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The Blazer Beat

November 6, 2025

The Blazer Beat November 6, 2025
The BlazerBeatNovember 6, 2025

Principal's Message Principal's Message

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North Lake Family,


It has been a very busy week at North Lake with the start of recruitment season, and applications are starting to come in for the class of 2030! So far this school year, we have had visits from the following schools or have done recruitment fairs at their campuses:


  • Dallas Environmental Science Academy

  • Longfellow

  • Trinity Basin

  • Greiner

  • Travis TAG

  • Sudie Williams TAG

  • Solar Boys

  • Solar Girls


We still have many more recruitment opportunities for students and families to see what The North Lake Way is all about! If you know anyone interested in applying to our campus, please direct them to choosedallasisd.schoolmint.org. Students and families will be able to apply until January 31st, and we have already started interviewing for the coming school year.


Another exciting announcement is that we finally have a date for our high school commencement ceremony, May 23, 2026, at Ellis Davis Field House, at 9:00 am. We will release more details as we get closer to the event, but please mark your calendars for our Seniors to shine!


Have an amazing weekend, and thank you for making our campus one of the best in the nation! We truly appreciate your support and will continue to become one of the premier early colleges in the country!




Sincerely,


Adrian Hernandez

Principal

North Lake Early College High School

Twitter @AdHernandez2648



Familias de North Lake,


Ha sido una semana muy ajetreada en North Lake con el inicio de la temporada de reclutamiento, ¡y ya están llegando las solicitudes para la generación de 2030! En lo que va del año escolar, hemos recibido visitas de las siguientes escuelas o hemos realizado ferias de reclutamiento en sus campus:


  • Dallas Environmental Science Academy


  • Longfellow


  • Trinity Basin


  • Greiner


  • Travis TAG


  • Sudie Williams TAG


  • Solar Boys


  • Solar Girls


¡Todavía tenemos muchas más oportunidades de reclutamiento para que estudiantes y familias descubran lo que ofrece North Lake! Si conocen a alguien interesado en solicitar admisión a nuestra escuela, por favor, indíquenle que visite choosedallasisd.schoolmint.org. Los estudiantes y sus familias podrán presentar su solicitud hasta el 31 de enero, y ya hemos comenzado las entrevistas para el próximo año escolar.


Otro anuncio emocionante es que finalmente tenemos fecha para nuestra ceremonia de graduación de preparatoria: 23 de mayo de 2026, en el Ellis Davis Field House, a las 9:00 a. m. Compartiremos más detalles conforme se acerque el evento, ¡pero por favor, anoten la fecha en sus calendarios para que nuestros estudiantes de último año brillen!


¡Que tengan un fin de semana increíble y gracias por hacer de nuestro campus uno de los mejores del país! Agradecemos enormemente su apoyo y seguiremos trabajando para convertirnos en una de las mejores universidades de educación superior temprana del país.


Atentamente,


Adrián Hernández

Director

North Lake Early College High School

Twitter @AdHernández2648

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How Does North Lake Early College H S Rank Among America's Best High Schools?

See how North Lake Early College H S in Irving, TX ranks among America's best high schools.

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Dallas ISD Parent Survey Results Dallas ISD Parent Survey Results

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Parent Information Parent Information

Thank you to the families that participated in our Title I Meeting this past Wednesday, October 15th. Please see the slide deck below for our presentation.

North Lake ECHS Title I Meeting 2025

Annual Title I Meeting North Lake ECHS 10/15/2025 9:00AM/6:00PM

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Join PTA

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Volunteer/Donation List

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Voly | Where your passions and volunteer opportunities click.

VOLY.org is the premier online volunteer matching program for volunteers and nonprofit organizations.

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Family Corner:


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

Student Opportunities Student Opportunities

Student opportunities:

The Dallas Zoo is excited to offer community service hours for high school students who would like to volunteer during Dallas Zoo Lights — our annual holiday celebration featuring dazzling LED sculptures, wrapped trees, music, food, and more!


Event Details:

📍 Location: Dallas Zoo

🕔 Time: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM

📅 Dates: Nightly from November 14, 2025 – January 4, 2026

(Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day)

We are seeking 25 volunteers per night to assist with various aspects of the event, including activity stations, wayfinding, and guest engagement. Volunteers must be 16 years of age or older.


Volunteer Dress Code:

Holiday festive attire (e.g., a holiday sweater) with jeans or dark pants. Please dress appropriately for the weather, preferably in layers, and wear comfortable shoes.

If students are volunteering for school credit or service hours, please have them list their school’s name in the comments section of the SignUpGenius.



