Staff News

One of the ways that Dallas ISD is sparking students’ love of reading is through the book vending machine initiative. Through a partnership with the Dallas Education Foundation and other partners, various book vending machines have been installed throughout the district, including at the Margaret and Gilbert Herrera International Welcome Center.

This spring, the fully stocked vending machine—which like others, offers books for free—was unveiled and included multilingual titles.

“The Dual Language Department works to serve and support students and their families and work to create a welcoming and warm environment,” said Amanda Clymer, director of the Dual Language/ESL Department. 

The newly installed book vending machine is something that Clymer hopes will help continue to foster that welcoming environment at the Welcome Center, which is the first Dallas ISD location that newcomer students from other countries visit to enroll in the district. 

The machine offers books in six different languages. This past school year the Welcome Center received over 7,000 students from 76 countries.  

“Since its opening, the Margaret and Gilbert Herrera International Welcome Center always has been a welcoming place for our new Dallas ISD families. It will be even more so thanks to our new book nook and all the exciting titles living inside,” said superintendent Stephanie Elizalde during the unveiling.

This program aligns with Dallas Education Foundations’ strategic initiative of advancing literacy by curating home libraries for Dallas ISD students, according to the Dallas Education Foundation’s website. 

To help continue this work of building literacy, several schools throughout the district have received book vending machines. John Runyon Elementary School, Nathan Adams Elementary School, Ronald Erwin McNair Elementary School, and C.A. Tatum Elementary School are among the campuses who held unveiling ceremonies this spring to launch their new book vending machine.

The book vending machine at Adams, marked the 12th one installed in Dallas ISD schools. 

Throughout the years, Dallas ISD has had the opportunity to welcome students from all over the globe, some who come to the country as refugees. Last school year alone, there were approximately 800 students identified as refugee arrivals in the district.

Last school year, the district had the largest numbers of new refugee arrivals from Burma (Rohingya ethnic group), Democratic Republic of Congo, and Afghanistan. Some other countries included Sudan, Central African Republic, Eritrea, Syria, Venezuela, Guatemala, Honduras, and very few from Ukraine, according to Zeljka Ravlija, coordinator of the Refugee School Impact Program. 

To shine a light and honor refugees around the world, World Refugee Day is celebrated on June 20 each year. According to the United Nations website, It is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for their plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives.

Some of the languages of refugee students in the district include Rohingya, Swahili, French, Arabic, Spanish, Tigrinya, Pashto, Dari, Kinyarwanda, and Burmese. 

“Refugee students are a remarkable group who offer many assets to the classroom,” Ravlija said. “Typically, refugee students and their families place great importance on education. Often refugee parents will make great sacrifices so their children can excel in the United States. Such high aspirations are a good starting point for refugee students,” she said.  

The district’s role is to provide guidance and attention to the needs of refugee students to help foster their successful adjustment, Ravlija added. 

World Refugee Day will be celebrated internationally through events that are led by or involve the support of refugees. For more information about World Refugee Day, visit https://www.un.org/en/observances/refugee-day.

Dallas ISD is home to many scholars, athletes, artists, business and community leaders – and renowned writers. 

The City of Dallas recently announced its new poet laureate – Mag Gabbert, a 2007 graduate from Booker T. Washington High School for the Visual and Performing Arts.

Gabbert, who is only the second poet laureate for the city, will present her original poems in places like schools, libraries, and city and community events. She will develop outreach initiatives to engage and inspire the community to read, write, perform and appreciate the written and spoken word.

When she was a student at Booker T., Gabbert attended school in what was the original building, but spent her last years of high school in the Nolan Estes Plaza, while the new building was under construction. Students moved back to the Arts District location in 2008, after Gabbert had graduated.

Regardless of the building where she attended school, she said the spirit of Booker T. is completely the people, and that regardless of where they were, it was the same wonderful, incredible experience.

