Inside Dallas ISD

On Tuesday, March 7, A. Maceo Smith New Tech High School officially became the first Dallas ISD high school to be named an AVID National Demonstration School. AVID – Advancement Via Individual Determination – is a nonprofit organization that provides students with real-world strategies to accelerate their academic performance and succeed in college or in their careers. AVID is offered at more than 5,600 campuses across the country, but fewer than 3 percent of the participating schools earn the distinction of being a Demonstration School. Tuesday’s celebration included a performance by the Zumwalt Middle School drum line and words from…

Research resonates in the minds of all of the students at Anne Frank Elementary School thanks to its bustling annual GT Research Fair hosted by first- through fifth-grade students and GT teacher Jeni Baldwin. More than 130 students presented projects ranging on subjects as diverse as immigration and the Holocaust to parakeets and emojis. Quilts, simulations and models amongst a sea of other creative products filled the bustling room of students and about 100 parents throughout the day. “Tornado Alley”, an original second-grade play, featured safety tips that could save lives, while still wildly entertaining the packed library. Meanwhile, outside,…

On Saturday, March 4, Read for Me, Dallas ISD’s culminating event for Dallas Reads, celebrated literacy with keynote speakers, book-centered activities, celebrity authors, and more. Dallas Reads is the Language and Literacy initiative that highlights the importance of literacy through community partnerships and interactive events throughout the year. Read for Me was a free event that featured literacy sessions for students of all ages and their families from across the district and the metroplex. More than 1,500 students, parents, teachers, and presenters attended and over 8,000 books were distributed. The event launched with Brandon Carr, cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys,…

Skyline High School’s cosmetology program has been helping students find beautiful futures since 1972. Instructor Sheryl Landman said students become licensed cosmetologists in their senior year, earning them experience and income. She works to place them in a job and monitor their progress for a year until they graduate. Working closely with salons in the community pays off every year. “My job is really easy because they start calling me in April and May and saying, ‘How many students do you have? This is what we need,’ ” Landman said. “I place them in positions that I know they will excel in.” Graduating…