The first annual MISD Citizens Academy is an exciting program that involves 23 parents and community members who are learning more about their school district. In 6 monthly sessions, participants go behind the scenes to meet staff, learn how the district operates and how it creates a climate of success in both academics and extra-curricular activities.

Topics of interest are Accountability and Curriculum, Athletics, Budget & Bond Planning, District Policies/Procedures, Extra-Curricular & Special Programs, School Governance, School Safety & Security, Technology and more.

Class of 2012 MISD Citizens Academy Participants
Mike Barnes, Debbie Bernard, Christian Bilke, Chris Bly, Michelle Conley, Anne Dalquest, Johnathan Deraleau, Lauren Dillon, Hanadi Eljari, Monica Franklin, Sara Garcia, Carlos Greene, Vivienne Kamp, Cora Lansdowne, Tammy Lee, Mary Lynch, David Schrodt, Aaron Schwaderer, Carl Smith, Angel Spencer, Sandy Walker, Cindy Watson and Tammy Wimbish.

For additional information please contact Jana Hathorne at (972) 775-8296, ext. 1037.

MCA members view the schematic designs of High School #2 and Frank Seale Middle School Addition

MISD school officials are excited about this new avenue to enhance school-to-parent and school-to-community communications. School Connect’s app development and hosting services are free to MISD and there are no download charges for mobile users.

Features will include calendars, district and campus news notifications, homework online, meal purchases, photo galleries, social media services, student grades, videos and more.

Midlothian High School is fortunate to have mentoring programs that positively impact student success. PALS (Peer Assistance and Leadership) and Partners in P.E. both involve 60 student leaders mentoring 285 students. The PALS travel to all MISD campuses and spend one-on-one time with their buddy.

For the past three years, adults have had an opportunity to mentor high school students through the Movement Towards a Future mentoring program that encourages action, hope and a future for 155 at-risk students who have been partnered with an adult community mentor.

According to director Dena Petty, students are identified by campus personnel, counselors and student peers for a variety of reasons and must have a signed parental approval form on file. Once matched, the mentor and student meet on campus during the normal schools hours.

What is the difference between a volunteer and a mentor? A volunteer assists with teacher support, programs and special events. A mentor, on the other hand, has a direct relationship with a student by building trust and modeling positive behaviors. Research proves the effects of human bonding and nurturing with young people and the tragic effects of what happens without it. Every child needs a caring, responsible adult in his/her life.

Mentoring can also be a challenging effort.

“If mentors expect immediate results, then they are doing it for the wrong reason,” said Dr. Eric Cupp, who counsels at-risk students at both Midlothian middle schools and Midlothian High School.

Mrs. Petty ensures her mentors that the students are listening, they do care and they appreciate the adults who are taking ACTION to improve their lives, planting seeds of HOPE, and helping them pave the way towards their FUTURE.

The Movement Towards a Future will soon receive a non-profit 501(c)(3) status, which will allow them to apply for additional funding to expand the mission to help more students.

To learn more about the program, contact Dena Petty at 972-775-3417.

Midlothian ISD joins districts across the state to thank School Board members for voluntarily tackling the enormous job of governing local school districts. January has been proclaimed School Board Recognition Month by the Governor to highlight the contributions of dedicated men and women who take the time to care about our local schools.

The 2011-12 School Board of Trustees are Duke Burge, President; Phil Seay, Vice President; Dr. Wayne Shuffield, Secretary; Jim Mentzel, Tom Moore, Jay Roberts and Cindy Williams.

“Our Trustees have devoted many hours to ensure that Midlothian ISD is a district of which the community can be proud, and a district in which our students receive a quality education. School Board Recognition Month is an appropriate time to appreciate our Trustees who have given so much to our community through their service on the MISD School Board,” said Dr. Jerome Stewart, MISD Superintendent.

School Board members will be recognized at the regularly scheduled Board meeting on Monday, January 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Midlothian ISD Administration Building.

The Links of Love fundraiser is a way that Walnut Grove Wildcat students showed their kindness and support for Brittany Villarreal, who was recently diagnosed with leukemia and is undergoing treatment. For eight days, Margie Nisbett’s yearbook students sold 25,547 construction paper links for .25 cents each, which totaled $6,386.75. Teachers and students demonstrated their competitive side by striving to have the most links, which was all in good spirit to raise money to help offset the medical expenses for Brittany.

