FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE Hello Team and Family! I’d like to talk to you today about Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars. We offer AP courses to our High School students as a basic part of our curriculum. We know that students who participate in AP courses have a better chance for success in college.

This is why we believe that everyone should take AP courses. There are several awards for those students that do well and pass their AP exams. We are strongly encouraging our parents to push our scholars to earn any one of the awards listed below. This will increase the likelihood of college acceptance letters and potential scholarship money for our scholars! Go Bobcats!

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) CORNER

Team and family, Our second Mentor Mingle will take place on Friday, September 28, from 2:30 - 3:45 p.m. Junior and Senior mentors will be participating in IB House: Math/ Science versus Arts & Humanities team building activities in the gym for an hour. Then, Senior mentors will be discussing Creativity, Activity, & Service with each of their junior mentees. This will allow all juniors to learn from their Senior mentors and be able to ask for tips and guidance concerning CAS experiences and/or project. Seniors should continue to focus on submitting all internal assessment checkpoint documents in order to meet each IA deadline. IB Senior Assessments 2018-2019 link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E4u-Yy8XzqoxpJCOgRBEgOXjH7EdVAq5OjXXc2IA27A/edit?usp=sharing Just a reminder Seniors (DP candidates) must complete CAS in order to begin their Extended Essay draft. In doing so, they must set up a meeting with their EE supervisor for support. If you have questions feel free to reach out.

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IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS ● Student parking - Great News! We are adding another parking lot to our campus which will increase

the number of visitors that we can have on our campus. However, parking is still very limited and because our parents, faculty and staff take priority, we will be limiting the number of student parking spots / permits we will be issuing out for the 2018-2019 school year. We will begin the selection process for student parking permits within the next couple of weeks, once the additional parking lot is completed. Due to limited parking spots, this privilege is for seniors only and only seniors with current IDEA Brownsville parking permits will be allowed to park on our campus. All others will be subject to verbal, written warnings and subsequently, towing.

● IDEA will be using Remind as our main communicating device between teachers and parents. Teachers no longer have school issued cell phones.

● Mesh backpacks - Big shout out to everyone that has a mesh backpack! If you are still pending one, please do so as soon as possible.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

WEEKLY ATTENDANCE - GOAL 98%

6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade 9th Grade 10th Grade

11th Grade

12th Grade

Overall

98.63% 99.15% 99.02% 97.27% 97.98% 99.27% 98.35% 98.55%

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IMPORTANT DATES

● Tuesday, Oct. 2, 218 - ACT Testing Date - Juniors and Seniors

● Middle School Field Lessons - will be taking place during October and November, exact dates to be announced

● High School Field Lessons - will be taking place in October, November, January, February and March, exact dates to be announced

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COLLEGE COUNSELING CORNER ACT

Hello Team and Family, our 11th and 12th grade students will be taking the ACT exam on Oct 2, 2018. 9th and 10th grade students will be taking a benchmark exam.Please make sure students are preparing for the exam. You may find resources in the following website: https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act-educator/resources.html. Second, make sure students receive a good night's rest the night prior to the exam. The score can determine the school they may get accepted to. TSI TSI bootcamps will occur the following Saturdays; September 22, September 29, October 6, October 13, and October 20. Students must arrive by 8:30 and must be picked up by 12:30 p.m. Transportation is available for dismissal. Students have been selected for this bootcamps. Duke Tip Notices have been sent home with the students who were selected. Students must arrive by 8:00 a.m. and must be picked up by 1:00 p.m. Please make the necessary arrangements. ____________________________________________________________________________________

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

TESTING / ASSESSMENTS Friday 09/27/18 - 6th Science Unit Exam 2 ____________________________________________________________________________________

MATH @ HOME PARENT POINTERS

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OPERATIONS CORNER ● Campus gates will be closing at 7:45 am on a daily basis from now on, instruction starts at 7:45am

ideal time to arrive campus is between 7:10 am and 7:30 am.. ● Free breakfast and homeroom procedures began promptly at 7:30 am. ● Team and Family, guess what Did you know immunizations prevent 2-3 million deaths per year

around the world?! Unsure of which vaccines your child needs to have each year? Check out the resources on IDEA’s Back to School page: https://www.ideapublicschools.org/backtoschool/immunization

