Inside Dallas ISD

The 2019-2020 school year is officially coming to a close, but in Dallas ISD, learning is a year round practice. This school year has challenged the Special Education Department, families, and students to think differently and look for improved systems for learning.  From working with new leadership in the department to shifting to At-Home Learning (AHL) and teletherapy; from discussing the installation of cameras in all special education classrooms, to working with parents on virtual Parent Academies. To help keep this momentum going over the summer,  families of students with disabilities are encouraged to stay connected by checking their emails…

Focused. Tenacious. Goal-oriented. These are just a few of the words teachers and staff members at L.G. Pinkston High School use to describe Michael Denicola. Throughout childhood, the six-foot-nine-inch “gentle giant” imagined himself as a successful football player, and he was well on his way to achieving that goal — until his sophomore year. That’s when Michael opted to hang up his football cleats to focus on academics and pursue a career in information technology and cybersecurity. This spring, Michael will graduate from Pinkston as part of the P-TECH program, a partnership between Dallas ISD and area community colleges. As…

“I feel that the ending of our high school experience was taken from us. However, I’m still grateful that I will be able to graduate, as not everyone has the opportunity to receive an education,” says William Alexander Garcia, a senior at H. Grady Spruce High School. Garcia is part of the PeerForward group that was newly introduced to Spruce to help students learn more about the next steps to take after after high school. He’s also part of the varsity soccer team and tennis team. The COVID-19 crisis transformed seniors’ daily lives, Garcia says. “Not being able to see…