Inside Dallas ISD

Robin Pattillo is the heart of Lakewood Elementary School’s largest classroom, the library. She has served as the school librarian for two decades, managing the sunlit space and engaging students in reading and storytelling. “I love being in the library because it’s a place where the kids have a little bit more freedom to learn about what they are interested in. I love seeing their growth as that changes through the years,” she said. Growing up with two teachers as parents, Pattillo spent most of her childhood in classrooms. This early exposure to learning laid the foundation for her lifelong…

Gloria Douglas, the school librarian at Paul L. Dunbar Learning Center, exemplifies the many ways librarians impact their campuses. Douglas began her journey as a teacher, and her love for reading led her to become a media specialist, another title for librarians. Douglas, who received a master’s in library science from Texas A&M University, is familiar with the culture of Dallas ISD after attending Clinton P. Russell Elementary School, the former Maynard H. Jackson Middle School, W.E. Greiner Exploratory Arts Academy, and the School for the Talented and Gifted at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center. Douglas’s goal as a librarian…

For a group of third- and fourth-graders at C.A. Tatum Jr. Elementary School, reading during spring break paid off big time, and not just in the skills that they gained. Those who accumulated 400 minutes of reading in iReady also received a bicycle thanks to a donation from a community partner, Deloitte Big Give. Deloitte Big Give, a program of the Deloitte Foundation, donated bikes, blankets, teddy bears, and backpacks stuffed with school supplies. Renata Verástegui, a fourth grade teacher who led the spring break reading camp, said it was wonderful to see the students get rewarded because it was…

While laying a strong foundation for academic success, Dallas ISD is also dedicated to equipping students with the tools they need to make healthy, informed choices. World Health Day is observed in April, and nutrition experts are taking steps to ensure students and their families within the district receive intentional care through immunization and health resources. Sylvia Torres, a registered nurse for Dallas ISD, is working to improve students’ long-term health and plays a key role in the enrollment process for those who are new to the district. “Since many students and their families are new to the country, I…