It’s hard to believe that August is here and we are gearing up for another great school year! We hope everyone has enjoyed the summer with family and friends and we are anxious to hear stories about your adventures. Speaking of adventures, several Pampa ISD staff were busy over the summer bringing some exciting changes to our district. We can’t wait to share with you these wonderful improvements and changes that you are sure to notice this year as your students find their way back to classrooms, labs, locker rooms, courts, and fields.
Perhaps the most notable improvements have been to our facilities and grounds. Our maintenance and custodial crews have worked tirelessly the past several weeks to clean, polish, and groom every inch of our district to bring our students and staff back to a welcoming and professional atmosphere that could rival any five-star resort. If you see them around, be sure to thank them for doing such a fine job.
Also, our technology team has been working diligently all summer to ensure that every single classroom in our district has a complete classroom set of devices. All Kindergarten through second-grade classrooms will have full sets of iPads for each child. All third through twelfth-grade classrooms will have full sets of Chromebooks for each student as well. Of course, we know the devices alone will not make the difference; it’s the learning designed by our teachers that will provide the experiences and challenges for our students to grow. We are so blessed to be able to bring the world to our students through technology so they may learn the skills and knowledge that will set them up for success today and tomorrow.
Another much-needed and welcomed change this year is with our student information system. We will no longer use Skyward but have transitioned over to the TxEIS system. This system is used by 60 of the 61 school districts in the Panhandle and is supported fully by our regional service center. The curriculum and technology offices have worked faithfully this summer to get us ready for this transition. We are excited to bring this user-friendly system to our students, parents, and staff.
Countless groups of teacher leaders and administrators from every campus have met various times throughout the summer to learn more about serving our students, to plan meaningful interventions, and to create the conditions that will ensure success for all. It is inspiring to think about the work, the commitment, and the dedication that so many have exhibited behind the scenes to make this the best year yet for Pampa ISD students, staff, and families.
One thing that is not new, is our Mission. We are not beginning any new implementations or initiatives. We are sticking to the PLAN! Our mission is to produce learners who are compassionate, competent, confident, and future-ready! We will continue the work that we started and will stay true to this mission!
As always, Pampa ISD enjoys the support and encouragement from our community---and we THANK YOU SO MUCH for this! We encourage you to visit our website, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook. We truly desire a meaningful relationship with all stakeholders and are looking forward to the great things that are in store for Pampa ISD this year!
Tanya Larkin
Superintendent Pampa Independent School District
1233 N Hobart Pampa, Texas 79065
www.pampaisd.net
806-669-4700
Published on 08/14/2017
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