News Briefs

Dallas ISD implemented a temporary mask requirement at the beginning of the school year to protect the health and safety of the educational environment for all district students, staff, and visitors. The mask requirement is a temporary measure to protect staff and students from the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus. Although masks are required, Dallas ISD follows all applicable state or federal laws to accommodate students or staff who may have an underlying medical reason or condition that limits that person’s ability to wear a mask in the school environment. From the beginning, Dallas ISD…

To mark the 50-year anniversary of the order to desegregate Dallas ISD schools, this week we are celebrating the courage of Sam Tasby, the civil rights icon behind the lawsuit that led to the desegregation order. The road to desegregation has taken many turns. Here is a recap of the journey that still continues today. May 17, 1954 – U.S. Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren delivers the unanimous ruling in the landmark civil rights case Brown v. Board of Education, which found that the state-sanctioned segregation of public schools was a violation of the 14th amendment and was therefore unconstitutional.…

Vedant Tapiavala, a senior at Dallas ISD’s School for the Talented and Gifted, and three of his friends – including a Plano ISD student – have developed an app to help Alzheimer’s and other dementia patients. The AlzBuddy app is designed to help entertain and engage those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. The three modules in the app allow a user to select sounds, games or pictures. Sounds include popular music from the 1940s forward, commercials, speeches, animals and miscellaneous sounds to listen to and reminisce.  Games include color matching grids and other similar games.  Pictures include political figures, household items, professional…

Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa and his son Taylor Hinojosa, a graduate of Hillcrest High School and former Samuell High School teacher and coach, were featured on Dallas Love Field’s Lead with Love show+podcast this week. Dallas Love Field’s Lead With Love show+podcast is a 30-minute conversation of two voices of Dallas discussing ways that strong leadership, respect of diversity and inclusion, and celebration of local culture make a difference in the community. During the live interview, Taylor and Superintendent Hinojosa shared about their paths to success, how Dallas ISD schools and initiatives make a difference in the community, particularly…