Inside Dallas ISD

Students attending the Future Doctors Camp this summer weren’t the only ones learning new things. Teacher Lawanna Evans, who helped lead the camp, walked away with important lab skills and life lessons of her own. “It’s always interesting to hear from medical students about some of their personal experiences. There has been a wealth of knowledge that I have acquired even for myself,” Evans said. Now, in her second year teaching at the camp, Evans said she is more comfortable in the science lab and is ready for the hands-on learning that comes with studying anatomy. “My favorite part of…

When Lisa Whitaker is struck by an idea, she jumps right into action. So when she wondered earlier this year why American Sign Language classes weren’t more common in the district, she started working toward creating more opportunities to introduce students to ASL. Her idea: organize the district’s first-ever ASL summer camp for elementary school students.  “We have a health and physical education summer camp, but we don’t offer ASL until ninth grade. That gives students only four years to learn it, limiting their proficiency,” said Whitaker, who is the director of Academic Enrichment and Support. “Research tells us that…

At Wilmer-Hutchins Elementary School, fathers are valued for the impact they can have as positive role models. Campus security officer Joseph Thomas, with his son by his side, is showing fathers and father figures how to be more engaged. Thomas knows the importance of having a present father figure, which is why he started the chapter of All Pro Dad, a national organization, at the school. The goal is to get more fathers involved and strengthen family ties. Launched in 1997, the national program is based on a sports draft model that encourages fathers to be engaged in their children’s…

At John J. Pershing Elementary School, two educators are using innovative approaches to strengthen bilingual literacy in their classrooms. This year, Maria Fernandez and Jessica Riedel used the funding from Read Conmigo Educator Grants to transform their students’ reading experience. Fernandez, who teaches fourth-grade bilingual reading, used her award given by the Kemper Foundation to launch Break a Leg, a drama-based literacy initiative that uses puppets and theater to help students improve reading comprehension, build vocabulary, and express their emotions. “I began to notice emotional learning gaps after the pandemic,” she said. “The plays helped my students find new vocabulary…