Inside Dallas ISD

During the pandemic, Demetrius Ethley was unsure if he would retire from being Carter High School’s choral director, but instead, he has now been teaching for 13 years, specifically functional piano, modern band, musical theater, music theory and choir. Part of “Mr. E’s” continued passion for the arts comes from being in Dallas ISD’s Virtual Private Music Lessons Program, which was soft-launched last October.  The virtual program allows directors to nominate students of a certain competency level for free, private music lessons over Zoom. Lessons are currently administered by University of North Texas graduate students or faculty members, and last…

Dallas ISD is home to more than 142,000 students from diverse households where more than 80 different languages are spoken. Our students are supported by 24,000 team members, parents and community representatives who work every day to ensure they are successful in their educational journey and beyond. Public Schools Week — Feb. 27 – March 3—brings together families, educators, and community members to shine a light on local public schools and share the stories of the positive things happening in our schools. The work that takes place in our classrooms and campuses positively impacts students and families, their neighborhoods, and…

When Adam Garcia attended a Dallas ISD job fair last year, he didn’t know the path he was about to take would not only transform his life but also the lives of dozens of students. “It all happened so fast,” said Garcia, now a theater teacher at Young Men’s Leadership Academy at Fred F. Florence Middle School. “It just seemed like it was meant to be. All the chips lined up. I had just literally gotten off a plane from Florida, where I was previously working [in the theater industry], but for whatever reason, I had the strength to go…

At Dallas ISD, all-stars work among us; sometimes literally. Shantell Grant, the executive director of Board Services, is one of them. Grant is a familiar face during school board meetings, but her legacy and her contributions to Dallas ISD began when she was a student. Grant, who started working for the district in 2006, was a track and field star for David W. Carter High School. As a student, she advanced and won state in the long and triple jump categories and in team relays. She was also a 200-meter sprinter and went to regionals in that category. Working for…