As we approach testing season, we can all take a lesson from the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, or as most of us know it as, “March Madness.”

This is the first time in history that there are no #1 seeds in the Final Four, set to be played on Saturday in Houston. UConn may be a household name in hoops, but Florida Atlantic, Miami and San Diego State are all Final Four first-timers.

As a former basketball coach, I know that the winners are always the teams who work together.

How does that translate to testing? Because our Longhorn Team works collaboratively to ensure that we’re one of the premier teams in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and Texas, as a whole. That involves every teacher preparing for success and every academic intervention. We know we can achieve great things in Cedar Hill.

For those who have never passed, look no farther than FAU, Miami and San Diego State. I believe this is the year for you. Like those three overachieving programs, you have to take every test seriously. Pass every test because you never know the impact or reward for yourself and your community.

Excellence is contagious – catch it.

Sincerely,

Dr. Gerald B. Hudson

Superintendent

Following a series of community meetings and listening sessions, the Cedar Hill ISD administration recommended a May bond package that was reduced from the bond propositions defeated by voters in November 2022. The May 2023 bond election has many (but not all) of the same projects that were included in Proposition B in November, which had 15,890 votes cast in the election. Approximately 49.6 percent of voters were in favor of Proposition B in November, with 50.2 percent voting against it.

 

EARLY VOTING

• Monday, April 24 – Tuesday, May 2

  Dallas County voters may vote at any Vote Center in the county during Early Voting. In Cedar Hill, Alan Sims Recreation Center and Collegiate Academy & HS will serve as early voting center locations.

The CHISD Academic Department teamed up with Communications staff to create a ThoughtExchange online survey to collect feedback from the community on 2 calendar options provided.

• 1524 people provided feedback
• 736 thoughts or opinions were collected

During last week's Board of Trustees' meeting, the 2023-24 academic calendar was approved. An overview of next year's calendar includes:

• First Day of School: August 14, 2023
• Thanksgiving Break: November 20-24, 2023
• Winter Break: December 21-January 9, 2024
• Spring Break: March 11-15, 2024
• Last Day of School: May 23, 2024

Cedar Hill ISD returning scholars, along with Pre-K and Kindergarten Scholars, will be able to register for the 2023-2024 school year, beginning on Saturday, April 1. CHISD returning scholars and their families can find additional information at chisd.net/enrollment.

CHISD is getting a website upgrade! As we work on updating chisd.net to better inform and meet the needs of current and potential scholars, families, and staff, the communications department is requesting feedback.

 

A ThoughtExchange survey has been created to collect input on current website features and make suggestions on ways we can improve the new website launching this summer. The ThoughtExchange will close at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, March 29. Principals, please feel free to share the ThoughtExchange link with your families.

Our thoughts and prayers are with our friends and neighbors at Lamar High School in Arlington ISD.

You may be aware that this morning, a shooting occurred on the Arlington Lamar campus outside of the school at about 6:55 a.m., about 40 minutes before school began. Two students who were injured were said to be receiving medical care, but further information about their conditions is not yet known.

Lamar is located just 22 miles from us, and it is a stark reminder that sadly, no community is immune from the scourge of gun violence. However, communities across North Texas and the nation continue to take steps to dramatically reduce those risks.

 

As we mentioned before spring break, CHISD has been taking additional measures to work toward eliminating all forms of violence at all campuses. This will require a community effort – from parents, students, administration and staff.

As a reminder:

• Following an investigation, students caught fighting could be suspended for up to 45 days
• Students caught recording fights will be disciplined, which could include ISS or out-of-school suspension
• CHISD police are drastically increasing random searches using contracted detection dogs and wanding to identify prohibited items on school grounds
• Teachers will initiate a student's formal removal from class when student behavior is so unruly, disruptive, or abusive that the teacher cannot teach, and the students in the classroom cannot learn.

It's also important to closely monitor and review your child's social media. We have found most of the misbehavior starts online and then unfortunately plays out in our schools. Checking your student's backpack for dangerous items and ensuring that any weapons in the home are secured/locked in a safe place are safety measures that will keep all students and staff safe.

