Staff News

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

Eligible support staff whose current base salary is less than $50,000 have received a one-time incentive of $750 in their November paychecks. The incentive was approved by the Board of Trustees in June 2020 as part of the district’s compensation package and amounts to more than $4.9 million in additional compensation to Dallas ISD staff.

The stipend was added to the paychecks of more than 6,570 non-exempt, full-time employees at campuses, central administration, Food and Child Nutrition Services, and the Maintenance and Facilities, Police and Security, IT, and  Student Transportation departments. Employees who received the stipend must have been hired prior to March 15, 2020, be an active employee as of Nov. 1 and have no break in service within that time frame.

Educators’ schedules don’t always leave room for meal planning, but success in life and on the job is often tied to good nutritional choices. Local health and fitness expert Dimitrius Glenn shares some nutrition tips as part of Dallas ISD’s Men’s Health Month series.

Of course, it’s nearly impossible for anyone to achieve health and fitness goals without a proper nutrition program and good eating habits. It’s easier to follow a proper nutrition program when you understand how the body coverts food into fuel. Since water consumption is vital, the recommendation is to gradually consume water over the course of the day.  Make a plan to figure out how to spread out the total consumption in a way that works with your daily schedule. It might take some trial-and-error experimentation to develop a working plan. Just remember that the right amount of water is the key to good nutrition.

Carbohydrates are extremely important because they fuel the body. Making sure that you load your first meal with healthy carbohydrates like fruits will give you a good start. Use vegetables and proteins throughout the day to supplement high fiber foods that can balance your energy levels throughout the day.

Proteins are essential for the growth and repair of all body tissues. They are not an efficient source of energy, and the body only uses protein as fuel in extreme cases when no carbohydrates or fat is available. Protein should not be the primary source of food intake.

Vitamins are essential nutrients because they help cell functions. While they are not a source of energy, they are essential in helping the body make energy.

The key to eating for fitness is being clear how your body uses food and choosing the proper foods and the right portions that benefit your bodily needs. For the type of schedule worked by most educators, a few nutrition options include bringing to work fresh fruits/vegetables, nuts and water.

Doing some meal preparation to have these healthy snacks handy means that when hunger strikes, you will be able to put something healthy into your bodies instead of reaching for processed foods that don’t contribute to your nutritional balance.

Even if you don’t have time for preparing meals and snacks ahead of time, you can still make healthy choices when buying prepared meals at fast food restaurants and stores. Pay attention to the ingredients, calories and your nutrition plan to make sure you are getting the variety you need to maintain your wellness and your fitness goals.

For other men’s health topics, visit www.dallasisd.org/benefits.

Dallas ISD is seeing the impact of COVID-19 in student performance and is working on plans to mitigate the learning loss, possibly with more  TIME to LEARN.

Students were assessed at the beginning of the school year through MAP, a universal screener providing national, norm-referenced and STAAR-aligned information. MAP monitors growth over time; aligns with the TEKS; provides instructional and intervention guidance and resources; complements exams like common assessment, ACP, and STAAR; includes STAAR projections, and allows teachers to set individual student growth targets.

The results of MAP showed the impact  the pandemic has had on Dallas ISD students. There was some learning loss at the elementary school level while students in the secondary levels fared slightly better. In all, 30 percent of students showed a loss in learning in reading.

In math, the impact is more pronounced—50 percent of students have a loss in learning—when compared to pre-pandemic results across grade levels.

The district is seeing continued, and large, equity gaps by race.

The district’s mitigation plan involves improving attendance, individualized supports for students who need it, and other strategies, which may included an extended school year, starting in 2021-2022.

Focus groups will continued to meet through November and December to review strategies and inform a plan that will be presented to the Board of Trustees in January. Town hall meetings and parent focus groups to gather input will be conducted during December.

Teacher input is key to the planning process. Teachers are being asked to participate by providing their opinions about the options under consideration by completing the survey. The survey closes at midnight, Thursday, Nov. 12.

Central staff who visit campuses as part of their work duties can now visit more than one campus per day. Staff must follow safety guidelines at each campus and make sure that that they sign in and out at each campus to follow district procedures and in case the information is needed for contact tracing.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now defining “close contact” being within six feet of an infected individual for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. However, this does not change Dallas ISD procedures. The district has always used cumulative exposure to infected persons as part of its contact tracing procedures.

For more details on the CDC close contact clarification click here.

Veterans Day is Wednesday, Nov. 11, a day set aside by the nation to recognize those who serve the country in defense of freedom. In Dallas ISD, military veterans play essential roles in district operations. They serve in virtually every capacity, from the maintenance teams and financial management staff to school administrators, teachers and a wide variety of central office and campus positions. Applying skills and discipline learned as service men and women, veterans make a positive difference in district operations. On this Veterans Day, be sure to show your appreciation to a veteran for their service to the country and Dallas ISD.

Dallas ISD employees who refer external candidates to the Transportation Department for full time driver positions could receive a $200 bonus through the Transportation Referral Incentive Supplemental earning. Eligibility for the incentive requires the candidate to notify Human Capital Management at the time of hire of any referral via official referral form and prior to their official start date as part of their on-boarding process. The newly hired driver must complete 45 drive days based on the 185-work day calendar for the driver’s referrer to qualify for the payment.

During the district’s Men’s Health Month, the Benefit’s Department will be sharing a series of helpful articles by local health expert Dimitrius Glenn. The articles address different aspects of men’s health to encourage male educators to maintain their physical health, fitness development and emotional outlook.

According to sources like Healthline.com, the top five male health issues are heart health, respiratory disease, alcohol abuse, depression/suicide, and unintentional injuries and accidents. Several of these conditions are a direct result of lack of physical fitness or sedentary lifestyles, and poor eating habits. Some of these conditions can be easily remedied by committing to make simple changes.

For those who were already lacking exercise and making poor nutrition choices, the current COVID-19 has probably made things worse and the push to make everything virtual has curtailed exercise opportunities. According to an article published by Pennsylvania State University about teachers’ health and stress, 46% of teachers report high daily stress, which compromises their health, sleep, quality of life and teaching performance. This affects males more because they have the tendency to not communicate as well how they are feeling or things that are bothering them.

What can you do?

Regaining fitness, improving food choices, and changing your outlook can be done with some simple changes. The important thing is to get started and keep going to improve your health outlook.

• Take a stroll around the neighborhood or in a park just to free your mind
• Make sure you include more fruits and vegetables in your diet and fewer sugary drinks and processed foods
• Journal or write down your thoughts
• Communicate openly with friends and family
• Seek professional help if you feel out of control or helpless