TSIA - We are pleased to offer our seniors the opportunity to take the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA2) on Wednesday, October 29th. This assessment is for students who have not yet met TSI requirements through the SAT, ACT, or a previous TSIA2 attempt.

SAT Make Up- We will conduct SAT School Day make-up testing on Wednesday, October 29th, for students who missed it last week.  Students scheduled to test were notified in class today.

To carve… or not to carve? That’s the question we’ll be posing in this, our 15th year, of this long-running tradition here at Booker T. Washington HSPVA!

Our AP Language students need YOU — our parent lawyers, communications specialists, marketers, or any of y’all who recognize a solid argument — to help our students answer the ultimate Halloween question: should the pumpkin stay whole as a seasonal representation of the fall season or be carved into a Halloween Jack-o’-Lantern. 

This year’s debate match-ups are scheduled as follows:

Monday and Wednesday, October 27 and 28: 1:30–3:00 & 3:00–4:30

Tuesday and Thursday, October 28 and 30:  10:30–12:00, 1:30–3:00 & 3:00–4:30. 

What do we need? Folks to listen to two debate rounds (involving students who are not their kid) over a 90-minute class period, make a quick call on who wins the candy, and give our students feedback on their presentations and argumentation. And there's literally zero pressure since the teacher, Melody Townbsel, will be grading the work. Ideally, we’ll have three judges for each session so we can break any ties, but we’re public school people, so we will take whatever time you can give us. :-) 

If you’re interested, please send a note to Ms. Townsel at mtownsel@dallasisd.org, expressing interest for a specific day(s) or time(s) — and feel free to come early and often!

What is it?

College Showcase Week, sponsored by the Junior League of Dallas through a grant and a partnership spanning more than 35 years, is coming up November 19-22! This is one of the most exciting times of the year at Booker T. Washington — when our seniors present their best work to visiting college representatives. 

It’s a transformative week for our students. Even those who don’t receive a scholarship or admission offer gain invaluable experience in preparing and presenting a professional body of work that reflects their skills and growth.  As part of the weeks events, we will host a college fair on Friday, November 21st. College Fair for Seniors starts at 3:30p.m. And for underclassmen, it starts at 4:30p.m.

What to Expect

Each conservatory hosts a variety of masterclasses and opportunities for students to meet college reps. Curious what it looks like? You can view last year’s At-a-Glance schedule (2024) document for reference. Please note: this is not the 2025 schedule — just an example of what to expect.

Volunteer Opportunities

We’d love to have your help! Only underclass parents (9th–11th grade) may volunteer during Showcase Week — senior parents may not volunteer to ensure an equitable experience for students.

To get involved:

• Contact your student’s Guild (links are under the Fast Lane section at the top of this newsletter).

• Register as a DISD Voly volunteer so you’re cleared through the district and our Raptor security system. This is the system we use to check you in to enter the building each day.

You can complete both the registration and notification steps at this link