We need parents to be present in their child's education and a partner in ensuring that their student follows the Student Code of Conduct and all local, state and federal laws.

 

Thank you for your partnership, have a great week!

Dr. Gerald B. Hudson

Superintendent

When residents consider the CHISD bond election this spring, they’ll be choosing whether to fund projects for safety and security, capital improvements, technology network upgrades, new elementary playgrounds, and renovations for Career & Technical Education (CTE), Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM), fine arts, and more.

 

The Cedar Hill ISD’s total tax rate has dropped each year since 2018, and is the lowest it’s been in 10 years! The tax rate will not increase as a result of the 2023 bond.

• Even though the CHISD tax rate is the lowest it has been in more than 10 years, your taxes are higher due to the overall property value growth, not the tax rate. Your home value is set by the Dallas Central Appraisal District, and when your home value increases, so does your bill.

Cedar Hill ISD is looking forward to tonight's announcement of the district’s first-ever Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) winners. TIA is a Local Option Teacher Designation System where Districts receive new state funding for performance-based compensation for teachers. The goal of the TIA is to attract and retain effective educators by giving them a path to higher annual salaries. Teachers receiving additional funds will be recognized tonight at the March CHISD Board of Trustees Meeting.

 

Texas House Bill 3 established TIA to recognize effective teachers on three different levels: Recognized, Exemplary, and Master. These teacher designations generate additional teacher-focused allotment funding for Districts. It requires the setting of “performance and validity standards” to ensure that the identification of highly effective teachers yields reliable and comparable results across the state.

The TIA is dedicated to recruiting, supporting and retaining highly effective teachers in all schools. Participating districts develop a local designation system that measures teacher effectiveness on both teacher observation and student growth data. The funding formula is based on the allotment which equals a student point value determined by campus socio-economic tiers.

The TIA does not replace the District’s current teacher hiring schedule in any way. Only certified educators may earn this designation. Some employees will be automatically designated and eligible if they are Nationally Board Certified and/or were designated by their previous District.

For more information on the TIA Rubric and National Board Certification, please click on this FAQ https://tiatexas.org/national-board-certification-faqs/.

 

Congratulations to the CHISD TIA recognized teachers!

WHITNEY JURAND - Exemplary

VERA COUSIN - Exemplary

KESHUN WILLIAMS - Exemplary

LATONYA GAITHER - Exemplary

TERRI HARRIS - Master

ANA-ALICIA BENJAMIN - Master

SANDRA HRYEKEWICZ - Master

KIMBERLY NEWMAN CURTIS - Recognized

TRACEY JUHRE - Recognized

SUSAN THOMPSON - Recognized

SHANDRIA RUSSELL - Recognized

MATTHEW GAINES - Recognized

SHERISE GOWDY - Recognized

LAKEISHA JONES - Recognized

BARIMAH AMOO-ASANTE- Recognized

CHARDE COOKS - Recognized

TAMECIA CRUMP - Recognized

DAIJA BEECHAM - Recognized

The Cedar Hill ISD Board of Trustees will host a regularly scheduled Meeting at 6:30 p.m. tonight, the public portion of the meeting starts at 7:30 p.m.

A few items on tonight's agenda include:

• Teacher Incentive Allotment Update & Presentation
• Rezoning Bray Presentation & Vote
• Communications Department Efficiency Report

Here is the full meeting agenda; to watch the meeting live, click here.

The Cedar Hill ISD Teen Superintendent helps support the district's Communication Department and incorporates Student Voice in district initiatives and information. The district is currently accepting applications for the 2023-24 school year!

Qualifications
8th-11th grade scholars eligible to apply
Annual term, must audition each year.

Deadlines
Applications Close on March 24

Applications for Cedar Hill ISD's 2023-2024 Teen Superintendent Applications are now open. Here's the link to the application.

Welcome to a new week!

Spring Break is on the horizon, and we hope that everyone has a relaxing, enjoyable and especially, safe time, next week. That holds true whether you are going on vacation, locally or nationally, or just spending time around the house.

