Author: The Hub

Desde robótica submarina hasta codificación, el Departamento de STEM de Dallas ISD informó a la Junta Escolar sobre todo lo increíble que está sucediendo en las escuelas. STEM, que significa ciencias, tecnología, ingeniería y matemáticas, proporciona a los estudiantes la oportunidad de desarrollarse por medio de actividades prácticas y aprendizaje basado en la investigación. Vince Reyes, superintendente adjunto, dijo a la Junta Escolar que ha dado la directriz de que el Dallas ISD sea el distrito escolar público que envíe a más alumnos a estudiar informática a universidades que ofrecen programas de cuatro años. “Contamos con los estudiantes que nos…

Sunset High School’s RoboFlash robotics team should be getting used to breaking through barriers now. Composed entirely of special-needs students, RoboFlash now has the distinction of being the first such team to compete in a FIRST Robotics Competition in Texas. The students, along with their teacher Pauline Tatum, participated in the Dallas Regional contest earlier this month in Irving. “I think there’s been a stereotype with these kids that they can’t do it, so I’m saying that they can,” Tatum said. Last year, the team formed with eight members alongside Sunset’s existing RoboBison robotics team. This year, RoboFlash has more…

Robert T. Hill Middle School won first place in the annual Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas (GSNETX) Cookie Box Creations Competition. The Cookie Box Creations competition is a STEM-focused competition. Each team is given 1,000 empty cookie boxes to build into a freestanding structure that follows a theme and only uses up to 10 percent of supporting items. This was the fourth year that Hill students, in grades 6-8, participated in the competition. The school partnered with architects from Omniplan to develop a sketch and build a structure that measured up to the guidelines. The 2016-17 topic was “Game Changing Inventions.”…

The Dallas Independent School District (Dallas ISD) has announced the appointment of Israel Cordero to the position of deputy superintendent. Cordero will follow in the footsteps of Dr. Ivan Duran who has been named superintendent of schools in Bellevue, Washington. Cordero is one of several executives identified to participate in the district’s succession plan as part of Dallas ISD’s commitment to ensuring a continuity of leadership. Cordero, having most recently served as chief of Strategic Initiatives and External Relations and deputy chief of School Leadership, brings 20 years of educational experience to the role. He has served as a classroom teacher, principal…

Trustees will consider a proposal at their March 23 board meeting to lower the cost of tuition and expand to 19 the number of campuses offering full-day tuition-based prekindergarten classes next school year.  Early Learning administrators made the proposal to board members at Thursday’s briefing based on the success of the current pilot program at four schools. The tuition option is available to families whose children are not eligible to attend the district’s free pre-K classes. If approved by trustees, the cost of tuition would be reduced from the $700 per month charged this year to a monthly cost of $525…

Spend the next 99 seconds catching up on many of the great things that happened across the district this week! Watch the above video, or read below, to learn more. AVID National Demonstration School A. Maceo Smith New Tech High School became the first Dallas ISD high school to be named an AVID National Demonstration School. The AVID program helps make students college and career ready. (Learn more) Spring Break Meal Program Twenty-five of our schools will serve a free morning snack and lunch over Spring Break, Monday–Thursday. Anyone who is 18 and under can show up to any of these…

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…