News Briefs

A year ago, critics of the Dallas school system complained about the suspension of too many students. Six schools are trying a new approach this year in dealing with students who find themselves in trouble. CBS DFW visited Dallas ISD’s Francisco “Pancho” Medrano Middle School to see how the school’s new discipline plan is working. Watch the video here.

From teaching concentration and respect to endurance and strategy, chess brings many proven benefits besides the simple joy of checkmating an opponent. Today’s episode of Ed Talk with Dr. Bob Bravo focuses on the game that first appeared around A.D. 600. In the podcast episode, Dr. Robert Bravo, Dallas ISD Chief of School Leadership, talks with Irasema Coy, a fourth-grade teacher at Runyon Elementary who led the school’s chess club, and a parent liaison at Runyon who helped with the club. The conversation touches on the benefits of starting a chess club at a Dallas ISD school and how chess…

The call came for Michelle Zada, a ballet teacher at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, on July 1: she had Stage 4 invasive breast cancer that had spread to her spine. WFAA has done a story on the very talented Zada and her effort to beat the cancer. Powerhandz, a Dallas-based company that sells weighted gloves to help athletes build skills, is helping Zada and other women fighting breast cancer pay their medical bills through the Power to Fight Campaign. Click here to view the full WFAA report. Photo courtesy WFAA

On Saturday, Nov. 7,  Univision will host a Parent Academy at UTA’s Maverick Activities Center in collaboration with ACT. The Parent Academy will provide an overview to parents on how to prepare their child for college, how to pay for college, and find resources.  Parents will undergo different presentations focusing on expectations, teacher-parent communication, test anxiety, college admissions and financial aid, as well as motivation. Participating parents will receive a guide book, signed certificate from Jorge Ramos (he is the spokesperson for Clave Al Exito), and enter the opportunity to win a computer and gift cards (2 computers will be…