We know you’ll come back refreshed. It’s important to understand that we still have approximately two months remaining in the school year upon return.

It’s time for our scholars to finish the academic year strong. We have to keep the same laser focus on academic achievement that you held since the middle of August.

And educators, it’s upon you to keep our scholars on track as they finish the academic year on a high note.

Sincerely,

Dr. Gerald B. Hudson

Superintendent

The Cedar Hill ISD 2022-2023 Campus Teachers of the Year have been announced. The district elementary and secondary teachers of the year will be announced at 6 p.m. on April 20 at the Alan E. Sims Recreation Center. Congratulations to the below teachers:

· Bray ES– Bridgett Smith

· Collegiate Prep ES– Lisa Warren

· Collegiate Academy MS – Kellie Burchfield

· Collegiate HS – Juana Rodriguez

· High Pointe ES – Tuyet Vuong

· Highlands ES – Angie Gonzalez-Roland

· Lake Ridge ES – Ariel Bourgeois

· Plummer ES – Daija Beecham

· Waterford Oaks ES– Quiana Parks

· Bessie Coleman MS– Kathy Houston

· Permenter MS– Brian Hicks

· Cedar Hill HS – Ebony Allen

· STRIVE/Hilltop – Jane Thornton

We are happy to announce the nominees for our Second Annual Texas Instruments Foundation Innovations in STEM Teaching Award! The winning teacher will receive a $10,000 cash prize, of which $5,000 is designated for the winning teacher to use as he/she wishes. The remaining $5,000 is to be used for STEM related professional development, technology, and/or classroom materials on the teacher’s campus. Congratulations to this year’s nominees:

· Bray ES - Yasmine Downs

· Collegiate Prep ES - Davie Moore

· High Pointe ES - Chrenda Dotsy

· Highlands ES - Courtney Washington

· Lake Ridge ES - Matthew Gaines

· Plummer ES - Terri Harris

· Waterford Oaks ES - Quiana Parks

· Bessie Coleman MS - Carlece Jackson

· Collegiate Academy & HS/STEM Center - Archana Tiwari

· Permenter MS - Lashandra Landry

· Cedar Hill HS - Holly Brookman

The Cedar Hill ISD Board of Trustees will host a Workshop Meeting at 6:30 p.m. tonight, the public portion of the meeting starts at 7:30 p.m.

A few items on tonight's agenda include:

• Attendance Zone Report
• 2023-24 Calendar Development

Here is the full meeting agenda; to watch the meeting live, click here.

Your input is requested as CHISD develops the 2023-24 school calendar. To make your choice, click here and scroll through the instructions to make your selection. The survey will remain open until 5 p.m. on Thursday, Mar. 9, 2023. We look forward to receiving your feedback.

Applications for Cedar Hill ISD's 2023-2024 Teen Superintendent Applications are now open. Here's the link to the application.

Welcome to a new week!

 

As you know, the vast majority of scholars in our district come to school with the goal of learning and furthering their education. We can no longer afford to let the few scholars intent on causing discipline issues to disrupt our scholars who come here to learn.

 

Yesterday afternoon, I shared a safety and security expectations letter to all staff, scholars and family. We have addressed the fights and unsafe behaviors that have occurred at our middle and high schools recently, and are taking additional measures to work toward eliminating those situations at all campuses. This will require a community effort – from parents, scholars, administration and staff.

 

Please join us in partnership in our efforts to improve school safety. Also, on the May 2023 Bond propositions, there is a plan to set aside $11 million in the voter-approved bond proposition to provide security updates to all CHISD campuses.

Proposed Safety & Security Updates at All Schools in CHISD include:

• Cameras

• Access Control Monitoring System

• Bullet Resistant Film

• Communications and Mass Notification Systems

• Alarm Systems

 

Please take the time to learn more about the May bond election by visiting chisd.net/bond2023.

