DISD OUTLINES WEATHER-RELATED SCHOOL CLOSINGS PROCEDURES OUTLINED
In the event of inclement weather, the decision to open or close schools will be made no later than 6 a.m. on the day in question and communicated as soon as possible to parents/guardians and staff in several ways:

• The district will call local radio and television stations by 6 a.m. to inform them whether or not schools are to be open or closed. The stations will then broadcast this information to the public.
• Automated phone calls stating whether schools are to be open or closed are made as soon as possible to parents and staff for whom the district has current phone numbers.
• The information is posted on the district’s Web site at www.dallasisd.org.
• A recorded message is placed on the district’s information line at (972) 925-3700.

Classes will not be held if it is determined that buses are unable to operate safely, if electric service at schools is disrupted, or if natural gas to schools is curtailed. However, once schools are open for the day, classes are held for the entire school day so as to not inconvenience working parents or disrupt the learning environment.

The procedure for making the decision to close schools begins early in the morning when school personnel in each area of the city drive the streets near the neighborhood schools to check road conditions. Personnel confer with the weather bureau, police department, and gas and utility companies about forecasts, road conditions, and available energy for heating the buildings. The findings are reported to the superintendent of schools, who makes the final decision to open or close schools.

Census Information Provided by DISD
ENGLISH: Census Day is April 1. Each family will receive (should have received) a census form in the mail. Please take a few minutes to fill out the form and return it, so your family can be counted. Remember, it’s important to count everyone living in your household. The information you provide is completely confidential, and it is used to make critical decisions about our schools and communities. Census information helps determine a number of things, like how federal funds are distributed for hospitals, job training centers, senior centers, schools and public works projects. The census is an opportunity for everyone to make a difference.

SPANISH:El día del Censo es el 1 de abril. Cada familia recibirá (o deberá de haber recibido) un cuestionario del Censo por el correo. Por favor tomen unos minutos para completar los cuestionarios y regrésenlos para que sus familias sean contadas. Recuerden, es importante que todas las personas que viven en su casa sean contadas. La información que ustedes den, será completamente confidencial, y será utilizada para hacer decisiones importantes sobre nuestras escuelas y comunidades. La información recopilada por el censo ayuda a determinar un número de cosas, como por ejemplo cómo son distribuidos fondos federales para hospitales, centros de entrenamiento de trabajos, centros para personas de la tercera edad, escuelas, y proyectos públicos. El Censo es una oportunidad para que todos hagan la diferencia.

YoungArts Announces Semifinalists
BTW students return from an eventful week at NFAA in Miami.

BTWHSPVA proudly announces the names of semi-finalists who will travel to Miami in January for the next step in the competition:

DANCE:
Austin Goodwin, Choreography, Semi-Final Status, Silver Award Winner

Ida Saki, Modern Dance, Semi-Final Status, Silver Award Winner

Victoria Caffey, Jazz Dance, Semi-Final Status, Level 1 Award Winner

THEATRE:
Mia Antoinette Crowe, Acting

MERIT AWARD WINNERS:
Joshua Bailey, DANCE/World Dance Forms/African
Shonjia, DANCE/World Dance Forms/African
Chloe Wells, DANCE/World Dance Forms/Spanish
Katy Wood, PHOTOGRAPHY
D'Andre Horn, VOICE/Popular Voice

HONORABLE MENTION AWARD WINNERS
Katherine Bernet, DANCE/TAP

Additional Information can be found at the NFAA/YoungArts website: link.

Principal Fraley Posts Strategic Plans for BTW
As the new year begins, Principal Fraley announces the results of the BTW Report Card issued by TEA for the 2009-09 school year. This Report Card (SRC) is now available from the Texas Education Agency's website. These reports are not mailed to districts or schools. For the convenience of parents and friends of BTW, we are providing a print version from the TEA website. Click here.