“People genuinely care when they know it’s for a good cause,” Ms. Nisbett’s student, Emma Germany said. “Brittany is a sweet girl and we hope this money will help make a difference.”

A Blood Drive will be held January 4 from 8:30a.m.-3:30p.m at WGMS. All the units donated will be used to reimburse medical expenses for Brittany as well. Anyone over the age of 16 can donate blood.

Walid Alameddine, Vice President of Victron, worked with Midlothian school officials to secure nine $500 grants to help support and enhance learning opportunities for students in the math and science subject areas.

“I’m honored to help out during a time when budgets for our schools do not always provide for some of the most critical needs,” said Alameddine.

ExxonMobil Educational Alliance grants are awarded on a first-come first-served basis. This year 4,000 grants at $500 each totaling $2 million will be awarded to schools across the country for specific local programs that are in need of being funded.

(Pictured left to right are Principals Courtney Carpenter, Cherie Wagoner, Beth Van Amburgh, Karen Childers, Victron Vice President Walid Alameddine, Kelly Madden, Dee Arterburn, Brian Blackwell, Deputy Superintendent Robin Bullock, and Assistant Principal Karena Blackwell)

Helping kids succeed in school and in life requires the continual partnership of parents, staff and community organizations. Great things happen when everyone is committed to working together in the best interest of students.

Matt Velasquez, Community In Schools liaison at J.A. Vitovsky Elementary, knows exactly what it takes to involve the community to help children succeed in school and in life. In partnership with the North Texas Food Bank, a Friday backpack program provides 50 Vitovsky Elementary students a bag full of non-perishable food items to last throughout the weekend.

“Studies have shown that when students’ basic needs are met, it allows them to concentrate on what’s really important – learning,” said Velasquez.

In addition to the backpack program, local companies such as Gerdau, Holcim and Target encourage their employees to volunteer and mentor students involved in the CIS program. This one-on-one support is aimed at helping students achieve academically and to reach their individual goals.

CIS also sponsors a Parent Connections support group that meets every 1st and 3rd Thursdays. JAV parents have an opportunity to network with each other on various parenting topics.

From hip-hop to chess after-school clubs, there is no doubt that students feel connected in some way.

For more information, contact Matt Velasquez at 972-775-5536, ext. 2349.

Read their true, innocent responses...

“I’m thankful that my dad has a dog named Z-e-u-s. Oh, and my mom gives me kisses on my cheek all the time.”

Tate T., Kindergarten, Mt. Peak Elementary

Presley“I’m thankful for cranberries. They are so good.”

Presley H., Kindergarten, LaRue Miller Elementary

Danyell“I’m thankful because mom let me go to Justin Bieber’s concert.”

Danyell C., 1st, Longbranch Elementary

Lexi“I’m thankful that I have a mom, dad and two sisters whose names are Linzi and Lilli.”

Lexi C., 1st, J.R. Irvin Elementary

Sir Luke“I’m thankful that the pilgrims made friends with the Indians.”

Sir Luke T., 1st, T.E. Baxter Elementary

Brock“I’m thankful that my friends are nice to me.”

Brock C., 2nd, J.A. Vitovsky Elementary

Chase“I’m thankful for my toys, soccer and of course my family.”

Chase S., 2nd, J.R. Irvin Elementary

Payten“I’m thankful because my brother is in the Marines and my brother-in-law is in the Air Force.”

Payten M., 3rd, T.E. Baxter Elementary

Emma“I’m thankful that my brother goes crazy and it makes me laugh.”

Emma G., 3rd, Mt. Peak Elementary

Conner“I’m thankful that my dad lets me go hunting with him. I got a 9-pointer.”

Conner B., 4th, LaRue Miller Elementary

Landry“I’m thankful for my dog and my family.”

Landry R., 5th, Longbranch Elementary

Reece“I’m thankful for the yummy Thanksgiving food.”

Reece P., 5th, J.A. Vitovsky Elementary

Joe“I’m thankful that God gave us food. We are lucky to have wealth because some kids don’t have a Playstation, X-box or TV.”

Joe Cisneros, 6th, Frank Seale Middle School

Caroline“I’m thankful for my friends, family and grandfather.”

Caroline Savins, 7th, Walnut Grove Middle School

TJ “I’m thankful for my mom and family.”

