Staff News

Is the prospect of the holidays getting you down? Unfortunately, stress and depression don’t take a holiday. In fact, the periods leading up to and during the winter holidays can bring additional stress, anxiety, loneliness and depression. With the ongoing pandemic complicating plans, this holiday season may be especially difficult. The district’s Employee Assistance program, administered by LifeWorks is here to help.

The EAP is a confidential service that offers help with personal and work-related issues.

Professionally trained advisors are available to help with family problems, marital concerns, financial and legal matters, stress, depression, and other issues affecting life at work or at home. The service where advisers are available 24/7 the 365 days of the year is free and confidential.

The EAP encourages employees and those close to them to seek help early, before a minor problem becomes more serious and is designed to address short-term issues and to identify resources and referrals for emergency and long-term issues. When in doubt, contact the EAP for help or support.

While the EAP is free, it’s important to understand that accepting a referral to services outside the EAP, might incur charges for which you may responsible.  For example, if the EAP adviser refers you to a counselor for ongoing (long-term) counseling and the referral is through your medical benefits, co-pays or deductibles may apply; if the referral is not covered by your medical benefits, you would be responsible for fees charged by the specialist or counselor. The EAP advisor will work with you to find the most appropriate and cost-effective help to address your needs.

Download the brochure to see how the EAP works.

COVID-19 has preempted traditional open houses—a staple of the fall application window. But They are not impossible thanks to two events this month that offer virtual visits to get to know the choice elementary schools and special programs at neighborhood schools.

Choose Dallas ISD is holding a special event to feature special schools and programs at the elementary level at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, and another one to highlight the special programs at neighborhood schools at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12. Links to virtual tours of the schools that start at 11:30 both days will be distributed to participants.

Virtual open houses are not all that’s fully online this year. In previous years, the application forms varied depending on what programs the students applied for. The new application system is fully online and serves as a one-stop shop for exploring and enrolling students into a Dallas ISD campus. It allows parents to apply to up to five schools through a single online form.

“This year, it is all in one system for parents to see,” said Angie Gaylord, Dallas ISD deputy chief of transformation and innovation. “That’s about 20,000 applications that we get every year that are normally in multiple systems that are now going to be in one system for all parents to see.”

The new system is mobile-friendly and available in various languages. Parents can upload documents into the system, as opposed to having to bring documents to the school. A “Parent Dashboard” allows families to see the progress of their application.

Beginning on March 1, parents will receive emails or text messages notifying where the student was accepted. Parents will have 10 days to notify the schools if they will accept the seat.

To find and apply to the best-fit school, visit www.dallasisd.org/choosedallasisd. Parents who need assistance filling the application can call (972) 925-5560.

Racism and racial bias are alive and well in Dallas ISD and the city overall, in the view of five panelists involved in racial equity work in Dallas. The five took part in an hour-long recorded webinar which will premier at 5 p.m., Tuesday., Dec. 8, as the second in a series of webinars organized by the school district’s Racial Equity Office. Pre-registration is required to receive a link to view the panel discussion. Please register here to receive the webinar link.

Titled “Using CQ to Create an Anti-Racist School Community,” the webinar features panel members responding to questions from moderator Dr. Sandra Upton of the Cultural Intelligence Center. Dr. Upton is facilitating the district’s racial equity push, which includes community conversations, teacher and staff training and commitments to reallocate district resources to improve services to Black students and English learners—two groups that district officials say have been underserved due to historic racist policies.

Panelist Miguel Solis, former District 8 trustee on the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees,  summing up the general view of the panel, said that while the district has achieved progress on equity, it still  has a long way to go to grant the benefits of equity to all students. “When we look at the data on academic achievement of our African American students, it blows my mind that, year to year, we’re still not closing the gap in reading and mathematics. Add to that the disproportionate impact that our disciplinary practices are still having on especially Black male students, and something has got to be done.”

Shirley Ison-Newsome, retired educator and former area director for the district’s learning centers, and Mavis Knight, a higher education advocate who served three terms on the state board of education, echoed Solis’ concern. The two said that decades after court-ordered desegregation and numerous campaigns to curtail racism, biased teachers and unfair policies still exist and do significant harm to student achievement. They credited the district with its renewed attention to the issue, but challenged leadership to stick with the effort until it yields results.

Ray De Los Santos, higher education advocate and director of college prep programs for LatinX students, said the district needs to do better at teaching students about their own and other cultures. “We need to do a better job of extending African American and Mexican American studies courses across all grades,” he said. “The first job is to know yourself. These courses go a long way to help us understand who we are in relation to the other communities around us.”

