Inside Dallas ISD

More than 150 students at Hope Medrano Elementary School were treated on Friday to a reading celebration with WWE stars. WWE and nonprofit First Book hosted the celebration to promote reading. WWE Superstar Sin Cara, WWE Divas Paige, Lana, Naomi and WWE announcer Lillian Garcia wowed students at the school. Medrano Elementary Principal Dr. Vincent Garcia said the school’s emphasis on early literacy made it a perfect choice for a wrestler-sized reading celebration. Each student at Medrano received a copy of “Nino Wrestles the World” by Yuyi Morales to take home. “This was an experience like no other,” Garcia said. The…

Dallas ISD is expanding college opportunities for students, thanks to a partnership with the Dallas County Community College District. Students can earn a high school diploma and up to 60 college credit hours or an Associate of Applied Science degree in four years. Best of all, this opportunity comes tuition-free. Families are invited to attend a collegiate academy showcase to learn more about the academies and their college partners. The showcase will include campus tours. Here are the upcoming collegiate academy showcases: JAMES MADISON COLLEGIATE ACADEMY* Tuesday, April 5 • 6–7 p.m. El Centro College (West) 3330 N. Hampton Road…

Underwater robot competition. Those three words pretty much sum up the Dallas SeaPerch Regional Competition happening this Saturday at Loos Natatorium, 3815 Spring Valley Road. The regional competition will feature 67 teams—19 of which come from Dallas ISD—competing for a chance to move on to the SeaPerch National Challenge happening in May in Baton Rouge. The teams, which each built their robots, are grouped into middle school and high school divisions. The regional challenge will consist of two portions: in the obstacle challenge, the teams will navigate their robots through hoops at various underwater depths. The teams will be aiming…

Lindsey Hudman’s job teaching pre-K at Thelma Elizabeth Page Richardson Elementary School is anything but child’s play. She stays up every night going over the next day’s curriculum and thinking about what worked—and didn’t—in the classroom that day. Hudman often talks with her assigned pre-K specialist about best teaching practices, and she always attends the six-week training available to all Dallas ISD pre-K teachers. Given her dedication to her job, Hudman tries not to get frustrated when she hears from someone who thinks pre-K is basically just daycare where young children goof around all day. “Since 90 percent of a…