Big Read is a Big Deal

Through reading groups and guest speakers, student, faculty and staff in Irving ISD are supporting The Big Read during the month of October.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum & Library Services and Arts Midwest. In Irving, the city public library is conducting a city-wide promotion of the event by encouraging readers to read and discuss Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon. In IISD, various school book clubs of students and staff will meet throughout October to discuss the book.

Junior and senior English classes at Irving High School attended a presentation from mystery author Brad Meltzer October 6. Metzler also spoke at a city-wide event where he compared and contrasted his work to Hammett’s. Reading clubs at schools meet during English classes, after school or at lunch – as is the case for groups like the Brown Bag Readers at Nimitz High School. In lieu of The Maltese Falcon, reading clubs at schools such as Johnston Elementary School and Lamar Middle School will discuss books focused for younger people. At Johnston, students will read the Hank Zipzer books by Henry Winkler, and at Lamar three book clubs – READ, Bilingual and Guys Read – will study various authors.

The City of Irving Public Library has scheduled activities throughout October to support The Big Read based on the themes in The Maltese Falcon. For a complete list of city-wide activities, access http://cityofirving.org/library/bigread.

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Athletes of the Month

An Nguyen, senior at Nimitz High School, is female Athlete of the Month for October. She is a four-year player on the Nimitz tennis team and is ranked first in singles and doubles among her teammates. Nguyen volunteered during summer tennis camps at Nimitz and teaches Sunday school at her church.

Jercolby Bradley, senior at Irving High School, is male Athlete of the Month for October. Bradley plays quarterback for the Irving High football team and leads the district in passing yardage, pass completions and touchdowns. In addition to leadership on the football field, he maintains a high B average in academics.

An Nguyen

Jercolby Bradley

 

October Athletes of the Month

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Gilbert Supports Hurricane Relief

Students at Gilbert Elementary School raised 881 pounds of food in a one-week campaign September 22-29.

The food drive was a school-wide event and each grade level was responsible for collecting a type of canned or non-perishable food. Food was donated to Irving Cares, and in turn distributed to local agencies currently supporting evacuees affected by Hurricane Ike.

In addition to helping hurricane victims, the food drive helped Gilbert students reinforce what they had learned as part of the school character and manners education program.

Michael Crotty, principal at Gilbert Elementary School, congratulates two Gilbert students as they drop off their donations for the school’s food drive.

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Business Department Receives Honor

The IISD Business Operations Department has received a Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) for the production of the comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR).

Earlier in October, the department was recognized by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for the CAFR. With the announcement of the ASBO certificate, the IISD Business Operations Department celebrates 20 years of receiving such recognition from both the GFOA and ASBO.

(from left) Ruth Loehr Moffatt, Karen King, Debbie Cabrera, Linda McDearmon, Jan Arrington, and Miranda MacDonald with the IISD Business Operation Department received recognition from the Association of School Business Officials and Government Finance Officers Association for the district’s comprehensive annual financial report.

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City Council to Recognize Contest Winners

IISD students and their teachers will be recognized at the Irving City Council meeting October 16 for winning in the city’s Disabilities Awareness Month poster art contest.

First place winners include:

Honorable mention winners include:

Group photos with students, teachers and Mayor Herbert Gears will be taken. Irving City Council meetings can be seen on Time Warner Channel 95 or Verizon FiOS Channel 31.

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