Why C-FB? Ask Me!

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I am often asked, “What makes C-FB special? What sets it apart from other districts? Why should I choose to send my child to C-FB?” My answer is two-fold.

Last week, we talked about focus. Our district’s focus on high achievement sets us apart. The key ingredient to making high achievement a reality is our people. Our staff, no matter what department they work in, is committed to high achievement for all students. This commitment is paying great dividends in the lives of our students.

Why C-FB? Well, I want to share with you some exciting celebrations about students succeeding at the highest level. This school year, our students have won three State Championships. 

• Heiley Garcia - Women's Wrestling State Champion Heiley Garcia is a senior at R. L. Turner High School and is the first female wrestler to earn the title of State Champion for C-FB ISD. 

• Michael Ferguson - Texas Forensic Association Humorous Interpretation State Champion Michael Ferguson is a junior at Creekview High School and earned the title of State Champion by competing against the 134 students. 

• Creekview High School Mock Trial Team - Mock Trial State Champions The Creekview High School Mock Trial Team is the 2012-2013 State Champion. 

Want to share these celebrations with your friends, family, or neighbors? Well, we have created a new publication called “Why C-FB? Ask Me!”. Each month we will highlight the great things happening in C-FB ISD. Download this flyer and share it with someone.

We have hundreds and hundreds of other stories of student success. I encourage you to read through our accolades on the C-FB ISD website (www.cfbisd.edu/accolades.) Our students are accomplishing amazing feats. Congratulations to the students and their teachers!

Why C-FB? Ask Me! Flyer

Catch Up on the Focus Points Videos

Missed a Focus Points video?  Stay informed about C-FB with information from the superintendent.

Catch all the episodes of Focus Points on our Vimeo channel.

What Do These Words Say? We Have an All-Star Staff!

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Exceptional, selfless, strong, brilliant, resourceful, driven, caring, compassionate and leadership...

These are words that describe the All-Star Staff in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch School District.

I affectionately call our 3,000 staff members “Team C-FB” because they are all team players who are focused our goal of high achievement for all students. Team C-FB is committed and loyal.  They want your child to succeed. Their commitment to excellence is their driving passion.

High achievement doesn't just magically happen. It begins with a well-developed strategic plan. And the crux of that plan is hiring the very best staff. In C-FB, 100% of our teachers are highly qualified. We hire the best teachers with solid educational backgrounds, and then we provide exceptional, on-going staff development to help them continue to develop their craft. Count on this: our instructional practice is top-notch, and we have high expectations for our staff members.

I see examples every day of staff members going above and beyond to care for our students and families. The staff members, from across the district who support Kacie’s Run and Special Olympics, are one example of the commitment of Team C-FB. Kacie’s Run is a 5K and 1 mile race on March 23, 2013 that raises money to support our Special Olympics athletes. I want to thank our employees who support our Special Olympics athletes.

• The athletic department, who selflessly gives of their time to set up the Kacie’s Run race 
• The special education teachers who work diligently with their students to prepare for the Special Olympics competition 
• The maintenance and custodial staff who prepare Standridge Stadium for Special Olympics and Kacie's Run
• The staff members who participate in Kacie’s Run 
• The staff members and students who volunteer at Special Olympics 
• The behind-the-scenes team members who make Kacie’s Run and Special Olympics a success 
• And the many, many more who support Kacie’s Run and Special Olympics 

This is just one example of the commitment Team C-FB has to our community. 

John F. Kennedy once said, “Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation.” 

Team C-FB contributes to the rich fabric of our community by investing in the hopes and dreams of our children. They are an All-Star Staff.

Stay Focused: Our Students' Perspectives

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I hope you had a wonderful Spring Break filled with lots of … exercise!

As spring begins this week, we are heading into a very busy time of year. There are lots of activities happening – sports, concerts, spring shows, meetings, try-outs, tournaments, exams, and eventually graduation for our seniors. During all the hustle and bustle of the spring semester, I don’t want you to lose sight of our goal – high achievement for all students.

This message is for our students. Parents and community members – you aren't off the hook. We can all learn from this topic.

I want to share two words with you – “Stay Focused.” What is focus? The dictionary defines focus as “adapt to the prevailing level of light and become able to see clearly.”

I want you to see the goal clearly – high achievement. What does that mean to you? How do you stay focused on a goal? I asked that question to a few students and here is what they said.

