Author: The Hub

The David W. Carter High School Choir spread holiday cheer at the Dallas ISD Administration Building last week. Central staffers lined the halls for this yearly tradition to enjoy classic and contemporary holiday tunes. Led by choir director Demetrius Ethley, this talented group set a festive tone just before the winter break begins. The choir performance happened during a week that saw other staff, students, and community partners getting into the holiday spirit by donating time and resources to make the holidays special for all. Some of these stories include: South Oak Cliff students played Santa for their feeder pattern; An…

Culinary arts students at Molina High School created Christmas trees out of wire hangers and tinsel garlands, and the Oak Cliff Advocate has the full story. The trees will be used as table toppers for a PTA meeting luncheon and be donated to residents at the Villa at Mountain View nursing home. Click here to read the story from the Advocate.

In a new article for Dallas Innovates, Alan Cohen, Dallas ISD executive director for early childhood early education, talks with Angela Pittman, the previous Dallas ISD Executive Director of Special Education, about how the district is addressing teaching shortages. Specifically, the conversation touches on how Dallas ISD is partnering with the University of Texas at Dallas to train and staff speech language pathologists inside district classrooms. Click here to read the full article.

Dallas ISD takes a series of proactive measures, including training and planning, in order to protect students. After observing the closure of schools in Los Angeles due to a terroristic threat, Dallas ISD Police Chief Craig Miller explains to parents how the district addresses these types of incidents and what to expect moving forward.

Winter Break is a great time to relax and spend time with family and friends. However, students can also lose their academic edge within just a few weeks if they don’t stay mentally and physically active. Here are four tips for how students can make sure they won’t lose any educational progress they made over the previous semester: Write and speak in complete sentences about why a student likes a particular Christmas gift; Read holiday books or poems; Go for a walk in the neighborhood or in a park; Keep a healthy routine so the student stays in balance. Watch the above…

Monday afternoon was full of surprises for students and staff at Edward H. Cary Middle School. During an assembly on Dec. 14, students heard from surprise guest Matt Cassel, the current starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. Students also learned they would each receive a copy of E.B. White’s book, Charlotte’s Web. Then they watched Principal Ben Dickerson pull a $50,000 check out of a box – funds that will bolster the school’s library budget. Dollar General and PepsiCo provided the funding for the donations. The importance of reading was highlighted, not only as demanded by careers or schoolwork, but also…

Students and teachers at two Dallas ISD elementary schools got a surprise visit from the season’s Man in Red, along with gifts of books and classroom materials on Monday, Dec. 14. Santa Claus stopped by Roger Q. Mills Elementary and H.I. Holland Elementary at Lisbon to spread cheer and – along with community volunteers – distribute the gifts to classrooms. Coordinated by the Commit! Partnership and funded by an anonymous donor, the items were distributed to 234 kindergarten-second grade teachers in the South Oak Cliff and Molina feeder patterns and ACE schools. “This donation presented to the Dallas ISD by…

The South Oak Cliff High School community came together again this holiday season to grant Christmas wishes to 72 elementary students from eight Dallas ISD schools. The Bear-y, Merry Christmas Party in a Winter Wonderland is an annual tradition that sees students and some staff at South Oak Cliff High School adopt elementary students and buy and collect presents on their Christmas wish list. Each elementary school in the South Oak Cliff feeder pattern was invited to nominate 10 deserving students to have their wish list come true. From bicycles and tablets to basketballs and games, the elementary students often…

Students at the Multiple Careers Magnet have been busy at work making reindeers, rocking horses, and other handmade crafts to donate as excellent Christmas presents. Neighborsgo has the details here. Photo courtesy Neighborsgo

Dallas Independent School District officials today congratulated Trustee Mike Morath on his appointment by Governor Greg Abbott as the new Texas Education Commissioner. Morath will replace Michael Williams, who announced his resignation earlier this fall. Morath has served on the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees since 2011 and was elected to a second term in 2014. He represents District 2, which covers sections of North Dallas and Near East Dallas. District reforms he supported during his tenure included: helping to implement the new Teacher Excellence Initiative, making Dallas ISD the first major school system in Texas to pay teachers based…