The Student Council embraced their roles as wonderful hosts, welcoming families, crafting snowmen, decorating sugar cookies, and playing Bingo. The thrill of seeing Santa Claus, portrayed by our own Patrick McGhee from the Language and Literature department, filled the children with joy. A heartfelt thank you to Mr. McGhee for spreading joy and hope to the angel families. A big thank you also to Mrs. Price, the Student Council faculty sponsor and Theatre Conservatory Director, for leading the annual program, and to Mrs. Cornel and Principal Williams for helping spread holiday cheer. A special thank you to all our volunteers, including: 

• PTSA - Aaron Moore, Ann Romine, Brandi Cline, Gogo Lubaiya, Clara Mendez, Mario Mojica
• Dance Guild - Rebecca Raye, Kathy Ruff, Claudia Garcia Sanchez, Donovan Decuir and family, Magally Lopez and family
• Music Guild - Sarah Lowry, Amy Coats
• Theatre Guild - Alicia Schortgen, Rene Noris, Martina English
• Visual Guild - Ann Romine, Blanca Gonzalez

The families expressed excitement and appreciation for the generosity of our Booker T. faculty and families. The spirit of the season was alive and well! We extend our heartfelt thanks to all who contributed to this annual act of kindness through donations and volunteering, showcasing the power of commUNITY and the importance of giving.

Once again, thanks to the incredible generosity of our Booker T commUNITY, every faculty and staff member was treated to a special gift at the festive annual Faculty Appreciation Holiday Party! The atmosphere in the MAT lobby was lively and cheerful as attendees donned their favorite flannel outfits, creating a cozy, seasonal vibe. The aroma of delicious chili filled the air, inviting everyone to gather and enjoy a warm meal together.

As we started the games, laughter, and excitement erupted as faculty and staff eagerly participated in a series of games. We kicked off the festivities by revealing the winners of the daily reindeer scavenger hunt. Then, we handed out scratch-off cards, adding an element of surprise as more winners were announced. Afterward, 50+ faculty and staff members erupted in jubilant cheers, shouting "Bingo!" sometimes in unison after winning the game. The combination of camaraderie, festive spirit, and shared joy made the event truly memorable, showcasing the wonderful community we have at Booker T.

A special thank you to the following faculty members for helping us set up the party:

• Mrs. Denise Solis-Roblez for assisting with the coordination of this event and the scavenger hunt. 
• Mrs. K for helping with the set up including playing festive music on the PA system 
• Mr. Bell, Ms. Maria, Mr. E, Ms. Kim and all our custodial staff who helped set up and tear down the tables and trash

A big THANK YOU to the following board members for helping host this wonderful celebration:

• Ann Romine, VP of Membership, for creating the daily reindeer scavenger hunt and so much more
• Rene Noris, Hospitality Chair, for providing the delicious chili, all the fixings and so much more
• Amy Marcuis, VP of Communications for organizing all the gift baskets and gift cards received
• Brandi Cline, Parent Education Chair, Marsha Peters, Class of 2026 Chair, and member Leslie Peters  for lending helping hands to set-up and clean up to host our guests.

A heartfelt thank you to our amazing Booker T families who generously donated gift cards and gift baskets. We were truly inspired by the outpouring of support that arrived on the day of the party, and were delighted to share the wonderful news with our faculty that everyone would receive a gift.

We have exciting news! Save the date: the Winter Ball will be held on Saturday, February 22, 2025, at the Frontier Flight Museum to match our school theme this year "Aim High, Fly Higher!" The PTSA is working with the Student Council to support this annual dance. More details will be shared in the coming months!

Save the Date! The first All School Student-Led Musical Theatre Production of the New Year will honor the African American Heritage and be celebrated in the Montgomery Arts Theatre from February 26-28, 2025. This year's show is a Musical Theatre Production called Re-Tales! 

Show Synopsis: Re-Tales is about a woman who enters a Re-Tale store in search of love and happiness and travels through a catalogue of tales (traditional nursery rhymes) retold to fit the mold of the buyer.

ATTENTION CAST, DANCERS AND CREW - Join the following two Reminds to stay informed:

• @Retales24 - CAST
• @BTWAA25 - CAST, DANCERS, CREW

PRODUCTION PARTNERS -  We deeply value the support of the all-school productions. Opportunities for production partners include:

• Underwriting meals.
• Providing services at a discounted rate.
• Offering free products that can be used for the production.