Building upon these important statistics, Principal Fraley is also posting three documents vital to the ensured success of BTW as we plan for the future:

BTW Five Year Strategic Plan Framework

College and Career Readiness plan

Arts Program Development Plan

All stakeholders are invited to study these plans and provide feedback as we begin planning for the 2010 - 2011 school year.

Parking Update 2010
Click here for print version
First of all my SINCERE apologies to all of you!  I did not proof read this letter as closely as I should have, and as a result, we communicated the opposite of what we meant when we wrote the parking and drop-off guidelines we published January 4th.  We sent a draft by mistake and not the revised one we had intended!  I am afraid I was still mentally on Winter Break when I did this!  Effective immediately, we will use the following plan:  PLEASE discard the plan you were sent on January 4th! 
RE:  Revised Update on parking, bus lanes, parent drop- off, and campus safety and security plans:

Bus Drop Off and Pick Up:  We have resumed bus drop-off of students in the morning on the Routh side of the school, in the bus lane area/circle drive.  We will have also resumed bus pick-up of students after school in the same area. 

Parent Drop-Off and Pick-Up:  Parent drop-off and pick-up of students will either be in the teacher parking lot (Jack Evans entrance) or the Routh Street Circle.  If using the Teacher Parking lot, please stay to the right and form one lane on the south side of the lot.  Also, please watch for pedestrians and maintain a 10 mile per hour speed limit when entering or leaving the lot.  The Routh Street circle drive will be available for drop off in the mornings and for pick up in the afternoons after 4:30 pm.  When dropping off students in the morning or picking them up in the afternoon using the Routh Street Circle, please pull forward as far as possible to prevent backing up traffic onto Routh Street.  You may also want to consider picking up your student near Flora and Jack Evans on the west side of the school at dismissal time. 

Student, Parent, Guest and Visitor Parking:  Parents, guests and visitors may park in the teacher lot or in the circular drive on Routh Street. Please do not park in the circular drive between 8 am and 9:15 am and 3:15 pm and 4:30 pm.  We need to leave this open for bus access during this time.  The teacher lot may be used for parking by patrons (except students) at anytime.  Please do not park in parking spots marked “reserved” or in spots with a cone in it in the teacher lot.  These spots are for staff who have to come and go throughout the day or for special guests who are visiting our school.  You may also park in the student parking lot or in the one hour parking on Flora Street in front of the school at anytime.  We would still like for students that drive and that have to stay late for a rehearsal or a performance to move their vehicles from the student  parking lot to the teacher parking lot after 4:30 pm. for safety reasons. 

Entrance to the school:  The entrance to the school (Zero floor) by the teacher lot will remain the same at this time.  All students will be directed to the gate at the north end of the circle drive on Routh Street to access the school through the zero floor entrance.  Due to limited security personnel, this allows us to control who enters the building and to ensure all students are screened using the metal detectors.  This is for safety and security reasons and is a part of the campus safety plan.  

Access to BTW Parking Lots during Arts District Events:  With the opening of the Arts District, we have been experiencing some problems with patrons of the Arts District using our parking lots. This has prevented BTW parents, volunteers, students and guests from parking at the school while they attend our performances and events.  We have contracted with Platinum Parking to assist us during these times.  Platinum Parking has agreed to monitor our lots on those dates when we have events at BTW, and there are also events happening in the Arts District.  During these times, BTW patrons will be admitted to our lots by showing their BTW parking placard. To help Platinum Parking distinguish who is a BTW patron and who is not, we are asking students and staff to make sure they have their parking placards displayed in their cars at all times.  In addition, we have purchased special placards for BTW parents and patrons.  These are available at the school at the reception desk.  If you would like one of these placards, please feel free to stop by the reception desk and request one.  Your student may also obtain one for you by checking with Ms. Bermudez at the reception desk.  These placards are available to families, guests, volunteers, or anyone who attends performances at our school.  This will help us ensure we have parking available to our stakeholders.  We are also hoping to distribute these to parents as you drop off and pick up your students starting on Monday, 1/11/2010 if we can free up staff to assist.