T.J. Rudd, 8th, Walnut Grove Middle School

Heather“I’m thankful for the opportunity to get to live with my dad. My mom helps me deal with things, too.”

Heather H., 8th, Frank Seale Middle School

Mason“I’m thankful that I get to go on a mission trip to Haiti with my church.”

Mason F., 9th, MHS

Daniell“I’m thankful for doing good in school. I’m also thankful for my friends.”

Daniell G. 10th, MHS

Jakim“I’m thankful for my designer clothes, grandparents and great-grandparents.”

Jakim F. 11th, MHS

Emily“I’m thankful for the roof over my head, my parents love and for my imagination.”

Emily M., 12th, MHS

What does a turkey hunt and energy vampires have in common? Nothing. However, the Frank Seale Middle School teachers do understand the correlation.

Earlier this school year, the staff read a book titled Energy Bus. The book takes readers on an inspiring ride that reveals secrets to approach work and life with a positive, forward-thinking attitude.

Turkey Hunt pic 2One important chapter emphasizes on negative people who literally suck the energy from others, which are known as energy vampires. For their staff development project, teachers had to create a video that focused on how to ward off staff energy vampires. The hunt was to implement a picture of a turkey in each scene in order to keep it original and to stay within the Thanksgiving Holiday theme.

“This team-building project allowed me to work with others whom I really haven’t had a chance to get to know this year,” said teacher Gayle Stack. “More importantly, it makes my job easier when I work with colleagues who have positive energy and a positive attitude.”

The winning team consisted of teachers Reid Craft, Nadia DeKoch, Joyce Griffith, Brian Garrison, Amanda Rodgers and Rhonda White.

College: Go Get It Week is a district-wide effort to ensure that our students have an awareness of post-secondary education opportunities.

In accordance with House Bill 2237, counselors across Midlothian ISD, ranging from elementary school to high school, have scheduled a College: Go Get It Week during September 12-16.

The week will include various activities focused on promoting a college going atmosphere from kindergarten to senior year. Many college spirit activities include door decorating, researching colleges, introducing college fight songs and school mascots, speakers promoting the importance of a post-secondary education for future generations, and culminating with a college t-shirt day on September 16.

While students will be engaged with the topics throughout the week, the Midlothian community is also invited to encourage students of all ages to realize - college is not only a dream all can achieve, but also a necessity for future generations.

“We want everyone to wear college t-shirts on Friday, September 16, and businesses to hang posters or decorate their windows supporting the college of their choice.” said Hollye Hess, MHS counselor.

The MISD counseling staff is hoping to make the College: Go Get It Week a tradition and look forward to elaborating on the week’s events year after year.

In the 2009-2010 school year, the passing standards were 73% for reading and 67% for math. For the 2011 ratings, the standards increased to 80% of all students and student groups in Reading TAKS and 75% of all students and student groups in Math TAKS in order to earn the “Meets AYP” label. In the upcoming 2011-2012 school year, the passing standards will be 87% for reading and 83% for math.

The 2011 AYP ratings:
District Missed AYP - Reading/Math (performance)
Midlothian High School Missed AYP - Math (performance)
Frank Seale Middle School Meets AYP
Walnut Grove Middle School Meets AYP
J.A. Vitovsky Elementary Meets AYP
J.R. Irvin Elementary Meets AYP
LaRue Miller Elementary Meets AYP
Longbranch Elementary Meets AYP
Mt. Peak Elementary Meets AYP
T.E. Baxter Elementary Meets AYP

The TEA AYP State Summary Table (preliminary) reports that 49.3% of all districts missed AYP.

One factor contributing to some districts and campuses not meeting AYP this year is the elimination of the Texas Projection Measure (TPM) for ratings purposes. The TEA developed TPM as a growth measure and permitted its use in its federal state accountability systems. The TPM allowed schools and districts to receive credit for students who did not meet passing standards on state tests but who demonstrated they were projected to pass in a subsequent year.

Because this is the first year the district did not meet AYP, it will not trigger school improvement status. Read more at the TEA website.

We are very pleased to share with you Midlothian ISD’s TAKS scores. The ratings demonstrate that our students performed well on the TAKS tests. The ratings also point to the hard work put in by our administrators, teachers, staff, parents, and students,” said Dr. Stewart, MISD Superintendent.

