Allen Voices

For the final episode of Allen Voices, Season 2, we take a deep dive into what it takes to produce a graduation for the largest high school in the State of Texas.

In Allen, we know that it is also our responsibility to keep our community informed about how our district works. One of the ways we address community knowledge is through the Allen ISD Leadership Academy, a unique offering that provides a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of our district. Join host Erin McCann as she talks with district leaders and community members who have been a part of the Allen ISD Leadership Academy.

In Allen ISD, we have a responsibility to provide an exceptional education for all of our nearly 22,000 students. That experience comes down to the outstanding educators and staff members that we have in Allen. We know that teachers have choices in where they choose to work, and the Human Resources and Strategic Initiatives department continuously works to cultivate a positive recruitment experience as we seek to bring talented staff into our district.

In Allen ISD we have incredible students. Allen is an innovative and successful district due to the robust programs that we have in place to meet our students where they are, help them set and achieve goals, and provide opportunities to explore new talents. In this episode, we talk with the Advanced Academics department to learn about the continuum of learning from AIM services, to the GATE academy, all the way up to the Pheonix offerings at Allen High School

In Allen ISD, we seek to provide resources and learning opportunities to all of our students and families both inside and out of the classroom. We try to share some of these opportunities in our podcast episodes and highlight programs that our listening audiences may not be aware of. One department that is more than 40 years old is our Community Education department. This collection of programming helps to build relationships in the Allen ISD community and provides opportunities for students and families.

Through our special services department, Allen High School, in partnership with our three middle schools, has created the Transitions program. The goal of transitions is to help create a bridge for students between what their current skill sets are, and what they hope to achieve after they leave Allen ISD.

We know that school funding can be confusing. Allen ISD, like all districts in the State of Texas, receives its funding from a combination of resources from the State of Texas, and a percentage of local taxes from homeowners. Since Allen ISD has a Bond Election on the ballot in November, this felt like a great time to sit down with our district experts on Finance and explain how Allen ISD remains fiscally responsible and transparent with taxpayers' dollars.

On Fridays in Allen during the fall, the community can be found at Eagle Stadium cheering for the home team. Friday Night Lights isn't just about football, but also the many student groups that contribute to the atmosphere and celebration that makes Allen ISD so special.

It's a new school year and a new season of Allen Voices! This year, we plan to focus on storytelling with a special interest in student programming and the opportunities that an Allen ISD student has. With a new Athletic Director and a new Head Football Coach, we decided to focus our first episode of the season on Athletic opportunities in AISD.

It's our final episode of the 2020-2021 school year, and we are talking all about transitions. Thanks for supporting our show this season. Allen Voices will be taking a brief hiatus during the summer months and will start season 2 with the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year.

Allen ISD has a long-standing tradition of naming schools after local community members who have contributed to the educational history of the district. In this episode, we talk with three of those namesakes, as well as our School Board President, and learn first-hand what it feels like to have a school named after you. Special thanks to guests: Amy Gnadt, Allen ISD Board of Trustees (President) Dr. Jenny Preston (Preston Elementary namesake) Mrs. Lois Lindsey (Lindsey Elementary namesake) Dr. E.T. Boon (Boon Elementary namesake)

In Allen ISD, it's important to us that our students leave us well rounded, and prepared for their future. In this episode, we talk with three guests from Allen High School about what it takes to be a well-rounded student.

This year is the 40th anniversary of Allen ISD's LOVE week. Join us to learn about the history and creation of this incredible event, and find out how you can be a part of Love Week 2021. Proceeds benefit ACO

Through tough times, we have found a lot of creativity in serving others. For this month's episode we are highlighting Ford Middle School and the Mustang Outpost.

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is not just an initiative, but rather, a movement in education. In this episode Cheryl Loving, Director of Counseling, Dr. Jennifer Fuller from Allen High School and Karen Hunnicut from Allen High School talk about the steps that the district is taking to make sure that we are educating the whole child in Allen ISD.

Data shows us that students learn best when they can be creative and stretch their minds. Students need to move around, to think out of the box and to understand that learning doesn't just happen in a regular classroom, but that real-life experiences touch any number of subjects, and that these learning opportunities often work in tandem with each other. In Allen ISD we have a state of the art combination of an outdoor learning environment, a CTE space and a dedicated facility for STEM and STEAM learning called the Allen STEAM Center.

There's a Bond Election on the ballot for the November 2020 election. Three guests - Community Member Bob Acker, School Board President Amy Gnadt, and Superintendent Robin Bullock, break down what the bond includes, how it came to be on the ballot in November, and how Allen ISD community members can become informed.

Created from a nest egg left in a will to Allen ISD by two Allen ISD alumni, the Foundation for Allen Schools continues to give back to students, and teachers year after year.

To graduate from a Texas Public School, a High School Senior needs 22 credits. There are multiple degree plans offered, and several of them require some level of college preparedness. Allen High School excels with the programs offered through CTE. Join Allen Voices in its premiere episode as we share the stories of AISD student success through Career and Technical Education.

Welcome to Allen Voices! Every month Allen ISD, in Allen, Texas will be bringing you the stories of our district, our students and our community.