Singing the praises of success at Austin area schools
AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN
EDITORIAL BOARD
Friday, September 04, 2009
There are schools in the Austin district that are soaring academically and being recognized for their success. It is necessary to say so because high performing schools are often overlooked as the media and public focus on the low performers. So let's take a moment to recognize schools doing a good job.
This week, the Texas Business and Education Coalition announced 254 Texas schools that made its honor roll, and Austin had five campuses among that select group.
Congratulations to Doss, Highland Park and Pillow elementary schools, Kealing Middle School and Anderson High School.
Honor roll status is not easy to get; just 4 percent of Texas schools earned the honor. The selection is based on schools' performance on state standardized tests, grades and student demographics.
It's worth noting some of the features that have made Austin schools so successful. Anderson High School has the acclaimed International Baccalaureate program. Last year, the school produced 25 students who were National Merit Scholarship finalists, commended scholars or national Hispanic recognized students. It has an award-winning speech and debate team and high community support.
Doss, Pillow and Highland Park are designated Blue Ribbon Schools for their academic superiority. All three were ranked exemplary — the equivalent of an A — on the state's 2009 report card. And no school exceeds Doss when it comes to parental involvement: It has 100 percent PTA membership.
You would be wrong to think that it was just the high-flying magnet school at Kealing that got it on the honor roll. It was the entire campus — the big-brain science and liberal arts magnet kids and traditional students of various races and income levels — that elevated the school.
In recent times, Austin schools have endured not only harsh scrutiny but also sanctions because they failed to meet state standards. This year, failure to meet state standards triggered the forced overhaul of Pearce Middle School — the second Austin school sanctioned in two years. Last year, Johnston High was ordered closed for failing to meet state standards.
New schools Superintendent Meria Carstarphen shoulders a difficult task in avoiding more campus closures for low performance. Reagan High School has failed to meet standards for four consecutive years. But Austin should not be judged solely by performance of its low-performing schools. Keep in mind that 99 campuses met or exceeded state standards for 2009, with 54 of those receiving top grades — exemplary or recognized.
We also want to congratulate the Round Rock school district that had eight schools named to the honor roll. They are: Cactus Ranch, Canyon Creek, Fern Bluff, Great Oaks, Laurel Mountain and Spicewood elementary schools; Canyon Vista Middle School; and Westwood High School.
Pflugerville schools that made the honor roll are Parmer Lane and Timmerman elementary schools. The Eanes school district had three campuses on the honor roll: Barton Creek and Forest Trail elementary schools and West Ridge Middle School. Lake Travis' Lake Pointe and Lakeway elementary schools were honored, too.
In announcing the honor roll schools, TBEC said the selection criteria for 2009 were the toughest in the 10-year history of the award. All schools were expected to improve their commended performance from 2008.
To celebrate those schools, TBEC is throwing a bash in their honor in November that is sponsored by H-E-B and IBM.
Please join us in applauding all of the 254 schools for their outstanding performance and hard work.
http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/editorial/stories/2009/09/04/0904schools_edit.html
Friday, September 4, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Fern Bluff Elementary Recognized for Excellence
ROUND ROCK ISD WEBSITE
Friday, September 3, 2009
8 RRISD schools named to TBEC Honor Roll
Eight Round Rock ISD schools have been named to the Texas Business and Education Coalition (TBEC) 2009 Honor Roll. Selected for their sustained academic excellence are: Cactus Ranch, Canyon Creek, Fern Bluff, Great Oaks, Laurel Mountain and Spicewood Elementary Schools; Canyon Vista Middle School; and Westwood High School.
"Fern Bluff Elementary is elated to be a TBEC Honor Roll recipient for 2009. This accomplishment can only be attributed to the hard work of our students, dedication and commitment of our teachers, staff members, and unwavering support of our parents and school community," Fern Bluff Principal Dr. Elizabeth Wilson said. "At Fern Bluff, we strive to meet the varied needs of our students, promote higher level thinking and cultivate a lifelong love of learning. As a campus team, our top priority is to help all students reach their highest potential...whatever it takes!"
The list represents less than 4 percent of all public schools in Texas and includes 13 High Schools, 35 middle schools and 206 elementary schools. In analyzing every public school in Texas TBEC considers only the school’s commended performance, the state’s highest standard for academic achievement, and sets specific targets for schools based on grades served and student demographics.
The 2009 standards were by far the toughest in the 10 year history of the award. All schools were expected to improve their commended performance from 2008 and every school was required to have a minimum of 20 percent of students tested performing at the commended level on all tests for 2009.
A reception and dinner for school honorees will be held on Nov. 9 in San Antonio.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Letter to the Editor: Character Matters at Fern Bluff
ROUND ROCK LEADER
August 3, 2009
Dear editor,
We truly appreciate your coverage of the third-grade drama club's production of "Character Matters" at Fern Bluff Elementary this spring.
In the show, there are three princesses (Megan Kozak, Kristen Jones and Hailey Turner) who are plagued by a frog problem - that is, a frog claiming to be a prince - and the princesses sought advice on what to do.
"Show some kindness. Show him that you care," they are counseled, despite their concerns with his froggy smell and his froggy breath.
With a few mints and a quick kiss - voila! The frog did indeed become a prince (Scott Moreno).
The cast of "Character Matters" brought down the house with their simple, yet powerful message to do the right thing.
These students, new to theater, moved friends, schoolmates and family members with their strong delivery and brave performances.
Thank you for highlighting their efforts.