“I remember my first day at Booker T. to this moment — we had a big pep rally in one of the buildings next door, and I just remember that  I was absolutely on fire from the energy in that room and hearing people talk and seeing performances — and I was like wow, I’m a part of something really cool,” Gabbert said. 

Gabbert was in the vocal performance program at Booker T. She initially started her college career as a vocal performance major, but when she discovered a  passion for contemporary poetry, she changed her major. 

Gabbert has a Master of Fine Arts from University of California Riverside, a doctorate degree in English from Texas Tech University, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Trinity University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude, with Honors in English.

Gabbert began her two-year term as the city’s top wordsmith in the spring, and already hit the ground running.

In fact, she has office hours at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, where people can get feedback from her about their poems, as well as receive tips such as the ins and outs of the publishing world. 

For the summer, her office hours are every Wednesday, Noon to 2 p.m. The office hours are meant to be time to serve as a resource for the community, especially for those who don’t have institutional support or don’t have the ability or resources to hire someone to teach them or go to graduate school, said Gabbert.

According to Gabbert, plans are in the works for various library branches to have her teach generative workshops on a specific topic or geared toward a specific age group. For example, she already has a poetry workshop scheduled where she will be talking about poems on the topic of grief and how we can write about grief.

Bringing poetry to be part of public art also is something Gabbert hopes to  accomplish in her tenure. She hopes this will be  another way people can be exposed to poetry as they’re going about their daily lives. 

“The thing I’m looking forward to the most is the opportunity to share poems in spaces where you just wouldn’t normally encounter poetry, and to really expose folks to poetry who didn’t necessarily think to go looking for it,” Gabbert said.

So as much as she loves getting to meet up with fellow poets, Gabbert said it’s more exciting for her to go into spaces where poetry might not be a part of their daily  lives–but those present are still going to have some engagement with it. 

Gabbert currently teaches at Southern Methodist University in the Department of Human-Centered Interdisciplinary Studies, with programs centered on master and doctoral degrees in liberal studies. 

She is the author of a full-length book of poetry and the winner of the 2021 Charles B. Wheeler Prize in Poetry. Gabbertis also the recipient of the Pushcart Prize, a Discovery Award from the Unterberg Poetry Center and has fellowships from the Kenyon Review Writers Workshop, Idyllwild Arts and Poetry at Round Top. Her work has been published in The American Poetry Review, The Paris Review Daily and more than 50 other magazines and journals.

Gabbert wants to motivate aspiring poets. 

“I was not a good poet when I first started. I just happened to be obsessed enough to really dedicate myself to getting better and reading more, “ she said. “Being a poet is what I wanted more than anything and if you have that drive, if you have what I call that obsession – a healthy obsession, obviously – you can get there.”

For inquiries relating to Gabbert’s service as Dallas the Poet Laureate, contact DallasPoetLaureate@Dallas.gov. 

To request Gabbert to attend, speak, or teach at your event, fill out this form. 

“One thing that I stand by is that I believe that all students can learn,“ said Stephen Wood, a ninth-grade assistant principal at Woodrow Wilson High School, who just finished his 15th  year in education. Wood was recently recognized as a Dallas ISD fan favorite assistant principal.  

Wood currently serves as the ninth-grade assistant principal at Woodrow and was the senior administrator for the Class of 2024.

He said his favorite memory this year was graduation. “After supporting and watching students grow, mature, and make life decisions – when you get to shake their hand after they walk across the stage and see that genuine smile, that’s it – that’s why I do this,” Wood said. 

Some of the kids really struggled to get to that point, he added.

He began his career with the district at  J.L. Long Middle School in 2009, where he taught both sixth-grade and eighth-grade science until 2015. When the Teacher Excellence Initiative was implemented, he was recognized as a Distinguished Teacher in its inaugural year. He became the campus instructional coach at Long and then moved across the street to Woodrow after receiving his master’s degree in 2019.

