Author: The Hub

Bryan Adams High School Leadership Academy has been selected to become part of the next cohort of the federal Investing in Innovation (i3) Validation Grant for scaling the Building Assets Reducing Risks (BARR) program. The mission of BARR is to improve educator effectiveness and the performance of all students in secondary schools by creating positive relationships among students and staff and using real-time, student-level performance data to guide instruction. For the next two years, Bryan Adams will receive $130,000 to strengthen its schoolwide approach to social and emotional learning (SEL) through implementation of the BARR program. Yearlong training and resources…

After 44 years of working at Elisha M. Pease Elementary School, Burea Shelley celebrated her last day at work last week. Shelley, a teacher assistant, was the longest active serving Dallas ISD employee to retire this month. Affectionately known as “Momma Pease,”Shelley has been a positive presence at the school her entire career. “I love working with these kids and the parents, and I love this school,” she said. “Seeing the students come through here, graduate college, have families and then come back to see me has been a blessing.” Shelley is one of the approximately 300 district employees who retired this month.…

Solar Preparatory School for Girls announced it is the recipient of a $350,000 grant awarded by NewSchools Invent, a philanthropic support arm of NewSchools Venture Fund. A total of 11 organizations won planning grants to develop innovative school models, and four organizations, including Solar Prep, received contributions to open new schools. Solar Prep’s model will focus on three priorities: research-based instruction in a socioeconomically diverse model; hands-on, performance-based STEAM learning; and social/emotional learning to build self-awareness, empathy, positive mindsets and emotional intelligence for increased academic achievement. Last year, Solar Prep received a $100,000 planning grant from NewSchools Venture Fund that…

Later this week, Susi Parks Grissom will turn off the lights and lock the door of the library at William B. Travis Academy/Vanguard for the Academically Talented and Gifted for the last time after 16 years as the school’s librarian. She is retiring on a high note, though, as Dallas ISD’s Librarian of the Year. Grissom’s mission was to support teachers and the curriculum they teach by reinforcing and enhancing those lessons in the library. That included helping with research projects, among other things. At times, the library was simply a place to gather for students, staff and parents. “It…

Students at Madison and Adamson high schools got real-world film and advertising experience—while helping promote a City of Dallas initiative—thanks to a program offered through a partnership from the Marcus Graham Project and the Mayor’s Rising Star Council. Students in the pilot program created 90-second video spots for the city’s GrowSouth initiative, which is a comprehensive strategy to build a foundation for sustainable growth in Southern Dallas. The videos highlighted the communities the students live in and the possibilities inside for potential new residents. One of the videos, which you can watch above, was shown on the big screen at…

Today, district leadership announced the realignment of the School Leadership Department to better support academic achievement and programs that enhance college and career readiness. Pamela Lear has been appointed one of two deputy chiefs of School Leadership, joining Israel Cordero. Lear, formerly executive director of the L.G. Pinkston feeder pattern, will work with Cordero to support the district’s 20 feeder pattern executive directors. Both deputies will report to Stephanie Elizalde, chief of School Leadership. Four educators appointed executive directors or leadership development administrators to support principals and programs include: John Vega, L.G. Pinkston feeder (former principal of W.W. Samuell High…

Leonardo Santoyo, a senior at Emmett J. Conrad High School, is a 2016 recipient of the Dallas ISD Superintendent’s Scholarship. Born in Denver, Santoyo moved to Mexico with his father when he was 10 years old after his parents separated. His mother eventually joined them in Mexico, but as Sontoyo’s father was a migrant worker, he returned to the U.S. to support the family. Eventually Santoyo began joining him to earn tuition to pay for his schooling, since public school in Mexico is not free. One day while he was near El Paso with his father, they came across some university students.…

The runoff election for Dallas ISD Board of Trustees District 2 will be Saturday, June 18. Early voting will be June 6 through June 14. Any qualified voter may vote in person at any one of the eight early voting locations on the dates and times indicated: Monday, June 6 through Friday, June 10 – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 11 – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 12 – 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, June 13 through Tuesday, June 14 – 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information and voting sites, visit www.DallasCountyVotes.org.

Dallas ISD announced on Friday, June 3, that Dr. Janice Lombardi has been named the new principal of Skyline High School and Career Development Center. She is currently principal of Trinidad “Trini” Garza Early College High School, a 2015 Texas Blue Ribbon Campus. Lombardi has collected many accolades during her career, but this past school year was named a finalist for the H-E-B Excellence in Education Award and also was one of three finalists for Dallas ISD Secondary Principal of the Year. Skyline High School opened in 1971 as the nation’s first magnet school. It remains the largest high school…

Thursday marked the last day of a great school year that saw students, teachers and staff work together to accomplish great things. Dallas ISD released this list naming the valedictorians and salutatorians at each high school. Meanwhile, Superintendent Michael Hinojosa saluted these 300-plus employee retirees. Watch the above video recap to catch up on this week’s great news, and have a fantastic, safe summer! Fun with animals The Dallas Zoo has donated a free admission ticket to each elementary student so kids get an up-close look at the zoo’s residents this summer. (Read this) A great bookend to the year Students…