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Teachers
- Past Articles |
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Click here for Video |
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Internet Safety
Irving ISD is dealing with Internet safety and how to
inform the students about the dangers online. Irving ISD is
training staff on the iSafe curriculum which was developed by a
non-profit organization devoted to educating students, teachers and
community members about Internet safety.
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6-25-08 |
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Click here for Video |
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Retiree Awards
Thirty-five retiring Irving ISD employees are recognized at the annual
awards banquet at the DFW Marriott. Retirees in attendance have
worked for the district for more than 700 combined years.
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6-25-08 |
IISD Service Awards
 A
Service Awards Banquet was held on Thursday, May 1, 2008 at Travis
Middle School to honor employees with 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40
years of service to the district. Irving ISD wishes to honor the
305 employees with 4,485 years of service to the district. Special
thanks to all who have served so faithfully through the years! |
6-25-08 |
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How Do We Show Integration of
Technology into Instruction?
IISD Board Goals say:
 We
will "continue to infuse technology into teaching and learning in
meaningful ways to improve student achievement."
Jack Singley
superintendent says:
"It is IMPERATIVE that everyone will effectively integrate technology
into daily classroom instruction."
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6-25-08 |
Learn to Speak
Spanish (FREE Classes)
FREE Spanish
learning classes for English speakers are being offered throughout the
month of June. These FREE classes are offered by Irving.Net
and will be held at Irving High School. Classes will be held from
5:00-7:00 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays for four weeks (8 classes).
Just show up to the front entrance of Irving High on Tuesday, June 10th
and signs will be posted on where to go and how to get started. |
6-16-08 |
2008-2009 School Calendar Approved
 The
Irving ISD Board of Trustees approved the 2008-2009 school calendar at
the March 21st board meeting. The calendar includes 177 days of
instruction for students and 185 work days for
teachers ... |
6-09-08 |
 Used
Book Sale to Benefit Friends of the Library
A used book sale will be sponsored by the Friends of the
Library on June 5-8 (times vary so check the attached schedule.)
The sale will be held at 3000 Rock Island Road (two blocks east of Belt
Line Road.) Take advantage of this chance to pick up great books
at reduced prices. For more information call 972-721-6666. |
6-09-08 |
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6-09-08 |
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Click here for Video |
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Breakfast with the Stars
Hard work and dedication is rewarded for Irving ISD
students who are receiving scholarships through the Irving Schools
Foundation. A record number of scholarships are awarded this year
during the annual Breakfast with the Stars at the Four Seasons Hotel and
Resort.
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6-09-08 |
TechFusion Submissions are Due
 (May
19th Deadline) Remember teachers are to submit
one integrated technology lesson per semester into the
TechFusion database! Teachers need to submit their second lesson before
this deadline. This will give your campus ITS time to read your
submission, ask for corrections/additions & forward the submission to
Instructional Technology ... |
5-22-08 |
Spanish Oral Proficiency Stipend
 The
IISD School Board approved a $500 Spanish Oral Proficiency Stipend for
the 2007-2008 school year for any Professional or Paraprofessional
Employee not currently receiving a Bilingual stipend. To qualify,
employees must score a 4 or better on the TOPT or pass a District
Approved Equivalent Assessment... |
5-16-08 |
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5-16-08 |
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5-15-08 |
Opportunities for Masters Degree
 (May
13 Informational Meeting) Irving ISD is working with Lamar
University to offer district employees a high-quality, fully accredited
master’s degree in Teacher Leadership or Educational Administration
completed in 18 months for a preferred price of $4,950. Both
Lamar University and Irving ISD’s goal is to offer employees the
opportunity to participate in an affordable master’s degree program to
promote professional growth. |
5-15-08 |
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Opportunities for Masters Degree
 The
College of Education at Sam Houston State University is now receiving
applications for a new cohort of educators who wish to pursue a Masters
degree in Instructional Technology beginning in June, 2008. Participants
will complete the program in fifteen months receiving their Masters
Degree in Instructional Technology in August, 2009.
