Author: The Hub

In a few weeks, students from Dallas ISD and schools across Texas will take the 2016 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR. To ensure parents are aware of STAAR and ways they can prepare their children to perform well on the tests, the district is holding its annual STAAR Live Forum at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 10. The live forum is presented by the Office of Family and Community Engagement in collaboration with the divisions of Teaching and Learning and Evaluation and Assessment. It offers parents the opportunity to learn about recent changes in the examination, what…

Congressman Marc Veasey, TX-33, recently honored 10 talented Townview School of Business and Management students during the annual Congressional App Challenge reception at El Centro Community College. Raymond Hernandez, Cesar Escobedo and Lisette Benavides composed the winning “Dark Matter” team that created the innovative app, “Accountability Tracker.” The app was developed to help other students establish and track personal and professional goals. The winning app will be displayed in a U.S. Capitol exhibit for a year. This year’s participants included 10 students from Townview School of Business and Management. Each team submitted a user-friendly application that promoted engagement in the Science, Technology,…

Three graduating seniors at Dallas ISD’s Lincoln High School and Communications/Humanities Magnet have committed to extend their football careers beyond high school. On Wednesday, Feb. 3, high school athletes from across the country will sign on the dotted line to officially accept offers to play sports for colleges and universities. On National Signing Day, Dallas ISD student-athletes will be recognized in a special annual ceremony starting at noon at Ellis Davis Field House. One of the seniors – Robert Craddock – is a member of the Football USA team, which is hosting its 2016 International Bowl this week at AT&T…

When members of the Dallas Wind Symphony played songs from the movie “Frozen” for Dallas ISD fifth-graders last year, many of the students began singing along. It was that spontaneous reaction that prompted the band to encourage singing along. This year, the Dallas Winds returned to play concerts in late January for 12,000 district fifth-graders, hoping to inspire them to choose an instrument and join their school bands when they reach the sixth grade. “Can we play music that resonates, that is part of their lives?” asked Dallas winds founder Kim Campbell. Many of the songs were instantly recognizable, from the…

Graduating seniors are invited to apply for a pair of district scholarships during the month of February. High school counselors are now accepting applications for the Sulentic and Superintendent’s scholarships. Applications are online at https://www.dallasisd.org/Page/207. The deadline to apply for four $10,000 scholarships funded by the Sulentic Family Foundation is Feb. 26, 2016. To be eligible for the Sulentic scholarship, students must meet these requirements: Have a minimum 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Demonstrate financial need. Be accepted by one or more colleges or universities. May not be related to a Dallas ISD employee or any member of the…

About 300 students from eight Dallas ISD schools heard from a woman who last summer climbed a 30-foot flagpole to remove the Confederate battle flag flying on the grounds of the South Carolina State House. Bree Newsome was the featured speaker at a youth forum in the Zan Wesley Holmes, Jr. African Heritage Lecture Series on Monday, Feb. 1, at St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church. She talked about the history of the Confederate flag, the reasons behind her actions and the need to make a difference. She also answered questions submitted by the students. Newsome was already an activist…

The Dallas Women Lawyers Association’s sponsored a “Law and Leadership Symposium” for students at Dallas ISD’s Irma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School. The Jan. 23 event, held at the University of North Texas School of Law, featured “speed mentoring” by experienced women lawyers and law students. The event was attended by 21 Rangel students who are considering a career in law. The symposium was the culminating service project for DWLA’s first Leadership Class, which brought together 12 students from area law schools and mentors them on becoming leading lawyers. The Rangel students also heard from 116th District Judge Tonya Parker;…

African Americans have had immeasurable impact and contributed to the quality, progress and access of education to all races and creeds within the Dallas Independent School District and community. Read about some of our schools’ namesakes and their historical contributions to Dallas ISD. Jimmie T. Brashear: Brashear was the only African American in her graduating class from the University of Wisconsin. In 1929, she worked for Dallas ISD, training African-American teachers. She soon became the first African-American supervisor for the district. Brashear retired in 1967 after being in the education field for 47 years, including teaching at three universities in…

With a continually growing student population, George W. Truett Elementary School was high on the priority list of campus needs to adequately house their growing enrollment. With the support of District 3 Trustee Dan Micciche and the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees, the Bridge Plan approved by trustees in March allocated $13 million to cover additions and improvements at Truett Elementary, including 24 new classrooms, a science lab, updated library, gym and computer labs. The renovations added 55,000 square feet to the school and allow it to accommodate 1,400 additional students. “These new spaces are just amazing,” said Truett Elementary…

NBC DFW recently reported on Dallas ISD’s Education and Training program that gives black male students first-hand teaching experience. The news story focuses on two South Oak Cliff High School seniors who are getting teaching experience at Clara Oliver Preparatory Elementary School. Go here to see the NBC DFW story.