What is my local school district: School District Locator | Texas Education Agency

Challenges of transitioning to an online school

Online schools like Excel High School offer students the unique opportunity to learn from anywhere and at their own pace. This unique opportunity for students to learn in a personalized environment that supports their learning style removes the limitations of a physical classroom.

While online learning has many interesting aspects and benefits, there are also many challenges faced by students and parents. Here are some of the more difficult problems, along with important steps for families to address them. nine0003

Lack of structure and schedule

One of the biggest challenges students face when transitioning to an online school is creating and following a schedule. In a physical school, students are in a structured environment controlled by school staff.

When studying online and at home, students do not have the same structure. They work from the comfort of their homes – or wherever they are. The setting is more relaxed, so distractions can get in the way of staying on track. nine0003

What to do

Parents and students can work together to create a daily schedule and a structured online learning environment.

If possible, create a dedicated space for learning. It can be a home office, a place in the kitchen, or somewhere away from the child’s bedroom or living room. It is best if it is a place with a minimum of distractions. If one of the parents is at home during the day, then the place for learning can be such that the parent can safely observe him. nine0003

Although it may seem like a daunting task, online learning gives parents and students the opportunity to create their own learning environment. A custom structure designed around your student’s motivation and ability to concentrate will be the key to keeping the student focused and focused on their studies. To avoid this possible roadblock to your student’s success, do your best to recreate a physical school schedule at home.

Lack of socialization

Online learning provides flexibility, but it also excludes one important thing: socialization. Video teaching allows students to interact on a virtual level, but face-to-face interaction is essential for a young person’s emotional and social development.

Students may also miss out on extracurricular activities and lunch breaks that allow them to connect with friends. Learning to interact with others, resolve conflicts, and create healthy, long-term friendships can be as important to a student’s development as their education. nine0003

What to do

The loss of the face-to-face aspect of the physical classroom is a concern, but it is a problem that can be easily solved.

Although extracurricular activities may be limited, students may participate in community activities and programs, including sports. These activities and programs can help students maintain relationships with friends and neighbors. Your local park department or community engagement centers can help you find ways to get your student involved in social life. nine0003

Depending on the policies of your state and local school district, your online or homeschool student may be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities offered by the local public school district. Contacting your local school district is a good start to find out if your student is eligible and what activities the district has to offer.

Even if these opportunities are not available, the local community is a great source of opportunities to network and build friendships with others. By asking other families and community leaders about opportunities for your student, you can open doors you may not have thought of. nine0003

Lack of face-to-face interaction with teachers

Another aspect of physical classrooms that is lost in online learning is face-to-face contact with teachers. The opportunity to meet after class, form a study group to share notes and study guides, or talk to a teacher about problems you may have while studying certain subjects can be helpful.

Face-to-face and face-to-face conversations make it easier to ask questions and understand concepts better. nine0003

What to do

Online learning platforms such as Excel High School give students the opportunity to ask teachers questions as they learn. You can also interact with classmates and teachers to better understand the subject.

Online teachers are also willing to help their students by email. Sending a quick message can be a great way to open the door to a positive relationship with a teacher. In addition to contacting teachers via email, there are other ways to request help: phone calls, support tickets, or chatting with support staff. If your online school offers tutoring services, scheduling regular assistance times with the same trusted tutor can give your student the opportunity for additional face-to-face interaction while studying. nine0003

Even though online schools have virtual classrooms, support staff are still available to help students along the way. Students still have the same access to teachers as they do in a physical school, it just looks a little different in the online world.

Technical problems

One of the benefits of face-to-face classes is that you don’t have to worry about technical problems interrupting the lesson. Even if students use tablets or netbooks during the lesson, the teacher can continue the lesson, and students can use notebooks and pencils to take notes if the equipment refuses to cooperate for some reason. nine0003

When teaching online, technical problems can interrupt a class or leave several students offline due to connectivity issues.

Loss of battery life or mechanical failure can also cause problems that make things difficult for students.

What to do

Technical problems can sometimes be unavoidable. They happen. Technology can sometimes be unpredictable, especially if you use mobile hotspots or have an unstable Wi-Fi connection. nine0003

The advantage of online learning is that course material is often available at any time – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If the connection is not good at the moment, students can log in later when the connection improves, or find a place where the connection is better, such as a relative’s house or the local library.

