Thank you for your support of last week’s State of the District event! Nearly 200 students and staff members representing programs from every campus put on an amazing display of learning for our largest crowd ever.  One of my favorite things about this event is witnessing the pride with which our students and staff share their work and listening to guests share their feelings of inspiration and gratitude for the opportunities that exist for students in our schools.  You can check out photos from the event online at http://bit.ly/3kRqGXk.

I also want to thank everyone who supported Chase the Chief on Sunday. This annual event encourages healthy community engagement with proceeds benefiting physical education programs in Georgetown schools. 

The middle of our spring semester has quickly arrived, and spring break is just 3 days away! There are so many things to be mindful of as we head into the break and prepare for a strong finish to the year. 

• The district will be closed for spring break next week, March 13-17. We wish you a safe and restful break and look forward to seeing you back here on Monday, March 20.
  
  

• We know our community is curious about the impact of missed instructional days in February due to the winter storm that forced school closures.  GISD has enough operational minutes built into our schedule to cover the first two days of closure, on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.  We plan to apply for a waiver from the state for the third day of closure, Feb. 2. This must be approved by the board and is expected to be on the March meeting agenda. Even if approved, the instructional minutes missed because of the two-hour delay on Feb. 3 will need to be made up as they do not qualify for a waiver. Beginning March 20, campus bell schedules will be adjusted by 2 to 3 minutes to accommodate for this change. We expect this change to have minimal impact on daily operations. Look for more information from your child’s principal regarding the new bell schedule for each campus.
  
  

• Our third nine-week grading period ends on March 24. I encourage you to review your student’s progress and connect with his/her teachers if you have any questions or concerns as they finish out the semester.
  
  

• The GISD board of trustees meets next on Tuesday, March 21 when we anticipate the adoption of a refresh of our strategic plan. This six-month process brought together parents, staff, community members, and students to gather input that has shaped new Strategic Priority Areas and Pictures of Success for each area. This new Strategic Direction, once adopted, will drive improvement planning work for our district and each of our campuses for the years to come.
  
  

Have a great week and a safe spring break!

Fred Brent

Georgetown ISD Superintendent