Author: The Hub

The Dallas ISD Teen School Board has elected officers for the 2015-2016 school year. They are: Maya Farr-Henderson, president, School for the Talented and Gifted at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center; Harris Miers, vice president, W.T. White High School; Lili Vi, secretary, Thomas Jefferson High School; and Alexa Sanchez, service project chairperson, Moises E. Molina High School. The young leadership group is a student advisory board that meets monthly to discuss issues impacting students and is comprised of the senior and junior class presidents from each Dallas ISD high school. The Teen Board gives students a voice in leadership decisions…

The Dallas Morning News reports how the Pentagon opening up all roles in the military to qualified women has encouraged students such as Yorleni Saravia, an eighth-grader at Marsh Preparatory Academy and leader for the school’s Leadership Cadet Corps. Click here to read the full story.

Dallas ISD is creating new Transformation Schools that offer specialized academic programming, similar to Magnet Schools. Unlike Magnet Schools, Transformation Schools do not have any academic entry requirements — they are open enrollment for all students across the entire district, regardless of academic ability.  Transportation will be provided. Dallas ISD employees, parents and the community at large can get answers to these questions and take a close-up look at Dallas ISD Transformation Schools at a series of open house events. The dates and times are listed below. All meetings will have both English and Spanish options available. Solar Preparatory School for Girls…

Members of the public and district employees were invited to provide input on some of the elements of Dallas ISD’s 2016-2017 school calendar. Through the calendar survey, the public and district employees weighed in on the winter break, bad weather make up days, and early release days. District administration incorporated the feedback from the more than 7,600 responders when creating the proposed calendar for next school year. The calendar survey results included: 52.99 percent of responders voted in favor of holding Winter Break from Dec. 23–Jan. 6; the other 47.01 percent of responders voted in favor of holding Winter Break…

A recent event at Dallas ISD’s W.E. Greiner Exploratory Arts Academy gave students and their families a chance to see and experience science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM). The Family STEAM Fest was conducted by students in the school’s AVID program, which is a college-readiness program that stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. Principal Yvonne Rojas said AVID students created the booths, which demonstrated several aspects of STEAM. It was the school’s first such event. Jennifer Hatcher, a teacher and AVID coordinator at the school, said the event had more than one purpose. “Our goal is to increase their interest…

The Seagoville High School Debate Team rose to the top of the heap in the junior varsity division of the Fall City Championships sponsored by the Dallas Urban Debate Alliance (DUDA). This marks the second fall championship title for the school, which competed in its first DUDA competition last year where they captured the top spot in the novice division. This year’s winning team includes Gisselt Estrada and Brandon Mather. They are coached by teachers Mark Harrington and Matthew Frost. Other winners include: Novice division co-champions – Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center (teammates:…

If Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were a candidate for U.S. president, what would he be saying today on the campaign trail? It’s an intriguing topic and one that a number of Dallas ISD fourth- and fifth-graders have recently given a lot of thought. Students from 15 district campuses will recite their essays on the topic at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, at the semifinals of the annual Gardere MLK Oratory Competition. Dallas law firm Gardere, sponsor of the annual competition, challenged the students to combine their knowledge of current events and their understanding of Dr. King’s life and work…

Mercy Blanco was casually shooting hoops on the playground when some fellow classmates walked by and suggested she try out for the basketball team. Blanco, a fifth-grader at the time, had never seriously considered playing basketball. But she took the classmates up on their offer, made the team, and, by the next year, was running the basketball court. “I just fell in love with the game very quickly,” she said. “I have always liked having to push myself physically and mentally, and I kept on working to become a better basketball player.” Blanco’s hard work has paid off: now a…

Shannon Sanderford, Miss Texas 2015, visited Dallas ISD’s George H.W. Bush Elementary School on Thursday, Dec. 3, to emphasize the importance of reading, math and making good choices. Sanderford used giant Lego blocks – “Legos for Life” – to visually represent how honing each of the three skills can serve as building blocks to success. In talking about each one, Sanderford asked students why would it be important. Many of them showed a career focus even in grades 3-5, providing answers about how each of the three skills will help them in future jobs. Students taking the STAAR test next week…

Trustees gave initial consideration on Thursday to a proposed policy change to require all elementary schools to offer recess at least once a day for students in preK–fifth grade. Trustee Dan Micciche, who is proposing the policy change, said research shows the positive benefits of recess for young students. While many Dallas ISD elementary schools have daily recess, it is not required by district policy. The proposed policy change would also not allow teachers to withhold recess from students as punishment for low-level infractions. Superintendent Michael Hinojosa said the district is open to the proposed policy change. He said the…