Lisa Mack
Fern Bluff
http://rrleader.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=22352&SectionID=7&SubSectionID=7&S=1
August 3, 2009
Dear editor,
We truly appreciate your coverage of the third-grade drama club's production of "Character Matters" at Fern Bluff Elementary this spring.
In the show, there are three princesses (Megan Kozak, Kristen Jones and Hailey Turner) who are plagued by a frog problem - that is, a frog claiming to be a prince - and the princesses sought advice on what to do.
"Show some kindness. Show him that you care," they are counseled, despite their concerns with his froggy smell and his froggy breath.
With a few mints and a quick kiss - voila! The frog did indeed become a prince (Scott Moreno).
The cast of "Character Matters" brought down the house with their simple, yet powerful message to do the right thing.
These students, new to theater, moved friends, schoolmates and family members with their strong delivery and brave performances.
Thank you for highlighting their efforts.
Lisa Mack
Fern Bluff
http://rrleader.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=22352&SectionID=7&SubSectionID=7&S=1
Monday, June 29, 2009
Campus: Fern Bluff Students Learn Character Matters Through Play
ROUND ROCK LEADER
June 29, 2009
By LISA MACK
Special to the Leader
"Everyone finds themselves wondering how to act or what to do in certain situations," noted Rapunzel at the most recent meeting of the Fairy Tale Advice Council.
Miss the meeting?
It was held at Fern Bluff Elementary on May 15 as the third-grade Drama Club performed the show "Character Matters" for all the students at the school during daytime assemblies and for their parents and friends in a final evening performance.
Rapunzel, The Witch, and The Prince (played by Olivia Lord, Rose Anconetani and Naren Gundapaneni) chaired the meeting, where all attending fairy tale characters learned from each other that character matters. They shared many of the witty lines in the show, such as when The Prince mentioned he told Pinocchio his friendship came with too many strings attached.
The songs were catchy, with enough wit for adults to enjoy and for all ages to get the point.
Little Red Riding Hood (Rylie York) and her friends (David Tang, Kendall Heath) reminded the Big Bad Wolf (Molly Riquelmy) that it's wrong to eat people, especially beloved grandmothers, and asked if she had ever heard of the Golden Rule. Little Red continued, singing, "Think, think, think Mr. Wolfie. Walk in Grandma's shoes. How, how, how would you like it if Grandma swallowed you?"
Next up were Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Baby Bear (Jake McCormick) was having real trouble forgiving Goldilocks (Lauren Mack) who sang, "I made a mistake. Can you forgive me? Please give me a break." Papa Bear (Ethan Ambrose) and Mama Bear (Grace Greenly) encouraged Baby Bear to forget about lunch but all he could think about was his chair that was crunched. Finally, Baby Bear realized he needed to forgive and forget and all three agreed that because "forgiveness rocks" they should all forgive Goldilocks - and change all the locks!
The Three Little Pigs were at odds with each other as Pig 1 and Pig 2 (Mira Jain, Siya Askatar) wanted to build their homes quickly with straw and sticks and not bricks since they "are too much work you fool. We'll finish fast, then hit the pool." But the third pig (Mia Prieto) was sticking up for her beliefs and asserted "only bricks are strong enough to withstand Wolfie's huff and puff. So call me names, but I won't bite. I've got to do, got to do what I think's right."
Cinderella (Katy Crosby) admitted to an anger problem despite how storybooks portray her as sweet and patient.
Tired of cleaning up the table while her sisters are watching stuff on cable, she lamented what to do. So did her mice (Anna Grace Diestenbier, Katie Swain) and they are all advised, "Count to ten, walk away, take a breath, you're OK."
When the Snow White Mirrors (Chloe Orr, Elizabeth Hatch, Jeremy Williams) have to respond to the question "Who's the fairest of them all?" they dared not answer honestly else risk being shattered into a million pieces. Again, a wise company answered in song, "Be honest. Go make the right call. For honesty's really the fairest of all."
Jack (Kelsie Myers) and the Giant (Jennifer Molis) are welcomed back from a previous meeting to see how their new friendship is working out. Both admitted first impressions can be wrong.
Friends (Jace Caldwell, Brooke Crosby, Finn Rooney) reported the great fall of Humpty Dumpty (Emily Lai) who gave many excuses why the crash wasn't her fault including the moon, her socks, the wind and a rash.
With enough encour-agement from the cast and a bit of scolding for the tall tales, she did take responsibility for her actions in the end. Only then did Humpty Dumpty finally stand tall.
With a note that the Wolf should bring doughnuts the next time, the Fairy Tale Advice Council meeting was quickly adjourned and those in the audience were sorry to see it end.
http://rrleader.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=22087&SectionID=11&SubSectionID=11&S=1
June 29, 2009
By LISA MACK
Special to the Leader
"Everyone finds themselves wondering how to act or what to do in certain situations," noted Rapunzel at the most recent meeting of the Fairy Tale Advice Council.
Miss the meeting?
It was held at Fern Bluff Elementary on May 15 as the third-grade Drama Club performed the show "Character Matters" for all the students at the school during daytime assemblies and for their parents and friends in a final evening performance.
Rapunzel, The Witch, and The Prince (played by Olivia Lord, Rose Anconetani and Naren Gundapaneni) chaired the meeting, where all attending fairy tale characters learned from each other that character matters. They shared many of the witty lines in the show, such as when The Prince mentioned he told Pinocchio his friendship came with too many strings attached.
