News Briefs

Frank Johnson Jr. thought his lunch period on Friday, Nov. 21, at Dallas ISD’s Harry Stone Montessori would be uneventful. But by the time the student got his tray of food and sat down, he knew something was up because of all the cameras pointed at him. That’s about the same time his father Frank Johnson Sr., who just retired as a U.S. Army Master Sergeant, walked into the cafeteria. After hugs – and a few classmates who teared up at the sight – his dad’s surprise return in time for Thanksgiving started to sink in.

As shared in an earlier Dallas ISD notice, staff will receive an additional two local days for a total of five. The implementation of additional local days is on an expedited timeline. However, there are some personnel and payroll systems that need to be adjusted to account for the additional days. The additional local days will be available to use effective January 1, 2015. Please note the following guidelines regarding the addition of days: The additional local days will be applied effective Jan. 1, 2015. If you were credited the original three local days on Sept. 1, 2014, two additional…

Students of Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy, speak about what it means to be the first senior class of the school, and how their future is being shaped while attending the district’s only all-male school. The seniors were profiled on WFAA-TV Ch. 8, Nov. 18. You catch a glimpse of that story by clicking the link below. http://www.wfaa.com/videos/news/education/2014/11/20/19308879/

The C.A. Tatum Jr. Elementary School Titans are celebrating Thanksgiving by fighting hunger. A canned-food drive sponsored by the school’s Character Education Club yielded 779 pounds of food recently donated to the North Texas Food Bank. Tatum Counselor and club sponsor Katrina Woods worked alongside students in their mission to help others. Thanking the students for their donation, a spokeswoman for North Texas Food Bank estimated the donation would help provide access to 649 meals for chronically hungry children, families and seniors in North Texas. The agency invites schools, individuals and community groups to get involved in the battle against…