FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
Say Thanks To Our School Board Members!
Being an effective school board member is no easy task, particularly in today’s climate of change and challenge. School board members need to be knowledgeable about complex educational and social issues and carry out initiatives and directives from both federal and state governments. To face the demands of governing our public schools, they willingly give countless hours of personal time.
School Board members are men and women elected to establish the policies that provide the framework for our schools. They represent you, and they take this responsibility seriously by attending lengthy meetings and broadening their knowledge at conferences and seminars.
Our school board is one of 1,033 such boards across Texas. These boards enable us to have local control of the public schools, meaning that decisions on school programs are made by local, elected representatives who understand the community’s unique problems, values, culture, and circumstances. With the advice and counsel of the educational administrators they hire, our school board has a bearing on virtually every aspect on our schools. It’s a huge responsibility and one that should not be taken lightly. Their actions directly affect our children – what they learn, who will teach them, and what kinds of facilities house their classrooms.
This January, local communities are encouraged to honor the contributions of their local school board members. To often we neglect to recognize the commitment and hard work of these members who serve as advocates for our schools. The staff and students of our district are asking all members of the community to take a moment and tell a school board member “thanks for caring about our children.”
Join me in saluting CISD’s dedicated board who make it possible for local citizens to have a say about education in our community. Board members are to be applauded for their vision and voice to help shape a better tomorrow.
Respectfully Submitted,
Laura Zanchettin
Superintendent – Claude ISD
FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
Senate Bill 530 and House Bill 1257 – Physical Education Assessments
I predict stress ahead. School districts across the state have been mandated to assess and report on the physical fitness of all students in grades 3-12. The assessment instrument will measure aerobic capacity, body composition, muscular strength and flexibility. I think the first question that parents and community members ask is “Why?”
At present, it is believed that one third of our state’s youth are overweight. It is hoped that with the implementation of these Senate and House Bills over 4,000,000 students will be tested. Texas, Delaware, California, Kansas, Kentucky, and Washington are states that now mandate daily activity for students and have elected to use an assessment instrument to document progress towards improvement.
The state of Texas has selected a software application called FitnessGram that is a health related physical fitness assessment and computerized reporting system. Parents are encouraged to visit the Fitness Gram web site at www.FITNESSGRAM.net for more information. The FitnessGram assessment will not include assessment items that are more related to skill and athletic performance. Students will be required to complete a shuttle run or walk/run assessment to test aerobic capacity. The body composition assessment will measure percent body fat through the use of tricep and calf skin fold measurements. Muscle strength, endurance and flexibility will be tested with a variety of assessments to include abdominal curls, flexed arm hangs, pull ups and push ups. ( Am I having flashbacks of the President’s Physical Fitness Program of the 60’s, here?) And finally, overall flexibility will be tested with either a sit and reach assessment or a shoulder stretch.
The good news is that this assessment is not for a grade and it is not pass or fail. A summary report on each student will be generated for the parents. All results from the assessments will be kept strictly confidential and not shared with anyone other than the parents.
This is supposed to help. This is supposed to promote healthy lifestyles. I still predict stress ahead, especially for our pre-teen and teen girls.
Claude ISD is tentatively scheduling these assessments for around the first of May. After this school year, the district will be required to assess all 3rd through 12th grade students two times a year.
And we just thought bi-annual bus evacuation practice was going to be a challenge . . .
Respectfully Submitted,
Laura Zanchettin
Superintendent – Claude ISD