Wood grew up in a ranching family and was previously ranching in northeastern Oklahoma. After he and his family moved to Texas, he homeschooled his two kids and came to the realization that he loved teaching. While in college, he had  also previously worked with students who were in Future Farmers of America and the 4-H club and discovered that he had a talent for teaching. 

“I had joined the Boy Scouts of America and it seems that I really liked science and working with kids. Putting them together and being able to teach – I saw that light bulb go off and I really enjoyed it,” Wood said. 

He said a fun fact about him, that would likely surprise his students, would be his previous career as a cattle rancher. 

In 2009, Wood enrolled in the district’s alternative certification program, marking the beginning of his teaching journey. He credits administrators he’s met along the way for encouraging him to broaden his horizons in the district. They include Woodrow principal Chandra Hooper Barnett, as she was his AP when he was teaching. 

Wood’s ties to the district go beyond himself, as both his children are Dallas ISD graduates – one from the School of Science and Engineering at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center and the other from Woodrow.  

One of the favorite things that Wood enjoys about his role is the pep rallies. After students experiencing Covid and having the students relearn the traditions of the school, he said he enjoyed the enthusiasm and seeing the kids show up for their school and their community. 

His hopes and dreams for his students include them becoming a well-rounded student that is a lifetime learner. On his wall in his office, he has a quote by C.S. Lewis that reads: “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” 

“I want them to recognize the positives and to see that they can make a change, especially when they look at their teachers and the leaders in this building. I want them to know that they have that same opportunity,” Wood said. 

We all remember having to slap on the sunscreen as kids, but lots of adults can be lax about sun protection. Overexposure to UV rays is a major risk factor for melanoma, a cancer that kills two Americans every hour.

There are lots of benefits to protecting yourself from the sun beyond skin cancer prevention. By using sun protection wisely, you can avoid the discomfort of sunburn, and keep your skin healthy and youthful by preventing premature wrinkles, broken capillaries, and sunspots.

Here are some ways to be vigilant in avoiding skin cancer.

Check the UV rating daily. The risk of sunburn is associated with UV exposure, which can’t be seen or felt. When the UV level is higher than 3, your risk of burning kicks in, so make a habit of checking the UV rating along with the weather for the day. It can easily be higher than 3 in the autumn and spring, even if the weather is cool or cloudy. The UV index also increases with altitude, so if you’re going to be hiking or skiing, it’s especially important to protect yourself.

Avoid direct sun, especially during the hottest part of the day. Stay in the shade whenever possible, but especially from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you’re going to the beach or a park, bring an umbrella in case there’s no shade.

Use SPF 30 or higher, and reapply regularly. Make sure you buy SPF 30+ for everyday wear, or 50+ for heavier exposure. Reapplying every two hours—or more often if you’ve been exercising or swimming—is essential to keep the protection level high. Sunscreen is only good for a year, so buy a new bottle each year to make sure that you will be protected. Many people miss putting sunscreen on the tops of bare feet and the front of their chest—make sure that all exposed skin is covered.

Choose collared shirts and cover up. To protect the back of your neck and shoulders, wear a collared shirt if you know you’re going to be out in the sun. If you’ll be sitting in the sun in a park or at the beach, use a towel or sarong to protect exposed skin.

Wear a broad brimmed hat. Hats with a tightly woven fabric (i.e., no gaps or holes) are important for protecting the back of the neck, ears, forehead, nose, and the top of your head. Skin cancer can appear on your scalp, too.

Wear UV blocking sunglasses. Your eyes can also be damaged by the sun. It can cause cataracts, as well as damage the skin around your eyes. Your eyelids are also thin and sensitive so they are at risk for getting skin cancers. In addition to protecting your eyes from sun damage, UV sunglasses also lessen the risk of macular degeneration in the long term.

Be aware of reflected UV. If you’re on the water or snow, UV can be reflected back at you, so even if you’re wearing protective clothing while on a boat or skiing, make sure any exposed skin is protected with sunscreen. Also be sure to wear sunscreen on cloudy days. Putting on sunscreen each day should be a part of your morning routine if you plan to be outdoors at all, regardless of the weather.