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: 6th Grade

Agnes Olukotun: Agnes is one of a few students who has completed 100% of their pathway progress in Blended Learning Spaces / Hotspot. This is where our students have an opportunity for individualized instruction in math while working on computer modules specifically designated for each student. The purpose of the iLearning Hotspot blended learning space is to use the power of technology to individualize instruction. This means that the learning of all students will be enriched, whether they are high achieving students that need to be challenged or struggling students that need extra support. The vision for the Hotspot is to use adaptive math software to give all students a chance to accelerate their learning in math. The most important thing about student learning in the Hotspot is their engagement with the program; students must have ready access to just-right skills and knowledge that are individually motivating, challenging, and rewarding. In math, Agnes also met her goal as one of our campus top performers on the Mid-Module 1 assessment. Overall, Agnes has been a joy to have in class and has pushed herself to improve from day to day. Agnes also tutors other students and is a great partner when it comes to helping her classmates!

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

DISTRICT NEWS IDEA Principal in Residence Program. Are you ready to lead with IDEA?

With the start of the academic year also begins the search for a cohort to join IDEA’s Principal in

Residence (PIR) Program for the 2019-20 school year. Candidates that are accepted into the program spend

1-3 years learning and supporting students in campuses across the IDEA network.

We caught up with Luzdivina Lozano, Senior Director of Leader Development for the Rio Grande

Valley and Denise De La Rosa, Senior Director of Leader Development in Tarrant County to learn about

the program that is developing leaders with the skills to open new IDEA Schools in our new regions.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Luzdivina and Denise have crucial roles when it comes to guiding candidates in the PIR Program. Denise

explained that after experiencing a principal training program first-hand, she learned that support is key in

developing leader skills and growth as an individual.

How does your role support the Principal in Residence Program?

Denise: There is a triad of folks who support a PIR. There is a Director of Leader Development who is a

leadership coach, the Mentor Principal who is the second part of that triangle, and then you have a Vice

President of Schools. The whole intent and purpose of my role, on a daily basis, is to serve as a leadership

coach – coaching key school leadership levers, 34 different requisite skills that we have identified at IDEA

to be what great principals do. This includes everything from observation and feedback to teachers, to data

driven instruction and to organization and time.

“There is so much love in this program,” Denise said. “There is so much support here, and making sure everyone is swimming in the same direction is also key.”

What is your favorite part of the Principal in Residence program?

Luzdivina: The thing I enjoy most about it, as it pertains to our leaders, is the way in which the program

builds a cohort of life lines for people in common challenging roles. Leadership can be lonely, but with the

PIR program, we ensure it doesn’t have to be that way. Whether it’s a team builder, a quarterly

collaboration, a training or a school visit, there are multiple opportunities for our leaders to build

community, friendship, and support.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

What has been the overall feel from team members who are in the PIR program when they live in a

new region and study under a Mentor Principal at a current IDEA school?

Luzdivina: We deeply value the commitment leaders who move to a new region make to not only their

development, but the success of their future students. Our leaders are very gracious and always express the

benefit of seeing how strong leaders in our schools lead. They value having the opportunity to see this day

in and day out because they know their schools will be better because of it. I have seen some struggle with

the move, given that not all of them bring their family. I also notice that they build community outside of

school with each other, sharing a mutual understanding of what it’s like to be in a new region.

What are some of the things a candidate can expect to experience in the program?

Denise: We are an organization that thrives on continuous improvement so just the expectation of getting

feedback frequently. Both affirming and adjusting feedback every week from people who care deeply about

your learning and development. It is warm, direct feedback but it is going to push you. Be prepared to be

pushed with a lot of love and support but also with a lot of accountability because as principals the buck is

always going to stop with you.

