Dr. Annette Griffin Superintendent of Schools August 2007 en Español

Every Connection Counts

Connections are so important in our lives, and that’s why “every connection counts” is the back-to-school theme for the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District. We want every student and their family to have strong connections with their teachers and school. We also want citizens who don’t have school-age children to have strong connections with C-FB ISD. We know that communications is so important between schools and the community it serves. That’s why C-FB ISD has multiple options available so that individuals can select the communications methods that best suit their needs.

District Communications

• The district’s website, www.cfbisd.edu, is the number one source of current information. I am extremely proud of our website; for the last two years it has garnered an Award of Excellence from the National School Public Relations Association. On www.cfbisd.edu, you will find such items as:
• School Attendance Maps
• School Locator System
• News Items
• School Calendars
• Videos about teachers, students, instructional programs
• Event Dates
• C-FB ISD in Pictures
• The C-FB Essentials E-Communications Network includes the district's electronic newsletters available based on an individual's interests. Individuals can become a network member by visiting www.cfbisd.edu and clicking on the C-FB Essential's mailbox. E-newsletters available include:
• District Details highlights news events as well student, staff and campus achievements.
• Event Dates highlights district and campus upcoming events for the upcoming week.
• On the Grow keeps you informed about the projects of the 2003 Bond Referendum.
• Special Alerts are sent when the district is closing because of bad weather or there is a unique announcement.
• The Gently Used Book Sale e-newsletter gives readers information about the Educational Foundation and Council of PTAs annual project that occurs annually in February.
• Podcasting is a relative new communication tool for school districts, and C-FB ISD was one of the first districts to podcast in 2005. To subscribe to district podcasts, visit www.cfbisd.edu and look for the iPod under "quick links."
• CFB-TV is "your A+ station for education" and can be found on Time Warner Cable in Farmers Branch and Carrollton as well as Verizon in Carrollton. But, because our school district covers six cities, we want all residents to have access to CFB-TV. That is why, our Public Information Department found the technology to stream the channel on www.cfbisd.edu; C-FB ISD became one of the first districts to live stream its TV channel on its website.
• ParentConnect is a convenient home-to-school collaboration tool that allows C-FB ISD parents or guardians to keep track of their children's academic progress online via an easy-to-use web site. Parents can register by going to www.cfbisd.edu and clicking on the red apple under "quick links" and locating the name of their child's school. Then, the parent simply follows the registration steps.
  
  ParentConnect is a great device to keep parents informed during the year, but it's also important to meet your child's teacher(s) face-to-face at our back-to-school meetings so that you know what your child needs to be academically successful this school year.
• ConnectED is a mass phone notification system that our campuses and district use to deliver important information to our families. Families will receive messages about school closings, student attendance, school activities, early release days and much more. We ask our families to make sure that contact information such as telephone numbers and e-mail addresses are always current because we don't want you to miss any important notifications.

We know that communications is important because the more knowledgeable parents and residents are about their schools the better connected they feel. However, what's even better for students is when parents and residents experience education firsthand.

We value the support that the parents and business leaders provide our students and teachers. We encourage more parents and community leaders to serve as school volunteers. Parents, if you know of businesses and other organizations willing to support your school through volunteers, please share that information with your school's PTA president and/or your school principal. We know that a personal contact can open the doors to volunteers.

If you live or work in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch community and want to be involved, please contact your individual school to learn how you can help with student learning. We want local citizens to be involved in their public schools. In addition to volunteering, we offer other opportunities for parents and families to visit their schools.

Involvement Opportunities

• PTA/PTSA is the largest child advocacy organization that we have, and the local school association plays a valuable support role to students and families. Most school PTAs meet monthly, with programs that feature children's performances, family events or speakers on timely parenting or educational issues. Additionally, our PTAs offer other events that support their school and offer social opportunities, teacher appreciation or parent support and information. I encourage families to get involved in PTA.
• Parent/Family Education Classes are taught throughout the school year by our Division of Community, Family and Student Services. To find out about the classes being offered, please visit the "district event dates" on www.cfbisd.edu.
• Gold Cards are available for C-FB ISD citizens who are 60 years or older. These Gold Cards provide these residents free general admission to C-FB ISD athletic events held at district facilities. Eligible residents should drop by the district Administration Building, 1445 North Perry Road, Carrollton, Monday through Friday during office hours from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. We'll be glad to set you up with a card so you can come out and support our students.

Communications and involvement can build strong connections between C-FB ISD and our community. We encourage parents, families and citizens to form alliances so we can improve student learning and achievement. By working together, we can fulfill the C-FB ISD's vision that "every student will graduate college-ready." Thank you for believing in public education.

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