Inside Dallas ISD

Nestled in the heart of downtown, Dallas ISD will launch a new offering for families seeking a more specialized learning approach. The Downtown Montessori, under the public school choice model, will open Fall 2020 under the direction of newly appointed principal Dr. Olga Korobovskaya. Her impressive background yields a range of high-quality skills with nearly 30 years of experience in education, as a teacher, principal and Montessori director. Korobovskaya utilizes a hands-on, supportive, and motivating leadership style, known to foster an inclusive, nurturing and stimulating educational environment. Her vision for the start-up school is simple: develop an authentic Montessori program…

With the closure of schools and public places due to COVID-19, daily family routines have changed in most households. There is now more time to spend with family, so it’s important to create a routine to make the days a little more fun and educational for everyone at home. Mary Martinez, a librarian at Winnetka Elementary School, had the great idea of starting a Virtual Book Club to stay connected to her students, maintain a weekly routine and have them listen to a story read aloud. “My goal is to provide some normality to my students as they adjust to…

As Dallas ISD continues adapting to at-home learning, opportunities for students to once again participate in fun and engaging extracurricular activities are becoming increasingly available online. For students between grades 3 and 12 participating in chess programs at their local campuses, Dallas ISD has organized three exciting districtwide virtual tournaments taking place from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. on April 18, April 25 and May 2. Using the ChessKid digital platform, players will be able to log in and play against other students of their same grade level with no limit to the number of players allowed. “Chess is one…

When schools closed to help slow the spread of COVID-19, Solar Preparatory School for Girls second-grader Lillian Longoria thought she wouldn’t get to celebrate with her Solar Prep sisters like she originally planned. However, Lillian’s parents–Meredith and Omar–organized a birthday parade for her featuring many of her classmates and even her second-grade teacher, Mrs. Elvir. “When we found out Lillian’s birthday was canceled this year, we knew we had to do something extra special. Her birthday is always one of her favorite days!” said Meredith Longoria. “We had a tremendous turnout with about 40 cars joining the parade!” “I was…