Thousands of team members have called Dallas ISD home for years, even decades. As part of the third annual Salute to Service, over 3,000 Dallas ISD employees will receive a pin this spring, recognizing significant district service milestones in five-year increments.
Team members may verify their years of Dallas ISD service using instructions provided on the Service Recognition Awards website through Feb. 10, at https://www.DallasISD.org/ServiceAwards.
In April, campuses and departments will receive a package with service pins, the roster of employees who earned a service pin, and a toolkit with instructions. Service pins should be distributed before the end of the 2024-2025 school year. Campuses and departments are encouraged to distribute the pins at a time when their teams can gather to celebrate.
In addition, Human Capital Management will host a special awards ceremony for those who have reached milestones of 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, and 55 years of service to the district at the Lifetime Achievement Reception on May 13.
Team members are encouraged to share celebrations across all social media and tag the district using the hashtags #DallasISDcelebrates and #DallasISDservice.
For more information, contact the HCM Employee Experience team at Recognition@DallasISD.org or 972-925-4080.
The Kroll Bond Rating Agency has assigned a AAA bond rating with a Stable Outlook to Dallas ISD, the highest bond rating a school district in Texas can achieve and is similar to an individual’s credit rating. This rating means the district can obtain the lowest interest rate borrowing costs in the bond market, which achieves millions of dollars in interest cost savings.
“Congratulations to Chief Financial Officer Ed Ramos, who successfully argued our case to the Kroll Bond Rating Agency, resulting in a AAA bond rating,” said Superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde. “This is not just a testament to the wise fiscal oversight of this board. It also means we will save millions of dollars in completing our bond work, and that savings goes right back into construction projects to get more for our students.”
According to KBRA, the long-term credit rating reflects the district’s strong financial management policies and practices guided by an experienced leadership team,
favorable financial operating performance supporting solid reserve and liquidity levels, a mature and diverse economic base that has experienced continued growth, particularly in terms of its property taxing base, and what KBRA considers to be a well-managed and conservative debt profile.
The Stable Outlook reflects KBRA’s expectation that management will continue to effectively manage the district’s finances while balancing the need to remit recapture revenues to the state, the tax base will continue to grow, and that Dallas ISD’s overall net debt profile will remain conservative and well-managed as the district addresses its capital needs though the anticipated issuance of additional debt obligations.
Dallas ISD’s Campus Teachers of the Year have been chosen, and they represent the best of what the district has to offer.
They ensure equity by maximizing growth and achievement for students of all backgrounds. They collaborate with colleagues, students, and families to maintain a culture of respect and success. They deliberately connect the classroom to the community and the community to the classroom, engage in leadership opportunities that contribute to the work of the profession, exemplify the district’s vision, mission, and goals, and express themselves in a poised and articulate manner.
To be chosen as a Campus TOY, a teacher should have a 2024-2025 effectiveness level of Proficient I or higher, have not served as a campus winner in the last three years, and have at least three years of creditable teaching service.
Teachers who met the criteria were nominated and their faculty team members voted to select the campus winner.
In November, the Campus TOYs received an email invitation to apply for the District Teacher of the Year. The deadline to apply is Jan. 13. Campus TOYs will be honored at the WINNERS CIRCLE celebration in spring 2025.
More than 90 languages are spoken in the homes of Dallas ISD students, and more than 70,000 students are considered emergent bilingual, which means that the district needs more teachers certified in English as a second language to better serve students and ensure they are successful. And Dallas ISD is offering a $500 incentive for qualifying teachers who obtain the certification.
An ESL certification provides core teachers of emergent bilingual students in early college through sixth grade and secondary English language arts and reading teachers the skills necessary to support students’ simultaneous mastery of content and language. These skills also have the potential to impact higher student outcomes and lead to higher TEI outcomes for teachers.
That is why the district is offering the incentive as well as a series of in-person and virtual professional development opportunities to prepare teachers to take the certification exam.
“We are working in partnership with teachers to ensure that students can have an ESL certified teacher in the classroom that can best guide their learning so they can master the English language and take full advantage of the learning opportunities offered,” said Elizabeth Casas, deputy chief of Special Populations.
