Irving ISD Student Places in Top 10 Nationally at SkillsUSA

(July 10, 2007)  Mukund Ramesh, junior electronics student at The Academy of Irving ISD, competed at the SkillsUSA Champions at Work National Leadership & Skills Conference held June 26-29 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Ramesh earned the privilege to compete at the national level by winning the Texas title in Electronics Technology. He placed 10th in nation and was part of the top 2 percent of SkillsUSA students in the United States.

The Electronics Technology competition consisted of a six-hour contest testing contestants’ knowledge of the following areas:

• Analog and digital circuitry

• Ability to troubleshoot electronic circuits

• Ability to construct and test experimental circuits

• Ability to design and select circuit components

• Ability to assemble an electronics circuit

All aspects of the competition tested students’ abilities to use and calibrate electronic equipment, record and organize data, and demonstrate proper safety practices.

Ramesh plans to compete again next year. His electronics instructor is Gary Kennedy.

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Irving ISD Student Registration Schedule

(July 9, 2007)  Irving ISD has announced student registration schedules for the 2007-2008 school year.

Registration for prekindergarten students begins August 6 and will take place at Austin Middle School, 825 E. Union Bower.

Registration is open to students who will be at least 4 years old on or before September 1, 2007. Eligibility requirements are based on income, language, homeless status, and/or military dependent status. Parents of prekindergarten students should know their monthly income before deductions.

The registration schedule at Austin is as follows:

• Pierce Early Childhood School (Central Irving)
  August 6 – 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

• Clifton Early Childhood School (North Irving)
  August 7 – 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

• Kinkeade Early Childhood School (South Irving)
  August 8 – 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

Elementary students in kindergarten through grade five who are new to Irving ISD may register for school August 13-17 from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at their neighborhood schools.

Middle school students in grades six through eight who are new to IISD may register at their neighborhood schools as follows:

• August 16, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

• August 17, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

• August 21, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

• August 22, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

• August 23, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

• August 28, noon-3 p.m.

No appointment is necessary for middle school students and parents.

High school students who are new to IISD may register by calling the appropriate high school and making an appointment beginning August 13. Evening appointments are available.

To register a student, the following must be provided: updated immunization records, birth certificate, Social Security card, and proof of residency (lease or utility bill).

The first day of school for IISD is Monday, August 27.

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Student Interns Ready to Work

(June 25, 2007)  The Academy of Irving ISD has more than 170 senior high school student interns ready to work in area businesses for the upcoming school year.

These students, who are 17-18 years of age, have qualified for the Student Internship Training Experience (SITE) program. This unique internship program gives seniors the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills learned during their three years of education and training in their career specialty area.

Students must meet the program’s qualifications to participate. The qualifications include:

• Completion of 300-plus hours of specialized classroom training in their career area

• A or B academic average

• High employability skills grade (timeliness, professionalism, meeting goals, teamwork, technology ethics)

• Proficient in use of technology

Companies who integrate interns into their business reap the rewards of utilizing young talent with fresh ideas and perspectives in a cost-effective manner. Hiring interns also gives staff members within a company the opportunity to mentor and supervise young persons exploring their industry.

Businesses interested in placing one or more interns in their workplace may interview and select from a pool of candidates. Students are available to work from September 3, 2007 to June 3, 2008. Internships can be paid or non-paid, depending on the industry standard. Interns can work 15-20 hours each week, and schedules can be set individually.

Interns are available in the following areas: Medical/Dental, Technology, Hospitality & Tourism, Education & Early Childhood, Legal & Criminal Justice, Marketing, and Visual Arts & Media Technology.

For more information, contact Thelma Cantu, coordinator of Partnerships in Education, at 972-258-5324 or tcantu@irvingisd.net.

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Irving ISD Awarded $984,400 Federal Grant for Teaching U.S. History

(June 24, 2007)  Irving ISD is among three school districts and two education service centers in Texas to receive federal grant funds to improve the quality of American history education.

The Teaching American History discretionary grant program supports three-year projects to improve teachers’ knowledge and understanding of traditional American history through intensive, ongoing professional development. Grantees are required to work in partnership with one or more organizations that have extensive knowledge of American history, including libraries, museums, nonprofit history or humanities organizations, and higher education institutions.

IISD’s grant amount is $984,400 over three years. The grant application was prepared in coordination with Dr. Kelly McMichael, associate director of the Center for Teaching, Learning & Assessment at the University of North Texas.

In partnership with UNT, IISD American history teachers in grades 5, 8 and 10 will have the opportunity to participate in an innovative professional development program designed by Dr. McMichael. Her program will train teachers to use collaborative problem-based instructional approaches to develop deeper understandings of American history.

