Northwest ISD Opens Aquatic Center Built for More Than Just Swimming, Students Compete in First Meet at Home Facility |
Northwest ISD's new Aquatic Center, an 80,000 square foot, multi-use facility, opened this week with swimmers from Byron Nelson, Eaton and Northwest high schools competing in an intra-district swim meet last night. Prior to the swim meet, the district held an invitation-only grand opening ceremony to celebrate the opening and welcome the swim and dive teams to their new facility. The ceremony culminated in a "first splash" with students from all three high schools jumping in simultaneously.
The Aquatic Center includes a 50-meter stretch competition pool, a 4-lane, 25-yard practice pool, seating for 850 guests, additional standing spectator observation areas, a classroom, a sports performance training center, and a full-service sports medicine rehabilitation center and health clinic, both staffed by Texas Health Resources. Funded by the bond program approved by voters in May 2017, the Aquatic Center was completed on time and under budget.
There are several areas of the Aquatic Center that will allow the district to partner with area businesses and organizations and provide access to the community. Those include the practice pool, the classroom, the dryland training space and the rehabilitation areas.
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Northwest ISD To Open 20th Elementary Campus Amid Budget Reductions, Remote Learning |
As a new semester begins, Northwest ISD stakeholders can count on one thing for certain — the district remains committed to its core belief that kids come first.
The district will offer In-Person Learning and Remote Learning options for students through the end of the school year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Construction continues on Berkshire Elementary School, which was approved by voters in the 2017 bond election. Berkshire, which will be the district's 20th elementary campus, is slated to open in August 2021.
Northwest ISD trustees will consider budget reductions this spring in an effort to address the district's $25 million operating budget deficit. Measures under consideration include increasing maximum class sizes, changing employee health insurance and more.
District officials have begun evaluating attendance zone boundaries to address overpopulated campuses and incorporate the new Berkshire Elementary. New attendance zones are expected to be presented to the Board of Trustees later this spring.
The Long Range Planning Committee will continue to meet this spring as members consider ways to address ongoing student growth and potential projects for the district's next bond election.
May 2021 is the earliest NISD could hold another bond election to fund construction projects to address growth, which must be approved by voters and paid for using the Interest and Sinking tax rate.
November 2021 is the earliest NISD could hold another voter-approval tax rate election, which would allow the district to increase the Maintenance and Operations tax rate to pay teacher salaries, purchase supplies and cover utilities. In 2020, the Texas legislature compressed the district's M&O tax rate to $0.92 per $100 valuation — 12 cents lower than it has been for the last five years.
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Northwest ISD Education Foundation Awards More Than $106,000 to Campuses |
The Northwest ISD Education Foundation (NEF) presented $61,486.57 in teaching grants to fund innovative projects during surprise celebrations at campuses across the district during their Five Days of Giving campaign from December 14-18.
The foundation ended the week-long celebration with another surprise — a $45,000 award to Northwest ISD to be split evenly among the district's 30 campuses, bringing the total contributions to more than $106,000.
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Attendance Calls to Resume Friday, Jan. 8 |
NISD campuses will begin sending automated attendance calls — which were disabled for the first semester — on Friday, Jan. 8. This call will occur on Fridays and will summarize student absences for the week, including the number of days the student has at least one absence for that week. Please log in to the Home Access Center to view details regarding your child’s attendance.
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PTA Reflections Showcase Highlights Northwest ISD Student Artists |
Self portraits, sketches, essays and other works of art created by Northwest ISD students lined the walls of the Haslet Public Library this week during the district’s PTA Reflections Showcase.
These creative works were honored by the Northwest ISD Council of PTAs for artistic ingenuity, with 21 pieces earning a first place distinction and advancing to the Texas PTA Reflections program.
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Drive-Thru Play to Learn for NISD Families |
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Families with infants, toddlers and preschoolers who live within NISD are invited to a Drive-Thru Play To Learn hosted by NISD Parents as Teachers.
9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 15
Stop by the east parking lot of the NISD Special Programs Center, 1800 Highway 114 in Justin, to pick up free activity kits with fun ways for parents to connect with their kids. The kits include learning activities that promote fine and gross motor skills, problem solving, pre-writing and pre-reading skills, and social emotional health.
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Quarantine Reduced to 10 Days for 'Close Contact' Individuals with No Symptoms |
Effective January 2021, Northwest ISD has updated its protocols for the quarantine period for "close contact" individuals.
NISD students and staff may to return to school on Day 11 (10 days after the last close contact exposure) as long as:
If individuals return to school on Day 11, they should regularly monitor themselves for symptoms to ensure they remain symptom-free and take appropriate precautions (e.g., more consistent mask usage) for the duration of the 14-day incubation period.
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Reminder: Complete COVID Reporting Forms to Share Relevant Info with NISD |
- A test-confirmed case of COVID-19
- Being in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19
- A student or employee is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
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- Completed isolation
- Completed quarantine
- Recovered from COVID-19
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COVID Dashboard Relaunched After Break |
Northwest ISD relaunched its COVID-19 dashboard this week with updated data that was reported while campuses and district offices were closed for winter break. |
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Northwest Independent School District
Phone: 817-215-0000 • Fax: 817-215-0170
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