Inside Dallas ISD

Dallas ISD teachers recently attended a powerful summit on disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline. Approximately 7.3 million children nationally have at least one parent in jail or prison. The emotional turmoil is difficult for everyone to handle when there is a parent that is incarcerated, so much so that statistics sadly reveals that 70 percent of these kids with an incarcerated parent are doomed to follow in the same footsteps. The “National Prison Summit on Mass Incarceratio, presents The School to Prison Pipeline: What Every Educator Should Know” provided an opportunity for Dallas ISD to become aware of and how to address the…

After winning the Hero Two Doors Down Essay Contest sponsored by the Barbara Bush Foundation with his essay on why CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer is his hero, Aiden Ross from George Bannerman Dealey International Academy got a big surprise. Blitzer ended up reading Ross’ essay, and was so impressed that he sent the student a personalized note and signed headshot. Dealey Principal Beverly Lusk surprised Ross with the signed headshot and personalized note on Dec. 1. Watch the above video to see Ross’ reaction. The essay contest, which is based on the book “The Hero Two Doors Down” by Sharon…

With the support of the Dallas ISD STEM Department, Frederick Douglass Elementary is piloting a computer science initiative for all its students. Computer science instruction is integrated into the regular school day for K-5 students using Code.org curriculum. VEX IQ based robotics instruction is integrated into the regular school day for students in grades 3-5. “Having a computer science program adds so much value to the lives of our students,” said Marquetta Masters, Principal at Frederick Douglass Elementary. Learn more in the above video.

Jane Chu knows a secret. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman was officially welcomed into the Raul Quintanilla Sr. Middle School DaVerse Poetry Club with the secret handshake. Students christened Chu as an honorary member during her Quintanilla visit Monday afternoon, November 28, 2016. Big Thought hosted the Quintanilla jaunt, which began with a roundtable conversation featuring Big Thought staff and partner representatives. Chairman Chu conversed with Guy Bruggeman, Dallas Love Field; Janiece Evans-Page, Fossil; Will Dowell, Behind Every Door; Will Richey, Journeyman Ink; Lela Bell, Teaching Artist; Antoine Joyce, All Stars Project Dallas; David Fisher, Office of…