“I want to be a veterinarian. I stay focused on my goal when I put my mind on it and picture myself there as a veterinarian.” – Victoria, Central 5th grader

“Focus is the way you concentrate on a goal you have set. If I want to stay focused and accomplish my goal I zone everything out. I don't listen to anything else until I solve it.” – Luke, Furneaux 5th grader 


“Focus is to pay attention and work harder and harder until you accomplish your goal.” – Chloe, McKamy 5th grader

“When I think of focus, I think of the metaphorical definition. While the dictionary talks about seeing clearly in different levels of light, I think of focus as ignoring all distractions and concentrating completely on a task. When I try to stay focused on a goal, I go to an area with as little distractions as possible to work. I also think about how much better I’ll feel when I finish. This helps me concentrate more because I will have more reasons to accomplish the goal.” – Graham, Perry 6th grader



“I personally stay focused on a goal by keeping it as the first thing on my mind. That helps me by constantly reminding me that I even have a goal.” – Tyrese, Long 8th grader

"Focus in my dictionary means to think about the subject and get the clear understanding to the lesson is teaching you. I stay focused by being determined to achieve my goals and be the best at anything I do, so just working hard and understanding everything will help achieve your goals." - Brian, Bush 8th grader

“I stay focused by setting up a reward system for when I accomplish something on the way to my goal.” – Ronnie, Long 8th grader
“Don’t just let something block your path. If you focus on the goal by remembering why you wanted it in the first place, nothing can stop you.” – Kasandra, Turner 10th grader

How are you going to stay focused on your goal? Let’s follow the advice of our own students and stay focused until we accomplish our goal – high achievement. Let’s finish this year strong.

C-FB Blogabilities: RLT Wrestler is State Champion

C-FB Blogabilities: RLT Wrestler is State Champion: On Feb. 23, R. L. Turner Lion wrestlers Heiley Garcia and Enya Hernandez competed in the state championship in Austin, TX. Hernandez plac...

CHS Senior Awarded Presitgious AP Arts and Music Theory Scholarship

Creekview High School senior, Samantha Guu, has been selected as a 2013 recipient of the prestigious Excellence in AP Arts and Music Theory Award Scholarship of Communities Foundation of Texas. This $20,000 scholarship is highly competitive and is only available to senior AP Art or Music Theory students from the top-performing schools in the state in regard to academic and fine arts achievement. Samantha’s accomplishment is a great representation of high achievement at Creekview High School and C-FB ISD.

McWhorter Elementary Chosen as Only U.S. School to Participate inLandmark Skype Call to Mount Everest

On Mar. 28, McWhorter Elementary will participate in a Skype call to Mount Everest. In a promotion by Skype in the Classroom, explorer Mark Wood will be leading an expedition through the Nepalese side of the Himalayas in an attempt to summit Mount Everest. Wood selected one school from ten countries, from over 650 that applied for the opportunity. McWhorter is the only school from the United States that was selected to take part in this call, along with students from schools in Japan, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Thailand, Australia, Switzerland and Finland.

Another State Championship Title for a C-FB Student

Michael Ferguson, a junior at Creekview High School, became the 2012-2013 Texas Forensic Association Humorous Interpretation State Champion by competing against the 134 students in this event at the state meet on March 9th.

Creekview placed 5th out of the 209 schools qualifying and competing at this year’s state tournament.

The Creekview Forensic Team is directed by Robert Shepard.

The Key to a Great Spring Break

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Spring Break is a time for families to take vacations, for teachers to rest and for students to let their minds unwind.

This Spring Break, though, I want you think of things differently. Yes, you need to relax and enjoy the break. But I want everyone – teachers, staff and students – to come back prepared to finish this school year strong.

So what am I asking you to do that’s different? Exercise.  Instead of just sitting on the beach, laying on the couch watching TV or playing on your iPhone, I want you to get moving and exercise.

John J. Ratey, M.D. wrote a book called Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. In his book, he explains research from around the world about the impact that exercise has on our brains. He says that “exercise is the single most powerful tool you have to optimize your brain function.”

As we come back from Spring Break, we will be accelerating towards the end of the school year. And we have an important goal to accomplish – high achievement for all students. To accomplish our goal – we need everyone to come back ready. So, over Spring Break – exercise. It will help your mind to be ready to achieve all our goals.




Abraham Lincoln once said, “let us finish the work we are in.” I echo his plea. Take time over Spring Break to relax, unwind, decompress, and exercise. And come back ready to finish the race strong.