Spring Branch ISD Featured News

A Not-So-Quiet Summer

August 14, 2024 4:15 PM

It might seem like Spring Branch ISD is quiet during the summer months, but that's far from the truth. While construction projects are bustling across the district, Spring Branch ISD has been actively investing in its staff.

Over the summer, the district provided more than 650 hours of professional development. If you calculate the total time by multiplying the number of attendees by the hours of training, the result is truly staggering. This extensive professional development is part of the district's commitment to preparing staff for the upcoming school year.

Hundreds of teachers and school leaders participated in numerous professional development sessions to learn new teaching strategies, better understand processes for greater efficiency, collaborate with peers across the district, and prepare to serve, inspire, and care for students when they return for the 2024-2025 school year.

Summer school took place in June at many campuses to help students catch up and recover high school credits.

A special camp was also held for emergent bilingual students to help them connect with and feel more confident navigating the education system in Spring Branch ISD.

In June, principals, assistant principals, and school leadership team members attended a session titled "Supporting PLCs (Professional Learning Communities) Through Data-Driven Instruction" to learn new strategies for using student work to analyze data.

Safety and security are top priorities at SBISD. Campus leaders participated in a workshop focused on evaluating and managing potential risks.

TheDigital Resources and Media Center Support department offered several learning sessions to share cutting-edge technological tools for educators, essential for preparing students for the future workforce.

Special Education teachers also updated their skills this summer with training on proven approaches to high student achievement and annual Mandt certification renewal.

In July, the Humanities department held a one-day conference to help teachers deepen their understanding of the Science of Teaching Reading. The sessions covered a range of topics, including effective classroom setups and the use of Sound Walls. ”Sound Wall focuses on how students should articulate, or sound out, words. We learned about the importance of mouth placement in speaking, which is especially important for second language learners,” explained Margaret Svitilla, Reading Interventionist at Housman Elementary.

Improving student literacy remains a key priority for Spring Branch ISD. Click here to read more about the conference.

RBIS is Not the Sound of Frogs in a Chorus

Collaborating with the Region IV Education Service Center, Math department leaders hosted a day-long conference titled "Math: Research-Based Instructional Strategies" (RBIS). The conference provided teachers with proven tools and strategies to enhance students' math skills.

Extensive professional development sessions were also held for new district teachers, including Love & Logic training for discipline management. At the beginning of August, two days of New Employee Orientation introduced all new employees to the district and its practices through various departmental presentations.

Dozens of additional trainings for district specialists and front office staff occurred throughout the summer to ensure that every employee has the latest information to provide excellent and cost-effective service to district customers, both internal and external.

Learning from and with PeersIn early August, teachers from each grade level and subject area gathered at various campuses to collaborate, learn, and exchange ideas for consistent delivery of approved curricula.

Their common goals were to provide students with time-tested, research-based, and stimulating lessons, challenge their abilities, and embody the district’s motto every day: Inspiring Minds. Shaping Lives.