The songs were catchy, with enough wit for adults to enjoy and for all ages to get the point.
Little Red Riding Hood (Rylie York) and her friends (David Tang, Kendall Heath) reminded the Big Bad Wolf (Molly Riquelmy) that it's wrong to eat people, especially beloved grandmothers, and asked if she had ever heard of the Golden Rule. Little Red continued, singing, "Think, think, think Mr. Wolfie. Walk in Grandma's shoes. How, how, how would you like it if Grandma swallowed you?"
Next up were Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Baby Bear (Jake McCormick) was having real trouble forgiving Goldilocks (Lauren Mack) who sang, "I made a mistake. Can you forgive me? Please give me a break." Papa Bear (Ethan Ambrose) and Mama Bear (Grace Greenly) encouraged Baby Bear to forget about lunch but all he could think about was his chair that was crunched. Finally, Baby Bear realized he needed to forgive and forget and all three agreed that because "forgiveness rocks" they should all forgive Goldilocks - and change all the locks!
The Three Little Pigs were at odds with each other as Pig 1 and Pig 2 (Mira Jain, Siya Askatar) wanted to build their homes quickly with straw and sticks and not bricks since they "are too much work you fool. We'll finish fast, then hit the pool." But the third pig (Mia Prieto) was sticking up for her beliefs and asserted "only bricks are strong enough to withstand Wolfie's huff and puff. So call me names, but I won't bite. I've got to do, got to do what I think's right."
Cinderella (Katy Crosby) admitted to an anger problem despite how storybooks portray her as sweet and patient.
Tired of cleaning up the table while her sisters are watching stuff on cable, she lamented what to do. So did her mice (Anna Grace Diestenbier, Katie Swain) and they are all advised, "Count to ten, walk away, take a breath, you're OK."
When the Snow White Mirrors (Chloe Orr, Elizabeth Hatch, Jeremy Williams) have to respond to the question "Who's the fairest of them all?" they dared not answer honestly else risk being shattered into a million pieces. Again, a wise company answered in song, "Be honest. Go make the right call. For honesty's really the fairest of all."
Jack (Kelsie Myers) and the Giant (Jennifer Molis) are welcomed back from a previous meeting to see how their new friendship is working out. Both admitted first impressions can be wrong.
Friends (Jace Caldwell, Brooke Crosby, Finn Rooney) reported the great fall of Humpty Dumpty (Emily Lai) who gave many excuses why the crash wasn't her fault including the moon, her socks, the wind and a rash.
With enough encour-agement from the cast and a bit of scolding for the tall tales, she did take responsibility for her actions in the end. Only then did Humpty Dumpty finally stand tall.
With a note that the Wolf should bring doughnuts the next time, the Fairy Tale Advice Council meeting was quickly adjourned and those in the audience were sorry to see it end.
http://rrleader.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=22087&SectionID=11&SubSectionID=11&S=1
Friday, June 12, 2009
Op/Ed: Success adds up at Fern Bluff school
ROUND ROCK LEADER
June 12, 2009
American kids stink at math. It's a tired refrain by now - even if it is true - but here in Round Rock ISD we are doing something about it.
We're all familiar with the problem - through statistical evidence, anecdotes or both.
Regarding the former, it seems not a month goes by without one study or another proclaiming the deficiencies of our students and our education system. Students from foreign countries routinely outscore our kids on standardized math tests.
Regarding the later - the anecdotal evidence - we all have our stories to tell and they generally revolve around young cashiers who don't know how to make change. Give them a dollar and a penny, for a 51-cent purchase, and they will give you back a deer in the headlights look. They can twitter till their thumbs fall off, but they can't - as Jethro Bodine would have called it - cipher.
Getting kids interested in mathematics might seem like an impossible task. As for getting them enthusiastic about it - well, one might as well expect them to develop a liking for Brussels sprouts and lima beans.
And yet it can be done - because it has been done - at Fern Bluff Elementary, where the school's Math Pentathlon club recently won a national championship in which 219 schools competed. Credit belongs to the entire Fern Bluff Bobcat community- students, parents and teachers alike - but most especially worthy of praise is Bobcat mom Lisa Mack, who took her own daughter's interest in math and built it into a club 140 students ended up joining.
In order to accommodate so many children, Mack recruited parents to help out as coaches and in other volunteer positions. Fern Bluff Principal Elizabeth Wilson and her team of teachers deserve praise for getting behind the effort.
School personnel have a lot on their plates. Adding one more task could not have been easy. Yet Wilson and Fern Bluff teachers took the challenge on, with no guarantee the effort would become the spectacular success that it has.
Mathematics - as much as any other academic discipline and maybe more than most - relies on a student's cumulative knowledge. The building blocks for success must be established early. That is what the Fern Bluff Math Pentathlon club has done, with 140 of the school's 900 kindergarten through fifth-grade students participating in its inaugural year.
Back in the 1990s, we saw what fifth-grade teacher Linda Wiley did with the Excel City program at Berkman Elementary. There was no reason every Round Rock ISD elementary could not have developed a similar program.
Just as there is no reason the district's other elementaries cannot follow the example Fern Bluff has now set.
http://rrleader.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=21956&SectionID=7&SubSectionID=165&S=1
June 12, 2009
American kids stink at math. It's a tired refrain by now - even if it is true - but here in Round Rock ISD we are doing something about it.
We're all familiar with the problem - through statistical evidence, anecdotes or both.