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Gerald B. Hudson

Superintendent

This evening, CHISD leadership will provide an update to Bray staff and families about the future of the building. The results of the November 2022 bond and VATRE elections were disappointing and possibly detrimental to this district. The failure of the November bond package left CHISD without the necessary funds to build a new elementary school to serve Bray families and our community.

 

It is no secret that the Bray facility is not in a condition to continue to serve scholars for much longer; and an announcement regarding the future of Bray is expected this evening. Bray Elementary families and staff are encouraged to attend tonight's meeting at 6 p.m. at the campus.

Mark your calendars for May 6 as CHISD will hold a school board election for three seats up for election.

• Cedar Hill ISD Trustees Ramona Ross-Bacon (Place 3) and Dr. Denise Roache-Davis (Place 4) are running unopposed for their second term on May 6, 2023.

• Dr. Jeremiah Martin (Place 5) has decided not to run for re-election. Cedar Hill residents Will Campbell, Kim Rimmer and Denishea Williams are running for the open seat.

This week, the CHISD Business Office is excited to launch the Finance 101 webpage. On this page, community members can learn the basics of school finance, read an overview of how school districts are funded and where the money goes, definitions of key concepts and common acronyms, and review frequently asked questions.

With Cedar Hill ISD Teen Superintendent Skylar Wesley graduating this spring, CHISD is looking for a new Teen Superintendent.

 

Qualifications
8th-11th grade scholars are eligible to apply
Annual term, must audition each year

 

Deadlines
Applications Open on March 1
Applications Close on March 24

 

Requirements

• Online form (name, age, grade, school, parent contact info, social media handles, questions, three references from your campus)
  Upload a Reel-style video on the topic: Importance of Voting or Facts About CHISD Bond/VATRE election

• Include personal social media handles

• Complete questionnaire (Why do you want to be Teen Superintendent and What do you want us to know about you?)

• First Interviews (First Week of April 2023) - Communications Team & Dr. Norbert Whitaker

• Final Interview (End of April 2023) - Superintendent Dr. Hudson

• Present Teen Superintendent to the Board (May 2023 Board Meeting)

 

Interested? You can apply here, beginning on Wednesday, March 1.

The Cedar Hill Independent School District is resilient.

In the wake of an unsuccessful school bond election last November, our CHISD Trustees reached out to the community in an effort to evaluate priorities and go back to the proverbial drawing board.

We had long periods of discussion and analysis, which ultimately resulted in a 6-0 vote to place a $208 million bond proposal on the May 6, 2023 ballot. This bond will have much – but not all – of the projects included in Proposition B, which failed last November. Voters will choose this spring on whether to fund projects for safety/security, capital improvements, technology network upgrades, new elementary playgrounds, Career & Technical Education renovations, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), Fine Arts and more.

We will have one proposition and it will be titled ‘Proposition A’. The district does not anticipate a change in the tax rate if Proposition A is approved this spring.

 

Once again, we can’t emphasize enough the importance of exercising your right to vote. Although May isn’t a traditional voting season, it’s still important to ensure that your vote is counted.

You can research and learn more about the Bond at chisd.net/bond2023.

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Gerald B. Hudson

Superintendent

Public school taxes involve two figures, which divide the school district budget into two “buckets.”

• The first bucket is the Maintenance and Operations budget (M&O), which funds daily costs and recurring or consumable expenditures such as teacher and staff salaries, supplies, food and utilities.
• The second bucket is the Interest and Sinking Fund (I&S), also known as Debt Service, and that is used to repay debt for capital improvements approved by voters through bond elections. ​

 

The upcoming bond election will address the funds needed in the Interest & Sinking Fund, and with the failure of the voter approval tax rate election (VATRE) in November, CHISD must cut $6 million from the 2023-24 Maintenance and Operations Budget.

 

The newly formed CHISD Budget Committee held its second meeting at the JoLynn Maddox Teaching & Learning Center. The committee is charged with providing the Cedar Hill ISD Board of Trustees with a list of recommendations to consider to address the deficit from the M&O budget. At the February 9 meeting, the CHISD business office staff provided dollar amounts to the cost saving measures suggested by the committee, which allowed the committee to prioritize the recommendations and score them using a predetermined rubric.

