Inside Dallas ISD

Poetry and culture go hand in hand at Raul Quintanilla Middle School. Teachers Lisa Taylor and Candy Williams began the poetry and culture clubs as a way to connect with their students. The result was a resounding success, said Taylor. “My students are making better grades, participate more in class, have a broader perspective of the world, and have developed a good camaraderie between each other.” Taylor, Williams and Thomas Browne, all English/Language Arts teachers at Quintanilla, are the clubs’ sponsors. A former arts critic and publicist, Taylor wanted to use her experience to help her students. In fact, all…

Social injustices in the news are controversial topics even adults have a hard time understanding. But for fifth-grader Etana King, the solution is clear: do not fight violence with violence.  Etana, winner of the 2015 Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition and student at John Neely Bryan Elementary, found inspiration for her speech from injustices she felt Martin Luther King Jr. would be anxious to fix today. “We must not abuse, confuse or misuse our minds with thoughts of violence and despair, hopelessness and helplessness,” she said in her speech. “We must infuse our thoughts with love. Use our minds to…

Just in time for the 2015 tax season, students in Woodrow Wilson’s Academy of Finance have received IRS certification to assist with tax return preparation. Woodrow is one of only three schools in the state with students named certified IRS approved agents. This means they have Internal Revenue Service permission to complete and electronically file IRS tax returns free of charge through VITA, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Starting Jan. 24, the students will set appointments to complete the 1040EZ and 1040 tax forms of taxpayers who sign up for filing assistance. The time students spend performing tax services…

Red is one of the signature colors of Valentine’s Day. With that special day of the heart just hours away, many Dallas ISD staff are wearing red today, and not just because of Valentine’s. They are wearing red in support of Go Red, the American Heart Association’s campaign to increase awareness of heart disease and stroke. Many employees made donations of $5 or more to support the cause and earn the chance to wear jeans with their red apparel. Human Capital Management’s Rewards and Recognition Coordinator, Megan Yagelski said all employees were encouraged to sport red attire on Dallas ISD…