December 2025

Across the Lincoln-Madison Vertical Team, STAAR success is fueled not only by student determination and the hard work of teachers, but also by intentional community efforts that create vibrant well supported schools.

“It is important that we have wraparound services for our students, to eliminate the barriers students are experiencing outside of school,” said Lincoln-Madison Vertical Team Executive Director Rockell Stewart. “We want to see 100 percent of our students graduate and on grade level, while simultaneously addressing the whole need of each child.”

Through a unified action, students and families receive support year-round, while students remain focused on the academic principles that drive their daily instruction and STAAR test prep.  

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Building Student Confidence

Understanding that students thrive when they believe in themselves, the vertical team, teachers and principals cultivate school confidence through chants and daily affirmations that ground students in their strengths. 

“We want to make sure that everyone feels valued and affirmed,” Stewart said.

At Billy Earl Dade Middle School, students chant, ‘I am Dade,’ an affirmation based on the letters that form the school’s name: Destined for greatness, Attitude of gratitude, Determined to succeed, and Excellence is my only option. 

These meaningful words, displayed on a mural stretching across the main hallway, reinforce unity, pride, and identity and give students a language of empowerment they can speak daily about themselves. Other schools also have similar chants as well.  

The school’s house system also plays a key role in shaping culture. At Dade, students belong to one of three houses, each named with intentional meaning: Kiongozi, Swahili for ‘leader,’ Mutunci, a northern Nigerian phrase for ‘dignity and honor,’ and Valor meaning ‘bravery.’

These affirmations and cultural systems have strengthened morale across the vertical team, contributing to significant academic gains.

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Expanding Academic Opportunity

The Future Leaders Program, founded by Brewer Attorneys & Counselors and the Brewer Foundation, is an instrumental partnership that expands each student’s academic horizons. 

“This is an amazing opportunity for students that has recently been revived,” Stewart said. “Our students in South Dallas gain exposure to private schools like Saint Mark’s School of Texas or The Hockaday School, starting in middle school. Students also intern at the law firm and participate in college visits.”

Throughout the year, students engage in courses led by both public and private school teachers, with a focus on college test prep, advanced math, humanities, college admission and leadership development. 

This program affirms that college and professional careers are within reach by nurturing students through new academic pathways that remind them that they belong. 

Funding the Arts 

At Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Arts Academy, another vertical team campus, community partnerships are helping students build artistic identity alongside their academic momentum.

Arts education strengthens academic achievement by teaching discipline, creativity and innovative thinking, key factors to student success in the classroom. The school’s longstanding academic success and B rating with the Texas Education Agency is now infused with specialized training in theatre, music, dance and visual art, and prepares students for Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.

Supported by the 2020 Bond Program and through partnerships with Broadway Dallas, Forest Forward, Pat and Emmet Smith Charities, Big Hope and other local organizations, the academy is ensuring students can nurture their creativity without limitation.  

“Many of our students are athletically inclined, and now we celebrate the fact that they are excelling in the arts, and in academics,” Stewart said. 

Supporting families

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School leaders across the vertical team understand that students cannot engage with their learning when their needs go unmet. Through partnerships with organizations like Forest Forward, families have received support with essential monthly expenses that may impact a student’s well-being while at school.

In November, James Madison High School opened a new Community Resource Hub on the campus. Through the Southern Dallas Thrives Initiative at United Way Metropolitan, students now have access to school uniforms, meals, hygiene items and other essential supplies, designed to remove barriers to learning.

With STAAR scores reaching their highest levels in recent history for the South Dallas region, this Lincoln-Madison Vertical Team momentum is due to collaboration between students, educators, families, Dallas ISD, partners and community organizations. 

Through a unified ecosystem of culture and support, the schools are transforming student outcomes, as each of the seven schools have earned a B-Rating, a milestone that has been years in the making.

“We do this work for the students,” said Stewart. “Ultimately, we want to increase their belief in themselves and their capacity.” 

When Dallas ISD police officer Omar Sepulveda decided to bring holiday cheer—and presents—to students with special needs at Dr. L.G. Pinkston Sr. High School, the school which he was serving in 2014, he asked the ROTC cadets at the school to help him organize the drive. 

Sepulveda went a step further by incentivizing students to participate through a competition among five different classes to see which would raise the most donations. The winner, he said, would get a pizza party. It worked. 

Students brought enough donations for the special education population but also for the children at Children’s Medical Center Dallas. Sepulveda and volunteer officers even shaved their heads in solidarity with the young cancer patients.

“I told the officers who were trying to join, ‘If guys are going to help me, we’re going to shave.’ That was basically my rule,” Sepulveda said. “The reason behind it was because when you go to the hospital, kids with cancer don’t have hair, so I didn’t want to walk in and have them look at me differently. I wanted us to be on the same level.”

