Carroll Academic TeambrTakes Sweepstakes Title
The Carroll UIL Academic Team captured another Top ThreebrOverall Sweepstakes Title during the UIL B Invitational Meet. Coaches agreedbrthe meet was a challenge and a testament to the overall strength of the Dragonsbrthis year. The next UIL District Meet will take place on March 22 at NorthwestbrHigh School.
Boys Diving andbrSwimming Sweep State Title
The Dragons earned their fourth consecutive Class 5A statebrtitle and became the third school in UIL history to accomplish such a feat. ThebrLady Dragons finished with a silver medal, ending one point behind statebrchampion Austin Westlake. Dragon swimmer Jonathan Roberts became a back-to-backbr500 freestyle state champion with a state record finish, winning by 10 seconds.brHe also added more gold with a state title in the 100 backstroke and assistedbrin Carroll's state title in the 200 medley relay. In the 500 freestyle, Dragonbrswimmer Conner Dobbs earned a bronze medal, and diver Nat Hernandez earned abrbronze medal in 1-meter diving.
Carroll ISD Hires TwobrAssistant Principals
Carroll Middle School Administrator Joey Calvillo is now abrDragon. The 12-year secondary school teacher brings his experience to DragonbrNation. He previously taught World Geography at Keller Timber Creek High Schoolbrand is replacing Stephanie Mangles, who was promoted to Carroll Middle Schoolbrprincipal in October. Dawson Middle School hired Christina Benhoff as assistantbrprincipal. She is currently the assistant principal at Walnut Grove Elementarybrand will remain there this spring until the transition for her replacement isbrcomplete.
GCISD Students Soarbrin Visual Arts Awards Program
Students from both Colleyville Heritage and Grapevine high schoolsbrparticipated in the Regional Visual Arts Scholastic Event. This year, studentsbrsubmitted 58 artworks with 44 receiving the highest possible score of four, 13brreceived a three and one student received a two. As a result of their efforts,brfive students are advancing to state, including Jiani Hou, Courtney Ma, DorothybrTran, Alisandra Vega and Andre Aguliar.
Carroll ISD is set tobrSee Stars
Carroll Dragons will gaze into the starry-night sky afterbrreceiving a grant through the Hudson Foundation to build an astronomybrobservatory. The City of Southlake will also purchase a portable star labbrto be used by both students and community members. The Dragon AstronomybrObservatory will be located at Johnson Elementary School, pending approval bybrcity council members. Carroll ISD plans to utilize this grant in a variety ofbrways, including an observatory built on one of the Carroll ISD campuses, schoolbrand community stargazing nights and formation of campus astronomy clubs.
Carroll Goes Greenbrwith Pizza Garden Project
Dozens of blue bins are popping up throughout the halls ofbrCarroll Senior High School to assist a green effort put forth by EnvironmentalbrScience and Life Skills students. Approximately 2,500 bottles will be usedbrto construct a water-bottle greenhouse. The greenhouse will be installed behindbrthe CISD Aquatics Center and will be home to a variety of herbs and vegetables.br"The Pizza Garden Project" is an effort conducted by students to workbrtogether by collecting bottles and preparing them for construction whilebrscience students cultivate seedlings to transfer to the greenhouse uponbrcompletion. The project is slated to continue year after year as students learnbrvarious life skills, including soil, plant life, gardening and organicbrversus inorganic.
Carroll JazzbrOrchestra Named Essentially Elington Finalist
Carroll Independent School District Jazz Orchestra has thebrright to toot its own horn after being named a 2014 Essentially Elingtonbrfinalist. Essentially Elington is the largest and most prominent national high schoolbrjazz contest — often referred to as the "Super Bowl of jazzbrcompetitions." Carroll will join 14 other bands from across the country atbrthe finals in New York City, May 8 through 11. The jazz orchestra was chosenbrthrough a blind audition process. The finalists will participate in a three-daybrfestival that includes clinics, performances and mentorships.
Emerald Belles TakebrHome Best Overall
The Emerald Belles won first place overall at the CrowdbrPleaser Dance Competition, receiving awards and $500. Carroll was awarded the highestbrscoring team dance of the day for their high kick routine. Additionally, thebrBelles won first place in jazz, kick and lyric dances; first place in the Division;brOutstanding Choreography; Outstanding Technique; Winner's Circle and firstbrplace overall in the jazz and kick category. The Belles officers came homebrwith the highest awards as well, earning first place in all their routines;brOutstanding Choreography; Outstanding Technique; Elite Circle and first placebrin the Division.
GCISD Approves ExecutivebrDirector of Athletics
Phil Blue is joining the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD family asbrthe executive director of athletics. Blue currently serves as the director ofbrathletics in Georgetown ISD, which is similar to GCISD — consisting of two highbrschools and a student enrollment of 10,500. Under his leadership, GeorgetownbrHigh School won the District All-Sports Championship for seven consecutivebryears. Blue has a 29-year coaching history success, serving in various roles,brincluding head football coach and offensive coordinator. A key element ofbrBlue's leadership is his focus on professional development for his coachingbrstaff by promoting professionalism, leadership and communication.
Grapevine StudentsbrNamed Harvard Champions
Two Grapevine High School students were named Harvard Speechbrand Debate tournament champions in Cambridge, Mass. Maryn Richardson and SanabrMoti took home the top spot during the tournament. Harvard hosts the largestbrhigh school invitational speech and debate tournament in the country, with morebrthan 300 entities in each event. Students earned this opportunity by advancingbrthrough a qualification process. In the future, Grapevine students willbrcontinue their competition season through district, state and nationalbrtournaments.
Keller ISD CoordinatorbrWins Sue German Award
Keller ISD Language Arts Learning Coordinator Pam Barksdalebrreceived the Sue German Award at the 28th Annual Abydos LiteracybrConference in San Antonio. The Sue German Award is presented to teachers andbradministrators for loyalty, excellence in teaching, commitment to qualitybreducation and superb staff development. It’s the highest honor given by AbydosbrLearning, formally the New Jersey Writing Project in Texas.
Westlake AcademybrStudents Travel to Austin
Westlake Academy fourth grade teachers took their classroomsbron the road to the live music capital of the world as part of the “Proud to bebrTexan” field trip. The trip included a visit to the Bob Bullock Texas State HistorybrMuseum and the Texas State Capitol to experience the history of the Lone StarbrState. While at the capitol, students visited the office of their legislators,brSen. Kelly Hanson and Rep. Giovanni Capriglione. The tour featured a visit tobrthe Senate and House of Representative chambers, allowing students to seebrfirsthand where Texas laws are made. The road trip is a part of the Educationbrin Action's Travel, Explore and Learn program.