December 2025

Dallas ISD has a new cybersecurity hero, and it’s a blue squirrel named Chip. This bushy-tailed rodent can help you keep your data safe with just a click.

The district has partnered with CyberNut to strengthen cybersecurity and streamline the process for reporting suspicious emails across the district. In the coming days, team members will notice a new icon in the shape of a squirrel in their Outlook. Chip is team members’ new email security assistant.

Cybersecurity experts estimate that globally, hundreds of thousands of people fall victim to phishing attacks every year. Phishing is a type of cybercrime where spam messages, generally emails, containing malicious links or files are sent to people to download or click on the link.  

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency says that more than 90% of successful cyber-attacks start with a phishing email.

While it seems easy to blame users for falling victim to phishing attacks, these campaigns have become increasingly more sophisticated to the point where it is difficult to distinguish a malicious email from a regular one, according to experts. Criminals will tailor attacks to look as if they come from a trusted source, such as cloud service providers like Microsoft or Google, colleagues, or a supervisor.

The median time for users to fall for a phishing scam is less than 60 seconds, so staying vigilant is crucial. Chip, the new email security assistant can help with that.

What to do

If you receive an email that appears suspicious, click on Chip to promptly report it to the designated security team for review. Chip will also ask whe

ther you clicked any links or entered information before reporting the email.

“This information helps the security team take the appropriate steps to protect the district—Chip is simply gathering details, not passing judgment,” said Jonathan Hurley, deputy chief of Technology and Information Security. “And prompt action in reporting through this streamlined process can really help the district’s cybersecurity team tackle threats more quickly.”

Between users’ constant vigilance and Chip’s help, Dallas ISD team members can keep district data safe.

Easy and fun holiday baking 

Cooking with family and friends is a great way to spend time together creatively while connecting meaningfully with loved ones. Food and Child Nutrition Services shared two no-bake cookie recipes that are easy and fun to make with kid-friendly toppings.

Snowman Banana Pops

Ingredients (makes four pops)

• 2 bananas
• 1 cup Greek yogurt (vanilla or plain)
• 1-2 tbsp honey or maple syrup (optional)
• Shredded coconut (optional “snow”)
• Mini chocolate chips (eyes/buttons)
• Tiny pretzel sticks (arms)
• Sliced strawberries or mandarin segments (hats)
• Blueberries or raisins (nose or buttons)
• Popsicle sticks

Directions

1. Prep the bananas

• Peel and slice each banana into three thick rounds.
• Slide the rounds onto a popsicle stick to make a snowman shape.

2. Coat the snowmen

• Mix Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey if you want it sweeter.
• Dip or spoon yogurt over each banana snowman.
• Roll lightly in shredded coconut if desired.

3. Decorate

• Add mini chocolate chips for eyes and buttons.
• Use a pretzel stick on each side for arms (optional).
• Add a strawberry slice or mandarin wedge on top for a hat.
• Stick a blueberry or raisin on as a nose.

4. Freeze

• Place the pops on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Freeze for 1–2 hours until set.

Serve

Eat frozen like a popsicle or allow to soften for two to three minutes for a creamier bite.

Chocolate chip cookie snowmen

Ingredients (Makes about 12 snowmen)

• 24 chocolate chip cookies (2 per snowman; can be gluten free or home-made)
• 1 cup vanilla frosting (can be sugar free)
• Mini chocolate chips (for eyes and buttons)
• Orange sprinkles or small orange candies (for noses)
• Pretzel sticks (for arms)
• Red or green gummy strips / licorice (for scarves)
• Optional: festive sprinkles for decoration

Instructions

Step 1: Make the Snowman Base
Spread a thin layer of vanilla frosting on the bottom of one cookie.
Place another cookie on top to make a small “cookie sandwich.”

Step 2: Add the Snowman Face
Spread a small circle of frosting on the top cookie.
Then add to the circle:

• 2 mini chocolate chips for eyes
• 1 orange sprinkle/candy for the nose
• 3 mini chocolate chips for buttons

Step 3: Dress Your Snowman
Wrap a gummy strip or licorice piece gently around the middle for a scarf.

