Greetings,

Following an unprecedented year and a half, nothing could have been more thrilling than welcoming all our students back to campus this fall for in-person learning! To support both the academic and social-emotional needs of our students during this transitional period, there are two important focus areas in the Cypress School District this year.

Differentiated Instruction – While our district successfully provided three different school schedule options last year to meet the needs of students and their families, we know none of those options was a substitute for the high-quality educational program we traditionally provide our students. To fill any gaps that may have occurred and to accelerate learning, teachers are using student assessment results to pinpoint areas for growth and tailor instruction to meet individual student needs. Teachers are also using computer-adaptive programs to differentiate instruction and support individualized learning.

Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS) – Our schools and classrooms provide students with consistent, predictable structures that promote academic achievement, emotional development, and social competence. Unfortunately, not every student was able to attend in-person instruction and benefit from these important structures last year. As a result, some essential school habits and behaviors may have been lost or forgotten. To recalibrate schoolwide expectations and reestablish systems to promote a supportive learning environment and positive student behavior, school teams are participating in training and professional development in these areas to ensure our students’ school success.

In addition to these districtwide efforts, many great things are happening in each of our neighborhood schools which make Cypress School District the best place for students to learn and grow. We hope you will spend just a few minutes to learn more.

Sincerely,

Anne Silavs, Superintendent

At Arnold, teachers and staff endeavor to create a supportive school environment and provide learning opportunities that enable students to connect with their peers. For example, an essential question in the fourth-grade English language arts curriculum asks, “How do we reveal ourselves to others?” With this question in mind, Mrs. Hanley gave students a construction paper heart and asked them to add five images or symbols that would help them explain how their actions reveal themselves and their character to their friends. Rather than simply showing a picture of a basketball and saying, “Here is a basketball. I like basketball,” students were encouraged to expand on their ideas and make further connections. “This basketball symbolizes the passion I have for this sport. I reveal myself to be passionate about basketball by playing on a team, practicing every day after school, and reading books about the sport.” In addition to helping students recognize how characters in literature develop, change, and reveal themselves over time, this learning activity also helps create an atmosphere of trust, friendship, and acceptance in the classroom.

On October 6, King families who typically drive to school were encouraged to participate in Walk-to-School Day, an event promoted by the school PTA. Students were given activity pages that highlighted safe practices for walking to school, and parents received tips to promote safe walking and driving while school is in session. Walking to school offers a wide variety of benefits. For example, starting the day with a walk is one of the easiest ways to get daily physical activity which is necessary for maintaining good health. Additionally, research shows that walking helps overall learning. Students start the school day alert and ready to learn. Many King families enjoyed participating in Walk-to-School Day, especially because it provided them with extra time to talk with their children while walking to and from school. Parents also experienced less stress in the morning because they were not navigating a busy parking lot and drop-off area. Every student who walked to school that day received a wristband to acknowledge their participation.

The Landell community will bid a fond farewell to Betty Ann Platt in December when she retires after 26 years serving as the School Administrative Assistant. A trusted figure in the office, Betty Ann is the “Mother Leopard” of the school. Whatever the event… a jog-a-thon, Camp Landell, or sixth-grade promotion… Betty Ann is always there to lend her support. In addition to her official role, she also serves as a member of the School Site Council and PTA. During her tenure at Landell, Betty Ann has enrolled over 18,000 students, and they all know how much she values punctuality! Students skip through the school gates each morning so they can be on time, in their seats, and ready to learn when the school day begins. Betty Ann is a long-time resident of Orange County but is considering relocating to Alabama with her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Crystal. The students and staff at Landell are going to miss Betty Ann, but wish her all the best and many new adventures in her retirement.

This fall, second and third-grade students at Luther are exploring phonics with district reading interventionist, Katie McVay. The small group lessons occur in the students’ classrooms and are part of their daily English language arts (ELA) instruction. The newly purchased phonics resources align with the district’s ELA curriculum, which makes it easy for students to apply new skills in all of their reading and writing assignments. Each of the small group lessons includes time for students to blend sounds, review sight words, and read decodable books. Learning activities are fast-paced and engaging, and students enjoy anticipating and leading familiar routines. Luther’s second and third-grade teachers are already integrating the new phonics materials into their instructional repertoire. Working collaboratively with their colleagues, they’re incorporating the resources and strategies into the high-quality instruction they provide students every day.

There’s a lot of excitement in the air at Morris, especially in kindergarten where students are learning how to ride a bike during physical education time. Morris recently received balance bikes, helmets, and pedal kits through a generous grant from Yamaha. Not only is this the perfect bike on which to learn, but there is also a step-by-step curriculum that ensures student success and makes learning how to ride a bicycle easy and fun! For example, there are no awkward training wheels that lean riders to one side or the other while biking and no pedals that get in the way while learning to balance and maneuver. As students explore the wonderful world of bike riding, parents engage with their children about bike safety and the awesome milestone they are achieving. Students also learn that exercise can be fun!

Using specialized icons to prompt critical thinking has been a focus at Frank Vessels Elementary School for the past three years. Teachers at each grade level, from kindergarten through sixth grade, use a variety of different icons to help students engage with text and in meaningful conversations with their peers. The icons prompt students to expand their thinking which ultimately deepens their understanding of the content they are learning in school. For example, in English language arts, students discuss ethics, impact, paradox, and the big idea when reading literature. Icons are used across the curriculum and cue students to consider multiple perspectives, patterns, and changes over time. Teachers also use guiding questions to unlock students’ critical thinking skills and further a deeper understanding of text. Once reserved as an instructional strategy used only in gifted education programs, these icons support the cognitive development of all students.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 

Candi Kern - Sandra Lee - Brian Nakamura - Bonnie Peat - Lydia Sondhi, Ph.D.

Anne Silavs