MISD students continue to perform at high levels in all subjects tested with passing rates exceeding 90 percent at all grade levels. These scores represent academic achievement at a level that is considerably higher than the state passing standard.

Subjects Tested Met Standard Commended
Math (grades 3-11) 91% 36%
Reading /ELA (grades 3-9) 95% 42%
Science (grades 5, 8, 10, 11) 92% 42%
Social Studies (grades 8, 10, 11) 97% 51%
Writing (grades 4, 7) 96 % 41%

This year the commended performance was an additional accountability measure in the areas of Math and Reading/ELA.
MISD received the following district and campus ratings:

Midlothian Independent School District - Recognized
J.A. Vitovsky Elementary - Exemplary
J.R. Irvin Elementary - Exemplary
LaRue Miller Elementary - Recognized
Longbranch Elementary - Exemplary
Mt. Peak Elementary - Exemplary
T.E. Baxter Elementary - Recognized
Frank Seale Middle School - Recognized
Walnut Grove Middle - Recognized
Midlothian High School - Recognized

As with all Texas school districts, the MISD ratings reflect a challenging state accountability environment that changed significantly between 2010 and 2011. Ratings were impacted by:

Rising performance standards in Math and Science
New tested content in Science
The elimination of the Texas Projection Measure (TPM)
The inclusion of commended students criteria
The inclusion of all scores from Special Education
The addition of English Language Learner Progress Measure (ELL)

The 2011 Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) will be released in early October 2011. More information is available on TEA's website.

Students in the graduating Class of 2015, who are currently in 9th grade, will be the first group who must meet the end-of-course testing requirements in order to earn a diploma. Mandated by the Texas Legislature, the new STAAR assessment will include twelve end-of-course exams in the four core subject areas in high school. Students in grades 3-8 will have new tests developed for them as well.

Since this new accountability system is still in developmental stages, state ratings will be suspended in 2012 and the new rating system will debut in 2013, according to the Texas Education Agency.

A Midlothian ISD team is working to help our teachers, principals, students and families prepare for STAAR. The group will determine what structures and systems are needed to ensure student, school and district success on the new state testing program.

Carpenter Named Principal for T.E. Baxter Elementary

Posted: June 14, 2011

At a special called meeting on June 13, the MISD School Board approved the hiring of Courtney Carpenter as principal for T.E. Baxter Elementary. She is currently the assistant principal at C.C. Cooke Elementary, a K-5 bilingual campus, in Cleburne ISD.

“Midlothian ISD is pleased to welcome Courtney Carpenter into the family of campus leadership. Baxter Elementary is a wonderful school with a great faculty and staff and, with the change in leadership, they will continue their strong academic tradition,” stated Superintendent Dr. Stewart.

Carpenter received her Masters in Educational Administration from the University of North Texas. She has 13 years experience in education with 8 years of teaching math in grades 3-11 and 5 years as an assistant principal in Rockdale ISD, Midlothian ISD, and Cleburne ISD.

After being told she was selected as the new Baxter Elementary principal, Carpenter said, "It is my honor and privilege to have the opportunity to engage in the work with extraordinary educators, dynamic students, and supportive parents and community of Midlothian ISD. I look forward to joining the MISD team and the Baxter “Circle of Friends.”

Carpenter is married to Craig Carpenter, MISD energy HVAC manager/coach. They have two children, Kelsey (age 9) and Kasen (age 6).

After serving a total of 29 years as an educator, T.E. Baxter Elementary principal, Nena Challenner, announced her retirement effective June 2011.

After serving a total of 29 years as an educator, T.E. Baxter Elementary Principal, Nena Challenner, has announced her retirement effective June 2011.

“While serving as administrator in MISD, my passion has been to help teachers help kids,” said Mrs. Challenner. “I now look forward to begin my new journey in life by traveling and spending time with family.”

Mrs. Challenner began her career in 1982 as an elementary teacher in Duncanville ISD. She later came to Midlothian ISD and taught general and special education classes at T.E. Baxter Elementary, Mt. Peak Elementary and Longbranch Elementary. In 2001, she was selected as assistant principal at Longbranch Elementary and then became principal at T.E. Baxter Elementary in 2005.

Midlothian ISD is proud of the positive impact that Mrs. Challenner has made in the many lives of students and teachers.

