On July 10, over 75 volunteers from Capital One Bank came to Polk Middle School to give the campus a brighter look. The volunteers, in tandem with CFBISD maintenance crew, and some CFBISD bus drivers, upgraded the paint at Polk to a bright white. The updated color helps to brighten the hallways and adds a cheerful look to an already cheerful campus.
Archive | Polk
Destination Imagination Team Takes First Place at Global Finals
The Caarbadarbons is a Destination Imagination Team composed of students from Polk and Blalack Middle Schools. Destination Imagination (DI) is a global educational nonprofit whose goal is to inspire the next generation of innovators, leaders, and creative problem solvers. The team has been competing in DI since attending Country Place Elementary. Global Finals is the culminating event of every DI season. Students work together in teams to create a solution to one of six competitive challenges, Technical, Scientific, Fine Arts, Improvisational, Engineering, and Service Learning.
On May 25, the Caarbadarbons won first place in the Heads up Improvisational category for Middle School.
The Winning Destination Imagination Team: The Caarbadarbons
Scotty Brady
Olivia Brewer
Jaclyn Decherd
Livy Ker
Quentin Maese
Reid Sherman
Tough, International Competition
Throughout the year, DI teams globally compete at local levels. Teams that advance past Regional and Affiliate (state/country) Tournaments are invited to participate in Global Finals. Nearly 1,200 DI teams from 38 states and 17 countries showcased their creative solutions to the 2019 Team Challenges. Over 17,000 people were in attendance at the event held in Kansas City, MO.
Polk Middle School Educator Wins Secondary Teacher of the Year
Richard Hyde left law school to pursue a career in teaching and has remained dedicated to transforming the middle school experience. Hyde has worked in CFB for 14 years. He has been guiding his students into a mindset of college ready, career ready, and future ready young adults through AVID (Achievement Via Individual Determination).
For the Love of Students
Since becoming the AVID coordinator at Polk Middle School in 2006, Hyde has been the catalyst in changing the trajectory of thousands of students. Through his commitment to creating a powerful culture built on relationships, goal-setting, and future readiness, Polk Middle School is now an AVID National Demonstration School.
Polk Principal Kelly O’Sullivan stated, “This only fueled his fire to reach an even higher level for students.”
Mr. Hyde says that his students are “my kids.” He stated that teachers are not recreating students in their own image, “but allowing their true selves to emerge. Our students are the leaders of tomorrow, and tomorrow is always just a day away.”
Teacher of the Year
On Thursday, May 9 at a special celebration, Mr. Hyde was named Secondary Teacher of the Year for CFBISD. Hyde was among 3 finalists. Other finalists were Maria Gutiérrez, biology teacher at Creekview High School, and Temple Creamer-Gonzalez, Language Arts teacher at Perry Middle School. Hyde is now eligible to compete for Teacher of the Year at the regional level.
Good luck to Mr. Hyde. All of CFBISD will be rooting for you.
View more photos from this event in our Flickr gallery.
Polk Middle School Takes the Win at Business Pitch Competition
On Mar. 25, two teams from Polk Middle School competed against other middle school students from Dallas ISD in the Dallas Mavericks – 5 Miles Business Pitch Competition. Team World Savers pitched the idea to upcycle trash and recycle plastic water bottles into jewelry from rivers and lakes in the Dallas area.
The Business Pitch
Team Wash and Take pitched an idea for a low cost laundromat for people with low or no income to wash their clothes. In addition to low cost laundry, customers can also take up to four donated clothing items with them – wash and take. This group won an award for their project being the “Most Impactful” for the Dallas area. The award was delivered by Dallas Mavericks team member Dwight Powell.
The two teams were escorted by Polk Middle School Vocational Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher, Kalvanetta McPherson. Mrs. McPherson believes the experience was impactful and “a great experience for all of the students involved.”
CFBISD is expanding the International Business Academy at Newman Smith High School to include a new program called INCubatoredu within its Entrepreneurship course next year where students can cultivate their entrepreneurial skills.
Participants – “Wash and Take”
- Ashley Arvizu
- Aanyah Johnson
- Grace Ortega-Ruiz
- Tianna Young
Participants – “World Savers”
- Madison Guzman
- Rebecca Johnson
- Al’Zorian Jones
- Karyhana Soto-Hernandez
- Mahogany Walker
Special Guests (Audience Members)
- Kelvin Phan
- Esteban Ramirez
- Jafet Sanchez
- Tianna Tyron
- Jeremy Hart
- Mrs. Torres
Polk Students Support Healthy Hearts
On March 8, 2019, Polk Middle School students and staff participated in the American Heart Association’s “Hoops For Heart!” Polk Nation surpassed it’s goal and raised $9,475.05. Students engaged in lessons leading up to the event, about the lifesaving research and work done by the American Heart Association to reduce Heart Disease as the # 1 cause of death in our country. Facts about healthy life styles, nutrition and physical activity were also shared.
Polk’s 2019 Destination Imagination Team State Bound
CFB’s 2019 Destination Imagination Teams Compete Regionally
The Ted Polk Middle School 2019 Destination Imagination team competed at the Regional DI Tournament at Marcus High School on Feb. 23. The teams worked hard using their creative problem-solving skills to solve STEM based challenges. Polk’s DI team moves to the State Tournament on Mar. 23. Twenty other CFBISD DI teams also competed, placing in several categories.
