News Briefs

The Dallas Morning News reports on a new pilot program in five Dallas ISD schools that rethinks how to discipline students. The restorative discipline program is designed to proactively address disciplinary and behavioral issues before they escalate. Click here to read the story from the Dallas Morning News. Photo courtesy Dallas Morning News.

The 51 teachers at Dallas ISD’s E.D. Walker Middle School must challenge the school’s more than 700 students because most of them perform at such a high level. To aid in that goal, teachers attended Kagan professional development training to implement cooperative learning strategies. “Kagan is really just kind of a strategy for keeping students involved and working with each other,” said sociology teacher Robert Ramsey. “It tells them, ‘OK, you have 30 seconds, talk about this.’ And so their brains have to really focus really quickly and then it gives them a focus strategy to use to be able…

The Dallas Morning News reports that Dallas ISD’s annual financial audit shows no major material weaknesses, according to the district’s chief financial officer. Click here for the full story.

Solidarity was on display as men from the community arrived at Dade Middle School for its first annual Empowered Men in Black March Against Bullying. The men and community leaders participated in the event as a way to say “not on our watch” when it comes to bullying within Dallas ISD schools. “Bullying is a problem at all schools, and we want our parents, our community, our students, and our friends to all come together so our students know we stand behind them,” said Ellyn Favors, community liaison at Dade Middle School. Dade Middle School Principal Tracie Washington said she…