There will be no school for scholars February 16 &17. Cedar Hill ISD will have Professional Development on Thursday, February 16 and Parent-Teacher Conference Day is Friday, February 17. The District will be closed on Monday, February 20 in observance of Presidents' Day.

 

Parent-Teacher Conference: Tips for Parents

Before the meeting

• Talk to your child about any concerns to bring up during the meeting

• Be familiar with your child’s work and progress

• Gather any questions or concerns you may have

During the meeting

• Be on time

• Don’t be afraid to ask any questions

• Listen carefully

• If you don’t understand something, ask for clarification

After the meeting

• Speak with your child and create an action plan, if needed

• Stay in touch with the teacher, this goes a long way

Although February is Black History Month, we celebrate the contributions of African-Americans throughout the year at Cedar Hill ISD. A walk through the halls of the Dr. Peggy M. Wilson STEM Center vividly highlight the accomplishments of Black Scientists and Engineers, along with women and people of color. It is very important for each and every Longhorn Scholar to learn about these accomplishments during Black History Month. There are some phenomenal Black achievements that have not received a lot of attention, but are nonetheless, very significant. Here are some:

• Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the first Black woman to receive a medical degree in the United States when she graduated from the New England Female Medical College in 1864.
• Phillis Wheatley, for whom a high school is named in Houston, became the first Black author to publish a book of poetry, when she did so in 1773. It was called “Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral.”
• Many of us know musician Stevie Wonder, but did you know he was the first Black artist to win a Grammy for an Album (“Innervisions”) 50 years ago?

One of the indicators of the CHISD Leadership definition is to value diversity. While we may be focused on Black history this month, it is important that we acknowledge the importance of diversity and contributions from all racial or ethnic groups as well as the successes of women in our history.

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Gerald B. Hudson

Superintendent

Level up by becoming a coder this summer with Girls Who Code! Choose your own adventure through 2 FREE virtual programs and get the skills, network, and lifelong college and career support you need to change the world. All high school girls are welcome to apply, including past participants!

• In the 2-week Summer Immersion Program for current 9th-11th graders, join live virtual classrooms hosted by industry-leading companies like MetLife, Bank of America, and Accenture. By the end of the program, you’ll learn the fundamentals of game design, UX, the iterative design process, and more. Need a laptop or hotspot access? How about a $300 grant for financial support? Apply now!
• In the 6-week Self-Paced Program for current 9th-12th graders, learn to code through independent study and real-world projects. Earn beginner-level certificates of completion in HTML, CSS, or JavaScript for web development or intermediate-level certificates of completion in Python for cybersecurity or data science.

Don’t miss your chance to be a part of a sisterhood that supports you for life! Get started at girlswhocode.com/summerapply or attend a webinar. Make sure to apply by February 15th for priority consideration or by March 24th for the general application deadline.

Wesley Williams’ winning word was ‘Trilby’, a stylish, narrow brimmed hat. “It was such a simple word that I thought I may not get it right,” said Williams, who won the 2023 Cedar Hill ISD Spelling Bee recently. “I remember it was on the campus spelling bee list.” Williams, a Collegiate Academy Middle School Seventh Grader, won the Spelling Bee after finishing third as a sixth grader in 2022. But the first place trophy wasn’t the result of a year-long quest. “I studied when I got the list,” Williams said “I was hoping to get into the Top Two, to advance to the County Bee.”

 

Williams earned first place in the sixth round, with 2022 CHISD Spelling Bee Champion Saniyah McGrew (a Bessie Coleman Eighth Grader) finishing second. The Bee started with 20 spelling contestants. Both Williams and McGrew now advance to the Dallas County Bee where McGrew finished 10th a year ago. “The County Bee will be in person this year, so that will be nice,” McGrew said. “I’m proud of myself for making it to the finals. I will encourage my three younger siblings to compete in the Spelling Bee.”

