Author: The Hub

Trustees were briefed on a demographic report that shows the challenges—and opportunities—of projected student enrollment over the next 10 years. Dallas ISD hires an external demographer about every five years to get a detailed forecast on future student enrollment. The report presented at Thursday’s board meeting states the district could see an enrollment decline of 5,000 students over the next 10 years, though the high-growth estimate states the district could grow by 1 percent over that same time period. The growth of charter schools and housing availability and affordability are among the factors that could cause a future student enrollment…

From underwater robotics to computer coding, the Dallas ISD STEM Department briefed trustees on the amazing work happening inside schools. STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, provides students with opportunities to grow through hands-on activities and inquiry-based learning. Assistant Superintendent Vince Reyes told trustees that he has made it a directive that Dallas ISD become the public school district that sends the most students on to four-year universities for computer science. “We have the students that can make that happen,” Reyes said. The district has been working to ensure STEM programs seamlessly sequence from elementary to high…

Something special is growing in the Promise of Peace Garden at Bayles Elementary School, and the result aims to help feed the minds, bellies and spirits of the 500 families with children at the campus. Elizabeth Dry, a retired Dallas ISD educator, started the nonprofit Promise of Peace to replace empty lots in underserved areas in Dallas with food-growing gardens. The plot behind Bayles is the fourth one planted by the organization. But the effort isn’t only about putting plants in the ground; the “seed to soul” initiative aims to cover a lot of ground. Dry conducts cooking classes for parents…

Wednesday, March 15, is the Texas priority deadline for aspiring college students to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Completing the application is the first step toward receiving federal aid for college or a career school. Many colleges also use FAFSA data to determine student eligibility for state and school aid. Graduating seniors can receive up to $5,815 in Federal Pell Grant Funds, which do not have to be repaid, to help pay for tuition and fees at public and private colleges, community colleges and career schools. Hundreds of Dallas ISD seniors who are eligible to receive…

Wednesday, March 8, is International Women’s Day, a time to recognize and honor the achievements of women who have contributed to our culture and our lives. Several Dallas ISD schools have been named to honor women. Below is a list of district schools, with brief summaries of major accomplishments of some of the women whose names grace the buildings. Birdie Alexander Elementary School: Birdie Alexander (1870-1960) taught music in Dallas public schools, where she became supervisor of music in 1900. In Dallas she is credited with laying the foundation for the system of music education in the public schools. She…

A recruitment fair Tuesday evening helped connect some of the top Dallas ISD teachers with principals at the district’s six new ACE schools. The ACE program, which stands for Accelerating Campus Excellence, staffs the highest-need schools with high-performing principals and teachers. Principals at the six new ACE schools helped interview and hire high-performing teachers on the spot at the recruitment fair. The recruitment fair was open to teachers rated Proficient I or above. Teachers who voluntarily choose to transfer and teach on an ACE campus receive an additional $8,000-$12,000 per year. About 400 high-performing teachers signed up to attend the…

¡Hazte a un lado Picasso! Anoche, cerca de 800 estudiantes talentosos de primaria mostraron sus obras de arte en el museo de historia afroamericana, como parte del mes del arte juvenil. Los maestros de arte de cada primaria seleccionaron su obra favorita de cada grado para mostrar durante la exhibición. Los orgullosos padres admiraron las coloridas creaciones de los estudiantes. El Dallas ISD ha patrocinado el mes del arte juvenil en marzo durante los últimos 40 años, y el museo de historia afroamericana ha exhibido el trabajo de los estudiantes los últimos 15 años. Monica Hayslip, directora de artes visuales…

This week is National School Breakfast Week! The theme is “Take the School Breakfast Challenge” and aims to encourage parents, students and school officials to begin their morning with a healthy breakfast. Dallas ISD schools are celebrating in a variety of ways, from hosting special guests to designing posters with their favorite breakfast foods. Free, nutritious Breakfast in the Classroom is available at all Dallas ISD schools. In elementary and middle schools, breakfast is taken to students in their classrooms. In high school, breakfast is offered in ways such as self-serve kiosks. Students who eat breakfast have school perform better…

Move over, Picasso: about 800 talented elementary students showed off their work last night at the African American History Museum as part of Youth Art Month. Each elementary school art teacher picked his or her favorite piece of art from each grade level to show at the exhibit. At the exhibit, proud parents admired the students’ colorful creations. Dallas ISD has hosted Youth Art Month in March for the past 40 years, and the African American Museum has hosted the student art exhibits for the past 15 years. Monica Hayslip, Dallas ISD Director of Visual Arts, said she was not…

On Tuesday, March 7, A. Maceo Smith New Tech High School officially became the first Dallas ISD high school to be named an AVID National Demonstration School. AVID – Advancement Via Individual Determination – is a nonprofit organization that provides students with real-world strategies to accelerate their academic performance and succeed in college or in their careers. AVID is offered at more than 5,600 campuses across the country, but fewer than 3 percent of the participating schools earn the distinction of being a Demonstration School. Tuesday’s celebration included a performance by the Zumwalt Middle School drum line and words from…