The AlumNow series showcases former students’ post-graduation successes. We recently caught up with Donnell Armstrong, who is now an assistant principal at W.T. White High School. Read about his educational journey at Dallas ISD and how his teachers impacted him to give back to his community. What high school did you graduate from and what year did you graduate? Franklin D. Roosevelt High School of Innovation in 2009.  What is your current occupation? I am an assistant principal at W.T. White High School. What made your Dallas ISD education unique? It prepared me to successfully navigate through new experiences in…

For Naomi, Stephen, and others, the summer arts intensive offered more than just new techniques, it gave them space to grow as artists among peers who share their creative drive. Dallas ISD’s Visual and Performing Arts Department hosted a first-ever, district-wide summer arts intensive, inviting high school students to immerse themselves in one artistic discipline for a week of hands-on creative exploration. Students chose from jewelry making, sculpture, digital art, printmaking, painting, or drawing, and worked in small groups to develop their craft in a studio-like environment. “They spent a week experimenting with new materials and making their own personal…

Written by Julian Spearman, Student Activities Department The Dallas ISD chess program is one of the most popular in Dallas ISD, with about 6,000 students participating in all grade levels across 200 campuses.  The Student Activities Department hosted 10 competitive tournaments this year to accommodate the high interest in chess.  Michelle Read, student activity coordinator, said participation has doubled for kindergarten through second grade students since its addition to Dallas ISD programs last year. “This is a clear sign of growing interest in chess amongst our youngest students,” she said. “It has been interesting to watch young chess players challenge…