Inside Dallas ISD

When it was time for the football team to run practice drills, the South Oak Cliff (SOC) High School team couldn’t hustle out to the field behind their school. That’s because since January 2018, the school has been housed at Dallas ISD’s Village Fair facility while the original campus is being renovated and expanded a few miles away. There’s no space for practice, so the team has been bused to one of six district stadiums to prepare. But that logistical hurdle hasn’t slowed a team that has defeated all 11 of its opponents on the field so far. They face…

The silence in the hallway is shattered by enthusiastic chanting and singing as a class at C.F. Carr Elementary School prepares for another day of learning. Students are having fun before tackling the work of the day. Principal Carlotta Hooks, in her second year at Carr, said that strategy is just one teachers are using to engage students and build genuine relationships with them to foster an environment that expects and rewards academic success. Carr is one of 13 Dallas ISD schools with improvements significant enough to remove it from the state’s list of low-performing campuses. Some of those 13…

For priority consideration, high school seniors must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by Jan. 15, 2019. The application makes students eligible for financial assistance to pay for college or career school. Students planning to apply for financial aid through FAFSA are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. Schools have various deadlines for accepting aid, and the federal deadline is June 30, 2019. FAFSA lets students apply for three types of financial assistance: grants, work-study funds and low-interest loans. Information and the online application is available here. A new app, myStudentAid, allows students to apply directly…

Carter High School cheerleader Erica Richardson’s natural-born ability as a daredevil has earned her an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City to be a part of the legendary Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Richardson completed her first back handspring at the age of 8 by jumping up and throwing her legs behind her head. Her fearlessness and ability led her to gymnastics and, later in life, to earning the captain role on the David W. Carter High School cheerleading squad, where she is often seen tumbling along the sidelines. “I’ve always loved trying new things, and I have no fear or…