The others in Texas to receive similar grants are Northside ISD, La Joya ISD, Region 1 Education Service Center, and Region 2 ESC. For more information about the Teaching American History grant program, visit www.ed.gov/programs/teachinghistory/index.html.

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Irving ISD Wins National PR Awards

(June 21, 2007)  The Irving ISD Public Information Department has won four Awards of Excellence in the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) 2007 Publications & Electronic Media Contest.

IISD won Awards of Excellence for the following entries:

• Inside IISD – Publication highlighting news and events of IISD, published three times a year

• Annual Report – Annual publication featuring IISD accomplishments, facts & figures, and other information

• IISD Information Packet – Packet folder created to consolidate various IISD brochures and publications

• Teacher Recruiting CD Brochure – Brochure and CD created in conjunction with personnel department to support teacher recruiting efforts

There were 877 entries in the publications division of the national contest, with 125 receiving Awards of Excellence, 295 receiving Awards of Merit, and 260 receiving Awards of Honorable Mention.

Since 1935, NSPRA has been providing school communication training and services to school leaders throughout the United States, Canada and U.S.-dependent schools worldwide. For more information on NSPRA, visit www.nspra.org.

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Academy Graduate Awarded $6,000 Byrd Honors Scholarship

(June 21, 2007)  Kevin Tran, a 2007 graduate of The Academy of Irving ISD, has received the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship, awarded by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Tran, who plans to attend Rice University this fall, will receive $1,500 annually for four years.

The Byrd award is a competitive academic merit scholarship presented to outstanding high school graduating seniors who are nominated by their school.

Tran participated in the Medical specialty at The Academy and plans to major in biological sciences, with the goal of becoming a physician.

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MacArthur Graduate Awarded $10,000 Best Buy Scholarship

(June 20, 2007)  Alex Holley, a 2007 graduate of MacArthur High School, received one of 16 national scholarships awarded by the Best Buy Children’s Foundation. Holley, daughter of Glenn and Sharyn Holley, received a $10,000 scholarship and was the only student from Texas to receive the top award.

Scholarship recipients were chosen based on community service and academic achievement. Holley plans to attend the University of Missouri this fall.

Applicants were asked to write an essay on what types of technology they thought would be used in classrooms in the year 2020 to inspire learning. Holley’s essay can be viewed on the Best Buy website at http://communications.bestbuy.com/communityrelations/
scholarships.asp.

In addition, Rebecca Walther of MacArthur earned a $1,500 scholarship from Best Buy Children’s Foundation. More than 1,700 graduating seniors from around the nation were selected to receive a scholarship for either $1,500 or $10,000.

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Film Project to Feature School Lunch Program at Lee

(June 12, 2007)  The school lunch program at Lee Elementary School and eight others from around the nation will be featured in a film project highlighting the best practices of school lunchrooms.

The project, titled Cooks for Kids, is being coordinated by the National Food Service Management Institute at the University of Mississippi. Although the nine-part program is designed as a training tool for school food service personnel across the nation, the film’s producers also hope to air the program on public television.

Lee was chosen because of the USDA Team Nutrition Silver Award it won last fall in conjunction with Irving ISD Food Service. Lee was the first school in Texas to receive this designation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through its HealthierUS Schools Challenge program.

The Silver School designation is based on meeting specific and stringent student health criteria, including a commitment by school food service to serve school lunches that meet enhanced nutrition standards.

Filming at the school is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, June 19. For more information, contact Michael Rosenberger, director of food service, at 972-273-6900.

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Irving ISD Announces Summer Hours, July 4th Schedule

(June 11, 2007)  Due to energy conservation efforts, the Irving ISD Administration Building instituted a summer hours schedule beginning Monday, June 11.

From June 11-29 and July 9-August 3, the IISD Administration Building will be open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. To conserve energy, the building will be closed on Friday during these weeks.

For the week of July 4, the building will be open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. The building will be closed on Wednesday, July 4 and Friday, July 6.

The Administration Building, located at 2621 W. Airport Freeway, will resume regular hours Monday, August 6. Classes for the 2007-2008 school year will start Monday, August 27.

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IISD Principal National Finalist for Top Award

(June 7, 2007)  Linda Willett, principal at Townsell Elementary School, was among seven National Distinguished Principal nominees announced by the Texas Elementary Principals & Supervisors Association (TEPSA). The nominees will be recognized at the association’s annual awards banquet June 13 in Austin.

Each year, Texas recognizes one National Distinguished Principal from the elementary school level. Criteria for selection of the principals are set by the National Association of Elementary School Principals and the U.S. Department of Education.