District
  
Sign into this siteRegister for this site  

One Good Deed Leads to Another

{check pres}

Recently, while the Zundy Student Council was decorating the Christmas Tree for their PIE partner, Wichita Falls Teachers Federal Credit Union, one of the students asked Pat Murray, the president of the credit union, about the little angels that were hanging from the tree. He told the students that they represented needy children. He explained to that people could buy a gift for one of these kids, so they could have a Merry Christmas, too. The students asked him if they could make this a school project and adopt as angels. Mr. Murray and Zundy Principal Chad Brewster were all for it, so the students took off and collectively raised $600.00 for these needy children.
 
Zundy Student's Art on Display in Austin
{Bell in Austin}
Texas Commissioner of Education Robert Scott (right) and Executive Director Gary Gibbs of the Texas Commission on the Arts (left) presents Zundy Junior High student Johnathon Bell with a medal for his award winning art titled "Bobcat on a Hot Day." Bell's artwork, along with other winners in the Texas Landscapes & Celebrations art contest, will be on display in Austin through Feb. 8.
 
Johnathon Bell, an 8th grader at Zundy Jr. High, whose artwork is on display, traveled to Austin on Monday for the opening of the "Texas Landscapes & Celebrations" art exhibit, sponsored by the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Commission on the Arts. The Commissioner of Education and the Executive Director of TCA made a presentation on his behalf.
 
Anderson Named Assistant Director of Special Education
 
Congratulations to Mr. David Anderson, Principal at Denver Alternative Center, who has been named the district's Assistant Director of Special Education. Anderson will begin his position on January 3. He will take the place of Dr. Harry Ryan who was named the Director of Special Education.
Anderson has served as a teacher at Austin Elementary, Home School Coordinator at Milam, Assistant Principal at Jefferson, and as Principal at Denver.
 
Texas Monthly Recognizes Alamo, Bonham, Cunningham as
"Best Public Schools"
 
Congratulations to Alamo, Bonham, and Cunningham Elementary Schools who were named to Texas Monthly's "Best Public Schools" list in the December issue. The Texas Monthly analysis, performed by the National Center for Educational Accountability national sponsor of Just for the Kids, named only 12% of elementary, 13% of middle, and 8% of high schools across the state to the listing.  For elementary schools, the analysis was based on students' actual scale scores on the TAKS test, not just on whether they passed.  The analysis took into account the range of performance and improvement of students who were performing well above or below the passing level.  In addition, the Texas Monthly list is based on three years of data- for the 2004-05, 2005-06, and 2006-07 school years. 
 
New Schools Named
{new school}
At the November 19 board meeting, the school board unanimously voted to accept the recommendations given by the new school naming committee. The new schools will be named Scotland Park Elementary and Southern Hills Elementary.  

A Message from WFISD Regarding Health Safety (MRSA Staph)

IDEA Grants Awarded
On Friday, November 16, the WFISD Foundation presented a total of $10,000 in IDEA grants.  Eighteen grants, representing forty-two teachers, received the surprise visit by Foundation board members and district administrators.  Click here for a complete listing of the winning teachers and their ideas...

WFISD Canned Food Drive
Many WFISD students and families will be provided food this year thanks to the donations given during the Wichita Falls Food Bank canned food drive. WFISD students and employees collected over 27,400 pounds of food during the drive!
WFISD Social Workers Partner with Goodwill for WFISD Families
Considering cleaning out the closet or cupboards and making a donation to Goodwill?  Tell the Goodwill staff at the store that the donation is in the name of "WFISD's voucher program" and a percentage of the estimated dollar value will be credited by Goodwill to the district's social worker fund.  In turn, the district social workers can then use the credit at Goodwill to assist needy families in our district who need clothing, etc.
Goodwill Store locations:
Century City Plaza 
2600 Central Freeway near the North end Wal-Mart
Please understand that your donation to WFISD's voucher program does not allow you to receive a  personal tax deduction for the donation. For more information on
this unique program, call district social worker David Shipley at 720-3110.
Ryan Named Director of Special Education
Congratulations to Dr. Harry Ryan, Assistant Director of Special Education, who has been named the Director of Special Education. He will begin his position on December 3. Mrs. Linda Parks, current director of Special Education, will retire November 30 after 26 years of service to the district.
Ryan is a 17 year employee of the district.   He has  served as a principal at Fannin, Fowler, Zundy, Haynes and Crockett.  This past May, he was named the Assistant Director of Special Education and also completed his doctorate degree in education with an emphasis in Special Education law.
RHS & WFHS Students Coming Together for Mendez Family
{joe mendez}
Joe Mendez
2003 Rider Graduate
Students at WFHS and Rider HS came together at last Friday night's rivalry game to raise funds supporting a WFHS student and his family.  WFHS student Cody Mendez's brother, Joe Mendez a Rider graduate Class of 2003 and currently a student at Rice University, has a serious medical condition.  The WFHS and Rider PALS and Student Councils collected over $3,000 from the crowd attending the game. The money was deposited in a special account for the family at American National Bank.  If you would like to make a contribution, you can make a donation at any American National Bank branch to the Joe Mendez account #0166677.
Phillips Advances In Competition
 
{phillips}
 
Congratulations to WFHS Assistant Principal Stephanie Phillips. She has been selected as one of three finalists in the state Assistant Principal of the Year competition.  The Texas Secondary School Principals Association conducts the competition and a committee selected Phillips and two other Assistant Principals as finalists.  Interviews for finalists will take place on Saturday, November 3rd in Austin.
 
