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Dickinson Independent School District

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STEM Academy

Dickinson ISD will be implementing a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Magnet Program at Barber Middle School in August 2016 for fifth graders. Students must have met standard on all parts of the latest state assessment, have exceptional conduct and attendance and a yearly average of 85 (B) in academic courses. The program is open to any DISD fifth grade student.

Information meetings about the program will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 12 and 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14 at Barber Middle School for anyone interested. You can also find more information about the program and the application process at www.dickinsonisd.org/STEM.

Week of December 14, 2015

Students return Jan. 5

DISD schools closed for two-week holiday break

Beginning with an early release day this Friday, Dec. 18, Dickinson ISD schools will be closed for a two-week holiday break for the Christmas and New Year's Holidays.

Schools will release three hours early on Friday -- 11:30 a.m. for grades 5-12 and 12:30 p.m. for grades K-4. Pre-kindergarten hours for Friday are 8:30-10 a.m. for morning classes and 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. for afternoon classes.

Schools will be closed the weeks of Dec. 21-25 and Dec. 28-Jan. 1 for the holidays. Teachers and staff will return on Monday, Jan. 4 for a Staff Development Day. Students will return on Tuesday, Jan. 5.

We wish all of our students, parents, employees and the community a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We will see you back in January for the second half of the 2015-2016 school year.

Haley Shipley is featured artist on 2015 Dickinson ISD Christmas card

"Lighting the Way for students in the Dickinson community for 125 years" was the greeting in the 2015 Dickinson ISD Christmas card, which featured a reindeer wearing Christmas lights in his antlers.

The artist was Dickinson High School senior Haley Shipley. Haley would like to attend Baylor University to major in Interior Design. Haley is taught by DHS art teacher Jennifer Sumrall.

This year's Christmas card artwork contest was open to secondary students in grades 5-12. The district rotates the contest each year between elementary and secondary students. The 2016 card will feature artwork from a Dickinson ISD elementary student.

DHS art teacher Jennifer Sumrall with student Haley Shipley.

Silbernagel students rewarded with new bicycles for meeting reading, attendance, conduct goals

Kole and Kensley Turner receive their new bicycles at Silbernagel Elementary for completing their CYCLE program goals.

Rod'Johon Dorsey joined his Dickinson High School Varsity Football teammates to help with the CYCLE program bicycle distribution.

Christmas came early this past Saturday for nearly 500 students at Silbernagel Elementary as each student received a brand new bicycle for reaching goals in reading, attendance and conduct.

The majority of the bicycles were donated to the students from the CYCLE program - Changing Young Children's Lives through Education. CYCLE works with schools in the Greater Houston area with a high number of economically disadvantaged students to provide students with a new bicycle if they meet several goals. These goals include meeting individual reading goals, earning a 98 percent or higher attendance, having good conduct and getting their parents to sign a contract agreeing to help the student reach their goals.

Dickinson ISD community member Ernie Deats heard about how successful the program had been in a neighboring school district and contacted the CYCLE Program representatives about bringing the program to a Dickinson ISD campus. He worked with Principal Leslie Burke to complete the application process to have Silbernagel Elementary participate in the program.

The CYCLE program focuses on students in kindergarten through third grade; however, Deats did not want the fourth grade students at Silbernagel to be left out so he found a couple of other donors, and the three of them personally funded the purchase of the bicycles for the fourth grade students who completed the same reading, attendance and good conduct goals. In all, CYCLE provided 397 bicycles and Deats and the other two donors purchased bicycles for 85 fourth graders.

"I have a strong commitment to get kids started reading at a young age and to have them enjoy reading about topics in which they are interested," said Deats. "Being able to read is basic to education and students being successful in school."

To complete the reading component of the program, students and teachers worked together to set individual goals for each student based on his or her reading ability. All of the students who met their goals were invited to the school this past Saturday morning for the bicycle distribution. Joining in on the fun by helping with the distribution process was the Dickinson High School Varsity Gator Football Team and the majority of the Silbernagel staff and their families.

"This was a wonderful opportunity for our students and we are very appreciative of the CYCLE organization and Mr. Deats to allow us to participate. The program was a huge success with the number of books checked out of the library tripling during the time period," said Silbernagel Principal Leslie Burke.

The CYCLE program is successful thanks to countless business and community donors who contribute the funds to purchase the bicycles as well as volunteer their time to assemble and deliver the bicycles to the schools. For more information about the program, visit www.cyclehouston.org.

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STAY CONNECTED TO DICKINSON ISD:

2218 FM 517 East, Dickinson, Texas 77539

281-229-6000

Visit us on the Web:
www.dickinsonisd.org

www.facebook.com/dickinsonschools

It is the policy of the DISD not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex or handicap for services or activities as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. It is the policy of the DISD not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, or age in its employment practices as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. For information about your rights or grievance procedures, contact the Title IX Coordinator, Robert Cobb, at 2218 East FM 517, Dickinson, TX 77539, (281) 229-6000, and/or the Section 504 Coordinator, Laurie Rodriguez, at 2218 East FM 517, Dickinson, TX 77539, (281) 229-6000.

Es pol�tica del Distrito Escolar Independiente de Dickinson no discriminar en base de raza, color, nacionalidad de origen, sexo o discapacidad, por servicios o actividades como es requerido en el T�tulo VI del Acto de los Derechos Civiles de 1964, seg�n enmendado; el T�tulo IX de la Enmiendas de Educaci�n de 1972, seg�n enmendado; y la Secci�n 504 del Acto de Rehabilitaci�n de 1973, seg�n enmendada. Es pol�tica del Distrito Escolar Independiente de Dickinson no discriminar en base de raza, color, nacionalidad de origen, sexo, discapacidad, o edad en las pr�cticas de empleo como es requerido por el T�tulo VI del Acto de los Derechos Civiles de 1964, seg�n enmendado; el T�tulo IX de la Enmiendas de Educaci�n de 1972; el Acto de la Discriminaci�n de Edades de 1975, seg�n enmendado; y la Secci�n 504 del Acto de Rehabilitaci�n de 1973, seg�n enmendada. Para informaci�n sobre sus derechos o procedimientos de quejas, contacte el Coordinador del T�tulo IX, Robert Cobb, en 2218 East FM 517 Dickinson, TX 77539, (281) 229-6000, y/o el Coordinador de la Secci�n 504, Laurie Rodr�guez, en 2218 East FM 517 Dickinson, TX 77539, (281) 229-6000.