Inside Dallas ISD

A local attorney donated $50,000 to build a food pantry at Esperanza “Hope” Medrano Elementary School on Friday. The Tracy Law Firm focuses on vehicle crashworthiness lawsuits. Its offices are near the Dallas Medical District, only two blocks away from Medrano. Todd Tracy, the head attorney, wanted to do something for young residents of this neighborhood. He contacted Principal Mario Mondragón, who suggested building a food pantry at the school to support the families with limited financial resources. “Children are precious,” Tracy said. “They’re our future! And many of them are going to do great things. But you need to…

High school juniors and seniors with the dream of attending college–but are unsure how to make that dream come true–are in luck. Hundreds of representatives from colleges near and far are coming to Dallas on Wednesday, Sept. 18, to help make dreams of attending college come true. The free annual Districtwide College Fair is set for 5:30–8:30 p.m. at Ellis Davis Field House, 9191 Polk St.  Whether a student wants to stay close to home or venture across the country, this is their chance to meet dozens of college representatives face-to-face to get information about options after high school graduation.…

As the community liaison representative at Lincoln High School, Sheila Walker loves reaching out to the community, building partnerships and preparing students for college and the workforce. “I make sure that I’m touching a life every day,” Walker said. A summit hosted by the Office of Family and Community Engagement provided the district’s community liaisons, including Walker, with the tools and strategies they need to succeed. In his opening address, Superintendent Michael Hinojosa praised the community liaisons for the valuable role they play every day. “Family and Community Engagement is the face of our schools,” Hinojosa said. “It’s our job…

It’s a Tuesday morning at Henry B. Gonzalez Personalized Learning Academy, and the students, teachers and staff have plenty to celebrate. The school earned an “A” rating from the Texas Education Agency and is beginning its first year as a personalized learning campus. And, on this particular morning, students just received a big surprise: free backpacks and school supplies through Office Depot’s philanthropic program, Start Proud!. Office Depot associates and representatives from Domtar Paper hosted a Start Proud! assembly at Gonzalez to kick off the new school year with notable guests Dallas ISD Chief Academic Officer Ivonne Durant and David…