Amber Sims, founder of the social justice nonprofit Imagining Freedom Institute called the district short-sighted in closing two historically Black schools, Julia Frazier and Pearl C. Anderson, saying, “The district has disinvested in Black leadership and black students.” Sims said the lessons of history have value and can teach district leaders a lot about past inequities to avoid repeating them.

The webinar will air at 5 p.m., Tues., Dec. 8, and pre-registration is required to view it. To register to receive the link, go here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

It’s time for seasonal holiday cards, and the Graphics Department can print yours for $1 each. You can choose from any design, folded or flat. White boxes indicate the number of photos included in the card design. your order by Dec. 14 to guarantee completion before winter break. And for the perfect gift for loved ones, Graphics can print a personalized calendar.

Personalized calendars

Back by popular demand, the graphics department photo calendars are a hot ticket item this season. Send your family and friends a custom personalized calendar and you will win the “best gift award” this holiday season.

12 month flip calendar

Allows for one large photo for each month, and one cover photo. Spiral bound and top punched for easy wall hanging. Don’t forget to include your photo on your birthday month! Name the photos as the month for placement (March.jpg, April.jpg). For best quality, please send high quality photos.

Desk Calendar 

18 x 24 laminated desk calendar, room for one large center photo or a collage of up to four photos.

Wall Calendar 

Printed on 13 x 19 Gloss cover with a top punch for easy wall hanging. Room for one large center photo or a collage of up to four photos.

Order process and Payment info:

Send completed form with photos to graphicsinfo@dallasisd.org place your order. You will be called upon completion to schedule pick-up or delivery. You may pay at any time over the phone or at pick up. We accept exact cash, card, or personal check.

LINKS 

HOLIDAY CARD CATALOG
District Greeting Card Order Form 
HOLIDAY CARD ORDER FORM
 Calendar Order Form

While the district may be closed, if you need assistance with your benefits, a number of resources are available.

District schools and administrative offices will be closed for fall break from Nov. 23-27, but the benefits call center will be open regular hours during the break to provide assistance, with the following exceptions when it will be closed:

• Thursday, Nov. 26
• Friday, Nov. 27

For those 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 questions regarding your FSA, you can contact Connect Your Care at 877-528-9876 or visit www.connectyourcare.com.  Connect Your Care is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

You may reach the benefits call center at 972-925-4000 or email benefits@dallasisd.org.  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.

Being physically and mentally fit makes doing any job easier, but it’s crucial in the field of education. Body and mind fitness  means a reduced risk of injuries and illness, which leads to less time away from helping students succeed. Exercise is also known to reduce stress, which can lead to mental health issues and cardiovascular disease. Local health and fitness expert Dimitrius Glenn shares some fitness tips as part of Dallas ISD’s Men’s Health Month series.

The various job stressors for educators can be overcome by practicing physical and mental conditioning through engaging in weightlifting, running, walking, swimming, meditation, Tai Chi, Yoga, and other similar practices. Physical fitness is a type of discipline—actively pursuing fitness, good cardio and mental conditioning. Physical fitness and mental wellness can only increase a person’s effectiveness at work and in life.

Educators, like others, can start a new journey of fitness, nutrition, health and mental awareness by just making a conscious decision to focus on improving their lives. Some might want to hire a fitness specialist, attend yoga classes, or join a gym, but exercise can take place almost anywhere as long as the will is there.

For some, hiring a nutritionist is the answer to eating better because you need the coaching to make a change in diet. For others, it might be as simple as introducing healthier food choices into the diet and staying away from harmful choices.

An important and much overlooked component of health is maintaining good mental awareness. Stress and long hours can lead to making poor eating choices and giving up on healthy habits like exercise. Seek counseling if you need to deal with serious conditions. By being self-aware about stress and triggers that lead to poor decisions, you can make sure that you avoid them. For example, taking time to decompress at the end of the day with a walk in the park can not only help decrease stress but also helps keep you fit. When possible, group activities can also lead to better fitness and a healthier state of mind. For example, going out for a bike ride with family or shooting hoops with friends helps relieve stress and establishes healthy bonds.

Whatever you do, the important thing to learn for this series is that staying fit physically and mentally is key to a healthy and happy life at work and at home. Take the first step. You won’t regret it.

Dallas ISD has adopted a systemic approach and organizational philosophy that will bring consistency and excellence across the district. This Theory of Action will govern how we make decisions that ultimately impact student achievement. The TOA clearly describes which functions are managed by central staff, which levels of autonomies are given to schools, and the structure and boundaries for those autonomies.

