Choir students from Irving, MacArthur and Nimitz high schools traveled to Coppell on September 27 for the first round of Texas Music Educator’s Association (TMEA) All-Region/All-State Honor Choir auditions.

Students selected in the first round for district honor choir are: Kenneth Black, MacArthur High School; Cory Jones, Nimitz High School; and Jackson Enberg, Nimitz. Students selected as alternates for district honor choir are: Enrique Cisneros, Irving High School; Amanda Garza, Nimitz; and Daniel Butcher, Nimitz. Students selected in the first round of auditions are now eligible to compete for All-Region Honor Choir.

TMEA Region 20 aligns with University Interscholastic League Music Region 20 and is comprised of Cedar Hill, Coppell, Dallas, DeSoto, Duncanville, Ennis, Faith Family Academy-Oak Cliff, Ferris, Grand Prairie, Highland Park, Irving, Lancaster, Midlothian, Palmer, Red Oak, The North Hills School-Irving, Waxahachie, and Wilmer-Hutchins school districts.

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MacArthur Forensics Goes to College

MacArthur High School forensics students competed in the Tarrant County College Novice Invitational Tournament in Hurst September 27.

Though it was a collegiate-level competition, MacArthur students were invited to compete due to forensics sponsor Phillip Morgan’s past association with Tarrant County College and the high reputation of MacArthur students’ ability.

The 14-member team earned enough points to take first place in the individual events portion of the tournament. Jason Douglass won the Top Overall Speaker Award for the competition and accumulated more overall individual points than any other competitor at the tournament. MacArthur’s Parliamentary Debate team – consisting of Sean Diaz, Amanda Thomas, Zirwa Baseer, and Jason Douglass – placed third in the debate portion. In overall point sweepstakes, MacArthur tied with Del Mar College of Corpus Christi for second place. Northwestern State University from Natchitoches, Louisianna won first place overall.

Individual event results included: Jason Douglass, first place prose interpretation and first place duet interpretation; Katherine Edwards, first place program oral interpretation and third place duet interpretation; Josh Moore, first place duet interpretation; Mac Jennings, second place prose interpretation; Briana Kidder, third place duet interpretation; Madelyn Beaird, second place program oral interpretation; Adaobi Anyiwo, first place extemporaneous speaking; Marie-Michelle Gray, second place duet interpretation; Megan Paul, second place duet interpretation; and Gemma Garcia, fourth place prose interpretation.

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Business Department Recognized

The IISD Business Operations Department has been awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting.

Awarded by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA), the awarding of a certificate represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management. Business Operations and Irving ISD were recognized specifically for the comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR). Jan Arrington, director of business operations, also received an Award of Financial Reporting Achievement for being primarily responsible for the production of the CAFR.

According to GFOA officials, the report was judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, including demonstrating a constructive spirit of full disclosure to clearly communicate the financial story of IISD and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.

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Nimitz Program Supports Hurricane Relief

Entering the program’s second year at Nimitz High School, the Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization is stepping out of the classroom to help fellow chapters affected by recent hurricanes.

FFA chapters and agricultural programs across Texas are partnering to create a fund to help FFA chapters rebuild their agricultural programs, and help in their communities following natural disasters such as Hurricane Ike. Funds will be dispersed to affected FFA chapters and agriculture programs via an application process. For more information about the campaign, access Texas Future Farmers of America Website.

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Teachers Awarded ISF Enrichment Grants

Fifteen IISD teachers have been awarded enrichment grants from Irving Schools Foundation for the month of September.

Teachers receiving grants are:

  • Sarah McIntyre, child development teacher; Irving High School

  • Samantha Garza, pregnancy-related services coordinator, The Academy of Irving ISD

  • Karen Sturch, family and consumer science teacher, MacArthur High School

  • Petra Park, ARI/AMI teacher, Davis Elementary School

  • Maria Rodriguez, reading recovery teacher, John Haley Elementary School

  • Rick Orndoff, LIFE teacher, Keyes Elementary School

  • Jennifer Noel, art teacher, Thomas Haley Elementary School

  • Alice Vasquez, counselor, Thomas Haley

  • Madeline Geary, physical education teacher, Thomas Haley

  • Erin Robison, counselor, Thomas Haley

  • Lynda Smith, first grade teacher, Schulze Elementary School

  • Rebecca Davis, instructional specialist, Stipes Elementary School

  • Robin Hurt, fourth grade teacher, Townley Elementary School

  • Elizabeth Cavazos, fifth grade teacher, Townsell Elementary School

  • Angela Lutts, IISD pregnancy-related services social worker

September Teacher Enrichment Grants totaled $3,895 and are awarded monthly for 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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October is Month of Young Adolescent

October has been dedicated as the Month of the Young Adolescent by the National Middle School Association. The effort brings together a wide range of organizations to focus on the needs of the formative age range of 10-15 years old.

Key messages for the celebration include: the importance of parents being knowledgeable about the lives of young adolescents; the understanding that healthy bodies plus healthy minds equals healthy adolescents; the realization that the education young people experience will determine their future; and every young adolescent should have the opportunity to pursue his or her dreams and aspirations.

For more information about Month of the Young Adolescent, visit www.nmsa.org/moya/. 

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Early Dismissal October 9, Student Holiday October 13

IISD schools will conduct parent conferences and student early dismissal on October 9. Schools and administrative offices will remain open during regular operating hours.

October 13 will be a student holiday/professional development day. IISD schools and administrative offices will be open during regular hours for staff development activities.

Please visit www.irvingisd.net to view the complete IISD calendar. 

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Family Night Focuses on Reading

Maria Teresa Castellanos, fourth grade bilingual teacher at Good Elementary School, helps students create crafts for parents during the school’s first family academic night, themed Hats Off to Reading.

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Brown PTA Sponsors Fun Night

Brown Elementary School PTA sponsored Family Fun Night, a community block party to present special service information to the community such as health and safety resources, recycling, and YMCA programs.

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