Understanding the online school troubleshooting guide and how to contact support is important for both students and other family members. Technical difficulties are frustrating, so knowing what to do and who to contact when these inevitable problems arise will help both you and your student to better deal with these problems when they arise. nine0003

Ultimately, online learning offers many benefits, including the ability to study anytime, anywhere. However, virtual classrooms also create their own problems. Fortunately, there are ways to overcome many of these and allow students to learn as effectively as they would in a physical classroom.

Ready to apply? Apply now Questions? Call (800) 620-3844. You can start right now!

Local newspaper – My America

By Oleg

|

August 7, 2017

Hello! Today I want to write about the free newspaper that we receive every month in the mail – “Community Impact”. The name is quite difficult to translate into Russian due to the ambiguity of words. This is both the “Community Effect” (how mutual aid and cooperation help local cities develop) and, at the same time, “Local Consequences” (about what changes are taking place in the city). Newspaper website – communityimpact.com

The newspaper has been published for 12 years, since 2005, having originated in the Texas town of Round Rock, now it “covers” 22 towns throughout Texas. In the north of Dallas, for example, we have 4 different newspapers “sharpened” for the towns of Plano, Frisco, McKinney and Grapevine. We used to live in Plano, but now we live in Frisco, and all these years I have been happy to receive this free newspaper in my mailbox every time and read it from cover to cover.

I like this newspaper so much that I somehow never even thought about the fact that in my homeland there has never been anything of the same quality in terms of quality. Can I walk through it a bit with you? I have the latest release for the city of Frisco, July 2017, on hand. nine0003

Advertisement

Yes, as you may have guessed, half of the paper space is occupied by local business advertisements. This keeps the paper free and entertains people like me who don’t occasionally read ads. Local! I will show only a couple of examples, and let’s move on, advertising as advertising, what to talk about it.

But in addition to advertising in the newspaper, there are a lot of articles about the local market, business, real estate, taxes, shops, restaurants, and in general everything that an adult might be interested in! nine0003

Local business news

Local business news comes first – what’s new, what’s closing, where renovations are underway, and so on – marked with color tags for clarity. I’m most looking forward to this section, and it’s good that it comes first. And it’s very convenient that all businesses are marked right on the city map, you can immediately see where everything is!

In the picture on the right you can see (click on it to enlarge):

Green blocks – this month we are opening a new “Jason’s Deli” (chain restaurant), “N2 Design Furniture Consignment” (furniture store), “Party City” (party goods store), “Sometimes Spouse” (services such as “husband for an hour”), and another “Title Boxing Club” (network boxing club). nine0003

Lilac marks future openings – Frisco Celebration Hall (the city’s new wedding palace), Direct Orthopedic Care (orthopedic clinic), and Industrial Cigar Co (cigar shop and club).

Yellow – relocating businesses: Excel Dental Care (dentistry) and Sephora (cosmetics store).

In brown are expanding businesses, in this case Haven Behavioral Hospital of Frisco (a psychiatric clinic for the elderly) is expanding its services to younger clients. nine0003

Brick color – renovation. Dave & Busters (sports bar with game room) redesigned their interior

Light green marks name change – Andrea Jordan Salon (manicure) has been renamed Laque Salon

Blue – anniversary. Anniversaries this month are Great American Cookies (very unhealthy shop) and Peak Roofing System (roof repair company)

And red marks business closures. This month it’s Scotty P’s Hamburgers – a so-so burger place, I’m not surprised. nine0003

I must tell you that this is only half of the city – its eastern part, where I live. There’s also an entire page with a map and news for the western half of the city, but you’ve got a good idea already.

Transport news

Next comes transport news. Since life in America is very closely tied to cars, it is very important to know the news about current and planned construction sites (and road closures). I’ll read you a little, can I?

