ESPAÑOL

JULY

• Lamar Middle School’s Sofia Martinez placed second in the Prepared Speech category at the national Technology Student Association competition in Louisville, Ky.
• MacArthur High School’s Paola Romero, Khoi Nguyen and Grace Marquez won the bronze in the Engineering Technology and Design Competition at SkillsUSA National Competition.
• Irving ISD announced that both breakfast and lunch will be completely free for all Irving ISD students, beginning in the upcoming school year.

AUGUST

• The MacArthur High School Varsity Treble Choir received an invitation from the American Choral Directors Association to perform at the Southwestern Convention in Denver, Colo. in February. To put this into perspective, the last time MacArthur High School received a convention invitation for any fine arts organization was in 1975.
• Irving ISD celebrated a new cohort of South Irving Collegiate at Nimitz students at a Signing Day ceremony.
• Irving ISD celebrated 11 graduates at summer graduation.
• Irving ISD welcomed new hires at the Back-to-School Luncheon, where Hanes Elementary School won the Annual Spirit Award.
• Irving ISD kicked off the school year with all staff at Convocation. 
• Irving ISD is named a District of Distinction by the Texas Art Education Association.
• Irving ISD welcomed back students for the new school year. 
• Irving ISD is named one of the nation’s Best Communities for Music Education by the National Association Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation.
• Superintendent Magda Hernandez attends the back-to-school tour at the White House with Ms. Shelley Jeoffroy, Brown Elementary School fifth-grade teacher and the 2023 Texas Teacher of the Year. 

SEPTEMBER

• Singley Academy’s Katy Nguyen is named a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist. 
• 40 Irving ISD students are named Advanced Placement (AP) School Scholars and eight Class of 2023 graduates earned AP Capstone Diplomas.
• Irving ISD begins reimagining the district’s physical learning spaces with kickoff meetings for each Bond Project Design Committee.
• More than 130 colleges, universities and other post-graduation opportunities are represented at the annual Irving ISD Goes to College Senior College and Career Night.

OCTOBER

• Fernando Delgado of Irving High School and Faith Farrar of MacArthur High School qualify for the regional cross country meet after placing in the top 10 in their respective races at the district meet.
• Irving ISD earns the TXU Energy Leadership Award, which recognizes corporate and non-profit entities defining energy responsibility.
• The Irving ISD Parent Education and Community Engagement Department is selected Partner of the Year by the Irving Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
• Irving High School, MacArthur High School and Singley Academy are named to the 2023 Advanced Placement (AP) Honor Roll based on their ability to increase their school’s college-going culture, to provide opportunities for students to earn college credit and by maximizing college readiness.
• Bowie Middle School is recognized as a Solution Tree Model PLC at Work School.

NOVEMBER

• 7 Irving ISD students are named finalists for the QuestBridge National College Match program - Irving: Miriam Hernandez and Sebastian Rico; MacArthur: Grace Marquez and Christian Santana; Nimitz: Valentina Romero; Singley Academy: Janet Zuniga and Marie Friend
• 180 Irving ISD Career and Technical Education students are inducted into the National Technical Honor Society. 
• Dr. Sandi Cravens, Health & Physical Education Coordinator for Irving ISD, and Marcela Quiroz, Physical Education/Health Teacher at Johnston Elementary School, are named CATCH Champions. CATCH, which stands for Coordinated Approach To Child Health works with school districts to promote school health, and the award recognizes teachers, physical education specialists and administrators for their untiring dedication to create healthy environments for the students in their districts. 
• Irving ISD gives an update on the Irving ISD Professional Learning and Wellness Center project.
• LEGO Education President Victor Saeijs from Denmark and other dignitaries visit Johnston Elementary School to learn how Irving ISD integrates LEGOs into learning.

DECEMBER

• Two Irving ISD students match with prestigious universities through the QuestBridge program - Grace Marquez of MacArthur High School matched with Duke University and Marie Friend of Singley Academy matched with the University of Chicago.
• 32 students advance to the Texas Association of Future Educators (also known as TAFE) state competition in February. TAFE is an organization created for students to explore the teaching profession, and competitions consist of various education-related contests such as children’s literature (where students write and illustrate a book) and public speaking. 
• Singley Academy students Jody Gardiner and Ash Guzman qualify for Nationals after winning at this year’s Texas Thespians State Festival.
• The Singley Academy counseling team is awarded the CREST (Counselors Reinforcing Excellence for Students in Texas) Award by TSCA (Texas School Counselor Association).  This award recognizes schools with exemplary counseling programs that demonstrate a commitment to improving the lives and achievement of students in academic, career and personal social domains. 
• Nimitz High School Floral Design students and teachers travel to Pasadena, Calif., over the Christmas Break to work on floats for the famous Rose Parade.