That act of generosity marked the beginning of the Officer Claus Toy Drive. Teaming up with public safety officer Regina Black, who has been serving at Alex W. Spence Talented/Gifted Academy for over two decades, the officers work with the school staff to identify children they suspect might be experiencing financial difficulties. After obtaining approval from their respective school principals, Sepulveda and Black place collection boxes and post flyers around their schools to encourage students and staff to give. 

“I’ve been assigned to multiple [schools] in Dallas, so every year I just go to the principals of my district and ask them, ‘Is it okay if we could give out toys?’” Sepulveda said. “Right now, I’m in the Seagoville area, so I visit the elementary and middle schools there a lot. It’s just part of the routine.”

Sepulveda and Black do not limit the drive to a single district. To ensure families elsewhere are reached, they rely on staff members in those areas to act as their eyes and ears.

“In some areas, you can tell which schools need help. It just depends on where you are,” Sepulveda said. “There are some areas where I don’t make it myself, so there are different officers in their areas, and they’ll tell me, ‘Hey, I think this school will need something.’ I just say, ‘Sure, we’ve got the toys. Come and get them.’”

Throughout the years, Sepulveda said he has been fortunate to have had the support of the nonprofit Buckner Humanitarian Aid Center, which distributes food and other essential items to families in need. The partnership blossomed when Sepulveda’s church brought young volunteers there, and later, when Sepulveda decided to bring toys to the Buckner Center one Christmas. 

“For Christmas, Buckner gives out food and small gifts to families. I figured we could bring some more toys out there and help them out, too.” Sepulveda said. “There have been years when I’ve been low on toys, and the people over at Buckner say, ‘We’ve got you. You helped us out, so now let us help you.’”

Additional partnerships have surfaced, including ones with El Rio Grande Latin Market, Credit Union of Texas, National Latino Law Enforcement Organization (NLLEO), and Comadres Unidas de Dallas y Más. While most organizations provide financial donations, others such as El Rio Grande, donate meat for Sepulveda’s Tacos for Toys fundraiser, which promises community members a taco in exchange for a toy. Credit Union of Texas not only gives financial contributions but its representatives go with Sepulveda and Black on toy shopping trips to Five Below.

“For the past couple of years, Credit Union has helped us tremendously, providing financial donations. Last year, someone from management met us at Five Below with a couple of her people to deliver the donations,” Sepulveda said.

Despite receiving hundreds of donations, Sepulveda and Black have faced the stark possibility of insufficient toys. But help arrives just in time, Black said.

“One of the most memorable moments was two years ago when we went to the Buckner Center. We had more kids show up than we expected, and Officer Sepulveda and I looked at each other, worried we didn’t have enough toys,” Black recalled. “But then a volunteer dressed as Santa Claus brought out two extra boxes of stuffed animals.” Black said the memory shows that the Dallas community never fails to come through for its own, ensuring the spirit of the drive prevails.

Just before winter break, Sepulveda and Black hold the main toy distribution event in the auditorium of a host school—this year, at Seagoville High School. The space is decorated festively with a Christmas tree and, in recent years, a snow machine to give the atmosphere an air of magic. As children file in, they take in a lively scene: volunteers standing at gift-wrapping stations, bags stacked high with gifts, and an officer dressed as Santa.

“I want the kids to come out and have a good time, not just get a toy,” Sepulveda said. “They should feel like they have those 45 minutes to themselves—they can grab chocolate while their present is getting wrapped and enjoy the moment.” After the main event, Sepulveda and Black visit between up to 15 elementary and middle schools to continue distributing toys across the area. 

But with the holidays just a week away, Black said this will be her final Officer Claus Toy Drive before her planned retirement in January. Yet her legacy will remain rooted in the deep, lasting joy of giving.

“I love to give to the children, but most of all, I love to see them smile,” Black said. “We don’t know what some of them are going through, and when we give them one toy, and then we say, ‘You can have another toy,’ they get this big smile on their face. That’s a real joy for me.”

Sepulveda will continue the tradition for as long as he can, and he hopes others will carry the legacy forward long after he is gone.

“I’m just hoping someone who wants to be a giver keeps it going,” Sepulveda said. “I tell everybody, it’s better to give than to receive; that’s the main thing.”

If you would like to donate a toy, please contact Officer Omar Sepulveda at (469) 605-7018 or at osepulveda@dallasisd.org.

In the whirlwind of academic responsibilities, forming their identities, and managing life outside of school, students are vulnerable to emotional and mental health struggles. Through the efforts of Dallas ISD’s Mental Health Services and the broader community, students are gaining access to the resources they need to navigate these challenges.  

