News Briefs

Reggie Jordan, a social worker in Dallas ISD’s Psychological & Social Services Department, took personal time on Saturday, Sept. 16, to share some joy among children displaced by Hurricane Harvey. During a visit to the Dallas shelter at the convention center, Jordan dressed as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. He is shown posing for a photo with two of the evacuees and Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

Almost exactly a year after NEC donated a computer lab for high school students at Irma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, the company did the same thing for the school’s younger grades. On Thursday, Sept. 14, Rangel middle school students celebrated their new space along with officials from NEC and the Young Women’s Preparatory Network. Students Hannah Wesley and Etana King talked about how the new computers and refreshed lab space will improve their studies during the dedication ceremony. Also speaking were Lynn McBee, CEO of the Young Women’s Preparatory Network;  Juan Fontanes, Chief Information Officer of NEC; and Principal…

Twelve Dallas ISD students have been named among 16,000 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists, with a chance to become one of the 7,500 Finalists who will take home scholarships worth a combined $32 million. About 90 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to reach the finals, with half of the Finalists winning a National Merit Scholarship. According to a Sept. 13 news release from the National Merit Scholarship Corp., Dallas ISD’s Semifinalists are: Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet  Michael D. Gao School for the Talented and Gifted Adelle Jia Solvay Linde Julia M. McAulay  Jeremiah D. Reilly Jessica H. Wang School…

Each third-, fourth- and fifth-grader received a Kindle tablet to use at school Monday at Dallas ISD’s Tom C. Gooch Elementary School, thanks to the Jiv Dya Foundation. Last year, the Foundation provided tablets to schools in the Bryan Adams feeder pattern, but this year is expanding to distribute the devices to students in other feeder patterns, including W.T. White. To date, the Jiv Dya Foundation has provided 14,000 devices to district schools for student use. Gooch students received their tablets after a surprise pep rally in the school’s auditorium.