Inside Dallas ISD

For the students, teachers and staff of Walnut Hill Elementary School, picking themselves up after facing adversity is not just the right thing to do, it is a matter of pride. Even after a tornado and a pandemic forced them to adapt to three classroom settings this year, the Walnut Hill community has risen to the occasion to support student achievement. “Our teachers are strong, positive, creative, and innovative,” Principal Phillip Potter said. “They continuously strive to make a difference for our students every day.” After the school closures due to the spread of COVID-19, Walnut Hill teachers designed and…

While local and national politicians are responding to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, Dallas ISD secondary debate students applied their researching and writing skills to propose solutions to the crisis in an essay competition sponsored by the Dallas Urban Debate Alliance (DUDA). Student Activities partnered with DUDA to give secondary students in the District debate program the option to participate in two essay contests instead of the live debate tournaments that were canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak, said Sharla Hudspeth, director for Dallas ISD Student Activities. “Selecting the COVID-19 essay topic was important because it allowed students to utilize their debating and critical thinking skills to create written arguments about the pandemic that is…

As he faced hardships and constantly moved around with his family, Skyline High School senior Damajai Stephens’ love of football kept him grounded. He started playing the sport as a four-year-old and shined for Skyline as an outside linebacker. “My favorite part about playing football is that it makes me feel like I can handle any adversity,” Stephens said. “When I step onto the field, nothing else matters.” Stephens will be the first person in his immediate family to graduate from high school. He will attend East Central University in the fall to study criminal justice with a full-ride football…

Dallas ISD elementary students will be receiving Scholastic book packs containing books and other activities, shipped directly to their homes beginning this week. All Pre-K to 6th grade students at elementary campuses will be receiving the book packs. The district wants to make sure students have access to quality books year-round and can share their reading experiences with their families. “When families read and discuss books together, the joy of reading comes alive for our students. We are so thrilled that our students will be able to continue reading throughout the summer with their families,” said Jennifer Burchfiel, Director of…