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, poor mental health in adolescence is more than just “feeling blue,” and it can affect many areas of a teen’s life, such as school performance, decision making, relationship building and physical health. 

Through a recent collaboration with Dallas Cowboys player Solomon Thomas, Mental Health Services is continuing to offer high schools students access to resources that promote well-being and academic success. 

Thomas’ nonprofit, The Defensive Line, has a mission to help end the public health crisis of youth suicide, especially among people of color. One meeting at a time in Dallas ISD schools, he is transforming the way of communicating and connecting about mental health. 

During recent visits to Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy, South Oak Cliff High School, and Dr. L.G. Pinkston Sr. High School, he has motivated and inspired students by sharing personal stories about his life.

Thomas knows first-hand the highs and lows that students may face. Driven by the loss of his sister to suicide in 2018, he has become a mental health advocate for teens, and speaks openly about navigating grief, coping with loss, and the importance of mental health and what it means to take care of your mind and body.  

In November, Thomas visited athletes and students at South Oak Cliff High School to talk about resilience and overcoming difficult moments. 

“It’s important for young athletes to learn how to take care of the mental side of the game of football,” Thomas said. “It’s something we talk about as professionals, but not as much as young players. We have to take care of our health so we can use your mind well when we play our games. When your mind isn’t correct, your body isn’t going to feel right.”

This visit came during a national conversation about mental health, following the recent death of Thomas’ teammate, 24-year-old Marshawn Kneeland. 

In 2023, the CDC found that four in 10 students had persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. But these facts are not a measure of defeat because research shows that young people are resilient, and feeling connected to their school and community is one way to support their mental health. 

During his visit, Thomas shared with students how he copes with difficult emotions. He explained that he uses journaling and meditation to work through overwhelming thoughts about the future, daily pressures, and uncertainty.

While at South Oak Cliff, the Gene and Jerry Jones Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Dallas Cowboys, donated $10,000 to the district’s Mental Health Services to support mental health programs and resources. 

District campuses offer a strong school culture, academic and social clubs, and a range of resources, including counseling and psychotherapy, behavior interventions, mental health consultation, crisis intervention, psychiatric evaluations, medication management, and wraparound services, supported by Mental Health Services.

For both staff and students, feeling connected and leaning on school, family and community resources can be life changing. For more information on the services offered by Dallas ISD Mental Health Services, please visit Dallas ISD Mental Health Services.

Dallas ISD celebrated the “boots on the ground” approach to learning with its newest districtwide tradition: The Aspire Award. The award recognizes outstanding campus support personnel from each school for their impactful work, for being the boots on the ground.

This year, the 2025 Aspire Award honored clerks, registrars, parent support specialists, custodians, data controllers, office managers, and teacher assistants, all team members who help shape their school’s culture and embody values of public service and collaboration.

At the Aspire Award Luncheon on Nov. 21, honorees and their principals celebrated in true Texas fashion at the Longhorn Ballroom, dressed in western attire that fit the venue’s southern charm. The morning featured performances from Dallas ISD students, including mariachi music and ballet folklorico.

“It’s a blessing to be honored. I feel appreciated,” said Areal Chandler, cafeteria supervisor at Mark Twain School for the Talented and Gifted. “I get to interact with my students every day. The children are the best part of my day.”

The award recognizes that campus support personnel help ensure that schools are welcoming, organized, thriving places for students to learn and grow.

“Their work sustains the spirit of our schools and reinforces the power of teamwork,” said Chief of School Leadership Tiffany Huitt.

Carla Lauriano, office manager at Nathan Adams Elementary School, said she finds joy in supporting students, parents, and staff as the main point of contact for her campus.

Each Aspire Award honoree received a glass plaque to recognize their hard work. They also participated in giveaways with prizes that encouraged recipients to relax and enjoy. They were also gifted with floral table arrangements. The celebration reflected the spirit of Maya Angelou’s iconic words, echoed by Superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde.

“People may forget what you say. People may even forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel,” said Elizalde during her address to the Aspire Award recipients.

Elizalde took a moment to thank support personnel for their dedication and kindness to students and teachers, reminding honorees that much like the meaningful stories told in country western music, their authenticity, genuine passion for serving others, and daily commitment wea

ve the storyline that supports Dallas ISD.

“We want to celebrate you. Not only for what you do, but truly for who you are,” Elizalde said to the hundreds of Aspire Award honorees. “You set the tone. You model the values we aspire to see in every student who walks through the doors. You make Dallas ISD stronger, kinder and better every single day.”

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.

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.”