News Briefs

Susan Blanchard retired after 10 years of teaching to focus on ministry, but currently volunteers at Casa View Elementary and is now studying counseling. Her primary responsibility at Casa View is helping students with reading comprehension and decoding. Blanchard volunteers two days per week and is also a member of Casa View’s Site-Based Decision-Making Team.

WFAA 8 followed up with Lincoln High School students Jamicheal Morgan, Francheska Johnson, and Anjel Hayes, whose short film, “The Blue Ribbon,” was featured at the Dallas International Festival on April 13. The six-minute film about child abuse started as a class report, WFAA 8 reports. To learn more, view the full WFAA 8 report here. Photo courtesy WFAA 8

The Dallas Morning News got an inside look at the ferocious readers at Macon Elementary School. Students at the school have checked out 55,000 books so far this school year, the DMN reports. The article also profiles Mary Bilbrey, the school librarian, who does great work inspiring students to read. Click here to read the full story. Photo courtesy Dallas Morning News.

WFAA 8 visited Skyline High School to learn more about a Dallas ISD program that gives students skills that make them more competitive in a variety of careers. As the Hub previously reported, between 2009–10 and 2013–14, the number of career certifications received by district students rose from 177 to 1,683, an increase of more than 850 percent. Specialized CTE courses range from horticulture to automotive tech and are offered at every district middle and high school. Click here to view the full report from WFAA 8.