The Blazer Beat

North Lake Family,

Welcome to September! We have been in school for 4 weeks now, and we have reached our first break, Labor Day! A friendly reminder that school will be closed on Monday, September 7, 2026, and we will resume our normal schedule on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.

We have been busy on campus this week with our Student Council sponsoring our first theme week, Start with Hello Week! Our students showed up by participating in the events and being able to balance the work of being a dual-credit school at North Lake ECHS. I am very proud of their ability to manage the workload and still be able to participate in events around campus!

Next week, we will have our first Coffee with the Principal on Tuesday, 9/8, at 9 am. Please try to attend in person; if unable, I will share the slide deck in the next edition of the Blazer Beat.

Just a friendly reminder about the dress code: all students should wear the approved dress code for our campus. This includes no pajamas, shorts/skirts must be at finger length, and no clothing that is inappropriate for school based on the Dallas ISD Code of Conduct. Families, please assist with this so that we do not have students change or have clothing brought to them. Finally, all students must wear their ID badges at all times. We will start pouching phones if a student is not wearing their badge for the day.

Have a great holiday weekend and share it with your families and friends. I will be starting off the weekend grilling and enjoying the time off too! Make it a great weekend and see you on Tuesday!

Sincerely,

Adrian Hernandez

Principal

North Lake Early College High School

Twitter @AdHernandez2648

Familias de North Lake,

¡Bienvenidos a septiembre! Ya llevamos cuatro semanas de clases y hemos llegado a nuestro primer descanso: el Día del Trabajo (Labor Day). Les recordamos amablemente que la escuela permanecerá cerrada el lunes 7 de septiembre de 2026 y que reanudaremos nuestro horario habitual el martes 8 de septiembre de 2026.

Esta semana hemos tenido mucha actividad en el plantel gracias a que nuestro Consejo Estudiantil organizó nuestra primera semana temática: ¡la Semana "Start with Hello" (Empieza con un Hola)! Nuestros estudiantes demostraron su entusiasmo participando en las actividades y logrando equilibrar las exigencias académicas propias de una escuela de doble crédito como North Lake ECHS. ¡Me siento muy orgulloso de su capacidad para gestionar la carga de trabajo y, al mismo tiempo, participar en los eventos escolares!

La próxima semana tendremos nuestra primera reunión de "Café con el Director" el martes 8 de septiembre a las 9:00 a. m. Les animo a asistir en persona; si no les es posible, compartiré la presentación en la próxima edición del boletín *Blazer Beat*.

Un recordatorio amistoso sobre el código de vestimenta: todos los estudiantes deben cumplir con el código aprobado para nuestro plantel. Esto significa que no se permiten pijamas, los pantalones cortos o faldas deben llegar hasta la punta de los dedos al dejar caer los brazos, y no se permite ropa inapropiada para la escuela según el Código de Conducta de Dallas ISD. Familias, por favor ayúdennos con esto para evitar que los estudiantes tengan que cambiarse de ropa o que se les deba traer ropa nueva. Por último, todos los estudiantes deben llevar su tarjeta de identificación en todo momento. Comenzaremos a guardar los teléfonos en fundas de seguridad si un estudiante no lleva su identificación ese día.

Que tengan un excelente fin de semana festivo y lo disfruten con sus familias y amigos. ¡Yo también aprovecharé el fin de semana para hacer una barbacoa y disfrutar del descanso! ¡Que tengan un gran fin de semana y nos vemos el martes!

Atentamente,

Adrián Hernández

Director

North Lake Early College High School

Twitter @AdHernández2648

Week of September 7th

Value of the Week - Grit

What will you do to show this value during the week?

Monday, September 7, 2026 - Labor Day - No School

Tuesday, September 8, 2026 - B Day

Coffee with the Principal 9 am in L 236

Start of Tutoring! 3:30 pm - 4:45 pm

Please note the first tutoring bus picks up at 5:30 pm and the last one at 6 pm.

Wednesday, September 9, 2026 - A Day - Uniform Day

Please wear your uniform or club shirt

Thursday, September 10, 2026 - B Day

College and Career Readiness Day - Wear your gear!

Albion College Visit to North Lake ECHS for Seniors

Tutoring

Please note the first tutoring bus picks up at 5:30 pm and the last one at 6 pm.

Friday, September 11, 2026 A Day

North Lake ECHS Spirit Day!

