June 2021

After months of winter and the soggy weeks of spring, people are ready to enjoy the sunny days that summer brings. Make sure that you are enjoying them safely by protecting your skin regardless of your skin pigmentation.

Protection starts with choosing the correct sunscreen. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, when selecting a sunscreen, make sure the label includes the following information*:

• Broad spectrum:The words “broad spectrum” means that the sunscreen can protect your skin from both types of harmful UV rays — the UVA rays and the UVB rays.
• SPF 30 or higher:The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that you select a sunscreen with an SPF rating of 30 or higher.
• Water resistant: Dermatologists also recommend that you look for the words “water resistant.” This tells you that the sunscreen will stay on wet or sweaty skin for a while before you need to reapply. Water resistance lasts either 40 or 80 minutes. Not all sunscreens offer water resistance.

Once you have the right sunscreen, you need to apply it correctly for effective protection. Sunscreen is safe and can protect your skin against skin cancer and premature aging. Follow these tips from AAD dermatologists when applying sunscreen*:

1. Apply sunscreen before going outdoors. It takes approximately 15 minutes for your skin to absorb the sunscreen and protect you. If you wait until you are in the sun to apply sunscreen, your skin is unprotected and can burn.
2. Apply enough sunscreen. Most adults need about 1 ounce—or enough to fill a shot glass—to fully cover their body. Rub the sunscreen thoroughly into your skin.
3. Apply sunscreen to all skin not covered by clothing. Remember your neck, face, ears, tops of your feet and legs. For hard‐to‐reach areas like your back, ask someone to help you or use a spray sunscreen. If you have thinning hair, either apply sunscreen to your scalp or wear a wide‐brimmed hat. To protect your lips, apply a lip balm with a SPF of at least 15.
4. To remain protected when outdoors, reapply sunscreen every two hours, or immediately after swimming or sweating. People who get sunburned usually didn’t use enough sunscreen, didn’t reapply it after being in the sun, or used an expired product. Your skin is exposed to the sun’s harmful UV rays every time you go outside, even on cloudy days and in the winter.

Whether you are on vacation or taking a brisk walk in your neighborhood, remember to use sunscreen.

*Source: American Academy Of Dermatology https://www.aad.org/public

Hard work, perseverance and the need to help others succeed has led Angela Hernandez, to find herself at home as a fourth-grade teacher at John Quincy Adams Elementary School.

Hernandez started her journey with Dallas ISD as a 2011 graduate of Skyline High School and became a teacher’s assistant in prekindergarten after graduation. She enjoyed engaging the campus’s youngest students and their parents so much and did such a great job that she transitioned into a new assignment as a parent liaison at the school.

“I really enjoyed working with parents and building community connections that ultimately helped students succeed,” Hernandez said.

While serving as a liaison, Hernandez earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas at Dallas—the first person in her family to do so.

Thanks to Dallas ISD’s Alternative Certification Program, she was able to complete her teacher certification while maintaining her full-time job at Adams Elementary, where she is now a teacher.

Hernandez acknowledges that teaching has its challenges, but she wouldn’t do anything differently.

“I live for ‘light bulb moments when students learn and finally get it,” Hernandez said. “I love helping students understand that they can succeed and accomplish anything. I’m proof that this is true.”

The students, parents, and staff of Adams Elementary appreciate Hernandez’s contribution and all that she brings to their campus.

“Angela is a passionate, dedicated, resilient, and courageous teacher who loves education and does not cease to continually reflect and grow to serve our Pleasant Grove community regardless of the challenges life puts in front of her,” said Yoshiko Reyes, Adams Elementary principal.

Because Dallas ISD offers free meals to all its students, all families are eligible to receive the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT), a one-time benefit provided by the State of Texas for eligible families to buy food.

