 |
|
Dear Belton ISD Employees,
Thank you for your commitment to our priorities this year and for everything you do to stretch our kids! I'm proud of you.
Feel free to share this Key Communicator with your friends.
Sincerely,
Susan Kincannon, Ed.D.
Superintendent
254-215-2002
254-215-2001
|
|
|
Southwest Elementary students and staff honored service members, police officers, firefighters and first responders at their annual Freedom Parade. Sparta Elementary held their annual Patriot Parade earlier this month to also thank service members and first responders. We appreciate the service of all!
|
|
|
This year we are focused on several priorities that we believe will continue to advance our mission to provide an education that challenges all of our students to excel. One of the priority areas for 2017-2018 is the academic performance of our highest performing students. We want to ensure that we provide rigorous instruction in order to stretch our top students to the highest levels of achievement. I'm proud of the work that we are doing to meet this goal.
At our August Board meeting, 99 students were recognized for their high achievement on Advanced Placement (AP) exams. Students who were recognized as AP Scholars met the College Board's criteria for having demonstrated outstanding college-level achievement on AP exams. Additional acknowledgements were awarded to 54 of those students for having scored at high levels on multiple exams. Eight of those students were recognized as National AP Scholars for having done well on eight or more exams.
Last week a special ceremony was held for 145 seventh graders who scored high enough on last year's STAAR test and/or a gifted and talented assessment to qualify for the Duke Talent Identification Program. These students, recognized as Belton ISD's 2017 Junior Scholars, are now eligible to take the SAT and/or ACT this fall alongside of high school students. As a part of the ceremony, we discussed the process and significance of becoming a National Merit Scholar and Belton High School senior Serena Shedore shared with students how she practiced targeted skills for the PSAT. Serena was recently named a National Merit Semifinalist and also received a perfect score on the ACT. We are proud of Serena, and hope that her story inspired our seventh grade students to follow in her footsteps.
On October 11, the PSAT will be administered to students in grades 8-11. For junior level students, this is the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT). Our curriculum and instruction staff have been focused on making sure that our students are prepared to do well on the upcoming assessment. Specifically, we met with students who were recognized last year as Superintendent Scholars for high achievement on the 10th grade PSAT to design a study program for the upcoming test. Students are working at school and independently to improve their skills so that they can compete for National Merit Scholar distinction. A number of these students have invested a significant amount of time in preparation and are doing well on practice assessments. We look forward to celebrating their success this time next year when the results are made public.
Thank you for all you do to support us as we continue to promote high achievement in Belton ISD.
Sincerely,
Susan Kincannon, Ed.D.
Superintendent
|
|
|
Middle and high school students provided feedback on the name, colors and mascot for the new high school scheduled to open in the fall of 2020. A decision is planned for the October 16 Board of Trustees meeting.
|
|
Seventh grade students were recognized as Junior Scholars for their high academic achievement. This accomplished group of 145 students are now eligible to participate in the Duke Talent Identification Program and will take the SAT and/or ACT alongside high school students this fall.
|
The Belton Educational Enrichment Foundation (BEEF) Red Carpet Event will be held Tuesday, October 10, 2017, at Tenroc Ranch in Salado. The social and silent auction will begin at 6:00 p.m. and dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m. Please click
here for additional details and sponsorship opportunities. We hope you will join us for the Foundation's annual fundraising event as they fulfill their mission to award grants to teachers and paraprofessionals and scholarships to graduating seniors.
|
|
|
Message from the School Board President:
Our Schools! Our Community!
We are fortunate to live in a community that continually demonstrates its investment and engagement in our schools. It is always a joy to visit campuses and see the crowds of people joining together to celebrate, support and cheer for our students. Recent special events include the Patriot Day celebrations and parades, Middle School AVID Contract Signing Ceremony, Junior Scholars Ceremony, PTA meetings and performances, band contest, concerts, and numerous athletic events. Thousands of people gather on Friday nights at Tiger Field to support our students on and off the field, and it is always impressive how many students and groups participate in these awesome events: players, student trainers, cheerleaders, Marching 100 Band and Color Guard, Magic Belles, choirs, Marine Corps JROTC, Tiger Media, Police Explorers, PALS, Bleacher Creatures, flag raisers, and more!
The Belton Educational Enrichment Foundation (BEEF) also provides wonderful opportunities for our community to invest in and support our teachers and students with grants and scholarships. The annual Red Carpet Event is a major fundraiser for BEEF and is a fun way for us to come together in support of our schools. Please join us!
Another aspect of our engaged community has been seen in the active participation in conversations about names, mascots and colors for our planned second comprehensive high school. We have certainly seen and heard the passion people feel about our schools and our community! While these conversations indicate diverse opinions about preferences and style, we remain committed and unified in our support of our students regardless of the eventual decisions about names.
Thank you for your support of our students, our schools, and our community. The more we grow, the more opportunities our students have to excel, and the more we have to celebrate!
I Love Belton!
Randy Pittenger
President, Board of Trustees
|
|
|
Computer science and engineering students and teachers recently facilitated team building activities with the Board of Trustees. These are two great programs offered through our CTE Department.
|
|
Friday Night Lights are big in Belton! Bleacher Creatures get us started, student trainers and Tiger Media provide valuable skills, Police Explorers report for duty, the MJROTC post the colors, and many parent volunteers assist. Our players, cheerleaders, Magic Belles, band, and color guard are amazing!
We were proud to have Major General John C. Thomson III, Commander of the 1st Cavalry Division, join us for Military Appreciation Night on September 8. Next Friday the Tigers take on Killeen at Tiger Stadium at 7:30 p.m.
|
|
|
|
|
|