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5-15-08 |
Call for Participation
(Summer Technology Staff
Development) Focusing on content, the use of technology can be
engaging, exciting, and educational. With this in mind now is
the time to share
your best technology-infused lessons with other teachers in IISD.
Planning for summer staff development, August 13-15, is under way, and
we would like to have your ideas ...
Submit a presentation
proposal by May 13 to be considered as a presenter. |
5-14-08 |
Special Ticket
Prices
 (May
10) The
Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra welcomes Irving ISD staff, faculty and
students to purchase tickets for
$5.00 (family tickets can also be
purchased at this price) ... This week come hear Daniel del Pino
(pianist) who has already performed in all five continents. His
performances have been heard in the most prestigious venues all over
Europe, in Morocco, Jordan, Israel, Gabon, Japan, Taiwan, Brazil,
Australia, and in the U.S. |
5-12-08 |
Chipotle Teacher
Appreciation Day
 Chipotle
is having a Teacher Appreciation Day on Tuesday, May 6th,
2008. Irving ISD faculty and staff can come in to any DFW area Chipotle, show
their ID badge, and get free food!
Thanks for all you do! |
5-07-08 |
Empowered Education Student Video Awards
 (April
30 deadline) Here's your chance to give talented young people
a rich learning experience that expands their horizons with technology
while deepening their understanding of how America works. To
qualify, students make a three-to-five minute original video on
the theme of "How Technology Helps Me Learn." Winning
entries will be those produced by students in the best journalistic
style illustrating how their schools or colleges are employing
technology to advance learning. |
5-07-08 |
Secondary Summer School Jobs
Deadline to apply: Friday, April 25, 2008
The
application form for secondary summer school teachers is
linked to this page, if you are
interested in teaching summer school this year. |
5-07-08 |
2nd
Draft 2008-2009 School
Calendar
 Attached
for review with staff, parents and community members is a revised
DRAFT#2 2008-2009 school calendar. The calendar is a result of
discussion with the Board of Trustees during the March 10 Noon Work
Session. Provided is a summary
chart comparing the 2008-2009 DRAFT calendars. |
4-25-08 |
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Earn Masters Credit with Project CONNECT
 (Secondary
Teachers) If you are interested in:
•
ESL certification
•
FREE Southern
Methodist University tuition
•
12 Graduate credit
hours
•
Convenient IISD
location with SMU faculty
•
Credits applicable
to SMU Master of Education
•
(14 seats available
per academic year)
Southern Methodist
University has partnered with Irving ISD to provide 12 credits of
FREE graduate courses towards a Master of Education degree! |
4-22-08 |
Free Retirement Planning Seminar
 (May
21, 2008) Region 10 ESC is
hosting a FREE Retirement Planning Seminar
to any employee of a Region 10 district. We
are pleased to have highly respected TCG
Advisors leading the seminar. TCG has
specialized in advising many education
professionals and is the Investment Advisor
to Region 10 ESC's Retirement Asset
Management Services which are used by 53
school districts across North Texas. |
4-22-08 |
Summer Test Proctor Positions
 Positions
open to current IISD professional employees only. The stipend will
be $20.00 per hour. If you are interested in working as a proctor
this summer, please read the following information then contact the
student assessment office...
(read more) |
4-21-08 |
Honorees for 2008 Employee
Service Awards Banquet
Have we missed anyone? Here is the list of the honorees
invited to attend the May 1, 2008, Employee Service Awards Banquet.
If you are aware of any names that have been left off the list ... |
4-18-08 |
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XO Users Group Meeting
 Not
just talking about 1-to-1 computers for students, Irving ISD has been
living it. So what new devices are available for younger students?
The XO laptop was released this year to a world market and its impact on
students and the current trends in technology are becoming obvious.
