Let's Learn with Bruce & Friends S1E6

Summertime is bringing more than just the sunshine. We have a couple more episodes of Let's Learn with Bruce & Friends before we say curtains to our inaugural season!  Our Hot Topics include lots of "learning": Virtual Empowered Learning, Summer Learning, Professional Learning.  These issues and more rounded out our Hot Topics!  We went behind the scenes with our CNS workers at Reed Elementary. Then, right after our audience questions, we went straight into an incredible storytime performance with District Nurse Cristin Wicketts and our campus nurses! Enjoy!

It might be the last week of school, but there’s still plenty to learn in our next episode!  Athletics Director Jody Hormann tells us the district’s plan for strength and conditioning summer camps, Director of Research Sarah Martinez shares feedback from our remote learning survey, LEEF Executive Director Kristen Huguley shares details about our virtual State of the District, plus a few more Hot Topics.

During the May 21 remote meeting, Leander ISD Board of Trustees approved a compensation plan for teachers and staff. They also approved new start times to accommodate academic and social-emotional needs, heard feedback from the district’s remote learning survey and hired a new Chief Technology Officer. Review the agenda here. Watch the meeting here. Read our Board Briefs here.

Every episode has its own character. Episode 9 was all about levity. As we count down the days to the end of the school year, as tension shrinks from our shoulders down, we felt free to crack a smile and have fun.  Hot Topics were sizzling as we shared all things summer! What summer school will look like and what high school students should consider during these next few months made the playlist. Plus, we have a creative project for students to work on over the break, Time Capsule 2020! From summer to fall, we shared what the new school year could look like when school resumes in August. That's just the tip of the flame! We heard student voices from Plain Elementary and a performance from Cedar Park Middle School's Advance Theatre to boot!

As May winds down, planning for August ramps up for Leander ISD. During the May 19, 2020, Special Called Meeting to discuss budget and employee compensation, Trustees weighed the options for increasing salary and improving benefits for teachers and staff. Read our Board Briefs here. Review the agenda here. Watch the meeting here.

Meeting remotely, the Board of Trustees met for an agenda review meeting on May 14, 2020, to discuss the response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic, a proposal to adjust school start and end times, and the district’s community outreach efforts around student experience. Read and review the agenda materials here. Watch the video here.

What a great episode of Let's Learn, as we listen to district leadership talk about our hot topics which included summer school, revising the bell schedule, Summer Reading 4 All, and technology access.   We also had, what's now considered, a rare glimpse into a middle school when Dr. Gearing toured Leander Middle School earlier this spring (before school buildings closed). LISD Superintendent Bruce Gearing, Ed.D covered all your questions from cleaning the schools, TEA school calendar recommendations and even academic and athletic summer camps.

Let's Learn with Bruce & Friends featured a slew of new details about  graduation scenarios, graduation requirements by grade level and how to get your student's belongings. It's Teacher Appreciation Week! We chatted with a kindergarten dual-language teacher from Knowles Elementary for some pro-tips on how to thrive in the next few weeks of remote learning.  Words of encouragement from our Leander ISD Board members, plus, an incredible performance from a teacher from Block House Creek Elementary!

In Episode 6, we fielded lots of questions about remote learning and our future, which included our finances and hiring outlook moving forward. We also had the chance to hear from a student panel from Cedar Park High School's broadcast journalism program. We put a bow on the show with a positively delightful performance from Reed Elementary teachers and staff!

Construction and capital improvement plans from the 2017 bond will continue after the Board approved the borrowing and the construction agreements for several remaining projects during their regular meeting. View the entire agenda here. Watch the video here. Read our Board Briefs here.