The Blazer Beat

North Lake Family,

Valentine’s Day this year falls on the weekend! It is the perfect time to show your appreciation for our loved ones and friends! I hope that everyone receives a special Valentine this weekend!

This coming week will be the start of our TELPAS testing and STAAR Practice Checkpoint. It is important our students do their best in the practice STAAR so we can see where they are and the supports they need to best assist them for the exams in April. This will impact students on the following dates:

February - 19th - English I and English II (9th and 10th Graders)

February - 23rd - Algebra I (Select 9th Graders)

February - 24th - US History (11th Graders)

February - 25th - Biology (9th Graders)

TELPAS - 9th -12th all week

Please take a moment to view the video below that highlights our Black History Month Spotlight, Black inventors who help feed America through farming! Remember, we do not have school on Monday, February 16, 2026, due to the President’s Day holiday. Make it a great Valentine’s Day Weekend and see you all on Tuesday!

Sincerely,

Adrian Hernandez

Principal

North Lake Early College High School

Twitter @AdHernandez2648

Familias de North Lake,

Este año, el Día de San Valentín cae en fin de semana. ¡Es el momento perfecto para demostrar su aprecio por nuestros seres queridos y amigos! ¡Espero que todos reciban un San Valentín especial este fin de semana!

La próxima semana comenzarán nuestras pruebas TELPAS y el punto de control de práctica de STAAR. Es importante que nuestros estudiantes se esfuercen al máximo en la prueba de práctica de STAAR para que podamos ver su progreso y el apoyo que necesitan para prepararlos mejor para los exámenes de abril. Esto afectará a los estudiantes en las siguientes fechas:

19 de febrero - Inglés I e Inglés II (9.º y 10.º grado)

23 de febrero - Álgebra I (alumnos seleccionados de 9.º grado)

24 de febrero - Historia de los Estados Unidos (11.º grado)

25 de febrero - Biología (9.º grado)

TELPAS - 9.º - 12.º grado toda la semana

¡Por favor, tómense un momento para ver el video a continuación que destaca a nuestro Destacado del Mes de la Historia Afroamericana: inventores afroamericanos que ayudan a alimentar a Estados Unidos a través de la agricultura! Recuerden, no hay clases el lunes 16 de febrero de 2026 debido al feriado del Día del Presidente. ¡Que tengan un excelente fin de semana de San Valentín y nos vemos el martes!

Atentamente,

Adrián Hernández

Director

North Lake Early College High School

Twitter @AdHernández2648

Thank you to the families that participated in our SBDM Meeting on 1/8/26

To access fresh food and local programs near you, go to WIC https://texaswic.org/, FoodFinder https://foodfinder.us/, or the North Texas Food Bank https://msg.care/8G8kq

Congratulation to founding staff member, Mrs. Alex Locker! Mrs. Locker is our Algebra II teacher, Student Ambassador, and Destination Imagination Sponsor. She is an amazing part of the North Lake ECHS family and we are fortunate to have her! She will represent North Lake ECHS and hopefully move on to be a finalist for District Teacher of the Year!

Ms. Tierra King, is an aspiring math teacher who serves the North Lake ECHS community as our Teacher Assistant. She is always willing to help in any areas needed and has been a major factor in our students being able to pass TSIA2 Math. Congratulations!

Senior Field Trip to UNT Dallas! Plus Valentine's Day is in the air at North Lake ECHS!

February 16 - February 20, 2026

North Lake ECHS Kindness Week

Monday, February 16, 2026 -

No School, President’s Day Holiday

Tuesday, February 17, 2026 - B Day -

Tutoring After School

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 - A Day - Uniform Day

March to the Poll Voter Registration

Thursday, February 19, 2026 - B Day - College and Career Readiness Day

English I and English II Practice STAAR

Friday, February 20, 2026 - A Day - North Lake ECHS Spirit Day

North Lake ECHS Social Media

Instagram:

@northlakeechs

X/Twitter: @NorthLake_ECHS

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/NLECHSDISD

Password resets will be handled by the student themselves (via calling tech support at (972) 925 - 5630) or by the classroom teacher they are with at the time. Instructions for resetting passwords can be found linked here which is also at the bottom of this Student password document.

