SOAR 2030 Initiative Takes Flight
More than 200 parents, community leaders and staff members came together for the first SOAR 2030 meeting on September 16.

SOAR 2030 is a community-based strategic planning initiative that will provide direction for the school district over the next ten years.

The large group and smaller sub-committees will meet through March 2020. More details about SOAR 2030 and a video of the business leaders panel from September 16 is available at www.allenisd.org/soar2030 .
38 National Merit Semifinalists Named
Allen High School recognized a record 38 students as semifinalists in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Competition. More than 1.5 million juniors took the 2018 PSAT, which is the test that qualified students for the 2020 scholarship competition. Approximately 16,000 of the highest-scoring entrants, or about 1 percent, are recognized as semifinalists.

The 2020 semifinalists include:
5th Row - Dr. Johnston - Principal, Arsen Yang, Ian Raham, Harry Kang, Anita Prabhu, Siddhi Malvankar, Wenting Du, Pranay Srivastava, Sean Gao; 4th Row - Sophia Stanzo, Daniel Honrales, Leia Sing, Shiyu Xu, Allen Dong; 3rd Row - Shelly Holmes - Coordinator, Karis Tsao, Wasif Reaz, Yi Jun Yang, Angela Yeung, Kaylee Smith, Ruth Zachariah, Abhi Patel, Vatsa Ramanathan - Board Member, Sarah Mitchell - Board Member; 2nd Row -
Jackie Schornick - Associate Principal, Peyton Wright, Caroline Kemp, Nidhi Pawate, Andrea Afonso, Sarah Chen, Hunter Chemelli, Ian Poynter, David Edgemon, Dr. Scott Niven – Superintendent; 1st Row - Gwen Dilts - House Principal, Teya Weckerly, Riya Anand, Rachel Hong, Jenny Ahn, Priya Mandava, Amila Haque, Lauren Tompkins, Angela Liu, Avani Putcha, Alice Shao, Amy Gnadt - Board President.
STEAM Center Dedication Held
The Allen ISD STEAM Center dedication was held on September 24. The STEAM Center first opened in January 2019 to elementary and middle school classes who visited as part of their STEAM curriculum. This past August, STEAM classes for high school students began.

The dedication included comments from Board President Amy Gnadt, Superintendent Dr. Scott Niven and Yi Jun Yang, a STEAM Center student ambassador (pictured). The keynote speaker was Ms. Joan Robinson-Berry, vice-president of engineering, modifications and maintenance for Boeing Global Services.
Musicians Earn Multiple National Awards
Ten Allen ISD musical ensembles have been recognized in the 2019 Mark of Excellence competition, hosted by The Foundation for Music Education. A total of 320 schools from across the nation submitted musical recordings for the competition, with the top quarter earning National Winner status and the second quarter earning Commended Honors. Allen High School and all three AISD middle schools received recognition in this prestigious competition. Full results from Allen ISD include:

National Winners
  • Allen High School, Wind Ensemble – directed by Dr. Philip Obado
  • Curtis Middle School, Symphony Orchestra – directed by Amanda Su and Linda Orrantia
  • Curtis Middle School, Chamber Orchestra – directed by Amanda Su
  • Ereckson Middle School, Chamber Orchestra – directed by Joanna DeVoto

Commended Honors
  • Allen High School, Symphony Orchestra – directed by David DeVoto, Matt Cross and Dr. Philip Obado
  • Allen High School, Chamber Orchestra – directed by David DeVoto
  • Allen High School, Varsity Jazz Band – directed by Tony Daniels
  • Ereckson Middle School, Symphony Orchestra – directed by Joanna DeVoto
  • Ereckson Middle School, Sinfonia Orchestra – directed by Rachel Boone
  • Ford Middle School, Chamber Orchestra – directed by Valerie Curry

Additionally, two ensembles received commended honors in the Citation of Excellence awards program. The Citation of Excellence project seeks to recognize and award outstanding achievement in performance by non-varsity high school and middle school Texas bands. The two commended winners were:
  • Allen High School, Symphonic Band I - directed by Tony Daniels
  • Allen High School, Symphonic Band II - directed by Megan Pickle

“I am incredibly proud of our music programs for being honored at the national level,” Jeff Turner, AISD Director of Fine Arts said. “These awards exemplify our students’ talents across a variety of ensembles, from chamber to symphony and jazz. Congratulations to our students and directors.”
Board Lowers AISD Tax Rate
The Allen ISD Board of Trustees approved a significant reduction in the district’s property tax rates on August 26. The Board approved a total tax rate of $1.4589 per $100 of assessed value for the 2019-2020 year compared to the previous year’s rate of $1.55.