In person sessions are offered starting Jan. 14 during the school day and cover test preparation and pedagogy implementation. The sessions are seven hours and substitutes will be provided by the district for teachers who choose to attend the sessions. Sign up for an in-person session at Tiny.cc/ESLCertPrepInPerson.
Paid virtual sessions will be offered starting Jan. 16 during evenings and Saturdays and will cover test preparation. Sign up for a virtual sessions at Tiny.cc/ESLCertPrepVirtual.
To receive the $500 incentive in their July paycheck, qualifying teachers must:
Be a core content elementary teacher in grades PreK-5th/6th or a Secondary English Language Arts Reading teacher
Attend a Dallas ISD in-person or virtual ESL Certification Preparation session
Pass the TExES 154 ESL certification exam (cost $116)
Add the certification to your Texas Teaching License through SBEC (cost $78)
In Dallas ISD, team members, students and families come together at the end of the year to share with others who might need help or a little extra cheer. Their generosity makes it possible for children and adults to stay warm, to have extra food, or to get the toys and gifts they wish for to celebrate the end-of-year holidays. Below are several examples of the Dallas ISD community’s generosity.
W.H. Adamson High School
W.H. Adamson High School held its 16th Annual Toy Drive—“Santa’s Workshop”—In the spirit of “paying it forward.” The Adamson Leopard PTO members, students, and employees are involved in planning the annual toy drive. Adamson’s former community liaison, Maria Garcia, began the workshop for families in need 15 years ago. Each year since 2008, Adamson High School continues to host more than 200 families, including gifting almost 400 children with presents and food for the holiday season. The Adamson band plays live Christmas music, members of the choir sing holiday tunes, the Leopardettes Drill Team greet families as they walk in, and families get to enjoy the event and have photo ops with Santa Claus. Thanks go to the Adamson Alumni Association, Adamson PTO, Adamson Athletics, Oak Cliff community partners, and Community Liaison/Event Coordinators Mayra Quinones and JC Puebla for continuing to make this event possible every year.
Students organized a toy drive to support the incredible work of Community Partners of Dallas, collecting donations for abused and neglected children in the community. Thanks to the generosity of Sudie Williams families, we were able to contribute a variety of items that will bring joy and comfort to these children during the holiday season.
Edwin J. Kiest Elementary School
“Winter Wonders” is an event created by the school’s counselor after noticing that students needed winter accessories, coats, and even socks. Snowflake ornaments were placed on the school’s tree and staff could take one or more. Each snowflake listed an item needed in the clothing drive. For example: “Please purchase three pairs of gloves in sizes for students in second grade and younger.” Staff were asked to bring their donation back to campus by Dec. 12 and everyone at the campus was excited to share holiday joy in the form of staying warm and cozy this winter.
David G. Burnet Elementary School
The school’s Student Lighthouse Committee organized a winter clothing drive to collect hats and mittens for both adults and children with all donations benefiting Genesis Women’s Shelter and Support. They also hosted two annual drives to support different organizations. One is a pet food drive benefiting Operation Kindness, which has become a yearly tradition. Last year, we introduced a personal hygiene drive to assist the school’s local high school.
Maria Moreno STEAM Academy
This school is all about giving during the holidays. Every year, the school collects gifts and clothes for a small group of students experiencing homelessness, death of a parent, or extreme poverty. Some staff have sponsored children along with a local car club, but there are still several students who need support and benefit from this effort.
Moreno also holds a Giving Week during which the school collects items for Skyline Nursing Center, the local nursing home. This year, the school is collecting pajama bottoms, body wash and deodorant, blankets, hats, gloves, along with apples, oranges, and candy canes.
Special Services Parent Engagement and Community Outreach Department
This December marks the second year the Special Services Department has proudly participated in the Be An Angel Christmas Program: Spreading Holiday Joy, a heartwarming initiative that brings holiday cheer to special needs children in Dallas ISD. Students in Specialized Programs were nominated by their teachers to participate, ensuring the program reaches those who will benefit most. Volunteers shopped for personalized gifts for each child, creating a magical holiday experience tailored to their unique interests and needs. While challenges like tight timelines and coordinating logistics arise, the joy and gratitude from families make every effort worthwhile. This program, in its second year, highlights the power of compassion and community, reminding us of the true spirit of the season.