If for any reason, I have made another error in communicating this plan (I hope not!) or if you have questions, concerns, or ideas to improve it, PLEASE contact me.  I am human and often make mistakes – I APPRECIATE it when these are brought to my attention.

Thank you for your assistance and support as we continually strive to maintain a safe and secure campus for our students and faculty/staff.  We also want parents, guests, and other visitors to know we love having you come to our school.  We hope to make your visit here as pleasant and easy to navigate as possible.  Thank you for helping us to accomplish this goal!

Tracie Fraley, Principal

Notes From the Principal

Dress Code: Staff and students are reminded that we must follow the DISD dress code at all times. The only times exceptions are allowed are on specially designated spirit days. Staff and students are reminded hats, scarves, bandanas, and other coverings that cover the entire head are not permitted. Females (staff and students) must also make sure their dresses/skirts reach at least fingertip length even if they are wearing leggings. Also cleavage showing is not acceptable. Staff is reminded jeans are not permitted except on Fridays or other designated days. (Exclusions have been granted for certain programs due to the nature of the work being done in the classroom) All BTW constituents are expected to comply.

Flu Update: The incidences of flu like illnesses at our school have begun to wane slightly, but we could see a resurgence as colder weather approaches. DISD has set up clinics for employees to get flu shots - see Ms. Montgomery for information. Parents are encouraged to check with their doctor or the Dallas County Health Department for information on vaccinations and clinics.

Fund Raising: Please be reminded, all constituents are asked to contact our school activities director, Cathy Vernon, PRIOR to conducting a fund raiser or purchasing supplies, etc.. This includes PTSA, guilds, class officers, etc. We are coordinating fund raisers to ensure we are not competing against each other and to maintain a find raising calendar. The fundrasing request form is found on the school's website.

Note to Parents Regarding Deliveries to Students
Recently, we have seen a proliferation in people sending goodies and various deliveries to school (i.e. flowers, stuffed animals, etc.). Please help us adhere to the district and school policy regarding these issues. This is an excerpt from the BTWHSPVA Student Handbook:

FLOWERS, BALLOONS, LUNCH PARTIES, “TREATS”
Flowers, balloons, and other gift items are prohibited and deliveries will not be accepted. In addition due to the restrictive dietary laws enacted by the state of Texas in the summer of 2009, parents may not bring cakes, cookies, sodas, or other “treats” to school for anyone other than their personal student(s) during meal times (breakfast and lunch). Violations can result in fines which can be in excess of $10,000 per occurrence as levied by each governing agency (DISD, TEA, Texas Dept. Of Health). Parents wishing to bring these types of FOOD items may only do so AFTER school with PRIOR APPROVAL FROM THE CAMPUS ADMINISTRATION.

Thank you for your support of this policy. If you have questions, please let Principal Fraley know.

Teacher of the Month Selected: January

	BTW is proud to recognize as the JANUARY TEACHER OF THE MONTH: Gloria Stephens, Choir Director, Music Cluster. Ms. Stephens was nominated by several students and a fellow teacher. In the nomination, Ms. Stephens is described as a teacher who goes above and beyond the call of duty in helping, teaching and leading her students.

She has high expectations for her students and works to make them excel. She is described as a great teacher, an inspiration, and a wonderful role model.

Her fellow teacher had the following to say about Ms. Stephens, “I would like to compliment Gloria Stephens.

Beyond any other cluster teacher, I feel as an academic teacher, if I figure out that a child who is struggling in one of my classes is a student of Gloria’s, I know there is no reason to be concerned. She has the best follow-through on our campus with our students. She ensures that even students who are not always on top of their work will get the work done and they will put forth their best effort to pass the six weeks. She stays on top of them after that and makes sure each subsequent six weeks is taken care of as well. All I need to do is mention the name of the student to Gloria and she has it taken care of, from giving up time in rehearsal so they can attend tutoring to hounding them when they need to be hounded. She is a great student advocate and an exceptional teacher support as well!”