DI Elementary Team Results
Country Place Elementary – Monster Effects, 3rd place
Farmers Branch Elementary – Heads Up, 4th place
La Villita Elementary – Monster Effects, 7th place
Las Colinas Elementary – On Target, 10th place
Rosemeade Elementary – Escape Artist, (3 teams) 5th , 9th, and 12th place
Sheffield/Furneaux Elementary – Monster Effects, 5th place
Stark Elementary – Escape Artist, 9th place
DI Middle School Team Results
Blalack Middle School – Medical Mystery, 3rd place
Bush Middle School – Monster Effects, 4th place
Field Middle School – Heads Up, 3rd place
Polk Middle School – Heads Up, 1st place
DI High School Team Results
Turner High School – eXtreme, 4th place
Parent Engagement Event – Mastering Middle School
On Tuesday, Feb. 5, Barbara Bush Middle School will host “Mastering Middle School,” a parent engagement event. The purpose of the event is to give families throughout the district tips and tools to support their teens.
Attendance is free, but you must register to attend
There will be a light dinner provided and free childcare for children 4 and older.
Topics that will be covered
- Mastering middle school
- college readiness
- habits for success
- parenting teens
- effective technology use
Location
Barbara Bush Middle School
515 Cowboys Parkway
Irving, TX 75063
Date & Time
Tuesday
Feb. 5, 2019
6 – 7:30 PM
Red Tailed Hawk Injured, Rescued, and Released at Polk
Discovery
These Polk Middle School students noticed the injured hawk on the ground in December and alerted teachers.
On Dec. 11, students at Ted Polk Middle School noticed an injured red tailed hawk outside and alerted teachers, who in turn contacted the district’s maintenance department. One of the many duties carried out by CFB’s maintenance department is environment-friendly pest control. Red tailed hawks are a native species of raptor that plays a crucial role in naturally reducing rodent populations. When Randy Weinzetl, IPM Coordinator for CFB, arrived at Polk Middle School, he found the bird to be hurt, unable to fly, and barely able to walk. He then contacted Blackland Prairie Raptor Center for assistance helping the injured bird of prey.
Rescue
The hawk was named “Ted” by the maintenance crew, and safely transported to the raptor center for evaluation. Ted was injured from a window collision. The injury caused some short-term neurological damage and near-blindness in his left eye. Additionally, Ted suffered some minor wing damage. Ted was given medication and special protocols to help him heal.
Randy Weinzetl, Integrated Pest Management Coordinator for CFB, was called to help the injured bird. He contacted Blackland Prairie Raptor Center to rescue the animal in the hopes the bird could heal and return to the area after treatment.
Through various tests, including opportunities for him to fly and hunt live prey, Ted made a full recovery. From Ted’s weight, he was determined to be male (females typically weigh more than males in this species) and fairly young, due to still having juvenile tail feathers.
An adult red tailed hawk will typically consume the equivalent of 5 mice per day – over 25,000 mice in their life time. They will sometimes prey on smaller birds, rabbits and other small native game. They can live to 15 years of age. Details about Ted’s treatment, what he was fed, and the progress he made can be found online.
Release
After 43 days at the raptor center, Ted’s recovery was complete. He was transported back to Polk Middle School to be released. Since he was discovered at Polk, he was clearly familiar with the area, so it was the ideal location for him to be released. Some of the students that discovered him in December were present for his release.
Cold weather drives rodent populations toward human dwellings for warmth and they can cause infrastructure damage as they chew through whatever they can in order to enter a structure. Ted and other predators in the area serve as natural remedies for these pest problems. When Ted was released on Jan. 24, a kestrel was seen in a tree nearby. Kestrels are another bird of prey that also help to keep rodent populations down. Upon his release, Ted soared to a tree behind Polk and perched for several minutes, getting acclimated once again to his home territory.
Middle Schoolers Compete in STEM Challenge
CFB middle schoolers competed in a Makerspace Team Challenge. The event, a first for the district, was sponsored by a generous donation by LBJ Express. Teams from all 6 CFB middle schools competed in a 30 minute challenge in which they were given a very complex problem to solve. Skills such as math, individual learning, group learning, and leadership were in play as students sought solutions.
Polk Receives Highest Level of AVID Certification
Last year, Polk Middle School was declared a national Demonstration Site for AVID. Other campuses and districts have already been touring Polk to learn from the school-wide AVID culture. Today, CFB learned that Polk Middle School was awarded “Schoolwide Site of Distinction.” This is the highest level of AVID certification and is based both on Staff criterion (“Process Metrics” such as routine use of WICOR, the percentage of school leadership on the AVID Site Team, etc.) as well as Student criterion (“Impact Metrics” such as the percentage of students taking courses of rigor/pre-collegiate exams).
AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is a program offered in 47 states designed to engage students, build equity, and promote college-going culture for students who are traditionally underrepresented in the university setting. Nationwide, 93% of AVID students complete four year college entrance requirements, 90% who apply are accepted into four year colleges, and 85% persist into the second year of college, far exceeding the national averages for these statistics. AVID involves teacher training, leadership training, engaging strategies rooted in best practice, college exposure, SAT/ACT readiness, and engages college-age tutors to work with students on study skills and preparation under the supervision of the classroom AVID teacher. CFB has AVID at all secondary campuses, with the exception of Barbara Bush Middle School (due to the International Baccalaureate Program).