1. 4th Army Drive – the construction of a section of the road inside the district continues, and at the same time the addition of lanes to the adjacent street. The construction timeline (completion in 2018), the cost of the projects ($3.2 million and $11.4 million) and who pays for them are indicated: the city of Frisco itself.
2. Dallas Parkway – Expressway renovation in progress, additional lanes added on both sides of Warren Pkwy junction. It is indicated that the city is still planning how to add new lanes at intersections just to the north. Completion of the project in 2018, the cost of the projects is $11. 5 and $7.5 million. The expansion is financed by the city of Frisco, Collin County, and the Texas Department of Transportation itself.
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3. FM 423 – The widening of the 423 section from four to six lanes will be completed in July. The cost of the project is $29.8 million, paid by the Texas Department of Transportation.
4. US 380 – This important artery connecting several towns with each other has been under repair for several years. Add one more strip (it will turn out – six). The project is due to finish in 2018, costing $58 million, the Texas Department of Transportation is ordering the ball.
5. Warren Parkaway – this little bridge helps me get from work to home faster, avoiding passing traffic jams. They are going to expand it, while it is still in the planning stage, the deadline is approximately July 2018. The cost of the project is $2.5 million, the city of Frisco pays.
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Mayor’s 100-Day Throw Plan

Followed by “Mayor Prioritizes Protracted City Projects” highlighting the Mayor’s (Jeff Cheney) 100-Day Plan with a cute map. Within 100 days, our mayor promises to complete the planning of many of the city development projects listed in the article, due to the constant population growth and the overall economic growth of the area.

The map shows many of the features in the article: planning is expected to be completed, redevelopment of the old downtown area (including the construction of a new row of street shops and a large city parking lot), Main St expansion west of Dallas North Tollway, reconstruction of the Legacy Drive section, and finalization of planning several city parks at once: small local parks NorthEast and NorthWest Community Parks, a new huge Grand Park (as many as 257 acres). There is also a plan to remake the pond with a fountain near the city mall – the plans are to surround the pond with boutiques and restaurants. nine0003

Well, Mr. Mayor, very interesting, we’ll be looking forward to it!

School District Budget News

Schools play a huge role in American life – the quality of schools determines how expensive a district will be, what will be the racial and financial composition of its population. And vice versa. What is there, school districts here – almost replace geographic areas. For example, we live in Frisco ISD (FISD), the “Frisco School District.” Very often, for example, they are looking for housing not in “such and such a city”, but in “such and such a school district” – this sometimes says much more about the characteristics of the area than anything else. nine0003

A school district’s budget is directly related to the standard of living in the district, the amount of real estate value in it, and the level of city taxes. Therefore, for example, this year’s budget changes are associated with an increase in property prices (an average of $33,114 per house this year) and property taxes are expected to be collected next year by 8.3% more than last year.

So the changes this year are:

• 2% salary increase for all school staff (cost: $7,500,000)
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• Schools will add an internal school auditor (cost: $100,000)
• Increased budgeting for arts and sports classes (cost: $563,000)
• Introduces high school sports fees: $100-200 per year (winning: $1,278,750)
• The number of computer science teachers will be slightly reduced (winning: $1,012,000)
• Transferring some public places to federal funding (winning: $1,200,000)

In general, the school budget was reduced by $5,785,486, which is approximately 1%. Interestingly, the table above states that the average cost per school district per student is $11,000 per year. Interesting number! nine0003

Trends in the city’s real estate market

The following article explains how the city’s real estate market is flourishing more than ever due to economic growth.

1. Over the past 9 years, the average cost of housing stock in the city has increased by 50%, and last year (2016) the average cost of a new residential building exceeded $500,000. As a result, the city has introduced a 7.5% tax amendment that will save homeowners an average of $143 a year in property taxes. Great news!
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2. It is planned to build multi-storey apartment buildings in the city. Tallest high-rise building approved by the city council – 25 stories high – hitherto unheard building height in our city (as far as I know, the tallest residential building is now 10 floors). In total, as much as $5,000,000,000 (five billion dollars) was attracted to new areas of high-rise residential buildings.
3. Apartment communities at the peak of growth. Since 2015, 2,021 apartments have been built, 3,737 apartments are currently under construction and 7,277 more apartments are planned.
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4. Housing for the elderly has doubled in the city. This refers not only to nursing homes, but also apartment communities, where only people from 50 or 60 years old live, specially equipped with specific functionality for the elderly, special gyms and a first-aid post.
5. Growth of the labor market affects housing: Dallas-FortWorth is considered the fastest growing region in the labor market. Last year alone (and only the North Dallas region) added 90,400 (ninety thousand!) new vacancies, which, in fact, explains the heyday of the real estate market
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On the next page – very detailed figures on residential real estate – what types of real estate are there, how much has been built, how much is being built now, how many permits have been issued.