Come to the next users group meeting. Everyone (community,
parents, students, teachers, etc.) who is interested in learning
more about the XO laptop is invited. Just remember we will be
sharing 23 XO laptops during the meeting...
Next
meeting Friday, April 11 |
4-14-08 |
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All Teachers Must Complete the STaR Chart
Survey
•
STaR Chart Survey
(Deadline: Friday, March 28)
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4-08-08 |
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4-08-08 |
 ICE
Awards on ISTV
The
ICE Awards can been seen daily on ISTV from March 12- 23 at
10:20am, 2:20 pm & 10:20pm. (Time
Warner Channel 98 - Verizon FiOS Channel 33) |
3-31-08 |
 Technology
Media Fair Winners Posted
We had over 600 entries at the district level, with over two-hundred
1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners. Over sixty 1st place student winners
will continue on to the state contest this month. Please use the
above link to view your campus winners to see how they placed. |
3-17-08 |
2008 Summer Teacher Institutes
 The
Library of Congress is now accepting applications for its 2008 Summer
Teacher Institutes. The institutes provide educators from grades 4-12
across the nation with the opportunity to engage in intensive study and
exploration of a specific topic using the staff expertise and facilities
of the Library of Congress ... Content is geared to professionals
working with students from upper elementary to high school ... |
3-17-08 |
Draft 2008-2009 School
Calendar
The
provided DRAFT 2008-2009 Calendar is to be shared with staff, parents,
and community as their opportunity to provide feedback. Plans are to
report preliminary results during subsequent Noon Work Sessions during
the month of March... |
3-11-08 |
Masters Degrees and Special Government Funding
 Two
informational meetings are being held in February about these
masters degree programs and the special government funding for
Region 10 teachers. One meeting is in Dallas and the other is in
Mesquite. These masters degrees are 100% online course study. |
2-29-08 |
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Resources for Bus Evacuation Training
 The
“Just in Case” bus safety training program provided by Region X will aid
schools in complying with the statutory requirements as required to
provide school bus evacuation training to all students and teachers.
(HB 3190, Section 7, Chapter 34.)
This link
provides access to all the videos and quizzes provided by Region X to
meet this state requirement. |
2-29-08 |
All Forms of Zyrtec Available Over-the-Counter
 We
want to make you aware of an exciting program to help employees who are
currently taking the medication, Zyrtec®. Zyrtec will
become available without a prescription on January 24, 2008. This
means your employees can buy the same 24 hour, full prescription
strength Zyrtec products without a prescription in stores wherever
over-the-counter products are sold. As a result, Zyrtec will no longer
be covered by their prescription benefits program, effective January 25,
2008. |
2-29-08 |
 IISD
Injectible Prescription Process
When a member needs to obtain an injectible medication, he or she can
choose between: (a) Tel-Drug Specialty Pharmacy, (b)
Retail Pharmacy, or (c) Physician’s Office. If the patient
needs/wants to obtain an injectible drug outside of the physician's
office, the member can... |
2-29-08 |
OPEN
HOUSE for Technology Media Fair
An open house for the
district's Technology Media Fair will be held on January 31st at
Bowie Middle School to let parents and students come view the entries in
the 2007-2008 Technology Media Fair. Winners of the twelve
categories will be announced that evening ... so come join the fun! |
2-1-08 |
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DATE
Stakeholder Meetings
 Stakeholder
meetings have been scheduled to explain and seek input for
the District Awards for Teacher Excellence (DATE) Plan in
Irving ISD. Irving ISD has been awarded a total of
$1,498,103.80 to fund both Part 1 and Part 2 of the Plan. |
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Monday,
February 18, 2008
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Houston MS Cafeteria |
4:15 - 5:00 pm |
Tuesday,
February 19, 2008
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Bowie MS Library |
4:15 - 5:00 pm |
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1-21-08 |
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1-28-08 |
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1-22-08 |
NEW
VariQuest Cutout Maker
 The
Ratteree Center has a new machine. The VariQuest Cutout Maker is
the first of its kind! This revolutionary tool allows you to
quickly, easily and affordably create unique cutouts in a wide range
of sizes - from 1" to 18". Choose from thousands of shapes, fonts,