Get tinted car windows. Your car’s windows are allowed to be tinted up to a certain darkness level in order to prevent UV light coming through. This darkness level can be slightly different in different states, so make sure that your car is compliant and that you’re getting the maximum tint allowed.

Use fake tan. If you prefer a tanned look, opt for a fake tan rather than sunbathing or using a sunbed, as it’s a far safer choice.

Get a skin check every year. Don’t forget to book your yearly skin check by a dermatologist. It’s a good idea to book the next one when you’re getting checked so that you’ve got something in the calendar, even if you have to move it when you get closer to the time.

For additional questions, employees may contact the Human Capital Management Benefits Department at 972-925-4300, email benefits@dallasisd.org, or click here for information on the Benefits Website.

Source: LifeWorks

Concentration, excitement and camaraderie mix in what, after four years, has become one of the most popular extracurricular student activities in Dallas ISD: esports.

Student Activities wanted to launch a pilot of the activity in 2019 with 20 campuses, but when the department asked secondary schools if they would be interested, the response was overwhelmingly positive—62 campuses wanted to participate. The new extracurricular activity launched at those campuses with 800 students in sixth through 12th grades participating in district tournaments that year. 

“We got such a great response, and then we had to look at the budget because we hadn’t budgeted for so many schools,” said Angie Nuno, manager in Student Activities over the esports program. “We did our best to provide the necessary equipment to get them started.”

This year, more than 2,000 students in 94 secondary schools and almost 1,400 in 117 elementary schools have participated in the five tournaments hosted by Student Activities during the school year. These numbers don’t include all the students who participate in esports at the school level; tournament participation is capped due to limited space and resources. 

“Extracurricular activities help students develop the many skills that allow them to be successful in academics and life,” Sharla Hudspeth, executive director of Extracurricular and Extended Learning. “We are excited that schools and students have so enthusiastically embraced esports because we want to offer options that give all students an opportunity to participate in something they are passionate about.”

Last year, esports opened to fourth- and fifth-grade students at the elementary level, Nuno said. At the elementary level, students compete in Smash, Mario Kart and Rocket League. The same games are available at the secondary level in addition to Fornite. 

Student Activities also provides equipment such as Nintendo switches, games, gaming laptops, webcams, microphones and green screens because esports is not just about competing, Nuno said. It also allows students to gain skills in casting, broadcasting and other areas of online gaming. 

Schools that want to offer esports start with a parent meeting to make them aware of what it entails and dispel any misconceptions about online gaming, Nuno said. Even though esports is not a UIL activity, the district follows the same participation requirements about attendance and grades. 

“Parents are very supportive, and it’s one of the activities where we have the most parents coming to see their kids compete,” she said.  

As the popularity of esports grows, the department is looking at establishing a district league. Growing the activity benefits students, especially those who might not participate in UIL activities, such as traditional sports, she said.

“Esports is all about communication, team collaboration, and strategic planning because you need to have a clear plan in everything you do. It also develops leadership skills, discipline, sportsmanship, and respect, a lot of core values that are essential in life,” Nuno said. “Students gain motivation and skills that can lead to new career paths like game design, coding, and communications.”

Nuno has also seen esports be inclusive in ways other activities might not be for students who have movement limitations and who don’t have a command of English but do speak the language of gaming.

As more colleges and universities, like the University of North Texas, offer the sport and scholarships, they are recruiting Dallas ISD students. 

“Esports makes a difference in students’ lives,” Nuno said. “A couple of years ago a coach shared with me that one of the students who skipped class all the time wanted to be in the esports team. Because attendance is a requirement, he started coming to class. It changed him for the better.”

Dallas ISD’s Maintenance and Facilities teams are Core 4 to the core, and they demonstrated this recently when they sprung into action after the May thunderstorms—which left more than 800,000 without power and caused significant damage to trees and structures—to make district facilities safe.

