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Dickinson Independent School District

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2218 FM 517 East
Dickinson, Texas 77539

281-229-6000

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www.dickinsonisd.org

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District Events

Stay informed about Dickinson ISD events, games, programs and other important dates. Click here to visit the Dickinson ISD District Events Calendar page.

DHS Yearbooks

The 2013-2014 Dickinson High School yearbook and senior recognition ads are now on sale. You may purchase both online at www.balfour.com. For more information, contact DHS Yearbook Sponsor Keneshe Butler at 281-229-6404 or kbutler@dickinsonisd.org.

Did You Know.....

Safe Schools
Week in Texas

Governor Rick Perry has proclaimed October 20-26 as Safe Schools Week in Texas. Schools are urged to practice emergency drills, review emergency plans and highight the importance of safe and secure schools -- not only during this week but throughout the year.

National School Bus Safety Week

The Transportation Department will be out in the schools this month conducting evacuation drills with students and staff in honor of National School Bus Safety Week, October 21-25.

Red Ribbon Week

Dickinson ISD schools will be observing Red Ribbon Week October 21-25 with special activities on their campuses. In addition, students will be wearing red ribbons with the theme, "Dickinson ISD Teams Up Against Drugs." A special thanks to MaximGroup for their continued donation of red ribbons for students.

Week of October 14, 2013

Special recognitions planned at October 18 Varsity Football Game

Fans attending the Dickinson High School Varsity Football Game on October 18 against Clear Brook High School are encouraged to arrive early for some special recognitions honoring DHS alumni and a former DHS teacher.

Ceremony and Reception
in honor of Paul LaFleur

Paul LaFleur at microphone For years, Paul LaFleur was the voice of the Gators as he volunteered his time as an announcer at Dickinson ISD athletic events. Now, more than 30 years later, his name will forever me remembered as the Press Box at Sam Vitanza Stadium has been named in his honor.

The community is invited to a ceremony and reception at 5 p.m. Friday, October 18 in the DHS competition gymnasium to recognize the naming of the Paul LaFleur Press Box.

LaFleur served Dickinson ISD for 27 years as a well-loved math teacher and counselor at DHS. He was also well known for attending student events and games outside the regular school day and volunteering his time as the announcer. He retired in May 1985 and unfortunately, passed away later that same year. LaFleur's family will be attending the ceremony and reception and will also be recognized briefly at the end of halftime during the football game.

Dickinson High School Athletic Hall of Honor
and Distinguished Alumni Recognition

The Dickinson High School Athletic Hall of Honor and Dickinson ISD Distinguished Alumni honorees will be recognized at a ceremony starting at 6:30 p.m. before the start of the October 18 football game in Sam Vitanza Stadium. They will also have a brief recognition at the end of the halftime festivities.

Dickinson High School Athletic Hall of Honor:

Carl Barnett, Jr. - Carl is being recognized for his athletic accomplishments in football. He was named for three years as a First Team All-District honoree, three years as First Team All-County, MVP Offense Line, and played on the Seniors All-Star Team. Carl received a full scholarship to the University of Houston where he joined an exclusive group of players in Houston Cougar history who competed in four bowl games during their careers.

Michelle Gray Chandler - Michelle is being recognized for her athletic accomplishments in basketball. She was named 1976 Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-District, All Greater Houston Area, All-State, and Texas Coaches All Star. Michelle is the third in her family to be inducted into the DHS Athletic Hall of Honor and joins her father, Coach Teddy Gray, inducted in 2003 and her brother, Tim Gray, inducted in 2008.

Dickinson ISD Distinguished Alumni:

Ron Morales - A 1972 graduate, Ron has served as the Police Chief of the Dickinson Police Department since 1996. He was responsible for the establishment in 1999 of the largest state recognized Citizen's Police Academy.

Aaron Timmons - A 1977 graduate, Aaron has been the Director of Debate at Greenhill School in Addison, Texas since 1993 and has worked as a high school debate teacher and coach since his graduation from Lamar University. He has been named as one of the top coaches of the 20th century and most recently selected to coach the United States "Dream Team" that will compete against other debate teams from around the world.

Mike Mackey - A 1978 graduate, Mike opened Mackey Mechanical Services in Dickinson in 1992 and is a regular financial supporter of local non-profits and many youth activiites. He was elected to the Dickinson ISD Board of Trustees in 2008, serving as president from 2010-2012.

Kristen Cooke - A 2000 graduate, Kristen danced professionally for six years following high school graduation. She won a coveted position as a Houston Texans cheerleader and participated in many community service projects in the area. She then went on to become a Houston Rockets power dancer for three years becoming a captain in her final season.

