Week of April 30

The +10 Mindset - Finding your "Kick"

Congrats to Jared Stroman, Nolan Henderson,
Coach Greg Morrison, Ellery Martin, and
Shelby Gerner for advancing to the state
tournament in tennis.

The final month of school is here.  The finish line is in sight, and the final push is here.  In track terms this is where runners must find their "kick" or last bit of energy to run faster and harder in order to ensure a win in the race.

In May it is very easy to look forward to summer and slow down the pace as we move closer to the end of school, but that is not what the best schools do.  In fact they do the exact opposite.  They push harder.  They run faster, and they study harder in order to ensure that they reach their goal, Excellence in Every Student.

This month, we will be pushing hard to reach our goals in academics, athletics, and attendance, but we will also be celebrating even harder.  If you look at the calendar for each campus, you will see lots of assemblies, banquets, and trips.  At Blue Ridge ISD we will be kicking it into high gear as we run faster and harder to the finish line.  I hope you will join us.




End of Year Teacher Appreciation

Congrats to Nolan Henderson for making the finals at
EarthXFilm Festival

On the last day of school, we will continue our tradition of thanking our employees for their hard work this year.  The board of trustees will be providing us with a fantastic lunch, and we will be thanking our teachers and staff in grand style.  Below is a list of businesses and individuals who have donated prizes to reward our teachers and staff for their hard work this year.  If you would like to be a part of group of donors, please contact Shawn Harris at 972-752-5554.

Upcoming Events

Great job to Zoey Bell for organizing our
very first Craft Fair last Saturday

• Fri, Apr 27 - BB vs Celeste HOME (SENIOR NIGHT)
• Fri, Apr 27 - End of 6 Weeks Grading Period
• Tue, May 1 - BRHS Band Concert
• Thu, May 3 - Beta Night at Frisco Roughriders
• Thu, May 3 - Band Banquet
• Fri, May 4 - #GenTxDay
• Week of May 7 - STAAR EOC Testing at BRHS:  Tue - Alg 1, Wed - Bio, Thu - US History
• Week of May 7 - Teacher Appreciation Week
• Mon, May 7 - Special Olympics Banquet
• Tue, May 8 - Athletics Banquet at 6:30 p.m.
• Mon, May 14 - STAAR 3-8 Math (Including 5 & 8 retest)
• Tue, May 15 - STAAR 3-8 Reading (Including 5 & 8 retest)
• Tue, May 15 - FFA Banquet
• Wed, May 16 - STAAR 5 & 8 Science
• Wed, May 16 - TSI Testing at Collin College for 10th - 12th grades
• Thu, May 17 - STAAR 8 Social Studies
• Mon, May 21 - BRISD Board Meeting

  

  Sign up for our New
  Anonymous Alerts App

• Tue, May 22 - Academic Awards Night
• Thu, May 24 - Kindergarten Graduation at 6 p.m.
• Thu, May 24 - 8th Grade Promotion
• Fri, May 25 - Last Day of School (Early Release)

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.

Week of April 23

The +10 Mindset

Our BRHS Girls Area Track Qualifiers

Academic and athletic competition is a very important part of our mission at Blue Ridge ISD, and this year has been an extremely successful for both academic and athletic competition.  This week, I would like to highlight our success in UIL Track and UIL Academics.

In UIL Academics, BRES won the district championship, BRMS won the district runner-up and BRHS won the district runner-up as well.  For all campuses total team points increased tremendously with BRMS almost doubling their overall point total from last year.  As we head into 3A competition, I am so proud of the work our students and staff have done to be highly successful in academic competition.

In track our HS & MS campuses earned nothing less than District Runner Up success.  Here is a breakdown of our track success:

• HS Varsity Boys - District Runner Up

  

  Our BRHS Boys Area Track Qualifiers

• HS Varsity Girls - District Runner Up
• HS JV Boys - District Champions
• HS JV Girls - District Champions
• MS 8th Boys - District Runner Up
• MS 8th Girls - District Champions
• MS 7th Boys - District Champions
• MS 7th Girls - District Champions

We are extremely proud of our kids and coaches for finishing their last year in 2A competition by finishing 1st or 2nd at the district level, and we look forward to continued success in 3A competition.

At the April Board Meeting

The Board recognized our Teachers of the Year:
Roma Morgan - BRMS, Melissa Stiney & Laura
Larsen - BRES, Not Pictured Derek Gourley - BRHS

At the Monday, April 16 board meeting, the board recognized our teachers of the year and our Area Qualifier track athletes.  The board heard an information report by Pogue Construction on the Construction Manager At-Risk process.  The board also approved updates to the Emergency Operations Plan and Extended Teacher Contracts.  Finally the board approved summer school plans and an additional position for dyslexia for the 2018-2019 school year.

