News Briefs

The Dallas News reports that the district’s partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs is adding after-school enrichment programs to several district schools. The Clubs’ Center for a New Generation after-school program has ushered in music, drama, technology, entr4epreneurship and coding classes to five schools in south and west Dallas. See the full story here.

Woodrow Wilson High School International Baccalaureate juniors recently attended their annual writing workshop at Southern Methodist University. The three-day seminar served as the official start to the development of their extended essays, a requirement of the prestigious diploma program. “The students learned to conduct college-level research, developed and honed their thesis subjects and fleshed out their ideas with peers and their teachers,” said Woodrow IB Director Dr. Kelly Ritchie. Over the course of the week, many of the IB diploma level English teachers, including Mr. Lundberg and Ms. Fisher, were present to work with the students. “Many staff members told…

Fox 4 has a story on how parents can apply to have their child attend one of the district’s new Transformation Schools, which offer specialized academic programming, similar to a magnet school. However, unlike a magnet school, Transformation Schools do not have any academic entry requirements: they are open enrollment for students across the district. Go here to view the Fox 4 story.

Dan Micciche serves on the Dallas ISD School Board representing District 3, which includes Northeast Dallas. Trustee Micciche spent several years leading a community partnership with James Fannin Elementary School. When asked to recall a memorable educator, his thoughts turn to those teachers he met there. “If I had to pick one teacher, I would say Ms. Uranga, who taught at Fannin. Like so many teachers, she worked extremely hard, was committed and passionate, went the extra mile in so many ways for kids, had an optimistic view, and would do anything to help her students and challenge them,” Micciche said.…