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| Plano ISD Staff Newsletter • Volume 37, number 6 • November 19, 2009 |
Plano ISD Education Foundation surprises
The Plano ISD Education Foundation's "Grant Patrol" made surprise visits to 120 teachers in their classrooms on Thursday, November 12, to present 54 grants totaling $68,000 to fund innovative instructional programs. Foundation Board members, sponsors, district staff and parent leaders presented the grants in person, arriving at schools in vehicles provided courtesy of Park Place Lexus. View photos and grant descriptions on our district website.
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Sara Isaacs honored as new early childhood school namesakeThe Plano ISD Board of Trustees, Superintendent Dr. Doug Otto and the Isaacs Early Childhood School faculty and staff hosted a school dedication program on November 10 for the district's newest campus for early learners. Namesake Sara Isaacs served as keynote speaker at the event, which included video tributes, proclamations, videos featuring Isaacs students. View the dedication highlight video and printed program. |
School Board to study Williams HS conversion to grades 9-12 academyThe Plano ISD Board of Trustees met in a work session on November 17 to discuss the feeder alignment process. At the meeting, trustees decided to pursue study of a plan referred to as "Option 3" and are seeking additional community input before their formal vote scheduled for December 15. Option 3 proposes to convert Williams High School into a special academy for students in grades 9-12. Board briefs |
Around the district
Plano schools and service departments will participate in annual canned food drives to collect items for hundreds of families in need this holiday season. Deliveries will be made December 3 & 4 to the Plano Santas.
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Plano ISD Family Education and Guidance announces its spring 2010 parent education sessions that are open to the public. Visit the website to view the many class series topics, session dates and times. Read more
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There is still time to nominate individuals and groups for Plano ISD's 9th Annual Diversity Leadership Awards, which will be presented at the school district's annual MLK tribute event in January. Nominations are due December 4.
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Barron Elementary School rededication Dec. 3
The Plano ISD Board of Trustees and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Doug Otto invite the community to a rededication ceremony for Barron Elementary School to be held at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 3, at the school, 3300 Avenue P in Plano.
Barron served as an elementary school from 1971 to 2002, when it was converted into one of three early childhood schools in Plano ISD. With the opening of Isaacs Early Childhood School this year, Barron has been converted back to an elementary campus serving grades K-5.
Join Principal Michele Loper and the Barron faculty, staff, students and parents as they celebrate their school's legacy and bright future. The rededication ceremony will feature student performances, guest speakers, a City of Plano proclamation, refreshments and building tours.
   
 
Jo Wallace-Abbie conducts multi-award-winning senior high school orchestra Growing up in Lexington, Kentucky, Jo Wallace-Abbie celebrated learning, performing and was generally "hooked" on education. "My parents did not have college educations, but they made sure we did," said the director of Plano West Senior High School orchestras of herself and her brother and sister. Her family was passionate about learning, performing and exceling, a combination that defines Jo's career teaching strings to students for the past 31 years. Since she opened Plano West Senior High School in 1999 as its orchestra director, her students have achieved the Texas Music Educator Association's top rating, "Texas Honor Orchestra," for five out of 10 years. Schools are eligible to apply for the prestigious award every other year. Digest: When did you develop a love for music? Jo: I played piano starting at three years old and began formal lessons at seven. Our school offered a strings class beginning in fifth grade. A prerequisite was to play the flutaphone for one semester. My father refused to have me play a $1 flutaphone, so I waited until sixth grade to join the school orchestra. We couldn't afford a child-sized violin, so I played my aunt's larger violin. 
© 2009 Plano Independent School District Contact Us |
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