The board discussed giving all staff a minimum 2% raise for the 2018-2019 school year.  This information will be finalized as the budget process continues to be developed in May.  In order to be competitive and to reward our teachers for their hard work, the Blue Ridge ISD Board of Trustees has made it a priority to improve compensation for the district's employees.  At the May board meeting more plans will be shared to increase compensation for all employees.


Anonymous Alerts
Blue Ridge ISD has partnered with Anonymous Alerts so that students and parents can anonymously report threats, illegal drugs, vapes, bullying, cyberbullying or anything that could be of concern to the district.  Please check out the video below to learn more.  

You can download the app directly to your phone. (see icon to the right) and get into BRISD's group with the username as blueridgeisd and password as blueridgeisd.  

If you have questions, please contact your campus principal or Melissa Stiney, our new Director of Instructional Technology.

Upcoming Events

• Fri, Apr 20 - SB at Trenton
  
• Fri, Apr 20 - BB vs Ector HOME
• Sat, Apr 21 - Mother/Son Date Night at BRES
• Tue, Apr 24 - BB at Bland
• Fri, Apr 27 - BB vs Celeste HOME (SENIOR NIGHT)
• Fri, Apr 27 - End of 6 Weeks Grading Period
• Thu, May 3 - Beta Night at Frisco Roughriders
• Thu, May 3 - Band Banquet
• Week of May 7 - STAAR EOC Testing at BRHS
• Week of May 7 - Teacher Appreciation Week
• Mon, May 7 - Special Olympics Banquet
• Tue, May 8 - Athletics Banquet at 6:30 p.m.
• Week of May 14 - STAAR Testing at BRMS & BRES

Calendars

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



Additional Information

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.

Week of April 16

Congrats to the BRMS Teacher of the Year
Roma Morgan

The +10 Mindset - 
STAAR, TSI & End of Year
STAAR week is over for April, but there is another round of state testing headed our way in May.  During the week of May 7, HS students will take the STAAR End of Course (EOC) Algebra, Biology and US History tests, and on the following week, ES and MS students in grades 3-8 will have STAAR tests as well.

To prepare your students for these tests, we will have one more round of formative assessment tests during the week of April 16.  These tests will be a great predictor of your child's potential performance on the STAAR test.  Please be sure to ask your child's teachers how well they did on these tests and what you can do to help them reach their +10 goals.

It is important to note that STAAR is not our only assessment nor is it the final assessment students need prior to graduation.  Juniors and seniors will be taking the TSI (Texas Success Initiative) test in May.  This test is extremely important because students cannot enter a Texas public college or university without passing this very important test.

As we get to the end of the year, we become tired, and often we let our exhaustion be the reason we fail to strive for excellence.  In the last month, please encourage your students to push hard to reach their academic goals and please push them to perform well on every assessment they are asked to take.  If you need more information about the role that each test plays in your child's academic success, please contact your school counselor.

PK & Kindergarten Round-Up

Monday, April 16 - Friday, April 20

7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

BRISD Administration Building

BRHS Course Expo

Monday, April 16

6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Blue Ridge High School

We are very proud that we have this student created and student-led
Craft Fair coming on Saturday, April 21.  The Craft Fair was created
and organized by BRMS 6th grader, Zoey Bell

Upcoming Events

Congrats to the BRHS Teacher of the Year
Derek Gourley

• Fri, Apr 13 - SB vs Trenton HOME
• Fri, Apr 13 - BB vs Savoy HOME
• Sat, Apr 14 - JH Track Meet at Honey Grove
• Sat, Apr 14 - BB at Bonham
• April 16 - 20 - PK and Kindergarten Round Up
• Mon, Apr 16 - HS Course Expo from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
• Mon, Apr 16 - BRISD Board Meeting
• Tue, Apr 17 - SB vs Ector HOME - SENIOR NIGHT
• Tue, Apr 17 - BB at Trenton
• Wed, Apr 18 - HS Area Track Meet
• Fri, Apr 20 - SB at Trenton
• Fri, Apr 20 - BB vs Ector HOME
• Sat, Apr 21 - Mother/Son Date Night at BRES
• Tue, Apr 24 - BB at Bland
• Fri, Apr 27 - BB vs Celeste HOME (SENIOR NIGHT)
• Fri, Apr 27 - End of 6 Weeks Grading Period
• Thu, May 3 - Beta Night at Frisco Roughriders
• Thu, May 3 - Band Banquet
• Week of May 7 - STAAR EOC Testing at BRHS
• Week of May 14 - STAAR Testing at BRMS & BRES

Congrats to the BRES Teachers of the Year
Melissa Stiney and Laura Larsen

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.