2,263 For - 1,838 Against

Midlothian ISD voters approved a $97.3 million bond proposal to build high school #2, elementary #7, and an addition to Frank Seale Middle School. Complete, but *unofficial results, showed that 2,263 people voted for the bond package, while 1,838 people voted against the bond. The vote indicates the support of the district's goal to meet existing and future facility needs.

"Today marks the end of a long process. We acknowledge and thank past and present Growth Management Committees, Midlothian ISD School Board of Trustees, Community Advocates for Responsible Education (C.A.R.E.), the wonderful citizens of Midlothian ISD, the district's faculty, staff, and administrators, and the many others who worked tirelessly and selflessly," said Dr. Stewart. "The spirit and dedication of these people has been remarkable."

"I am grateful and pleased," continued Dr. Stewart, "that our bond issue passed. Our community looked at the information that was presented and made an informed decision to support its school district and to build on its excellence, for this day and for the future."

Dr. Stewart concluded, "As one process ends, another process begins: building the bond projects. The School Board Trustees and I, look forward to working with the MISD community to build the three bond projects in a manner of which our community can be proud."

Bond 2011 updates will be available on the MISD website.

* Votes will be canvassed on May 19 for the official results.

Posted: 11/18/10

Midlothian ISD and its campuses received a total of 36 acknowledgements under the Texas Education Agency's Gold Performance Achievement (GPA) system. The GPA system recognizes schools for high performances or improvement in areas critical to the academic success of students.

• Baxter Elementary: Comparable Improvement Math, Commended Reading/ELA, Commended Math, Commended Science

• Irvin Elementary: Commended Reading/ELA, Commended Math, Commended Writing, Commended Science

• Longbranch Elementary: Attendance Rate, Comparable Improvement Math, Commended Reading/ELA, Commended Math, Commended Writing, Commended Science

• Miller Elementary: Comparable Improvement Reading, Commended Reading/ELA, Commended Math, Commended Writing, Commended Science

• Mt. Peak Elementary: Commended Reading/ELA, Commended Math, Commended Writing, Commended Science

• Vitovsky Elementary: Attendance Rate, Commended Math, Commended Science

• Frank Seale Middle School: Commended Reading/ELA, Commended Writing, Commended Social Studies

• Walnut Grove Middle School: Attendance Rate, Commended Reading/ELA, Commended Writing, Commended Social Studies

• Midlothian High School: College-Ready Graduates, Commended Social Studies, TSI Math

The 2010 District Accountability Summary is available online

Posted: 9/23/10

Midlothian ISD employees voted for the district as the “Best Place to Work” in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex through a recent Dallas Business Journal survey. Rankings were revealed at a celebratory awards luncheon held September 23, where MISD ranked 3rd within the large company category. MISD is the only school district in the top five Best Places to Work. More than 400 companies entered into the survey process and only 94 were selected as finalists.

“There is a sense of unconditional love that is a part of the fabric of MISD. We are professional in that good things happen for the students. MISD is not just the Best Place to Work, it is the best place to work,” said Dr. Stewart, Superintendent of Schools.

To earn the prestigious DBJ Best Places to Work designation, companies have to earn a national best practice score for their category. MISD earned a score of 91.11, which is based on work environment, innovations/new ideas, people practices, personal growth and development, leadership, employee recognition and the structure of the day-to-day operations.

Posted: August 31, 2010

Midlothian ISD has earned a Gold Leadership Circle Award for the district's website by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. The district earned a perfect score (15/15) on the ratings criteria. The Comptroller's office is awarding local governments that provide clear and consistent information in a user-friendly format which allows taxpayers easy access to financial information.

MISD makes budgetary information, check registers, the annual financial report, and supporting financial data available on the MISD finance webpage.

Superintendent Dr. Stewart said, "Midlothian ISD is honored to accept the Texas Comptroller Leadership Circle's Gold designation - the highest designation for financial transparency online. The fact that participation in this program is voluntary makes this designation even more meaningful. MISD is committed to good stewardship of its resources and financial transparency is an important component of this commitment."

For more information about the recognition please visit www.texastransparency.org.

MISD NEWS RELEASE
Posted: 8/12/10

Midlothian students and teachers are ready to start the 2010-2011 school year. Chelsea Gildea, a MHS graduate,
is beyond ready – she is excited to start a career as a first year 3rd grade teacher at T. E. Baxter Elementary.

