Author: The Hub

Webster’s dictionary defines distinguished as notable, as renowned, famous, celebrated, prominent, or eminent. Under Dallas ISD’s ground-breaking Teacher Excellence Initiative (TEI), being distinguished requires exceptional teaching skill and expertise that makes a powerful impact on student learning. According to Lindsay Coshatt, who spearheads TEI, the Distinguished Teacher Review (DTR) is the district’s process of identifying the top 20 percent of highly effective teachers who excel not just in the classroom but as campus leaders; they are teachers who demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning, pursue and share information with colleagues and contribute to the profession. Specifically, TEI defines a distinguished teacher…

There are 26 million reasons why the Communities Foundation of Texas wants this year’s North Texas Giving Day to be successful. That’s how many dollars the campaign collected from 75,000 donations last year, with money going to area nonprofit organizations. A number of the nonprofits support Dallas ISD students and schools. This is the seventh year for the regional campaign, and the goal is to surpass last year’s total. From 6 a.m. to midnight on Thursday, Sept. 17, the more than 2,100 certified nonprofits listed on the website will accept individual donations of $25 or more. Donating is simple and…

Dallas ISD celebrates the rich culture and important contributions of Hispanic Americans during National Hispanic Heritage Month, which is Sept. 15-Oct. 15 each year. Special events and educational lessons help bring the history to life for students. The time period is an important one for several Hispanic countries. On Sept. 15, the countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua celebrate becoming independent nations. The next day, Sept. 16, is celebrated as Independence Day in Mexico. Chile celebrates its independence on Sept. 18. Columbus Day, or Día de la Raza, is celebrated on Oct. 12. The observation started in 1968…

Fourteen Dallas ISD students have been named semifinalists for the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program. According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, the National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Semifinalists are chosen based on their 2014 preliminary SAT scores. Each year, 1.5 million students undergo PSAT/NMSQT tests. Here are the Dallas ISD semifinalists: Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts Hennig, Elaine M. Science and Engineering Magnet School at Yvonne A. Ewell…

The groundwork for Dallas ISD’s innovative Teacher Excellence Initiative comes from the understanding that the one-dimensional nature of traditional evaluations fails to acknowledge the hard work, long hours and personal commitment required of an effective teacher. The Texas Education Agency’s recent mandate to replace the Professional Development and Appraisal System (PDAS) reinforces the inability of conventional evaluations to reflect the actual effect teachers have on their students. In 2009, a project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation began in more than 3,000 classrooms across the U.S., including some in Dallas ISD. The MET (Measures of Effective Teaching) Project…

When it comes to activities that combine learning and fun, it’s hard to top the academic competitions sponsored by the Dallas ISD Student Activities department. And, given the popularity of the competitions, it’s clear that many students already know this. Last year more than 6,000 students participated in academic competitions such as chess, debate, robotics, math and science matches, as well as competitive contests of knowledge and creativity such as Academic UIL, Academic Decathlon, Academic Pentathlon, Lone Star Challenge and Destination Imagination. The Student Activities team has prepared a downloadable calendar of events in hopes of involving more students than ever this…

The list is quite impressive: ranked number 16 in the nation on Newsweek’s “Beating the Odds” list; earned seven stars on the state accountability assessments, the highest number of distinctions available; and named a 2012 National Excellence in Urban Education Award winner. Now, Trinidad “Trini” Garza Early College High School can add National Blue Ribbon nomination, which is awarded to the top national schools that help close the achievement gaps among students, to its list of accolades. While school leaders say they appreciate the accolades, nothing trumps the work the teachers and staff do each day to empower students and prepare each of…

Most of the students at Dallas ISD’s John B. Hood Middle School hadn’t been born on Sept. 11, 2001, but they recognized the somberness of the occasion during a special commemoration ceremony. Students, staff and parents gathered in front of the school at 9:30 a.m. Thursday. The annual event – in its 13th year – honors those who lost their lives in the 2001 terrorist attacks, but also celebrates the fact that the freedom Americans enjoy is still intact. Principal Latonya Lockhart likened the country’s recovery to the mythical phoenix rising from the ashes. “On Sept. 11, 2015, our flag…

Under the Teacher Excellence Initiative, teachers have a significantly higher earning potential than they do under a traditional salary step schedule. In fact, effective teachers who advance at an average progression under TEI have the potential to make a total of $100,000 more over 15 years than they could under Dallas ISD’s traditional step salary schedule. Under strategic compensation, a Dallas ISD teacher’s earning potential is very competitive compared to other Texas school districts. Using the same example above, here is the earning potential for an effective teacher with 15 years of service and a Proficient III Effectiveness Level I…

With Sunday, Sept. 13, marking National Grandparents Day, the Hub asked some young scholars at Walnut Hill Elementary what they love most about their grandparents. Watch the above video to hear what they say.