Author: Ana Jurado

For the 2023-2024 academic school year, Cityscape’s Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) plan now covers all Reading, Math, Science, and Pre-K teachers, grades Pre-K through 8.  Both certified and uncertified teachers are eligible to qualify for a TIA designation. Cityscape’s district plan is comprised of: Student Growth – 50 percent Teacher Observation – 50 percent Attendance - prerequisite Our measurement for Student Growth is MAP (for grades K through 8) and CIRCLE (for our Pre-K teachers). Our measurement of Teacher Observation is T-TESS (for all grades):  Domains 2 & 3 To learn more about Teacher Incentive Allotment, see the Texas Education Agency Resources (https://tea.texas.gov/texas-educators/educator-initiatives-and-performance/educator-initiatives/teacher-incentive-allotment) Exciting News! The scoop of the dayCityscape home to 16 TIA Designees for the 2023-2024 School Year! For the first time in district history, Cityscape Schools is home to 16 teachers who have earned designations through the state’s Teacher Incentive Allotment program. Nine teachers are veteran Cityscape teachers and the remaining seven teachers had already earned their designations at other districts when they came to Cityscape for the current school year. The following teachers are in their second year (or higher) with Cityscape Schools: Acuña, Sol – ECC - RecognizedCupido, Carlos – EGP – RecognizedEsquivel, Margarita – BP - ExemplaryFranco, Alva – EGP – RecognizedGarcia, Maria – EGP – RecognizedHoward, Naima – BP – ExemplaryMiles, Lindsey – EGP – RecognizedOrnelas, Juan – EGP – RecognizedRodriguez, Angel – EGP – Recognized And a huge Cityscape welcome to the following teachers who are new this year, but earned designations through their previous districts: Arellano, Rosa – EGP – ExemplaryCabra, Diana – EGP – RecognizedCamarillo, Gabriel – EGP – MasterChilds, Samantha – EGP – MasterDe Fex, Raul – EGP –…

Attendance Awareness  Cityscape Schools acknowledges the importance of showing up every day! September is known as Attendance Awareness Month and we are dedicated to helping our families understand how being in class every day impacts their children’s learning. Recent surveys have shown that some of the reasons that  students are absent include: 48%, short-term illness, 10% chronic illness, 2% bad weather and 1% unreliable transportation.  A research made by Attendance Works stated that 10% of missed school days missed due to absence for any reason, even if it’s excused or unexcused, can translate into students having difficulty learning to read by the third grade, achieving in middle school, and graduating from high school.  Students at Cityscape Schools are required to not miss more than 28 school days, that includes both excused and unexcused absences. In addition, our campus leadership team is responsible for applying those consequences to those students who don't meet the required days of attendance, those consequences may result in expulsion, suspension or required summer school.  Over the past few years, the misconception on chronic absenteeism has created a division between families and schools. While for some administrators absenteeism can be easily confused with lack of interest in education by families, research has shown to them that the difficulty to connect with schools is among the top reasons why students are absent.  We Are Here To Help! Our team at Cityscape Schools prides itself on staying connected with families and keeping that communication intact as it’s the first sentence of our Mission Statement, “Cityscape Schools exists to work in an educational partnership with families.” Chief officer of Culture and Climate, Dr. Billy Ferrell says Cityscape knows the importance of keeping…