Hello East Harris County and Crosby ISD families,
Welcome to October! We are two months into the 2023-2024 School Year, and I wanted to share with you what a non-instructional Friday looks like in Crosby ISD.
September 22 was our first Student Holiday and Staff Development Day. It included learning for many students and staff members. First, dozens of students enrolled in our 21st Century Grant and YMCA childcare programs went on their first student enrichment field trip of the year. They visited NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Clear Lake. Their day was filled with space exploration activities. They took a tour of the restored Saturn V rocket, which is the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful rocket ever flown. Students learned how the 30-story tall rocket was launched 13 times, carrying 27 Apollo astronauts into space, including nine missions to the moon. They piloted rocket simulators and underwent missions to capture a space telescope in zero gravity. Hands-on learning doesn’t get better than that! It’s due to the generosity of two Crosby businesses that we are able to provide these student enrichment field trips. We sincerely thank Friendly Ford of Crosby and The Crawfish Shack for significant donations that will fund exciting field trips once a month on non-instructional Fridays.
Meanwhile, back here in Crosby ISD, every staff member received training, from transportation, to child nutrition, and even campus leaders. Training happened at each campus and in each department during the first half of the Staff Development Day. Bus drivers had a chance to see our new routing system. Nutrition services workers received refreshers on cash register policies, and they even made muffins and salads for our staff to enjoy at lunch. The afternoon was the staff’s opportunity to take care of their needs, from grading papers to working on lesson plans, to making parent phone calls. We call these Fridays “Red Box Fridays,” because they are listed as a “red box” on our academic calendar, designating monthly professional development day on the four-day calendar.
For the first time, Crosby ISD also offered optional wellness activities on each campus. We’ve partnered with community groups and organizations that will visit each campus and provide fun activities for our staff members to enjoy for one hour. At one campus, an alumni-owned business delivered swag bags and smoothies as a treat. A local fitness instructor and a choreographer visited other campuses for exercise classes and dance lessons. At another campus, teachers learned the basics of pencil drawing and caricatures. We saw teachers taking care of their minds and bodies and laughing along the way. We also empowered our district and campus leaders to use technology better than ever before, thanks to Apple in Education training. We believe that taking care of the people who take care of students benefits everyone.
I wanted to close with two reminders. We continue to host informational meetings regarding November’s bond election. The meetings are open to the public on the following dates and locations:
Thursday, October 5 Community Town Hall (Crosby) 6pm Crosby Community Center 409 Hare Rd, Crosby, TX 77532
Thursday, October 19 Community Town Hall (Barrett Station) 6pm Riley Chambers Community Center 808 Magnolia Ave, Crosby, TX, 77532
You can review the presentations and examine frequently asked questions regarding the bond anytime at www.crosbyisd.org/BOND2023. Election Day is November 7, and early voting begins October 23.
Finally, we’re inviting the Crosby and Barrett Station communities to attend a giant homecoming tailgate party. On Friday, October 13, our campuses will host games and giveaways outside Crosby High School. The tailgating will start at 5pm. At 6, we’ll host a community Spirit Walk from CHS to Cougar Stadium ahead of the football game against Baytown Sterling. The tailgate party is open to students of all ages and their families. The event is absolutely free. Just before kickoff, we’re bringing back the beloved tradition of skydivers landing at the 50-yard line at Cougar Stadium. Thank you to The Balderrama Team at RE/ MAX ONE for sponsoring the skydivers. We hope to see you there as we celebrate what it means to be a Crosby Cougar and welcome home our alumni.
We are Moving Forward! Go Coogs!