Inside Dallas ISD

Dallas ISD’s Benjamin Franklin Middle School celebrated the birthday of the inventor and statesman the school is named after on Jan. 17. Franklin, also considered one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, was born on Jan. 17, 1706, in Boston. He died on April 17, 1790, at the age of 84. To celebrate, the school hosted keynote speaker Don Huffines, who represents District 16 in the Texas Senate. He encouraged the students to do their best, read often and never stop going to school. The school’s orchestra and choir also performed. The campus recently had another reason to…

After being honored at a special reception on Jan. 17, Dallas ISD’s 2017-2018 Teachers of the Year were visited in their classrooms the next day by representatives from Central Market. This year’s top teachers are Josue Tamarez Torres, a fifth-grade math teacher at Annie Webb Blanton Elementary School; Beth Poquette Drews, who teaches mariachi, orchestra and guitar for grades 6-8 at L.V. Stockard Middle School; and Nedra Johnson, who teaches science for grades 6-8 at Alex W. Spence Middle School. Along with balloons, a cake and a fruit tray, teachers received a ceremonial check symbolizing the $5,000 prize each takes…

Four Dallas ISD schools advanced to the State Academic Decathlon Competition by earning top scores in their divisions at the Region XII competition held Jan. 19-20 at Seagoville High School. This is the first time that four Dallas ISD schools have advanced to the state competition. The School of Science and Engineering took first place in the large school division. Bryan Adams High School placed first in the medium division and Seagoville High School took second place in the medium school division. Meanwhile, L.G. Pinkston High School took first place in the small school division. All four schools will represent…

Thomas J. Rusk Middle School Spanish teacher Akash Patel began his education career in small rural communities in Oklahoma where people had never seen or met “a brown Indian guy who spoke five languages and had traveled to over 30 countries.” In Oklahoma and Dallas ISD, Patel uses his travel experiences to design all of his lessons. And Patel’s dedication to teaching is being nationally recognized: he is a top 50 finalists for the Global Teacher Prize. This annual $1 million teaching prize recognizes a classroom teacher who exemplifies global citizenship teaching and learning. “I am humbled and honored to…