 

All three CHISD middle schools were represented among the top three, as Permenter Seventh-Grader Aleah Williams made her District Spelling Bee debut. Both she and Wesley Williams will have a chance to compete in the 2024 Bee, while McGrew will be a high school freshman and no longer eligible.

WFAA ABC-TV Anchor Cynthia Izaguirre was one of the Bee Judges, and she congratulated the scholars at the end of the Bee.

The Cedar Hill ISD academic calendar has enough operational minutes banked to cover the inclement weather days for Tuesday (1/31) and Wednesday (2/1). With the cancelation of school on Thursday (2/2), CHISD scholars and staff will have 1 day that will need to be made up.

• CHISD leadership will discuss which bad weather day will be selected (April 7 or May 26) to cover Thursday's cancelation; once a decision is made it will be communicated to all CHISD staff and families.

To view the CHISD 2022-23 academic calendar, please click here.

This is National School Counseling Week 2023 (#DreamBigCHISD)! This week we will highlight the tremendous impact CHISD school counselors can have in helping scholars achieve school success and plan for a career. Show your support for Cedar Hill ISD counselors this week, by posting a special message to the CHISD Counselors on your social media. Make sure you tag @CedarHillISD and use the #DreamBigCHISD.

Friday evening, the video of the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols, who died after a traffic stop by police, was released by Memphis officials. To say the very least, the video is shocking. Like other videos we have seen in the past, the violence depicted has caused great pain for students, staff, and families alike. Many are being forced to relive past trauma.

 

It is difficult to know exactly what to say in response to the video. But I can say that in Cedar Hill ISD, we remain committed to ensuring a safe, welcoming, and positive learning environment in each of our schools. This is a commitment we take very seriously. With the release of yet another unfortunate video, I would like our teachers, parents and other adults to reflect on the role we play in modeling the behavior we expect. In an era when physical responses are often the first reaction, our young people need to see us effectively communicating and resolving conflict with mutual respect.

 

As CHISD superintendent, I have added several mental health partnerships to support scholars, staff and our families; this is because I know our children have access to more information than when we were in school. A listening ear and specific student expectations for behavior are important for school success, and CHISD shares these responsibilities with our parents and school community.

As I wrap up this week's message, I want to share my sincere appreciation for the community's support following the passing of a Highlands Elementary School scholar. The condolences, kind words and the memorial showed that our community pulls together and leans upon each other, especially during difficult times such as this one.

 

I again encourage our staff to take advantage of the mental health supports available by visiting the Counseling webpage.

Dr. Gerald B. Hudson

Superintendent

With the failure of the voter-approval tax rate election (VATRE) in November, CHISD must now cut $6 million dollars for the 2023-24 annual budget.

The newly formed CHISD Budget Committee held its first meeting last Thursday at the JoLynn Maddox Teaching & Learning Center. The committee is charged with providing the Cedar Hill ISD Board of Trustees with a list of recommendations to consider to address the deficit.

 

Retired superintendent Dr. Jim Vaszauskas joined Cedar Hill ISD Chief Financial Officer in providing information on school finance, tax rates, revenue and what caused the district's current budget shortfall. Also at the meeting, participants were asked to begin brainstorming and sharing potential cost saving measures or cuts the district should consider.

 

At the upcoming February 9 meeting, the CHISD business office staff will provide dollar amounts to the cost saving measures suggested by the committee. This will allow the committee to prioritize the recommendations and score them using a predetermined rubric.

 

Do you have a cost saving suggestion? Submit your ideas using the button below. Please submit your ideas by Thursday.

On January 5, CHISD held its first-ever SPEAK Up districtwide community meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to provide district leaders an opportunity to listen to the concerns, complaints and accolades from the Cedar Hill community. During the meeting, participants shared their thoughts and posed questions to CHISD leaders. You can review the questions and answers gathered below.

This year, Dallas is home to the NCAA Women’s Final Four. In partnership with the Final Four, Read to the Final Four is a literacy challenge aimed at creating a lifelong love and interest in reading for students across the metroplex.