All production partners will be recognized in the show Playbill. Custom donations for the show can be made online. Contact Leah Mora, VP of Fundraising, for more information by emailing btwhspva.fundraising@gmail.com

ATTENTION SOPHOMORE PARENTS + STUDENTS - The PTSA Class of 2027 Committee is proud to support this year's African American Heritage Production, and we need your help by hosting the hospitality needs of the show. More details will be provided soon in the meantime, join the Class of 2027 Committee to help plan the fundraising and program efforts. Email Adam Mora, Class of 2027 Committee Chair at btwhspva2027@gmail.com

Did you know? Adult volunteers must complete a volunteer application, background check and orientation as required by D.I.S.D. online through VOLY before volunteering on campus.

The U.S. Department of Education has updated the 2025-2026 FAFSA form based on feeback received by students, parents, and community organizations. The revised form offers a more modernized system to improve functionality of the form and user experience. This simplified version of FAFSA will offer more financial aid to a greater number of students to help with college expenses. Read more about the changes and available support on the U.S. Department of Education website.

FAFSA Reminder: Completing the FAFSA application is a graduation requirement issued by the state. Upon completing the form, students must forward the confirmation email to the ASP College Advisors to fulfill this requirement.

ASP Contact Information:

Remind: Text @aspbtw25 to 81010.

Dakari Butler, ASP College Advisor for BTWHSPVA, dbutler@aspdallas.org

Congratulations to the following students advancing to the Regional level for the Reflections program. This accomplishment opens up the exciting possibility of progressing to the state competition and, ultimately, Nationals. The recognition for the Regional awards will be celebrated at the Creations Show on May 9, 2025, in The MAT. Visit the Membership Toolkit to appreciate their remarkable artistry!

What is E-SPORTS? Since starting a pilot program in August 2019, E-sports has sparked mania and excitement among student gamers in Dallas ISD. Just like traditional sports, E-sports requires teamwork, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, and leadership among every team member to be successful. Students are eligible to participate in their schools' esports clubs, leagues, and tournaments. Dallas ISD provides participating schools gaming consoles, controllers, gaming laptops, desktop computers, and other incentives. 

CLASS DUES - The PTSA Class Committees work with the Student Council and class councils as one cohesive team of parents, teachers, and students to coordinate yearlong senior activities for each graduating class. Class dues are collected yearly to offset the expenses of their senior year. Visit the membership toolkit to learn more and pay your students class dues.

Does your student organization need funding? The PTSA is proud to support student organizations at BTWHSVPA! Faculty sponsors and student leaders of official BTWHSPVA student organizations can apply for up to $500 per school year to fund specific needs that align with program goals, activities, events, and celebrations. The PTSA grants a Student Program Activity Fund to one student organization each month. Applications submitted by the 30th of each month will be considered for the following month's award selection. Applications are currently open for submission. Apply now! 

Congratulations to the following three student organizations who received the Student Activity Funding for the first semester! 

Questions? Contact Aaron Moore, VP of Community + Programs.

• December 23-January 6 (AS) Winter Break, No School
• January 7 (AS) Second Semester begins
• January 9, (AS) Arts Magnet Open House, All Conservatories, 6 pm
• January 14 (AS) Parent University, 6 pm, The Commons

(AS) All School, (A) Academic Conservatory, (D) Dance Conservatory, (M) Music Conservatory, (T) Theatre Conservatory, (VA) Visual Arts Conservatory, (S) Seniors, (F) Faculty

The PTSA looks forward to the partnership with Downtown Dallas Inc. (DDI), in the new year! This Saturday, December 21, you and your family are invited to take a stroll around downtown for DDI's 6th Annual Downtown Stocking Stroll & Family Festival from 3-8 pm. Visit the Downtown merchants (over 30 stations) for fun holiday stuffers and treats. Once you are done strolling through Downtown, join the family festival at Main Street Garden, complete with a giant ferris wheel, train rides, live entertainment, face painting, real snow, and more! This event is free with an RSVP (click here)!

Got news? If you would like to request a school wide announcement to share on the PTSA newsletter fill out this form. Questions? Contact Amy Marcuis, VP of Communications

The contribution of the PTSA's Sustaining Sponsors help cultivate the future of the performing and visual arts and enables the PTSA to provide school-wide productions, programs, resources and event support. Thank you to our 2024-25 sponsors.

Booker T. Washington PTSA | 2501 Flora St. | Dallas TX 75201
Visit us online, follow us on social media, or send us an email.