KC Header w Logo TM
 
Stephanie Carillo, Vice President of Apple's Education Division, visited Belton New Tech High School @ Waskow on April 11. 
  

Find us on Facebook               Follow us on Twitter                View our videos on YouTube

Stay up to date with the latest information about the District by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Just click on the icons above to link to us. You can also find information at www.bisd.net

Lakewood students celebrated Old Glory Day.

Anne Ciccariello, ninth grade student at Belton New Tech High School @ Waskow, designed a t-shirt for Snickelbritches, a local Belton business who was looking for a graphic designer. The band shirt a is now for sale at Snickelbritches.

 

ELECTION INFORMATION:
Early Voting for Area 5 BISD Board of Trustees will be held April 29, 2013, through May 7, 2013.  Early Voting will be from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Administration Building.

Students from Lakewood Elementary and Belton Middle School participated in the groundbreaking for North Belton Middle School. The school will open Fall of 2014.

BISD students collected school supplies and approximately $7,700 for the students of West ISD.

Congratulations to Jacob Daugherty for being a State Qualifier in Tennis.  He will compete on April 29-30 at Pencik Allison Tennis Center in Austin.
 
April 26, 2013

Dear Community Leader,    

 

This past weekend while in the car with my daughter and her friend, the two middle school girls engaged me in a conversation about school. My daughter's friend said, "Which tests am I taking this week?" I replied, "Oh gosh, there are so many tests I don't remember off of the top of my head which one you will take on which day." Then my daughter says, "What are we going to do for the rest of the school year since the tests will be over?" I answered that there was so many things to learn and school wouldn't be over just because the state STAAR testing was complete. I have continued to think about that conversation this week as we administered over 10,000 state assessments to our grade 3-8 students. Our students have grown up in a testing system that has taught them that school is about taking a test. Of course, we all know that learning is about so much more than passing a state assessment. 

 

A recent article from Texas Monthly offers some insight into why students might think school is about testing. The article outlines the history of the testing and accountability movement in Texas and describes the recent outcry against it. It's a detailed story that I think very clearly explains how we got here. I hope you will read it (see link below). Also mentioned in the story are the high school assessments, End-of-Course exams, or EOCs. We are encouraged by the work that the Legislature is doing to reduce the number of assessments from 15 to 5 and we anxiously await the passage of final legislation on this. In the meantime, our teachers continue to prepare our students to be successful so that they can meet state requirements in order to graduate.

 

School is definitely more than preparing for a test! And the last few weeks of school are a great time for us to focus on joyful and meaningful learning. I am proud of the great work that we are doing to prepare our students to be great individuals and citizens of their communities. We are helping them find their interests and develop their skills so that the can be successful beyond graduation.     

 

Texas Monthly Article  

 

Thank you for your continued support.

 

Sincerely,   

 

Susan Kincannon, Ed.D.  

Superintendent

 

Follow me on Twitter 

 

Message from the Board President:

 

Our Schools, Our Community!

We have so much to be proud of in Belton - our children are excelling and our community is thriving!  Recent events have highlighted the enthusiasm our students have for education.

 

The groundbreaking ceremony for North Belton Middle School was a wonderful celebration of how our community has come together to meet the needs of our growing student population.  The enthusiasm and excitement expressed by the children who joined us for the groundbreaking ceremony was inspiring.  They obviously love their schools and value the opportunities they have to grow and learn in quality facilities that are designed to meet their needs.

 

Again this year, dozens of students and parents camped out at Tiger Field for an opportunity to be among the first to sign up to attend Belton New Tech High School @ Waskow next year.  Their enthusiasm for innovative and engaging learning opportunities counters the misperception of public schools we too often hear about in the national media.

 

Again at this month's meeting your school board heard from BHS students about how their iPads, technology and innovative lesson plans provided by our great teachers are increasing their engagement and joy for learning.  The work these students produce is amazing!

 

And we couldn't be prouder of our students and staff for the way they responded to the tragedy in West.  Their response to our local initiative "Watching Over West" with donations of over $7,700 and 250 boxes of school supplies was inspiring not only for us but received recognition nationally.  In addition, the Belton Tiger Baseball Team recently sponsored "Home Run for Health" to honor children and raise funds for the McLane Children's Hospital.  Our kids are learning, serving and leading!

 

Partnerships between schools and community; families camping out to attend school; enthusiasm for learning; leadership in service and giving to those in need.  We have so much to be thankful for.  Having a supportive community that recognizes the value of strong schools is at the top of that list!  Thank you for your continued support!

 

I Love Belton!

 

Randy Pittenger

President, Board of Trustees

   

Follow me on Twitter