Sulphur Springs School Board opened with pledges to the flag led by Bowie Primary students and was then impressed by the Bowie Book Buddy third grade reading program presented by Bowie Principal Amanda Fenton and the four students present. The board also heard a report on Red Ribbon Week activities planned for the district and updates on elementary and secondary programs.
Board President Robin Young was appointed as school board representative to the Head Start Policy Council. Anna Jones was employed as Special Education Aide at Barbara Bush Primary.
During the meeting, Kristen Monk, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education and Learner Services presented the SSISD Targeted Improvement Plan (TIP) to the board. The TIP is mandated for elementary and primary level education in SSISD due to STARR scores falling just short of the required mark, specifically in reading. Monk told the board that the goal for the district is to create quality and consistency in instruction on the elementary level by providing a level field for expectation in achievement for students. Students in 3rd through 6th grade STARR test scores could end the TIP mandate for the school following the next testing period. Monk stated that the scores reflected the need for only two additional students scoring in the upper range to reach the test goal. The board approved the TIP.
Monk also presented an update on activities in the elementary level schools:
Douglass ECLC · Beginning of Year testing is almost complete. (Universals, Kaplan LAP-3, ASQ, ASQ-SE) · Home visits begin October 22 · Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GRG) Meeting Kickoff this morning · Parent “Walk and Talk” meetings with Johana Hicks began Tuesday (8-week session) · Field Trips planned for the Pumpkin Patch and Fire Department · PLC rotations – Students rotate to areas for Movement, Music, Games, Dare2Dream, Health, Storytelling, Art, Technology/Manipulatives
Barbara Bush Primary · 9 students represented BBP at Special Sports Day! · 49 students have mastered their first round of Bubble Gum Words (one student has mastered and spelled all of her second round of words · WIN has begun and we are settling into a good routine · All BOY assessments are complete and parent conferences will be starting · BBP is enjoying the Blue Blazes and Wildcats at drop-off on Friday mornings! · Great parent participation in PTO – fundraiser and adopt-a-staff member Secret Pal program · BBP students will be going to the Pumpkin Patch and participating in Red Ribbon week activities
Bowie Primary · Kindergarten and 1st grade went on a field trip to SOC Pumpkin Patch. · Students are mastering and showing progress with their Bubblegum and Wildcat words each week · 1st grade students made homemade ice cream in Science this week to showcase heating and melting
Lamar Primary · We’ve kicked off Book Buddies · Students and teachers are enjoying all the science projects they are doing · The students received their first Food for Kids · Daily 5 is fully launched
Travis Primary · Kindergarten has settled in well. We are loving having the littles here at Travis again and the DLE TwoWay program is off to a fantastic start 11 · Beginning of year testing is complete and parent conferences are going well · Travis Carnival is next Friday, the 12th and all students are looking forward to it · PTO-sponsored Fun Fridays have been a huge success to show our Wildcat spirit · We celebrated our grandparents by inviting them for lunch and had a phenomenal turnout · We are looking forward to our Family Literacy night on October 30th
Sulphur Springs Elementary School (SSES) · 4th Grade Teachers attended Empowering Writers training. Implementation in classrooms was taking place the next day with LOTS of excitement from students and teachers · Robotics applications are being reviewed and practices will begin on Oct. 17 · UIL practices and team selections will begin Oct. 22 · Book Club for 5th graders going on now with Gibson and Tiemeyer · GT Workshops are going great · Ag in the Classroom is next week for 4th graders · Book Buddies Mentoring begins October 8 · SSES Student Council – selection process is over and they will begin activities the week of Oct. 8 · Firemen Friends – begins Oct 23 for students who will benefit from mentoring – assigned firemen in Hopkins Co will be present during lunches to eat with assigned students · PTO fundraiser was a great success
An update on Secondary level schools (high school and middle school) was presented by Josh Williams, Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education and State and Federal Programs. He noted:
Sulphur Springs High School · Last Thursday the Sulphur Springs FFA show team traveled to Texarkana Arkansas to compete in the annual 4 States Fair Livestock show. At this show students compete with other FFA and 4-H members from Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. We had a very successful weekend of showing. On Friday Breanna Sells showed Dixie her Angus heifer, placing 3rd in her class, and Elida Miller showed Gabby her Hereford heifer, placing 5th in her class. Saturday morning we started off with Hayden Daniel placing 2nd in his class with Patsy, his Beefmaster heifer (Hayden left Sulphur Springs at 4:30am Saturday to make the show after playing football and beating Terrell the night before). Jodie Tippit placed 4th with her heifer Mags, and Sydney Swatsell placed 2nd, with her heifer Dot. Cash Vititow showed 3 Red Brahman heifers having 2 class winners and a 3rd in class. Cash showed CC, his 2 year old heifer, along her bull calf Charlie (shown by Aubrey Thornton) in the Grand Drive and they went on to win Grand Champion Red Brahman of the whole show! We will be traveling to the East Texas State Fair in Tyler, Tx on Thursday September 20th . · Judge Cummings brought a group to speak to some of our students · Food Truck Friday Round 2 provided more Options for students and Food Service having an option for students · Homecoming Festivities · Recognition of 2008 State Championship Team · First Band Competition of the Fall · Football Undefeated · Cross Country o Rained out a couple times o Ran well in Arlington last week o District October 8th 9am · Volleyball has started district play · Team Tennis has made the playoffs o Start in couple weeks · Theatre Department preparing for Three Musketeers this fall · Little Cheer Clinic 13 · Kajeet Roll Out · Senior Leadership Group first outing · Special Sports Day · Dollars and Sense students field trip to Alliance Bank · Physics visited Planetarium at Texas A&M Commerce · Large number of students signed up for PSAT · SAT/ACT Boot Camp o Over 50 kids attended · Balfour o Senior Officers Meeting o Junior Ring Meeting · Interior Design has visited Cody Drug couple of times · Gold Out Pep Rally o Honoring those dealing with Childhood Cancer · FCA: See you at the pole o Meeting every other Thursday morning
Sulphur Springs Middle School · “Wildcat Weekly” – SSMS Student Driven Video Announcements – 8 th Grade ACE Every 2 Weeks · “Silent Strength” Guest Peaker – Anti Bullying Program – Promotes Positive/Uplifting Communication Among Students. www.silentstrengthprogram.com · LEAP Career Fair – 8 th grade students introduced to many career choices. · Volleyball A Team 7-3; B Team 8-2 · Football A Team 3-1; B Team 1-3 · DI Tryouts – Next Week · One Act Play – Practice for “Wild Strawberries” is Underway