“Someone is going to be walking through your leadership journey with you,” Denise said. “What you should expect is we will be working on skills every week to help you get better. You should expect on the ground support as you need it in at least two touch points a week."

What is the trend in people who are successful in the program?

Luzdivina: Strong PIRs are those who allow their mentor principal and coach to see and know their gaps

so they can be coached on them. When a PIR hides a gap by being transactional or withholding a request

for help, they not only hurt their performance, but also the staff and students they serve.

The second strongest indicator is the level of emotional intelligence with which they engage. The strongest

leaders approach their work knowing that what they do and say matters because we work with people.Their

goal is not to impose their agenda, but rather to achieve the intended outcome of their work by meeting

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

people they work with where they are, understanding their needs and matching the solution with the root of

the problem.

Finally, the most effective PIRs are those who joined the program because of our mission – to ensure 100%

of students can go to and through college. These are the leaders who will be resilient, compelling and will

persevere through challenges.

Ready to join a cohort of leaders who guide students to college and beyond? Former principals,

assistant principals, academic deans, and teacher coaches meet our profile of great PIR candidates. Please

visit our IDEA Public Schools website and search for our Principal in Residence Program to apply.

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Please contact Mrs. Norma Schmucker at 956-703-0056. Thank you. ____________________________________________________________________________________

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

ATHLETICS Parents, please make sure that your child gets a new physical for this upcoming school year if they

are planning on participating in any sports. If you have any questions about athletics, please contact our Athletic Coordinator Darren Mendiola.

Coach Hernandez with 6th grader Alexys Olalde who placed 1st place in 6th-8th grade division at RGV FC Toros Stadium. 9/22/2018

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Middle School Cross Country Team at The RGV FC Toros Stadium

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Parents, below you will find the upcoming 2018 Flag Football and Volleyball schedules. Please make sure to come and support our Bobcats!!

2018 IDEA Brownsville Bobcat Flag Football

Varsity Flag Football Schedule

DATE DAY OPPONENT SITE TIME Sept. 18 Tuesday IDEA Donna Away 5:30pm Sept 25 Tuesday IDEA Weslaco Home 6:30pm Oct. 2 Tuesday Harmony School of Innovation Home 5:30pm Oct. 9 Tuesday IDEA San Benito Away 6:30pm Oct. 16 Tuesday Jubilee Brownsville Home 5:30pm Oct. 19 Friday Harmony School of Innovation Away 5:30pm Oct. 23 Tuesday IDEA San Benito Home 6:30pm Oct. 26 Friday Jubilee Brownsville Away 5:30pm

JV Flag Football Schedule DATE DAY OPPONENT SITE TIME Sept. 18 Tuesday IDEA McAllen Away 5:30pm Sept. 25 Tuesday IDEA Alamo Away 5:30pm Oct. 5 Friday IDEA Alamo Home 6:30pm Oct. 9 Tuesday IDEA San Benito Away 5:30pm Oct. 12 Friday IDEA McAllen Home 6:30pm Oct. 16 Tuesday IDEA Donna Away 5:30pm Oct. 23 Tuesday IDEA San Benito Home 5:30pm Oct. 26 Friday IDEA Donna Home 5:30pm

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

6th-8th Grade Flag Football Schedule

DATE DAY OPPONENT SITE TIME Sept. 17 Monday Jubilee Brownsville Home 5:30pm Sept. 24 Monday Harmony School of Innovation Away 5:30pm Sept. 28 Friday IDEA San Benito Home 5:30pm Oct. 1 Monday Rising Scholars Academy Away 5:30pm Oct. 5 Friday Jubilee Brownsville Away 5:30pm Oct. 12 Friday Harmony School of Innovation Home 5:30pm Oct. 15 Monday IDEA San Benito Away 5:30pm Oct. 22 Monday Rising Scholars Academy Home 5:30pm