State Assistant Principal of the Year Finalists:
Marla Barrick, Clements Intermediate School, Copperas Cove
Stephanie Phillips, Wichita Falls High School
Kellie Shotwell, Clear Lake High School
 
 
Marching Contest Results
 
The University Interscholastic League (UIL) Region II, West Zone Marching Contest was held on Saturday, October 20, at Wichita Falls Memorial Stadium.  Bands in Class A, AA, & AAAA receiving "Superior" ratings (1) will compete in the area level marching contest, to be held on Saturday, October 27.
 
Class AAA:  HIRSCHI - 1
Class AAAA: WICHITA FALLS - 2, RIDER - 1
 
10 WFISD Students Named National Merit Commended
 
Ten WFISD students have been named National Merit Commended students in the 2008 National Merit Scholarship Program.  Six students from WFISD were named National Merit Semifinalists earlier this Fall.
 
About 34,000 Commended students throughout the nation were recognized for their exceptional academic promise.  Although they will not continue in the 2008 competition for National Merit Scholarships, Commended students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.4 million students who entered the 2008 competition by taking the 2006 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT).

WFISD Students Named National Merit Commended:

Rider High School Wichita Falls High School
Michael S. Albin Adam R. Henson
Michelle E. Grayson Samantha G. Smith
Kaitlyn E. Heiman
Emily E. Thomas
Nicholas P. Hurley
Mason L. Kuehler
Ashleigh Reynolds
Jessica A. Rugeley

Change in Testing for Scholastic Awards
Each year our district recognizes 10 sophomores, 10 juniors, and 10 seniors with a scholastic award.  In accordance with Administration Regulation EG, “the scholastic award is designed to recognize and honor those students who demonstrate high academic achievement as measured by a composite score encompassing both letter grades and scores on an assessment test.  Scholastic award winners shall be determined by a composite weighted score that shall combine school grade point average and an assessment test score”.
The exact formula for the calculation of grades and the rules for eligibility are posted on the WFISD website by accessing departments, then clicking on Legal, and finally clicking on regulations.
This year will be the last time that the Scholastic Award test will be given as the assessment test score.  For the 2008-09 school year and thereafter, the assessment test score to be used will be the composite score received from the PSAT in the fall of the student’s previous year combined with the grade point calculation formula in regulation FG from the student’s spring semester.  If the student then meets the eligibility criteria in regulation FG, and has one of the top ten scores, he/she will receive a scholastic award. 

Wichita Falls ISD Earns State's Highest Fiscal Accountability Rating

for Fifth Year in a Row

 

Wichita Falls Independent School District officials announced that the district received a rating of "Superior Achievement" under Texas' Schools FIRST financial accountability rating system.  The Superior Achievement rating is the state's highest, demonstrating the quality of Wichita Falls ISD's financial management and reporting system.

 

This is the fifth year of Schools FIRST (Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas), a financial accountability system for Texas school districts developed by the Texas Education Agency in response to Senate Bill 218 of the 77th Texas Legislature in 2001.  The District has received a "Superior Achievement" every year.  The primary goal of Schools FIRST is to achieve quality performance in the management of school districts' financial resources, a goal made more significant due to the complexity of accounting associated with Texas' school finance system.  The system is designed to encourage Texas public schools to manage their financial resources better in order to provide the maximum allocation possible for direct instructional purposes. 

 
Wichita Falls ISD Foundation Inc and Citi Foundation to Award

$25,000 in Grants to Teachers

 

On September 13, 2007 at 7:00 p.m., in Room 302, at the Education Center, the Wichita Falls ISD Foundation Inc. and local Citibank employees will represent Citi Foundation in awarding local teachers who create innovative, grassroots education programs designed to engage and improve academic achievement among at-risk students in the area of science.  The Citi Success Fund Program is supported by a $25,000 grant from the Citi Foundation and will provide up to $3,000 each in scholastic grants to Wichita Falls educators.  This is the first year the program has been supported in Wichita Falls.

 

Click here for more information.