Nancy Moseley Elementary School
The school held a canned food drive to provide canned goods to The Stew Pot. More than 1,200 cans were collected in a competition involving all the grade levels. Two FLS classes raised the most cans and won the competition to give back to our community.
Irma Lerma Rangel Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School
The school has a student angel tree that team members pick from every year to help support students by giving them needs and wants like clothes and gift cards as well as a toy drive for the employees to give to homeless students in Dallas ISD. The school started this two to three years ago and selects a different recipient for the employee toy drive each year.
Martha Turner Reilly Elementary School
Each year the school hosts an annual Giving Tree to help families that may face challenges during the holiday season. It is a chance for the community and our employees to share the heart of giving with our very own students. This school year, we plan to help over 40 families.
Henry W. Longfellow Career Exploration Academy
The House of Altruismo hosted a schoolwide canned food drive in support of the North Texas Food Bank. Through the generous contributions of our community, we were able to collect nearly 400 pounds of non-perishable items. These donations will help close the hunger gap and provide much needed assistance to families in North Texas during this holiday season.
W.W. Samuell High School National Honor Society
W.W. Samuell’s chapter of the National Honor Society held its annual winter clothing and canned food drive. This year’s collection was the largest ever with over 2,000 items donated. All donations go to Inspired Vision Compassion Center, a nonprofit food bank serving families here in Pleasant Grove.
Alex Sanger Preparatory School
The sixth-grade soccer club students sacked 150 snack bags for the homeless community. They also collected several clothing items that will be donated to White Rock Center of Hope. This is the first time Sanger participates in the activity, but the club sponsor has done it since 2016 at previous schools.
Family and Community Engagement
On Dec. 12, the Family & Community Engagement Dept hosted a toy drive as part of their Winter Expo event. Community Liaisons and Parent Instructors from across the district donated a huge box of toys benefitting the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center. DCAC provides a safe place for children and their families to begin the healing process after experiencing criminal child abuse or witnessing a violent crime. The staff was very grateful as they expect to provide holiday gifts to over 1,500 children living in Dallas County. We are so glad to be able to collaborate and help make the holidays brighter for some special kiddos!
Communication Services
Communications Services once again has adopted a school for the holidays, a tradition that Translation Services started a few years ago and has now become a departmentwide effort. The department wanted to help make the holidays a little brighter for a few students and chose H.I. Holland Elementary School, where an entire second-grade bilingual classroom will receive gift cards to fulfill the needs and wishes of 10 girls and eight boys who have 98% attendance. The gift cards will be delivered before winter break during a festive hot cocoa and donut party.
Resource Centers
Resource Center South had a toy drive and hundreds of toys were collected through the beginning of December for the community. Resource Center West and Resource Center South both also planned food giveaways for families of Dallas ISD students for the holidays.
A line of electric buses, shiny and new, is parked next to the brand-new charging stations at the Lawnview Service Station ready to go into service in the spring. The buses are part of a total fleet of 17 electric buses that the district will put into circulation in 2025.
Once plates are issued and drivers go through a special training in January, the buses—which have a 300-mile reach per charge—will be folded into routes around the Lawnview station.
The 17 buses are funded by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program. This is the first step in the district’s plan to eventually transition to all electric buses, something that Bryant Shaw, manager of the Energy and Sustainability Services Department, anticipates will happen in the not too distant future.
Two other buses will be funded by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. As the district carries out this project, most of the funding for additional buses and charging stations at other service centers is going to come from the federal government thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act.
“I can’t wait to see the new buses rolling down our streets, picking up our students with zero emissions, making our air cleaner, and more breathable for generations to come,” said Superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde, when the buses were first announced as part of the Board of Trustees’ Environment and Climate Resolution from 2020. Pursuing funding for 25 electric buses is part of the goals set forth by the resolution.
