Author: The Hub

The confidence of Dallas Independent School District school-level employees in the direction of the district is at its highest level in two years, according to the most recent climate survey. On the Fall 2015 Campus Climate Survey, the percentage of school staff believing that the district is moving in the right direction is now at more than 63 percent. The response marks a nearly 15 percentage point increase from the response to the same question in Fall 2014. “To be successful in supporting students, we need the buy-in and support of our school staff members. We are pleased our teachers…

Dallas ISD’s third annual STEM Day offered hands-on activities and demonstrations that brought aspects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics to life for students and parents. The free event was Saturday, Feb. 6, at Skyline High School. From robots to critters, from race cars to tiny sailboats, from a fake snow machine to a cloud forming on a classroom floor – there was no shortage of things to see, touch and learn. In addition to a day of sessions for elementary, middle and high school students, STEM Day featured a Vex IQ Robots invitational competition that gave Dallas ISD robotics teams a…

As local hip hop artist Tru Def freestyled over a looped cello riff and an impromptu beat made by a middle-school student, one thing was clear: this Career Day at Alex W. Spence Talented and Gifted Academy was something special. Following the performance, Jordan Cleaver—a Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts grad and classically trained cellist—Tru Def, and members of Tru Def’s entourage, which included a publicist, event organizer, and videographer, talked with students about their careers. They answered students’ questions about how they got to where they are today and shared advice. “There is…

Students and staff at James Bowie Elementary unveiled a new fitness center this week that was funded with winnings from the national TV game show “Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?” The Bowie Bobcat Fitness Center features treadmills, bicycles, a ping-pong table, and more, and it’s open to students, staff, and the greater surrounding community. Bowie was able to open the in-school fitness center after the school’s fourth- and fifth-graders appeared on the TV game show in June. “This fitness center will help us continue to promote a culture of health here at Bowie Elementary,” Principal Caroline Wilson said.…

Students and staff have come together at Dallas ISD’s Thomas Jefferson High School to boost school pride and school spirit. Principal Sandi Massey can pinpoint the catalyst. “One of the things that makes Thomas Jefferson High School really unique is the fact that we have student leadership really promoted on our campus,” Massey said. In the Master Leadership Class, students earn the right to attend the program by having great attendance, good behavior and maintaining passing grades in their classes. The Ambassador program requires students to mentor freshmen, and gives them the chance to meet with company and community leaders.…

Wednesday was the day almost every high school athlete dreams about: the opportunity to sign an athletic scholarship. At this week’s 2016 Dallas ISD Signing Day Event, more than 100 student-athletes signed contracts called National Letters of Intent to compete at colleges and universities across the country. The Dallas ISD Signing Day Event included a red carpet introduction of each college signee complete with photo opportunities to memorialize the moment. But long before the glitz and glamour of signing day, parents, coaches, counselors and administrators worked in concert to support student-athletes with the goal of positioning them to attain these coveted athletic…

Texas school counselors converged on Dallas by the hundreds this week for the 2016 Texas School Counselor Conference held at the Wyndham Anatole Hotel. The agenda of workshop sessions, information sharing and recognition left counselors energized and renewed, said Dallas ISD Counseling Services Director Dr. Sylvia Lopez who serves as president of the Texas School Counselor Association. Dallas ISD counselors were well represented at the conference, and several led workshop sessions. A highlight of the event was a Texas-sized congratulation to district counselors and their colleagues in the form of a proclamation from Texas Governor Greg Abbott and presented by…

“I have always believed when the heart of a child is broken, the mind stops thinking,” says Dr. Sylvia Lopez, director of the Dallas ISD counseling department. “School counselors help remove those barriers so that students can get back on track in the world of learning.” Feb. 1–5 is National School Counseling Week, which is dedicated to honoring school counselors by providing recognition for those who implement comprehensive school counseling programs, which are a vital part of the educational process for all students as they meet the challenges of the 21st century. Always the first week in February, NSCW focuses public attention on…

A recent all-girls motivational assembly at Kimball High School encouraged the female students to realize that they have the potential to turn the world upside down in the best way possible. The theme of the school’s second-annual Girls Motivational Assembly was “Defining Moments.” The assembly’s goal was to bridge all ages and ethnicities and inspire the school’s female students to pursue greatness. “This program was designed to encourage, motivate, inspire and challenge you to think differently and to be the best you can be,” Kimball Assistant Principal Tracy Mayfield-Edwards said. Multiple female school and community leaders shared inspiring words with…

With a long list of accomplishments and community and career involvement, Christopher Lewis, a Skyline High School alum, Class of 2003, wasted little time building an impressive career. He has managed to cram a lot of things into his life since graduating from high school, including a seven-year stint in the U.S. Navy. Today Lewis is an electrical engineer who reaches back to bring others forward into their own dreams. AlumNow, The Hub feature that profiles district alumni, caught up with this busy professional for an update. What are you doing now? I’m a subscriber data management engineer at Nokia, where…