Grand Lakes February 2018
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School<br />
News<br />
KATY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT<br />
WWW.KATYISD.ORG<br />
IMPORTANT DATES<br />
<strong>February</strong> 16 th -<br />
Early Dismissal for Campus Professional Learning<br />
<strong>February</strong> 19 th -<br />
District Professional Learning Day - Student Holiday<br />
KATY ISD FRANZ ELEMENTARY<br />
CELEBRATES NEW SPARK PARK<br />
Waving “Thank You” signs and singing along to a melodious gratitude<br />
song, the Franz Elementary (FES) Choir officially dedicated<br />
their new SPARK Park, which is now available for public use during<br />
non-school hours and on weekends.<br />
This park is a collaborative effort between Katy ISD, FES parents,<br />
students, staff, the PTA, as well as local entities, who together<br />
contributed to the SPARK grant, which was just under $130,000.<br />
Fundraising efforts included a $5,000 donation from the PTA and a<br />
week-long of SPARK fundraising activities at the school, that included<br />
taping the principal to a wall, crazy hair day and water games that<br />
included popsicles, of which $2,150 was collected. Other funding<br />
included $1,000 from the West Harris County MUD #7, $1,000 from<br />
Raintree Village Homeowner’s Association and the design work was<br />
paid for by Katy ISD. SPARK contributed $116,000 from The Kinder<br />
Foundation and Houston Endowment park desert initiative.<br />
The park includes a concrete trail, sensory play panels, musical instruments<br />
and four bollards covered with tiles painted by students<br />
and staff. When visitors walk through the park, they will notice a<br />
variety of trees, which include Monterrey oaks, Mexican plums and<br />
anacua trees. In total, 34 trees were donated by Trees for Houston.<br />
Principal Sylvan shared, “It has been said that ‘A true community is<br />
not just about being geographically close to someone or a part of<br />
the same social network.’ It’s about feeling connected and responsible<br />
for what happens. Humanity is our ultimate community and<br />
everyone plays a crucial role.”<br />
“We hope during the break, you will come and enjoy this park,”<br />
added Ashley Vann, Katy ISD Board of Trustees President.<br />
SPARK, an organization created in 1983 to increase park and recreational<br />
spaces in the Greater Houston area, has helped to turn<br />
underutilized school playgrounds into neighborhood parks at more<br />
than 200 locations. This is the third SPARK Park at a Katy ISD school.<br />
CINCO RANCH HIGH<br />
FOUR KATY-AREA ROBOTICS TEAMS ADVANCE TO FIRST LEGO<br />
LEAGUE REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT<br />
The Cinco Ranch Junior High gym echoed with the sound of cheering<br />
as the CRyptonite robotics team from Cinco Ranch High School (CRHS)<br />
hosted their seventh annual FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition<br />
of Science and Technology) LEGO® League Katy Qualifier robotics<br />
tournament. Of the 24 teams competing, four from the Katy-area and<br />
two others earned a coveted “Golden Ticket” to advance to the FIRST<br />
LEGO League Texas South Region Championship Tournament, which<br />
was held January 27, <strong>2018</strong> at the British International School in Katy<br />
(www.fllhouston.com/previewchamp).<br />
FIRST LEGO League is an annual international robotics competition<br />
for students from 4 th to 8 th grade in teams of two to ten members. The<br />
teams create and program robots using LEGO MINDSTORMS technology<br />
to solve as many pre-determined missions as possible in a 2 ½ minute<br />
time period. They also research a real-world problem and create and<br />
present a solution to judges, all while demonstrating core values, such<br />
as having fun, gracious professionalism® and coopertition®. CRyptonite<br />
is a FIRST Robotics Competition team from Cinco Ranch High School<br />
that builds more advanced robots to compete in international competitions<br />
for high school-age students. The team is dedicated to developing<br />
engineering, problem-solving and teamwork skills. In addition to<br />
organizing and running the Katy Qualifier, CRyptonite members who<br />
were previously on FIRST Lego League teams helped coach three of the<br />
Katy-area teams that are advancing.<br />
According to Bella Riffle, CRHS senior and fourth year CRyptonite team<br />
member, who was Student Coordinator for the tournament, “CRyptonite<br />
is dedicated to developing the next generation of scientists<br />
and engineers and this tournament helps support that goal.” To this<br />
end, a Rookie Coach Award was given to Alex Dial for his work with the<br />
Computerized Coyotes team from Beck Jr. High. Dial, a second-year<br />
member of CRyptonite, was a on a FIRST LEGO League team at Beck.<br />
Added Kyna McGill, first year CRyptonite member and announcer for<br />
the qualifier, who also mentored an advancing team, “FIRST taught me<br />
many valuable lessons about teamwork, project management and more<br />
and motivated me to continue in robotics. Several team members are<br />
using this knowledge to help develop and give back to younger teams.”<br />
24 <strong>February</strong> <strong>2018</strong> | Community Newsletter