Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Week of December 17

The +10 Mindset
Mr. Todd did a great job teaching our Principles of
Education students about his experience in education.
As we head into Christmas break, I would like to personally thank the teachers, leaders and staff of Blue Ridge ISD for all that they have done.  Not only are we making tremendous progress in academics, but we are growing by leaps and bounds in UIL Academics, Athletics, Fine Arts, and FFA.

I invite you to join me in sending a personal word of thanks to those who are personally impacting your children in a positive way so they know just how much we value their dedication and commitment to the students of Blue Ridge ISD.




Tuesday, December 18 at 6:30
 Sanford Elementary in Van Alstyne
We will provide a bus that will leave BRISD Admin Building at 6 p.m.

Upcoming Events

7th Grade History students received a reply letter
from U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson.
  • Fri, Dec 14 - ES UIL Academic Paper Events at Leonard
  • Fri, Dec 14 - HS Girls vs Howe
  • Fri, Dec 14 - HS Boys at Lone Oak
  • Sat, Dec 15 - MS One Act Play at Princeton
  • Sat, Dec 15 - Winter Sports Meet the Tiger at 7 pm
  • Mon, Dec 17 - JH Boys BB at Bells
  • Mon, Dec 17 - JH Girls BB at Howe
  • Mon, Dec 17 - BRISD Board Meeting at 7 p.m.
  • Tue, Dec 18 - Girls & Boys BB at Leonard
  • Tue, Dec 18 - Long Range Facility Planning Committee Meeting at 7 p.m.
  • Wed, Dec 19 - Last Day of 2nd 9 Weeks
  • Thu, Dec 20 - Staff Work Day (Holiday for Students)
  • Fri, Dec 21 - Christmas Break begins
  • Fri, Dec 21 - Boys & Girls BB vs Bonham
  • Mon & Tue, 1/7-1/8 - Staff Development Day
  • Wed, Jan 9 - Students Return for 3rd 9 Weeks


Calendars
Mrs. Stroup teaching students how to solve
mysteries through blood typing labs.
Students use science to determine who was at a crime scene.

District Calendar
Elementary School Calendar
Middle School Calendar
High School Calendar
Blue Ridge Community Calendar



Your Input Matters
If you have a question, suggestion, or comment, please leave 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.

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Week of December 10

The +10 Mindset - UIL Academic Competition 
Colton Miller was named my Elementary
Student Leader of the Week
UIL Academic week for BRES and BRMS began on Thursday, December 6 with middle school speaking events, and it ends on Friday, December 14 with the middle school one-act play in Princeton .  Why is UIL Academics important?  Well, first of all UIL Academics allows our students to take their learning to the next level (+10) by competing against their peers from other schools.  It allows them to gauge their ability and expertise against kids just like them.  In fact UIL Academics is a great representation of how the real world works.  If you want to be the best person for the job, you have to work hard every single day to be able outperform those who also want that job.

This is our first year in 3A competition and I can't say enough how proud I am of our students and academic coaches for their hard work preparing for competition.  Since the beginning of school, our coaches have been working feverishly to prepare students for competition and on December 14, we will see the fruits of our labor.  Our ultimate goal is to win the state championship, and no matter what place we come in, we will use the results to determine next steps to better prepare our students for next year.  


15 Days of Christmas
I had a great time teaching Mrs. Stroup's biology class.

The first week of December showering lots of goodies for our staff in the 15 Days of Christmas.  In last week's post, I shared about the 15 Days of Christmas where we are showing our teachers and staff just how much we appreciate them.  Please join us in thanking BRISD teachers, leaders, and staff for all that they do for our students.



Tuesday, December 18 at 6:30
 Sanford Elementary in Van Alstyne
We will provide a bus that will leave BRISD Admin Building at 6 p.m.

