Winter 2023
Welcome to Transformation Waco's community newsletter!
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Dear Transformation Waco Community,
I’m excited to share that the U.S. Department of Education is awarding Transformation Waco a $2.5 million Full-Service Community Schools grant! The grant will enable us to expand our existing community schools model and establish new programs to increase students’ and families’ access to social, emotional, mental health and academic support.
Grant funding will enrich several programs and services. Some examples include increasing Inspiración’s early childhood programming for Latinx/Hispanic families to an entire week, creating a similar School Readiness program for families in East Waco, and an annual vision fest to provide free eye exams and glasses. Together with our campus teams and partnerships, we will use every tool to meet the unique needs of the students, families and communities we serve.
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Sincerely,
Dr. Iliana A. Neumann
Transformation Waco Board President
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School Board Recognition Month |
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January is School Board Recognition Month, and Transformation Waco is proud to celebrate our trustees’ dedication and commitment to the Zone and our students. The theme of this year’s School Board Recognition Month is Forward, Together, which highlights the collaboration among school leaders, teachers, and parents on behalf of students. Transformation Waco is fortunate to have a strong group of servant leaders who spend countless volunteer hours to ensure the Zone stays focused on our mission to educate every student. |
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A Letter From TW Chief Executive Officer |
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Dear Transformation Waco Community,
We are also experiencing the teacher shortage impacting Texas and the nation. Transformation Waco is a community schools zone, so we’re tapping into our community partnerships to help us ensure students are not losing out on quality education.
The Greater Waco YMCA is an afterschool and summer enrichment program provider. In the fall, we contracted with the YMCA to provide an instructor for art classes at J.H. Hines Elementary School, where an art teaching vacancy has been challenging to fill. Hines students love the classes. Rather than a substitute filling in, having a dedicated Y instructor has ensured that students are being taught an art-based curriculum.
The success has led to the hiring of an additional Y instructor who began teaching this month in the campus’s newly converted STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine) labs for pre-K-first and second-fifth grades. Students spend at least an hour each week in labs participating in hands-on learning experiences. These experiences complement and expand concepts students learn in other core subjects. Examples include learning about the principles of matter while making slime and using batteries and water to explore electric currents. We are grateful for the partnership and will continue to seek innovative approaches with partners to bring unique enrichment opportunities like these to our students.
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Sincerely,
Robin McDurham, EdD
Transformation Waco Chief Executive Officer
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TW school board recognizes students and staff |
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At the board's January 24 meeting, trustees recognized a group of eighth-grade pre-AP students from G.W. Carver Indian Spring Middle. The scholars will embark on an exciting March trip to Washington, D.C. They will explore key sites in our nation’s capital for four days, focusing on historical and culturally significant spaces. Thanks to staff sponsors/chaperones Sinclair Chapman, Emily Schmillen, and Shirley Langston for organizing this chance for learning to come to life as students connect with lessons taught in the classroom.
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The board also celebrated a beloved member of the middle school family, who is retiring after a career spanning 40 years. As a family support specialist, Shirley Langston helped make school a comfortable place for students to learn and for parents to feel welcome. Shirley provided academic, social and emotional support to our students by connecting them to resources in our community to help them through challenges. She helped form the Parent and Child Time Together group, where families meet, learn and share best practices to support our student's educational success! We wish her the best in her retirement!
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Staff and community fulfill student wishlists |
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University High School JROTC and soccer’s Make A Wish Come True program sponsored 45 Alta Vista Elementary students. First Methodist Waco and Baylor Scott & White Health Hospice adopted five Alta Vista families. The Greater Waco YMCA fulfilled holiday wish lists for eight families across Transformation Waco. We thank all the generous donors!
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Staff sponsored 50 students for G.W. Carver Indian Spring Communities in Schools’ Winter Village program. Donors provided at least one basic need and one want for a student. Sixth-grade math teacher Stephanie Marsteller helped 10 of those students with support from a popular Instagram influencer. She entered The Bucket List Family’s sneaky elf challenge to help give away thousands of dollars to help someone in need. You can read more about that effort here.
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Baylor delivers National STEM Day science projects |
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Students enjoyed science projects donated by Baylor’s School of Engineering and Computer Science for National STEM Day. Professor Vincent Leung visited Brook Avenue and G.W. Carver Indian Spring Middle to observe students work with the kits, which contain custom cards with Baylor imagery designed to support the project and for students to color afterward. Using a battery and copper tape, students create circuits to illuminate a light diode. The kits are designed to spark student creativity, build problem-solving skills and encourage participation in the STEM fields. See the full story here.
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Alta Vista Elementary and G.W. Carver Indian Spring were joined by the Waco-McLennan County NAACP for their six-week celebrations. Students had fun competing in a hula hoop pass and received special certificates to recognize their A/B and All-A Honor Roll status! We thank the NAACP for participating in six-week celebrations at all of our campuses.
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Brook Avenue principal Lorena Ferrales was the featured speaker at a Hispanic Leaders' Network Conectar - Connect event. She highlighted the school's dual language immersion and GT programs and spoke about the importance of family in her educational journey to leadership.
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Brook Avenue students hoped their Socktober service project brought winter relief to Mission Waco’s My Brother’s Keeper Homeless Shelter. Students collected and donated 288 pairs of socks to the organization! Read the full story at bit.ly/3Arwlrw.
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One of J.H. Hines Elementary's fourth-grade scholars recited the poem "Dreams" by Langston Hughes at the Centennial Celebration of William Decker Johnson Hall. She did such a great job, and we are so proud of her!
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TW highlights staff transforming lives |
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We proudly continue our “Transforming Lives Honorees” program to recognize the transformational impact of our staff on ensuring a positive present and future for students, families and coworkers. Staff-nominated honorees each receive a $1,000 grant for school-based passion projects. Check out our presentation videos below.
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Transformation Waco | 254-754-9169
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