Upcoming Events
9/6/2010
- Labor Day/School Holiday10/22/2010
10/25/2010
10/26/2010
- Student Early Release at Noon10/27/2010
CISD Announcements
Corsicana Independent School District
601 N. 13th St.
Corsicana, TX, 75110
(903) 874-7441 (phone) • (903) 872-2100 (fax)
601 N. 13th St.
Corsicana, TX, 75110
(903) 874-7441 (phone) • (903) 872-2100 (fax)
2010 - 2011 School Supply List
(For more information on each campus school supply list click here)
(For more information on each campus school supply list click here)
Corsicana ISD enrollment up over last year's figures
Corsicana High School has 1,541 students, which are 87 more students than the same time last year.
“Our higher enrollment is indicative that parents in our state are recognizing that Corsicana ISD is a great place for their children to be educated,” said Superintendent Diane Frost.
CHS volunteer Flores honored by State Board of Education
The State Board of Education will honor Corsicana High School volunteer Adriana Flores at its September meeting as one the state’s 15 Heroes for Children.
Corsicana ISD, CHS earn Recognized status for first time
The annual award recognizes public school volunteers who have been strong advocates for Texas schoolchildren.
Corsicana High School Principal Greg Bower nominated Flores for the award last spring.
“It’s priceless when you have kids feel like their future is important to someone,” Bower said of Flores’ involvement with the AVID program. “They tend to work harder to please those people who take active roles in their lives. Ms. Flores contacts our Hispanic parents and simply says to them, ‘Hey, we’re having an AVID night and we want you to attend.’ She will make a 100 phone calls if it’s needed to get the parents involved. She’s passionate about education.”
Flores is active in the high school’s AVID program. She helps CHS staff communicate with parents of Hispanic AVID students. The mother of two, Flores also organizes and encouragements Hispanic parents to attend AVID meetings and to be involved in their children’s academic endeavors.
“We’ve got three volunteers at CHS. Ms. Flores, Patti Bowen, a retired teacher who commits a lot of her time here helping, and the STAR program, which provides a great deal of help for students in our AVID program. We can always use more volunteers like Ms. Flores, someone who engages students and parents and is an advocate for all our students and their education.”
Flores started her family in California, where she also worked in schools. She has a daughter currently attending Navarro College and her son Arturo is a CHS student.
“It is important that parents are involved in the education of their children,” Flores said. “I try to call our Hispanic parents and act (as an interpreter) to make sure they know everything going on in school. An involved parent is important to the education of every child.”
The Heroes for Children Award is presented to recognize excellence in advocacy for education and to spotlight the many outstanding volunteers whose efforts represent significant contributions to public school education in Texas. Since its beginning, the award has provided a means to recognize Texas residents whose efforts have benefited the public schoolchildren of Texas or who have, in the SBOE’s judgment, been advocates for Texas education.
Corsicana ISD, CHS earn Recognized status for first time
Corsicana ISD and Corsicana High School achieved historic recognition on Friday when the Texas Education Agency released its annual academic ratings.
Corsicana High School and the entire school district earned Recognized status for the first time since the state began ranking school districts’ standardized tests achievements.
Bowie Elementary, Sam Houston Elementary and Drane Intermediate achieved the highest academic rating — Exemplary.
Fannin, Carroll and Navarro elementaries also achieved Recognized ratings. Collins Middle School was Academically Acceptable,
“The staff and students of Corsicana ISD are to be congratulated for achieving Recognized status,” said Superintendent Dr. Diane Frost. “This is a very significant accomplishment that represents many years of hard work and dedication by our staff at every level. It could not have occurred without our students' commitment to excellence as well as the significant support provided by our parents and community members. We will continue to look to the future and plan for our students to succeed at even higher levels.”
Corsicana ISD improved its district wide test scores in Reading/English Language Arts, Writing, Social Studies, Mathematics and Science and also improved in all 20 student subgroups. Corsicana High School’s scores rose in every subgroup and its completion rate jumped almost 6 percent, including 12.1 percent among economically disadvantaged students.