Upcoming Events

The 8th Grade Leadership
Class
packed Food Pantry
boxes for December.
  • Fri, Dec 7 - EOC U.S. History Retest
  • Fri, Dec 7 - UIL Speaking Events for ES at Bells
  • Dec 6 - 8 - Blue Ridge Basketball Tournament Boys & Girls
  • Mon, Dec 10 - BRHS Band Christmas Concert
  • Tue, Dec 11 - HS Boys BB vs Whitesboro
  • Tue, Dec 11 - HS Girls BB at Van Alstyne
  • Thu, Dec 13 - MS UIL Academics Paper Events at Van Alstyne
  • Thu, Dec 13 - BRMS Choir Christmas Concert
  • Fri, Dec 14 - ES UIL Academic Paper Events at Leonard
  • Fri, Dec 14 - HS Girls vs Howe
  • Fri, Dec 14 - HS Boys at Lone Oak
  • Sat, Dec 15 - MS One Act Play at Princeton
  • Sat, Dec 15 - Winter Sports Meet the Tiger at 7 pm
  • Mon, Dec 17 - JH Boys BB at Bells
  • Mon, Dec 17 - JH Girls BB at Howe
  • Mon, Dec 17 - BRISD Board Meeting at 7 p.m.
  • Tue, Dec 18 - Girls & Boys BB at Leonard
  • Tue, Dec 18 - Long Range Facility Planning Committee Meeting at 7 p.m.
  • Wed, Dec 19 - Last Day of 2nd 9 Weeks
  • Thu, Dec 20 - Staff Work Day (Holiday for Students)
  • Fri, Dec 21 - Christmas Break begins
  • Fri, Dec 21 - Boys & Girls BB vs Bonham
  • Mon & Tue, 1/7-1/8 - Staff Development Day
  • Wed, Jan 9 - Students Return for 3rd 9 Weeks

Calendars
Our UIL Coaches & Competitors have been working hard.  

District Calendar
Elementary School Calendar
Middle School Calendar
High School Calendar
Blue Ridge Community Calendar



Your Input Matters
If you have a question, suggestion, or comment, please leave 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.

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Week of December 3

The +10 Mindset
To the right, I have shared an image I found on the internet about the importance of reading.  If you aspire for your children to succeed in reaching their college or career goal, reading is critical.  The less students read, the more likely they will not achieve their goal; however, if students read 20 minutes per day, they can gain a robust vocabulary and achieve succeed academically by reaching the 90th percentile.  That means of 100 students, a student who reads every day can be in the top 10.

To promote literacy, BRISD campuses have been pushing reading and writing in all classes.  BRES has initiated the 40 Book Challenge which pushes students to read 40 books of their choosing by the end of the year.  BRMS has implemented the 25 Book Challenge as well.  I encourage you to join BRISD teachers and staff in pushing your child to read each and every day.  By developing this habit in your students, tremendous benefits will lead to your child's ultimate success.

15 Days of Christmas
BRISD Board Members, Joe Harvey, Gary Lillard,
and Phillip Pulliam
, kicked off Christmas by
handing out Christmas checks to all staff members
before Thanksgiving Break.
Thank you BRISD Board of Trustees
As part of our district goals to develop our personnel, the district uses the entire month of December
to shower our teachers with gifts and appreciation with the 15 days of Christmas.  Every school day in December will have a special gift and message of appreciation to all BRISD teachers and staff members.  They are truly a gift to our children, and we are extremely appreciative of them.

With that being said, I would like to invite parents and community to join us in this initiative.  Whether it's a treat, a small gift, a Christmas card, or a personal letter of thanks, we want you to join us in spreading Christmas cheer throughout the district.  If you would like to know more about the 15 Days of Christmas, please give me a call or send me an email.  I would be glad to tell you more about it.

Upcoming Events

Sophomores, 8th grade, Kinder, 1st, and 2nd
grades were treated to ice cream parties to
donating the most to the Food Pantry
  • Thu - Sat, 11/29 - 12/1 - BBB at Farmersville Tournament
  • Thu - Sat, 11/29 - 12/1 - GBB at Valley View Tournament
  • Sat, Dec 1 - BR Christmas Parade
  • Mon, Dec 3 - EOC English I Retest
  • Mon, Dec 3 - JH Boys BB vs Whitewright
  • Mon, Dec 3 - JH Girls BB at Whitewright
  • Tue, Dec 4 - EOC Algebra 1 Retest
  • Tue, Dec 4 - HS Boys & Girls BB at Farmersville
  • Wed, Dec 5 - EOC English II Retest
  • Thu, Dec 6 - EOC Biology Retest
  • Thu, Dec 6 - UIL Speaking Events for MS at  Bonham
  • Fri, Dec 7 - EOC U.S. History Retest
  • Fri, Dec 7 - UIL Speaking Events for ES at Bells
  • Dec 6 - 8 - Blue Ridge Basketball Tournament Boys & Girls
  • Mon, Dec 10 - BRHS Band Christmas Concert
  • Tue, Dec 11 - HS Boys BB vs Whitesboro
  • Tue, Dec 11 - HS Girls BB at Van Alstyne
  • Thu, Dec 13 - MS UIL Academics Paper Events at Van Alstyne
    BRMS Students are now enjoying a new Gaga Ball pit
    in the courtyard.  Thank you to Mr. Lentz for thinking
    of innovative ways to help the students enjoy their break time.
  • Thu, Dec 13 - MS Choir Christmas Concert
  • Fri, Dec 14 - ES UIL Academic Paper Events at Leonard
  • Fri, Dec 14 - HS Girls vs Howe
  • Fri, Dec 14 - HS Boys at Lone Oak
  • Sat, Dec 15 - MS One Act Play at Princeton
  • Sat, Dec 15 - Winter Sports Meet the Tiger at 7 pm
  • Mon, Dec 17 - JH Boys BB at Bells
  • Mon, Dec 17 - JH Girls BB at Howe
  • Mon, Dec 17 - BRISD Board Meeting at 7 p.m.
  • Tue, Dec 18 - Girls & Boys BB at Leonard
  • Tue, Dec 18 - Long Range Facility Planning Committee Meeting at 6:30 p.m. (Bus leaves at 6 p.m.
    Thank you Dr. Miller for speaking to our future teachers
    in Principles of  Education about careers in education.
  • Wed, Dec 19 - Last Day of 2nd 9 Weeks
  • Thu, Dec 20 - Staff Work Day (Holiday for Students)
  • Fri, Dec 21 - Christmas Break begins
  • Fri, Dec 21 - Boys & Girls BB vs Bonham
  • Mon & Tue, 1/7-1/8 - Staff Development Day
  • Wed, Jan 9 - Students Return for 3rd 9 Weeks