The accompanying article states that the cost of an average residential building in the area increased by 8% in a year. All this population migration is to blame. It is interesting that the largest number of “come in large numbers” comes from the state of California – 65,546 people over the past year, Florida is in second place – 33,670 people. It is predicted that, in general, real estate prices will continue to rise. nine0003

By the way, here is a chart of the growth in the average cost of a new residential building in our district, broken down by city (our city is Frisco, its columns are light green). The picture, like everything else here, is clickable.

This is all very informative and interesting, especially if you are in real estate or thinking about buying a house. It is very cool that all this data is open and available to everyone.

And in the next graph, you can see a comparison of new housing with the median cost of existing housing stock. The median value of a used residential building has exceeded $200,000. nine0003

By the way, on the right is the average cost of homeownership (mortgage payment + taxes + insurance) – $1,432 per month, against the average cost of renting a house – $882. It should be noted that such a large gap is primarily due to the fact that in our area people usually own private houses, and, again, usually rent apartments in apartment complexes.

Too expensive?

Next comes some very interesting statistics. It turns out that the cost of real estate in our city has risen so much that many who could previously afford to live here find themselves in a difficult situation. On the remarkable graph on the right (besides the fact that it is broken down by years), three zones are highlighted:

1. Green: Anyone above the green line (total household income over $93,640 a year) can afford to buy a home in our city. Please note that neither a police officer, nor a fireman, nor a restaurant manager, much less a school teacher earns that much (again, these are average numbers)
2. Yellow: Everyone in the yellow zone (total household income over $54,200 per year) can afford to rent an apartment in our city. For comparison, the average salary is given, for example, of a cook who cannot rent an apartment for her in Frisco.
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3. White: everyone who earns more than $30,840 a year (same cook) and cannot rent a full apartment
4. Red: Anyone below the red line (total family income less than $30,840 per year) – such as waiters – due to their low income can qualify for cheap so-called “social housing”

Correction: the cook at Frisco still earns more than the average Texas cook. Still, the conclusions are disappointing: low-skilled workers can afford less and less to live in Frisco, and more and more are forced to commute to work from nearby (and sometimes not so!), cheaper towns to live in, often spending on the road for an hour, or even more. nine0003

City Parking in Downtown

Due to the same growth of the city and its population, given the plans for the redevelopment of historic downtown Frisco, there is a severe shortage of parking spaces in downtown.

On the main street, in the historic downtown area, several three-story residential buildings (all buildings there now are one-story) are being built with restaurants on the roof, which naturally entail / will entail the development of a network of cafes, restaurants and shops, which cannot but affect on the situation with parking, but there is already nowhere to stand! In this regard, initiatives have been put forward to equip new city parking lots around the downtown. nine0003

Much remains to be thought and done, but in the meantime, anyone heading to the Frisco center will benefit from the map of existing parking spaces – on the right, on the downtown map.

Private Business Articles

Each Community Impact edition covers 2-3 small private businesses, with owner stories, interviews, and photographs. I remember in the last issue there was a story about our favorite cafe where we have breakfast every weekend – about a Serbian family – two brothers and a sister who have now opened one of the most popular “breakfast” establishments in Frisco – Frisco Diner. nine0003

This issue features a story about Crafted Home Decor Studio, a kind of school where people learn how to decorate their home with their own hands. At each lesson, students are given a task and shown how to make one or another decor element with their own hands (for example, all kinds of wooden boxes or plates with original inscriptions) – which they can then take home with them. According to the owners, 80% of their students did not hold drills or brushes in their hands. Great idea, wish them luck!

The second story is about “Simply Thai Bistro” – a small, cozy and very popular Thai restaurant in downtown Frisco, which its owner, who is also a chef, opened with his wife in 2012. Arriving from Thailand, already a name behind the experience of working as a chef, the owner worked in many restaurants in Dallas, and one day he decided: he was tired! He wanted something small, cozy, but his own, so that he could experiment more and simply delight visitors with delicious author’s cuisine.

In conclusion

In fact, there are many more articles in the newspaper (45 pages), you can’t even mention them all.

But this is the Community Impact newspaper. I look forward to each new issue, reading both the Frisco issues and the Plano issues (the town next door to where my office is located). I really like the design, and most importantly, the actual and extremely informative content.