Trustees Name Middle School for Lady Bird Johnson

In a unanimous decision by the Irving ISD Board of Trustees, the district’s eighth middle school will be named in honor of former First Lady Claudia Alta (Lady Bird) Johnson.

Claudia Alta (Lady Bird) Johnson. Photo by Frank Wolfe is courtesy of Lyndon Baines Johnson Library & Museum, Austin, Texas.

A native of Karnack, Texas, Johnson acquired her nickname while an infant when her nurse commented that she was as “pretty as a ladybird.”  As a youth, she developed a life-long love of the environment, spending much of her time outdoors in her native East Texas. After graduating with two bachelor degrees from University of Texas at Austin, she married Lyndon Baines Johnson, a Congressional aide and they had two daughters, Lynda Bird and Luci Baines. Johnson was a full partner in the political career of her husband, and was also president of a media company consisting of several television and radio stations. Her $41,000 investment blossomed into a more than $150 million business. In 1963, Lyndon Johnson became President of the United States, and Johnson became the first native Texan to become first lady. As first lady, she began a beautification campaign for Washington D.C. and America’s highways, stating “where flowers bloom, so does hope.” She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal, and has many parks, lakes and schools named after her across the country. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin continues her work in conservation, environmentalism, and beautification of our country. Johnson died in 2007 and is buried on her beloved LBJ Ranch near Stonewall, Texas.

Throughout her lifetime, Johnson served as a philanthropist, entrepreneur, conservationist and champion of education. Students at Davis Elementary School who potentially live in the attendance zone to be drawn were surveyed to determine their preference for naming the new school, as well as choosing the school colors and mascot. After also conducting their own research, Davis students overwhelmingly chose Lady Bird Johnson as the public figure to honor. They selected the eagle mascot with green and blue for school colors.

Architect’s rendering of Johnson Middle School, the eighth middle school to be built in Irving.

Lady Bird Johnson Middle School will be designed with an environmentally-focused, net-zero concept. Through efficiency technologies and on-site power generation, the use of renewable energies allows the building to produce as much energy as it consumes from the electric grid. Students will learn through practical, hands-on experiences. Issues such as geothermal science, rainwater collection, solar panel usage, and wind turbine efficiency will help students learn responsibility for energy and environmental conservation.

For more information about the school, access www.irvingisd.net/ppage/NetZeroMiddleSchool2.htm.

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Retirees to be Honored for Service

Irving ISD staff and faculty retiring this year will be honored at the annual Retiree Awards at DFW Marriott Hotel May 20.

Personnel who will be honored are:

• Connie Acosta, 1980-2010, Brandenburg Elementary School

• Deborah Bellew, 1984-2010, Bowie Middle School

• Karen Clark, 1987-2010, Lively Elementary School

• Joshua P. Chowritmootoo, 1997-2010, de Zavala Middle School

• Clydia Heap, 1999-2010, Austin Middle School

• Millie Holland, 1982-2010, Davis Elementary School

• Sylvia Ingrim, 1965-1968 & 1977-2010, Hanes Elementary School

• Martha Korioth, 1985-2010, Barton Elementary School

• Diane McMeans Kreger, 1976-1981 & 1983-2010, Teaching & Learning

• Janice Kubicek, 1989-2010, Travis Middle School

• Denise Latimer, 1993-2010, Brandenburg Elementary School

• Priscilla Ludeman, 1979-2010, Lively Elementary School

• Mary Ludwick, 2006-2010, Thomas Haley Elementary School

• Linda McDearmon, 1974-2010, Business & Finance

• Wayne McDearmon, 1996-2010, Stipes Elementary School

• Marie L. (Malou) Parent, 1985-2010, MacArthur High School

• Ginny Parker, 1985-2010, Lively Elementary School

• John G. Price, 1982-2010, Facilities Services

• Frances Rinehart, 1990-2010, Good Elementary School

• James Etta Rogers, 1984-2010, Good Elementary School

• Trish Sartor, 1985-2010, Crockett Middle School

• Darlene Gloria Seguin, 2008-2010, Clifton Early Childhood School

• Monya Silverwise, 1974-1979 & 1988-2010, Brown Elementary School

• Nora Smith, 1998-2010, Houston Middle School

• Ann Taylor, 1968-1970, 1971-1973 & 1984-2010, Thomas Haley Elementary School

• Esther F. Vazquez, 1997-2010, Crockett Middle School

• Peggy Vickrey, 1978-2010, de Zavala Middle School

• Peggy Zwermann, 2000-2010, Austin Middle School

IISD Board of Trustees and Dr. Neil Dugger will recognize retirees with a gift in appreciation of their service. Musical entertainment will be provided by Kevin Gay, accompanist for Irving High School and Singley Academy.