Calendars
Elementary Duke Talent Search Winners
were recognized at the November 12
board meeting.

District Calendar
Elementary School Calendar
Middle School Calendar
High School Calendar
Blue Ridge Community Calendar





Your Input Matters
If you have a question, suggestion, or comment, please leave 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.

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Week of November 26 (Happy Thanksgiving Break!!!)

BRISD Long-Range Facility Planning
Committee toured campuses and set the focus
for next steps.
The +10 Mindset
This past week, the Long-Range Facility Planning Committee met on Thursday, November 8 at 6 p.m. The committee toured the campuses, and listened to financial advisor, Brian Grubbs, about the potential cost of new facilities which were presented by WRA Architects. The committee came to a consensus that the district needs to explore the options related to having a bond election for a new elementary school.  CLICK THE LINK to access handouts from the meeting.
 

The committee will meet again on Tuesday, December 18 at 6:30 p.m. at the new Sanford Elementary in Van Alstyne ISD, and as always, all members of the community are invited. If you would like to be added to the email distribution list, please contact Shawn Harris at 972-752-5554.





 Congratulations to the Blue Ridge HS Football Team 
 District Runners Up in their first year in 3A Competition 




In the Board Meeting
Thank you Silver Tigers for having
breakfast with us on Election Day.
At the November 12, 2018 board meeting, the board recognized the Duke Talent Search Scholars
from the elementary school and the Boys Cross Country Team who took 3rd place and advanced to Regionals in their first year in 3A.

The board took action on the following items:

  • Approved the items in consent agenda,
  • Approved the purchase of a new Agriculture Science truck,
  • Approved the purchase of a new school bus,
  • Approved the district improvement and campus improvement plans,
  • Approved the purchase of a new sound system for the football stadium.
The board discussed the following items:
  • Results of Fall Teacher Feedback Meetings to improve the working environment of our teachers which is part of the BRISD District
    Mr. Wink's Elementary Student Leader of
    the Week is Evelyn Stewart.
    Personnel Goal,
  • Progress the district is making to accomplish the BRISD Academic Improvement Goal using the MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) test data,
  • Results of the TELPAS (Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System) which is part of the BRISD Academic Improvement Goal, 
The next BRISD Board Meeting is Monday, December 17 at 7 p.m.


 Congratulations Blue Ridge MS 8th Grade Football Team 
 District Champions in their first year in 3A Competition  


 BRISD Veteran's Day Celebration Highlights 

Created by Melissa Stiney, BRISD Director of Instructional Technology

Mr. Wink's Elementary Student Leader of the
Week is Jayce Harris.

