Travis, Union Bower Principals Hired
The District has appointed replacements for retiring
principals from Travis and Union Bower.
Terry Cooper, vice principal at the Academy will take
the top spot at Travis, succeeding James Simmons. Cooper has been with
the District since 1995, working at Crockett before moving to the
Academy.
Barbara Neale, assistant principal at Union Bower,
will take her bosses job, succeeding Nathaniel Allen. Neale is a 21-year
employee of IISD. She has worked as a teacher and administrator at
Lamar, Britain and Travis.
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IISD Teacher/Author/Spelunker Recognized in New Book
Houston teacher Janet Steele is one of the subjects of
a new book about a deadly expedition to what could be the world’s
deepest cave. The book, Beyond the Deep: the Deadly Descent Into the
World’s Most Treacherous Cave, details the events of a 1994
spelunking expedition led by experts Bill Stone and Barbara Am Ende into
Huautla, a massive cave system in Mexico long considered a caver’s “Holy
Grail.”
Steele and her husband were two of the explorers at
Huautla that year. The book mentions them calling her, “a lanky
anthropologist with a sharp sense of humor.”
Beyond the Deep was
written by Bill Stone. It’s available now.
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Graduation, Baccalaureate
More than 1,200 students will graduate from Irving
high schools this weekend in three consecutive ceremonies at the
Potter’s House Event Center in Dallas.
A new venue for IISD graduations, the Potter’s House
is located at 6777 Kiest Boulevard, just west of Loop 12. MacArthur will
be the first IISD school to graduate there at 9 a.m. on Saturday. Irving
High will follow at 12:30 p.m. and the ceremony for Nimitz will begin at
4 p.m.
Each ceremony will feature choral performances as well
as valedictory and salutatory addresses with intriguing titles.
MacArthur top scholars Cheng Lee and Ariffin Alam have collaborated to
name their valedictory and salutatory speeches “We Can’t Rewind,” and
“Don’t Fast Forward.” Irving High valedictorian Jonathan Paynter will
make some “Introductions” and salutatorian Theresa Curtsinger will give
"A New Perspective." Nimitz valedictorian Grant Clayton will talk about
"What Makes Today Meaningful" and salutatorian Lisa Joseph will tell
“The Myth of Sisyphus.”
All IISD graduates have also been invited to a
baccalaureate ceremony at Calvary Temple at 7 p.m. on Friday night. That
service will include performances by the MacArthur band and combined
choirs from all three high schools, as well as an address from Dr.
Milfred Minatrea, chaplain of the Irving Police Department.
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State Singers
Singers from all three high schools represented the
district well at the state solo and ensemble contest in Austin recently.
MacArthur soloists Tonya Cadenhead, Nichole Plagens,
Sarah Mercer, and Crystal Boothe all received Division 1 ratings. Amber
Allen received a Division 2, as did the MacArthur Madrigal ensemble.
Junior Laurel Halsey claimed a Division 1 rating for
Irving High. The IHS Madrigal performance got a Division 2.
Nimitz soloists Jeremiah Boisclair and Ben Kendall
received Division 1 ratings. Soloists Krista Lundquist and Jodi Jungman
received Division 2 ratings. The Madrigal group received a Division 2.
And Molly Weaver earned a Division 1 for her piano solo.
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IHS Junior Tapped for Leadership Forum
Irving High junior Marisa Byars has been chosen to
participate in the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine in
Chicago this summer. The conference is a career development program for
high school students who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership
potential, and an interest in medicine. Byars will join about 350 other
students from around the country at the forum July 7–16.
“The National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF) offers an
invaluable perspective for students who participate in the Forum on
Medicine,” NYLF Executive Director Donna Weldin said. “The relationships
we forge with health care facilities and educational institutions
throughout the country afford these young people an eye-opening
experience, introducing them to the broad spectrum of medical careers.”
In addition to site visits to cutting-edge medical
schools and clinical facilities, Byars will get to interact with
physicians, surgeons, researchers, scientists, medical educators, and
other leaders in the field of medicine.
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HIPPY Family Night at Irving High
Irving High librarians collaborated with Project
Impact and the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters
Program to host family night at Irving High May 13.
Maria Redburn of the Irving Public Library handed out
books and talked to parents about reading to their children. J’Ann
Alvarado, also from the library, shared her talent as a storyteller.
Ray Cerda and Florina Jaymne, Irving Parks &
Recreation staff member, told parents and students about summer
activities. And Inelda Alaniz and Jeana Actkinson showed parents how to
play math games using playing cards.
National Honor Society students volunteered to lead
groups and interact with parents. At least 90 parents and 80 students
attended.
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