Step 4: Add Arms
Break pretzel sticks in half and gently press one into each side of the cookie sandwich.

Step 5: Decorate
Sprinkle a little festive magic (sprinkles!) on top if desired.

Notes:

• Use premade chocolate chip cookies to make this super quick
• Frosting works as the “glue” to attach all decorations safely
• Let the snowmen chill in the fridge for 10–15 minutes to help them set

Once chilled, enjoy your treat!

When the Dallas Cowboys launched an elite girls flag football league, history was made across Dallas ISD—but nowhere was the impact felt more deeply than at Dr. L.G. Pinkston Sr. High School, which won the Dallas ISD division championship.

Nicole Stovall, assistant athletic director and lead flag football coach at Pinkston, said she was excited to create a legacy her team could claim forever and to help start the beginning of something bigger for her players and the community. 

“Honestly, just being a part of the first inaugural staff in Dallas meant a lot,” Stovall said. “This is going to be great, and, of course, we always want to be history makers.”

For Stovall, this focus on creating lasting impact has deep roots. A Louisiana native, Stovall’s coaching journey began in New Orleans, where she worked with NFL-affiliated middle school flag football leagues and spent time empowering young athletes. After Hurricane Katrina upended her life, Stovall relocated to Chicago where she taught college football at the now defunct Robert Morris University Illinois. In 2007, she decided to move to Dallas and join Pinkston, where she has been coaching ever since.

“This is why I mentor students. Sometimes things are placed in our lives and then taken away, so I remind them they can’t take anything 

for granted,” Stovall said. “I’m just trying to coach them through some of the things that I’ve been through, so that they don’t make the same mistakes.”

Applying these life lessons to the field, Stovall teaches all her players—including the girls’ basketball team—not only resilience from personal loss but also a deep belief in the power of sports to build discipline, collaboration, and self-confidence.

“I think the team is working on building character, because that also means being able to handle adversity,” she said. “Sometimes when we get to a certain competition level, we have to learn how to win and how to lose with grace.”

The commitment to developing character alongside athletic skill has translated directly into the enthusiasm for flag football. Pinkston’s team saw 15 to 20 girls participate in the first year, and Stovall has already been approached by numerous female students eager to join. 

“I had so many young ladies at the beginning of the school year express their interest in joining flag football,” Stovall said. “Last year, we were only provided an opportunity to have one team per campus. I don’t know what the logistics will be like for those schools that have more than enough players for two teams.”

Even with only one team, the Pinkston Lady Vikings already have made history. In addition to winning the division championship, they advanced to the Dallas Cowboys Girls Flag Football Championship tournament. Although Pinkston fell short of that title, Stovall and her players are more determined than ever to reach the top.

“We want to win the Dallas Cowboys Girls Flag Football Championship,” she said. “We want to get a spot where we can go in and play against other teams across the state of Texas.”

The strong partnership with the Dallas Cowboys supports achieving these ambitious goals, as they provide uniforms, equipment, and even visibility for college scouts. As a result, flag football is opening doors for young women.

“The popularity of girls flag football is so big that now a lot of colleges are offering scholarships,” Stovall noted.

The sport’s momentum suggests a massive future in athletics and, according to Stovall, it may soon become a UIL-sanctioned sport in Texas and even an Olympic event.

“This is the start of something new, and I know the growth is going to be there,” Stovall said. “But the most important thing is the legacy we leave right here.”

After two decades in the district, Stovall’s loyalty to Pinkston and its community remains steadfast. In addition to flag football, Stovall is also the head coach of the girls’ basketball team and supports other sports at the school, including soccer, football, swimming, and wrestling. 

“Pinkston is a special place. We are a hidden gem,” Stovall said. “I just want to make sure I’ve had a lasting impact and touched the lives of the kids and helped guide and mentor them. That’s what I want to be remembered as.”