Upcoming Events
  • Fri, Nov 16 - FB Playoff Game vs. Grand Saline at 7:30 in Terrell
  • Fri, Nov 16 - HS GBB (Basketball) at Gainesville
  • Mon - Fri, Nov 19 - 23 - THANKSGIVING BREAK
  • Mon, Nov 26 - School Resumes
  • Mon, Nov 26 - JH BBB at Bonham
  • Tue, Nov 27 - HS GBB at Ector
  • Thu - Sat, 11/29 - 12/1 - BBB at Farmersville Tournament
  • Thu - Sat, 11/29 - 12/1 - GBB at Valley View Tournament
  • Sat, Dec 1 - BR Christmas Parade
  • Mon, Dec 3 - EOC English I Retest
  • Mon, Dec 3 - JH Boys BB vs Whitewright
  • Mon, Dec 3 - JH Girls BB at Whitewright
  • Tue, Dec 4 - EOC Algebra 1 Retest
  • Tue, Dec 4 - HS Boys & Girls BB at Farmersville
  • Thank you Stacy Arbanas, Carolyn Wink, and
    Aubrey Corbett
     (not pictured) for all of your
    work organizing our Food Pantry.
    Wed, Dec 5 - EOC English II Retest
  • Thu, Dec 6 - EOC Biology Retest
  • Thu, Dec 6 - UIL Speaking Events for MS at  Bonham
  • Fri, Dec 7 - EOC U.S. History Retest
  • Fri, Dec 7 - UIL Speaking Events for ES at Bells
  • Dec 6 - 8 - Blue Ridge Basketball Tournament Boys & Girls
  • Mon, Dec 10 - BRHS Band Christmas Concert
  • Tue, Dec 11 - HS Boys BB vs Whitesboro
  • Tue, Dec 11 - HS Girls BB at Van Alstyne
  • Thu, Dec 13 - MS UIL Academics Paper Events at Van Alstyne
  • Fri, Dec 14 - ES UIL Academic Paper Events at Leonard
  • Fri, Dec 14 - HS Girls vs Howe
  • Fri, Dec 14 - HS Boys at Lone Oak
  • Sat, Dec 15 - MS One Act Play at Princeton
  • Sat, Dec 15 - Winter Sports Meet the Tiger at 7 pm
  • Mon, Dec 17 - JH Boys BB at Bells
  • Mon, Dec 17 - JH Girls BB at Howe
  • Mon, Dec 17 - BRISD Board Meeting at 7 p.m.
  • Tue, Dec 18 - Girls & Boys BB at Leonard
    Mr. Wink's Secondary Student Leader of the
    Week is Jacob Duncan
  • Tue, Dec 18 - Long Range Facility Planning Committee Meeting at 7 p.m.
  • Wed, Dec 19 - Last Day of 2nd 9 Weeks
  • Thu, Dec 20 - Staff Work Day (Holiday for Students) 
  • Fri, Dec 21 - Christmas Break begins
  • Fri, Dec 21 - Boys & Girls BB vs Bonham
  • Mon & Tue, 1/7-1/8 - Staff Development Day
  • Wed, Jan 9 - Students Return for 3rd 9 Weeks




Thank you to Ashley Elder for leading our new PBIS Rewards
program.  PBIS stands for Positive Behavior in Schools.


Calendars
District Calendar
Elementary School Calendar
Middle School Calendar
High School Calendar
Blue Ridge Community Calendar




Creative Instruction
Erica Gudgel's 5th grade students show how they are learning the science concept of density in a fun way.  5th grade chefs are following a recipe and applying real world skills to investigate relative density and solubility.

Your Input Matters
If you have a question, suggestion, or comment, please leave 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.

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Week of November 12

The +10 Mindset - #NoExcuseNovember
Mr. Wink's Secondary Student Leader of the
Week is Avry Collinsworth.
Now that November is here, we are focused on No Excuse November. The purpose for No Excuse November is to challenge students, parents, and teachers to crush all the excuses that make 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.

As you visit with your children this week, push them to not allow excuses to prevent them reaching their +10 Goals.  Eliminate excuses like "I'm not a good reader", "I'll never learn math", "I can't write", and "I'm not good at this sport".  These excuses are nothing more than a lie.  They are just frustrations that we can overcome if we push ourselves to continuously get better.



Formative Assessment Week
This past week, your student took one or more 6 week
Congratulations to our BRHS Tiger Football Team.
They clinched a birth in the playoffs in their first year
in 3A competition.
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.


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.
Great job to all the FFA kids that competed
last week at the Tarleton LDE Invitational competition!
  • 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 are 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


