What should Northwest ISD's 2017-18 academic calendar look like? Have your voice heard by voting for one of three options in an online poll at www.nisdtx.org/calendarvote.

The poll will be available through Friday, Jan. 13, and the Northwest ISD Board of Trustees will vote on the final academic calendar in February. All three options available for selection were created based on community feedback from previous school years, including requests for scheduling semester exams prior to the winter holiday, having breaks in both the fall and spring and using Good Friday as a holiday.

Each year, the Northwest ISD District Education Improvement Council is tasked with developing academic calendar options. The council is composed of parents, teachers and community members, and they develop and submit calendar options to seek input from staff and community members.

All incoming freshmen are invited to their respective high schools' showcases on Monday, Jan. 23, where they can learn about campus programs and opportunities as well as high school in general.

 

Each high school - Byron Nelson, Eaton, Northwest and Steele Accelerated - will host its showcase from 6 to 8 p.m., where students can learn about academic courses and extracurricular activities. A 30-minute parent/guardian information meetings will be held at two times, 6 and 7 p.m., with the latter session serving as a repeat for anyone unable to attend the first session.

 

In addition to general information about campus programs and opportunities, school faculty will provide students and families with information for course selection for the coming academic year. Students currently involved in high school programs will also be on hand to share their experiences in activities and unique courses.

 

Though the event is primarily aimed at incoming freshmen, any student (regardless of grade level) or guardian is also welcome to attend. For more information, please contact a high school's front office directly. Byron Nelson can be reached at 817-698-5600, Eaton can be reached at 817-698-7300, Northwest can be reached at 817-215-0200 and Steele can be reached at 817-698-5800.

The Texas Legislature begins its 85th legislative session Tuesday, and many issues discussed and voted on are expected to have significant influence on public education in the state.

Many of the issues expected to result in changes for Northwest ISD and other school districts revolve around how the state funds public education. ASATR, which provides substantial funding to Northwest ISD and many other districts, for instance, is expected to go away. What's not clear is how lawmakers will help offset this potential loss.

Additionally, changes are expected in accountability systems, ranging from end-of-course exams to school ratings. As with many other districts across the state, Northwest ISD opposes the planned A-F rating system, as it relies primarily on STAAR exams for ratings, which the district feels doesn't adequately show student knowledge and learning.

To read Northwest ISD's stance on legislative issues and see updates on matters that could affect the district, visit www.nisdtx.org/legislative.