School & Family Magazine Newstand Sherman ISD Dec/Jan 2017-18 | Page 8

Building Bearcats Academically:
The Trip of a Lifetime
By Holly Kapp & Emily Parks
t did you
el experiences. Where did you go? Wha
Think back to your most memorable trav
learn?
do? And, most importantly, what did you
were you
le experiences in school? What grade
Now, think back to your most memorab
n?
tly, what did you lear
in? What did you do? And, most importan
curricular
you went to school, or what classes or extra
Regardless of how old you were, where
empowers,
like travel, education changes you. It
programs you were involved in, much
re.
er, your life, and your futu
educates, and prepares you, for your care
ergarten,
it’s a journey. From the first day of kind
Building Bearcats is not only a vision,
Bearcats
our
lop
n ISD works to mature and deve
to graduation day and beyond, Sherma
through academics.
ortunities,”
child because it gives options and opp
“Academics is important for the whole
students’
ry Education at SISD, said. “It builds up
Dr. Gayle Smith, Director of Elementa
them the
in positive and profound ways. It gives
confidence, and helps them to give back
s, create,
they can communicate and articulate idea
opportunity to express their voice, [so]
the real
to
te
ribu
cont
to
s
can use their academic
and innovate - lots of different ways they
world around them.”
Elementary: Deciding to Take a Trip
h time
rs are taken into consideration: How muc
When deciding to take a trip, many facto
friends?
you want to go alone, or with family and
will you have? How much will it cost? Do
deciding
e sure your trip is successful. Much like
The groundwork must be done to mak
stions
que
e
thos
of
y
man
er starts with answering
to take a trip, a child’s educational care
ry.
enta
elem
in
ins
uation. In Sherman ISD, that beg
and laying the foundation toward grad
foundation
n instruction on developing literacy – the
SISD focuses much of its early educatio
n to read
lear
ents
s on literacy instruction help stud
of learning. Not only does an emphasi
ership
own
ks
things that interest them, and spar
and write, but also it helps students find
be successful in kindergarten.
in their education – ensuring they can
literacy,
try to give students a firm foundation in
“We start in elementary,” Smith said. “We
their love for learning.”
math, critical thinking, and developing
aging
icated teachers and staff and a fun, eng
Growing this love for learning takes ded
omizes
their Learning Destinations program epit
environment. At Crutchfield Elementary,
, campus
ed on the right track. Earlier this year
the district’s efforts to get students start
welcome
to
es
cloth
tion
t attendant suits and vaca
administration and teachers donned fligh
used to
they
h
whic
their “educational passport”
students to school. Each child received
begin planning their futures.
want to
early to start thinking about what they
“We want them to realize it’s never too
t like
“Jus
.
Assistant Principal Kalyn McAlester said
be and how to get there,” Crutchfield
8