Regarding the former, it seems not a month goes by without one study or another proclaiming the deficiencies of our students and our education system. Students from foreign countries routinely outscore our kids on standardized math tests.
Regarding the later - the anecdotal evidence - we all have our stories to tell and they generally revolve around young cashiers who don't know how to make change. Give them a dollar and a penny, for a 51-cent purchase, and they will give you back a deer in the headlights look. They can twitter till their thumbs fall off, but they can't - as Jethro Bodine would have called it - cipher.
Getting kids interested in mathematics might seem like an impossible task. As for getting them enthusiastic about it - well, one might as well expect them to develop a liking for Brussels sprouts and lima beans.
And yet it can be done - because it has been done - at Fern Bluff Elementary, where the school's Math Pentathlon club recently won a national championship in which 219 schools competed. Credit belongs to the entire Fern Bluff Bobcat community- students, parents and teachers alike - but most especially worthy of praise is Bobcat mom Lisa Mack, who took her own daughter's interest in math and built it into a club 140 students ended up joining.
In order to accommodate so many children, Mack recruited parents to help out as coaches and in other volunteer positions. Fern Bluff Principal Elizabeth Wilson and her team of teachers deserve praise for getting behind the effort.
School personnel have a lot on their plates. Adding one more task could not have been easy. Yet Wilson and Fern Bluff teachers took the challenge on, with no guarantee the effort would become the spectacular success that it has.
Mathematics - as much as any other academic discipline and maybe more than most - relies on a student's cumulative knowledge. The building blocks for success must be established early. That is what the Fern Bluff Math Pentathlon club has done, with 140 of the school's 900 kindergarten through fifth-grade students participating in its inaugural year.
Back in the 1990s, we saw what fifth-grade teacher Linda Wiley did with the Excel City program at Berkman Elementary. There was no reason every Round Rock ISD elementary could not have developed a similar program.
Just as there is no reason the district's other elementaries cannot follow the example Fern Bluff has now set.
http://rrleader.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=21956&SectionID=7&SubSectionID=165&S=1
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Front Page: Fern Bluff feels good about championship
ROUND ROCK LEADER
June 8. 2009
Math pentathlon team wins national title
BRAD STUTZMAN
Editor
Online dictionary Answers.Com defines "whiz kids" as those who are exceptionally intelligent, innovatively clever and/or precociously successful.
But another definition - Math Pentathlon competitors from Fern Bluff Elementary - might also apply. That's because the school's math problem-solving team recently captured first place out of 219 schools in a nationwide competition.
The Fern Bluff kids are good with numbers but here's an easy one even the mathematically-challenged can remember: The team has been in existence only one year and already has one national championship to its credit.
"It feels good," said third-grader Kameron Dyer, one of the seven Fern Bluff students who earned gold medal and hall of fame status by winning all five of the problem-solving games in which they participated. "Everybody's real happy and excited to know that they contributed."
In addition to Kameron, Fern Bluff's other gold medal and hall of fame winners were third-graders Kevin Black and Naren Gundapaneni, fourth-graders John Davis and Praveen Elangovan, and fifth-graders Kenyon Landt and Taylor Sims.
According to its Web site, the Math Pentathlon is a program of interactive problem-solving games and instructional activities for students in kindergarten through grade 7.
Fern Bluff parent Lisa Mack organized the school's team because her third-grade daughter, Lauren, has a mania for math.
"If they were talking about George Washington or Abraham Lincoln in social studies, she'd be figuring out how many years separated their deaths," Mack said.
So Mack - who says she grew up in a pre-computer age where cashiers had to know how to count change and bowlers had to keep their own pencil-and-paper scores - got to work.
"Last spring, when we first began discussing the possibility of having a Math Pentathlon club here at Fern Bluff, I was encouraged to keep it small - have 12 kids, maybe 20 total," Mack said.
As it turned out, almost 140 of the school's approximately 900 kindergarten though fifth-grade students responded.
"Truly, my heart couldn't handle the disappointment that would result in turning away any student," Mack said. "And so we set out to build a club in which parents could offer their time and talents, which would allow us to grow it for more students.
"We set out to make a club where new friends from different grade levels helped each other learn how to play the games, how to think differently, how to see future moves, how to defend their position.
"The Fern Bluff Math Pentathlon club is not simply an after-school activity," she said, "We are a family of families, each participating in some aspect of the Math Pentathlon club at Fern Bluff. We knew the payoff was great. Our kids would develop math strategies and learn critical-thinking skills, good sportsmanship and self-confidence though game playing."
By the numbers
Math is all about numbers and Mack said Fern Bluff's Math Pentathlon club had:
• Teachers who let their rooms be used - 9
• Parent coaches and volunteers - 90
• Students participating - 136
• Students competing in tournaments - 94
• Honorable mention winners - 20
• Bronze medalists - 9
• Silver medalists - 17
• Gold medalists - 5
• Hall of Fame gold medalists - 7
'The Champions'
The Fern Bluff Community's hard work paid off, as the national champions were recognized on Wednesday - the last day of school - with an awards ceremony and party.
"We congratulate you," Round Rock ISD Curriculum Director Suzanne Burke said. "What a bang-up way to end your school year."
Rene LeBlanc of Austin - an associate national director for the Pentathlon Institute - was also on hand for the ceremonies. So was Jarrod Weaver, of the office of District 31 U.S. Rep. John Carter plus Tammy Smith, executive assistant to Pct. 1 Commissioner Lisa Birkman, and RRISD school board member Chad Chadwell.
