Author: The Hub

Spend the next 100 seconds catching up on many of the great things that happened across the district this week! Industry partner reveal Dallas ISD and the Dallas County Community College District announced the more than 20 Dallas businesses that will partner with the district’s 10 new collegiate academies opening next school year. (See the schools and industry partners) Pennies from the Heart As part of the 19th annual Common Cents Pennies from the Heart campaign, students from 19 Dallas ISD schools collected a total of $23,000 to donate to Dallas-area nonprofits. (Read this) Donated uniforms Soccoro Dinsmore, owner of several…

District trustees voted at their February board meeting to approve the 23 Phase 2 construction projects and architects recommended by the superintendent and bond program administrators. The Phase 2 project list includes schools located in every trustee district with construction costs estimated at a total $275 million. Strongly encouraging bond program staff to continue pursuing savings on architectural fees, trustees voted 7-2 to approve the recommended list of primary project architects. Operations Chief Scott Layne and Construction Services Executive Director Tim Strucely noted that some projects would involve partnerships with minority subcontractors, but clarified that none are joint ventures. Concerned about…

Trustees on Thursday approved the sale of 10 surplus Dallas ISD properties, including the district’s current headquarters at 3700 Ross Ave. The sale of the surplus properties will generate approximately $18 million in revenue for the district. Dallas ISD is consolidating its headquarters and other district offices into one building at 9400 N. Central Expressway. Trustees approved the purchase of the Central Expressway building in April 2016. The surplus properties were advertised for sale to the general public on Oct. 31, Nov. 7, and 14, 2016, with a bid closing date of Dec. 2, 2016.

Dallas ISD trustees unanimously approved a policy change that will bring a new approach to how schools respond to disruptive students in pre-K–2nd grade. Under the policy change and pending approval to the student code of conduct, students in pre-K–2nd grade who commit Level 1 offenses—which are the lowest-level infractions such as classroom disruption and bus misconduct—will not receive out-of-school suspensions. The new approach will also provide additional support to schools. All pre-K–2nd-grade teachers will receive a comprehensive training session at the beginning of the school year focused on how to best respond to a disruptive student. The district will…

Trustees on Thursday unanimously approved a resolution to designate all Dallas ISD schools as welcoming and protective to the fullest extent of the law. The approved resolution states: WHEREAS, The Dallas Independent School District Board of Trustees embraces the diversity of our students and families and the rich language and cultural assets they bring to our District and strongly supports and encourages the participation of all parents and families in our schools; and WHEREAS, the Dallas Independent School District Board of Trustees is committed to following the law and providing a high quality education to all students regardless of their…

The 2017-2018 student calendar approved by trustees Thursday features summer professional development for teachers in August with the first day of classes set for Monday, Aug. 28. Each school day will have an additional 10 minutes during breakfast in the classroom. With the expanded day, the district will reach the state-mandated total minutes of instruction by June 1, the last day of classes. Other features: 171 days of instruction for students starting Monday, Aug. 28 10 teacher professional development/planning days, five preparation/work days and one day’s credit for teachers who attend both parent conference nights Two fair days for all students; elementary…

This year’s Dallas ISD STEM Expo was bigger, better and more fun! Conducted for the first time at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, the event provided family fun focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Caroline, a parent who attended the Expo, said the district’s large size that activities available in one school might not be available in another. “When kids get to come here, they get to see all the offerings that DISD has, all the different activities, from robotics to the kinesiology-type activities, engineering,” she said. “I think it’s great they can what there is to experience…

About 150 Dallas ISD students tasted and rated approximately 65 food items being considered for next year’s cafeteria menu. The Dallas ISD Food and Child Nutrition Services Department will review and incorporate the students’ feedback when determining the final cafeteria menu for the 2017–2018 school year. Watch the above video for a tasty inside look at the event.

The NCAA is hosting an event in April that is open to people ages 18 and under. The free NCAA Women’s Final Four event, which will be April 2 at the Victory Plaza at American Airlines Center, will see thousands of fans dribbling their way downtown and into Tourney Town – the official fan festival of the Women’s Final Four event. The first 2,000 participants to preregister will receive a free basketball and t-shirt. Learn more, and preregister, here.

Voters in Dallas ISD trustee districts 2 and 6 will have the chance to cast ballots for their representatives on the Board of Trustees in the May 6 election. District 8 Trustee Miguel Solis is running to return to the board unopposed. Solis was elected in November 2013 to complete the unexpired term of Adam Medrano, who was elected to the Dallas City Council. Solis was re-elected to serve a three-year term in May 2014. District 2 Incumbent Dustin Marshall faces challengers Richard D. Young and Lori Kirkpatrick. Marshall was elected to the board in June 2016 to complete the…