  • Fri, Nov 9 - HS FB at Chisum
  • Thank you parents for helping with the
    Kindergarten Pumpkin Day last week.
  • Fri, Nov 9 - HS GBB (Basketball) at Sam Rayburn
  • Fri, Nov 9 - Veteran’s Day Assembly
  • Mon, Nov 12 - JH GBB (Basketball) vs Howe
  • Mon, Nov 12 - BRISD Board Meeting Closed at 6 p.m. and Open Session at 7 p.m.
  • Tue, Nov 13 - HS GBB (Basketball) vs Community
  • Thu, Nov 15 - JH BBB (Basketball) at Howe
  • Fri, Nov 16 - HS GBB (Basketball) at Gainesville
  • Mon - Fri, Nov 19 - 23 - THANKSGIVING BREAK
  • Mon, Nov 26 - School Resumes
  • Mon, Nov 26 - JH BBB at Bonham
  • Tue, Nov 27 - HS GBB at Ector
  • Thu - Sat, 11/29 - 12/1 - BBB at Farmersville Tournament
  • BRMS Teachers received new teacher chairs
    this past week.
  • Thu - Sat, 11/29 - 12/1 - GBB at Valley View Tournament
  • Sat, Dec 1 - BR Christmas Parade
  • Mon, Dec 3 - EOC English I Retest
  • Mon, Dec 3 - JH Boys BB vs Whitewright
  • Mon, Dec 3 - JH Girls BB at Whitewright
  • Tue, Dec 4 - EOC Algebra 1 Retest
  • Tue, Dec 4 - HS Boys & Girls BB at Farmersville
  • Wed, Dec 5 - EOC English II Retest
  • Thu, Dec 6 - EOC Biology Retest
  • Thu, Dec 6 - UIL Speaking Events for MS at  Bonham
  • Fri, Dec 7 - EOC U.S. History Retest
  • Fri, Dec 7 - UIL Speaking Events for ES at Bells
  • Dec 6 - 8 - Blue Ridge Basketball Tournament Boys & Girls



Calendars
Thank you to our 8th grade Leadership Class
who packed food boxes for our community.

District Calendar
Elementary School Calendar
Middle School Calendar
High School Calendar
Blue Ridge Community Calendar



Your Input Matters
If you have a question, suggestion, or comment, please leave 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.

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Week of November 5

The +10 Mindset - Growing as a Community
The 2nd Annual Blue Ridge Festival was fantastic, and it is a living testimony to how much we are growing as a community.  Not only did we see tremendous numbers of people in attendance.  We also saw more people than every donating their time, talents, and gifts to make our community an even better place.  Thank you so everyone who volunteered their time to run a booth, organize a game, cook food, lead your group's performance and make this a great time for our community.  Go to the district Facebook post to see a sample of all the fun that was had last week.





Don't forget to vote on Tue, Nov 6.
Voting will be held at BRISD Admin. Building

 Congratulations Lady Tiger Volleyball 
 Bi-District Runners-Up in their 
 1st year in 3A Competition! 

Facility Information & Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Long-Range Facility Planning Committee is Thursday, November 8 at the Blue Ridge ISD Administration Building.  Everyone is invited to attend.  The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the facility upgrades made by the committee and the potential cost of those projects.  In addition to our architects, WRA, Brian Grubbs from SAMCO (BRISD's financial advisor) will be in attendance to share financial information to the group.  The group will also tour the buildings to get a better perspective of the needs that the district is facing in regard to building capacity.  Below is a graphic that illustrates the current capacity of our buildings and what the future holds in the next 5 years.

Long-Range Facility Planning by Johnwink90



Storybook Character Day at BRES last Friday was a hit!

Upcoming Events

Thank you to everyone who donated to our
BRISD Food Pantry
  • Fri, Nov 2 - HS Football vs Prairiland HOME
  • Sun, Nov 4 - Daylight Savings Time (Set clocks 1 hour forward)
  • Week of Nov 5 - Formative Assessment Week
  • Tue, Nov 6 - ELECTION DAY (DON’T FORGET TO VOTE)
  • Tue, Nov 6 - HS GBB (Basketball) at Whitesboro
  • Thu, Nov 8 - MS FB vs Chisum HOME
  • Thu, Nov 8 - Long Range Facility Committee Meeting at 6 p.m. in Board Room
  • Fri, Nov 9 - HS FB at Chisum
  • Fri, Nov 9 - HS GBB (Basketball) at Sam Rayburn
  • Fri, Nov 9 - Veteran’s Day Assembly
  • Mon, Nov 12 - JH GBB (Basketball) vs Howe
  • Mon, Nov 12 - BRISD Board Meeting Closed at 6 p.m. and Open Session at 7 p.m.
    BRMS 6th graders learned how to calculate density.
  • Tue, Nov 13 - HS GBB (Basketball) vs Community
  • Thu, Nov 15 - JH BBB (Basketball) at Howe
  • Fri, Nov 16 - HS GBB (Basketball) at Gainesville
  • Mon - Fri, Nov 19 - 23 - THANKSGIVING BREAK
  • Mon, Nov 26 - School Resumes
  • Mon, Nov 26 - JH BBB at Bonham
  • Tue, Nov 27 - HS GBB at Ector
  • Thu - Sat, 11/29 - 12/1 - BBB at Farmersville Tournament
  • Thu - Sat, 11/29 - 12/1 - GBB at Valley View Tournament
  • Sat, Dec 1 - BR Christmas Parade



Calendars
District Calendar
At our Oct. 22 Professional Learning Day, I had a great time
learning with our outstanding educators about personalizing
learning for every student.
Elementary School Calendar
Middle School Calendar
High School Calendar
Blue Ridge Community Calendar



Your Input Matters
If you have a question, suggestion, or comment, please leave 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.