"I was the one that told [Mack] to start small," LeBlanc said. "What she did was mix quality and quantity."
"We are just elated," school principal Elizabeth Wilson told the students. "We expect even more accomplishments in the future."
Regarding that future, Lorenzo Sadun - a math professor at the University of Texas in Austin - offered the students this advice: "You take what you learn in the classroom and you take it into the world. I'm hoping that in about 10 or 15 years I'm going to see a bunch of you down on the 40 Acres."
Then, as Queen's "We are the Champions" played over the school's public address system, the math champs paraded up and down the hallways, exchanging high-fives with their fellow students.
It was a day for intelligence and cleverness, with third-grader Jace Robinson unknowingly adding to the precociousness.
"I've never experienced being a national champion before," he said.
http://rrleader.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=21927&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&S=1
June 8. 2009
Math pentathlon team wins national title
BRAD STUTZMAN
Editor
Online dictionary Answers.Com defines "whiz kids" as those who are exceptionally intelligent, innovatively clever and/or precociously successful.
But another definition - Math Pentathlon competitors from Fern Bluff Elementary - might also apply. That's because the school's math problem-solving team recently captured first place out of 219 schools in a nationwide competition.
The Fern Bluff kids are good with numbers but here's an easy one even the mathematically-challenged can remember: The team has been in existence only one year and already has one national championship to its credit.
"It feels good," said third-grader Kameron Dyer, one of the seven Fern Bluff students who earned gold medal and hall of fame status by winning all five of the problem-solving games in which they participated. "Everybody's real happy and excited to know that they contributed."
In addition to Kameron, Fern Bluff's other gold medal and hall of fame winners were third-graders Kevin Black and Naren Gundapaneni, fourth-graders John Davis and Praveen Elangovan, and fifth-graders Kenyon Landt and Taylor Sims.
According to its Web site, the Math Pentathlon is a program of interactive problem-solving games and instructional activities for students in kindergarten through grade 7.
Fern Bluff parent Lisa Mack organized the school's team because her third-grade daughter, Lauren, has a mania for math.
"If they were talking about George Washington or Abraham Lincoln in social studies, she'd be figuring out how many years separated their deaths," Mack said.
So Mack - who says she grew up in a pre-computer age where cashiers had to know how to count change and bowlers had to keep their own pencil-and-paper scores - got to work.
"Last spring, when we first began discussing the possibility of having a Math Pentathlon club here at Fern Bluff, I was encouraged to keep it small - have 12 kids, maybe 20 total," Mack said.
As it turned out, almost 140 of the school's approximately 900 kindergarten though fifth-grade students responded.
"Truly, my heart couldn't handle the disappointment that would result in turning away any student," Mack said. "And so we set out to build a club in which parents could offer their time and talents, which would allow us to grow it for more students.
"We set out to make a club where new friends from different grade levels helped each other learn how to play the games, how to think differently, how to see future moves, how to defend their position.
"The Fern Bluff Math Pentathlon club is not simply an after-school activity," she said, "We are a family of families, each participating in some aspect of the Math Pentathlon club at Fern Bluff. We knew the payoff was great. Our kids would develop math strategies and learn critical-thinking skills, good sportsmanship and self-confidence though game playing."
By the numbers
Math is all about numbers and Mack said Fern Bluff's Math Pentathlon club had:
• Teachers who let their rooms be used - 9
• Parent coaches and volunteers - 90
• Students participating - 136
• Students competing in tournaments - 94
• Honorable mention winners - 20
• Bronze medalists - 9
• Silver medalists - 17
• Gold medalists - 5
• Hall of Fame gold medalists - 7
'The Champions'
The Fern Bluff Community's hard work paid off, as the national champions were recognized on Wednesday - the last day of school - with an awards ceremony and party.
"We congratulate you," Round Rock ISD Curriculum Director Suzanne Burke said. "What a bang-up way to end your school year."
Rene LeBlanc of Austin - an associate national director for the Pentathlon Institute - was also on hand for the ceremonies. So was Jarrod Weaver, of the office of District 31 U.S. Rep. John Carter plus Tammy Smith, executive assistant to Pct. 1 Commissioner Lisa Birkman, and RRISD school board member Chad Chadwell.
"I was the one that told [Mack] to start small," LeBlanc said. "What she did was mix quality and quantity."
"We are just elated," school principal Elizabeth Wilson told the students. "We expect even more accomplishments in the future."
Regarding that future, Lorenzo Sadun - a math professor at the University of Texas in Austin - offered the students this advice: "You take what you learn in the classroom and you take it into the world. I'm hoping that in about 10 or 15 years I'm going to see a bunch of you down on the 40 Acres."
Then, as Queen's "We are the Champions" played over the school's public address system, the math champs paraded up and down the hallways, exchanging high-fives with their fellow students.
It was a day for intelligence and cleverness, with third-grader Jace Robinson unknowingly adding to the precociousness.
"I've never experienced being a national champion before," he said.
http://rrleader.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=21927&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&S=1
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Fern Bluff Elementary Named Math Pentathlon National Champion
FERN BLUFF ELEMENTARY WEBSITE
June 4, 2009
There is only one school in the United States that can claim the title 2009 Math Pentathlon National Champions and it's Fern Bluff Elementary. Now there are one-hundred thirty-six students who will always be able to say, "We were National Champions!"
