District trustees were briefed Thursday on a recommendation to proceed with phase 2 of the district’s $1.6 billion 2015 bond program. At Thursday’s board briefing, Operations Chief Scott Layne recommended a list of 23 school renovation projects for phase 2 that he said are among the district’s most critical infrastructure needs. The list includes seven high schools receiving renovations required to meet state requirements for implementation of career and technical programs. The total budget for phase 2 projects, listed below with the recommended architects, is an estimated $275 million. The proposed list of architects reflects a 50 percent participation of minority…

National School Counseling Week, sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), is being celebrated this week to focus public attention on the unique contribution of professional school counselors within U.S. school systems and how students are different as a result of what school counselors do. National School Counseling Week highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for college and career. The special week honoring school counselors provides recognition for school counselors who “implement comprehensive school counseling programs, a vital part of the educational process for all students as they meet…

Dallas Independent School District campus employees are more confident in the direction of the district than they have been in the last four years, according to the most recent survey. On the Fall 2016 Campus Climate Survey, more than 73 percent of school staff said they believe the district is headed in the right direction. The response marks a more than 10 percentage point increase and is the highest since 2013. Also, confidence in their campus direction is up with 77.9 percent responding positively, up from 73 percent in 2015. “This year, there have been a number of gains made…