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Pearland Independent School District Summer 2014 inside this issue 2-3 4-5 6-7 8-9 10-11 12 Superintendent’s Message Campus News Back-to-School Information Campus News Partners in Education Communication Corner District News Graduation Spotlight Education Foundation Dates to Remember the progress pearland isd Summer 2014 page 2 District News Superintendent’s Message Recognizing excellence Inspiring. Caring. Committed. Pearland ISD recently honored four educators and Welcome back, students and staff, to the 2014-15 two principals who exhibit these qualities daily as they teach at or lead their schools. school year! We believe a great year lies ahead. Taresa Jacobsen (Lawhon Elementary) and Mark Lesmeister (Dawson High Perhaps the best preview is last year’s results. School) won the Elementary and Secondary Teacher of the Year Award. Pearland ISD students achieved exceptional regional, Elementary and Secondary Glenda Dawson First-Year Teacher Award winners state and national honors for academic, fine arts and were Sharon Whitener (Sablatura Middle School) and Laura Dunham (DHS). athletic achievements. I believe we’re just getting Beth West (Rustic Oak Elementary) and Larry Berger (Pearland High School) started. These recent honors demonstrate that snagged the top spots as this year’s Principals of the Year. opportunity is available for those who work especially hard or -- to use a term now familiar to most of our students -- show “true grit”! Right: Principals of the Year Beth West and Larry Berger Texas is in the second year of the legislative biennium. Pearland ISD is Below: Glenda Dawson First-Year Teachers Laura Dunham fiscally prepared for 2014-15, though we receive substantially less state (left) and Sharon Whitener money per child compared to the average district in Texas. Fortunately, our state leaders will assemble in Austin beginning next January to examine state funding and other school issues once again. I predict the courts will declare the Texas school funding system unconstitutional. Thereafter, I’m hopeful that solutions will ensure Pearland ISD gets equitable funding in 2015-16. Meanwhile, we strive to accomplish great things with the finite resources on hand. We now have more than 20,000 students enrolled in Pearland ISD. Accordingly, we commissioned a demographic study of our future, and the results predict 2,000 additional students in daily attendance over the next decade. We also commissioned a study of our campus/district facilities, Years in Pearland ISD: 8 years identifying many needs, particularly in older schools and those nearing Taresa Jacobsen Teaches: Pre-AP and AP physics capacity. We will address some of the most critical needs this year. Years in Pearland His inspiration to teach: An uncle Pearland ISD seeks to become a “shining city on a hill,” building on ISD: 4 years who taught high school biology accelerant already fueling our educational engine. I’m proud to live in Teaches: Reading and viewed teaching as a calling, this community -- and to work alongside you. Our goal is nothing short of recovery not just a way to earn a paycheck becoming a “world-class” school district. Her inspiration What he enjoys most about the May God bless Pearland ISD! to teach: Many classroom: When a student who educators, including doesn’t “do science” gets excited in a fourth-grade physics class science teacher who Mark Lesmeister Quote: “As dressed up as Ms. teachers, we should Frizzle from the “Magic School Bus” always remember John P. Kelly, Ph.D. What she enjoys most about the that our small classroom: Being some children’s actions can have sole source of kindness, patience and big consequences Pictured on the cover are (top, from left) Rogers Middle School’s Amarachi Nwankwo and Liliana compassion -- that what we Hildebrand and GT Academy’s Mayank Shouche, visitor Tracy Bush and Tammy Nguyen. At the Quote: “All adults, not just teachers, must do every day bottom (from left) are Pearland High School’s Sachin Abraham, Dana Tran and Christopher treat every encounter with a child as an Almendariz and Magnolia Elementary’s Bella Cervantez. could impact a life opportunity for teaching and learning.” forever.” Board welcomes new, familiar faces 281.485.3203 www.pearlandisd.org Board of trustees veteran Rusty DeBorde Board of Trustees Administration (left) and newcomer Charles Gooden Jr. Rusty DeBorde, President Dr. John P. Kelly, Superintendent take the oath of office May 20. DeBorde, the board president, returned for a second Pam Boegler, Nanette Weimer, Deputy Superintendent Vice President term to Position 2, while Gooden was Rebecca Decker, Secretary Don Marshall, CPA, Chief Financial Officer elected to Position 1 during the May 10 Lance Botkin, Member Cary Partin, Sr. Assistant