MacArthur, Nimitz Seniors Earn National Honor

Paula Ikpatt, senior at MacArthur High School, and Nadia Barksdale, senior at Nimitz High School, have been named semifinalists in the 2009 National Achievement Scholarship Program.

For 45 years the National Achievement Scholarship Program has recognized the academic achievement of African-American high school students. Ikpatt and Barksdale join approximately 1,600 semifinalists selected from more than 150,000 high school juniors who took the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). To advance to finalists level, semifinalists must present a record of high academic performance during high school, 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.

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Bradley Wins State History Award

Helen Bradley, social studies teacher at Nimitz High School, was recognized September 18 at Nimitz High School for being named 2008 Preserve America History Teacher of the Year for Texas.

Sponsored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the Preserve America program recognizes a secondary school American history teacher from each state and U.S. territory each year. State Teachers of the Year are then eligible for the national award, scheduled for presentation in late-September or early-October.  In addition to the certificate from Gilder Lehrman and $1,000 honorarium, Bradley was presented with a certificate from United States Senator John Cornyn, a certificate and U.S. flag from Congressman Kenny Marchant, a certificate and Texas flag from Texas Senator Jane Nelson, and certificates of recognition from Governor Rick Perry and Texas Congressman Todd Smith. Nimitz will also receive an archive of history books for the school library donated in Bradley’s name.

Helen Bradley (center), social studies teacher at Nimitz High School, is congratulated by Judy Brodigan (left), Texas Preserve America Coordinator, and Sherry Perkins, IISD K-12 social studies coordinator, for being recognized as 2008 Preserve America History Teacher of the Year for Texas by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.

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Authors, Musicians Make IISD Visits

In an effort to expose Irving students to professional artists, authors and musicians regularly visit IISD schools.

Started in 1977, the Authors, Illustrators and Readers program allows IISD students to “make personal connections that continue to build their love of reading,” said Renee Newry, librarian at Farine Elementary School.

Farine will join six other elementary schools in hosting Anastasia Suen September 22-24. Suen is author of books in a variety of formats written for elementary students in kindergarten through fifth grade. She has also created programs for elementary students about how books are made, how to write stories, and “secrets” for the writing portion of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills.

Plano author Anastasia Suen visits Thomas Haley Elementary School September 22 as part of the IISD Artists, Illustrators and Readers program.

Claire and Monte Montgomery are making their second visit to IISD with their book Hubert Invents the Wheel. The Montgomerys will visit 13 elementary schools September 22-26 with their hands-on program related to the themes in their book, the research involved in writing the story, and the process they took to have the book published.

Authors Claire (seated) and Monte Montgomery visited Good Elementary School as part of their visit to IISD September 22-26 to discuss their book, Hubert Invents the Wheel.

The Blue Shoe Project is a non-profit organization founded with the mission of educating the coming generations about the roots of American folk and blues music as well as it’s influence on contemporary popular music and culture. To date, Blue Shoe has made presentations in 14 of 20 IISD elementary schools as well as visiting Union Bower Center for Learning.

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ISF Annual Campaign Underway

The Irving Schools Foundation (ISF) began the annual IISD Employee Payroll Deduction Campaign September 22.

Last year, the campaign raised $170,866 for ISF, an 11 percent increase from 2006-2007. This year, Foundation officials have raised the goal to $200,000. Funds raised from campaigns, such as payroll deduction, benefit IISD teachers and students in the form of scholarships and grants to teachers. Each IISD employee should have received a payroll deduction form to be completed and returned to the campus coordinator.

The campaign will run officially until October 31, however the ISF has asked employees to return forms to campus coordinators October 24 in order to calculate campus donation totals by the end of the campaign.

For more information about ISF program, call 972-215-5018 or access http://www.irvingisd.net/foundation.

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District Band Festival Scheduled

The 29^th Annual Irving ISD Band Festival will be at 7:15 p.m. September 30 at Irving Schools Stadium.

Tickets are $2.00 and can be purchased the evening of the festival, or can be purchased from any IISD middle or high school band member. Tickets are also available at the Fine Arts office in the Administration Building.

The festival will include band performances from Irving High School, MacArthur High School, Nimitz High School, Austin Middle School, Bowie Middle School, Crockett Middle School, de Zavala Middle School, Houston Middle School, Lamar Middle School, and Travis Middle School.

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District Improvement Committee

The primary role of the District Improvement Committee (DIC) is to advise the superintendent and staff in the planning, operations, supervision and evaluation of the district’s educational program in accordance with Board of Trustees policy.

All members of the DIC serve a two-year term except student members who serve a one-year term. Dr. Marie Morris, assistant superintendent for teaching and learning, coordinates the work of the committee and other staff members may be asked to join as ex-officio members depending on the topic of discussion. Superintendent Jack Singley is a non-voting member of the Committee. 

The 43-member composition of the DIC includes:

• Six elementary classroom teachers

• Three middle school teachers

• Four high school teachers

• One librarian

• One alternative campus classroom teacher

• One counselor

• One elementary campus administrator

• One middle school campus administrator

• One high school campus administrator

• One district-level professional staff member

• Ten parent members

• Four community members

• Four business members

• Five student members

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