A.I.R. Elementary
Visits Begin
The popular Authors,
Illustrators Readers (A.I.R.) program returns for two weeks at various
elementary schools.
|
This week,
authors David Davis
and Jan Peck
are visiting. Davis is a humorist, cartoonist, writer and
speaker. Peck is an organic gardener and author of
children’s books. Their remaining schedule is as follows:
|
Davis |
Peck |
|
March 28 |
Britain
Elementary School |
9-10:30 a.m. |
|
Hanes
Elementary School |
1-2:30 p.m. |
|
April 4 |
Good
Elementary School |
9-10:30 a.m. |
|
Brown
Elementary School |
1-2:30 p.m. |
|
April 5 |
Lively
Elementary School |
9-10:30 a.m. |
|
Townley
Elementary School |
1-2:30 p.m. |
|
Next week,
author Ashley
Bryan will visit. He is a former college teacher who has
compiled, illustrated and written more than 30 books, many
of them African folktales. His schedule is as follows:
|
Bryan |
|
April 2 |
Townsell
Elementary School |
8−9:30 a.m. |
|
Johnston
Elementary School |
10−11:30 a.m. |
|
Elliott
Elementary School |
1−2:30 p.m. |
|
April 3 |
Davis
Elementary School |
1−2:30 p.m. |
|
April 4 |
John Haley
Elementary School |
8−9:30 a.m. |
|
Schulze
Elementary School |
10-11:30
a.m. |
|
Barton
Elementary School |
1−2:30 p.m. |
|
April 5 |
Stipes
Elementary School |
8−9:30 a.m. |
|
Thomas Haley
Elementary |
10−11:30 a.m. |
|
Gilbert
Elementary School |
1−2:30 p.m. |
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Art Connection
Made at Middle Schools
Video cameras were in
two classrooms at Bowie and Houston middle schools last week to document
an innovative program called Make a Connection Thru Art.
Spoken word artist Will
Richey addressed students at Houston while mural artist Janet Reynolds
spoke to students at Bowie.
|
Cameraman Terry Briggs, left, collected
footage for Big Thought during a classroom session conducted
by spoken word artist Will Richey, right, at Houston Middle
School last week. Artist Janet Reynolds conducted a similar
session at Bowie Middle School earlier in the day. |
Make a Connection Thru
Art is a life skills program in which professional artists and writers
work with middle school students to express their thoughts and ideas
through various methods of artistic expression. The program, managed by
local non-profit Big Thought and sponsored by Nokia, was first piloted
at two IISD middle schools in 2004 and now serves all IISD middle
schools.
The
footage taped in the classrooms may be included during a segment of the
WFAA-TV Channel 8 program Good Morning Texas scheduled to air
between 9-10 a.m. Thursday. For more information on the program, visit
www.bigthought.org.
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Houston Plans 30th
Birthday
Houston Middle School is
planning activities to celebrate the 30th birthday of the school.
The school opened in the
fall of 1976. Jack Singley, the current superintendent, served as
Houston’s first principal. Rick Nolly is the school's current principal.
Events are being planned
for April 27-28. Past faculty, staff and students are invited to attend
the festivities.
Anyone interested in helping plan the celebration should contact Julia
Wigginton at
jwigginton@irvingisd.net, 972.262.2304 or 682.622.9267.
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DECA Students Advance
to International Contest
Marketing education
students from Irving High School, MacArthur High School, and The Academy
of IISD participated in the Texas DECA Career Development Conference
held March 8-9 in Corpus Christi.
Thirteen students,
including alternates, qualified for the upcoming international
competition in Orlando, Florida.
• Irving High
School:
Kristal Juarez, Fashion Merchandising Promotional Plan (alternate)
• MacArthur
High School:
Christopher Cude, Hospitality Management (alternate); Jimmy Huang and
Yorsalem Waldermarian, Travel & Tourism Management Team (alternate);
Lupe Recendez and Zackary McDowell, Business Merchandising Team Event;
and Blanton Webb, Business Services Marketing (alternate)
• The Academy
of IISD:
Emma Graziani, Morgan Hudgins and Chantal Jarayanpour, Entrepreneurship
Promotional Event; Ashley Mora, Entrepreneurship Participating; Allyson
Parker, Senior Management Institute Candidate; and Ingrid Vasquez, Quick
Serve (alternate)
In
addition, Irving High was recognized as a Super Star Chapter and
MacArthur was recognized for 100 percent membership. DECA, founded as
the Distributive Education Clubs of America, is an association for
marketing students.
