Author: The Hub

With 227 schools, more than 140,000 students and approximately 20,000 employees, the start of school in Dallas ISD will always encounter a few bumps. But, considering the size of the district, Dallas ISD Chief of Operations Wanda Paul said the start of this school year has gone as smooth for operations as any in recent memory. “We start working on and planning for the first day of school right after the previous school year ends,” she said. “Our staff has incredible commitment to making sure our students have a safe, comfortable school that is in proper condition on the first…

Dallas ISD libraries checked out 40 percent more books over the summer than the previous year. During summer school, students, staff, and community members checked out more than 32,000 books from 32 Dallas ISD libraries. Meanwhile, the number of eBooks checked out by students and staff rose from 64 in summer 2014 to 1026 in summer 2015. “Each year the libraries and departments under the umbrella of the Language and Literacy Department continue to do their part by promoting summer literacy by keeping libraries open to service students and families,” said Gay Patrick, director of Library Media Services. “It’s critical that…

The agenda for tonight’s Board of Trustees meeting includes consideration of Dallas ISD’s tax rates (maintenance and operating, as well as debt service) and a report by interim Superintendent Dr. Michael Hinojosa on the results of staff, community and Board input gathered over the course of 100 meetings during the first weeks of his tenure. The meeting will start at 6 p.m. at the Dallas ISD Main Administration Building, 3700 Ross Ave. The meeting can be live streamed here.

As a member of Townview’s Big “D” Band 15 years ago, Matt Houston learned many valuable lessons beyond music. Houston’s band days might be far behind him, but the lessons he learned in school are still close to his heart as he helps others build businesses. AlumNow, a Hub feature that checks in with district alumni to see where they are now, checked in with the School of Health Professions at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center grad (2002) for an update on what he’s been doing. What are you doing now? I’m head of a consulting firm that focuses on business development, strategy, and marketing.…

For his first podcast with Dallas ISD, Dr. Robert Bravo, the Dallas ISD Chief of School Leadership, had a wide-ranging discussion with Alan Cohen, the district’s Assistant Superintendent of Early Childhood. On the podcast, Cohen and Bravo discuss the significance of preK, the importance of supporting the emotional health of students, and a cultural shift that could have an immediate positive impact on young students. “There is nothing scarier in the world than having 24 four-year-olds look up at you at the beginning of the day and say entertain me for eight hours,” Cohen noted. Click here to listen to…

On the first day of the new school year, Alex Sanger Elementary School welcomed a new class of 60 smiling and eager sixth-graders. El primer día de clases, la escuela Alex Sanger le dió la bienvenida a 60 alumnos del sexto grado sonrientes y ávidos por aprender. Sanger’s new sixth-graders likely understand both those sentences because they are enrolled in a dual language program that features instruction in Spanish and English. Sanger, located near White Rock Lake, this year expanded its dual language program through sixth-grade. Previously, the school only went up to fifth-grade. Elsy Serpas, a sixth-grade math teacher…

The deadline is Sept. 1 for the second round of letter of intents for the district’s Public School Choice initiative. Dallas ISD’s Office of Transformation and Innovation has invited teams of educators to submit their ideas for future Choice Schools, which is part of the district’s effort to provide students with a high-quality, best-fit school. Some Choice Schools – named “Innovation Schools” – will be existing district neighborhood schools that repurpose their academic model but stay in their current facilities and continue to serve students from their regular attendance boundaries Interested teams can learn more by visiting www.dallasisd.org/choice and clicking on “Public School…

Over the past several years, Dallas ISD has grown its nursing program so that each school has its own registered nurse. For this school year, there are still approximately 15 open nursing positions that the district is looking to fill. Leigh Pelletier, a Dallas ISD nurse supervisor, said the job is ideal for a registered nurse who wants to make a difference every day. “It’s an incredibly rewarding job to be a nurse with Dallas ISD,” she said. Pelletier said some of the benefits of working as a Dallas ISD nurse include: Working with a predominately happy, healthy population of…

Anyone who has been to high school will likely agree that the beginning of freshman year can be an overwhelming experience. With this in mind, the Hub asked Esther, a Dallas ISD senior, what tips she would give a freshman in their first week of school. Watch the above video to hear her advice.

Wilmer-Hutchins Elementary School’s Parent Teacher Association was recently awarded the National Parent Teacher Association 2015 Healthy Lifestyles: Energy Balance 101 Grant for $2,000. WHES was one of 25 PTA programs selected nationally to receive the grant that required each organization to demonstrate how they planned to use the funds to promote healthy lifestyles for students and families through nutrition and physical activity. Part of the grant requires that each selected PTA organization host two family education events through that school. WHES PTA President Wendi Brown, who attended Wilmer-Hutchins High School as a teenager, called the award “a blessing.” “We believe that…