Dual Language

Through the Theory of Action Standards of Service, the Dual Language/ESL Department provides professional development; direct campus support for English learners, including developing bilingualism and biliteracy in dual language programs; services for students and families who are new to the country through the Margaret and Gilbert Herrera Student Intake Center; and supports campus Language Proficiency Assessment Committees (LPACs). Specific support may include:

• Both districtwide and campus specific professional development with resources and materials for implementation of learning
• Instructional coaching through a coaching cycle, PLC support, co-teaching/modeling and professional development with follow-up for implementation
• Wrap-around services for newcomer families including language proficiency testing, health screenings from staff nurse, instructional support for students, parent orientation and a variety of sessions available for parents

For additional information, contact Richie Heffernan, executive director Dual Language/ESL at rheffernan@dallasisd.org.

Postsecondary Partnerships

A top priority for Dallas ISD is to remove barriers to postsecondary education and increase higher education opportunities for students and staff. Through the Theory of Action Standards of Service, the Postsecondary Partnerships—Higher Education Accountability & Articulation Initiative provides support to campus staff and students as the district expands college, career, and dual credit opportunities.

What we do:

• Serve as liaisons between the district, high school campus, and college partners regarding dual credit course offerings and guidelines.
• Support campus staff members by providing guidance to counselors, administrators, and school personnel in order for campuses to effectively assist students and parents with dual credit offerings and selections.
• Facilitate course enrollment between the high school campus and college partners.
• Provide digital, comprehensive tools and curriculum for dual credit guidance, pathway and certificate options.
• Work with college partners and legal services to review and approve Interlocal agreements (ILAs).

What support looks like:

• Provide professional development and technical training over the dual credit enrollment process, Dashboard/PowerBI access and usage, and dual credit grades.
• Visit high school campuses to ensure that dual credit earning programs are being implemented with fidelity and recommended degree plans are being followed, including ECHS and P-TECH campuses. (Visits will be conducted virtually as needed.)
• Monitor and support campuses with articulated curriculum maps and degree plans with their higher education partner.
• Provide assistance regarding the dual credit Teacher credentialing process, course alignment, and dual credit policy concerns.

Campuses interested in these services should visit the Post-Secondary Dual Credit website at www.dallasisd.org/dualcredit to learn more about dual credit programming.

For additional information, contact Danielle Hernandez, director of Higher Education Accountability & Articulation Initiatives, at dahernandez@dallasisd.org.

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 nonprofits and donors that have donated Thanksgiving dinners to us in the past.”

The food bank sends food and hygiene products every other week during the school year, which are then sent to the high school drop-in centers for students and their families to access as needed.  Last week, the food bank was able to double their delivery in light of the upcoming holiday, Marshall said.

Schools with a high number of homeless students were invited to come pick up boxes of food and products to stock their pantries for homeless students who attend the schools. Students are considered homeless if they lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.

November was first declared as National Homeless Youth Awareness Month in 2007 to acknowledge the challenges homeless students face. Along with losing their home, community, friends, and routines, students who are homeless also lose their sense of stability and safety and are often victims of trauma.

In support of the Homeless Youth Awareness Month, the Dallas ISD Homeless Education Program also provided resources and trainings on the McKinney-Vento Act to help district staff and community partners better understand and support homeless youth.

Classes about the McKinney-Vento Act are offered throughout the year. You can register by using Sign-Up Genius or by emailing homelesseducation@dallasisd.org.

If you are a staff and/or a student with Dallas ISD experiencing a homeless crisis, please call HEP at 972-749-5750 or call 1-888-411-6802 (Homeless Crisis Hot Line).

Staff shared some family favorite recipes for Thanksgiving. Enjoy!

Green Beans Casserole
Fabiola Calix Aguilar, Ignacio Zaragoza ES

This is one of my family’s favorite Thanksgiving recipe that we have every year, I hope you like as much as us.

Ingredients

Beans and sauce:

• 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon Kosher salt divided
• 1 Pound fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 12 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into ½ – inch pieces
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼  teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup half and half

For the Topping:

• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup all- purpose flour
• 2 tablespoon panko bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Nonstick cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Combine the onions, flour, panko and salt in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Coat a sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray and evenly spread the onions on the pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes. Toss the onions 2 to 3 times during cooking. Once done, remove from the oven and set aside until ready to use. Turn the oven down to 400 degrees F.