As part of the installation of the electrical infrastructure for the initial buses, the district has a partnership with Oncor. According to Shaw, additional energy-saving efforts are being implemented, such as managed charging, so the buses will be charged at a certain time, such as the evening hours to manage costs.
Shaw and his team continue to diligently work on applying for federal funding to get more buses, including the EPA grant stemming from the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act. Dallas ISD also has received national attention for this work, as Shaw has presented the district’s efforts around the country. He shares with other districts how to get onboard, as well as some of the issues to watch for along the way.
The holiday season is upon us which brings to mind all the wonderful dishes and desserts like pecan pie, stuffing, casseroles, and eggnog that people enjoy this time of year. These comfort foods can make eating healthy during the holidays challenging. The best intentions can crumble when making merry with family and friends who are feasting on delicious foods. Health Services has some tips to avoid overindulging during the season.
Be wise with dessert:
Split a dessert with a family member or friend.
Bring a healthier version of your favorite dessert to the gathering.
Try to avoid eating a dessert after every meal.
Be mindful of hidden calories:
Try to avoid adding sauces to meats or cheese sauce to vegetable dishes.
Swap full fat dressings for lighter versions.
Swap sugar for a lower calorie sweetener in beverages.
Try a mocktail version of your favorite beverage.
Before the holiday gathering:
Eat before the gathering so you are not too hungry.
Survey available options and avoid grazing.
Offer to bring a healthy dish to the gathering.
Remember, everything in moderation so you have a good time and stay healthy with habits that work for you. If you eat more than you planned, don’t consider it a catastrophe and add guilt to the mix. Start again with healthy habits the following week.
Websites to give your favorite holiday recipe a health make-over:
Ricardo Velez found his calling helping students develop college readiness skills as an AVID tutor and has found his place as an eighth-grade English language arts and reading teacher in Dallas ISD thanks to the district’s Alternative Certification program.
Velez showed his passion for supporting students as an AVID tutor while working on his associate degree at Dallas College. After earning his bachelor’s degree from Mt. Angel Seminary in Oregon, he knew he wanted to become a teacher and found that Dallas ISD’s AC and Latino and Black Male Residency programs aligned with his goals and beliefs.
“I wanted to come back home and was looking at different AC programs, and when I saw the resident program, I really identified because I know what it’s like to grow up like these students,” he said. “I remember how I looked at my own teachers and my own struggles. I wanted to be part of a school district that helps the same child I was. I have been enjoying it ever since.”
Velez always knew he wanted to be a teacher and thought back to teachers who have helped him develop self confidence and his own voice and wants to do the same for his students.
As an eighth-grade teacher at Hector P. Garcia Middle School, Velez is committed to fostering an inclusive and open-minded classroom where students feel comfortable and empowered to engage deeply with literature. He feels that encouraging the analysis of diverse perspectives broadens students’ understanding of texts and promotes critical thinking and respect for differing viewpoints, he said.
“His ongoing commitment to professional growth and the desire to make an even more significant impact on his community are reasons why he has been so successful as part of both the AC and the residency programs,” said [who from HCM is saying this?]. “These programs help him continue to be successful by providing him with valuable tools and mentorship to further shape students’ lives.”
In his classroom, Velez strives to provide a variety of resources and to deliver differentiated instruction because students learn at their own pace, he said.
Velez said he is his students’ number one fan in and out of the classroom. He is sure to show up to football games and cheer them on to continue building meaningful relationships beyond the classroom walls, which helps bridge the gap between school and community by making them feel that their efforts and achievements are celebrated. He understands that being an educator involves mentoring, encouraging, and showing up for students.
“To build student relationships, you have to see them more as a whole person, not just as a student,” he said. “You see them developing their personalities and their own character.”
What Velez finds most rewarding about being a teacher is seeing their students grow. They recently completed mid-year exams that showed significant growth in reading, he said.
“Some of them showed 200 percent growth, and one of my eighth graders reached a ninth-grade reading level!” he said. “I love seeing them believe in themselves and take those risks.”
Velez encourages those who are looking to become teachers to find an alternative certification program that aligns with their beliefs and what they value.
