Birdville ISD Superintendent Dr. Darrell Brown announced today the appointments of Tim Drysdale as principal of Haltom Middle School and Vanessa Sutton as principal at West Birdville Elementary. Drysdale is replacing Dr. Jill Balzer, who recently took a position in a neighboring school district; and Sutton is replacing Tim Drysdale.
Matt Cordell, an award-winning author, recently spoke to students at Holiday Heights, Porter, Walker Creek, Watauga, and West Birdville elementary schools. Cordell was recently awarded the Caldecott Medal, one of the most prestigious awards given to children’s book authors, for his book Wolf in the Snow.
View pictures of Cordell with BISD students [opens in new window]
The Birdville Education Foundation’s innovative teacher grant program recently awarded a grant to West Birdville Elementary to begin a Makerspace in their library. Kathy Grupe, West Birdville’s library media specialist, said, “All the students are enjoying the items in our Makerspace. All our items are used on a daily basis in the classroom or in the library.”
At their regular meeting, Birdville ISD’s Board of Trustees announced the appointments of Jennifer R. Martin as principal of David E. Smith Elementary, and Angela Limon as principal of W.T. Francisco Elementary. Martin is replacing Jessica Sandoval, who passed away earlier this year. Limon is replacing Marsha Perry, who was named principal of Walker Creek Elementary.
Jennifer R. Martin has been assistant principal at West Birdville Elementary since 2013. She also was a math interventionist at West Birdville from 2010–13. Prior to West Birdville, she was a second- and third-grade teacher at Foster Village Elementary from 2005–10.
She earned her bachelor’s degree from Texas Christian University and master’s degrees from Texas Christian University and Dallas Baptist University.
Angela Limon has been the assistant principal at Foster Village Elementary since 2014. Prior to Foster Village, she was a math interventionist at West Birdville Elementary from 2011–14, a teacher/reading recovery specialist at Foster Village Elementary from 2006–11, and a teacher/reading recovery specialist at Richland Elementary from 1999–2006.
She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas and master’s degree from Lamar University.
Congratulations to Kathy Grupe, West Birdville Elementary librarian, for winning the Texas Library Association’s Siddie Joe Johnson Award. This honor is presented annually to recognize an outstanding Texas librarian. Nominees are evaluated on the basis of outstanding or innovative programs, a sustained high level of performance, leadership ability, involvement in professional organizations, community involvement, and cooperation with parents and other libraries, especially outside their own system. In 2015, Kathy Grupe was selected Birdville ISD’s Elementary Teacher of the Year.
Congratulations to West Birdville Elementary for winning the regional Young Mathematicians’ Competition. The Young Mathematicians’ Competition is a FREE problem-solving math competition, designed to inspire and challenge gifted young mathematicians in grades 4-6, to work collaboratively to solve advanced math problems. West Birdville’s team will compete at the Grand Finale on Dec. 7 in Colleyville. #BISDShines
