Inside Dallas ISD

Dozens of Dallas ISD principals from Southern Dallas schools gathered at Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy on Tuesday for an end-of-the-year retreat. The executive directors of the central network of schools organized the daylong event of seminars and a recognition ceremony. “We invited experts who could provide additional strategies to support our initiatives to further improve student success,” said Dayanna Kelly, executive director of elementary schools in the Kimball and Carter high schools feeder patterns. Among the district’s speakers were Angie Gaylord, deputy chief of the district’s Office of Transformation and Innovation, and Assistant Superintendent of Early Learning Derek Little.…

Twenty-four Dallas ISD students are studying abroad this summer with CIEE after earning a total of $136,050 in financial aid. High school students across the nation compete for the Global Navigator scholarships. The program focuses on language proficiency, local interactions and intentional reflection by sending students to countries all over the world. The purpose is to encourage and prepare students to connect and communicate across cultures and make positive impacts on today’s global/local society. The students studying abroad are: Name School Program Adrian Sanchez Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy Building a Sustainable Mega City in Beijing, China Elijah Merritt Barack…

Dallas ISD is again bringing the fun–and information about its neighborhood schools–to the community as part of its Rock the Block celebrations. Dallas ISD representatives are holding block parties at seven apartment complexes in Oak Cliff in May and June. At Thursday’s Rock the Block party at Rosemont at Oak Hollow, district representatives shared information and resources with parents, as their kids played board games, threw frisbees and danced. “We’re out here, talking to parents to let them know that Dallas ISD schools are the best choice for their family,” said Jacqueline Bell, Dallas ISD School Choice marketing coordinator. Parents…

Since 2015, Dallas ISD educator Roderick Goudy has worked at mastering the Toastmaster skills of public speaking and leadership, delivering speeches and taking on leadership roles in Dallas ISD Talk It Up! Toastmasters Club and at the Toastmasters’ district level as an area director, training facilitator, and mentor. Goudy credits lessons learned in Toastmasters for helping to propel him several rungs up the professional career ladder in Dallas ISD. Since 2012, he has advanced from special education teacher to distinguished teacher to first-year assistant principal at Mockingbird Elementary. “Participating in Toastmasters helped develop my interpersonal communication and presentation skills,” said…