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Week of October 29

The +10 Mindset - Interventions & Extensions
On Monday, October 22, our teachers worked hard on our professional learning day to learn how to build powerful interventions and extensions to help every student learn, grow, excel.  The goal of our training was to create instruction that best meets every student where he or she is currently and then take each student to where they need to be this year.

With that said, what we are trying to create is a world of possibilities, where obstacles become opportunities, and disabilities dissolve because we believe in our abilities to help all kids grow in their learning.  To better explain this instructional vision for Blue Ridge ISD, I encourage you to watch the video below that I found on Facebook about Nike's first pro athlete with cerebral palsy.  Excuses don't exist in a culture of excellence.



Excellence in Extracurriculars
The Tiger Band wins is second 1st Division Rating.
This past week was a phenomenal week for our students.  Last week, I shared my thoughts about our excellence mindset when it comes to competition in extracurriculars (CLICK HERE to read).   With that said, I have some exciting news to share.

  • The Blue Ridge HS Tiger Band got its 2nd consecutive and 2nd ever 1st Division Marching rating in UIL Marching Contest.  This is the band's first 1st Division Rating as a new school in 3A.
  • Our boys cross country team took 3rd to advance to the Regional Meet where they finished 11th.
  • The BRHS Volleyball Team made the playoffs as the smallest 3A school in our district and the possible district runner-up.  The playoffs begin next week.
    The 8th grade volleyball team took 3rd in District.
  • The BRMS Volleyball Teams had a successful year as well.  The 8th grade team finished the year in 3rd place and the 7th grade team finished in 4th place.
  • The Blue Ridge football teams are fighting hard in district play, and more will be shared in the following weeks.
The point that I want us all to recognize is this.  It's not the size of the school in the game.  It's the size of the game in the school.  Our goal is to every student believing that they are a valuable member of our teams, and their work will help us reach our goals.



Below - HS Volleyball advances to their 1st ever playoffs in 3A play, 
while the Boys Cross Country advances to first ever Regional Meet in 3A competition.



Upcoming Events

  • Fri, Oct 26 - HS FB at Bells
  • Sat, Oct 27 - Blue Ridge Fall Festival
  • Sat, Oct 27 - BRISD Dinner Theatre Production at BRHS
  • Sun, Oct 28 - Harvest Festival in Blue Ridge Square
  • Mon, Oct 29 - Carter Blood Drive at BRHS
  • Mon, Oct 29 - Parent Dyslexia Simulation Night at BRHS at 5:30 - 8:00 p.m.
  • Thu, Nov 1 - JH Football at Prairiland
  • Fri, Nov 2 - HS Football vs Prairiland HOME
  • Sun, Nov 4 - Daylight Savings Time (Set clocks 1 hour forward)
  • Week of Nov 5 - Formative Assessment Week
  • Tue, Nov 6 - ELECTION DAY (DON’T FORGET TO VOTE)
    What gets celebrated gets accelerated.
    BRES had Kona Ice to celebrate hard work
    during the 1st 9 wks
  • Tue, Nov 6 - HS GBB (Baskeball) at Whitesboro
  • Thu, Nov 8 - MS FB vs Chisum HOME
  • Thu, Nov 8 - Long Range Facility Committee Meeting at 6 p.m. in Board Room
  • Fri, Nov 9 - HS FB at Chisum
  • Fri, Nov 9 - HS GBB (Baskeball) at Sam Rayburn
  • Fri, Nov 9 - Veteran’s Day Assembly
  • Mon, Nov 12 - JH GBB (Baskeball) vs Howe
  • Mon, Nov 12 - BRISD Board Meeting Closed at 6 p.m. and Open Session at 7 p.m.
  • Tue, Nov 13 - HS GBB (Baskeball) vs
    Community
  • Thu, Nov 15 - JH BBB (Baskeball) at Howe
  • Fri, Nov 16 - HS GBB (Baskeball) at Gainesville
  • Mon - Fri, Nov 19 - 23 - THANKSGIVING BREAK
  • Mon, Nov 26 - School Resumes

MS Students apply their Knowledge in Texas History

BRMS 7th Grade Texas History students learned their civic duty by writing letters to their state representatives.  History is not just facts and dates for these students.  They are learning how to be active participants in the political process.




