Marks-Arias Appointed as Principal at Austin

Irving ISD Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Neil Dugger has announced the appointment of Desiree Marks-Arias as principal of Austin Middle School. Arias most recently served as assistant superintendent for curriculum & instruction in Cotulla ISD.

A native of Brownsville, Arias began her career in 1994 with Dallas ISD as a math and science teacher at Cowart Elementary School and Stockard Middle School. In 1999 she became dean of instruction at Stockard then principal at Rusk Middle School in 2002. In 2003 Arias accepted a position as a consultant for a private educational company. The following year, she became associate principal in Del Valle ISD at Del Valle High School, and returned to Dallas ISD as principal at Long Middle School in 2005. Arias served at Long for two years before accepting the assistant superintendent position in Cotulla in 2007.

Arias has earned Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education degrees from University of Texas at Austin (UT) and Superintendent Certification from University of Texas at Arlington. She plans to complete her Doctor of Education degree from UT in December.

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IISD Credit Rating Upgraded, District Wins Finance Award

Standard & Poor’s (S&P), one of the world’s foremost source of credit ratings, indices, investment research, risk evaluation and data, has updated the Issuer Credit Rating for Irving ISD from “AA” to “AA+”.

S&P raised the rating based on its view of the district’s solid financial management practices, strong financial performance trend, and “very strong reserves.” S&P further stated it views the outlook for this rating as stable.

In addition to the improved credit rating, the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) has awarded the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting (COE) as a result of the preparation and issuance of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for fiscal year end 2008.

ASBO’s COE program was designed to enable school business officials to achieve a high standard of financial reporting. The COE is the highest recognition for school district financial operations offered by ASBO, and is only conferred to school systems that meet or exceed the standards of the program. This recognition marks 21 years IISD has received the honor.

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Jennings Recognized by TWU Reading Recovery Program

Dr. Cheryl Jennings, division director of elementary teaching & learning, was awarded the 2009 Advocate for Excellence in Literacy by Texas Woman’s University Reading Recovery program.

Jennings, who has served her entire career in education in Irving ISD, began her teaching career as physical education teacher at Barton Elementary School in 1979. She became principal at Good Elementary School in 1994 and as principal, led Good to become a United States Department of Education Blue Ribbon School.

Jennings became division director of elementary teaching & learning in 2002. In this position, she oversees the elementary curriculum for math, science, language arts, and reading for Irving ISD. Jennings was nominated for the award by IISD Reading Coordinator Paula Dugger, who has worked with Jennings in Irving schools for more than 20 years. Dugger said that among Jennings’ numerous accomplishments, she has been instrumental in developing the district’s Balanced Literacy Initiative, Read Right Program, and Reading Together Program.

Jennings will attend the 2009 Billie J. Askew Reading Recovery/Early Literacy Institute in Dallas November 2-4, where she will be recognized during the Administrators Institute November 3.

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de Zavala Teachers Spend Summer in Study

Charlene Masch, seventh grade science teacher at de Zavala Middle School, and Todd Ketcham, sixth grade science teacher at de Zavala, have spent their respective summers taking part in activities that each hope will enrich their classrooms when school begins in August.

Charlene Masch, seventh grade science teacher at de Zavala Middle School, conducts biomedical research during her summer participation in the Science Teacher Access to Resources at UT Southwestern program.

Masch was one of nine selected for a summer study program for teachers at University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. The Science Teacher Access to Resources at Southwestern program was developed in 1991 to improve the quality of science education in North Central Texas and to make available to middle and high school science teachers some of the vast educational resources of UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Masch said she has had the opportunity to conduct hands-on biomedical research, observe her mentor, Dr. Ruth Word, as she conducted rounds in the obstetrics & gynecology department, and observe child births including natural and cesarean section deliveries. Masch will conduct a full presentation of her research project at the end of the program, and will create a classroom activity to bring back to her own science classes at de Zavala.

Ketcham earned a scholarship to attend the Educator’s Space Academy at the Untied States Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Ketcham applied for the Honeywell-sponsored scholarship via essay submission and was among teachers from 48 states and 16 foreign countries to attend.

Todd Ketcham (right), sixth grade science teacher at de Zavala Middle School, conducts a simulated space shuttle mission while attending Educator’s Space Academy at the Untied States Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

During the Academy, Ketcham attended workshops related to fostering student interest in the space program, as well as received presentations about the United State’s current program and plans to colonize the Moon and travel to Mars. Astronaut Story Musgrave and Ed Buckbee, author of The Real Space Cowboys, delivered historical perspectives on the space program.

Ketcham also had the opportunity to train in NASA simulators, performing simulated space missions both in orbit and on the moon. Ketcham said he hopes to apply to the Advanced Educators Space Camp, as well as apply to NASA’s Teacher in Space program.

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Wellness Committee Calls for Members

The IISD Personnel Department has formed a Wellness Committee charged with planning district-wide activities related to improving and maintaining good physical health. For more information regarding becoming a committee member, access www.irvingisd.net/ppage/wellness.htm.

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