North Lake ECHS Social Media

Instagram:

@northlakeechs

X/Twitter: @NorthLake_ECHS

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/NLECHSDISD

Start with Hello Week, Meet our New National Honor Society Members and Seniors ordering Caps and Gowns.

Pre Order your copy of The Stampede, The Official North Lake ECHS Year Book! Click the photo for more info!

Check out the supports you can type into Google Gemini from your Dallas ISD Device! It will help you study for the test

Please look over these videos to support you with TSIA ELAR and Math!

*IMPORTANT*

HEAT MITIGATING TACTICS

Due to the high temperature, drivers will do their best to limit the opening and closing of doors on the bus to keep them cool. We ask that students do not open windows on the bus while riding to and from school.

IMPORTANT! PLEASE REVIEW ROUTES, THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES!

Please review the routes below, a live link is also available. If you encounter any issues on the first day, please contact transportation first. 972-925-4287. Remember the first days of school, buses can run behind schedule due to increased traffic.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OuunwjN-sbEmHSFSN-Q6HG7WeMZGaOoPL0jACIWJ7xU/edit?gid=1532365375#gid=1532365375

This link also provides information on tracking your bus.

Please review the tutoring bus routes. Please note our tutoring buses usually arrive at 5:30 pm and the last one arrives at 6 pm due to completing other routes first. Students, please report back to L building after tutoring is complete to wait for the bus. Thank you!

Beginning on the first day of school (August 11, 2026), all students will be expected to adhere to the the North Lake Early College dress code and uniform policy.

Wednesday will be "Uniform Day" On Uniform Wednesdays, students are required to wear their ECHS uniform shirt, black slacks, khaki slacks or a skirt (no shorter than “finger-tip length” with arms in normal position, i.e., arms hanging naturally, as student is standing straight and upright).

Senior Only Uniform of grey slacks or Grey/Blue plaid skirt with the North Lake ECHS uniform shirt or Senior Shirt!

North Lake ECHS Uniform can be purchased at Levine's two locations or via their website https://levinesstores.com/collections/north-lake-early-college-high-school.

Students will be required to follow the North Lake Dress Code on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Please see the image below which outlines the do's and don'ts. This also included no sleep ware such as pajamas or pajama pants. Failure to follow this will result in a student code of conduct referral.

All students will be required to have clear or mesh backpacks for the 26/27 school year, small personal non clear bags are allowed. Dallas ISD will provide all students with one free clear back from the school year. I would recommend the mesh bag as they are more durable for the year. If you require a backpack, you can pick up at open house or first day of school

Mesh/Clear Backpack examples - https://www.amazon.com/s?k=mesh+backpack&crid=21Z8OKVNB5ZZY&sprefix=Mesh+Bac%2Caps%2C144&ref=nb_sb_ss_pltr-data-refreshed_1_8

Remember Blazers, no strapless tops! Please bring a sweater if you wear this item.

Please review the bell schedule for the 2026-2027 school year. If changes occur due to testing or special events, parents and students will be notified ASAP.

The building is open from 7:15 am - 4:15 pm. Classes are from 8:00 am - 3:20 pm. Note that tutoring will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 pm - 4:45 pm.

Visit our Counseling website for additional resources and Information!

• Parent Counseling Needs Assessment - Please complete today!

Family Pick-Up: Stay on Track Together!

This week, families are encouraged to review the North Lake ECHS 4-Year Course Pathway with their scholar(s). This pathway outlines the high school and college courses scholars are expected to complete each year.

North Lake ECHS Four Year Plan (Family Copy).docx

As you review the pathway together:

• Write the final grade earned beside each completed course.

• Write the grade your scholar would like to earn beside each current course.

• Revisit these goals throughout the semester to track progress and determine whether your scholar is on pace to earn their target grades.

• Identify any courses or areas where additional support may be needed.

• Challenge your scholar to teach you one concept they are currently learning!

Setting a target grade helps scholars begin with the end in mind, take ownership of their progress, and make adjustments before the semester ends.

The Early College High School experience is a unique and challenging journey. Although scholars are becoming more independent, they are still high school students who need encouragement, guidance, patience, and support. Remind your scholar that their family and the North Lake ECHS team are here to support them every step of the way!

