Inside Dallas ISD

The Dallas ISD African American Success Initiative (AASI) partnered with AT&T and The State Fair of Texas to provide more than 800 district students with a wonderful experience to see the educational movie feature Hidden Figures a few months ago when it opened in theaters. “It is fundamentally important to expose all children, regardless of socioeconomic background, culture or ethnic background to various aspects of American history,” said Jamila Thomas, coordinator of AASI. “Hidden Figures is one example of many historical occurrences that should be shared with all of us.” Students from several grade levels were given the chance to participate. More important,…

Winnetka Elementary School students, parents and staff came together to put on a great play about the Mayan Civilization before the arrival of the Spaniards. The Winnetka Theater Club wrote and put on the play at the school. The play taught students about the Mayan era, such as the type of ball game they played, hieroglyphs, and the role of different community members. Winnetka parents made the dresses and stage settings and also did the make-up and promotion for the play. It was a great all-around effort and show!

Recently, two special events were conducted to celebrate mentorships between men and women business owners and Dallas ISD students, one for girls and one for boys. The “Power Brokers: A Dawning of Boys to Men” brought male community and business leaders in front of boys. The “Power Brokers: A Celebration of Girl Power” created the same experience for girls. “Powerful women from around the community came and poured into the lives of the young women,” said Jamila Thomas, coordinator for the African American Success Initiative. “The idea behind Power Brokers is really to celebrate mentorships and the idea that young men…

As more students become concerned about the environment and issues of sustainability, green teams or recycling clubs are a growing presence on district campuses.  Students in these clubs sponsor recycling drives, collect office paper and cardboard on their campuses and participate in campus and neighborhood beautification efforts. They are spreading the message that recycling is an important, earth-friendly practice, and reminding their peers to recycle rather than toss reusable items in the trash. As a reward for the most active campuses and an incentive to others, the district’s Energy and Waste Management Department, in concert with corporate waste handler, Waste…