$6,000 donation to Frisco Education Foundation

By Jane Whitledge / Star Community Newspaper
June 18, 2009

The Frisco Education Foundation board recently accepted a donation of $6,000 from Frisco Square Development. Frisco Square donates money each year to the Foundation following the Fair in the Square carnival event.

"All of us associated with Frisco Square are very proud of our partnership with the Frisco Education Foundation and of the support we receive from the citizens of Frisco,” said Bob Shaver, senior vice president of marketing and community relations for Frisco Square Development. “We're delighted to, once again, make a significant contribution to the scholarship fund and help worthy local students realize their ambitions."

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Frisco Camp exposes students to new careers

By Heather M. Smith / Star Community Newspaper
June 16, 2009

On Monday, middle school students in the Frisco Independent School District embarked on a journey to explore the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.

Fowler Middle School, which is part of FISD, also serves Plano residents.

“Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) are important to America's global sustainability,” said Lawanda Penland, regional engineering strategic staffing lead. “We need to continue to increase our technical competitiveness and we must start with today's generation.”

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Faces of Frisco ISD: Riddle Teacher Keeps Himself, Others Running

Faces of Frisco ISD is a monthly feature highlighting some of the untold stories of FISD and the people who make FISD special.

Hamlin Jones of Riddle Elementary, had never run a competitive race in his life until the Gary Burns Fun Run of 2005. But that was the first step into a life-changing adventure.

The Gary Burns is the major fundraiser for Frisco Education Foundation and campuses often bring teams to run in the event. Some campuses take their running more seriously than others. Superintendent Rick Reedy regularly takes employees who beat his time to lunch after the event.

“Mia Bennett (principal of Riddle at the time) said you’ve got to run Gary Burns! I had never run a 5K. But I ran it in 20 minutes and took 20th place,” Jones said.

Full Story at FriscoISD.org

CHS Orchestra Students to Compete at State Level

The following Centennial High School Orchestra members received Superior and Outstanding marks at the Region 24 UIL Solo & Ensemble Contest on Saturday, February 21st at Creekview High School in Carrollton. They are:

Juniors: Sarah Park and Susan Yi

Sophmores: Shane Andrews, Alysia Chen, Emma Chibnall, Alex Gamez, Min Ji Kim, & Sophia Miao

And

Freshmen: Christina Clawson, Josh Davila, Kirsten Roberts, Roger Tang and Tara Thomas.

Eleven Centennial Orchestra students distinguished themselves by qualifying on Saturday for the state UIL solo & ensemble competition to be held in Austin in May. To achieve this honor and represent the students had to perform a grade one solo from memory or perform a grade one work with an ensemble and receive the highest rating by their judge.

Soloists advancing to state competition include: Shane Andrews, Alysia Chen, Min Ji Kim, Roger Tang and Tara Thomas. Ensembles advancing to state include: The Varsity Quartet: Alysia Chen, Alex Gamez, Susan Yi and Sophia Miao, violinists

AND

The Freshmen Quartet: Christina Clawson, Kirsten Roberts, Roger Tang and Josh Davila, violinists.

FriscoISD.org

Frisco ISD Protecting Students from Sex Offenders

FRISCO, Texas -- The Frisco Independent School District this year is helping protect its students from sex offenders. Seven Frisco schools are using a new system from Raptor Systems to check school visitors against a sexual offender database.

Frisco ISD's director of security said district officials are testing the system to make sure it is what they want before expanding it district-wide. Full Story on NBC5i

Art Teacher Loses Job After Kids See Nude Sculpture

An award-winning Texas art teacher in Frisco, Texas who was reprimanded after one of her fifth-grade students saw a nude sculpture during a trip to a museum has lost her job. (Full Story)

FRISCO, Texas -- An award-winning Texas art teacher who was reprimanded after one of her fifth-grade students saw a nude sculpture during a trip to a museum has lost her job.

The school board in Frisco has voted not to renew Sydney McGee's contract after 28 years. She has been on administrative leave.

The teacher took her students on an approved field trip to a Dallas museum, and now some parents are upset.

The Fisher Elementary School art teacher came under fire last April when she took 89 fifth-graders on a field trip to the Dallas Museum of Art. Parents raised concerns over the field trip after their children reported seeing a nude sculpture at the art museum.

The parents had signed permission slips allowing their children to take part in the field trip.

Frisco ISD Rated $90MM GOs 'AAA'

Fitch Ratings assigns an 'AAA' rating to Frisco Independent School District, Texas' $90 million unlimited tax school building bonds, series 2008, based on the guarantee provided by the Texas Permanent School ... Full Story