Notes From …

NotesFrom

 

Like the beginning of a new school year, the spring semester in Birdville ISD is filled with exciting opportunities for our students. Battle of the Books, spelling bees, Celebrating Texas Public Schools week, fine arts performances, students competing in academic and skills competitions, and the list goes on. Since the school year began, students have been working hard for their respective competitions.

As I write this, teams from all 21 elementary campuses are finalizing their preparations for BISD’s 2014 Battle of the Books competition on January 30 at the Thomas Coliseum. The purpose of the Battle of the Books is to:

  • Promote recreational reading,
  • Expose students to a variety of literature,
  • Enhance reading comprehension and retention,
  • Foster academic competition, and
  • Develop the ability to work as a team.

At the conclusion of the 2013-14 school year, elementary students have been reading books from primary to intermediate levels to compete for the coveted Battle of the Books trophy and title. More than 300 students will represent their respective campuses in answering, from memory, specific questions from a list of 25 books. Next month, I will share with you a picture of the winning team.

Also during this time of year, high school students across the region, state and nation begin competing in high-level academic and skills competitions. In these contests, BISD students have the opportunity to showcase their knowledge and skills. Included in these competitions are music students who spent months preparing for multiple auditions for the prestigious honor of being in the 2014 All-State Band or Choir. Thousands of hopeful students statewide began this difficult journey in October, but only a handful of the very best from across the state ever earn the right to be called an All-State Band or Choir member.

At the conclusion of the final round of auditions in January, BISD had 21 musicians achieve the highest individual award a high school music student can attain in Texas by being selected for a Texas All-State Band or Choir. These elite students will travel to San Antonio in February to represent BISD as they perform in the All-State Band or Choir at the Texas Music Educators Association convention.

BISD’s 2014 All-State Band members are:

Haltom High
Audrey Calcote, French horn
Moises Correa, clarinet
Skyler Hill, clarinet
Jessica Lilley, E-flat clarinet
Shane Traylor, trumpet
Jerry Turner, jazz trombone

Richland High
Drake Amador, baritone saxophone
Megan Barnhart, flute
Patrick Byars, jazz trumpet
Daniel Christiansen, trumpet
Jonathan Duer, tenor trombone
Haley Hoffman, English horn
Cody Reynolds, bassoon
Taylor Wyatt, French horn

 

BISD’s 2014 All-State Choir members are:

Haltom High
Richie Del Christo, tenor 1

Richland High
Matt Garner, tenor 2
Sean Kelly, bass 1
Eunique Thomas-Belmonte, alto 2

Birdville High
Grace Hughes, soprano 1
Hannah Malkey, alto 1
Ashley Rose, soprano 2

I am proud of these students for their accomplishments, and I can promise you, they represent just the tip of the iceberg of the gifted students all across BISD.

Dr. Darrell G. Brown
Birdville ISD Superintendent of Schools

Birdville ISD Student Earns National Honors

BISD is proud to announce Fred Zhu, Haltom High School senior, has been named a National Merit Semifinalist. This prestigious honor is a result of his academic achievement on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®).

In fall 2014, Zhu plans on attending either the University of Texas in Austin or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and majoring in electrical engineering. In high school, he participates in the Academic Quiz League and is a member of the National Honor Society. He is the son of Yuhong Dong and Joe Zhu.

Nearly 1.5 million students in more than 21,000 U.S. high schools entered the 2013 Merit Program by taking the 2012 PSAT/NMSQT® test as juniors. Each year, less than one percent of the nation’s high school seniors receive the prestigious designation of becoming a semifinalist.

Later this school year, the National Merit Program Corporation will announce the names of the students who are recognized as National Hispanic Merit Semifinalists, National Black American Achievement Scholarship Program Semifinalists and Commended Scholars.

All Birdville Middle School Band 2013

Congratulations to BISD middle school band students who recently competed in the All Birdville Middle School Band auditions. There were 117 students selected. The band will perform a concert at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15 in the Haltom High School auditorium. Admission is free. All Birdville Middle School Band embers are:

Haltom MS – Jovan Bravo, Sebastian Carrillo, Giselle Carrillo Rivas, Maryel Cazares, Kaitlin Covert, Kendra Davis, Valerie Esquivel, Jaylen Freeman, Erica Holguin, Raimson Inthakoun, Elizabeth Longshore, Yenahira Maisonet Acevedo, Christina Marquez, Marco Munoz, Maria Ortega, Rafael Perez, Diego Reyna, Joel Roden, Christopher Skinner, Nathan Terrell, Jeffry Ulloa Mendoza, Fatima Valadez and Darlena Vu. Alternates are: Jose Juarez, Antonio Lopez, Eric Gomez and Alma Govea.

North Oaks MS – Jeremy Ansley, Peter Armendariz, Caroline Berry, Kenneth Bui, David Delaney, Matthew Gardere, Samantha Guerrero, Alexis Hernandez, Nicholas Manyloun and Sebastian Morales. Alternates are: Lukas Dominguez and Tyra Nivong.

North Ridge MS – Marti Bowen, Victoria Duermeyer, Dalton Jones, Noah Lewis, Emily Mclain, Landon Merck, Emily Mullins, Megan Murillo, Kevin Pang, Daniel Pifer, Joshua Pruett, Marshall Shake, Dalton Thomas and Kaileemarie Trinh. Alternates are: Angelique Farnham, Cole Hughes, Steven Graham, Gracie Hackworth, Adamma Silva and Tyler Wilkins.

North Richland MS – Angel Brashear, Jasmine Cantu, MaKenzie Estes, Ben McEndree, Taylor Pipes, Anissa Prieto, Grit Saichua, Tyler Stiles and Michael Vance. Alternates are: Madison Lane, Erin Caldwell, Thomas Conner and Reanna Holder.

Richland MS – Lucas Almy, Erwin Andrade, Jaquelyn Banner, Brian Cano, Sheridan Davis, Leslie Esparza, Kayla Goins, Jesus Gonzalez, Sydney Hocker, Dylan Hutchison, Erica Johnson, Joshua Martinez, Leslie Martinez, Aaron Norwood, Israel Omodi, Karina Rodelo, Gage Rushing, Sean Smith, Kim Tran and Ethan Wong. Alternates are: Adrian Matancillas, Alyssa Thao and Kimberly Tran.

Smithfield MS – Jackson Boyd, Cody Mercer, Ann-Elise Mitcham, Jordan Proffer, Tanner Rhodes and Matthew Stokely. Alternates are: Altay Delikanlioglu, Grayson Goheen, Nick Powell, Mikaela Applebury and John Jackson.

Watauga MS – Spencer Elliott, Josue  Fernandez, Jaclyn Haggard, Alexis Lucero, Kaetlynn Mccurry, Trey Pratt and Jax Ramsey. Alternates are: Jacob Aldrich, Brian Duran, Matthew Rodriguez and Raul  Pulido.

Progress reports available online

Birdville ISD is excited to announce the availability of online copies of official report cards and progress reports for parents and students through the Skyward Family Access and Student Access programs beginning with progress reports on Friday, Nov. 1. This new resource gives parents/guardians and students on-demand access to report cards and progress reports. At this time, copies of report cards and progress reports will also be printed and distributed in accordance with district and school policies and procedures.

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