Author: Messaging and Marketing

Let’s get to know Darby and Zoe from E.D. Walker Middle School!

Did you know October is National Principals Recognition Month? All across the country, citizens are finding creative ways to show their appreciation to their school instructional leaders. There’s even a video contest  for schools that want to show and tell the world how great their principal is. Governor Rick Perry has issued a proclamation declaring October Principals Recognition Month in Texas. It thanks principals for serving as “educational leaders, disciplinarians, community builders, spokesmen, budget analysts, and guardians of policy mandates and initiatives.” Many students, parents and citizens would agree that we have 227 of the country’s greatest school leaders right…

Meet Special Assistant to the Superintendent of Schools
 Garrett Landry! He’s from New Orleans and has been with Dallas ISD for three months. Here’s what Garrett shared with us: Best advice anyone has given you?  My Grandfather told me, “Do a job large or small, do it right, or not at all.” That advice really hit home with me from a young age, and has driven me to always put in the maximum effort, regardless of the task at hand. Who’s your favorite superstar? Drew Brees, Quarterback of the New Orleans Saints Your life would be meaningless without …? ……

Members of the Texas Association of School Boards have elected Dallas ISD Trustee Mike Morath to a two-year term on the TASB Board of Directors, where he will represent TASB Region 10C. A voluntary, nonprofit statewide educational association, TASB serves the state’s 1,030 Texas public school districts as an advocate for public education on issues ranging from funding to research on public school effectiveness. The organization also lobbies the state legislature on behalf of public schools and provides leadership training and professional development for school board members. As Dallas ISD District 2 trustee, Morath has represented North Dallas and near…

Students at the School of Science and Engineering Magnet at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center outperformed every participating country in mathematics and reading and scored only second to Shang Hai in Science on the 2014 PISA, or Programme for International Student Assessment, scores. The exam measures student literacy among 15-year-olds in math, science and reading. Principal Tiffany Huitt noted her students’ performance among a demographic that is 83 percent black and Hispanic and 65 percent SES, which piqued the international learning community’s interest regarding the SEM’s instructional practices in breeding academically competitive scholars. RELATED STORIES: PISA results demonstrate district’s ability…

Approximately $2.1 million in college tuition savings. That is the amount Dallas ISD minority students saved in college tuition costs by passing one or more Advanced Placement (AP) exams last May. This group of students led the nation in the number of qualifying scores on AP exams in subjects such as math, science and English. “We know of no other large urban district in the country that has even half the results Dallas has with respect to the percentage of their minority students passing AP math and science exams,” said Gregg Fleisher, Chief Academic Officer of the National Math and…

UNT Law student Alfred Blue does a superhero-themed ‘get to know you’ activity on his first day of tutoring at Cesar Chavez Learning Center Last week, a group of students from UNT Law School began tutoring second-graders at Cesar Chavez Learning Center. Each tutor is matched with two different students who they work one-on-one with during 30-minute tutoring sessions. Tutors will work with the same students throughout the school year, building strong relationships that will allow them not only to strengthen student’s reading skills, but also to serve as role models and mentors who will leave a lasting impression. If…

The Dallas Business Journal has named Dallas Independent School District Chief Financial Officer Dr. James Terry, CPA, Government CFO of the Year, an award that distinguishes North Texas’ financial professionals “whose demonstrated commitment to their respective companies’ financial best practices, accounting standards and success as a strategic visionary set them apart.” Under Terry’s direction, the Dallas ISD was able to double the district’s general fund, secure funding for major renovation to district schools, and improve its Moody’s bond rating from AA- to AA as well as its S&P rating for financial management from regular to strong.   According to an…

This summer, Frigo Cheese asked their fans (called Frigo Cheese Heads) to submit essays touting how $4,000 could make a difference at their school. Central Elementary School Assistant Principal Kasie Jackson heard about the competition and decided to apply for a chance at the Frigo Cheese Heads Build a Bright Future promotion. The school was recently selected as a Top 10 finalist in the competition, earning them a guaranteed award of $1,000. Based on online voting, five schools will win an additional $3,000 to use for their project. In Central’s case, that would mean more technology in the classrooms for…

The College Board has announced major changes to the Scholastic Aptitude Test, one of the nation’s leading college entrance exams. The changes that will go into effect in 2016 aim to make the test more closely reflect what high school students are learning. Some of the key pieces of the SAT that are going away are penalties for wrong guesses and replacement of obscure or abstract vocabulary words with terms that are more applicable to current college curriculums. Additionally, the previously required essay will be optional, and math problems will test students’ understanding of and ability to apply concepts required…