“The MISD staff has already invested time with us who are new to teaching so we’ll be successful in the classroom,” Chelsea said.

There are 70 teachers who are new to the district this year. However, Chelsea is one of twenty-six first year teachers who will benefit from a $61,875 Texas Education Agency (TEA) grant that will expand MISD’s First Year Teacher Academy. In addition, the grant will allow the district to offer a Curriculum Academy for second-year teachers.

According to a study from the National Education Association, half of new U.S. teachers are likely to quit within the first five years because of lack of support, poor working conditions, and low salaries.

That is not the case in Midlothian ISD. The district offers competitive salaries, mentor and administrative support, and various resources to ensure new teachers are successful.

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Midlothian ISD has once again met all requirements for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) standards established by the Texas Education Agency in compliance with the No Child Left Behind Act. Despite the increasing standards, MISD is proud that each campus also met the AYP requirements.

All public school campuses and school districts are required to meet AYP criteria on 35 indicators that measure reading/language arts, mathematics, graduation rate for high school and attendance rates for elementary and middle schools.

For the 2010 ratings, 73 percent of the total students and the student groups must pass the reading Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) and 67 percent must pass the mathematics TAKS to earn the "Meets AYP" label. In the 2008-2009 school year, the passing standards were 67 percent for reading and 58 percent for mathematics.

AYP ratings for schools and districts are available on the Texas Education Agency website.

Posted: July 29, 2010

The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) is being replaced with the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, beginning in the 2011-12 school year.

Students in the graduating Class of 2015, who are currently in eighth grade, will be the first group who must meet the end-of-course testing requirements in order to earn a diploma. Mandated by the Texas Legislature, the new STAAR assessment will include twelve end-of-course exams in the four core subject areas in high school. Students in grades 3-8 will have new tests developed for them as well.

All current Midlothian High School students will graduate under the existing TAKS grade level requirements.

The end-of-course exams are a key component of the STAAR system, which is designed to help students meet college-readiness standards. These new exams are course-specific, more rigorous than the TAKS, and administered online (not with pencil and paper).

Since this new accountability system is still in developmental stages, state ratings will be suspended in 2012 and the new rating system will debut in 2013, according to the Texas Education Agency.
History of the Texas testing program:

Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS): 2003-present, mathematics, reading, writing, English language arts, science and social studies, students tested in grades 3-11.

Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS): 1990-2002, reading, mathematics and writing, ultimately given to students in grades 3-8 and 10, additionally science and social studies tested at eighth grade, Spanish-language tests available for students in grades 3-6, four end-of-course exams provide optional method for meeting graduation requirement

Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills (TEAMS): 1986-1990, reading, mathematics and writing in grades 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11; first state test students were required to pass to earn a diploma.

Texas Assessment of Basic Skills (TABS): 1980-1985, First state-mandated test administered to students in grades 3, 5 and 9 in reading, mathematics and writing.

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The Midlothian ISD administration is pleased to announce the preliminary Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) scores for students who took the spring 2010 TAKS tests.

MISD students continue to perform at high levels in all subjects tested with passing rates exceeding 90 percent at all grade levels. The commended performance rates have increased over the years. These scores represent academic achievement at a level that is considerably higher above the state passing standard.

Subjects Tested - Met Standard - Commended Performance
Math (Grades 3-11) - 97% - 37%
Reading/ELA (Grades 3-9) - 99% - 43%
Science (Grades 5, 8, 10, 11) - 97% - 38%
Social Studies (Grades 8, 10, 11) - 100% - 51%
Writing (Grades 4 & 7)- 100% - 50%

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) will announce the final results and ratings on July 30, 2010, which will include not only TAKS performance, but also other indicators such as graduation rates and Gold Performance Acknowledgements.

Based on preliminary scores and data, Midlothian ISD expects to receive the following accountability ratings:

MISD – Recognized
Midlothian High School – Recognized
Walnut Grove Middle School – Recognized
Frank Seale Middle School – Exemplary
Irvin Elementary – Exemplary
Baxter Elementary – Exemplary
Longbranch Elementary – Exemplary
Miller Elementary - Exemplary
Mt. Peak Elementary – Exemplary
Vitovsky Elementary - Exemplary

Posted: 6/22/10

Rebecca Hertz, staff writer for Midlothian Mirror, was named to the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Media Honor Roll, by Midlothian Independent School District. The Media Honor Roll, a program sponsored by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), recognizes media representatives statewide who deserve recognition for fair and balanced reporting of news about public schools.