**Times and dates subject to change

2018 IDEA Brownsville Bobcat Volleyball Varsity Volleyball Schedule

DATE DAY OPPONENT SITE TIME Sept. 18 Tuesday IDEA Alamo Away 6:00pm Sept 25 Tuesday IDEA Weslaco Away 6:00pm Oct. 2 Tuesday IDEA Donna Home 6:00pm Oct. 5 Friday IDEA San Benito Away 7:00pm Oct. 9 Tuesday Jubilee Brownsville Home 7:00pm Oct. 12 Friday IDEA Alamo Home 7:00pm Oct. 16 Tuesday IDEA Weslaco Home 6:00pm Oct. 19 Friday IDEA Donna Away 6:00pm Oct. 23 Tuesday IDEA San Benito Home 7:00pm Oct. 26 Friday Jubilee Brownsville Away 7:00pm

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

JV Volleyball Schedule

DATE DAY OPPONENT SITE TIME Sept. 25 Tuesday Harmony School of Innovation Home 6:00pm Oct. 5 Friday IDEA San Benito Away 6:00pm Oct. 9 Tuesday Jubilee Brownsville Home 6:00pm Oct. 16 Tuesday Harmony School of Innovation Away 6:00pm Oct. 23 Tuesday IDEA San Benito Home 6:00pm Oct. 26 Friday Jubilee Brownsville Away 6:00pm

6th-8th Grade Volleyball Schedule

DATE DAY OPPONENT SITE TIME Sept. 17 Monday Jubilee Brownsville Home 6:00pm Sept. 24 Monday Harmony School of Innovation Away 7:00pm Sept. 28 Friday Harmony Science Academy Home 6:00pm Oct. 1 Monday Raul Yzaguirre Away 6:00pm Oct. 5 Friday Jubilee Brownsville Away 6:00pm Oct. 12 Friday Harmony School of Innovation Home 6:00pm Oct. 15 Monday Harmony Science Academy Away 6:00pm Oct. 22 Monday Raul Yzaguirre Home 6:00pm

**Times and dates subject to change. ____________________________________________________________________________________

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

September 2018

◄ Aug 2018 September 2018 Oct 2018 ►

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

16

17

18 Junior Parent Meeting at the GYM 5:30-6:30

19

20 For 12th grade students only:

Comparative Study (2-5 slides) Due in ART SL

21 Early Release Day

22

Fall begins

23

24 Deadline to receive ELL / Bilingual permission letters

Deadline to code 504 students

Transfer ARDs complete

25

26 For 12th grade students only:

Comparative Study (6-9 slides) Due in ART SL

27

28

29

30

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

◄ SEP 2018 OCTOBER 2018 NOV 2018 ►

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

1

2 ACT ON SITE

TESTING (11TH-12TH) AT IDEA

BROWNSVILLE

3

4

5

6

7

8 NO CLASSES -

COLUMBUS DAY

HOLIDAY

9

10

11

12 END OF QUARTER

1

13

14

15

16

17

18

19 PROFESSIONAL

DEVELOPMENT

DAY

20 DUKE TIP WEEK 1

21

22

23

24

25

26

27 DUKE TIP WEEK 2

28

29

30

31 HALLOWEEN

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

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CONTACT US IDEA Brownsville 4931 Paredes Line Rd. Brownsville, TX 78526 (956) 832-5150 www.ideapublicschools.org Office Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. _____________________

REGIONAL OFFICE IDEA Headquarters Rio Grande Valley 2115 W. Pike Blvd. Weslaco, TX 78596 (956) 377-8000 www.ideapublicschools.org Office Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. _____________________

Marco C. Lopez Principal

Norma Schmucker Admin. Assistant

Monica Araiza Principal in Residence

William Corbit Principal in Residence

Norma Jimenez Academic Counselor

Oscar Cantu Assistant Principal of Instruction

Rachel Brown Assistant Principal of Instruction

Abigail Molina Assistant Principal of Instruction/IB Coordinator

Lynda Soto Dir. of College Counseling

Yazmin Hernandez College Counselor

Jose G. Arambul Jr. College Counselor

Carlos Montero Assistant Principal of Operations

Carlos De La Pena Facilities Manager

Ana Lozano Child Nutrition Program Manager

Gerardo Ramirez Transportation Manager