Laptop repairs: Please familiarize yourself with the NEW process here students are asked to follow for laptop repairs, notifications, and pick-up. The blue wagon mentioned in the process is located in the front office in front of Mr. Matney’s workspace.

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

IMPORTANT! PLEASE REVIEW ROUTES.

Please review the routes below, a live link is also available. If you encounter any issues, please contact transportation first. 972-925-4287. Remember, 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.

Tutoring buses arrive between 5:30 pm and 6 pm. Please make sure you have joined the North Lake Tutoring Buses Remind nlechbus so you are notified of your bus’s arrival.

We have created a family handbook that answers many of the questions you may have for the 2025-2026 school year. Please click on the link below to access the handbook.

Visit our Counseling website for additional resources and Information!

Parent Counseling Needs Assessment - Please complete today!

Register for an upcoming district Parent Training!

North Lake ECHS – Kindness Week

At North Lake ECHS, we believe kindness is more than a theme, it is a life skill. During Kindness Week (February 16-20th), students will participate in small, student-led daily challenges that encourage empathy, leadership, and positive peer relationships. The goal is to strengthen our school community while helping students practice everyday actions that build character.

Each day, students will complete one simple act of kindness; from offering genuine compliments to reaching out to someone new or sharing positive messages online. These small actions can have a powerful impact on school climate and student well-being.

How Families Can Extend Kindness at Home

Kindness grows when it is modeled and discussed. Here are some engaging ways to continue the conversation at home:

Conversation Starters

• Who did you choose to show kindness to today? What made you choose them?

• How does kindness change the way a classroom or team feels?

• What’s one small thing we can do as a family this week to brighten someone’s day?
  
  

Family Kindness Ideas

• Leave a positive note in someone’s backpack or lunch.

• Do one household task for someone else without being asked.

• Identify someone in your extended family or neighborhood who could use encouragement and reach out.
  
  

Adolescence is a powerful time for identity development. When students consistently practice kindness, they build empathy, confidence, and leadership skills that extend far beyond high school. Thank you for partnering with us in building a culture of respect, compassion, and student leadership at North Lake ECHS.

Internship/Scholarship Opportunities

UNT Dallas College of Law (9th-12th)

UT Southwestern Psychiatry HS Internship

Home Depot: Path to Pro Program (18+)

Ladder Internships

Law Internship

Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program

NASA Internships

Rabbi Gerald Klein HS Internship

Dallas County

Justice of the Peace Internship

https://www.lumiere-education.com/students-application-form

Summer Program Opportunity for Juniors Only

SOAR (Seeking, Observing and Achieving Results) Program

Please enjoy the February issue of the Blazer News!

Hello North Lake Families!

Our ASP updates for this week are as follows,

Celebrations:

• Alyssa T. was admitted to the University of Rochester! Rochester has been her top choice of school, and she was admitted as an early decision applicant!
• 4 of our students were selected as finalists for the ASP X Centre College scholarship! All four students accepted their nomination and will interview for the scholarship on February 28th. I will keep you updated on their progress!

Applications: 98% of our students have applied to multiple four year universities, and at least 86% have been accepted!

FAFSA: 96% of our students have completed their FAFSA/TASFA! The remaining student eligible to complete the FAFSA has completed the student portion, and are waiting on their parents to complete the parent section. I sent an email and a letter home, and will follow up with them this week.

Scholarships: Our scholarship total is currently $9,000,000 in scholarships and grants! Many schools have not released financial aid awards yet, so this number should continue to rise as more and more schools release financial aid!

Matney out: I will be off campus the following dates and times:

· February 17th: I will be off campus all day

· February 18th: I will be off campus all day.

Thank you all for your continued support!

Beginning on the first day of school (August 12, 2025), 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.

All students will be required to have clear or mesh backpacks for the 25/26 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

Please review the bell schedule for the 2025-2026 school year. If changes occur due to testing or special events, parents and students will be notified ASAP.

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

Remind Codes

Class of 2026

text @nlechs26 to the number 81010

Class of 2027

text @nlclass-27 to the number 81010

Class of 2028

text @nlech28 to the number 81010

Class of 2029

text @nlechs 2029 to the number 81010

NLECHS Parents

text @nleparents to the number 81010

North Lake ECHS Tutoring Buses

text @nlechsbus to the number 81010