Nimitz High School Vikings celebrate homecoming this week. Highlights of the homecoming schedule include:

• Parade
  Thursday, 3:15 p.m., Nimitz East Parking Lot
• Pep Rally & Lighting of the V
  Thursday, 7 p.m., Nimitz Baseball Complex
• Nimitz Vikings vs. South Grand Prairie Warriors
  Friday, 7:30 p.m., Irving Schools Stadium
• Crowning of Homecoming Queen
  Friday, halftime of homecoming game
• Homecoming Dance
  Saturday, 7-10 p.m., Nimitz cafeteria

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93 Named AP Scholars

Ninety-three Irving ISD students have earned the designation of AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement exams in May 2007. About 18 percent of more than 1.4 million high school students who took AP Exams performed at a high level to merit recognition as AP Scholars.

At Irving High School, Adrian Gallegos earned the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more these exams. Kevin Itty and Victoria Santoyo earned the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average of 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. Eight students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by receiving grades of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams. AP Scholars are Uzoma Attah, Stephen Bassford, Kelsey Behrens, Alis Bonda, Melissa Resecker, Ronal Rivera, Manuel Sustaita, and Brittany Urquhart.

At MacArthur High School, David Cannaday, Dylan Cowart, Thinh Dang, Sarah-Naomi Rutledge, and Cody Wero earned the AP Scholar with Distinction Award. Alex Bevly and Princy George earned the AP Scholar with Honor Award. Twenty students who were recognized as AP Scholars are Audrey Achilles, Tausio Ahmed, Jeffery Cannon, Robert Dorlan, Gretchen Geltemeyer, Michelle Grohman, Claire Gutowski, Quang-Thuy Hoang, Jennifer Hulsey, Jinjoo Kim, Lisha Leston, Jennifer Lowery, Jesus Mendez, Branden Metcalf, Pavel Nitchovski, Evan Reschreiter, Ryan Strand, Tran Tran, Steven Vangundy, and Charles Wadsworth.

At Nimitz High School, Austin Christenberry, Murtaza Jafferji, Jaclyn Le, and Amanda Peralta earned the AP Scholar with Distinction Award. Olivia Frasher, Jeremiah Glenn, Khanh-Doan Hoang, Sujith Idiculla, Rachel Pullum, Maria Sanchez, and Stephanie Stockton earned the AP Scholar with Honor Award. Twenty-four students who were recognized as AP Scholars are Ivonne Aguilar, Shehzhan Baqui, Natalie Bennett, Amolee Chavda, Tu Anh Dinh, Tanner Dunn, Samuel Fanta, Riane Frasher, George Gonzalez, Matthew Granado, Jared Hindman, Kristen Janscha, Min-Young Kang, Derik Kendall, Celeste Martinez, Alexander Masterson, Joseph Mathe, Kayla McDowell, Pinky Patel, Kevin Perkins, Jason Solis, Jordan Taylor, Ryan Turner, and Emarric Zipper.

At The Academy of IISD, Hien Nguyen earned the AP Scholar Award with Distinction. Katie Heller and Mukund Ramesh earned the AP Scholar Award with Honor Award. Seventeen students who were recognized as AP Scholars are Rema Almasri, Aaron Ansley, Jessie Boyce, Jason Douglass, Marwan Hussein, Shehab Khandekar, Meredith Lohn-Wiley, Jessica Neel, Huong Nguyen, Reena Patel, Bryce Postel, Angelo Ramirez, Waziha Samin, Fatima Torres, Kevin Tran, Sarah Valente, and Joshua Westerman.  

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United Way: What Matters

Irving ISD employees have the opportunity to contribute to the welfare of the community through the annual United Way (UW) campaign scheduled November 5-9.

Last year, through the generosity of IISD employees, almost $32,000 was raised for UW affiliates that provide food, shelter, care and counseling to many in need.

UW building coordinators have additional information and pledge cards available for donations through various means, including payroll deduction. Please consider making a donation and return your pledge card to your coordinator by November 9.