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Academy HOSA
Students Advance to State Contest
A delegation of more
than 30 students from The Academy of IISD will be in Galveston April
12-14 for state-level competition of Health Occupations Students of
America (HOSA). The students qualified during the Area Leadership
Conference held recently.
|
Students at
The Academy of IISD who are members of HOSA (Health
Occupations Students of America) performed well during the
area conference, with more than 30 qualifying for state. |
In addition, the
school’s senior HOSA chapter won the gold medal as Outstanding HOSA
Chapter and will advance to the state conference.
For a list of Academy
HOSA students advancing to state, go to
www.irvingisd.net/districtweekly/flyers/HOSA2007.htm.
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April 12 Deadline for
Voter Registration
The
deadline for registering to vote in the May 12 IISD Board of Trustees
election is April 12. If mailed, the registration application to the
Dallas County Elections Department must be postmarked no later than
April 12.
Applications are
available at the Dallas County Tax Office, city halls in Dallas County,
public libraries, Department of Public Safety, major post offices, and
most governmental agencies. It can also be printed from the Dallas
County Elections Department website at
www.dalcoelections.org.
For more information see:
www.irvingisd.net/ppage/election_information.htm
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Nimitz Cultural
Festival Set for Saturday
Nimitz High School will
host a Cultural Festival from 1-5 p.m. Saturday that will feature a
talent show, games, art displays, cultural and food booths, and other
activities. For more information, contact Bernard Manale at
214-755-2533.
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Herring Art Reception
Scheduled for Thursday
Don Herring Mitsubishi
will host a closing reception Thursday from 5-7 p.m. for its second
annual high school art show.
The
gallery represents work from all four IISD high schools. During the
reception, food and beverages will be served. The public is invited to
attend.
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Council of PTAs
Reports Volunteer Hours
The IISD Council of PTAs
reports a total of 11,838 volunteer service hours during the month of
February. Top performing PTA units were Clifton Early Childhood School,
Johnston Elementary School, Travis Middle School, and Irving High
School. Year-to-date, volunteer service hours total 107,896 and days
volunteered total 4,495 for the current school year.
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Area PTA Conference
Set for April 14
The PTA spring
conference/annual meeting and awards gala for Area 16, which includes
Irving ISD, will be held from noon to 8 p.m. April 14 at Shadow Ridge
Middle School in Flower Mound. The preregistration deadline is April 1.
To register, visit www.area16pta.org
or contact Susanne Hutchinson at
hutchpta1@verizon.net.
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Academy
Live 2007 Showcases Talent
The Academy of IISD
again highlighted the various talents of its students March 23 during
the 2007 Academy Live talent show, sponsored by the Class of 2007.
Robert Ramirez, Academy
Spanish teacher, was the emcee. Judges were: Jody Dean, morning
personality for KLUV-FM; Christine Boltwood, youth services specialist
for City of Irving Parks & Recreation and coordinator of Friday Nite
Live teen talent competition; and James Dickens, Irving City Council
member.
This year’s show
consisted of 13 acts, including soloists, ensembles, poets, dancers and
a band. Top honors went to the Swim Team, followed by Jux-ta-pose and
Elexandra.
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de Zavala
Participates in Wet in the City Course
Science
teachers at de Zavala Middle School participated in a course called Wet
in the City, sponsored by the Council for Environmental Education and
City of Irving Public Works/Water Utilities.
The workshop focused on
the importance of watersheds, the impact humans have on the quality of
freshwater, and the importance of educating students about water issues
that will affect them in the future.
The
presenter, Jeff Dornbos, does not normally visit schools for his
presentations but did so for de Zavala due to the school’s federally
protected wetland site. The wetlands at de Zavala offer students a
unique opportunity to investigate the environment up close and personal.
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