Calendars
District Calendar
Elementary School Calendar
Middle School Calendar
High School Calendar
Blue Ridge Community Calendar





Your Input Matters
If you have a question, suggestion, or comment, please leave 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.

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Week of October 22


Mr. Wink's Elementary Student Leader
of the Week is Gabby Lopez.
The +10 Mindset - Becoming a Champion
Now that we are in 3A competition, people have asked me questions about the large goal that I established for Blue Ridge. In May of 2018, I challenged our coaches and sponsors with a large goal. Blue Ridge will have a state champion team in 4 years. This goal is not exclusive to athletics. It also includes UIL Academics, Band, One Act Play, FFA, and Robotics. Every team is part of this lofty goal.

Now with that goal there are lots of questions about what that exactly means for us now. Well first, champions are built through the leadership of others. That means that our current seniors and juniors play a huge leadership role. We have amazing upperclassmen, and their leadership and participation are essential. They are part of the reason we are being so successful now, and they are serving as role models of leadership for our underclassmen to learn from so they can one day take the programs to the next level.

In order to reach our goal, it will take every one of us. We need parents, students, and educators working together to achieve our common goal, creating men and women of character who are committed to working hard to help their team excel in every way. The best teams are made of selfless teammates who make themselves better by helping everyone around them get better. We are excited to be in 3A, and we look forward to watch our teams and organizations learn, grow, and excel through both camaraderie and competition.

Currently, our volleyball team clinched its first ever playoff birth in 3A play and our football team has a strong chance of making the playoffs this year. Our band will compete in 3A competition on Saturday, and our UIL Academics teams are preparing for competition right now. I invite parents to support the kids in being the best they can be by committing to their team's success. That is how we build teams of excellence.





The Future of BRISD Enrollment
At the October 4 Long Range Facility Planning Committee meeting, Trent Smith with Templeton Demographics presented our projected enrollment for the next 10 years. Based on the report our enrollment is up 18 students from last year, and up 84 students from 2017. Their report shows BRISD to enroll over 900 students next fall and over 1000 by 2021.

Click this link to learn more about the Demographic Report, and please join us for our next meeting on Thursday, November 8 at 6 p.m. at the BRISD Board Room.


What I'm Reading
How Stress Affects your Memory




Upcoming Events

Please join BRISD in our Boxed Food Drive.
The last day of the drive is Saturday, October 27
  • Fri, Oct 19 - Last Day of 1st 9 Weeks
  • Fri, Oct 19 - HS VB vs Leonard HOME
  • Fri, Oct 19 - HS FB vs Leonard HOME
  • Sat, Oct 20 - JH VB District Tournament at Leonard
  • Sat, Oct 20 - HS Band at UIL District Marching Contest
  • Week of Oct. 22 - Red Ribbon Week
  • Mon, Oct 22 - Staff Development Day (No School)
  • Thu, Oct 25 - BRISD Dinner Theatre Production at BRHS
  • Thu, Oct 25 - JV / JH FB vs Bells HOME
  • Fri, Oct 26 - HS FB at Bells
  • Sat, Oct 27 - Blue Ridge Fall Festival
  • Sat, Oct 27 - BRISD Dinner Theatre Production at BRHS
  • Sun, Oct 28 - Harvest Festival in Blue Ridge Square
  • Mon, Oct 29 - Carter Blood Drive at BRHS
  • Mon, Oct 29 - Parent Dyslexia Simulation Night at BRHS at 6 p.m.
  • Thu, Nov 1 - JH Football at Prairiland
  • Fri, Nov 2 - HS Football vs Prairiland HOME
4th Graders enjoying the Fun Friday Reward.



Calendars
District Calendar
Elementary School Calendar
Middle School Calendar
High School Calendar
Blue Ridge Community Calendar






Hosts and Guests by Phillip Lentz
Last weekend, there was a fantastic NCAA Football game played between the University of Oklahoma and Army.  Oklahoma was at home, ranked #5 in the country, and had the support of over 80,000 fans. Army was a huge underdog, but to the surprise of the college football world, they found a way to end the football game in a tie and force overtime!  In what was a relief to Oklahoma and a huge disappointment to Army, Oklahoma scored in overtime to win the game.


As you might expect, the Army athletes were upset and frustrated.  They had every right to be disappointed. They lost the game, but what they didn’t lose that Saturday night was their character.  When Army finished changing in the OU locker room, they made sure to clean it up-- even nicer than when they arrived. They didn’t make a mess, they didn’t leave trash on the floor out of frustration, and they worked hard to leave the locker room in perfect condition.  They were guests at Oklahoma’s stadium, but they acted like hosts!