According to Christopher Bayer, executive director of Maintenance and Facility Services, when the storms came in on May 28, each custodian assigned to every school or central site quickly gave the department a report back to indicate any interior or exterior damage and the status of the power. 

Whenever a  storm or some sort of natural disaster affects the district, the department starts a tracking sheet internally, said Bayer. Things such as blown out windows, downed trees, power outages or any damage is reported and tracked. Bayer said that the priority was initially targeting the 12 sites that had summer programs in place that were beginning last Tuesday. 

“Our folks were quick to respond. They’re thorough in their response and they’re extremely dedicated to respond any hour of any day,  to make sure that those learning environments were ready,” Bayer said. 

His team made sure that the facilities were safe for students and team members to be there. Those who normally mow the grass, do concrete work, or do any heavy equipment work went to the sites and started working on tree removal. Maintenance and facilities team members had to remove several large downed trees safely and carefully as part of the campus cleanup efforts.

According to Bayer, approximately 90 sites experienced power outages. As Oncor was working to restore power in affected areas, Dallas ISD electricians were onsite to monitor the campuses to make sure the power came back on, and to ensure the district’s systems came back online. 

Bayer said this process included securing the campuses, for example, by making sure windows that were broken were secured with boards or plexiglass until replacements were ordered. They were able to work with the time crunch and got the 12 sites ready on time to receive students the following day. 

According to Bayer, the team did not rest until they knew the schools were ready. Then, they went without rest until they got the 106 summer school sites ready. 

To achieve this, Maintenance and Facilities teams continued working day and evening  through the weekend to get the 106 summer school sites ready by June 3. Teams continued to clear up trees as well as monitor the sites to make sure the power and HVAC systems came back on. 

According to Bayer, there wasn’t any major damage that couldn’t be fixed. Things such as a little bit of water damage from some windows that were broken, as well as damage caused by trees falling over, was repaired. 

The district also partnered with the City of Dallas to set up a relief center for the neighborhood around George W. Truett Elementary School, which was one of the hardest hit areas, according to Bayer. The center offered resources over the weekend, and custodial staff worked diligently to prepare the facility for this. 

“We need to see that our maintenance teams across the board feel very connected to the campuses and community,” Bayer said.  “Whenever we have a crisis or a weather event like this, our folks are passionate and ready to respond to make sure it’s ready to go that first day. I would definitely say there’s nobody better in the business than our team here in Dallas ISD.”

June has been designated as Pride Month to recognize the history and contributions of members of the LGBTQI+ community.

The efforts to recognize members of this community began in June 1970 on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprisings. The first pride marches were organized in several cities to commemorate the date and march for equal rights. These commemorations later evolved into a month-long celebration. President Bill Clinton became the first U.S. president to declare June as “Gay and Lesbian” Pride Month by issuing Proclamation 7203 on June 11, 1999.

Today, Pride celebrations include parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia, and concerts. LGBTQI+ Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world. Memorials also are held during this month for those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that LGBTQI+ individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally. (Source: Library of Congress)

Dallas ISD has created a safe space for all its students, including those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and other identities who often experience harassment, indifference, bullying and exclusion. 

For more information, contact supportlgbtqyouth@dallasisd.org.

Dallas ISD’s Special Services Department and Southern Methodist University teamed up to present scholarships to 16 teachers who will pursue a master’s degree in special education, specializing in bilingualism or English as a second language, and foundational literacy education or STEM.

Eight teachers received Kathryne and Gene Bishop Scholarships for master’s degrees with concentration in special education/ESL. Eight more received Simmons Scholarships for master’s degrees with concentration in special education/STEM. The educators, who currently teach in pre-k through 12th grades in the district, were awarded the scholarships at a recent event. 

“This celebration underscored the community’s support and recognition of the educators’ dedication and potential,” said Michelle Brown, director of the district’s Special Services Department. 