The celebration and awards ceremony was incredible and lovely in the school courtyard! Dr. Wilson, Principal, welcomed the crowd and introduced Lisa Mack, campus coordinator for the program. She shared her thanks for the strong parent support of the program and her pride in the kids growth and sportsmanship. Round Rock ISD Director of Curriculmn, Suzanne Burkman spoke on behalf of Superintendent Dr. Chavez in congratulating the students for their incredible achievement. Dr. Lorenzo Sadun of the University of Texas who is the advisor to a collegiate math team spoke about real world applications of the math program and how how hoped to meet them again in 10 or 15 years at UT. Jarrod Weaver presented a certificate of special congressional recognition on behalf of Congressman John Carter and finally, Rene LeBlanc, national director of the Pentathlon Institute honored Fern Bluff Elementary students with a trophy presentation.
Students then marched through the halls in the Parade of Champions getting high-fives from their classmates before getting their individual trophies in the gym.
http://209.184.141.5/fernbluff/math-pentathlon.aspx
June 4, 2009
There is only one school in the United States that can claim the title 2009 Math Pentathlon National Champions and it's Fern Bluff Elementary. Now there are one-hundred thirty-six students who will always be able to say, "We were National Champions!"
The celebration and awards ceremony was incredible and lovely in the school courtyard! Dr. Wilson, Principal, welcomed the crowd and introduced Lisa Mack, campus coordinator for the program. She shared her thanks for the strong parent support of the program and her pride in the kids growth and sportsmanship. Round Rock ISD Director of Curriculmn, Suzanne Burkman spoke on behalf of Superintendent Dr. Chavez in congratulating the students for their incredible achievement. Dr. Lorenzo Sadun of the University of Texas who is the advisor to a collegiate math team spoke about real world applications of the math program and how how hoped to meet them again in 10 or 15 years at UT. Jarrod Weaver presented a certificate of special congressional recognition on behalf of Congressman John Carter and finally, Rene LeBlanc, national director of the Pentathlon Institute honored Fern Bluff Elementary students with a trophy presentation.
Students then marched through the halls in the Parade of Champions getting high-fives from their classmates before getting their individual trophies in the gym.
http://209.184.141.5/fernbluff/math-pentathlon.aspx
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Fern Bluff Named Math Pentathlon National Champion
ROUND ROCK ISD WEBSITE
Posted Date: 6/2/2009
Parents, school officials and community members joined Fern Bluff Elementary students as they celebrated the school winning its first Math Pentathlon National Championship. Only 15 schools across the nation have won the honor since the Math Pentathlon started.
Rene LeBlanc, Associate Director of the Pentathlon Institute, greeted the students and announced that once scores had been counted and confirmed for all schools nationwide, the Kinder —5th grade team at Fern Bluff Elementary took the Championship with 352 points.
“This is truly an incredible achievement for our kids and our coaches,” said Lisa Mack, Fern Bluff Elementary Math Pentathlon campus coordinator. “We know our kids are truly special and now the whole country knows.”
What’s even more astonishing about the win is that this is the first year Fern Bluff Elementary has had a Math Pentathlon club on campus. Mack said she was advised to start the club with a small number of students, but she didn’t have the heart to turn down any child who wanted to participate which resulted in 136 from all grade levels joining the team.
“Clearly the dedication of the coaches, rule experts, and parent volunteers working with the kids each week has made a huge difference on that campus,” noted Mr. LeBlanc. “They have an exceptional program, an exceptional staff of parents running the program, and exceptional students.”
LeBlanc presented the team with a trophy to put in the school’s trophy case and Congressman John Carter’s office presented Mack with a certificate honoring the school’s achievement.
Tournaments have been held for the past 31 years with national championships awarded since 1994. Texas has been hosting tournaments since 1997 and this is only the second time a school in Texas has won the national championship. Thousands of schools around the US have Math Pentathlon games in the schools either in the classroom or as an extracurricular enrichment program. In 2008-2009 there were 219 schools that participated in the national tournament.
http://www.roundrockisd.org/index.aspx?recordid=1564&page=3401
Rene LeBlanc, Associate Director of the Pentathlon Institute, greeted the students and announced that once scores had been counted and confirmed for all schools nationwide, the Kinder —5th grade team at Fern Bluff Elementary took the Championship with 352 points.
“This is truly an incredible achievement for our kids and our coaches,” said Lisa Mack, Fern Bluff Elementary Math Pentathlon campus coordinator. “We know our kids are truly special and now the whole country knows.”
What’s even more astonishing about the win is that this is the first year Fern Bluff Elementary has had a Math Pentathlon club on campus. Mack said she was advised to start the club with a small number of students, but she didn’t have the heart to turn down any child who wanted to participate which resulted in 136 from all grade levels joining the team.
“Clearly the dedication of the coaches, rule experts, and parent volunteers working with the kids each week has made a huge difference on that campus,” noted Mr. LeBlanc. “They have an exceptional program, an exceptional staff of parents running the program, and exceptional students.”
LeBlanc presented the team with a trophy to put in the school’s trophy case and Congressman John Carter’s office presented Mack with a certificate honoring the school’s achievement.
