Community Compass Vol. 2

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Pride Families,

While the Cowboys may have stumbled yesterday, our Pride is starting this season on the right foot! I want to take a moment to celebrate the collective effort that makes our school such a special place. Each day, our students, staff, and families remind me what it means to live out our motto: Excellence, Not Without Effort.

This commitment is being noticed beyond our walls too—our campus recently earned distinctions that highlight the quality of teaching and learning taking place here. While awards are exciting, the real measure of our success is in the confidence, growth, and joy we see in our students every day. Thank you for partnering with us to build a learning community that continues to Roar and Rise.

With Pride,

Mr. Carter

The story of Lipscomb from 2018–2025 is one of resilience and rise:

• 2018–2019: Lipscomb was a B-rated school and earned two state distinctions.

• 2021–2023: Scores dropped, and by 2022–23 we had a D rating with no distinctions.

• 2023–2024: We began to climb again with a C (73).

• 2024–2025: This year, we made a 15-point gain in one year — earning a B (88) and five state distinctions!

Distinctions show that Lipscomb isn’t just improving — we are now performing at a level that ranks us among the strongest schools in Texas with our demographics. This is the direct result of:

• High attendance (95.1%) – our kids showed up.

• Strong teaching – mastery levels in key grades like 4th Math and 5th Reading were standouts.

• Partnership with families – success came from students, staff, and parents working together.

This year, William Lipscomb will be using a Mathematics and Reading program called i-Ready®. i-Ready will help us better understand your child’s learning needs, provide personalized lessons, and track their progress throughout the school year.

• i-Ready Diagnostic: An adaptive assessment that adjusts questions based on your child’s answers. The goal isn’t to give a score or grade, but to show what your child already knows and what they are ready to learn next.

• i-Ready Instruction: After the Diagnostic, students will receive online lessons tailored to their individual strengths and areas for growth. These lessons are interactive and designed to keep students engaged while building critical skills.

One of our first priorities is to prepare for and administer the i-Ready Diagnostic this upcoming week. The information we gain is only valuable if students put forth their best effort, so your partnership is key.

How Families Can Help:

• Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast the day of the Diagnostic.

• Encourage your child to:

  • Try their best on each question without rushing.

  • Understand that it’s normal not to know every answer—students are expected to get about half right.

  • Use paper and pencil to work out math problems.

  • Be patient and respectful of classmates who may need more time.

  
  

• Talk to your child about the purpose of the Diagnostic. You might say:

  • “This test helps your teacher know what you already understand and what you’re ready to learn next.”

  • “Some questions will feel tricky, but that’s okay—just try your best.”

Throughout the year, you can support your child by:

• Checking in on their i-Ready lesson progress.

• Celebrating their growth and effort.

• Using resources at i-ReadyCentral.com/FamilyCenter for tips and guidance.

The 89th Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 12, which requires school districts to obtain written permission from a parent/guardian before providing health-related services to that individual’s child. A school district can only provide lifesaving care without written consent. To provide all other health-related services the child’s parent/guardian must check “YES” below and sign the document attached below.

The Site-Based Decision Making (SBDM) Committee is the advisory council that works alongside the principal to ensure our school thrives. This committee brings together parents, teachers, staff, and community members to guide important conversations about:

• Goal Setting

• Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

• Budgeting

• Staffing Patterns

• School Organization

SBDM serves as the umbrella for all school-related issues, activities, and initiatives. While the principal is responsible for final decisions, the recommendations and input from SBDM directly influence how our campus grows and supports student success.

Right now, our committee is actively overseeing over $50,000 in grant funds that will bring to life a brand-new Makerspace and a remodeled auditorium—projects that will have a lasting impact on every student.

Joining SBDM gives you the opportunity to:

✅ Represent our families’ perspectives

✅ Shape the future of our school

✅ Contribute to meaningful projects that directly benefit students

If you are ready to make a difference and be a part of the decision-making process at William Lipscomb Elementary, we invite you to join our SBDM!

This week we celebrate Ms. Smalley, our incredible Lead Custodian, whose hard work and dedication have been vital to the success of our campus renovation and bond project. While most of us were away this summer, Ms. Smalley was here nearly every day, coordinating and supporting the many projects that transformed our building. Much of her and our custodial team’s work happens behind the scenes, but its impact is seen and felt by everyone who walks our halls. Because of her commitment, our students and staff returned to a school that was refreshed, clean, and reflective of the pride we have in our campus. Thank you, Ms. Smalley, for going above and beyond to make William Lipscomb shine!

We’ve added some incredible new staff since the start of the school year, and we’re excited for you to meet them. Keep an eye out for the next Community Compass to be introduced to even more of our growing team!

For the 2025–2026 school year, all Texas public school students must keep their cell phones, smart watches, AirPods, and any other non-district devices secured and out of use for the entire school day. These devices will be collected by the homeroom teacher each morning and safely stored until the end of the school day. They may not be visible or in use in classrooms, hallways, restrooms, the cafeteria, or any other area on campus.

September 3: 8:30a | Coffee with Principal Carter

September 4: 4-Week Progress Reports Distributed

September 4: Mom's Night Out @ Cosmos | 7:30 p - 10:00 p

September 5: Grandparents Day

September 8: PTA Exec Meeting | 5:30pm-6:30pm