Friday, November 18, 2016

Week of November 28

Happy Thanksgiving
School will be closed from Monday, 11/21 - 11/25 for the Thanksgiving break.  School will resume at its normal time on Monday, 11/28.  We hope that your family has a wonderful Thanksgiving break.

Thank you BRISD Staff
To all BRISD staff, I would like to say a special thank you for all that you do.  Thank you for:

  • Believing that all kids are special and can learn at high levels,
  • All the extra hours you spend doing whatever it takes to help all kids learn,
  • Holding yourselves and students to high standards of excellence,
  • Giving the extra effort at times when you wanted to give up,
  • Helping your peers grow in their craft,
  • Making BRISD the special district that it is.


Would you like to thank someone in BRISD?
If you have a minute, please drop a comment to tell us who you are thankful for at BRISD.




The +10 Mindset
Example of a +10 Student Goal Sheet.
These sheets are completed by all students at the end
of each 6 weeks formative assessment.
Students just completed their 2nd formative assessment of the year.  Students completed their goal sheets like the one you see to the right.  The top half is a bar graph that shows their overall performance and growth over time.  The bottom half of the sheet breaks down their growth by essential skill that students were assessed on this past week.

When visiting with your students, ask them how much growth they made from the 1st 6 weeks.  Also ask them which skills had growth as well.  If your student doesn't know, please contact your child's teacher to gain more information.  They will be able to explain your child's growth from the 1st 6 weeks.

At BRISD, our goal is simple.  
Every student will reach their +10 goal in all subjects for the year.





Upcoming Events

BRES students enjoyed limo rides to
Cici's for being the fundraiser winners.
  • Thu, 11/17 - Sat, 11/19 - Blue Ridge Basketball Tournament
  • Mon, 11/21 - Fri, 11/25 - THANKSGIVING BREAK
  • Mon, 11/28 - JH Basketball vs. Celeste 4:30 AWAY
  • Tue, 11/29 - HS Basketball vs. Ector 5:00 AWAY
  • Thu, 12/1 - Blue Ridge will host the CSTA Meeting (Community Schools Transformation Alliance)
  • Thu, 12/2 - HS Girls Basketball at Valley View Tournament
  • Sat, 12/3 - MS UIL One Act Play in Trenton
  • Sat, 12/3 - Blue Ridge Christmas Parade at 6:30 p.m.


Calendars
District Calendar
Elementary School Calendar
Middle School Calendar
High School Calendar
Athletic Calendar




Additional Information
Veterans Day was a Huge Success!
Here are 2 excellent guest articles by Mrs. Wade's English students, Hannah Hinkle anCorina Martinez

Veterans leading the "Missing Man Table Ceremony"
By Hannah Hinkle
In a high school gym decorated with red white and blue, full of our Blue Ridge students and our veterans, we celebrate Veterans Day. A day to honor, thank and appreciate our veterans who have fought and those who are still fighting for our country. First we were led in prayer with everybody on their feet, praying together for our veterans, soon following the pledge of allegiance. United together, hands on our hearts, we sang the star spangled banner, led by the Blue Ridge second graders. As our guest speakers spoke about the veterans and their families, our hearts felt for the veterans who have served in the Military. Following the guest speakers was the “Missing Man Table Ceremony”, this is a ceremony in honor of our fallen soldiers. There is a round table, a cloth; a rose; a ribbon; a candle; the bible and an empty chair set up like a dining table. Each of these items represent the soldier, their family and their service to our country, we remember. The feeling throughout the gymnasium was one of somber remembrance. As we honor our soldiers, whether it be a friend or loved one, we remember. Standing together, we honored our veterans from all branches of the military, as our band played a song from every military branch. Though tears were shed, it was incredible to come together as a school and community to honor our veterans, we are grateful to have this day to remember and appreciate them and what they have fought for.