Please join us in congratulating this outstanding educator!

Student of the Month
The faculty has had the opportunity to vote on Student of the Month for the fall semester. These students have demonstrated outstanding scholarship, community service and/or going beyond the call of duty at BTW.

Teacher of the Year Selected: Mike Betzen

	In recognition of his excellence in the classroom, Mr. Michael Betzen, Science Teacher, was voted by his peers as the 2010 - 2011 Teacher of the Year. This accomplishment is in

recognition of his service to the school and to the students of the school. Mr. Betzen is well known for his caring and compassionate attitude as well as his outstanding performance in teaching and learning. he is often described as an engaging and interesting teacher who makes learning fun and real.

Five teacher finalists made the list:
Mike Betzen - Science
Charlotte Chambliss - Visual Arts Teacher
Stephanie Daugherty - Science Teacher
Niloo Jalilvand - Math Teacher
Luis Martinez - Music Teacher

Teacher of the Month Selected: November

	BTW is proud to recognize as the NOVEMBER TEACHER OF THE MONTH: Luis Martinez, Music Cluster Coordinator Mr. Martinez was nominated by several students and parents.In the nomination, Mr. Martinez is described as a teacher who goes above and beyond the call of duty

in helping, teaching and leading his students. He has high expectations for his students and works to make them excel. He has a great sense of humor and makes learning fun. He always expects the best from us and makes sure we are prepared. His classes are described as fun, exciting and fast-paced. As one student state, Mr. Martinez is the BOMB!"

Other comments from his multiple nominations include:
"Great educator!"
"Excellent teacher!"
"He expects nothing less than the best from every student!"

Please join us in congratulating this outstanding educator!

Teacher of the Month Selected: October

	BTW is proud to recognize as the OCTOBER TEACHER OF THE MONTH: Gretchen Boettcher, Social Studies Department. Ms. Boettcher was nominated by several students and parents. In the nomination, Ms. Boettcher is described as a teacher who goes above and beyond the call of duty in preparing her students.

She has high expectations for her students and works to make them excel. She also cares deeply about their success. Her classes are described as fun, engaging and relevant.

As a result of her efforts, her students excel. According to one of the nominators, “I have never worked harder in my life for any teacher than I have Ms. Boettcher. I worked for her because she cared about me and she challenged me to do my best.”

Other comments from her multiple nominations include: “We love her!” “She goes out of her way to make students feel special.” “She believes in me!” “She will do anything to help us!”

Ms. Boettcher is also known for her outstanding flute performance in the Faculty Recital last spring.

Please join us in congratulating this outstanding educator!

Safety is An Issue for Everyone
Dallas Police have issued a reminder about personal safety. The downtown Arts District is a vibrant, bustling area full of exciting new venues and activities. Despite the well-lit and friendly area, everyone needs to be reminded that it is easy to become distracted by conversation, cell phones, carrying too many book bags, briefcases, purses and generally not paying close attention to surroundings. At BTW we are asking parents, students, visitors, faculty to be alert.

Daylight savings and early dusk will be here soon. If you are leaving the building in the evening, please ask a security guard to accompany you to your car. Students should move their cars from the student parking lot to the teacher parking lot after school if they will be here late for rehearsals. Please watch out for each other. We want to continue having a safe campus.

Fundraiser Authorization for Non-School Organizations
Non-school organizations wishing to hold fundraisers must submit an authorization form to Cathy Vernon, Student Activities Coordinator, 972.925.1224 or
CVERNON@dallasisd.org. The form can be downloaded here: Fundraiser Form.

Arts Magnet Named One of Eight Successful High Schools by the US Department of Education
Innovations in Education: Successful Magnet High Schools is a new guide recently published by the US Department of Education. The guide names Booker T Washington HS as one of eight high school successes. It is written for policy-makers, district and school staff, as well as educators and parents interested in understanding what successful magnet schools offer and how the strategies they use to implement innovative programs can increase equity and achievement levels for their students. To read more, click on this link.