Tournaments have been held for the past 31 years with national championships awarded since 1994. Texas has been hosting tournaments since 1997 and this is only the second time a school in Texas has won the national championship. Thousands of schools around the US have Math Pentathlon games in the schools either in the classroom or as an extracurricular enrichment program. In 2008-2009 there were 219 schools that participated in the national tournament.
http://www.roundrockisd.org/index.aspx?recordid=1564&page=3401
Fern Bluff Elementary celebrates math pentathlon national victory
COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
June 3, 2009
Written by Kelsey Wilkinson
More than 130 students wearing bright red t-shirts marched through the halls of Round Rock ISD's Fern Bluff Elementary School the morning of June 3. Slapping the hands of their classmates, they strutted through the hall and took in the sounds of Queen’s “We are theThe students celebrated their new status as math pentathlon national champions. The mathematics pentathlon is a program of interactive problem-solving games that aims to strengthen basic math concepts and skills, which align with the national and state mathematics standards and stimulates creative thinking and problem solving skills.
This was the first year the campus offered a math pentathlon club on their campus. Students trained with activities after school and many parents volunteered on weekends to learn the rules for coaching and supervising a math pentathlon tournament. “This is not simply an after school program,” said Lisa Mack, math pentathlon campus coordinator and who Fern Bluff Principal Elizabeth Wilson credits with bringing the program to the school. “We are a family of families.” Mack said it is not just the students and teachers who made the program successful, but also the parents’ dedication and commitment to the program and their children.
The Fern Bluff students were named national champions June 1 upon earning 352 points at the tournament’s conclusion. Approximately 219 schools participated in the national tournament. “You guys are rough, tough and smart,” said Dr. Lorenzo Sadun, the University of Texas Professor who addressed the students at the awards ceremony. “You didn’t just learn math, you connected the classroom to the real world and proved the book learning doesn’t end when you close the book and leave school at the end of the day.”
http://impactnews.com/round-rock-pflugerville/recent-news/4688-fern-bluff-elementary-celebrates-math-pentathlon-national-victory
June 3, 2009
Written by Kelsey Wilkinson
More than 130 students wearing bright red t-shirts marched through the halls of Round Rock ISD's Fern Bluff Elementary School the morning of June 3. Slapping the hands of their classmates, they strutted through the hall and took in the sounds of Queen’s “We are theThe students celebrated their new status as math pentathlon national champions. The mathematics pentathlon is a program of interactive problem-solving games that aims to strengthen basic math concepts and skills, which align with the national and state mathematics standards and stimulates creative thinking and problem solving skills.
This was the first year the campus offered a math pentathlon club on their campus. Students trained with activities after school and many parents volunteered on weekends to learn the rules for coaching and supervising a math pentathlon tournament. “This is not simply an after school program,” said Lisa Mack, math pentathlon campus coordinator and who Fern Bluff Principal Elizabeth Wilson credits with bringing the program to the school. “We are a family of families.” Mack said it is not just the students and teachers who made the program successful, but also the parents’ dedication and commitment to the program and their children.
The Fern Bluff students were named national champions June 1 upon earning 352 points at the tournament’s conclusion. Approximately 219 schools participated in the national tournament. “You guys are rough, tough and smart,” said Dr. Lorenzo Sadun, the University of Texas Professor who addressed the students at the awards ceremony. “You didn’t just learn math, you connected the classroom to the real world and proved the book learning doesn’t end when you close the book and leave school at the end of the day.”
http://impactnews.com/round-rock-pflugerville/recent-news/4688-fern-bluff-elementary-celebrates-math-pentathlon-national-victory
METRO: Students Excel in Math Contest
AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN
June 3, 2009
Fern Bluff Elementary School was named a 2009 Mathematics Pentathlon National Championship school, the pentathlon campus coordinator said.
The pentathalon is a competition in which students compete in five math and problem-solving games. The group has been honoring schools annually since 1994. This year, more than 200 schools from across the country participated.
http://www.statesman.com/search/content/news/stories/local/06/03/0603schools.html
June 3, 2009
Fern Bluff Elementary School was named a 2009 Mathematics Pentathlon National Championship school, the pentathlon campus coordinator said.
The pentathalon is a competition in which students compete in five math and problem-solving games. The group has been honoring schools annually since 1994. This year, more than 200 schools from across the country participated.
http://www.statesman.com/search/content/news/stories/local/06/03/0603schools.html
Monday, June 1, 2009
Fern Bluff Elementary Takes National Championship
FERN BLUFF ELEMENTARY WEBSITE
June 1, 2009
June 1, 2009
There are only 15 Math Pentathlon National Championship schools in the United States. Fern Bluff Elementary in Round Rock ISD is now one of them.
Yesterday, Rene LeBlanc, Associate Director of the Pentathlon Institute, announced that once scores had been counted and confirmed for all schools nationwide, the Kinder —5th grade team at Fern Bluff Elementary took the Championship with 352 points.
"This is truly an incredible achievement for our kids and our coaches," said Lisa Mack, Fern Bluff Elementary Math Pentathlon campus coordinator. "We know our kids are truly special and now the whole country knows."
Tournaments have been held for the past 31 years with national championships awarded since 1994. Texas has been hosting tournaments since 1997 and this is only the 2nd time a school in Texas has won the national championship. Thousands of schools around the US have Math Pentathlon games in the schools either in the classroom or as an extracurricular enrichment program. In 2008-2009 there were 219 schools that participated in the national tournament.
What's even more astonishing about the win is that this is the first year Fern Bluff Elementary has even had a Math Pentathlon club on campus. "Clearly the dedication of the coaches, rule experts, and parent volunteers working with the kids each week has made a huge difference on that campus," noted Mr. LeBlanc. "They have an exceptional program, an exceptional staff of parents running the program, and exceptional students."