Week of April 9

The +10 Mindset

BRMS Student Council went to spread some Easter cheer
at a nearby nursing home this week. They are
pictured with a 1944 Blue Ridge graduate!

STAAR testing will begin next week for grades 5, 8 and high school English 1 and 2.  I would like to thank our teachers, support staff, and principals for working so hard to prepare our students for success on this test.  They have been amazing, and I can't thank them enough for the amazing things they have done for our kids. Our students are prepared to reach their +10 goals because of the powerful instruction that our educators have created.  Please join me in thanking them.

It is important that you know that while this test is important, it does not define our students or their teachers.  One test on one day will never define an entire year's worth of work, so when the results come out, we will use the data to identify where we are strong so that we can replicate instruction for next year's students.  Additionally we will identify our weaknesses and use this data to determine how we can improve.  At the end of the day, Blue Ridge ISD has worked hard to educate all students, and the data from this test will lead us to our next steps for growth.


#LoveMySchoolDay is Wed, 4/11/18
#LoveMySchoolDay is Wednesday, 4/11/18.  This is an initiative I started 5 years ago as an elementary principal to encourage educators and parents across the world to use the power of social media to tell their story (a.k.a. the 411) about how awesome their school is.  Today, this yearly event showcases schools across the world who are proud of their schools and tell their stories.

In a world of negativity that often attacks public school, we, as educators, parents and supporters of our school, must tell why schools are amazing and what they do for kids.  I invite you to use your social media accounts to share pictures, videos and stories about why your school is amazing.  

Remember, if you don't tell your school's story, someone else will.


Moving up to 3A Competition

Blue Ridge Tennis took 1st and 2nd
place in girls single, 1st place girls doubles
and 1st place boys doubles.  Great job to
the kids and Coach Greg Morrison

As many of you know, Blue Ridge will be moving in athletic and academic competition next year.  The growth in our high school enrollment is what is used to determine our UIL classification.  Next year, we will be compete against the following schools:

• Football:  Leonard, Whitewright, Paris Chisum, Prairiland, Bells
• Volleyball, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Track and UIL Academics:  Bells, Bonham, Howe, Leonard, Van Alstyne, Whitewright

Moving up to 3A is an exciting time, and I have a lofty goal that I would like for us to reach in 4 years.  I would like for Blue Ridge to have a state champion team in the next 4 years.  We can do that when we work hard as a district to push our kids to grow in their work and by pushing them to find their excellence.  To prepare our kids for success, it will take strong teamwork and support from our parents, teachers, and coaches working together to encourage our students to put in the hard work, the dedication and finally the sacrifice to achieve this lofty goal. 

Welcome to 3A competition Blue Ridge!

Upcoming Events

• Fri, Apr 6 - SB vs Sam Rayburn HOME

  

  BRHS held a Dual Credit and Health Care Program
  Information Night last week.  Contact BRHS if you
  want more information.

• Fri, Apr 6 - BB vs Tom Bean HOME
• Sat, Apr 7 - HS District Track Meet HOME
• Tue, Apr 10 - STAAR Testing:  English 1 EOC & 5th and 8th Math
• Tue, Apr 10 - SB at Dodd City
• Tue, Apr 10 - BB at Bells 
• Wed, Apr 11 - STAAR Testing:  5th and 8th Reading
• Wed, Apr 11 - #LoveMySchoolDay:  Post why you love BRISD on your Facebook and Twitter
• Thu, Apr 12 - STAAR Testing:  English 2 EOC
• Fri, Apr 13 - SB vs Trenton HOME
• Fri, Apr 13 - BB vs Savoy HOME
• Sat, Apr 14 - JH Track Meet at Honey Grove
• Sat, Apr 14 - BB at Bonham
• April 16 - 20 - PK and Kindergarten Round Up

  

  BRISD is hiring teachers and administrators.
  CLICK HERE for more information.

• Mon, Apr 16 - HS Course Expo
• Mon, Apr 16 - BRISD Board Meeting
• Tue, Apr 17 - SB vs Ector HOME - SENIOR NIGHT
• Tue, Apr 17 - BB at Trenton
• Wed, Apr 18 - HS Area Track Meet
• Fri, Apr 20 - SB at Trenton
• Fri, Apr 20 - BB vs Ector HOME
• Sat, Apr 21 - Mother/Son Date Night at BRES
• Tue, Apr 24 - BB at Bland
• Fri, Apr 27 - BB vs Celeste HOME (SENIOR NIGHT)
• Fri, Apr 27 - End of 6 Weeks Grading Period
• Week of May 7 - STAAR EOC Testing at BRHS
• Week of May 14 - STAAR Testing at BRMS & BRES

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.