Champions become champions by working hard when other people aren’t working.  Leaders earn followers when they act like hosts-- even when they are guests. If you want to reach your full potential as a leader, you must work hard to be a great host even when it isn’t easy.  It would have been easy for the Army football team to act like guests, but the character of these young men was on display in front of thousands of people during the game AND afterwards when no one was watching.  These men will be great leaders of our nation one day. How will you earn the right to lead others by being a great host in the future?



Blue Ridge Robotics Competes in Allen
The BRHS Robotics team competed in the Allen Robotics contest.  Our team competed against dozens of schools around Texas at the event.  While we didn't win, our students are being exposed to great learning opportunities that will help them get closer to victory in the future.  Special thanks to sponsors Darryl Spurgers and Kenny Williams for preparing our kids.  Below is a video that shows what Robotics is all about and the level of competition our kids experienced.




Your Input Matters
If you have a question, suggestion, or comment, please leave 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.

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Week of October 15

The +10 Mindset
Thank you Mr. Lentz for all that you do as principal of
Blue Ridge Middle School
The 1st 9 Weeks is coming to an end on Friday, October 19, and it has been a great start to the year.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank our campus leaders who have set the tone for excellence at every campus.  October is National Principals Month, and we celebrate our outstanding leaders who have made the start to this year absolutely fantastic.  Please join me in thanking them for their service.


  • Greg Smyder, BRES Principal
  • Shelley Reeves, BRES Asst. Principal
  • Phillip Lentz, BRMS Principal
  • Dr. Chris Miller, BRHS Principal


Thank you Mr. Smyder for all that you do as
principal of Blue Ridge Elementary

Thank you Dr. Miller for all that you do as
principal of Blue Ridge High School














Facility Committee Update
Thank you Shelley Reeves for all that you do
as assistant principal of Blue Ridge Elementary
School
The facility committee met on Thursday, October 4 to discuss the future of the district's buildings.  Please click on this link to gain access to all handouts provided to the committee.  

A key question that was asked was how much longer will it be before our buildings run out of space.  The image below is a chart that illustrates the maximum capacity of all buildings and where our enrollment was in 2017, where it will be in 2020 and where it will be in 2025.  Maximum capacity is when every classroom holds approximately 25 students for 8 periods per day.  Based on this graphic and our enrollment today, the elementary and high school are at maximum capacity and the middle school currently has every room being utilized for instruction or for special programs such as dyslexia and special education.







The next facility committee is scheduled for 
Thursday, November 8, 2018 at 6 p.m. in the BRISD board room.  The public is invited to be a part of this process.

What I'm Reading
How to Help Kids Manage Sleep, Stress, and Homework


Upcoming Events

  • Fri, Oct 12 - HS VB at Bonham
  • Fri, Oct 12 - HS FB at Cooper
  • Sat, Oct 13 - Band at Ponder Contest
  • Sat, Oct 13 - HS UIL Academics at Melissa
  • Sat, Oct 13 - Robotics at Allen Contest
  • Mon, Oct 15 - Board Meeting - Closed Session at 6 pm.  Open Session at 7 pm
  • Tue, Oct 16 - HS VB at Howe
  • Wed, Oct 17 - Picture Retakes
  • Thu, Oct 18 - JH / JV Football at Leonard
  • Fri, Oct 19 - Last Day of 1st 9 Weeks
  • Fri, Oct 19 - HS VB vs Leonard HOME
  • Fri, Oct 19 - HS FB vs Leonard HOME
  • Sat, Oct 20 - JH VB District Tournament at Leonard
  • Sat, Oct 20 - HS Band at UIL District Marching Contest
  • Week of Oct. 22 - Red Ribbon Week
  • Mon, Oct 22 - Staff Development Day (No School)
  • Thu, Oct 25 - BRISD Dinner Theatre Production at BRHS
    Kindergarten enjoyed the Blue Ridge parade last Friday.
  • Thu, Oct 25 - JV / JH FB vs Bells HOME
  • Fri, Oct 26 - HS FB at Bells
  • Sat, Oct 27 - Blue Ridge Fall Festival
  • Sat, Oct 27 - BRISD Dinner Theatre Production at BRHS
  • Sun, Oct 28 - Harvest Festival in Blue Ridge Square




Calendars
District Calendar
Elementary School Calendar
Middle School Calendar
High School Calendar
Blue Ridge Community Calendar











Your Input Matters
If you have a question, suggestion, or comment, please leave 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.