Author Archive | thehuman

Have you heard of the PSS stands for Parent Support Specialist NOT to be confused with PS4!

What do you do?

• Organize and provide ongoing parent/family/community engagement trainings and meetings in coordination with the campus and vertical team principals, campus and district staff, and other community entities.
• Assist parents/families/community and staff in understanding district, state, and federal practices and policies (including the Title One family compact and parent involvement policy.)
• Assist the principal and other campus staff with identifying effective strategies for increasing parent participation by utilizing The National Standards of PTA.
• Establish and maintain productive working relationships with campus staff and parents/families/community and community resource providers.
• Document program activities and outcomes, which will promote the identification of successful practices and the sharing of these practices.
• Collaborate closely with the Learning Support Services Team, the Campus Advisory Council (CAC) and the Parent Teacher Association (PTA/PTSA) on each campus and at the vertical team level.
• Attend necessary Parent Support Specialist district staff development trainings.

Why did you pick this school?

I am currently a student at Huston- Tillotson University majoring in Elementary Education. Part of my schooling requires that I work in an elementary school while I pursue my degree.

THES was hiring and I applied…. The rest is history.

What do you do in your free time?

I bake and work on a family cookbook I am putting together for my mom’s side of the family. I  am also building the curriculum for the summer camp I run out of my house. The camp is called CAMP CHEF KIDS and it is for ages 7-12 years old. So, basically I teach kids to cook during the summer……but with a twist. We take walking field trips, do art and crafts, journal, develop recipes and spend time at the splash pad across the street from my house.

What’s it like being a PSS?

It is amazing being a Parent Support Specials. I LOVE helping people!! I get to meet new people everyday and I get to help families and students.

What are your goals?

I have 5 Goals for 2019

1. Finish the cookbook!!! My cousins are always asking me “Is it done yet?”
2. Start a Water Fitness Group for teachers at Travis Heights this spring. (Stacey Pool is literally right next door)
3. Invite more refugee families to participate in school activities.
4. Help re-open the Travis Heights store
5. Be the best  PSS I can be!!

Is there anything else you want us to know? Like fun facts?

My favorite color is purple. My real name is Adrianna. I use to work with Ms. Boyd and Ms. Cooper at Open Door Preschool (not at the same time).

AND…

My favorite candy is a GOO GOO CLUSTER.
I have a passion for working with children and their families.
I am the oldest of 6 children.
I have three kiddos : Gabriel 24, Noah 20 and Bella 16
My food is homemade mac-n-cheese.
I LOVE DRAGONFLIES!!

You can find her office in the front hallway, near the front door!

5th Grade vs. 4th Grade: How do They Compare?

In my experience at Travis Heights Elementary School, 4th grade is kind of different than 5th grade, of course they are different grades, but I would like to explain some specific examples I have witnessed.

One of the differences I have noticed is in science class,. This year in 5th grade we are focusing on energy, mostly light energy, and in 4th grade we focused on erosion of the Earth.  Energy is caused by little particles moving around to get the job done, and erosion is when the Earth goes through some physical changes. In 5th grade art class we are designing the Travis Heights t-shirt logo.Designing the logo is a big deal because everyone is going to be wearing this design.  In 4th grade our projects did not affect the entire school.

While in 5th grade reading we are focusing on different types of genres, especially poetry, in 4th grade we mainly read autobiographies and biographies. Both grades are very different, but they are still kind of similar. For example, in math we are still doing multiplication and fractions. Our teachers for have not changed and we are still proud Thunderbirds. 5th grade is just like 4th grade but a little more advanced. Even though both grades are different, you should still do well in both.