Magnet Schools of America, the national association for magnet and theme-based schools, recently recognized four Dallas ISD campuses. Among the four, three schools won the National Magnet School of Distinction award and one school was named a National Merit School of Excellence.
To celebrate and officially recognize this achievement, the Magnet Schools of America’s 40th National Conference, hosted by Dallas ISD, will be held in April at Hyatt Regency Dallas. The purpose of the Merit Awards Program is to acknowledge schools that “demonstrate an exemplary commitment to academic standards, curriculum innovation, desegregation/diversity efforts, specialized teaching staffs and parent and community involvement.”
National Magnet School of Distinction Winners
- Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
- School for the Talented and Gifted at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center
- Trinity Heights Talented & Gifted
National Merit School of Excellence Winner
Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet
Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
Booker T. Washington has a rich, 100-year-old legacy as the first African American high school in Dallas and the most diverse high school in the city. Booker T’s principal, Scott Rudes, says that the overwhelming dedication of the school’s faculty and students makes their world a better place through visual and performing arts.
“Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts is extremely honored to be recognized by the Magnet Schools of America. This distinction reflects the almost 50-year commitment to equity and access in the arts by our faculty, staff and community,” he said.
School for the Talented and Gifted at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center (TAG)
The mission of TAG, a winner of the 2022 National Blue Ribbon School award, is to provide an environment in which the unique worth, dignity, and abilities of each individual are not only recognized but cultivated and celebrated as well.
“It is a great honor to be recognized for the academic achievement our students have achieved, but the award also validates the hard work our teachers, parents and community put in day in and day out to ensure TAG is successful,” Arnoldo Zuñiga, TAG principal said. “I am most proud that I have been able to help create a vibrant, welcoming, and affirming school community where students can learn, grow, reach their potential and achieve their dreams.”
Trinity Heights Talented & Gifted
Trinity Heights Talented and Gifted is a premier campus that provides multiple opportunities for students to be academically and socially equipped to be future leaders. The school aims to provide a quality education for all students that supports academic achievement, promotes integrity, builds healthy self-esteem, embraces intrinsic motivation, and encourages successful study habits.
“I am proud of the work that is done daily at Trinity Heights TAG. The dedication and commitment to instructional excellence and the well-being of the Trinity Heights family has been instrumental in the school’s accomplishments,” Marquetta Masters, Trinity Heights Talented & Gifted principal said. “I am thankful that I get the opportunity to serve students, teachers, and parents who embrace a vision of excellence and work relentlessly to acquire success.”
Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet
The Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet prepares students for college and the workforce by giving them an opportunity to explore careers in government, law enforcement, and pre-law. They fulfill this mission by providing students with a range of experiential learning activities, including project-based learning in the classroom and courtroom observations, as well as internships that allow students to experience the practice of law and law enforcement in a variety of settings.
Over time, the average SAT score improved from 900 to 1100 and scholarship totals jumped from $1.8 million per year to $25 million. In 2022, US News & Reports ranked Law Magnet the #6 Best Texas High School and the #48 Best U.S. High School.
“When we arrived at the Law Magnet seven years ago we were considered a good high school. Nationally, we ranked somewhere in the high hundreds. We began to look at what we could do to put our students in the best position to be successful in whatever the next phase of their life was, with that idea, we began to invest in curriculum innovations that we felt would lead to strengthening student toolboxes related to reading, writing, and thinking,” Garet Feimster, former principal of Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet said.
