News Briefs

More than 250 cheerleaders from 13 high schools came out to Ellis Davis Field House on a cold Saturday morning to compete in the Dallas ISD Cheer Challenge. Hosted by the Student Activities Department, the Third Annual Cheer Challenge mimicked the UIL Spirit State Championship Finals. The Cheer Challenge followed the Cheer Showdown hosted in November. Together, these events gave the cheer teams exposure to fast-paced cheer competitions, and constructive critiques and feedback to improve their performances. The UIL Spirit State Championship is set for January 13-15 at the Fort Worth Convention Center. Spirit is an extracurricular activity that focuses…

The Parent Services Department in collaboration with some student attendance heroes want to remind students and families that if you are an on-campus or distance learner, attendance still matters. Regular school attendance is an important element for success in school. When a student is frequently absent, tardy or dismissed early from school, students lose valuable instructional time. Because regular attendance is necessary for students to succeed in school, Dallas ISD encourages all parents and guardians to stress the importance of punctuality and regular attendance with their children. Stay engaged for every class and #ShowUpDallasisd.

Recently, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, hundreds of pounds of food and hygiene products were picked up by schools to distribute among the almost 4,000 Dallas ISD students who are considered to be homeless. The food distribution is one of the highlights of activities by the Homeless Education Program during November, Homeless Youth Awareness Month. “We have been working with the North Texas Food Bank for a few years,” said Ashley Marshal, outreach manager for the district’s Homeless Education Program. “We are extremely grateful for this partnership this year since the pandemic has put such a strain on the usual…

Today, The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries announced that the Dallas Education Foundation is being awarded $500,000 for the direct benefit of Dallas ISD as it continues rebuilding from the October 2019 North Dallas tornadoes. Thomas Jefferson High School, Francisco “Pancho” Medrano Middle School, and Walnut Hill PK-8 will use the grants to expand, update, and diversify their library book collections.    “The tornadoes last fall destroyed parts of the Dallas community, including some of the schools our children attend. I am thrilled the Laura Bush Foundation will support three Dallas ISD school libraries affected by the storm,” Mrs. Laura Bush…