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77 Selected for All-Region Orchestras

Seventy-seven IISD high school and middle school students have been selected as members of three All-Region orchestras. Thirteen were selected for the All-Region Honors Orchestra (grades 9-12) and qualified to advance to area competition. Eighteen were selected for the All-Region Symphonic Orchestra (grades 6-9). Forty-six were selected for the All-Region Concert Orchestra (grades 6-8). Orchestra directors are Carl Welle, Irving High School; Phillip Anderson, MacArthur High School; and Marla Maletic, Nimitz High School. Honors Orchestra members include: Jillian Attan, viola, Irving High; Josephine Cannon, viola, MacArthur; Lyn Harper, harp, Nimitz; Ankita Krishnan, violin, Irving High; Carol Ann Lightfoot, viola, MacArthur; Ali Marcano-Tovar, cello, Nimitz; Destiny Oates, violin, Nimitz; Daniel Oh, viola, Irving High; Michelle Okezie, viola, MacArthur; Javier Perez, violin, Nimitz; Selene Saavedra, cello, Nimitz; Esteban Silva, bass, MacArthur; and Mauricio Valdovinos, cello, Nimitz. Daniel Oh was selected first chair viola for the Honor Orchestra.

Symphonic Orchestra members include: Mariah Barksdale, violin, Lamar; Brett Davis, bass, Nimitz; Kharis Genuzio, violin, MacArthur; TJay Gilliland, viola, de Zavala; Elijah Guajardo, viola, Nimitz; Heather Hargreaves, cello, Irving High; Lilly Huynh, violin, Lamar; Edwin Ibarra, violin, Nimitz; Maggie Mahan, violin, MacArthur; Robert Pacheco, bass, Nimitz; Vincent Posival, cello, MacArthur; Kassandra Rodriguez, cello, Irving High; Kevin Sanchez, cello, Lamar; Luke Simmons, bass, Irving High; Margaret Stiggleman, viola, Nimitz; Carly Taylor, violin, Lamar; Cynnamon Thompson, viola, MacArthur; and Victoria Whitehead, viola MacArthur.

Concert Orchestra members include: Click here for list

The All-Region Concert, which will feature all three orchestras, will be held in the Nimitz High School auditorium on November 17 at 4:00 p.m.

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ISF Awards Teacher Enrichment Grants

Irving Schools Foundation (ISF) has awarded $3,179 in Teacher Enrichment Grants to 17 teachers. The grants provide teachers with professional development opportunities to attend seminars and workshops. Applications from teachers are due by the 10th of each month. Grants are awarded up to $500 each.

Recipients for the month of October, including topics to be covered by grants, are as follows: Cynthia Kemp, Davis, TWU Early Literacy/Reading Recovery Institute; Erin Robinson, Thomas Haley, Mean Girls; Cathey Reyes, Davis, Nurses Building Bridges to Good Health; Mari Beth Tackett, Bowie, Texas Association of Gifted & Talented 30^th Annual Professional Development Conference; Terrie Huff, de Zavala, Hot Off the Press! Best New Books and How to Use Them; Gayle Benage, Austin, Hot Off the Press! Best New Books and How to Use Them; Lesley Carney, Britain, Texas Conference on Differentiated Instruction; Robin Hurt, Townley, Texas Association of Gifted & Talented 30^th Annual Professional Development Conference; Patti Hooten, Townsell, Enhancing Your Effectiveness as a Reading Specialist/Literacy Coach; Maria Rodriguez, John Haley, It’s Got to Make Sense: Comprehension Instruction Across the Grades K-3; Amber Whitcomb, Farine, How to Handle the Hard to Handle Student; Anselmo Varela, Farine, Accelerating Your English Language Learners’ Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary Development and Reading Fluency; Carlos Castillo, Farine, CAST Science Conference; Samantha Grooms, Nimitz, 32^nd Annual State Association Concerned with School Aged Parenting; Redralynd Walker, Stipes, How to Handle the Hard to Handle Student; Pamela Endicott, Wheeler, Love & Logic; and Amanda Peterson, Wheeler, Love & Logic.

For more information about ISF, phone 972-215-5018 or visit the website at www.irvingisd.net/foundation.

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Soldiers in the Classroom

Nine soldiers from the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment recently visited Barton Elementary School fourth graders to discuss careers and the importance of education. The visit was made possible by BAE, Barton’s partner in education. The fourth graders plan to practice their writing skills by writing letters, stories and poems to the soldiers in Iraq, where they soon will be deployed.

Soldier speaks to Barton fourth graders.

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Retirement Benefit Seminars

If you are considering retirement in the next year or two, you are encouraged to attend one of the local Retirement Benefit Seminars. A schedule of seminars and additional information is available at www.irvingisd.net/riskmanagement/TRS.htm.