and curriculum, craft and bulletin board collections designed
specifically for educators... |
1-10-08 |
$55,580 Paid for Exemplary Attendance
 The Exemplary Attendance (EA) Program will award $55,580 to 60 IISD
employees in their October paychecks. One hundred ninety-six District
employees earned the minimum number of days (15) over the past five
years to be eligible to “cash-in” some or all of their EA days during
employment. The sixty employees who took advantage of this opportunity
will receive an average of $926.33 per employee. The maximum benefit
was
... |
1-10-08 |
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1-10-08 |
2007-2008
Technology Media Fair
Now is the time to start planning and preparing your Technology Media
Fair entries. Projects can be submitted by students and staff alike in
the Fall of 2007. There are twelve categories that can help you
decide what areas you feel you excel in! We know you have
some excellent projects in mind! |
12-21-07 |
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12-15-07 |
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12-15-07 |
Academy Craft Fair
 The
Academy of Irving is proud to present our 3rd Annual Academy Craft Fair
on December 8th from 9am−4pm. We have over 50 confirmed crafters
and vendors. Also Santa’s play land will be open the whole day for
the kids play for two hours while parents shop. Santa is dropping
by from 10am−2pm to take pictures with the little ones! |
12-10-07 |
Nimitz Madrigal Feaste and
Concert
 Nimitz
High School Choir Department proudly presents its annual Madrigal Feaste
on December 6, 7 and 8 at 7:00 pm at
Nimitz High School. Reserve tickets early as seating is limited. |
12-10-07 |
Coats for Kids
 Dear
IISD teachers and staff,
Any student who is in need of a coat this winter can receive a coat
through Project PASS. Please first consider children who do not have any
kind of coat and then children who may need a better coat.
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12-07-07 |
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11-19-07 |
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11-13-07 |
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11-13-07 |
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 School
Bond 2007 Information
The information in this publication is
intended to serve as a means of factually describing the purposes of the
proposition as it appears on the ballot. |
11-07-07 |
Free Concert for Irving ISD Students, Staff
and Community
 (November
1, 2007) Music Matters!
by the Metropolitan Winds.
The Metropolitan Winds is hosting a Free Concert for Irving ISD
students, staff, and community on Thursday, November 1, 2007 at
MacArthur High School Auditorium. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m.
The music will be quite varied and will keep the interest of the young
and the "not-so-young" alike. This will not be a formal concert - no
tuxedos on the stage; it will be a family event. Come as you are and
enjoy the music! |
11-02-07 |
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Want to be a School Administrator??
(November
1) Current
Irving ISD Teachers: If you have ever considered being in a
leadership role as a principal or administrator, come learn more
about this exciting and challenging position in the Irving ISD
schools. In this meeting for future principals and
administrators, we will discuss ... |
11-02-07 |
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11-01-07 |
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Click here for Video |
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Teacher of the Year Recognition Ceremony
The
Irving ISD Campus Teachers of the Year were honored at the School
Board meeting on Monday, September 17th, in the Nimitz High School
auditorium ...
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11-01-07 |
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Click here for Video |
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Teacher of the Year
One of them beginning his fourth year of teaching, the
other working on his 33rd, Chris Barnes and Greg Jackson are both being
recognized as Irving ISD's Teachers of the year...
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11-01-07 |
Email Database Updated
 Thank
you for being patient ... I have received and posted in the updated
database for staff email addresses. Now as usual, there are
probably mistakes in the data that was passed to me ... so if you
could take the time to check to be sure YOUR email address is
correctly listed and send me any changes that need to be made!
Thanks, Bob Harmon -
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11-01-07 |
 Handouts
for Summer Technology Sessions
Technology sessions are being offered during the two
weeks of the Summer Staff Development Conference in June and August.
