Kids Heart Challenge is in full swing at Mitchell Elementary School! Our students are working hard to make a difference. Any student that completes Finn’s Mission on www.heart.org/KHC or the Kids Heart Challenge app will get in the 2nd drawing for a mystery prize!
Our school goal is to raise $5,000 toward the fight against heart disease! When we do, we will earn $500 in resources for our gym! Also, any student who raises $150 will get to SLIME Coach Phipps!!!
¡Kids Heart Challenge está muy bien en Mitchell Elementary School! ¡Cualquier estudiante que complete la misión de Finn en www.heart.org/KHC o la aplicación Kids Heart Challenge recibirá un segundo sorteo para un premio sorpresa! Vaya en línea en www.heart.org/KHC
Kerry Gray, the Mitchell Elementary Librarian, wrote and received a grant to purchase books to expand our multicultural selections for our students. Today, our books better mirror our student population. This month, we will highlight just of the few books that our students can check out.
Zuri wakes up on a very special day and needs a perfect hairstyle. The young black girl thinks of the wondrous things her hair can do and how it reflects her personality: “I love that my hair lets me be me!”
As a young girl, Sharon Langley was forbidden to ride the carousel at Gwyn Oak Amusement Park in Baltimore because of her race. This picture book tells the story of how the park was desegregated in the summer of 1963. Following desegregation, the Langleys were the first African American family to walk into the park.
Ada is fascinated by all things science, and spends her time actively seeking answers to her numerous questions about the world. When a family friend goes airborne in a pair of inflatable pants and can’t land himself, Ada joins forces with friends Rosie Revere and Iggy Peck to devise a scientific plan to bring Uncle Ned home.
We are preparing for our official Kids Heart Challenge launch on 1/19/21 – if you are learning from home, be sure to log in to view the kick-off video! As Inductees into the Heart Hero training program, students will receive daily and weekly missions to complete. The more missions they achieve, the more activities that are available to them.
You can get a head start with your student by watching the Official KHC Trailer and by scanning the QR code below to download the Kids Heart Challenge app and register for our team.
BONUS – Anyone who
registers BEFORE the kick-off will go into a drawing for a prize!
Our school is proud to help the
American Heart Association as they are supporting our community in many ways during
this pandemic. In a normal year, heart disease is the leading cause of death in
America, but now people who have had a stroke or live with heart disease make
up more than 40% of those hospitalized for COVID-19. The AHA has
already funded $2.5 Million in fast-response grants to study COVID-19’s effects
on heart disease patients, as well as launched a COVID-19 Data Registry within
the Get with the Guidelines registry that is used by hundreds of hospitals
nation-wide. This has made it possible to learn from COVID patients quickly and
improve treatments more rapidly. The more that is discovered, the more research
is needed.
We understand that not every
family is able to donate, but all students will enjoy (and learn from) the
weekly missions and will have the opportunity to share about heart disease
prevention in your family and community. However, if you are able to help raise
funds, the American Heart Association will put those to work right here in
Houston.
Kathy Durst has been a pillar at Mitchell Elementary for over 20 years. Her influence with students, her Kinder team, and the entire Mitchell family has left a lasting impression that will transcend generations. Her unassuming demeanor might fool you, but she is a powerhouse!
Kathy Durst January Teacher of the Month
Upon entering her classroom, one might sense something akin to an orchestra. Between the movement of discovery and the hum of learning, there’s a beautiful symphony of academics occurring. Students are cutting, sorting, writing, counting, illustrating, forming, decoding, and expressing. They are working independently, in stations, and at her teacher table. Students experience this unique learning with the structure of routine and procedure. Ms. Durst’s gentle voice is reinforced with an underlying level of expectation that joyfully propels students to engage. She can shift from whole group, to an individualized behavior need, to a small group, to a visitor walking in to observe…all without missing a beat. Her students, after a year in her classroom, are well-prepared to tackled the arduous tasks in first grade.
Kathy also plays a strong role on her Kinder team. Three of the teachers have been working together for 20 years, causing this grade level to be one of the strongest and most stalwart teams at Mitchell. They complement each other well, but Kathy’s gentle leadership on the team illustrates what it means to be a servant leader. She is not pushy, but she always has something to offer. She is not meek, but her words are always delivered in a gentle and kind manner. She is not set in her ways, but she is confident in her skills. She is a seasoned educator, but she is not too proud to admit mistakes. She has great responsibilities in her personal life, but she is always willing to meet the needs of her team. She has lived through several administrators at Mitchell, but she is alway open to new and different ideas. Her quiet leadership provides such a high level of security for her team.
As a member of our Mitchell faculty, Kathy is always positive and in a great mood…even on those challenging days. If you go to her with a problem, she stops and tries to help you with the problem in a realistic and encouraging manner. She is everyone’s cheerleader – students and staff alike. She has also stepped in to lead our PBIS team and has taken the role to heart. As if she wasn’t a blessing already, she led the campus to re-envision our matrix from BARK to BEST. As we worked as a team to transform our expectations, she helped us make them a part of our daily language. Today, you can hear students and staff talking about our goals to Believe in yourself, Encourage others, Show ownership, and Take part in the team. She keeps the needs of our students and staff at the forefront of her mind. She manages the Applause board for our staff and regularly adds specific words of encouragement for individual teachers and staff members.
Having someone like Kathy on our team gives a sense of stability and pride. Because she is here, many others have made it through another day. As a result, Mitchell Elementary is pleased to recognize Kathy Durst as our January Teacher of the Month.
Bryan ISD has provided At-Home and On-Campus instruction for the 2019-2020 school year. Some students are successful accessing instruction through the At-Home option. Others are struggling with grades and/or attendance.
As part of Bryan ISD’s goal to ensure an effective learning environment for your child, we are evaluating attendance and/or grade level results of your child’s performance in remote learning. Per the Texas Education Agency a school district can identify students to be discontinued for At-Home instruction if one or both of the following are true in any class:
Student has a average of less than 70% in any course
Student has 10 or more unexcused absences in a semester
Letters were mailed this week to those we are recommending cancellation of remote instruction.
Please contact the principal (979-209-1400 or shari.hedstrom@gmail.com) if you have any questions or concerns.
