News Briefs

At Nathan Adams Elementary School, the Year of the Monkey started off in a special way. Monday, Feb. 8, marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year. To tie in with lessons with its Explore China Enrichment Program, students at Adams were treated to a traditional lion dance performed by members of the J.K. Wong Kung Fu Tai Chi Academy. GrandMaster Jimmy Wong explained the dance, in which the lion is depicted as eating lettuce, going to sleep, getting excited and then “spitting” lettuce on members of the audience. Those rewarded with the flying leaves are said to have good…

Students are learning almost as fast as cheetahs are running thanks to helpful organizations such as the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) and its representative, Caitlyn Beck, who came all the way from Washington D.C. to hand-deliver a treasure trove of sources of data to eager second-grade Gifted and Talented (GT) researchers at Anne Frank Elementary School. Beck, a Constituent Relationship Manager of the CCF, planned ahead for a trip to Dallas where she is working with the Dallas Zoo to bring along many heavy items such as books and magazines for a team of students who are studying cheetahs. The Annual…

Dallas ISD’s third annual STEM Day offered hands-on activities and demonstrations that brought aspects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics to life for students and parents. The free event was Saturday, Feb. 6, at Skyline High School. From robots to critters, from race cars to tiny sailboats, from a fake snow machine to a cloud forming on a classroom floor – there was no shortage of things to see, touch and learn. In addition to a day of sessions for elementary, middle and high school students, STEM Day featured a Vex IQ Robots invitational competition that gave Dallas ISD robotics teams a…

Texas school counselors converged on Dallas by the hundreds this week for the 2016 Texas School Counselor Conference held at the Wyndham Anatole Hotel. The agenda of workshop sessions, information sharing and recognition left counselors energized and renewed, said Dallas ISD Counseling Services Director Dr. Sylvia Lopez who serves as president of the Texas School Counselor Association. Dallas ISD counselors were well represented at the conference, and several led workshop sessions. A highlight of the event was a Texas-sized congratulation to district counselors and their colleagues in the form of a proclamation from Texas Governor Greg Abbott and presented by…