Superintendent board election. Gooden has served on Virgil Gant, Member Sonia Serrano, Sr. Assistant Superintendent the Pearland ISD Education Foundation Charles Gooden Jr., Member Dr. Brenda Waters, Sr. Assistant Superintendent Board of Directors since 2013. Andrew Solomon, Member Dr. Nyla Watson, Sr. Assistant Superintendent pearland isd page the progress District News Summer 2014 3 Alexander Middle School principal Dr. Jimmy Nowell (left) visits with a job candidate at the district y-eyed job fair in April. Students rank above peers across the board statewide While the Texas Education Agency will release official test scores and accountability ratings on Aug. 2013-14 STAAR 8, Pearland ISD students once again scored higher Preliminary Results* than their Texas peers according to preliminary data. Unofficial State of exasT Assessments of Comparison of overall test scores Starting teacher salary increases Academic Readiness (STAAR) results show for grades 3-8 in each subject To remain competitive in the current job market, Pearland ISD has between 6-19 percent higher scores than the state average in every subject tested in grades 3-8. Pearland increased starting teacher salaries and minimum hourly rate for the ISD Texas 2014-15 school year. This year district and campus accountability In May, the board approved a starting salary of $50,000 for ratings will also factor in community and student 88% READING 75% beginning teachers with a bachelor’s degree and a $10 minimum engagement -- a change added by House Bill 5. 86% MATH 71% hourly rate for auxiliary employees. The nine components of community and student Check for openings: engagement include. In addition, all eligible district employees 83% WRITING 70% will receive an increase of 4 percent of their 1. Fine arts pay grade midpoint/control point -- the 2. Wellness and physical education 80% SOCIAL STUDIES 61% highest district pay raise in seven years. 3. Community and parental involvement Lowest-paid employees will receive an 4. 21st-Century workforce development programs 85% SCIENCE 72% equity pay adjustment, bringing their total 5. Second language acquisition programs *TEA will release official scores on Aug. 8. increase to more than 6 percent. 6. Digital learning environment The salary increases will counteract the www.pearlandisd.org 7. Dropout prevention strategies rising cost of living while retaining and Departments » Human Resource 8. Education programs for GT students attracting the best and brightest candidates Services » Employment Opportunities 9. Compliance with statutory reporting for teaching and supporting students. requirements Technology gets international thumbs-up for innovation community as an innovative district that provides solutions for 21st-century mobile learning. Cloud Conservation In the last year, Pearland ISD has moved to high- capacity, district-wide Wi-Fi and a “bring your own Keeping nearly 10,000 PCs up to date device” (BYOD) initiative at every campus, with for students and staff without breaking students using personal technology or provided the bank? Not a problem. Pearland equipment for designated lessons. ISD saved approximately $4 million by To allow this, the district created a private cloud using cloud computing to centralize network solution to enable a virtual desktop interface system management and enable “bring for more than 12,000 desktop computers, safely address your own device” capability at every BYOD demands from students and staff and provide campus. Watch the YouTube video reliable multicast capability. Dell created featuring Pearland ISD The result was improvement in network performance technology innovation. and speed for 28 locations and more than 20,000 Massey Ranch Elementary students TJ March (left) and Evan Horvith use a tablet to collaborate on a project. students and 2,500 staff. “Basically, we’re providing more resources to Although used to state and national recognition, teachers and students through less demand on our Pearland ISD is now turning heads in the international network,” Greg Bartay, technology director, said. arena. Associates and partners of Avaya -- a global provider This spring, the district’s Technology Department of business collaboration and communications solutions won the Avaya Technology Innovation Best Practice -- nominated businesses and organizations that had Award. transformed their company through innovative business https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=dofNg7vgruE Among four other winners (businesses/organizations communications and collaboration technologies. from Australia, London, Dubai and New York), Pearland ISD is being recognized in the global technology the progress pearland isd Summer 2014 page 4 Campus News Elementary students show heart Springtime proved the season for compassion