News Briefs

When Brooke Varner, a biology teacher at Dallas ISD’s Woodrow Wilson High School, noticed some of her students didn’t have enough to eat, she wanted to act. She started buying extra food and giving it to students who needed it. Last year, a parent approached her about starting a food bank for students. The “Woodrow Peace Pantry” fills a need – and students’ stomachs – at the school. See a report from NBC 5 here.

The need for bilingual teachers in Dallas ISD is so great, that recruiters travel to Spain, Puerto Rico and Mexico to find qualified educators. CBS 11 recently produced a video on that need and how it is fulfilled. Watch the video here.

District officials are using data to get a better idea of students’ socioeconomic status to better address their educational needs. The Dallas Observer published an article that shows the need for better analysis and what Dallas ISD is doing. Read the article here.

When Lincoln alum Carlesa Dixon (Class of 1999) thought about naming her daughter, one name came to mind—Alanna. It was the name of her favorite teacher who taught her second grade at Charles Rice Learning Center. Today, Dixon is the girls head basketball coach at her high school alma mater. As coach, Dixon herself is the inspiration for many students she works with. AlumNow, a Hub feature that checks in with district alumni, took a few minutes to catch up with Dixon to find out what she’s been doing since her days as a stand-out player on the Tigers Basketball Team. What are you…