While the onions are cooking, prepare the beans. Bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil in an 8-quart saucepan. Add the beans and blanch for 5 minutes.

Drain in a colander and immediately plunge the beans into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to give up some of their liquid, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 of the onions and all of the green beans. Top with the remaining onions. Place into the oven and bake until bubbly, approximately 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

Almost healthy brussels sprouts
MariCarmen Eroles, Communication Services

I love brussels sprouts, and I am always looking for ways to make them so other people will love them. They are a great year-round vegetable, but I always think of them a great fall/winter dish.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. brussels sprouts whole or shaved
• 6 slices of maple smoked, thick cut bacon
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons of good aged balsamic vinegar

Directions:

If your brussels sprouts are whole, clean them by removing the first layer of leaves and slicing off the end of the stalk. Rinse them and cut them in half; leave the very small ones whole. If you are using shaved brussels sprouts, rinse them and set them aside. Steam the brussels sprouts so that they are cooked but still firm. About three minutes in a steamer in the microwave.

Cut the bacon into small pieces. If it’s very fatty, remove some of the fat. Once you have cut up the bacon, fry it in a cast iron skillet (if you don’t have one, any skillet will do) until almost crisp. Pour out into a container the excess fat so that there is only a little bit left in the skillet.

Add the steamed or shaved brussels sprouts to the skillet and sautee with the bacon until the brussels sprouts are browning. Taste for salt because the bacon may have provided enough; if needed, add salt and pepper. Before they are done, pour the four tablespoons of balsamic vinegar over the bacon-brussels sprout mix and let it cook down for about two minutes, Serve warm. They make great leftovers.

Corn and Sausage Maque Choux
Chef Trina Nelson, Food and Child Nutrition Services

This is a great take on fried corn for the holidays and one of my favorite ways to make corn—Cajun Style. Let me know what you think!

Ingredients

• 3 ears corn, husks and silk removed or 1 bag of frozen whole kernel corn
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 – 1 pound Andouille Sausage or smoked sausage, cubed
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
• 2 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup diced tomato
• Italian parsley to taste
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Roast corn until heated through, about 10 minutes, in a 400-degree oven on a roasting rack. Remove from the oven, cool and remove corn from the cob. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat butter and add Sausage, sauté for 3 minutes. Add corn, onion, bell pepper, Creole seasoning, thyme, garlic, hot sauce, green onion, tomato and parsley. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes.

Add cream and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning and serve warm.

Whether a cat, a dog or a bearded dragon, pets are truly family members for many in Dallas ISD. Dozens of you shared pictures and stories of your loved ones. Here are a few of them. We’ll share more in the coming weeks. If you want your furry family member featured here, send a photo, name, age and short story (75-100 words) about your pet to staffnews@dallasisd.org with the subject staff pets.

Did you know that Dallas ISD Benefits offers pet insurance as an extra benefit for staff. Visit www.dallasisd.org/benefits to learn more about pet insurance.

 

Rosie, age 3, brings me such joy. She’s not an overly affectionate dog, but whenever I look up, she’s always there, looking back.

Roxanne Garza, Sunset HS

Everyone, meet Chloe. She is a COVID puppy who was adopted in March. I was lonely during the quarantine and decided to adopt a puppy. Chloe is an 8-month-old shih tzu. Chloe enjoys treats, puppy school, and long naps. She loves to play fetch and belly rubs.

Roxana Robles, HCM

Jack Bauer is a feisty, energetic Pomeranian mix, who always makes you smile! Barks at every doorbell he hears on TV. He loves walks, camping, and cuddling, and is always up for a game of chase. But don’t mess with his treat or his “Jack Bauer” side come out and go after you.
Stacy Coalson Redding,
Mary McLeod Bethune ES

This is Itchy. We found him crying and trembling under a parked car last summer. The car was just about to pull out and and crush him! His little paws were a little burned but he is doing fine. He lives with me now.
Yanina Vashchenko,
Anne Frank ES

This is Norbert. She is a bearded dragon and is my class pet. She is also a queen.  

Emma Hlavaty,
Woodrow Wilson HS

This is my rescue dog, Ruby. She and I will be featured on the show, To The Rescue, on Saturday Dec. at 7:30am on The CW station. I adopted her in January 2020 from Dallas Pets Alive. She was hit by a car, and her owners never came looking for a her. Dallas Pets Alive saved her life and paid for her medical care during recovery. Now, she’s a happy dog that loves to run around the backyard and take lots of naps!

Jennifer Wolff,
John J. Pershing ES