Nguyen, Ramesh
Named National Merit Scholars
Hien
Nguyen and Mukund Ramesh, seniors at The Academy of Irving ISD, have
been awarded college-funded scholarships through the 2008 National Merit
Scholarship Program. Ramesh has been offered a scholarship from
University of Texas at Dallas and Nguyen has been offered a scholarship
from Baylor University. College-funded National Merit scholarships range
in size from partially to fully-funded tuition.
Nguyen and Ramesh, named as National Merit finalists earlier in the
spring, are among 1,100 high school seniors winning scholarships
sponsored by companies, foundations, colleges and other business
organizations. National Merit scholars are chosen from more than 15,000
finalists.
Hien Nguyen |
Mukund Ramesh |
At
the conclusion of the 2008 program in June, about 8,200 finalists will
earn the title of National Merit Scholar and receive more than $36
million in scholarships.
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TeleParent Survey Results
IISD
Public Information Department conducted a one-question survey May 22
regarding parents’ perceived effectiveness of the TeleParent system.
According to the results, 60 percent of respondents gave the TeleParent
system the highest grade, while 9 percent of respondents graded the
system as least effective.
|
Number of Responses |
Grade |
Percentage |
|
2,330 |
7 |
60.38% |
|
430 |
6 |
11.14% |
|
442 |
5 |
11.45% |
|
121 |
4 |
3.14% |
|
109 |
3 |
2.82% |
|
96 |
2 |
2.49% |
|
331 |
1 |
8.58% |
|
Total Responses: 3,859 |
Patterned after a similar survey first used by Fresno Unified School
District in California, the telephone survey message was presented in
either English or Spanish depending upon the primary language spoken at
each household, and was telephoned to every parent or guardian phone
number in the IISD TeleParent database, which numbers 21,750.
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Agriculture Program Successful
The
Agriculture & Natural Resources Cluster at Nimitz High School has become
one of the most successful new Career & Technology Education (CTE)
courses offered in Irving ISD, and promises to expand for the coming
school year.
|
Following
their performance at Area FFA competition, Nimitz
agriculture cluster students Sarah Fuller, Taylor Ellis and
Karina Amaya qualified to compete at the State Floriculture
Contest July 15-18 at Texas Tech University. |
In
the Nimitz agriculture program’s first year, more than 200 students were
enrolled in agriculture classes and enrollment is projected to double
for 2008-2009. An additional teacher is scheduled to be hired to handle
the increased student interest. Two educational pathways are offered as
part of the cluster: floriculture/horticulture and veterinary technician
training and certification, and IISD officials say they hope to add a
biotechnology pathway in the future. Blossoming from interest in the
agriculture program, students have applied to form a Future Farmers of
America (FFA) chapter, and are waiting for the national organization to
approve their charter. About 25 students have joined the Nimitz FFA
chapter and students won several awards from district and area FFA
competitions during the 2007-2008 school year. Among their community
service efforts, students most notably raised more than $250 to support
the Nimitz Angel Tree and collected 393 pounds of canned food for Irving
Cares.
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Students Selected for Leadership Camp
Scott Balfantz, sixth grader at Lamar Middle School, and Kayla Ortego,
sixth grader at Austin Middle School, have been selected to join more
than 1,000 middle school students from around the state who will attend
Summer 2008 Lone Star Leadership Academies.
Balfantz and Ortego will attend a week-long session at which they will
spend time developing leadership skills and learning about Texas.
Attendees will visit significant sites related to both the history and
current relevancy of state activities, and receive presentations from
guest speakers related to career opportunities.
Students are nominated to participate based on academic success,
leadership ability, involvement in school and community activities, and
an educator recommendation. The event is sponsored by Education in
Action and more information can be found by accessing
www.educationinaction.org.
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Teacher Enrichment Grants Awarded
Two
Irving ISD teachers have been awarded Enrichment Grants from the Irving
Schools Foundation, totaling more than $513 in ISF funding for teachers
for the month of May.
Teachers receiving grants are Karen Cornish, vice principal at Travis
Middle School, and Amanda Mayhew, first grade teacher at Lee Elementary
School. Cornish will use the funding to attend Effectively Dealing with
Distruptive Students and Mayhew will use her grant to attend Summer
Splash Educational Conference.
ISF
teacher enrichment grants are awarded monthly to IISD teachers to attend
workshops not usually funded by the school district. For teachers
interested in more information regarding applying for an enrichment
grant, access
www.irvingisd.net/foundation/teachenrichoverview.html.
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Sick
Leave Bank Directors
The
Sick Leave Bank Board of Directors met May 7 and certified the election
of the following IISD employees to serve on the board for the next two
years: Judith Conway, elementary representative; Kay Branch, middle
school representative; Kay Kelbly, high school representative; and Ralph
Diaz, administration representative. On May 19, the directors certified
the election of Satchie McKinnie as food services representative.
The
new directors join seven other members on the board: Stephen Bunt, Holly
Columbus, Vanessa Cruz, Gary Foster, Suzanne Philpot, Jeanette Severson,
and Perry Walsh.
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