The Dickinson High School Cheerleaders will host a mandatory parent meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, February 27 in the LGI room at Dickinson High School for candidates interested in trying out for the 2014-2015 Dickinson High School Cheerleading Squads.

Tryouts are open to students entering grades 9-12 for the 2014-2015 school year. Candidates must be enrolled in Dickinson ISD schools and be passing all courses at the time of tryouts. A parent must attend the mandatory parent meeting.

Candidates are required to attend a four-day cheer clinic the week after spring break from 3:15-5 p.m. March 17-20. Tryouts will be at 4 p.m. Friday, March 21.

DHS Diamonds Tryouts

The Dickinson High School Diamonds will host a mandatory parent meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 1 in the DHS Dining Hall for candidates interested in trying out for the 2014-2015 Diamond Dance Team and JV Charms.

Candidates must be entering grades 9-12 at Dickinson High School in the fall of 2014. A parent must attend the mandatory parent meeting. Candidates for required to attend the three-day clinic from 3:30-5 p.m. May 6-8 in the DHS Dance Room. Tryouts will take place from 4-6 p.m. May 9 in the DHS Dance Room and will be closed to the public.

Week of February 24, 2014

DISD launching text messaging

to communicate with parents

Text Messaging Alerts

Dickinson ISD will have a new method to communicate with parents, employees and the community the next time the district has time sensitive information share about an emergency or school closure situation.

The school district is launching a new service that will enhance communication by allowing the district to deliver important information via the School Messenger text messaging service. This service is not intended to replace the district's existing means of communication, but rather it will enhance them in the event of an emergency.

In order to participate in the new service, those interested must indicate their willingness to receive text messages to their phone. The process is simple and takes only a few seconds to complete.

Simply text any one of the following words to the number 68453: subscribe, optin, yes. The message, "You are registered to receive approx 3 msgs/mo. Txt STOP to quit, HELP for help," will be received letting you know the registration process was successful.

The opt-in process can be repeated for any other wireless numbers you want to include. While there is no charge from the district for this service, parents are asked to remember when signing up for the text messaging service that they are responsible for any text messaging charges from their wireless provider for receiving text messages.

In addition to performing the opt-in process above, parents are asked to ensure the district has correct wireless numbers updated in the Skyward student database.

DHS senior named candidate in U.S. Presidential Scholars Program

Anastasia Novak, a senior at Dickinson High School, has been named one of more than 3,000 candidates in the 2014 United States Presidential Scholars Program. The candidates were selected from nearly 3.4 million students expected to graduate from United States high schools in 2014.

Inclusion in the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, now in its 50th year, is one of the highest honors bestowed upon graduating high school seniors. Scholars are selected on the basis of superior academic and artistic achievements, leadership qualities, strong character and involvement in community and school activities.

A distinguished panel of educators will review the candidate submissions and select 560 semifinalists in early April. From there, a group of scholar finalists will be announced in May. The scholar finalists will be invited to Washington, D.C. for several days in June to receive the Presidential Scholars Medallion and participate in events and activities with their elected representatives, educators and other leading individuals in public life.

Hughes Road, K.E. Little raise money for Caps for Kids

Two Dickinson ISD campuses decided to help make a difference for children all over the Houston area, as well as honor one of their own.

K.E. Little and Hughes Road Elementary Schools raised more than $2,200 collectively for Caps for Kids, a national non-profit organization dedicated to giving caps signed by athletes and celebrities to children battling cancer. The two campuses wanted to also honor Claire Lankford, a student at Hughes Road and daughter of Patricia Lankford, principal at Hughes Road, and Kevin Lankford, former principal at Dunbar Middle School.

The five-year-old was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma in July 2012 wen she was just three years old. After what they thought was just a bout with pneumonia, scans later discovered a large mass behind her lungs. That mass turned out to be cancer.

Students, with the help from teachers, decorated a wall in Claire's honor at K.E. Little that showed each week how much money was being raised for Caps for Kids throughout the process. "I think the kids had a great time putting this wall together and seeing how the amounts would change each week," Principal Kenna Cotton said. "Parents would even walk by and want to add more money to it so the amounts would change."

Over a two week period, students at both campuses brought a dollar to school so they could wear a cap all day. Hughes Road Elementary raised $1,495.29 and K.E. Little Elementary brought in more than $800.

"We are so excited they wanted to honor Claire in this way," Patricia Lankford said. "This is a great organization. I am so proud that these two schools wanted to be part of it."

Three Dickinson ISD students compete at area spelling bee

Congratulations to three Dickinson ISD students who recently represented the district and their campuses at the Galveston and Chambers Counties Regional Spelling Bee as part of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. They are second grader Ramon Padilla from San Leon Elementary, fourth grader Melody Jones from K.E. Little Elementary and eighth grader Isabella Atkins from McAdams Junior High.

Around Dickinson ISD...

Austin Swann, an eighth grade student at McAdams Junior High, was recently awarded by the local Dickinson VFW Post 6378 for his essay on patriotism.

McAdams Junior High teacher Erin Fulcher was awarded the Dickinson VFW Post 6378 Teacher of the Year award.

Dunbar Donation

Dunbar Middle School's Community Business Partner Texas First Bank recently donated $400 in gift cards for the school's Incentive Program. Showing off some of the gift cards are Texas First Bank's Lobby Services Supervisor Beatriz Guerrero and Assistant Vice President Candice Towles, and Dunbar Communities in Schools Coordinator Stacie Roberts and Assistant Principal Evelyn Mills.