A drumline with dancers, typical in a marching band, is not a common part of the elementary school experience—but that didn’t stop teacher Andra Birdsong from making it happen at her school. Birdsong, a music teacher at Daniel Webster Elementary School, first got the idea when her students were invited to participate in a community parade after Justin F. Kimball High School’s boys varsity basketball team won the state championship in the Spring of 2023. Kimball is the high school into which Webster feeds. Nearly a year later, she has at least 25 students performing as either part of the…
Author: Priscilla Rice
Master teacher Michael Chang first came to Dallas ISD in 2018 to teach fourth grade math and science at Annie Webb Blanton Elementary School, where he continues to impact students’ lives. Prior to coming to the district, he taught math and science in Tulsa, Okla., and is now in his 10th year as an educator. He is originally from Manitowoc, Wis., and graduated from Marquette University in 2014. What drew you to education? Born and raised by immigrant parents in a low-income family, I was always told by my mother that education was the key to breaking the cycle of…
Cada mañana en las pantallas de David G. Burnet Elementary School, los estudiantes pueden ver una transmisión en vivo de los anuncios y el juramento a la bandera vía Zoom presentado por sus compañeros de clase. El noticiero es un proyecto que se inició durante la pandemia y ha llegado a ser cosa de cada día en la escuela. Durante la pandemia, Sophia Zolezzi, coordinadora educativa de matemáticas, ideó una manera creativa para que los estudiantes pudieran seguir dando los anuncios matutinos y el juramento a la bandera pese al entorno virtual. “Estaba buscando una forma para que siguiéramos sintiéndonos…
Cuando Gustavo Zaragoza, maestro en el Instituto de Profesiones del Este, era estudiante recién llegado al país, no se imaginaba que algún día trabajaría en la educación. Gracias a su labor como maestro, ahora se puede identificar con sus estudiantes y empoderarlos, así como lo empoderaron sus maestros a él. Zaragoza, originario de México, no sabía inglés cuando llegó al distrito, y dijo haberse sentido intimidado en ocasiones, pero fue en sus clases de inglés como segundo idioma, o ESL, donde se sintió seguro. Dice que hoy está comprometido con crear ese tipo de entorno para sus estudiantes, en donde…
Shundanae Pierce, a master teacher at Elisha M. Pease Elementary School first began her journey with the district as a student at Nancy J. Cochran Elementary School. When she was in college, she knew she wanted to complete her student teaching with Dallas ISD, where she has been teaching for the last 17 years. What drew you to education? My elementary years played a pivotal role in this decision. I enjoyed going to school and had great relationships with my teachers. I’ve loved kids since my days of working in a daycare during my summers in high school. I was…
Camille Muñoz, a P-TECH teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School, has been working in education since 2004, with the past 13 years in Dallas ISD. She is from Dallas, and spent the first six years of her teaching career working for the Catholic Diocese of Dallas at two private schools. She said she quickly realized that she wanted to impact more students and decided to make the move to Dallas ISD and public education. Muñoz was recently recognized as one of Dallas ISD’s Master Teachers. Get to know more about her background and passion for student success. What drew you to…
Every morning, on screens throughout David G. Burnet Elementary School students can see a live newscast that includes announcements and the Pledge of Allegiance via Zoom presented by their classmates. The newscast is a project that started during the pandemic and has grown into a daily staple at the school. During COVID, Sophia Zolezzi, math instructional coordinator at the school, found a creative way for students to still give their morning announcements and Pledge of Allegiance despite being in a virtual setting at that time. “I was looking for a way for us to still feel a sense of community,…
When Gustavo Zaragoza, a teacher at Career Institute East, was a student and a newcomer to the country, he never imagined going into the education field. Through his work as a teacher, he is now able to identify with his students and empower them, as teachers once did for him. Having grown up in Mexico, and not knowing the language when he first arrived in the district, he said he felt intimidated at times, and that it was in his ESL classes that he felt safe. He says he’s committed to create that type of environment for his students, where…
Sandra Urton, a teacher at Wilmer Hutchins Elementary School, first came to work as a teacher when she heard of the district’s need for bilingual educators. Urton saw this as an opportunity to make a positive impact for youth in the community. Now in her 15th year teaching in the district, she had previously taught two years in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico, at the Universidad Tecnológica de Cancún, as well as in a middle school and at a language school. Where are you from and how did you end up at Dallas ISD? I am from Mexico City.…
Al caminar por los pasillos de Sylvia Mendez CREW Leadership Academy, se puede encontrar un colorido mural de mosaico hecho por los estudiantes con el mensaje de “Cuatro casas, un EQUIPO”, del cual se sienten muy orgullosos las clases de arte de la maestra Mary Vongvivitpatana. Inspirada por el sistema Ron Clark, Sylvia Mendez es una de las escuelas de Dallas ISD que tiene implementado el sistema de casas. Vongvivitpatana dice que el proyecto del mural de mosaico, que se realizó a lo largo de varias semanas, inspiró unidad y creó un sentido de comunidad entre los estudiantes. El mosaico,…