Noon Message to Families

At Cedar Hill Independent School District, we take our Leadership Definition very seriously.

“Unlocking Every Longhorn’s Potential” is something that we have developed over several years, and it’s designed to help every Cedar Hill ISD team member work better, and more efficiently, on behalf of our scholars.

The Leadership Definition project began 3.5 years ago when Cedar Hill ISD was selected as one of six independent school districts in Texas as part of The Holdsworth Center, an Austin-based non-profit started by H-E-B Chairman Charles Butt. The programming is completely covered by the H-E-B Chairman and related philanthropic supporters.

CHISD is now toward the end of the five-year strategic partnership with Holdsworth, which helps district grow its bench of strong, skilled leaders to grow and succeed in their respective careers.

One of the most important aspects of the Holdsworth Partnership was developing a Leadership Definition.

Our Leadership Definition has three components:

• Expect Excellence, which consists of taking ownership, pursuing learning and being achievement-oriented.
• Leading With Heart is also key, because we want leaders who are doing things for the right reasons. They must be relationship-centered individuals who place scholars first and value diversity.
• Empower others – inspiring change in their colleagues and celebrating the success of those around them.

Holdsworth may be a five-year program, but the tools that it gave our district will impact generations of employees and scholars for years to come! I hope you will take the time to familiarize yourself with the role-specific behaviors that accompany each of the categories of the Leadership Definition.

Dr. Gerald B. Hudson

Superintendent

Cedar Hill Independent School District

We want YOU to nominate your Starting Players every other week to be featured in our #LonghornLineUp campaign! Any CHISD staff member can be nominated when they are:

• Leading with Heart
• Expecting Excellence
• Empowering Others

Tell us and show us how they are living the CHISD Leadership Definition and why you nominated them for a chance to see them on CHISD District Social Media & the weekly noon message!

Scholars currently enrolled in a Choice Program will remain assigned to that program unless they no longer wish to remain in the program or if they are not invited to return due to “good standing” requirements.

Parents who no longer wish for their child to remain in the program of Choice must indicate their intent by logging on to their Schoolmint Account and completing the intent to return form or withdrawing their scholar from the program. The window to complete the intent to return form is open through this Friday, December 13, 2024.

Roblox has introduced new safety measures to enhance the protection of users under 13. These updates include restrictions on direct messaging and the implementation of content labels to indicate the suitability of games. Parents can now remotely manage their child’s account, set spending controls, view friend lists, and manage screen time. Roblox is implementing these safety changes in response to concerns about the platform being used to exploit or groom young users. There have been reports of inappropriate content, interactions, and individuals targeting children, highlighting the need for stronger safeguards.

While these updates enhance safety, they are not foolproof. Parents should remain vigilant because:

1. Human Error or Exploits: No system is completely secure, and determined individuals may still attempt to bypass restrictions.
2. Content Suitability: Even with content labels, games may not always align with your family’s values or be developmentally appropriate.
3. Online Behavior: Teaching children to recognize and report inappropriate behavior is critical. Kids should understand that they should not share personal information, even if the platform is regulated.
4. Screen Time and Balance: Roblox’s popularity can lead to excessive use. Monitoring helps maintain healthy habits and balance with offline activities.

By combining Roblox’s safety measures with active parental involvement, families can help ensure a safer online experience for children.

For more information, please click here.

The Cedar Hill ISD Education Foundation (CHEF), the non-profit charity that assists CHISD teachers and scholars, presented nine teacher grants for a total of $28,882 last month.

• The largest of the grants were $10,000 to the Cedar Hill High School Graphic Arts Program for a Screen Printing Machine. The Graphic Arts Program provides design and graphics throughout the district and is directed by Aaron Kennedy, the 2022-2023 Cedar Hill High School Teacher of the Year.
• Collegiate Academy & High School Teachers Shandria Russell and KhaWonda Crawford were presented with a $10,000 grant for a program called “From Essay to Algorithm: Fostering Problem Solving and Communication Through Writing.”
• Cedar Hill ISD Special Education’s Suzan Levins was awarded a $3,475 grant for a Writing and coding program for SPED Scholars in CHISD. Collegiate Academy’s Shelli Andrews secured a $1,000 grant for their Math Stations.
• Crawford and Russell each earned a $1,000 grant toward attending the Texas Association for the Gifted & Talented Conference, March 30 through April in Round Rock.
• Highlands Elementary was presented a $907 grant for the campus STEM Lab.
• Plummer Elementary’s LaShocka Thompson earned a $907 grant for a makeover of the campus’ Sensory Center.
• Cedar Hill High School Welding Teacher Joe Eich received a $700 Grant for the AWS Sense Program.