Student Outcome Goal #2 is: increasing the percentage of 3rd grade scholars reading at/or above grade level by 2024. To help our scholars reach this goal and foster a love for reading, Cedar Hill ISD is partnering with the NCAA and the Read to the Final Four.

• All third grade teachers have already been registered and should have received an email that allows them to access their account and log instructional and independent reading minutes.
• Teachers, students, and campuses can win fun prizes and compete for an overall cash grand prize of $5000.00 worth of books for YOUR school library. It’s just that simple.

Read to the Final Four has already started! If you have any questions and/or would like more information regarding this opportunity, please contact camille.holmes@chisd.net.

The Cedar Hill Independent School District (CHISD), in partnership with the Cedar Hill ISD Education Foundation (CHEF), presented Second Period HOOPLA (Honoring Our Outstanding Paraprofessionals, Lead Educators and Administrators) winners. CHEF Executive Director Denise Root surprised each of the five winners with a $50 gift card and a CHISD HOOPLA Pennant.

 

The five winners were:

• Heather Parks (Special Education)
• Master Sgt. Dannion McLendon (Cedar Hill High School)
• Crystal Tunley (Cedar Hill High School)
• Scheherazade Ellis (High Pointe Elementary School)
• Christian James (Collegiate Prep Elementary School)

 

To read more, click here.

There’s a reason why the Cedar Hill ISD Education Foundation (CHEF) is “pumped” for 2023.

 

CHEF – a non-profit that helps Cedar Hill ISD scholars and staff – recently created a partnership Fuel City Cedar Hill, 1107 North J. Elmer Weaver Freeway. Two of the Fuel City positions are designed as CHEF “Spirit Pumps.” Three cents of every gallon pumped there will be donated to CHEF.

 

“We are really grateful,” Fuel City CEO Joseph Bickham said. “We really love that store and that community. When CHEF Executive Director Denise Root approached me about it, I said that is a great idea. I was actually just thinking about that.”

 

Bickham said the two CHEF positions are “pretty busy” less than a full month into the partnership. “We’ve installed some measures to track the flow rate per month on a quarterly basis,” Bickham said. Although the current agreement is for six months, Bickham said it will continue in its current set-up for at least a year.

 

Fuel City is based in Dallas and has eight locations throughout the Metroplex – as far away as northwest Tarrant County. The Cedar Hill location opened in 2019 and is the first one to be part of the “Spirit Pumps.”

 

Bickham said it’s very possible that Fuel City may partner with other districts at their other locations throughout DFW. “The partnership is great,” Root said. “Fuel City is a recognized brand, and everyone loves their tacos. We want to bring more business to Fuel City. We expect to raise several thousand dollars through this partnership.”

Care Solace connects CHISD students, staff, and their families to care, at no cost. Care Solace will quickly and confidently find available mental health substance use providers matched to your

needs.

• Connect to care with any coverage including Medicaid, Medicare, and sliding scale options for those without insurance.

• Contact a school counselor for a “warm hand off" or visit caresolace.com/cedarhill to confidentially find providers on your own.

With the failure of the voter-approval tax rate election (VATRE) in November, CHISD must now cut more than $6 million dollars for the 2023-24 annual budget. The goal of the committee is to learn about the district's current financial situation, and make recommendations for the Board to consider to offset the budget shortfall.

 

The committee will start meeting this week, with an expectation of providing recommendations to the Board this spring.

The Cedar Hill ISD Teacher Attendance Incentive Program recognizes and rewards employees who practice good attendance habits.

• All full-time campus-based classroom teachers are eligible to participate.

• In this program, eligible staff with two or fewer absences each semester will be placed into a drawing for a $1,500 bonus. The number of incentives awarded per campus per semester varies by number of eligible staff on the campus.

Help CHEF raise funds to complete the new Pre-K through 2nd Grade playground at Waterford Oaks Elementary! Members of the CHEF Board of Directors will be holding an online fundraiser through Double Good Popcorn.

 

Cedar Hill Education Foundation - Double Good Popcorn Fundraiser

Monday, January 23 beginning at 12:00 noon thru Friday, January 27, 2023 at 12:00 noon. Here is the link to purchase popcorn: https://s.dgpopup.com/czy8n579. You can also text WOPLAY to 53555 to give a cash donation.

