Is your student taking a Pre-AP or AP (Advanced Placement) course at Dickinson High School next year? If so, the student and a parent/guardian must attend one mandatory meeting to learn more information. Students who do not have a parent (or family representative) attend a meeting will be removed from the Pre-AP/AP/Honors course and scheduled into an academic class.

You can choose from one of the five different meeting times.

They include 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 22 both in the McAdams Junior High Auditorium, 12 noon April 23 in the Dickinson High School LGI Room (check in at the front office), and 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. April 24 in the McAdams Junior High Auditorium.

Week of April 14, 2014

Student and teacher holiday
this Friday, April 18

Dickinson ISD schools will be closed this Friday, April 18 for the Good Friday holiday. Teachers and students will return on Monday, April 21. Have a safe and enjoyable holiday.

STAAR Testing next week
for students in grades 3-8

When students and teachers return from their 3-day weekend, many will be taking state-mandated STAAR tests.

Parents are encouraged to support their children during the week by making sure they get a good night's sleep and eat a good breakfast.

Good luck to all our Dickinson ISD Gators as they shine bright on the STAAR tests!

STAAR tests being administered next week include:

Tuesday, April 22

Grade 3 Mathematics

Grade 4 Mathematics

Grade 6 Mathematics

Grade 7 Mathematics

Grade 8 Social Studies

Wednesday, April 23

Grade 3 Reading

Grade 4 Reading

Grade 6 Reading

Grade 7 Reading

Grade 5 Science
Grade 8 Science

Three DHS juniors qualify
for National Merit Program

National Merit 2015 qualifiers

Dickinson High School is once again raising the bar on academics, as three juniors have qualified for the National Merit Scholarship Program.

William Duong, Marshall Kettler and Evan Snyder (shown above left to right) took their Preliminary SAT's in October and were recently notified that they could apply for National Merit Scholarship Program recognition. The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.5 million entrants each year, and by meeting published program entry/participation requirements.

Of the 1.5 million entrants, some 50,000 with the highest Selection Index scores (critical reading + mathematics + writing skills scores) qualify for recognition in the National Merit Scholarship Program. In September, these high scorers will be notified through their schools that they have qualified as either a Commended Student or a Semifinalist.

"We are very proud of these students and their accomplishments," DHS Principal Dr. Billye Smith said. "We want to give them all the support and encouragement they need to make this happen for them. This is a great accomplishment for not only them, but the teachers who have taught them."

Special Programs students learn valuable public speaking skills through Project SPEAK program

DHS student and
Project SPEAK participant
Victoria de la Garza.

Students with developmental disabilities at Dickinson ISD are getting a crash course in public speaking while learning how to present themselves in a real world environment.

Project SPEAK is a training program for self-advocates who want to become public speakers. Students will work to develop speaking opportunities to reach new audiences, beyond the developmental disability community. They will explore different presentation options for participants for whom a traditional "speech" may not be the most effective form of communication.

The Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities (TCDD) awarded a $124,999 grant for the first year of a statewide project by Imagine Enterprises to train individuals with developmental disabilities in public speaking.

"I am on the Project Advisory Council for Project SPEAK," Dickinson ISD Director of Special Programs, Laurie Goforth, said. "When one of the other groups dropped out, we were asked if we wanted to participate and we excitedly said yes."

McAdams student Larry Drummond

works with Project SPEAK

representative Marjorie Beneke.

Students participating in the training from McAdams Junior High are Larry Drummond and Cody Edgerton. From Dickinson High School are Anthony Cannatella, Victoria de la Garza, Serene Caudle, and De Tauras Hopkins.

Project SPEAK gives students a chance to add important first-person voices to the public discussion about the wants and needs of people with developmental disabilities. It's a unique chance for self-advocates to develop new skills and self-confidence to become powerful advocates for themselves and others.

During the training, each student was given a chance to give a speech and have it videotaped. The students picked their own speech topic about whatever they were interested in or wanted to tell about themselves. Later, the students watched their speech to learn ways they could have made it better.

"I really like learning about this stuff and giving speeches," Cody Edgerton said. "It's a little scary sometimes when you get up in front of people but it is how we learn. I never thought I would be able to do this but this makes it easier."

"These students will be creating a presentation for the school board in May and will be invited to do regional and maybe state level speeches," Goforth said. "They have been working really hard the last two days to learn how to give a speech and on their presentations."

TCDD is governed by a 27-member board, dedicated to improving the lives of more than 485,000 Texans with developmental disabilities. The council uses a variety of activities - such as grant projects, technical assistance, public awareness and leadership training - to enable people with disabilities to live and participate in the community.

McAdams Bands perform well at UIL contest

Congratulations to the McAdams Junior High Band students and directors on top performances at their annual UIL concert and sight-reading competition.

The Honors Band (1st Band), Symphonic Band (2nd Band) and Concert Band (3rd Band) all received Sweepstakes with straight "1" ratings for the judges. The Varsity Band (4th Band) received a "2" rating on stage and a"1" rating in sight-reading. Dickinson ISD was the only district participating to take four bands to the UIL Contest.

Congratulations to all the students and their directors. The McAdams Bands are directed by John Hinojosa, Robert Baker and Mary Santarelli.

Dickinson ISD encourages Earth Day participation
District reduces energy consumption 26 percent, saves $1.8 million

While the world celebrates Earth Day this month, Dickinson ISD faculty, staff and students can participate as well, each one with a strong sense of satisfaction at having done his or her part to control energy use.

Dickinson ISD has an active energy conservation program that has already achieved more than $1,800,000 savings through a 26% reduction in energy use over 33 months. That savings translates into significant numbers for Earth Day, too.

Since Dickinson ISD began the program, energy consumption has been reduced by 61,128 MMBTUs. That reduction translates into the equivalent of 6,991 tons of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere, or 1,456 passenger cars removed from the road, or 179,257 trees planted.

For Earth Day, Dickinson ISD plans to continue its efforts, and invites the public to join in. Jeff Pulkinen, Director of Energy Management, said there are a number of resources available on the Internet that can help individuals learn how to save energy in their own homes.

"It's important for all of us to save energy. While most of the time we discuss it in terms of saving money, for Earth Day we encourage you to be concerned with our natural resources. Being good stewards of both our money and our environment gives us a great sense of satisfaction," said Pulkinen.

The cost of utilities is the second largest budget line-item for Dickinson ISD, and the prices for electricity, natural gas, and water have steadily increased over the past few years. To combat these rising energy and utility costs, Dickinson ISD entered into a partnership with Cenergistic to implement a comprehensive organizational-behavior based energy conservation program throughout all its buildings and campuses. Cenergistic guarantees the conservation program will save taxpayer dollars, save jobs and preserve important programs while saving vital natural resources.