At 8:00 AM on Wednesday, June 3rd, the campus will celebrate their victory with a presentation by Mr. LeBlanc and reception.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
SPORTS: Fern Bluff free throw queen earns spot at state
Central District champ finishes 5th in Carrolton
ROUND ROCK LEADER
February 26, 2009
Staff Reports
Local student Jennifer Molis of Fern Bluff Elementary School participated in the 2009 Texas Elks Association Hoop Shoot free throw contest in Carrollton on Feb. 21.
Molis earned the spot by winning a local competition sponsored by Chisholm Trails Elks Lodge and then the Central District Shoot-Off held in Georgetown January 31.
Competing against eight other district champions Molis - the Central District champion in the 8-9 year-old girls division - made 16 of 25 attempts to take fifth place.
This year more than 220,000 kids across Texas competed in the contest. Nationwide more than 3.5 million boys and girls will compete in the contest this year.
http://rrleader.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=21059&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=2&S=1
ROUND ROCK LEADER
February 26, 2009
Staff Reports
Local student Jennifer Molis of Fern Bluff Elementary School participated in the 2009 Texas Elks Association Hoop Shoot free throw contest in Carrollton on Feb. 21.
Molis earned the spot by winning a local competition sponsored by Chisholm Trails Elks Lodge and then the Central District Shoot-Off held in Georgetown January 31.
Competing against eight other district champions Molis - the Central District champion in the 8-9 year-old girls division - made 16 of 25 attempts to take fifth place.
This year more than 220,000 kids across Texas competed in the contest. Nationwide more than 3.5 million boys and girls will compete in the contest this year.
http://rrleader.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=21059&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=2&S=1
Friday, February 20, 2009
Group names Round Rock ISD schools to tops list
ROUND ROCK LEADER
February 20, 2009
Seventeen Round Rock ISD schools were named Higher Performing Schools in 2008 in Texas by education database Just for the Kids.
The group selected schools across the state based on analyses conducted by the National Center for Educational Achievement, sponsor of the Just for the Kids Campaign, and were chosen based on performance in mathematics, reading, science, social studies and writing as well as college and career readiness.
RRISD schools named to the list were:
• Brushy Creek Elementary for science
• Cactus Ranch Elementary for mathematics and reading
• Canyon Creek Elementary for mathematics and reading
• Canyon Vista Middle School for mathematics, reading, science, social studies and writing
• Cedar Valley Middle School for mathematics, reading, science, and social studies
• Fern Bluff Elementary for mathematics and reading
• Forest North Elementary for science
• Great Oaks Elementary for mathematics and reading
• Kathy Caraway Elementary for mathematics and reading
• Laurel Mountain Elementary for mathematics and reading
• Live Oak Elementary for reading
• McNeil High School for science and social studies
• Pond Springs Elementary for mathematics
• Spicewood Elementary for mathematics and reading
• Stony Point Ninth Grade Center for mathematics and reading
• Union Hill Elementary for mathematics
• Westwood High School for mathematics, reading, science, and social studies
There are two ways to be designated as a 2008 JFTK Higher Performing School in Texas. First, schools whose students perform better than predicted for schools with similar demographics were included. Secondly, schools whose student performance was in the top five percent in the state as measured by NCEA's College and Career Readiness Benchmarks in math, reading, and science, or TEA's Commended Standard in social studies and writing were highlighted as a 2008 Just for the Kids Higher Performing School.
Just for the Kids, sponsored by the National Center for Educational Achievement, is aimed at providing school, district, and other education leaders with essential system performance and best practice information they need to make sound decisions.
For more information, go to just4kids.org.
http://rrleader.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=21006&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&S=1
February 20, 2009
Seventeen Round Rock ISD schools were named Higher Performing Schools in 2008 in Texas by education database Just for the Kids.
The group selected schools across the state based on analyses conducted by the National Center for Educational Achievement, sponsor of the Just for the Kids Campaign, and were chosen based on performance in mathematics, reading, science, social studies and writing as well as college and career readiness.
RRISD schools named to the list were:
• Brushy Creek Elementary for science
• Cactus Ranch Elementary for mathematics and reading
• Canyon Creek Elementary for mathematics and reading
• Canyon Vista Middle School for mathematics, reading, science, social studies and writing
• Cedar Valley Middle School for mathematics, reading, science, and social studies
• Fern Bluff Elementary for mathematics and reading
• Forest North Elementary for science
• Great Oaks Elementary for mathematics and reading
• Kathy Caraway Elementary for mathematics and reading
• Laurel Mountain Elementary for mathematics and reading
• Live Oak Elementary for reading
• McNeil High School for science and social studies
• Pond Springs Elementary for mathematics
• Spicewood Elementary for mathematics and reading
• Stony Point Ninth Grade Center for mathematics and reading
• Union Hill Elementary for mathematics
• Westwood High School for mathematics, reading, science, and social studies
There are two ways to be designated as a 2008 JFTK Higher Performing School in Texas. First, schools whose students perform better than predicted for schools with similar demographics were included. Secondly, schools whose student performance was in the top five percent in the state as measured by NCEA's College and Career Readiness Benchmarks in math, reading, and science, or TEA's Commended Standard in social studies and writing were highlighted as a 2008 Just for the Kids Higher Performing School.
Just for the Kids, sponsored by the National Center for Educational Achievement, is aimed at providing school, district, and other education leaders with essential system performance and best practice information they need to make sound decisions.
For more information, go to just4kids.org.
http://rrleader.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=21006&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&S=1
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