Dr. Hudson's Weekly Message
January 24, 2022
Dear Longhorn Nation,
Some of you may not know, that Cedar Hill ISD welcomed the Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Morath and Senator Royce West to our district last week. The two leaders visited Bray Elementary School and spoke with scholars and teachers about the district's use of Amplify Literacy Curriculum. Over the summer, CHISD was selected to join a list of other districts in a 1-year pilot of the Amplify CKLA Curriculum as we all work to address the learning loss due to the pandemic.
Amplify CKLA Curriculum is a structured curriculum widely used across the country. It focuses on explicitly teaching each of the 44 sounds and the 150 ways that these sounds are represented (via letters and letter combinations). This comprehensive approach assures that children have the knowledge they need to address any text and any word.
The Amplify CKLA Curriculum directly aligns with the state’s Reading Academies and provides teachers with the materials, training and support to help move the needle when it comes to improving literacy. Participating in the pilot comes at no cost to the district. I have been pleased with the implementation of Amplify and the feedback we have received from our teachers. I want to thank Bray Elementary and the entire staff for their outstanding job hosting the two leaders last week.
MAP TESTING
Middle of the Year Assessments are taking place at Cedar Hill ISD this week. Parents, please speak to your children regarding the importance of these exams. They help the staff understand the scholars’ progress, so we can plan for future instruction. Please ensure your children have a good night’s rest and a hearty breakfast before the assessments.
SPONGEBOB: THE MUSICAL
Congratulations to all of our hard working scholars and teachers who acted, designed and set up “SpongeBob: The Musical.” The performance this weekend was excellent, and we know that it took several months of preparation. Job well done to CHISD Theatre Director Bethany Kennedy and her team.
HOOPLA WINNERS
Congratulations to our well-deserved third quarter HOOPLA Honorees
Permenter Middle School Mathematics Teacher Barimah Amoo-Asante and Permenter Attendance Clerk Therisa Brooks-Gerald were honored, along with reigning Collegiate Academy Middle School Teacher of the Year (Theatre) Samantha Dunaway and Lake Ridge Elementary Paraprofessional Regina Hall.
Amoo-Asante was nominated by longtime Permenter colleague JoLynn Maddox.
Each winner will receive a pennant. They were recognized at Tuesday’s Board of Trustees Meeting. The Cedar Hill ISD Education Foundation (CHEF) presented each winner with a $50 Visa gift card.
2022 Cedar Hill ISD Graduation
It’s hard to believe that Class of 2022 Graduation is just over four months away, but here we are. The CHISD Class of 2022 Graduation will take place at the Dr. Jim Vaszauskas Center for the Performing Arts, 1110 Debbie Lane in Mansfield on May 31, 2022. Collegiate’s Graduation starts at 5 p.m., followed by Cedar Hill High School at 7 p.m.
BOARD APPRECIATION MONTH
January is School Board Appreciation Month, and we’ve been recognizing our seven esteemed trustees throughout the month. Before the month ends, we would like to thank them again for dedicating their time and energy into such an important role.
Sincerely,
Dr. Gerald B. Hudson
Superintendent of Schools
Cedar Hill Independent School District