The Midlothian ISD Board of Trustees passed a formal resolution and presented a personalized certificate to Rebecca in recognition of her dedication to MISD.

Media representatives from more than 450 Texas newspapers and radio and television stations were honored by their local school districts.

Criteria for the district selection included the media representative’s efforts to get to know the superintendent, board president, and the district’s mission and goals; report school news in a fair, accurate, and balanced manner; give a high profile to positive news about schools; visit the schools; and maintain a policy of no surprises by sharing information with school officials.

“Districts across Texas appreciate these reporters for their balanced and accurate approach to sharing both the challenges facing our schools and the successes achieved by local teachers, students, and school boards. Their work aids local communities in focusing on the goal of providing the best public schools we can for every child,” said Sarah Winkler, TASB president.

TASB is a nonprofit organization established in 1949 to serve local Texas school districts. School board members are the largest group of publicly elected officials in the state. The districts they represent serve more than 4.7 million public school students.

NEWS RELEASE
Posted: 4/13/10

April 12, 2010 – The Midlothian ISD Board of Trustees unanimously voted to name Dr. Jerome Stewart as the lone finalist for the Midlothian ISD Superintendent of Schools in a special called meeting at 6:30pm on April 10.

Dr. Stewart is currently employed as Superintendent for the Canton ISD. He has served in this role since 2005 and has 23 years experience as an educator. Stewart began his educational career in 1987 as a teacher/coach in Amarillo ISD. From 1990-1992 he served as assistant principal at Amarillo High School. He later served as principal in Pampa ISD, Waco ISD and Lago Vista ISD. Stewart was Superintendent for Yorktown ISD from 2001-2005.

He earned a Master of Science Education from Drake University in Iowa and a Doctor of Educational Administration from Baylor University. He received his mid-management and superintendent certifications from West Texas A&M University.

“We look forward to working with Dr. Stewart as our next Superintendent,” said Phil Seay MISD School Board President. “His characteristics reflect those indicated by our community, staff, and Board as top qualities for our superintendent. He clearly demonstrates ethical and moral leadership, strong communication skills, and a passion for the community and its students.”

Dr. Stewart and his wife Raquel have four children. Elliott is an Army veteran and plans to earn a doctorate in medicine. Gabriel is currently a Texas National Guard soldier and a math major at UT Austin. Eric recently concluded his second tour overseas as an Army Ranger. Jennifer is a senior at Canton High School and plans to attend the University of Mary Hardin Baylor.

Dr. Stewart said, “I am blessed to be the MISD superintendent lone finalist in such a great district and wonderful community.”

Robin Bullock has served as Interim Superintendent in the district since January 1 when Dr. Kennedy resigned to become the Superintendent for McKinney ISD.

The state requires a 21-day waiting period before an agreement can be finalized and a contract can be negotiated. The official targeted start date is June 1, 2010.

Horn, Smith, Wood & Preston, conducted the superintendent search for the MISD Board.

April 1, 2010 is Census Day.

An accurate census of our area will benefit Midlothian ISD and the community by influencing the distribution of $300 billion in federal funds earmarked for states and local communities. In order to accomplish this, it is important that everyone participates. Census information is confidential by law and no other agency has access to the personal data.

Census Facts:

* The U.S. census is taken every 10 years.
* Census questionnaires will be mailed or delivered to households in March.
* The questionnaire is short and asks only a few simple questions-name, relationship, gender, age and date of birth, race and whether the respondent owns or rents his or her home.
* Questionnaires are returned by mail.
* Census takers will visit households between April and July if the questionnaires have not been returned by April 1.

How is census information used?

* To distribute Title 1 and special education funding, which impacts school district budgets
* To distribute funds for college tuition grant and loan programs
* To build new roads and plan for public transportation
* To redistrict state legislatures, county and city councils and voting districts
* To determine areas eligible for housing assistance
* To direct funds for people in poverty
* To develop assistance programs for low-income families

Taking the time to complete the census form supports our school district and the Midlothian community.

For more information visit the 2010 Census web site.