 
Six Named National Merit Semifinalists
 

Six WFISD students are among the 16,000 National Merit Semifinalist students throughout the nation recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Semifinalist students placed among the top one percent of more than 1.4 million students who entered the 2008 competition by taking the 2006 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

 

Congratulations to the following students:

 

Hirschi

Conrad Moore

 

Rider

Grant McDonald

Matthew Naumann

Summer Sherrill

Caitlin Washburn

 

WFHS

Brian Suh

 
WFISD District Advisory Committee
 
The district is accepting nominations from parents, community members, and business representatives to serve on the District Advisory Committee.  The committee advises Superintendent, Dawson Orr, in matters regarding district goals, staff development, and major instructional initiatives. Committee members serve a one year term and meet three times (October, February, June).  Deadline to submit nominations is Monday, September 24. Click herefor more information.
 

Naming of the New Schools (Scotland Park site/Southern Hills site)

{new school}

The nomination  period for the naming of the new schools will be Sept. 1 - Sept. 30.  A nomination form can be obtained in the Superintendent's office or in the Public Information office at the Education Center located at 1104 Broad Street.  Click here to submit the nomination form online.

New School Naming Policy

Carrigan Students Place at National Skills Conference
 
Daymond Moore (Wichita Falls High School) and Daniel Fox (Hirschi High School) , Wichita Falls ISD and Skills USA students won the silver medal in Mechatronics at the National Leadership and Skills Conference.
 
Click here for more information.
 

WFISD Makes Adequate Yearly Progress under No Child Left Behind

Data released by the Texas Education Agency shows WFISD and 96% of WFISD schools making Adequate Yearly Progress under federal law---this compared to 86% of Texas school districts and 79% of Texas schools making AYP. In total, the district met 782 of 783 criteria under AYP. The 2007 TAKS test was used as the measurement for Adequate Yearly Progress.

How did individual schools do? All elementary schools made Adequate Yearly Progress. Seven secondary campuses made Adequate Yearly Progress. Wichita Falls High School did not meet Adequate Yearly Progress.

WFHS missed AYP due to performance in one indicator, 10th grade Economically Disadvantaged math. WFHS missed the indicator by .36%.

Woolsey Named Region 9 Elementary Teacher of the Year

{Region 9 TOY}
left to right: Julie Woolsey, Region 9 Elementary Teacher of the Year; Debbie
Cummings, Region 9 Teacher of the Year Program Coordinator; Dr. Dawson Orr, Superintendent

WFISD's Teacher of the Year, Julie Woolsey, has been named the 2007-2008 Region 9 Elementary Teacher of the Year.  Woolsey, a first grade teacher at Kate Haynes Elementary, competed with other Region 9 teacher of the year nominees.  She now advances to the state semi-finalist judging for the Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year competition.

School Accountability Ratings
 
The Texas Education Agency has released the 2007 Accountability Ratings for all Texas schools.  WFISD increased its number of Exemplary schools from 3 in 2006 to 5 in 2007. Eight schools received the Recognized rating and 13 were rated Acceptable. There were no low performing campuses.

While the number of Recognized schools dropped from last year's 15, some of the movement occurred due to state student achievement standards being raised for Recognized status and 2 more schools achieving Exemplary ratings.

Below is a listing of ratings:

  • Alamo, Cunningham, Huey, McGaha, and Sheppard Elementary schools rated Exemplary meaning that 90% of all students and all student groups taking the TAKS passed reading, math, and writing. WFISD increased its number of Exemplary schools from 3 in 2005 to 5 in 2007.
  • Fain, Fowler, Haynes, Jefferson, Lamar, Milam, and West Foundation Elementary and Zundy Jr. High were rated Recognized meaning that students and student groups taking the TAKS met the 75% passing standard for reading, math, science and writing.
  • Thirteen schools rated Academically Acceptable.
New Administrative Positions
 
The following district level administrative positions have been announced:
  • Congratulations to Sherry Lindemann, HR Coordinator for Secondary Education, who will become the Director of State & Federal Programs.
  • Congratulations to Bobby Waitman, Student Assignment Director, who will become the Assistant Director of Human Resources.
  • Congratulations to Freddie Allison who is returning from Allen ISD to become the Student Assignment & Parent Relations Coordinator. Freddie served as a House Principal in Allen ISD for the past 2 years with prior WFISD experience of 6 years as an Assistant Principal at WFHS, 3 years Home School Coordinator at Washington/Jackson, and 3 years as a teacher at Zundy.
  • Congratulations to Ms. Laura Lee Brock who has been named the district's Director of Finance and Investment Officer. Ms. Brock is experienced in the private sector as an accountant, has worked as an accountant/comptroller for a government contractor and served as the Director of Internal Fiscal Operations at Region 9 Education Service Center. 
2nd Annual Technology Fair
 
On Thursday, August 9, the Wichita Falls Independent School District will be hosting its 2nd annual technology fair from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Kirby Junior High. The fair is open to the public and will include breakout sessions, vendor presentations, door prizes and more! For more information, email Jackie Deluna at jdeluna@wfisd.net.
                                                                                                                                                                 Wichita Falls Independent School District
                                                                                                                                             1104 Broad Street, PO Box 97533  -  Wichita Falls, Texas 76307-7533
                                                                                                                                                          Phone: 940-235-1000                   Webmaster e-mail