Author: The Hub

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…

Out of an abundance of caution, the Dallas Independent School District is closely monitoring developments regarding the Zika virus in Dallas County. To date, no cases of the Zika virus have been found in Dallas ISD students or staff members. Dallas County Health and Human Services has received confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the Zika virus cases. The Zika virus is transmitted to people by mosquitoes and through sexual activity. The most common symptoms of Zika virus are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting…

About 100 Dallas ISD graduating seniors were recognized for committing to scholarship offers from colleges and universities to play sports at the district’s annual National Signing Day event. The student-athletes were escorted to the stage by family, friends and coaches, where they shook hands with Superintendent Michael Hinojosa and Athletics Director Gil Garza. The event, which was launched in 1999, featured student-athletes who have signed scholarships to play sports such as football, soccer, basketball and volleyball. New this year, a Legacy Walk comprising Dallas ISD graduates who played sports in college – and some beyond college – started off the…

CBS DFW has a story on the district’s effort to hire more male African American teachers. Watch the report here from CBS DFW to see a great teacher in action at Clara Oliver Elementary and to learn why the district is working to hire more teachers like him.