Sincerely,

Anne Silavs

Superintendent

In September, students were given a scenario and challenged to imagine, plan, and create a toy using everyday items, such as straws, paper cups, tin foil, and string. This project, and others like them, requires students to navigate their way through the engineering design process and helps prepare them to solve the complex problems of tomorrow. The engineering design process requires students to study and define a problem, brainstorm possible solutions, develop a plan, build a prototype, test their solution, and improve or redesign it as needed. It's a cycle, so there's no official start or end point. The process is flexible, and steps are not always followed in sequential order. For example, students may start with a design, test their prototype, and then find various problems it might solve. Through thoughtfully developed lessons and units, students learn to work collaboratively as a team, exercising their creativity and critical thinking skills. The following slide show captures how students are "learning by making" in the Cypress School District. 

 

Some have argued that music is humanity's greatest creation. It can break down barriers to unite people from different backgrounds and cultures. It can draw people together and uplift them emotionally. On an academic level, researchers have long studied the benefits of music education, recognizing a strong relationship between music instruction and academic achievement. Studying music is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skill. Equally important, music can improve motivation, concentration, confidence, and team work. For all these reasons and many more, music is an essential component of a well-rounded, high-quality educational program, and we are proud to provide music for all students in the Cypress School District.

 

This fall, we welcomed three new music teachers, who are providing weekly music instruction to all students in transitional kindergarten through sixth grade. In the primary grades, students will study the basic elements of music. They will explore and create music through voice and a variety of rhythm instruments. As students work their way through the program, they will learn to read and play music using the recorder in fourth grade. Eventually, students will self-select a musical pathway to pursue, choosing to study either vocal or instrumental music during fifth and sixth grade. While we are just in the beginning stages of launching this new program, the slideshow below reflects the excitement and enthusiasm of our students. Clearly, it's already a big success!