Inside Dallas ISD

Dallas ISD recently named Clarita Rivera as the 2016 Secondary Principal of the Year. Rivera leads the Young Women’s STEAM Academy at Balch Springs Middle School. “I told my teachers and staff, this is our plaque and this is our school, because we are all winners of this honor it’s not just me. I just represent you there,” Rivera said. She also credits a principal she worked with when she was a teacher who mentored her to become a leader. What she most enjoys as a principal is working with people at all levels, the children first, and then parents,…

Several Skyline students will get the chance to study abroad this summer thanks to scholarships from the Council on International Educational Exchange. All five students are in Skyline High School’s World Languages Cluster, a program where students can become familiar with up to four different languages. The students will spend a total of four weeks abroad at destinations such as Germany, Italy, China, France and Spain. They were awarded scholarships ranging from $3,000 to $6,200 based on academic merit and financial need. “Our World Languages Cluster and the CIEE scholarships position Skyline as one of the leading globally-minded schools in the area,” Skyline Principal…

Sprint donated free mobile devices and free high-speed wireless Internet connectivity to about 250 students at Emmet J. Conrad High School on Jan. 13. The donation kicked off Sprint’s 1Million Project, which aims to help give mobile devices and wireless Internet connectivity to 1 million disadvantaged high school students over five years. “When we learned about Sprint’s 1Million Project, we quickly applied in hopes that we would be selected,” said Dr. Emmett J. Conrad School Principal Anthony Mays. “Many of our students have the will and skill to be successful at school, however, many of them lack adequate technology resources…

Sierra Jones, a fifth-grader at Charles Rice Learning Center, today was named the top orator during the 25th Annual Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition. She competed alongside seven other finalists at The Majestic Theatre. Jace Roberson, a fifth-grader at J.P. Starks Math, Science and Technology Vanguard, took second place. Asad King, a fourth-grader at William Brown Miller Elementary, took the third spot. Each of the eight fourth- and fifth-grade Dallas ISD elementary school students presented original speeches addressing the topic: “If Dr. King were alive today, what would he say about Muhammad Ali’s contribution to society?” The competition is co-presented…