By Corina Martinez:

"You didn't earn the right to freedom, they earned it. You had it handed to you." A quote by Darryl Moore while honoring his fellow veterans in the Blue Ridge Veterans Day celebration. On November 11, 2016 Darryl Moore, a U.S. Army and 3-time all American Post Commander, gave a whole-hearted speech about what it means to have freedom. The above quote represents what men and women around the U.S. are dedicating and accomplishing in order for U.S. citizens to live a life of freedom. Mr. Moore gave gratitude for his fallen brothers and the brave soldiers still serving to this day by presenting a memorial known as the 'missing man table.' He taught the citizens of Blue Ridge that freedom is a privelage because of the people that risk their lives everyday. Mr. Moore along with thousands of Americans are heroes. As residents of this magnificent country we must stand together and say 'we remember'.


Your Input Matters
If you have a question, suggestion, or comment, please let a comment below. Comments are not published immediately. Please do not leave negative comments about individual people. If you have a negative comment, please email the principal, superintendent or call 972-752-5554.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Week of November 14

The +10 Mindset
This past week, your student took one or more 6 week assessments.  The purpose of 6 weeks
Thank you to all veterans who have
preserved the freedoms that we have today.
assessment is two-fold.  First it is to gauge which essential skills your student mastered this past 6 weeks, and second, we want to determine how much growth your child made from the 1st 6 weeks.

In dealing with growth, each student has a +10 goal.  The goal is used to gauge student growth from last year's STAAR test and/or from the 1st six weeks assessment.  When you visit with your child about his/her performance on the 2nd 6 weeks assessment, ask these questions.
  • What was your performance on your assessment?
  • How much growth did you make from last 6 weeks?
  • Which skills did you perform the best on and by how much?
  • Which skills do you need to work on for next 6 weeks?
  • What is your goal growth in the 3rd 6 weeks?
  • How can I help you improve your performance?
Great conversations with students about their learning is necessary to motivate them to continue to try harder.  I hope you will take a few minutes to talk to your child about their growth on the 2nd 6 weeks assessment.  It will definitely keep them focused on reaching all of their +10 goals this year.



Upcoming Events
Mrs. Stephens' students are creating
products based on the stories they
are reading.

  • Fri, 11/11 - HS Girls BB vs. Parish Episcopal at 5 pm AWAY
  • Fri, 11/11 - Veteran’s Day Assembly at 2 pm at BRHS Gym
  • Mon, 11/14 - BRISD Board Meeting at 6 p.m.
  • Mon, 11/14 - JH BB vs. Dodd City at 4:30 pm HERE
  • Tue, 11/15 - HS Girls BB vs. Van Alstyne at 5 pm AWAY
  • Thu, 11/17 - Sat, 11/19 - Blue Ridge Basketball Tournament
  • Mon, 11/21 - Fri, 11/25 - THANKSGIVING BREAK




Calendars
District Calendar
Is your student an engineer?
They love to count, are inquisitive and
think in numbers.
Elementary School Calendar
Middle School Calendar
High School Calendar
Athletic Calendar




Additional Information
On Monday, November 7, BRISD board members and administrators participated in the CSTA (Community Schools Transformation Alliance) board training at Sunnyvale ISD with about 8 other school districts.  Below is a slide show that highlights what we learned about.

To stop the slideshow in order to read more, press the pause button.



Your Input Matters
If you have a question, suggestion, or comment, please let a comment below. Comments are not published immediately. Please do not leave negative comments about individual people. If you have a negative comment, please email the principal, superintendent or call 972-752-5554.

Week of November 14

The +10 Mindset
This past week, your student took one or more 6 week assessments.  The purpose of 6 weeks assessment is two-fold.  First it is to gauge which essential skills your student mastered this past 6 weeks, and second, we want to determine how much growth your child made from the 1st 6 weeks.

Mrs. Stephens' students are creating
products based on the stories they
are reading.
In dealing with growth, each student has a +10 goal.  The goal is used to gauge student growth from last year's STAAR test and/or from the 1st six weeks assessment.  When you visit with your child about his/her performance on the 2nd 6 weeks assessment, ask these questions.
  • What was your performance on your assessment?
  • How much growth did you make from last 6 weeks?
  • Which skills did you perform the best on and by how much?
  • Which skills do you need to work on for next 6 weeks?
  • What is your goal growth in the 3rd 6 weeks?
  • How can I help you improve your performance?
Great conversations with students about their learning is necessary to motivate them to continue to try harder.  I hope you will take a few minutes to talk to your child about their growth on the 2nd 6 weeks assessment.  It will definitely keep them focused on reaching all of their +10 goals this year.



