified counselors who help students deal with pressures around them.  Our counselors will visit every classroom in the district this year to talk about age-appropriate issues.  At the middle and high school levels, they will talk about suicide prevention, grief, loss, drug use, conflict resolution, bullying, dating violence, and making healthy choices.

In C-FB ISD, we offer an anonymous online and texting program called Talk About It.  Talk About It allows campus staff to meet students where they are - online and with text messaging - to help solve issues. More about Talk About It.

What can a parent do to help? Talk with your child - often. Ask them about school work, homework, and their friends. Talking helps you stay connected.

Charles Dickens said, "Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true."

We believe to meet our goal of high achievement for all students, the schools and classrooms must be safe and promote learning.  By having a variety of strategies in place to promote safety, cooperation, respect and conflict resolution, we are teaching our students valuable tools for life during and after their public school days.

It Isn’t Just a Week – It’s about Healthy Choices All Year Long

Did you know? The Red Ribbon Campaign was started when drug traffickers in Mexico City murdered DEA agent Kiki Camarena in 1985. This began the continuing tradition of displaying Red Ribbons as a symbol of intolerance towards the use of drugs. The mission of the Red Ribbon Campaign is to present a unified and visible commitment towards the creation of a drug-free America.

This year, we are celebrating Red Ribbon Week October 22-26 with a Kick-Off Breakfast on October 19 hosted by our local Chambers of Commerce. Red Ribbon Week is a time dedicated to teach and encourage students across the nation to make healthy choices.

But in C-FB ISD, we focus on this more than just one week out of the year – we are always modeling and teaching our students about living a healthy life. C-FB ISD encourages healthy choices all year but we dedicate one week a year to teaching our students to say “no” to drugs and to live a drug free life.

So how do we do it? Well, it comes down to helping students develop character. Roy Disney once said, “It's not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.” In C-FB ISD, we live the character values of cooperation, integrity, pride, respect, responsibility, service and citizenship. We are deliberate in teaching students to respect themselves, their health, and others around them. Saying “no” to drugs is just one way that students respect themselves. Students, who are healthy, are prepared to learn. More than that, students who live a healthy life can accomplish their dreams. And in C-FB, that is what we are about. We want students to have high achievement so they can reach their full potential.

Link to Red Ribbon Week activities

Inspiring a Generation

Texas Governor Rick Perry has proclaimed October 2012 as “Principals Month” in Texas.  We want to thank our principals and assistant principals for providing valuable leadership and helping our district reach our goal of high achievement for all students.

John Quincy Adams once said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” Our principals inspire their students to dream big and they give them the tools to fulfill those dreams.

When I think of the principals and assistant principals in this district, words like exceptional, selfless, strong, brilliant, resourceful, driven, caring, compassionate and leadership come to mind.   School leadership is vital to the success of all students. 

Please join with me during the month of October in recognizing the positive contributions our secondary and elementary school leaders have made on student achievement by thanking them.  Do you have a story of how a principal inspired you or your child?  Share it with me at www.cfbisd.edu/testimonial.

Texas Governor’s “Principal Month” Proclamation is linked here.

Six Flags Isn’t Just a Theme Park

This time of year offers us the opportunity to reflect on the rich cultural diversity in Texas and in C-FB ISD. Each fall, I think about corny dogs and folkloric dancers. You might say – I understand Folkloric dancers because we are celebrating Hispanic Heritage month, but why corny dogs? Well, both corny dogs and folkloric dancers are memories I have of the State Fair of Texas. As we get ready for our Fair Day campus holiday on October 8, I am reminiscing about our fantastic state fair. I have always enjoyed eating a corny dog and visiting the exhibits at the fair showcasing our cultural diversity in Texas. Texas has a rich history and our diversity is a valuable asset.

Forgive me as I give you a quick refresher on Texas history. Did you know Six Flags isn’t just a theme park? According to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, the flags of six nations have flown over Texas. They are:

• Spain (1519-1685; 1690-1821) 
• France (1685-1690) 
• Mexico (1821-1836) 
• Republic of Texas (1836-1845) 
• Confederate States of America (1861-1865) 
• United States of America (1845-1861; 1865-present) 

Each year from September 15 to October 15, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Our students on campuses spend the month studying our rich diversity in Texas. Here is a sampling of the many ways that our students celebrated our rich diversity and Hispanic Heritage Month. 

• Newman Smith High School has an extensive display in the Media Center of books relating to Hispanic Culture and History! Media Center Webpage
• McWhorter Elementary hosted a multicultural celebration during their October 9 PTA night. 
• Early College High School students participated in a Celebration of Cultures with Brookhaven College. 

Texas’ history has helped to create a rich culture of diversity. I am reminded of the district’s “Positioning Statement” which summarizes our beliefs – our brand. One line says, “We respect and honor the diversity of our families.” Maya Angelou once said, “It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.” In C-FB ISD, we agree that our diversity in culture, languages, ethnicity, and backgrounds adds to the strength of our educational community.