  • Student Volunteers: Zoo Lights 2025


El Zoológico de Dallas se complace en ofrecer horas de servicio comunitario para estudiantes de preparatoria que deseen ser voluntarios durante Dallas Zoo Lights, nuestra celebración anual de las fiestas con deslumbrantes esculturas LED, árboles iluminados, música, comida ¡y mucho más!

Detalles del evento:


📍 Ubicación: Zoológico de Dallas
🕔 Horario: 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
📅 Fechas: Todas las noches del 14 de noviembre de 2025 al 4 de enero de 2026
(Cerrado la Nochebuena y el Día de Navidad)

Estamos buscando 25 voluntarios por noche para ayudar en varios aspectos del evento, incluidos los puestos de actividades, la orientación de los visitantes y la interacción con los invitados. Los voluntarios deben tener 16 años o más.


Código de vestimenta para voluntarios:
Ropa festiva navideña (por ejemplo, un suéter navideño) con jeans o pantalones oscuros. Por favor, vístanse apropiadamente para el clima —preferiblemente en capas— y usen zapatos cómodos.

Si los estudiantes participan como voluntarios para obtener crédito escolar u horas de servicio comunitario, por favor indiquen el nombre de su escuela en la sección de comentarios del SignUpGenius.


  • Student Volunteers: Zoo Lights 2025



UT Southwestern HPREP 2026 Applications Now Open!

The Office of Student Empowerment and Engagement at UT Southwestern Medical Center is now accepting applications for the Health Professions Recruitment and Exposure Program (HPREP)


Application Deadline: November 9, 2025

¡Ya están abiertas las solicitudes para HPREP 2026 de UT Southwestern!

La Oficina de Empoderamiento y Participación Estudiantil

Apply here: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=lYZBnaxxMUy1ssGWyOw8io0gjobiSe5BvQZrAr2fyPpUOVNGMUg0WE1EMFBFTTlNUEFVR0VFNFVGRS4u&route=shorturl


Questions? Email hprep@utsouthwestern.edu

North Lake ECHS Teacher of the Year - Mrs. Locker North Lake ECHS Teacher of the Year - Mrs. Locker

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!

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ASPIRE Award Winner - Ms. King ASPIRE Award Winner - Ms. King

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!

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Life Around North Lake Life Around North Lake

Great week on campus in Biology and learning about Punnet Squares! Principal Hernandez was networking with Principal Ibarra from Lassiter ECHS and Principal Sanchez from Garza ECHS. Our Seniors are are counting down the days and events till the end of Senior Year. Finally, Dr. Baker was busy recruiting at Medrano Middle School!

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Important Dates Important Dates

November 10, 2025 - November 14, 2025



November 10, 2025 - A Day




November 11, 2025 -

Veterans’ Day. Thank you, Coach Nguyen and Mr. Whitsell for your service!


Counselor Conferences for Students Dropping College Classes

Any drops will result in a parent conference and academic probation

Campus Tutoring Day



November 12, 2025 - A Day

Uniform Day



November 13, 2025 - B Day - College Career Military Readiness Day

Campus Tutoring Day



November 14, 2025 - C Day

Yearbook Photo Day and Senior Portraits!


North Lake ECHS Social Media


Instagram:

@northlakeechs

X/Twitter: @NorthLake_ECHS

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/NLECHSDISD

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Technology Updates Technology Updates

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.

Creating a Parent Portal Account Creating a Parent Portal Account

Parent Sign In

Students - Click the button to sign in. You will be redirected to the Student sign in page.

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Creating a Parent Portal Account

TSIA Support TSIA Support

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

TSI English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) Crash Course - Day 1 (Part 1) - TSI Reading Practice!
TSI Math Crash Course Day 1 (Part 1) - The Best TSI Math Review - Full Course Updated for TSIA2

UPDATED Bus Transportation! UPDATED Bus Transportation!

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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.

https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1718999515/dallasisdorg/s9d8xkppldxbtsm50pql/parent-portal-infographic_82020.pdf

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Tutoring Bus Routes Tutoring Bus Routes

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.

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North Lake Family Handbook 2025-2026 North Lake Family Handbook 2025-2026

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.

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Counselor's Corner Counselor's Corner

Visit our Counseling website for additional resources and Information!


Parent Counseling Needs Assessment - Please complete today!


Register for an upcoming district Parent Training!


💛 World Kindness Week: Small Acts, Big Impact 🌍


Next week (November 10–16), we’re celebrating World Kindness Week — a reminder that kindness isn’t just a nice thing to do, it’s powerful! A kind word, message, or action can lift someone’s mood, strengthen friendships, and make our school a more supportive place for everyone.


Take a few moments this week to check in on a friend, compliment someone, or thank a teacher or staff member who’s made a difference in your life. Every act of kindness matters!