“First of all, we have a great group of kids,” said Corsicana High School Principal Greg Bower, who recently completed his first year as principal. “They work hard and want to do well. It’s a testament to their hard work and ability to achieve.
“Secondly, we have some of the best teachers in the state of Texas. They are always there to push and support the kids, and they consistently raise (students’) expectations and their levels of success.”
Corsicana ISD enrollment is up by 90 students from when classes ended in June.
The district had an enrollment of 5,681 through Thursday, which are 90 more students than last year’s ending total and 97 more than the same day last year.
Corsicana ISD Board of Trustees retained the same tax rate as last year and approved the 2010-11 budget at Monday's special called board meeting.
There were no speakers at the public hearing on the tax rate and budget preceding the special meeting.
Corsicana ISD Board of Trustees retained the same tax rate as last year and approved the 2010-11 budget at Monday's special called board meeting.
There were no speakers at the public hearing on the tax rate and budget preceding the special meeting.
School Hours
| Bowie Elementary | 7:50 a.m. - 3:20 p.m. |
| Fannin Elementary | 7:50 a.m. - 3:20 p.m. |
| Carroll Elementary | 7:50 a.m. - 3:20 p.m. |
| Carroll Elementary | 7:50 a.m. - 2:45 p.m. |
| Houston Elementary | 7:50 a.m. - 3:20 p.m. |
| Houston Pre-K | 7:50 a.m. - 2:50 p.m. |
| Navarro Elementary | 7:50 a.m. - 3:20 p.m. |
| Drane Intermediate | 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. |
| Collins Middle School | 7:55 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. |
| Corsicana High School | 8:00 a.m. - 3:10 p.m. |
| Lee DAEP | 8:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. |
| Early release dates: | Oct 26, 2010 @ 12:00 |
| Oct 27, 2010 @ 12:00 | |
Livescribe offering CISD students new way to learn
Several Corsicana ISD summer school students recently opened the window to a new education venture in the district by using the innovative Livescribe pen.
“The biggest thing is that this gives the students classroom access 24/7 and they can use the information from the pens multiple times.”
The Livescribe smartpen provides students with unlimited access to teacher instruction any time and anywhere and provides them with a customized learning experience.
The Livescribe smartpen allows students to digitally record what they write and also record the audio of the teacher speaking at the same time. They can then access specific parts of their notes or listen to the entire educational experience. Livescribe also offers translation into Spanish.
One of the other major features of the Livescribe smartpen is that all the information that is recorded on the pen is downloadable to any computer.
“We have access to 600 of these pens for the district, but I’d love to have one for every student,” said Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum Marti Shaner. “This is a great tool for kindergarten students and beyond.”
Carroll elementary kindergarten students used the Livescribe pen during summer school.
“This technology can be used by students, teachers, colleges and businesses,” Shaner said. “Our kindergarten students learned how to use the Livescribe pens independently in two days.
“The biggest thing is that this gives the students classroom access 24/7 and they can use the information from the pens multiple times.”Shaner said bilingual students can receive perhaps the most help from the new project that will be spread across the district in 2010-11.
“With this technology, I can take a book in English, read one or two sentences in English and then in Spanish,” she said. “Then the student can take it home and listen to it as many times as they need. They can record themselves speaking and then their parents can participate in the process and learn as well.”
Earlier this summer, Livescribe reached a milestone of sorts when it had more than 500,000 unique recordings transferred using the Livescirbe community database.
Corsicana ISD retains same tax rate for 2010-11
The board approved a budget of $36,459,641 for the 2010-11 school year.
The board then approved the maintenance and operations tax rate of $1.0400 per $100 valuation and the debt service rate of $0.2430 for a combined tax rate of $1.2830 for 2010-11. That is the same tax rate as 2009-10.
The board also approved amendments to the 2009-10 budget and the closing financial report.
The board approved participation in the Center for Reform of School Systems at no cost to the district. The board, superintendent of schools and two staff members will receive intensive training on policies, procedures and future planning for the district.