Handout and PowerPoint, and web links used during the sessions are
posted on this page as they become available. |
11-01-07 |
Accepting Nominations for
the Irving ICE Awards
 Nominations
are now open for the district’s most prestigious awards. On
February 28,
2008, the district will honor two community partners with Golden
Apples – the highest praise available for IISD volunteers. Eighteen
ICE Awards will also be presented to teachers and students who have
achieved excellence in their respective fields.
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11-01-07 |
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Surveys
-
Employee Benefits Survey
(October 23 deadline)
Our desire is to hear from our employees concerning which
features of the Health plan are most important to them.
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10-24-07 |
 CIGNA
Newsletter - Prenatal Health
As part of our Workplace Partners for Wellness & Good
Health program, CIGNA HealthCare produces a monthly newsletter for
our customers featuring information on relevant health topics. The
September 2007 issue of Your Health & Well Being focuses on Prenatal
Health.
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10-24-07 |
A New Spanish-Language Digital Newsletter on
Education Technology
 Register
Now For Your FREE Spanish Subscription! Now you can get the
most recent news and information on education technology every month in
Spanish delivered right to your desktop. eSchool News and PBS, the
non-profit public-television enterprise, have joined forces to provide a
new Spanish-language digital newsletter on education technology. Each
month, beginning October 1, major editorial content will be generated by
the award-winning eSchool News staff and will include contributions from
PBS.
(En español) |
10-19-07 |
Barrage
Performs at Nimitz on October 18
 Barrage
is a high-octane fiddle-fest that features an international,
multi-talented cast performing an eclectic mix of music, song and
dance. Barrage has entertained millions of people around the
globe . Fans in Europe, Asia and North America have enjoyed Barrage
at International Festivals, Concert Performances, Special Events and
TV appearances... |
10-19-07 |
Request to "Sell" Exemplary Attendance Days
According to the rules of the Exemplary
Attendance Program, you can request to “sell” your Exemplary
Attendance Days back to the Irving Independent School District.
(See page for rules and exemptions.)
The deadline for requesting the selling of Exemplary
Attendance days is being extended to Monday, October 11, 2007.
You can obtain a sell-back form ... |
10-19-07 |
Nomination Form to Serve on the DATE Committee
If you
wish to nominate yourself for the DATE Committee, please complete
this form and give to your principal.
The
District
Awards for Teacher Excellence (DATE)
Committee is charged with creating a district
incentive plan for teachers and other employees ... The principal
will present your nomination to ... |
10-16-07 |
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Privacy Flags and Release of Public
Information
Action Required - October 12
Deadline
Have you set the privacy option on your Employee Self Serve account?
Many still have "All Public" listed and many requests have been made
for data ... is your set correctly?
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10-15-07 |
 Parent
Conference Day Held October 11th
In the adopted 2007-2008 district calendar,
October 11th is scheduled as a Parent Conference Day with early
release of student to provide more time for parents to easily
schedule a teacher/parent conference with their child's teacher(s). |
10-12-07 |
Best Buy's Rewards Program
 (September
30 Deadline) Best
Buy's Teach Awards program rewards schools that make learning fun by
integrating interactive technology into the curriculum. The Teach Awards
program provides grants at three levels with the sums of $2,000,
$10,000, and $100,000. Applications are due in by September 30, 2007.
The 2008 Teach Award Winners will be announced on February 18, 2008... |
10-01-07 |
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Click here for Video |
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Zero Gravity Flight
Twenty Irving ISD administrators, science and math
teachers suit up like NASA astronauts to experience a zero gravity plane
flight sponsored by the aerospace company
Northrop Grumman...
