Author: The Hub

The Greater East Dallas Chamber of Commerce recently honored its Dallas ISD Teachers of the Year. They are: • Kent Benson, Robert E. Lee Elementary • Shelly Thibodaux, Robert T. Hill Middle School • John David du Mars, Emmett J. Conrad High School They are pictured above with Dallas ISD Board President Dan Micciche, far left, and Dallas ISD Trustee Dustin Marshall, far right.

Thanks to Kroger and Southwest Construction for their generous donations, Tom W. Field Elementary School received more than 350 complete thanksgiving meals for their students, faculty and staff. Principal Shondula Whitfield thanked the companies for making the school’s “Gobble Ganza” event possible.

The NCAA’s “Read to the Final Four!” contest for Dallas ISD third-graders kicked off with a special event on Thursday, Nov. 17, at Ebby Halliday Elementary School. Members of the Seagoville High School band and drill team greeted students as they walked into the auditorium for the event. Former WNBA basketball star Alicia Thompson was a special guest at the event, helping conduct a spelling bee. Thompson played basketball at Texas Tech, and went on to have a standout career playing for the New York Liberty, Indiana Fever and helped the Seattle Storm win a championship. The contest is open…

As part of Freadom Reads Day, the South Oak Cliff High School Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) donated nearly 300 books to Clara Oliver Elementary to encourage a love of reading. “We want to be good stewards within our feeder pattern, so this is an event we wanted to host for these students here at Clara Oliver,” said Elvis Williams, principal of South Oak Cliff High School. Freadom Reads Day was on Veterans Day and helped celebrate the power of peace, reading and literacy. The event was part of Dallas Reads.

Dallas ISD is proud to release its first-ever enrollment guide, which provides comprehensive information on all 228 schools in the district. From the school effectiveness index and state accountability rating to the academic programs and extracurricular activities, the enrollment guide provides a one-stop shop for information on every Dallas ISD school. The district will hand out the enrollment guides at the Discover Dallas ISD Fair, which is set for Dec. 3 at Ellis Davis Field House. The Discover Dallas ISD Fair will highlight academic choices from prekindergarten, single-gender and magnet schools to collegiate academies, STEM and STEAM schools and neighborhood…

Mission Continues and 22 Kill Dallas, a group that promotes awareness of the growing suicide rate of veterans, joined Roger Q. Mills Elementary School teachers, parents and students to beautify the school. Celanese also joined the effort that was part of United Way Grow South Grow Strong. The group donated a refrigerator, computer desk, coffee maker and microwave. They also refurbished the teachers lounge; reupholstered clinic beds and painted the clinic; created an outdoor classroom and beautified the courtyard; repainted the basketball court, and more. “I met the most amazing veterans over the last few weeks as we prepped for…

Blanton Elementary P.E. teacher Freddie Harris helped his students create a fun Mannequin Challenge last week. Check it out!

The Dallas Independent School District (Dallas ISD) announced Oct. 18 the promotion of Israel Cordero to Chief of Strategic Initiatives and External Relations. This new position, which is budget neutral, was created to strengthen and broaden Dallas ISD’s ability to further develop corporate and community partnerships to support the district’s strategic initiatives. Cordero will also be responsible for governmental relations at the state and local levels. Cordero, most recently Deputy Chief of School Leadership, will continue to oversee the expansion of the district’s collegiate academies and assume responsibility for the Dallas Education Foundation and Volunteer and Partnership Services. His team will…

Dallas ISD students in the African American Success Initiative will participate in a workshop on Saturday hosted by the Texas Higher Education Initiative, which is made up of community members, colleges and universities from across the state. Many students at the workshop could receive acceptance letters and scholarship offers to go to college. Each student will also receive the “Ultimate Scholarship Book 2017: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships, Grants and Prizes” as a congratulatory gift for making the commitment to their futures. Students recently signed letters of commitment to participate in the scholarship workshop.

Did you know that at least five graduates from David W. Carter High School have gone on to be medical doctors? From a medical director to dentist, here are the details on these accomplished alums. Dr. Kevin Smith Year graduated: 1978 Medical School: University of Houston Medical School Specialty: Otolaryngologist Dr. Gayle Smith Blair Year graduated: 1980 Medical School: Texas A&M Medical School Specialty: Psychiatrist Dr. Cedrick Smith Year graduated: 1988 Medical School: UTMB Galveston Specialty: Medical Director (Internist) Dr. Nicole Tarrant Brown Year graduated: 1988 Medical School: University of Houston Medical School Specialty: Pediatric Dr. Carmen Smith Year graduated: 1988 Medical School: Baylor College of Dentistry Specialty: Dentistry