Cedar Hill High School Fine Arts Department personally invites you to Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, a musical based on the classic tale. Running January 26th - 28th at 7pm in the Performing Arts Center the production features scholars in grades preK-12, our Step Team, Advanced Dance Classes, CHHS Orchestra, CHHS Red Army Band, and 55 other members of our High School student body!

Reserved seating is $15 and can be purchased at chtheatre.booktix.com. Purchasing tickets in advance is highly recommended!

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is an enchanted classic that features an award-winning score by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. The musical story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, a young prince trapped under a spell, will bring the entire community together for family theater at its best.

“In the darkest of times, beauty is found within. We rally to discover what makes us grateful—family, friendships, a sense of self and above all, love. And with love in your heart, all things are possible.”

On Monday, January 16, our country will pause and celebrate the life and work of activist and minister Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I hope you will take some time to reflect on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Legacy – specifically his work on the power of tolerance. Tolerance is defined as, "the ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with."

Dr. King’s principles of tolerance are something that we can all learn from and work to integrate into our daily lives. While we sometimes disagree, civility is essential. We must have the grace to understand one another and see others’ perspectives. With his life’s work left unfinished, it remains for each of us to take inspiration and courage from Dr. King’s example.

 

As Dr. King once famously said, “intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education." As educators we play a role in equipping our scholars with the tools to think critically, act with compassion and walk in tolerance. I thank you for being a partner with me as we develop smart, caring and prepared young people.

As we begin a new calendar year, it is imperative that we take care of ourselves and one another. This time of year can be difficult for some, with the hopes of meeting New Year resolutions or reflecting on the failures and challenges from last year on our minds. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the numerous wellness resources Cedar Hill ISD offers for its scholars, employees and families. If you’re not taking caring of yourself, it is very difficult to take care of those around you. Click here to access mental health support available to our Longhorns.

Remember, there are no classes on Monday, January 16, and no Board workshop tonight.

 

Make it a great week!

Dr. Gerald B. Hudson

Superintendent

The new tutoring program is part of CHISD’s partnership with Paper, a secure, online tutoring service that provides learners with unlimited, 24/7 academic support. Whether scholars are stuck on homework, studying for a test or need someone to read and make suggestions to their essays, there will always be experts available online to assist scholars in more than 200 subjects and in more than four languages.

• Paper is available for scholars in grades 3-12.

• This is a free service the district is providing so scholars are encouraged to use it as much as they need, whenever they need.

• CHISD teachers also have accounts and will be able to review all scholar activity to see what they’re working on and provide more targeted instruction, as needed.

• Paper provides expert review on any written work (essays, creative writing, poetry, lab reports, etc.).

• Hundreds of resources and activities to help parents best support their student(s) at home.

• Interactive shows and activities to expand learning beyond the classroom.

 

If you’d like to learn more about Paper you can sign up for a Paper hosted Parent Info Session, available in both English and Spanish. Or if you’d like to speak to a member of the Paper team directly, you can reach them at parents@paper.co.

 

To see Paper and the help it offers firsthand, please log in with your scholar's credentials. To get started, simply visit PAPER’s student login page, type your school’s name, and log in via Google using your school credentials.

Cedar Hill High School Fine Arts Department personally invites you to Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, a musical based on the classic tale. Running January 26th - 28th at 7pm in the Performing Arts Center the production features scholars in grades preK-12, our Step Team, Advanced Dance Classes, CHHS Orchestra, CHHS Red Army Band, and 55 other members of our High School student body!

Reserved seating is $15 and can be purchased at chtheatre.booktix.com. Purchasing tickets in advance is highly recommended!

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is an enchanted classic that features an award-winning score by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. The musical story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, a young prince trapped under a spell, will bring the entire community together for family theater at its best.

“In the darkest of times, beauty is found within. We rally to discover what makes us grateful—family, friendships, a sense of self and above all, love. And with love in your heart, all things are possible.”