DHS Band to host Gator Marching Festival Saturday

and Region 17 4A and 5A UIL competition Tuesday

Gator Marching Festival

Eleven area bands will be visiting Sam Vitanza Stadium on October 19 to participate in the Gator Marching Festival hosted by the Dickinson High School Marching Band. Gates will open at 11:30 a.m. and the first band will perform at 12:30 p.m. The finals round will begin at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the festival are $15 per adult and $7 for students. The DHS Marching Band will not compete but will perform for visitors at approximately 9:15 p.m. before the final awards are presented.

UIL Marching Band Competition

Sam Vitanza Stadium will also play host to the Region 17 4A and 5A UIL Regional Band Competition on Tuesday, October 22. The first performance is scheduled to start at 4:15 p.m. and DHS will compete at 8:40 p.m. Admission is free and everyone is invited to come out and support the Gator Band! Go Gators!

School Bus Safety Week is October 21-25

Growing number of DISD students using buses

Transportation Department propane bus Getting children to and from school has become one of the top priorities for Dickinson ISD. In the past five years, not only has the number of buses increased, butso have teh number of students who ride them.

With the fast growing populations of Dickinson ISD -- over 1,400 since 2008-2009 -- Director of Transportation Brian Cmaidalka has seen som huge changes in his department. Not only does he have a new transportation building, but he has increased staff, driers, and buses adn the district has added a training facility ad break room for his drivers. One could almost eat off the floor of his maintenance shop where the buses are serviced daily with state-of-the-art equipment, and the departmnt has begun using propane instead of diesel, saving the district thousands of dollars each year.

"We have seen incredible changes in the past five or six years," he said. "We now have 86 buses. When I started here, we were over by the high school where Operations is now. We had a much smaller bus fleet and not as much room as we have now. As fast as we were growing, the school board and the administration had the smarts to see we were going to have to have more room."

Cmaidalka said he can now train his drivers properly and give them a sense of pride and ownership in their buses and routes, as well as a place for them to gather and socialize each day. "I think they really appreciate that and the way their bus is kept up. It's not that we didn't do that before, it's just a cleaner environment and not cramped in the shop," he said.

When the district decided to go with propane-fueled buses a couple of years ago, they knew that the buses would cost more, but with a $2 million grant, the cost was not a factor, not to mention they would only be paying .50 per gallon vs. $3.60 per gallon at today's diesel prices.

"The savings for us is huge," Cmaidalka said. "We replaced 25 diesel buses for propane and we were able to use grant monies to do it. Now that we carry a little more than 5,500 students, it was a very smart way for us to go."

Dickinson ISD offers bus service for all students, regardless of their proximity to the school. Because student safety is a priority, whether a student lives across the street from their school or several miles away, a Dickinson ISD bus will pick the student up if they choose to ride the bus. The district covers 61 square miles, and Cmaidalka said his drivers cover that area every day.

"We train our drivers very well," he said. "We don't just hire anyone with a driver license. We make sure they love kids, don't have a record of bad driving and that they want to do this. They need to be engaged with the kids and protect them as if they were their own."

Dickinson ISD not only trains drivers in their own buses, but provides a bus for a driver to use to take their CDL test. "We want good drivers, so we want to help them out and give them the proper training, all the way down to getting their test," he said. "It's a winning combination for both of us."

Not only do bus drivers receive extensive training, all Dickinson ISD students also participate in safety drills at the end of October each year in honor of National School Bus Safety Week, October 21-25. The students are reminded of the importance of bus safety and taught evacuation procedures.

With 54 regular routes and 16 special needs routes, Cmaidalka said his drivers travel over 5,000 miles a day and they have done it without a reported accident in more than 20 years. "We take pride in what the district has given us and how we use it to get our kids to and from school safely," he said.

Cmaidalka said there are positions open now for bus drivers.

Anyone interested can apply online at www.dickinsonisd.org or in person at 4003 Video Street in Dickinson.

Schools honor National Bullying Prevention
Month in October with unity celebrations

Several Dickinson ISD campuses had events this month in honor of National Bullying Prevention Month. Calder Road Elementay and San Leon Elementary have both received national recognition as "No Place for Hate" campuses. They had Unity Day celebrations with classroom activites focused on a bully-free lifestyle. At K.E. Little, the school participated in a "Wear Blue" Day in support of National Bullying Prevention Month. Students and staff continue to focus on a "Being a Buddy, Not a Bully" for the entire year by fostering friendships and resolving conflicts peacefully.