Eligibility includes:

• Children up to 21 years old who are certified for free or reduced-price meals at school in Texas during the 2020-2021 school year.
• Children 5-18 years old who received SNAP food benefits for at least one month between October 2020 and June 2021.
• Children who attend a school that offers free meals to all students, such as Dallas ISD schools

Texas Health and Human Services will put funds in the Lone Star Card accounts of families who get SNAP benefits and whose children are approved for P-EBT. Families who are approved after submitting the application will receive a P-EBT card loaded with benefits from Health and Human Services.

Enrolled students (up to 21 years of age) in families that temporarily lost access to free or reduced-price school meals for the 2020–2021 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible to receive P-EBT. These benefits can be used to buy food from any retailer that accepts the Lone Star Card.

The application for P-EBT opened June 2, 2021. Go to yourtexasbenefits.com/Learn/PEBT to apply. The application link is case-sensitive. The deadline to apply is Aug. 13, 2021.

Who Needs to Apply?

• A parent/guardian must apply if eligible child is:
  • Enrolled in K-12 and NOT part of a family who received SNAP benefits for at least one month between August 2020 and June 2021.
  • Born on or before Aug. 1, 2014, and part of a family who received SNAP benefits for the first time during the 2020–2021 school year in May or June 2021.
• A parent/guardian does not have to apply if eligible child is:
  • Born on or before Aug. 1, 2014, and part of a family who received SNAP benefits for at least one month between August 2020 and April 2021.
  • Born after Aug. 1, 2014, and part of a family who received SNAP benefits for at least one month between October 2020 and June 2021.

For more information about eligibility, applying and getting your P-EBT benefits, visit hhs.texas.gov/pebt, or call the P-EBT call center at 833-442-1255, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Dallas ISD is offering a free summer learning experience to students that, if offered by another provider, would likely cost families at least $300.

“This is an outstanding opportunity for students that won’t cost their parents a penny,” said Sharla Hudspeth, executive director for Dallas ISD Extracurricular and Extended Learning Opportunities.

The PreK–8 Summer Cool Camp is designed to meet the needs of the whole child. Students will experience a full day of activities, ranging from fun hands-on learning to various extracurricular activities. Transportation, breakfast, lunch and participation incentives will be provided to students.

Students who are eligible for the camp, which will be offered at 82 Dallas ISD schools, will be contacted by their home campus. The camp will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 22–24 and June 28–July 1.

Dallas ISD is also partnering with Big Thought and the City of Dallas for Dallas City of Learning, an online directory of low to no-cost activities for youth of all ages. The opportunities include activities such as theatre, dance, band, sports and STEM. Visit www.dallascityoflearning.org to learn more.

Você fala português?

While most Dallas ISD students would likely answer in the negative, after next year, some at Skyline High School and Harold W. Lang Middle School will be able to say: Sim!

Portuguese will be added to the growing list of languages other than English that are taught in Dallas ISD schools, said Amy Anderton, director of World Languages. This addition also makes the district the first in the state to offer this romance language as an option in schools,

There is a lot of interest for Portuguese, especially among Hispanic students who already speak Spanish and want to learn a third language, she said. The district already offers French and Italian among the 10 foreign languages taught in schools, so Portuguese was the next logical step. In the 2021-2022 school year, Dallas ISD will offer German at 16 schools and Italian at 12 others.

“Dallas ISD offers the most language choices in the state,” she said. Korean, for example, is offered in eight schools, making it the largest program in the south central region of the country.

Learning foreign languages like Portuguese, German, Italian, or Korean gives Dallas ISD students an advantage in a variety of professional fields once they graduate, Anderton said. Texas does businesses with a lot of transnational companies, so when looking for a job, all things being equal, being able to speak the language of the parent company might make a difference.

What languages are offered at which schools depends on interest among students and parents and the funding priorities for the school, but the goal is to create grade level alignment with language offerings down to the elementary school level. This alignment could allow students not only to graduate with a Seal of Biliteracy or even an endorsement in arts and humanities— depending on how long they study the language—but also make them more attractive candidates for colleges and businesses.

In the future, World Languages is exploring introducing Russian and then maybe Arabic, Hebrew, and Hindi, depending on interest and funding, Anderton said.