Allen Independent School District

FAST TRACK
News and Information for Allen ISD Parents
February 12, 2014

What's New
Supt. Finalist Named
2014-2015 Calendar
Kindergarten Roundup
NMSQT Finalists
Finance Awards
Allen Eagle Run
Facebook Page
Upcoming Events
Quick Links
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Welcome To Fast Track

Greetings!
Welcome to Fast Track, Allen ISD's Email News Service. 
Board Names Hindt As Finalist For Allen ISD Superintendent Position 
The Allen ISD Board of Trustees named Dr. Lawrence Hindt as a finalist for the Allen ISD Superintendent of Schools post on February 11.

Dr. Hindt is coming to Allen from Stafford, Texas where he has served as super-intendent of the Stafford Municipal School District since May 2011.  

He previously served as assistant superintendent of schools for Fort Bend ISD in Sugar Land, Texas. He began his career as a geography, health and physical education teacher at John Foster Dulles High School in Sugar Land. He later became assistant principal at the school and was promoted to director of the Fort Bend ISD Technical Education Center.  He then served as principal of Dulles High School until his appointment as assistant superintendent in 2007.

He completed post-doctorate work in educational leadership at Lamar University in Beaumont. He earned his doctorate from the University of Houston, his master's degree from Prairie View A&M University and his undergraduate degree from William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

Dr. Hindt and his wife Kathryn have two children, age 18 and 15.

The new superintendent will replace Dr. Ken Helvey, who retired from the position in September 2013.  Assistant superintendent Beth Nicholas has been serving as interim superintendent since that time.

Working with a search firm, the Board screened 43 applicants and interviewed 7 candidates in December and January. Two finalists were then interviewed in February. State law requires that the Board name a sole finalist and then wait 21 days before officially hiring the new superintendent.
2014-2015 Calendar Announced

A calendar for the 2014-2015 academic school year has been approved by the Board of Trustees.  School next year will begin on August 25.  Winter break will be December 22 - January 2 and spring break is set for March 9-13. The last day of school in 2015 will be June 4. Click here for the complete 2014-2015 school calendar.

 

Parents are also reminded that this year's (2014) spring break is March 17 - 21. Both April 18 and June 6 will be regular school days due to bad weather school cancellations this past December. Click here for the 2013-2014 school year calendar.

Kindergarten Roundup March 27th

Allen ISD's annual Kindergarten Roundup will be held on Thursday March 27 from 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. at all elementary schools.  This is the first day that parents may register their children for the 2014-2015 kindergarten class.  Parents may register their children after March 27 but the Roundup Day is preferred because teachers and staff members are available to answer questions and provide resources. Click here for more details.

 

A Kindergarten Readiness program is being held on March 6 at 7 p.m. in the Lowery Center Auditorium for parents who would like more information about kindergarten expectations and services.

 

We ask current Allen ISD parents to please share this information with young families through church or daycare so that we can reach as many kids as possible in the spring.

Eight AHS Seniors Named As National Merit Finalists

Eight Allen High School students have been named National Merit Finalists and will be eligible to compete for more than $32 million in scholarships offered this spring. There were 16,000 semifinalists and 8,000 finalists nationwide.

 

The recognition is based on scores on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The Finalists are James Clynes, Matthew Dias, Brittany Hansen, Betty Huang, Justin Kong, Ian McVittie, Angela Olinger and Hunter Stevens.  

District Earns State Awards For Finance Procedures & Transparency

The Allen ISD Finance Department has received the Gold Leadership Circle Award for financial transparency from the Texas Comptroller's Office. Through the Leadership Circle program, the Comptroller's office awards certificates based on a self-scoring checklist that evaluates how local governments provide online access to their expenses and revenue.

 

The Finance Office also earned the Texas Honors Circle designation in the Comptroller's 2013 Financial Allocation Study for Texas (FAST) for keeping spending low while experiencing significant student academic growth. Click here for more information.

 
Mother-Son Wild West Dance Feb. 22

Allen ISD Community Education presents the 2014 Mother-Son Wild West Dance on Saturday, Feb. 22, from 7 until 9 p.m. in the Allen High School Cafeteria. Pull on your boots, dust off your Stetson and get ready to cut a rug at an old-fashioned hoedown. Tickets are $35 per couple and $10 for each additional child. The dance is open to moms and their boys from pre-school to grade 6. Admission includes DJ music, refreshments and prizes. Order tickets on-line at  www.allenisd.org/communityed or call 972-727-0502 for more information. 

Sixth Allen Eagle Run Set March 8

Run with the Eagles at the Sixth Annual Allen Eagle Run on

Saturday, March 8,. The Allen Eagle Run is a 5K and Fun Run that starts and ends inside Eagle Stadium. Participants will be able to register online for $20 until Feb. 14; registration increases to $25 from Feb. 15 through March 5 and race-day registration is $30. To register online and see for more information on sponsorship opportunities and maps of the course, visit www.AllenEagleRun.org or call 972-727-0362. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AISD foundation.   

 

The Foundation For Allen Schools and the Allen Council of PTAs sponsor the run benefitting student and teacher scholarships. Park Place Lexus is the title sponsor for the event and will have cars on display along with registration for prizes.    

Performing Arts Center Hosts
First Allen Jazz Invitational

The University of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band will headline the first Allen Jazz Invitational, set for Saturday, March 22, with a 7 p.m. performance in the Allen ISD Performing Arts Center. For the past two years, the Allen Performing Arts Center, partnering with the One O'Clock Lab Band, has brought in artists such as Denis DiBlasio, Frank Greene, Stockton Helbing, and Wayne Bergeron, who all played in Maynard Ferguson's band.

 

The event expands to an invitational this year with bands from Plano Senior High, Wylie High School, Newman Smith High School, McKinney North High School, Southlake Carroll High School, Brazoswood High School and Allen High School participating. A ticket to the Invitational includes admissions to workshops, master classes, a student Q&A and the evening performance. Tickets are available at: Allen Jazz Invitational
Stay Connected On Facebook

Keep up to date with Allen ISD news and events on Facebook. Subscribe to the Facebook page by hitting the "Like" button at  http://www.facebook.com/allenisd. 

  

Upcoming Events
February 15 - Allen ISD Board Academy, Administration Building, 8:30 a.m.
February 17 - Student Holiday/Staff Development
February 21 - James and the Giant Peach, Lowery Freshman Center, 9:30 a.m.
February 22 - Mother-Son Wild West Dance, 7-9 p.m. AHS Cafeteria
February 24 - Board of Trustees meeting, Allen City Hall, 7 p.m.
March 17-21 - Spring Vacation
March 22 - Allen Jazz Invitational, PAC
March 24 - Board of Trustees meeting, Allen City Hall, 7 p.m.
March 27 - Kindergarten Roundup, 3:30 - 5 p.m., All K-6 campuses
Thank you for your support of the Allen Independent School District.