Take a few minutes together to complete our Kindness Shout-Out Form and recognize someone who’s made a positive difference! Your stories will help us spread kindness across our school community.


📝 Submit a Kindness Shout-Out HERE

Let’s fill our halls — and hearts — with kindness this week! 💫


Please reach out to your grade-level counselor if you have questions or need support.





Internship/Scholarship Opportunities

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

UT Southwestern Psychiatry HS Internship

Home Depot: Path to Pro Program (18+)

Inspiring Careers in Mental Health 2026 Flyer (1).pdf

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Dr. Baker 10th/11th Grade

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Dr. Parker Hart 9th/12th

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Blazer News Blazer News

Please enjoy the October issue of the Blazer News!

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ASP College and Student Success with Mr. Matney ASP College and Student Success with Mr. Matney

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Hello North Lake Families!


I hope everyone has had a week! This past Saturday was the Early Decision 1/Early Acceptance deadline for many schools, and we had many of our seniors apply! Before we go into our current metrics, I would like to take a moment for a few celebrations!


  • Alyssa Trujillo has been selected as a Posse Scholarship FINALIST for Case Western Reserve University!
  • Emmanuel Benavides has been selected as a Posse FINALIST for Cornell College!


Both students will have their final interview in early December!


  • Our regional representative from Davidson College visited North Lake last Friday, and he told me he was impressed by the questions our students asked! Along with Seniors considering applying, students from the top ten percent of our 9th-11th grade classes attended the visit and learned about some of the incredible opportunities available at Davidson. Don't worry, I warned him ahead of time that our students take dressing up for Halloween seriously!


Now that we are starting to get more and more college acceptances, the ASP Ambassadors will be collaborating with the student council to create our college acceptance wall!



Metrics

Applications and FAFSA: 55% of our seniors have applied to affordable 4 year universities! Additionally, 36% of our seniors have completed their FAFSA! Many Texas Public schools begin to run out of funding by December 1st, so my goal is for at least 90% of our seniors to have completed their FAFSA, and submitted applications to affordable colleges by December 1st.


· Dallas County Promise: 96.1% of our seniors have completed the DCP Path form!


Thank you for all of your continued support!


The college journey doesn’t end when your student hits “submit” on their college applications. It just activates the next phase. While students often feel like their work is done with submit, this time brings its own set of emotions and challenges. Decisions may come quickly or slowly. Some may be exciting, some will be disappointing, and some may not come right away.

Join ASP for a conversation about what to expect after applications are submitted and how you can best support your student through the waiting, the decisions, and how to successfully navigate the important next steps as they move towards their future.


Thank you for all of your continued support!

School Dress Code,Uniforms, and Clear/Mesh Backpacks School Dress Code,Uniforms, and Clear/Mesh Backpacks

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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

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Seniors Only, click on the photo for product info at Levine's

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Seniors Only, click on the photo for product info at Levine's
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Seniors Only, click on the photo for product info at Levine's
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2025-2026 Bell Schedule and School Hours 2025-2026 Bell Schedule and School Hours

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.

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Grade Level Remind Code Grade Level Remind Code

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

Staff Contacts Staff Contacts

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Meet the Team! Meet the Team!

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John Johnson - Assistant Principal

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Monique Gossett - Campus Coordinator

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Kara Hoover - English I Cluster Lead Teacher

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Kane Cortez - MAPS and Algebra I

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Ana Martinez - Biology and AP Environmental Science

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Hector Osegueda - AP Human Geography and AP African American Studies

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Aaronia Ferguson - English II, Senior Sponsor and Cluster Lead Teacher

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Bethany Crawford - Dual Credit German

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Jeff Heiple - Geometry and Cluster Lead Teacher

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Samah Al-Hamadi - Dual Credit Biology

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Alexandra Locker - Algebra II

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Swati Chakarvarty - Honors Chemistry

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Aubry Born - Dual Credit English

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Dr. John Davis II - Special Education

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Elida Rueda - Parent Support Specialist

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Dr. August Darbonne - Dual Credit US History and Mexican American Studies

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Dhara Katbamna - Dual Credit Math and AP AB Calculus

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Kelly Green - Dual Credit Government and AP Economics

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Steven Nguyen - Dual Credit Health/PE and Cluster Lead Teacher

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Michelle Smith - Dual Credit English

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Danny Whitsell - Business and Financial Literacy

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Nurse Archie - School Nurse

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Natasha Sublet - Office Manager

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Sandra Fisher - Financial Clerk and Parent Liaison

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Cledy Olivares - Campus Safety Monitor

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Tierra King - Teacher's Assistant and TSIA2 Math Tutor

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Tonya Caston - Data Clerk/Registrar

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