The scholarships were funded by a $3 million endowment from the Bishop family and Simmons School of Education at SMU. Each educator was awarded a scholarship worth $28,000, which will cover tuition and fees over the two-year program. The scholarship was created by Kathryne and the late Gene Bishop to support Dallas ISD teachers pursuing master’s degrees. The couple worked together as longtime supporters of children’s health and education, among other philanthropies.

“This initiative not only highlights the partnership’s commitment to educational excellence but also ensures that a new cohort of teachers will be recruited every other year to continue this impactful program,” Brown said. 

Starting in September 2024, the scholarship recipients will embark on specialized coursework designed to enhance their skills in addressing the unique needs of all students who receive special education services, including emergent bilingual students with special needs, said Brown. 

The three-phase selection process included an interest meeting, personal essays, instructional video submissions, principal recommendations, and comprehensive interviews. This rigorous process culminated in the selection of the 16 educators who are eager to make significant advancements in special education, according to Brown.

The scholarship recipients are:

Kathryne and Gene Bishop Scholarship recipients 

Todd C. Anthony Jr. (Zan Wesley Holmes Jr. Middle School)

Lee Brown (Hillcrest High School)

Alyse Loach (Hillcrest High School)

Mia Martinico (Chapel Hill Preparatory)

Amanda McCrum (John J. Pershing Elementary School)

Martin Mejia Rodriguez (Rosie M. Collins Sorrells School of Education and Social Services at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center)

Gabriela Mejia Villarreal (Jerry R. Junkins Elementary School)

Kashma Thompson (Lee A. McShan Jr. Elementary School)

Simmons Scholarship recipients

Matina Chavez Briones (Eduardo Mata Montessori)

Patrick Desso (Young Men’s Leadership Academy at Fred F. Florence Middle School)

Ieasha Lee (Judge Louis A. Bedford, Jr. Law Magnet)

Val Lister (L.V. Stockard Middle School)

Mariana Lujan (pre-K partnership center)

Tomilayo Olatunde (L.V. Stockard Middle School)

Jeaneth Sagales (Gilbert Cuellar Sr. Elementary School)

Danayka Wong (George H.W. Bush Elementary School)

A random stop at a job fair years ago led to Enrique Villegas finding his passion as a teacher in Dallas ISD and has resulted in 18 years of inspiring young minds and making a significant impact on the entire educational community. 

“I just stopped for a minute, without knowing much about it, and voila! I fell in love with the craft and have been ever since,” said the third grade bilingual teacher.

Villegas—originally from San Luis Potosi, Mexico—moved to Dallas in 2006 and became part of the district’s Alternative Certification Program. He started his career at Herbert Marcus Elementary School and has had the opportunity to teach at various schools since then, each one contributing to his growth and experience. He spent three years as a Campus Instructional Coach before deciding to go back to the classroom. He has now found his place at James Bowie Elementary School, where he continues to make a difference. 

“It is amazing how their little minds, with the right stimuli, can grow and become these brilliant minds,” said Villegas, who sees his students become critical thinkers as his greatest accomplishment.

A tradition Enrique started with his students involves conducting research projects on different countries. For example, together, they create piñatas from scratch and decorate them with the colors of the countries they researched. 

“On the last day of school, they do a presentation to the class, then we go outside and break the piñatas,” Villegas said. These activities not only make learning fun but also create a love for knowledge and cultural awareness.

Villegas is a member of the Texas Education Agency’s committee for the development of the STAAR test. Invited to participate by Pearsons and TEA, Villegas was the only representative from Dallas ISD for his area of expertise on the committee, working alongside other teachers from Texas. As part of his responsibilities, he evaluates rubrics and questions, providing valuable feedback on the assessment’s level of difficulty and expectations. His participation is a tribute to his commitment to education and fair assessment practices.

“It was a very open panel, with all parties giving their expert opinions,” he said. 

Villegas, whose guiding mantra is “One who saves a soul, saves the world,” finds profound meaning in this principle, which also reflects his dedication to making a difference in his students’ lives.

“We might never become rich, but the rewards we see every day with our students pay us off,” he said.