TO:             Northwest ISD Parents and Caregivers

FROM:       Ryder Warren, Superintendent of Schools

SUBJECT:  Superintendent’s Update


NISD families – welcome to the 2019-2020 school year! The theme of our new school year is Every Child, Every Day. Classes begin this coming Tuesday, August 20, and on behalf of our NISD Board of Trustees and the entire faculty and staff of the district, we are very excited to get our kids back. Your teachers and staff have been busy, preparing for a wonderful new school year. Grounded in our belief that kids come first, we can’t wait to work with your student and be a partner with you in your child’s education to make sure we positively reach Every Child, Every Day.

As a rapidly growing school district, we are prepared to welcome more than 25,000 students this year. To help accommodate our increasing student enrollment, we are celebrating the opening of our 31st school - Lance Thompson Elementary School. Located in Northlake and funded with voter support in the 2017 bond referendum, Lance Thompson Elementary will be the first to use the district’s new prototype elementary school design. Students will also see some new changes on campus as renovations are wrapping up at Northwest High School, Sendera Ranch Elementary, J.C. Thompson Elementary, and the Kelly W. Box Agricultural Science Center. This year additions and renovations will be occurring at Byron Nelson High School, Eaton High School, Gene Pike Middle School, Medlin Middle School, Chisholm Trail Middle School, Wilson Middle School, and Tidwell Middle School.

Whether you are beginning your child’s educational journey with us or are experiencing your child’s senior year, I hope you are as excited as we are to start the new year. We want to help ensure that you and your child are prepared to have a great first day. We’ve included a few helpful tips at the end of this message, but you can help us by reviewing the following:
  • Registration/Proof of Residency: If you haven’t already done so, please make sure you have registered your student and submitted your Proof of Residency.
  • Check Bus Information: Due to the increase in the number of bus riders, we added students to our transportation routes this weekend which may have changed bus route times for your child(ren). On Monday, August 19, every regular education parent should recheck bus service information on the HAC (home access center) or on the district’s website for updated bus route times. As in the past, we will keep adjusting routes until we have accommodated all families who need transportation services, but this may cause routes to be in a state of flux for the first couple of weeks. Your patience and understanding are appreciated.
  • New Safety Procedures: Review our new safety and security procedures for entering the schools during the school day, and discuss the new procedures with your child. Our students’ safety is a top priority, so once the school day begins, our school doors will be locked and you will be asked to utilize the new entry call station to identify yourself before being allowed into the school.

We are looking forward to a great school year! Drive carefully, expect some bus route delays, and expect to deal with the trains. If your student attends a school under construction, please plan for that, and always be cognizant of student drivers. Most importantly, know that we are going to have the best school year NISD and our students have ever experienced.

Our vision is to empower learners and leaders to positively impact the world. It is my hope that your child comes running back to us every day, excited to learn and grow. As always, thank you for your support. Northwest ISD cannot be successful without you. Please be involved in your child’s NISD experience. Join a booster club, absolutely join your PTA, and always expect the very best for our children. Everyone have a wonderful 2019-2020 school year.

Thank you,

Ryder Warren, Superintendent of Schools
Northwest Independent School District