College Colors Day — September 4

Show us your college spirit! On September 4, students and staff are encouraged to wear the colors, shirt, or gear of their favorite college or university for College Colors Day.

College Colors Day is a fun way for our campus to celebrate higher education and keep students thinking about the many possibilities available after high school. Whether it is a university they hope to attend, a family member's alma mater, or Dallas College, we want to see North Lake filled with college pride!

Ms. Price
9th-Grade Counselor
diprice@dallasisd.org

Dr. Hart
10th–12th Grade Counselor
kyparker@dallasisd.org

College Corner

Welcome back to College Corner! Class of 2027: Make sure you are checking SCOIR and Google Classroom to get the latest updates on your college application process.

Focal Points:

I know it's exciting doing your college applications but do not submit any applications without speaking to me first, errors in your application materials can impact students’ admission chances. Remember to meet with me and we can both go over when we can submit the applications.

1. Make sure seniors have activated their accounts on SCOIR (still 5 seniors remaining). Everyone should have access to do so from their DISD email who hasn't already. If you have problems getting into SCOIR and have already activated your account try studentIDnumber@stumail.dallasisd.org . When you do this, consent to the FERPA release and waive your right to view your letters of recommendation. This is one of the main portals where they will work with the college advisor, Ms. Kinnard.

2. Create and link Common App accounts to SCOIR. This can be done by going to students’ SCOIR profile page and clicking “Connect Common App”. This is an important step to facilitate document submissions and track student deadlines.

3. Start making FSA IDs (accounts) for parents and students to login to the FAFSA when it opens October 1st. You will need to know your Social Security Number for this part of the process. Timing is crucial and the sooner we get this in, the better each students' odds of financial aid. (The FAFSA is also a graduation requirement, please feel free to reach out to Ms. Kinnard with any questions you may have: skinnard@aspdallas.org)

4. Visit Ms. Kinnard's office hours and start discussing financing and college list building (open to students and parents as needed, if a parent is coming please email Ms. Kinnard to let her know): here

5. Students should be asking their teachers for letters of recommendation- these should be from at least 2 teachers who have taught their CORE classes and who know them well, they should be able to speak to their character in an academic setting.

5. Check out the Overview of Senior Year on the North Lake ECHS website: this has many resources, including testing dates.

SAT Prep| Updates-

• SAT Prep will run starting Tuesday Sept. 8th, from 3:30-4:30 pm in Ms. Green's room (L234)

• Google Classroom for Standard SAT Prep: LKPQIHQK

• Google Classroom for Hard Math Prep: T22FQAD

• Sat, September 12th, 10 am- 3 pm, College Kick Off at WH Adamson HS- This is an opportunity to attend an application workshop and get a headstart on college networking. Representatives from colleges across the country will be available to talk to students at the Meet & Greet Lunch and share strategies for success. Attendance is highly recommended for all high school seniors.

• Fri, September 18th, 11 am- 12pm, Bentley University NLECHS Visit- A representative from Bentley University will be coming to North Lake to talk to students about the opportunities there, the admissions process, and answer any questions students may have. Bentley University has an excellent reputation for financial aid and the Princeton Review ranks Bentley #1 in the nation for its career services, speaking to the excellent support students receive on-campus. More details to come in the coming weeks.

• Mon, September 21st, 8-9 am, Augustana College NLECHS Visit- A representative from Augustana College will be coming to North Lake to talk with students about Augustana, the opportunities there, and the admissions process. Augustana has an excellent reputation for their financial aid and has had 14 graduates from North Lake since 2024. Augustana has an excellent pre-nursing track and is know for the Augie Choice grant that gives admitted students $2,000 towards study abroad or pursuing an internship (supporting experiential learning). More details to come in the coming weeks

• Tues, September 29th, 7:00 pm, UChicago, Brown, Vanderbilt, & Columbia Info Session, Molina HS- Come hear from 4 top colleges to get insight into four unique perspectives on a liberal arts education. Learn more about academic programs, admissions policies, financial aid, and student life in this uncommon opportunity for them to come together to talk to you.

Remind Codes

Class of 2027 (Seniors)

text @nlclass-27 to the number 81010

Class of 2028 (Juniors)

text @nlech28 to the number 81010

Class of 2029 (Sophomores)

text @nlechs2029 to the number 81010

Class of 2030 (Freshmen)

text @nlechs2030 to the number 81010