Inside Dallas ISD

What makes schools successful? In no small part, it’s the parents and communities that support them. The Dallas Independent School District has benefitted from numerous community groups, organizations and businesses that have helped support the district. Greenville Avenue Pizza Company’s “Slices for Supplies” recently invited patrons to donate school supplies or monetary donations in exchange for a one topping slice of cheese pizza, the proceeds of which were given to Ignacio Zaragoza Elementary. Owners Sammy and Molly Mandell, products of Dallas ISD, matched the donations in hopes of providing a sizable contribution to Zaragoza, their second fundraising effort for the school in…

Dallas ISD now has an alum in the NFL Hall of Fame. Tim Brown, the retired NFL great and Heisman Trophy winner who graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School, was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday in Ohio. During his speech, Brown looked back at his career that has its origins on the playground of Mount Auburn Elementary School. “It’s been a lot of work, but it’s been incredible work,” Brown said of his football career. “I can’t wait to enjoy this (Hall of Fame honor) for the rest of my life.” In his Hall of Fame induction…

New Dallas ISD teacher Samuel Cross is looking forward to teaching choir at T.W. Browne Middle School. Cross was one of approximately 1,600 new teachers that attended a New Teacher Academy orientation event at Fair Park to learn about the district. Cross said he’s pumped and ready to start the 2015 school year. “I’m excited about inspiring students to achieve their goals in life and in music,” he said. Cross said that thanks to the training he received from the Alternative Certification program, he’s confident that he’s ready to successfully re-enter the classroom. Inexperience in classroom management plagued his first teaching experience…

More than 245 Dallas ISD teachers applied for the opportunity to attend a district-funded training at the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education at Southern Methodist University. Dallas ISD paid $3,000 per teacher for teachers to attend this three week-long intensive training at SMU’s Simmons School of Education. The curriculum focused on increasing classroom effectiveness and improving classroom instructional practice. “The idea is that this is differentiated support for teachers that takes them from where they are, what they know, and what they do well, and builds on those strengths so they can see themselves growing,” Dr. David Chard, dean of the…