School tidbits: financial aid event, performance reports, curriculum feedback

1. Volunteers and participants should put the upcoming February financial aid event at Lake Highlands High School on their calendars. 2. Parents may see the Richardson ISD performance report in full now. 3. Parents and community members may offer input on planned teaching materials for RISD students. Read on for details.

PLAN AHEAD

Richardson ISD needs volunteers to help with Financial Aid Super Saturday.

Training is provided for volunteers at the event at Lake Highlands High School on Feb. 22 from 9 a.m- 2 p.m. In addition, the event is free and open to any RISD high school senior and parents. Assistance with filling out the FAFSA/TASFA forms and help with college applications and scholarship searches will be provided.

If you’re the parent of a senior and want to attend, please pre-register here.

PERFORMANCE REPORT FOR RICHARDSON ISD IS AVAILABLE

The 2012-2013 Annual Performance Report (APR) for RISD is now available in full. Essentially, according to the report, the 2012-13 school year was “very successful” and zero RISD schools received an Improvement Required rating.

About 75 percent of the schools received at least one official designation of distinction. Of all Texas districts, RISD had the most schools earning all three possible distinctions.

“This report details RISD’s performance in education and business management,” RISD notes in its newsletter. “Much of the specific information included in the APR, including student scores on state STAAR assessments and accountability ratings, was already reported and published when the results became known in August and as part of a College Readiness Indicators report published in October.”

Read the full report here on the RISD website or at any district school.

CURRICULUM INPUT SOUGHT

Students, teachers and the general public are allowed to view and provide feedback on recommended instructional materials for Richardson ISD students. Those interested can participate at the following times, places, subjects:

Jan. 22

Mathematics K-8 will meet in the Professional Development Center Auditorium, 701 W. Belt Line Road.

Technology Applications will meet in A302 at the same building.

Contacts for this segment are: lezli.murto@risd.org, paula.haney@risd.org and danny.stotts@risd.org.

Times: 3:30-4:30 p.m. — View materials, 4:30-5:30 p.m. — public hearings

Jan. 27

High School Science and Technology Applications will meet in the Professional Development Center Auditorium.

Contacts: ricardo.romanillos@risd.org and danny.stotts@risd.org.

Times: 3:45-4:45 p.m. — View materials, 4:45-5:45 p.m. — public hearing

Jan. 28

Science K-8 will meet in A303 and A304 of the Professional Development Center.

Contacts: ricardo.romanillos@risd.org and laney.arndt@risd.org.