“Here at Garcia Middle School, I was able to be placed at a campus that promotes well rounded education, social emotional learning, academic rigor, but also kindness and responsibility,” he said. “I would definitely recommend Dallas ISD’s program. It provides genuine support that is very applicable to the classroom.”
If you’re passionate about children’s success and are interested in making a difference in the lives of children, the Dallas ISD Alternative Certification Program offers free tuition and all the training you need to become a certified teacher, said Shuntrice Rhodes, director of Alternative Certification. Inspire the next generation of young minds teaching in one of the critical shortage areas, including core subjects in early childhood to sixth grades with ESL, bilingual, English language arts and reading in seventh through 12th grades, math in seventh through 12th grades, science in seventh through 12th grades, or special education in early childhood through 12th grade.
District schools and administrative offices will be closed Monday, Dec. 23, through Friday, Jan. 3. While the district is closed for winter break, team members can still get assistance with their benefits. The Benefits Contact Center will be closed on Wednesday, Dec. 25, and Wednesday, Jan. 1.
Non-Emergency Assistance
You may reach the Benefits Call Center by calling 972-925-4000, option 2 for wellness.
For non-emergency health concerns such as cold and flu, TRS ActiveCare participants can utilize Teladoc at a reduced cost. Call 1-855-Teladoc (835-2362) or visit their main page. If you have never used Teladoc before, you must set up your account before you can access the services. You will need your name, date of birth, and BCBS member ID number to register.
Flexible Spending Accounts/ Health Savings Account
If you have questions regarding your HSA/ FSA, contact Optum at 877-528-9876 or visit
www.optum.com. Optum is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. When you call, you will need your FSA/HSA card number, name, and date of birth. If you visit the website, you will need your name, date of birth, social security number, or employee ID.
Employee Assistance Program
Some employees find the holidays challenging. If you need help navigating this time, please contact the Employee Assistance Program at 972-925-4300, Option 3 EAP. They are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To access the website or the Telus Health One app, you will need your district email address, district username, and password.
For questions regarding leaves of absence, email benefitsleaves@dallasisd.org. During the periods in which the district is closed, the email boxes will be monitored periodically to ensure any critical issues are resolved in a timely manner.
Dallas ISD is committed to supporting beginning teachers in their first or second year of teaching, and one of the ways that this happens is by providing them mentors.
Human Capital Management and Professional & Digital Learning partner to provide the Teacher Mentor Program, which supports beginning teachers, resulting in high-quality instruction, improved student performance, and retention of new educators joining the teaching profession.
The Teacher Mentor Program:
Provides a campus-based mentor to beginning teachers in their first or second year of teaching
Provides effective support to beginning teachers to successfully transition into their teaching assignment
Coaches beginning teachers to improve their performance
Orients beginning teachers to district and campus policies and procedures
Assists beginning teachers with connections to district curriculum and curricular resources, including formative and summative assessments
Helps beginning teachers build positive relationships to ensure student success
Provides professional development that includes mentorship best practices to mentors and appropriate campus staff throughout the school year
One of the features of the Teacher Mentor program is the annual fall mixer where more than 700 teacher mentors, novice teachers, and central staff support teams gather to socialize, celebrate and network. The event includes a Department Fair that allows new teachers to learn more about what resources are available from central administration departments.
Sudie L. Williams TAG Academy
Special Services Parent Engagement and Community Outreach Department
Nancy Moseley Elementary School
Martha Turner Reilly Elementary School
Alex Sanger Preparatory School
Family and Community Engagement
Resource Centers
The 17 buses are funded by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program. This is the first step in the district’s plan to eventually transition to all electric buses, something that Bryant Shaw, manager of the Energy and Sustainability Services Department, anticipates will happen in the not too distant future. 
and empowered to engage deeply with literature. He feels that encouraging the analysis of diverse perspectives broadens students’ understanding of texts and promotes critical thinking and respect for differing viewpoints, he said.
Velez said he is his students’ number one fan in and out of the classroom. He is sure to show up to football games and cheer them on to continue building meaningful relationships beyond the classroom walls, which helps bridge the gap between school and community by making them feel that their efforts and achievements are celebrated. He understands that being an educator involves mentoring, encouraging, and showing up for students. 