The nearly ten cent reduction for Allen ISD taxpayers is a result of actions taken by the Texas Legislature during the last legislative session. House Bill 3 made changes to the school funding formula and required school districts across the state to lower property tax rates.

The Allen ISD Board of Trustees lowered the Maintenance and Operation (M&O) rate from $1.14 to $1.0489. The interest and sinking (I&S) rate will remain at $0.41 for 2019-2020.

The Board also authorized the superintendent to use I&S tax collections and the district’s I&S fund balance to reduce bond debt principal by $28 million. The district anticipates the additional payments will save Allen ISD taxpayers approximately $18 million in future interest payments. The District’s overall debt obligations will decrease by approximately $46 million.
SOAR Fall Issue Online
The latest issue of SOAR, the Allen ISD Magazine, is now available online. The quarterly magazine includes a feature on Allen ISD's Region X Teacher of the Year, new school board member Kevin Cameron and school namesake Gene Reed. Read more here .
A Midsummer Night's Dream To Be Presented by AHS Theater Dept.
Don’t miss your opportunity to see Allen Eagle Theatre’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream this weekend.

Tickets are on sale now at AllenPAC.org . Show times are 7p.m., September 26 and September 28. Ticket prices are $8 for students/seniors and $10 for adults. The AHS play runs about 90 minutes and is set in modern day Texas.
 
Midsummer Night's Dream  is a comedy written by William Shakespeare in 1595/96. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of Theseus, the Duke of Athens, to Hippolyta (the former queen of the Amazons). These include the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of six amateur actors (the mechanicals) who are controlled and manipulated by the fairies who inhabit the forest in which most of the play is set. The play is one of Shakespeare's most popular works for the stage and is widely performed across the world.
Father-Daughter Ball Tickets On Sale
Tickets for the annual Father-Daughter Holiday Ball are now on sale. The biggest dance in town is sponsored by the Allen ISD Community Education Department and will be held at the Allen High School cafeteria on Saturday, December 14.

The Twilight Dance for girls age 5 and under (and dads of course) runs from 5 - 6:30 p.m. The Evening Dance for girls in grades 1-6 runs from 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Tickets for both events are on sale now at  www.allenisd.org/communityed.
Vegas Nights Tickets On Sale Now
Party with a Purpose supports Foundation For Allen Schools
Tickets for "Vegas Nights: Party with a Purpose" are on sale now at  AISDfoundation.org . Set for Saturday, October 12, Vegas Nights will be an evening full of dancing, dinner, casino games, music, live and silent auctions. All proceeds from the event support the Foundation For Allen Schools and will directly benefit Allen ISD students and teachers through grants and scholarships. 
 
Ante up for a fun filled party that helps everyone hit the jackpot for the teachers and students of Allen ISD.
 
Tickets are on sale now at  www.AISDfoundation.org  for $125 per person; table sponsorships (seating for 8) are $1,500; and other sponsor levels are available. For more information contact Regina Taylor at 972-727-0362 or regina.taylor@allenisd.org .  
Dates to Remember
Sept. 27 - Eagles Football vs. McKinney, Eagle Stadium, 7 p.m.
Oct. 1 - Lady Eagles Volleyball vs. Prosper, AHS Gym, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 10 - Walk To School Day
Oct. 11 - Eagles Football vs. Plano East, Kimbrough Stadium, 7 p.m.
Oct. 12 - Vegas Nights Dinner, Courtyard Marriott-Allen, 7 p.m.
Oct. 14 - 15 - No School - Student Holiday
Oct. 28 - Board of Trustees Meeting, Allen City Hall, 7 p.m. 
Nov. 25 - 29 - No School, Thanksgiving Vacation
Allen Independent School District | 972-727-0510 | www.allenisd.org