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9-28-07 |
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9-24-07 |
Nimitz High School 2007 Musical
 Nimitz
High School will present The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, a musical
adapted from the novel by Mark Twain on September 21, 22 and 23 at
7 p.m. in the Nimitz High School auditorium. Tickets are $10 for
adults and $6 for students. All tickets are general admission and
available at the door. |
9-24-07 |
Campus Teachers of the Year Honored
 The
Irving ISD Campus Teachers of the year will be honored on Monday,
September 17th, at Nimitz High School. The reception will
begin at 6:15 pm in the cafeteria and the honorees will be
recognized at the School Board meeting at 7:00 pm in the NHS
auditorium. |
9-19-07 |
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Benefits Information
• Notice
The
Debit Cards for Medical Spending Accounts were
accidentally mailed out to last year’s participants.
If you received one of these cards and are no longer in
the program, please destroy the card. If you
reenrolled in a Medical Spending Account keep the card
as it should be working in the next week. If you
are new to the program, you will receive your card in
the next couple of weeks.
•
Open Enrollment for Benefit
Closed
Open
Enrollment for 2007/08 is Closed. If you are new
to the district this year and have not made your
elections, please contact the benefits office.
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9-11-07 |
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9-04-07 |
 Meet
the Teacher / Parent Orientation
To help you know when schools are hosting a "Meet the Teacher" or
"Parent Orientation" night, we have put together the following list. Several schools have already
hosted such events. If you have further questions, please contact
the school office. |
9-04-07 |
 Benefits
Videos Online
The Risk Management department presents a
series of videos by Jeanette Severson to give you the basic knowledge
you will need to make the right decision for health care for you and
your family ... |
9-04-07 |
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NEW Benefits Summary 2007-2008
On the Benefits website is a
summary of benefit programs provided to eligible Irving ISD employees
for 2007-08. The renewal date for health, life, and supplemental
insurance programs is September 1. Any applicable program or
rate changes take effect on this date. |
9-04-07 |
Bloodborne Pathogens on Blackboard
 All district employees are required to complete training on Bloodborne Pathogens
by
October 31, 2007. To complete this requirement all
staff can access the online Health Services course, review the
online PowerPoint and complete the Bloodborne assignment. |
9-04-07 |
Open Enrollment for 2007-2008 Benefits
 ALL
staff members will need to go to the Employee Self Service link to
access your open enrollment for benefits for the 2007-2008 school year.
Open enrollment begins on August 1st ... |
9-04-07 |
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8-27-07 |
Remember to UNREGISTER (even
in the Summer)
 Please
be thoughtful of the others who would like to take a course and cannot
because you haven't removed your registration. We pay our presenters to
come to Irving ISD and provide training. When you fail to UNREGISTER we
cannot notify the next person on the list that an open seat is available
for that session. |
8-27-07 |
IMPORTANT: Update Your Personal Information for
CourseWhere
 As
the summer starts, the online staff development registration system will
be sending you reminders, cancellation notices, and important
information about the classes you have registered for, BUT if your
information is wrong you might not receive these important notices. |
7-10-07 |
End of Year
Payroll Information
|
 • Summer Address Verification
EVERY EMPLOYEE
should remember to verify your home address for the summer ....
• Retirement Procedures
Payroll options for retirees ....
• Teacher Retirement System
Retirees should contact the Teacher
Retirement System of Texas (TRS) immediately ...
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6-19-07 |
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6-09-07 |
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Summer
Technology Staff Development
•
Technology Survey
(All Teachers)
Tell us what you want to
take this summer!
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5-14-07 |
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5-07-07 |
Is Your Staff Development Record
Up-to-Date?
All instructional paras and teachers will need
24 "06-07 Instructional Paid Day" credits (12 are Campus and 12
are District). All IPD credit documentation MUST be in the
district staff development office by May 1st , 2007, to avoid being
docked.
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5-03-07 |
Claymation - Now There's a
Thought!
 Ever
thought about incorporating clay animation as a student project into
your classroom instruction? Many teachers in Irving ISD are
studying Claymation this summer and coming up with student activities and projects
that integrate their subject matter. Talk about fun, instruction,
TEKS, and student interest all rolled into one! |
8-31-06 |
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