Inside Dallas ISD

Melisa Simon is on track to make history for Dallas ISD in more than one way. For starters, Simon is one of the 27 seniors graduating with an Associate’s Degree in the inaugural class of Samuell Early College High School (ECHS). Additionally, this fall she will attend TechTeach, which is Texas Tech University’s teacher education program that prepares students to return to work as a teacher in Dallas ISD. If all goes according to plan, Simon will become the first 19-year-old holding a bachelor’s degree, teacher’s certification, and Dallas ISD teaching job. “I’m excited to show everyone that this is…

With graduations around the corner, Dallas ISD has many stories of outstanding seniors. Meet Melissa, a senior at Hillcrest High School. She is one of three Dallas ISD seniors to win the prestigious Sulentic Family Foundation Scholarship. She plans to study psychology at the University of Texas at Dallas so she can help others.

At the start of each school year, C.A. Tatum Jr. Elementary School Principal Juan Pecina has the opportunity to meet with the sons of his school’s namesake. “They always meet with me at the beginning of the year to ask what we need,” said Pecina.  “This year, I told them I needed college pennants. They purchased them. I told them I wanted to take the students to a college. They said ‘Our dad went to SMU. We’re going to try to make it happen.’” Thursday, the late C.A. Tatum’s sons, C.A. Tatum III and Henry, did just that—potentially opening up…

W.W. Samuell High School is known for its high academic standards and excellent extracurricular activities. One feature of the school is its Early College High School program, which lets students earn an associate’s degree for free while still in high school. “The partnership with Eastfield College (for our Early College High School Program) is wonderful,” Samuell High School Principal John Vega said. “Our students transition as 11th graders to Eastfield and take their 11th- and 12th-grade college courses along with their high school courses on the Eastfield campus. They get a true college experience.” Many Samuell High School graduates go on to…