Dyce-Brown is National Achievement Semifinalist

Lyncoln Dyce-Brown, senior at MacArthur High School, has been named semifinalist in the National Achievement Scholarship Program.

For 46 years the National Achievement Scholarship Program has recognized the academic achievement of African-American high school students. Dyce-Brown joins approximately 1,600 semifinalists regionally-selected from more than 160,000 high school juniors who took the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). To advance to finalist level, semifinalists must present a record of high academic performance during high school, write an essay and submit an application, be endorsed and recommended by their high school principal, and earn SAT scores that confirm the PSAT/NMSQT performance.

Approximately 1,300 semifinalists are expected to advance to finalist level to compete for approximately 800 national scholarships.

Back to top   

Enrollment Record Continues Climb

As of September 24 IISD enrollment totaled 33,789, which is 446 students above projected peak enrollment for 2009-2010.

Enrollment on the same day of school last year was 33,223. As of August 31, IISD enrollment had surpassed last year’s peak enrollment, and has climbed to its highest count in the district’s history.

Elementary school enrollment, totaling 17,431, is 174 students more than the 23^rd day last year; middle school enrollment, at 7,083, is 40 students more; and high school enrollment, at 9,234, is 382 students more than the 23^rd day total from last year.

Back to top   

Lively Named USDA Gold School

Lively Elementary School will receive the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Gold School Award during a special celebration at 9:30 a.m. September 30 at Lively.

USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition & Consumer Services Dr. Janey Thornton will present the nation’s highest school nutrition award to Lively Principal Patty Notgrass and Michael Rosenberger, Food Service Department director. Texas Department of Agriculture administrators, additional USDA representatives, IISD school board members, and local officials will also be present.

Lively earned the HealthierUS School Challenge Silver Award last year after presenting a packet of information featuring menus that demonstrated healthy planning practices and the principles of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The application also highlighted physical activity and nutrition education offered at the school.

Since the initial presentation, Lively has pursued a variety of programs and activities that qualified the school for the HealthierUS School Challenge Gold Award. Lively involved the school nurse and cafeteria manager in classroom nutrition education and incorporated nutrition lessons in art, music and physical education classes. Students are also encouraged to exercise at home through walking and other exercises. The main objective of the program is to ensure that students are routinely encouraged to be physically active for the rest of their lives.

Initiated in 2004, the HealthierUS School Challenge recognizes nutrition excellence in elementary schools across the nation. 

Back to top   

Poe, Poetry are Focus for Big Read

In conjunction with an initiative sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Irving Public Library and Irving ISD are partnering to host The Big Read during the month of October.

City of Irving Mayor Herbert Gears presented a proclamation declaring October as Big Read Month during the Irving City Council meeting September 24. Pictured with the mayor are Irving librarians Patty Landers and Jan Bodnar; Jennifer Jackson, IISD secondary English coordinator; Lea Bailey, IISD learning resources director; and Amanda Hipp, Irving librarian.

Irving Public Library and IISD libraries are conducting a city-wide promotion of The Big Read by encouraging reading and discussion of poetry works by Edgar Allen Poe. Special events are scheduled throughout the month including Family Literacy Night at Bowie September 29, the month-long “Poe”ster Contest for secondary school students, and Jack E. Singley Academy “Poe”try open mic night.

Bill Fountain, illustrator of the graphic novel Raven, will visit with students at Austin Middle School and Irving High School throughout the month. In addition to penning a graphic-novel version of Poe’s classic work as well as many others, Fountain also often performs Poe’s poetry as part of his Level Ground Arts Theater Troupe.

For more information about The Big Read in Irving, click here.

Back to top   

Walmart Rewards Austin Teachers

Irving ISD partner in education Walmart presented 10 teachers at Austin Middle School with Teacher Reward Cards at a ceremony September 23.

(from left) Robina King, Danielle Tucker, Julia Brown, Kassie Price and Susie Kang were among 10 teachers at Austin Middle School who received $100 Teacher Rewards Cards to purchase supplies for their classrooms.

Teachers were randomly selected by Austin Principal Desiree Marks-Arias to receive the $100 cards. Walmart designed the program to help teachers purchase needed classroom supplies. Doris Dancer, representative from Walmart, addressed teachers regarding the ways in which the Teacher Reward cards could be used to benefit classrooms.

Teachers receiving reward cards were:

Back to top   

Nimitz High School presents Titanic the Musical on October 1, 2 and 3 (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) at 7:00 pm in the Nimitz High School auditorium.  Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students and faculty members.

Back to top   

Keep up with the latest Irving ISD news and events. Follow Irving ISD on Twitter with your cell phone or online. http://twitter.com/IrvingISD. 

Back to top