Author: The Hub

Update: Great news! STEM Day registration has been extended to Feb. 1. There are good reasons that the study of STEM-related subjects is all the rage these days. Forget all the stereotypes of how STEM is the lone preserve of nerds. Today, it’s widely recognized that excellence in STEM is the pathway to a wide array of interesting and lucrative careers. STEM is also documented to promote creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. From coding classes and math and science competitions to the new STEAM school at D.A. Hulcy and the Solar Preparatory STEAM School for Girls, Dallas ISD is…

“I need you to look at your neighbor and tell your neighbor if it is to be, then it is up to me,” said a speaker at a symposium for girls held Jan. 8 at Franklin D. Roosevelt High School. Such messages were the order of the day at the symposium, which was geared toward the more than 312 young women at the school. The goal was to address and encourage young women to employ the positive attitudes and thoughtful decision-making skills needed to be successful as they matriculate to college and career opportunities. In addition to positive affirmations, the…

W.E. Greiner Middle School teacher Steve Thomas was out shopping after-Christmas sales with his family when the tornadoes hit. It wasn’t until he returned home that he discovered just how much damage the tornado caused to his home. Thomas is using the experience to motivate students and show them that a person can overcome anything. Click here to view the report from WFAA, and go here to see the story from CBS 11.

Ashley Fortner-Dominguez always had a love for education, but never thought she’d make a career out of it. She was more intrigued by Middle Eastern studies and international relations. While studying abroad in Jordan, she picked up a job teaching English as a foreign language to first-graders at a private school. Though she didn’t fully realize it at the time, that experience would change the course of her life. “When I dipped my feet it, I didn’t want to leave,” she says. “I just forced myself to leave [the classroom] and get my master’s, but there was an unfulfilled part…

Dallas ISD Trustee Lew Blackburn is a veteran educator and proud alumnus of Franklin D. Roosevelt High School, and when asked to recall a favorite teacher who made a huge impression in his life, it is no surprise that he reaches back to his days at his alma mater. “My memorable educator is Mr. Thomas Ross, my band director at Franklin D. Roosevelt High School. He taught us more than music. He also taught us about life challenges and choices.” As a veteran educator and a member of the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees since 2001, Dr. Blackburn has spent…

When Withers Elementary reopened in the ’90s, the Dallas ISD school struggled to compete with the numerous private schools in the surrounding area. The North Dallas school continually battled low enrollment until a group of parents had an idea in the early 2000s: the school could start a two-way immersion dual-language program that would put Spanish-speaking and English-speaking students in the same classroom, teach them the same curriculum in both languages, and create bilingual, bicultural and biliterate students. Fast forward nine years, and not only is Withers’ student population at capacity, it has a waiting list to get into its…

More than 2,000 teachers were identified this year as eligible to apply to the Distinguished Teacher Review process, which aims to identify and reward the most effective Dallas ISD teachers. This represents more than a 25 percent increase than the number of teachers invited to apply to the DTR process in the 2014-15 school year. To meet DTR eligibility criteria, teachers excelled in all relevant components of the Teacher Excellence Initiative, including teacher performance, student achievement, and student surveys. The teachers also earned TEI evaluation scores in the top 25 percent of their teacher category. The 2015-16 DTR process was broken into two application…

Dallas Independent School District will host its annual wrestling tournament Jan. 8–9 at W.H. Adamson High School. The event will feature both girls’ and boys’ wrestling teams from 21 schools. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door. Adult tickets will be $3, and students will be able to watch the matches for a $2 admission ticket.

Eleven tornados ripped through the Dallas-Fort Worth area just one day after Christmas, tearing some homes down to the studs. The weather devastated one Dallas ISD teacher’s home, but, like his home, he is committed to standing through it all. W.E. Greiner Middle School teacher Steve Thomas was out shopping after-Christmas sales with his family when the tornadoes hit. It wasn’t until he returned home that he discovered just how much damage the tornado caused to his home. “I consider this a life event, and life events happen to all people. It does not discriminate based on age, gender, or…

The Texas Association of School Boards has designated January school board recognition month. The purpose is to honor and thank the devoted volunteers who serve at the will of the public to set policy and make decisions that ensure schools are safe and productive for staff and students. This year’s theme is: Super Heroes for Schools. Here are just a few of the ways schools can honor trustees for their tireless work on behalf of our schools: Create a short video filled with “Thank You” messages from teachers, students, and parents. Hang pictures and bios of trustees in a “Hall…