Upcoming Events
Is your student an engineer?
They love to count, are inquisitive and
think in numbers.

  • Fri, 11/11 - HS Girls BB vs. Parish Episcopal at 5 pm AWAY
  • Fri, 11/11 - Veteran’s Day Assembly at 2 pm at BRHS Gym
  • Mon, 11/14 - BRISD Board Meeting at 6 p.m.
  • Mon, 11/14 - JH BB vs. Dodd City at 4:30 pm HERE
  • Tue, 11/15 - HS Girls BB vs. Van Alstyne at 5 pm AWAY
  • Thu, 11/17 - Sat, 11/19 - Blue Ridge Basketball Tournament
  • Mon, 11/21 - Fri, 11/25 - THANKSGIVING BREAK




Calendars
District Calendar
Elementary School Calendar
Middle School Calendar
High School Calendar
Athletic Calendar




Additional Information
On Monday, November 7, BRISD board members and administrators participated in the CSTA (Community Schools Transformation Alliance) board training at Sunnyvale ISD with about 8 other school districts.  Below is a slide show that highlights what we learned about.

To stop the slideshow in order to read more, press the pause button.



Your Input Matters
If you have a question, suggestion, or comment, please let a comment below. Comments are not published immediately. Please do not leave negative comments about individual people. If you have a negative comment, please email the principal, superintendent or call 972-752-5554.

Thursday, November 3, 2016

Week of November 7

The +10 Mindset
October is over and November is here.  For men, No Shave November is here, and in school No Excuse November is here.  The purpose for No Excuse November is to challenge students, parents, and teachers to crush all the excuses that makes us fail to grow in our work and in our learning.  For example the biggest excuses made by most people are "I don't have time" or "I can't do that".  That's simply not true.  We have the time if we make it, and we can do anything we commit to do.

Let's face it.  Excuses do nothing more than allow us to remain in our current state.  They keep us in our present state and serve as a barrier to find our inner excellence. As parents and educators, we must challenge kids to stop making the following excuses when it comes to learning:

  • I'm not a good reader.
  • Math is not my thing.
  • I can't write.
  • I don't have time to study.
None of these excuses are true.  Students can be good readers, mathematicians, writers and studious learners if we teach them to avoid the trap of making excuses.  When excuses are no longer allowed, learning increases, students learn the value of hard work and perseverance, and No Excuse November will be a powerful month that leads kids to success.  I hope you will challenge your student to adopt the No Excuse November movement.

VOTING WILL BE HELD IN THE BRISD ADMINISTRATION BOARDROOM.
DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!


Upcoming Events

  • Kindergarten learning to write
    Fri, 11/4 - HS Football vs. Celeste at 7:30 p.m. HOME (Senior Night)
  • Mon, 11/7 - Begin 2nd 6 Weeks Assessments
  • Tue, 11/8 - Election Day (Voting at BRISD Administration Building)
  • Thu, 11/10 JH BB vs. Trenton at 4:30 HERE
  • Fri, 11/11 - Veteran’s Day Assembly at 2 pm at BRHS Gym
  • Congrats to Lady Tigers for making the playoffs
    Fri, 11/11 - HS Girls BB vs. Parish Episcopal at 5 pm AWAY
  • Mon, 11/14 - BRISD Board Meeting at 6 p.m.
  • Mon, 11/14 - JH BB vs. Dodd City at 4:30 pm HERE
  • Tue, 11/15 - HS Girls BB vs. Van Alstyne at 5 pm AWAY
  • Thu, 11/17 - Sat, 11/19 - Blue Ridge Basketball Tournament
  • Mon, 11/21 - Fri, 11/25 - THANKSGIVING BREAK




Calendars
District Calendar
Elementary School Calendar
Middle School Calendar
High School Calendar
Athletic Calendar







Additional Information
If you are interested in helping us start our BRISD Food Pantry, please read the letter below.