JANUARY

• Nimitz Vikings Cheerleaders earn the 2024 Texas Cheerleader Open State Championship. This historic win marks Nimitz High School’s first-ever cheerleading championship. 
• Omar Mashat of Farine Elementary School wins the District Spelling Bee, advancing to compete in the Dallas County Spelling Bee.
• 39 students from Irving, MacArthur and Nimitz high schools advance to the Texas state DECA competition, following a strong showing at District. DECA, which stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America, prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management.
• Six Irving ISD musicians are named Texas All-State Musicians - Shashe Hossain (Band) from Irving High; Shannon Pratt (Band) from MacArthur; Des Eagans (Choir), Rhiannon Hayle (Choir), Lucas Manzano (Choir) and Kate Lindsey (Choir) from Nimitz.
• 16 Nimitz High School choir students are selected as American Choral Directors Association National Honor Choir Winners.
• Bowie Middle School Principal Anabel Ibarra is recognized as a Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Administrator of Distinction.
• Sixteen Irving ISD wrestlers qualify for the regional wrestling tournament.
• Irving ISD recognizes Arlington ISD Lamar High School’s Athletic Trainer Bryant Grice and Dallas Firefighter Kenneth Zacharie Jr. for the life-saving measures they performed on Nimitz High School student-athlete Kayla Thompson.

FEBRUARY

• The Academic Decathlon teams from Irving, MacArthur and Nimitz High Schools qualify for state with Nimitz winning second place at the Region IX tournament and finishing 10th among large schools at the San Antonio state tournament. MacArthur earned 4th place at the regional meet and 18th place among large schools at the San Antonio state tournament while Irving finished in 7th place at the regional tournament and 20th among large schools at the Frisco state meet.
• The MacArthur High School Honor Treble Choir performs at the prestigious American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Conference in Denver.
• Emilia Medina from Davis Elementary School wins the Elementary District Spanish Spelling Bee while Joel Ku Sarabia of Austin Middle School wins the Middle School District Spanish Spelling Bee.
• Two girls’ relay teams qualify for three events at the regional swim meet (one from Irving in two categories and one from Nimitz in one category).
• For the second consecutive year, the Irving ISD Purchasing Department is named a winner of the 2024 Award of Merit for Purchasing Operations, awarded by the Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO).

MARCH

• Three Irving ISD students are named Dell Scholars - Ana Guzman from Nimitz High School and Gobinda Neupane and Alexa Sanchez from Singley Academy.
• Representing Irving ISD at the Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE) national competition in Washington D.C. June 28 to July 1 are the following students: Danna Robles Lindero from Irving High; Hetzenny Gallardo from MacArthur; and Gabriela Guardiola, Israel Rico, Cloe Salmanca, Alexandra Acosta, Mayra Rodriguez, Cielo Carrillo, Anahi Cedillo, Antonio Jones, Devin Reynolds, Daniella Maloney and Emma Sanchez from Nimitz.
• Nine students qualify for the DECA national competition - Lianette Cordova and Gael Lopez from Irving High; Christian Santana, Peter Ivanov, Marion Hawkins, Sutton Smith and Juan Garcia-Garcia from MacArthur; and Sabrina Cruz and Vincent Nguyen from Nimitz.
• Three Lamar Middle School students qualify for the Business Professionals of America (BPA) national competition May 10-14 in Chicago - Lily Gallatin, Jaylene Flores and Jazlene Martinez Diaz.
• Nimitz High School senior Emma Huckeba is awarded the prestigious Joseph C. Gilliam Academic Achievement Award by the Navy JROTC, making “herstory” as the first Cadet to receive this award in the history of the nationally recognized Nimitz NJROTC program.
• Singley Academy's  Ash Guzman and Jody Gardiner are named "Thespy" winners by the Educational Theatre Association. The award recognizes the highest level of achievement in school theatre performance, technical theatre, writing and filmmaking.
• Five Irving ISD Destination Imagination teams qualify for the state tournament including UBEEM (Engineering Challenge) from Stipes Elementary School; Las Tres Flores (Fine Arts Challenge) from Cardwell Career Preparatory Center; Spectacular Spectacles (Extreme Challenge), ENIACATTACK (Improvisational Challenge) and Duck Duck Goose (Scientific Challenge) from Singley Academy.
• Daniela Moreno of MacArthur High School and Grace Vaccaro of Irving High are selected All-State Dancers by the Texas Dance Educators Association.
• Austin Middle School’s Joel Sarabia wins third place in the 6th-8th category at the Region 10 Spanish Spelling Bee.
• The Irving boys and MacArthur girls soccer teams qualify for the state playoffs.

