Inside Dallas ISD

Elementary students across 10 campuses used science, technology, engineering and math to create, explore and invent during the weeklong summer enrichment program Camp Invention. Ignacio Zaragoza Elementary, featured in the photo gallery above, participated in the camp for the third year. Cesar Reyes, Zaragoza Elementary instructional coach, said students ages 7 to 12 are learned to collaborate with one another and welcomed peer imagination. Other schools that participated in Camp Invention were John Quincy Adams Elementary, Felix Botello Elementary, Federick Douglass Elementary, H.I. Holland Elementary at Lisbon, Clara Oliver Elementary, Thelma Elizabeth Page Richardson Elementary, Oran M. Roberts Elementary, Clinton P. Russell…

Participating in debate requires students to spend hours in research, writing, and team practice, all of which help cultivate self-discipline, problem solving and critical thinking skills. Studies say debate increases the likelihood of college attendance and promotes intellectual abilities that range from stronger written and oral communication skills to better reading comprehension and increased knowledge of current events. Some Dallas ISD debaters recently learned that public recognition is another benefit of debate, as the Dallas Urban Debate Alliance presented middle and high school competitors with awards and recognition for their efforts this school year. A nonprofit organization, the Dallas Urban…

It may not be easy being green, but it pays. That’s the lesson learned by students and teachers at three elementary schools who won the district’s first-ever Green Shield award for adopting environmentally-friendly practices. Staff and students at Lorenzo DeZavala Elementary won first place, trophies, medals and a $500 gift card in the competition. The school’s Green Team has grown from only a few students to involve the school’s entire fifth-grade. The 50 recycling champions manage daily pickups of the school’s recycled materials. DeZavala impressed the judges with the extensive program of recycling and green activities documented on its Green…

Khalilah Johnson found her way into the classroom in just one short year with the help of the Compass: Alternative Certification Teacher Academy. The academy offers intensive training in district-identified critical need areas.  Through the academy, interns are eligible to receive a standard teaching certificate in one year and a guaranteed position in a critical need assignment within Dallas ISD. In the above video, Johnson explains the Compass process and how it helped her in the classroom. For more information on Compass, click here.