Author: The Hub

Kassandra Castañeda, a fourth-grader at Frank Guzick Elementary School in Dallas, is this year’s Best of Show winner in Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s (DART) 2016 Student Art Contest. Castañeda’s winning artwork themed “DART to discovery” will be recognized as the best of more than 2,200 entries at a Thursday, April 28, ceremony to be held at the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) at 6 p.m. The artwork will be displayed on the side of a DART bus traveling across the agency’s 13-city service area through September. Castañeda took home a $1,000 cash prize for winning the contest The Dallas ISD’s student’s…

Robotics teams from Winnetka Elementary and Emmett J. Conrad High have advanced to the world championship competitions of their respective grade levels. Winnetka will represent the Dallas Independent School District in the world championships in Louisville, Ky., the week of April 18, competing against 150 elementary school teams from across the world. Meanwhile, Conrad’s Robochargers team is heading to the world championship in St. Louis in late April to compete against 300 other teams from other countries. The achievement is particularly special at Winnetka, which initiated its robotics program this school year. “I believe this achievement is commendable especially since it is the…

It’s official: a P-TECH (Pathways to Technology Early College High School) will open in Seagoville High School next fall. The Texas Education Agency on Tuesday formally approved Dallas ISD’s request to open the P-TECH inside Seagoville High School. The approval, which is provisional, will become official this summer. Meanwhile, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick has named Superintendent Michael Hinojosa to the state’s first P-TECH Advisory Committee. Hinojosa is one of 13 members on the advisory council that will identify the specific goals and metrics for a P-TECH model in Texas and promote education and business partnerships across the state. “I want Texas…

And now a video that will brighten anyone’s day. To celebrate being ready for the STAAR exams, students and staff at Martha Turner Reilly Elementary put together a fun “Pass the Test” music video. Watch it above! Please note: Dallas ISD recently made it easier for staff and students to access Youtube for professional and academic purposes. Here is how to view the above Youtube video: Staff signed into YouTube with their Google login (district email and EAD password) will have unrestricted access to YouTube. Staff signed into Chrome browser or a Chrome device will not be required to enter credentials…

The Dallas ISD Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Department has put out its first department newsletter, and it’s great! The newsletter, which you can see in full here, covers STEM Summer Camps, the Math Olympiad, the district science fair, robotics competition, and much more. Here’s what the front page looks like: The STEM Department will produce a newsletter next August and December. For more information on the STEM Department, go here.

Reminder: The Rotary Club of Dallas is accepting nominations for its annual Service Above Self Awards through April 15. The awards recognize teachers who strive to make a positive difference in the lives of others and who go above and beyond the call of duty. Teachers may self-nominate, and community members may nominate deserving teachers. Winners will share in more than $10,000 in cash awards to be presented at the organization’s Aug. 3 awards luncheon. Go here for more information, and go here for the application.

It’s never too early to consider college…for middle school and high school students to image themselves in caps and gowns, earning diplomas and degrees…and dreaming what their future will bring – jobs, family, friends and responsibilities. Those dreams can become reality if students use the keys to success as they plan for the future. And a free program – the Las Llaves del Exito (or Keys to Success) Leadership and Career Symposium – can help students and their parents follow the road to college using a map that includes the tools they need to succeed. The event, presented by the Dallas County Community College District –…

A Two-Way Dual-Language Information Fair last weekend taught parents and potential students about the many benefits of the program. Schools that offer a Two-Way Dual-Language Program were on hand to answer any questions and provide information. School representatives explained how the program creates global citizens every day by providing students with the opportunity to learn two languages. In this program, students learn to read, write, and think in both languages, helping students to become bi-literate, bilingual and propelling them into their roles as global citizens. One student at the information fair said the Two-Way Dual-Language Program has taught her to…

A Dallas ISD teacher is among the top 10 finalists in one of the most prestigious national teacher recognition programs in the country. Eric Hale, a third-grade Math and Science teacher at David G. Burnet Elementary, is one of only 10 teachers nationwide who have been named finalists for the 2016 Fishman Prize for Superlative Classroom Practice, a $25,000 award recognizing the nation’s most effective teachers working in high-need public schools. The Fishman Prize is extremely selective, boasting thousands of nominations each year and nearly 800 teachers’ applications in 2016. The applicants undergo a six-month selection process, with selection decisions…

“Game changer” were the words of the day during a discussion with the Dallas County Community College District Board of Trustees about Dallas ISD’s plan to open eight new district collegiate academies next fall. Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa and Deputy Chief Israel Cordero briefed the DCCCD trustees on April 5 about the collegiate academies that will allow high school students to earn up to 60 hours of college credit and an Associate Degree in Applied Science at no cost to them. DCCCD trustees were noticeably excited about the partnership with Dallas ISD that will make the collegiate academies a…