Inside Dallas ISD

Eleven tornados ripped through the Dallas-Fort Worth area just one day after Christmas, tearing some homes down to the studs. The weather devastated one Dallas ISD teacher’s home, but, like his home, he is committed to standing through it all. W.E. Greiner Middle School teacher Steve Thomas was out shopping after-Christmas sales with his family when the tornadoes hit. It wasn’t until he returned home that he discovered just how much damage the tornado caused to his home. “I consider this a life event, and life events happen to all people. It does not discriminate based on age, gender, or…

Principal Michael Jones says Seagoville High School is in a unique spot – a Dallas school that’s out in the country. Its location has in part driven interest in some of the programs offered at the school. “Many people don’t know we have a magnet school here at Seagoville High School for environmental systems, environmental science and agriculture,” he said. In addition, there are 75 or so students enrolled in the school’s Veterinary Technician program. Instructor Barry Jones said the program partners with the Humane Society to receive dogs for students to care for as they learn about veterinary. Students…

Students return on Wednesday, Jan. 6, for the start of the second semester. The final day of classes is June 2. The second semester schedule includes a day off for Presidents Day, which hasn’t been a student/staff holiday for several years. Here are some of the important dates for the second semester. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday: Jan. 18 Presidents Day Holiday: Feb. 15 Spring Break: March 14 – 18 Inclement weather makeup days: March 25, 2016, and April 11 Memorial Day: May 30 Last day of school for students: June 2 Last day of school for teachers: June 3…

January is School Board Recognition Month, a time to thank local leaders for their dedication and willingness to serve as advocates for children and public schools. Dallas ISD joins other districts across the state in recognizing the work of its board. School boards are charged with establishing a vision for a district’s education program, designing a structure to achieve that vision, ensuring that schools are accountable to the community, and strongly advocating continuous improvement in student learning. Each school year, Dallas ISD asks nine busy professionals to collaboratively manage a school system with more than 157,000 students and a billion…