APRIL

• Ms. Jenni Allred from Gilbert Elementary School is named the District Elementary Teacher of  the Year and Ms. Matia Brittman of Austin Middle School is named the District Secondary Teacher of the Year for Irving ISD.
• The Irving High School Lady Tigers softball team wins the bi-district championship and advances to the area round of the playoffs for the first time in program history. 
• The Nimitz Lady Vikings advance to the state playoffs as well. 
• Irving ISD Special Olympians collected 54 medals and 9 ribbons at the Special Olympic Track and Field Regional Meet at Longhorn Stadium in Cedar Hill.
• 120 education pathway students from Irving, MacArthur and Nimitz high schools are recognized at the I Am Next ceremony as potential future Irving ISD graduates.
• Lucinda Gonzalez, parent liaison at MacArthur High School, is named the 2023-2024 Community Helper of the Year, presented by the North Texas Honda Dealers and Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine.

MAY

• Nimitz High School’s Steve Mireles and Lamar Middle School’s Andrew Kemp, Joan Portillo, Brandon Romero and Alexander Villa qualify for the Technology Student Association (TSA) national competition, to be held June 26-30 in Orlando.
• Brynn Buchanan of MacArthur High School qualifies for the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) national competition, to be held June 29 to July 3 in Seattle. 
• Zainab Alsalami of MacArthur High School and Marcelo Segovia of Singley Academy advance to the SkillsUSA national competition from June 24-28 in Atlanta.
• MacArthur High School Principal Natasha Stewart is named a Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Administrator of Distinction.
• Three Irving ISD students are named recipients of the prestigious Gates Scholarship - Diana Amaya Canales of Irving High School, Grace Marquez of MacArthur High School and Sneha Shrestha of Singley Academy. 
• MacArthur High School wins the 11th annual Independent English Debate. 
• de Zavala Middle School School Resource Officer Gary Brockett is named the Golden Apple Individual Partner of the Year, and Toyota of Irving is named the Golden Apple Corporate Partner of the Year. 
• 24 Irving ISD leaders complete the Leaders Excelling & Advancing Performance (LEAP) program, including three Principal Residents who successfully completed a graduate degree and principal certification in one year.
• Marta Gonzalez Munin from Brandenburg Elementary School is named the ConnectED Teacher of the Year, and Sherry Carpenter of Britain Elementary School is selected the ConnectED Mentor of the Year. 
• The Irving ISD Athletic Hall of Fame inducts the Class of 2024: Brian Bosworth, former MacArthur football player; Jay Boulware, former Nimitz football player; Steve Grumbine, former MacArthur football player; Sam Morton, former MacArthur tennis coach; and Wes Pyfer, former Nimitz football coach.
• Crockett Middle School Kickstart instructor George Trevino is named the North Texas Kickstart Coach of the Year!
• Irving ISD middle school competitors earn five gold medals, three silver medals and nine bronze medals at the Kickstart State Championship.
• Shelley Jeoffroy, 4th grade ESL teacher at Brown Elementary School is named a winner of the HEB Excellence in Education Award.

JUNE

• Irving ISD celebrates 2,037 graduates in the senior Class of 2024.
• Singley Academy’s Duck Duck Goose Destination Imagination team wins first place at Global Finals.
• Seven visual art students win state-level awards at Texas Art Education Association state competitions - Marco DeLeon of Lee Elementary School; Leslie Arriaga, Briza Figueroa, Fabian Gomez and Madison Shore of Lamar Middle School; Suha Akbar of Johnson Middle School; and Isabella Earl of MacArthur High School. 
• Irving ISD earns the Best Communities for Music Education Award from the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education, for the second year in a row. 
• The BBC releases a documentary on the technology-based learning available to our students through our Verizon Innovative Learning Labs