Watch video highlights of last year’s Retiree Awards online by accessing the link below:

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Soloists, Ensembles are State Bound

High school band, choir and orchestra students earned Superior ratings at Regional competition to advance to state University Interscholastic League Solo & Ensemble competition at University of Texas at Austin in May.

For the complete list of students competing at state solo & ensemble, access www.irvingisd.net/articles/UIL-2010.htm.  For more information about UIL music competitions, access www.uil.utexas.edu/music/index.html.

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KickStart Kids Win at State

Irving ISD students participating in the KickStart program competed at state competition at Ranchview High School May 15.

IISD students competed against 15-20 others in each of their respective divisions. Schools attending the competition included those from the DFW metroplex, Houston and Pflugerville. For the complete list of IISD students who won awards at KickStart state competition, access www.irvingisd.net/articles/KickstartState.htm

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Fine Arts Round-Up

As the school year draws to a close, fine arts programs at several elementary and middle schools have been perfecting their final shows and have been treated to special productions.

	A brass ensemble from Irving Symphony Orchestra hosts Go Green for the Greater Good, a concert with conservation themes, at Calvary Church May 7.
	Second through fifth graders from Brandenburg Elementary School perform The Music Man, Jr. at Singley Academy Auditorium May 7.
	Students and their families from Townsell Elementary School participate in art activities during Art Night April 13.
	The Travis Middle School band performs at the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas May 8.
	Travis Middle School Advanced Orchestra students celebrate the awards they won at the Peak Music Festival at University of North Texas May 8.

Third grade students in IISD attended a special concert hosted by a brass ensemble from Irving Symphony Orchestra. Go Green for the Greater Good was sponsored by Atmos Energy and correlated with specific third-grade Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills to help students learn about taking care of the earth and its resources. Conservation, non-renewable, renewable and inexhaustible resources were discussed as well as the water cycle and landforms. Intermingled with musical performances from the ensemble, students also learned about “green initiatives” to help preserve the planet’s resources.

Irving Schools Foundation awarded a grant to Brandenburg Elementary School to perform The Music Man, Jr. Thirty-six students in grades two through five performed at Singley Academy for classmates May 6 and for the public May 7. Cast and crew members learned about producing a theatrical presentation including professional staging, costumes, make-up, set design, and publicity.

At Thomas Haley Elementary School, choir students performed at the Sandy Lake FunFest May 12. For their performance, students earned a score of “1” from all three judges.

Townsell Elementary School hosted Art Night April 13. Families participated in art activities with a variety of media and artistic styles.

Band and orchestra students from Travis Middle School performed at respective events May 8. The band participated in the Dallas Wind Symphony Invitational at the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas. Travis Advanced Orchestra performed at the Peak Music Festival at University of North Texas May 8. The orchestra won a Superior rating, Most Outstanding Group Award, Superior Cello and Bass Section Awards, and Superior Soloist Award for Michael Arthur’s performance on the bass. Travis Beginning Orchestra earned an Excellent rating for their performance at Sandy Lake FunFest May 15.

Learn more about IISD fine arts end-of-the-year activities by accessing www.irvingisd.net/finearts.

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Career Events Keep Students Focused

IISD Board of Trustees goal two is to “prepare students for education and life beyond high school,” and in IISD this goal isn’t just reflected in career fairs and college visits for graduating seniors.

At Brown Elementary School, students celebrated career day May 7. People from professions such as lawyer, police officer, fire fighter, and chef spoke with students about their various jobs. Professional vehicles were also displayed for students to learn how the vehicles are used.

Kindergarten students at Johnston Elementary School were exposed to various jobs during Big Truck Day May 12. City of Irving police, public works, and sanitation vehicles are displayed for students to ask questions and see how they operate.

The mobile crime lab from Irving Police Department visited Houston Middle School May 11. Houston School Resource Officer Tim Kosar and Crime Scene Investigator William McConnell partnered to tour students in Ralph Kubiak’s Honors Texas History Class through the workings of the mobile lab. McConnell explained how evidence is collected and the importance of documentation of a scene. Kubiak’s students were also given the opportunity to question McConnell about evidence collecting techniques in preparation for their study of the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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