Extra Credit

Northwest High prepares to host national conference

Northwest school district officials are finalizing details, recruiting volunteers and seeking additional sponsors for the national Student Council Conference, which is expected to draw more than 2,000 students to North Texas this month.

The conference, June 25-28 at Northwest High School, will include small-group workshops, leadership activities, state group meetings and a mock presidential election.

Northwest High has been planning the event since four years ago, when it won the bid to host the annual conference.

Read more here.

-Patrick M. Walker

Your A.M. roundup

Today on star-telegram.com:

Northwest school district cargo vans with video gear stolen

Tennis professional's goal: to provide youngsters a lifelong skill

Carroll district orders 2nd round of cheerleader tryouts

The kids are the stars of the show

Carroll fiscal 2009 budget tops $80 million

-Patrick M. Walker

Your midday roundup

It's a little late for the usual A.M. roundup -- my kids have a day off from school today, so my schedule's a bit out of whack. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Anyway ... today on star-telegram.com:

Two-way race to represent District 1 on the Fort Worth school board heats up

Area teacher misses out on first prize

Jody Hodges, science teacher at Prairie Vista Middle School, was a finalist for a state education award from the H-E-B company.

What the Northwest school district's $260 million bond package would pay for

Birdville district names top three educators for '08

-Patrick M. Walker

Your A.M. roundup

Good Monday morning. Got back yesterday from running the eighth annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon (photo courtesy of The Oklahoman). If you've never been to the beautiful but heartbreaking landmark (it was my first time), it's highly worth the three-or-so-hour drive up Interstate 35. At a museum next door, you can sit in a former Oklahoma Water Commission conference room and listen to a tape of a meeting that was in progress when the explosion hit and the chaos that followed. We talked to a member of the Catholic church that is across the street -- it sustained $3 million in damage that day -- who told a couple of amazing stories. In one of them, the parish priest, who always walked to the bank a couple of blocks away, decided that day to drive. His deposit slip was stamped 9:02 a.m., the time of the blast -- which became a news story itself -- but if he  hadn't driven, he would probably have been walking by the Murrah building at the fateful moment.

Now, on to the news. Today on star-telegram.com:

Seeking to make career success academic

Park Row Christian builds top reputation

After 38 years in the Arlington district, principal's school days are finally over

Principal James Adams says the day-to-day contact with teens is what he'll miss the most when he retires June 7, right after giving out diplomas to a new class of graduates. See a video of Adams here.

Keeping Fort Worth's campuses on track

-Patrick M. Walker

Your A.M. roundup

Today on star-telegram.com:

At UT-Arlington, glass is in session today

(At left, UT-Arlington students Kate Cassity, 24, and Johnathan Williams, 22, examine a piece Tuesday that will be in the art show and sale today.)

Mansfield High principal on leave over financial issue

Northwest district buying sites for 2 elementary schools

Keller pupils vote for mascots, names for new schools

-Patrick M. Walker

Northwest ISD needs more schools, fast

Today, we offer you a guest blog spot from Karen G. Rue, superindent of the fast-growing Northwest school district north of Fort Worth. Voters there are being asked May 10 to consider a $260 million bond program focused on building new schools and improving technology.

"Northwest ISD is growing at an extremely rapid pace. Last school year our student enrollment grew at a rate of 19 percent, and this year's growth has already increased by 14 percent. We currently have 11,948 students, and it is projected that our student population could be more than 90,000 in 20 years. The NISD Long Range Planning Committee, comprised of community members, parents and staff, reported that this number of students would eventually be served in 115 schools. That's 100 more than we have now. 

Following the recommendation of the district's long-range planning committee, the Northwest ISD board of trustees called for a bond referendum. Through prudent financial planning and wise management, we will be able to maintain the current .335 Interest and Sinking Fund tax rate. In other words, homeowners would not see an increase to the I&S portion of their tax rate. Election day is Saturday, May 10, and early voting is April 28 through May 6. We want residents in Northwest ISD (which include three counties and 14 municipalities) to become informed voters."

For the rest of Rue's statement, click here.