Eduardto Huerta proudly watched as his daughter, Ximena, started her first day of pre-K at Jose “Joe” May Elementary School.
For Huerta, the anxiety of having a child start their first day of school was tempered by the fact that he would still be nearby: after all, he is a second-grade teacher at the same campus.
“I’m going to try my hardest not to check in on her every hour,” he said with a laugh.
Jose “Joe” May Elementary is one of four new Dallas ISD schools that opened this year, and the final school funded by the 2008 bond project. The 100,000-square-foot school sits on 7.2 acres and will serve more than 700 students in grades pre–K through 5.
The other three new schools that opened this school year are single-gender campuses.
Students smiled wide at the four new schools—and 228 other Dallas ISD campuses—on Aug. 22, the first day of classes.
Excitement ran high on the first day at David W. Carter High School, one of Dallas ISD’s eight new collegiate academies. The collegiate academies will let students, at no cost to them, earn up to 60 hours of college credit or an associate’s degree while still in high school.
Over at B.H. Macon Elementary School, a group of students started their first class in a two-way dual-language program. The program, which helps create bilingual, bicultural and biliterate students, has expanded to more than 25 additional schools this year.
“Programs such as the dual-language program, collegiate academies and expanded pre-K give our families options and set students up for success,” Macon Principal Gerald Bennet said. “It’s going to be a great school year.”
