Staff News

Approximately 1,600 educators were invited to participate in a recent professional learning where they were able to collaborate with their peers while learning about the new STAAR item types, best practices for small group instruction, and multiple response strategies to strengthen student engagement during instruction.

The Professional and Digital Learning team hosted this after-school professional development as a support for teachers new to the profession and new to Dallas ISD. And several teachers who attended agreed that the support provided to new teachers in Dallas ISD makes a difference.

Edgar Vazquez, a fifth-grade math and science teacher at H.S. Thompson STEAM Academy, was among the attendees. He became a teacher thanks to Dallas ISD’s Alternative Certification program and said “it just felt right” to return to the district as he is a product of Dallas ISD. 

While he is just a few months into the classroom, he said he is enjoying all the opportunities he’s had to connect with his students and transform lives every day. 

“If you are going into teaching, I would recommend Dallas ISD,” Vazquez said. “There is a lot of support, and if you have that passion and you want to make an impact, then, yes, teaching is worth it.”

Chai Gibert, a second grade teacher at Solar Preparatory School for Boys at John F. Kennedy Learning Center, agreed that the support she has received as a first-year teacher at Dallas ISD has been great.

With a mentor teacher and an instructional coach providing her with regular feedback, resources and recommendations and with the backing of her campus team, Gibert said the transition into teaching has been “pretty easy.”  

“We basically have a cohort,” Gibert said. “I know a lot of new teachers just from doing trainings, and I see their faces a lot. It’s pretty cool to see people in similar positions and familiar faces on campus or who come to other meetings. It creates camaraderie.” 

Jaci Rozear, who teaches reading at George Herbert Walker Bush Elementary School, said she is grateful to be on a team alongside veteran teachers who have been supporting her in her mission to “help students find their voice” in and out of the classroom.

Those teachers, along with the district’s professional development trainings dedicated to new teachers, have helped her master content areas like reading and grammar while providing instructional support to fill in gaps created by the COVID-19 pandemic and specific student concerns. 

“I would recommend Dallas ISD,” Rozear said. “I feel like sometimes it’s a little daunting because it’s a larger district, but I do feel supported.”

If you know any interested new teachers, encourage them to apply today and gain a teaching position where they are needed the most by visiting https://www.dallasisd.org/CAREERS. 

To learn more about professional development opportunities, visit the Professional and Digital Learning page at https://www.dallasisd.org/pdl.

After working in business and finance, David Newhouse knew he wanted to do something he felt would be more impactful and remembered the difference one of his teachers had made. Now in his eighth year of teaching, he strives to motivate and encourage students at Thomas Jefferson P-TECH. 

It was the commitment and passion to his craft and his students inspired by his teacher that earned Newhouse a 2022 Teacher of the Year Award from the Rotary Club. He was one of three winners recognized this school year. 

Newhouse has been teaching Advanced Placement human geography and world history at Jefferson P-TECH for the past six years. Before that, he taught at Francisco “Pancho” Medrano Junior High School.

His students can attest to the impact he has had on their lives. Eimi Cabrera, a first year college student at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., said it was Newhouse who helped her on her journey to college. 

“He taught us that even if we are where we are at that moment, we can strive to be better no matter who we are. We can fight for more than what we already have,” Cabrera said. “He really wanted us to do better and strive for a better future.” 

Newhouse knows that being a teacher can transform a student’s life, which he finds to be one of the most fulfilling things about his career. 

“Not all of my students have positive affirmations in their lives, and they don’t have someone telling them that they’re proud of them,” he said. “Even just small celebrations can change the demeanor and the direction of a child. Even saying ‘I’m proud of you,’ can make a significant impact.” 

Many of his students who have gone off to college have told him that they remember specific moments when he uplifted them or when he talked about all the things they needed to be successful. 

“Those are the pivots,” Newhouse said. “Those are the moments if you’re honest and compassionate, and you’re sharing your feelings instead of being this stoic male figure. If you’re able to express yourself, the students feel empowered and loved and go on to do amazing stuff.” 

Some of his former students have stayed in touch with him. Cabrera is one of them and credits him with helping her get through some challenging situations. Coming from a diverse district like Dallas ISD, she struggled at first with being one of the few students of color in a university that is predominantly white. Her former teacher’s advice made all the difference in the world. 

“Mr. Newhouse said that there’s always a place where one may feel out of place, but it doesn’t mean that I don’t belong here,” she said. “It means that I fought harder than the other people who were there, and that it should make me feel even more proud of myself. I’m first generation, so I’m the first in my family to go through this.” 

Newhouse feels that the way he teaches history, going beyond “here’s a border, a name and a date” to bring first-hand accounts and other information that highlights the gritty and sometimes awful aspects of history helps him stand out.

“Reality is a lot more interesting than what we are taught,” he said. “But if you dig a little deeper you realize ‘wow this is crazy’ and you get into the stories, and you realize there is so much more.”

History games are another way that Newhouse keeps his students engaged. 

“Mr. Newhouse always made history fun and interesting,” Cabrera said. “He knew how to talk to the students and how to help us relate to him. He’s impacted my life for a very long time, and he’s one of the reasons why I was able to attend college here. He always made his classroom feel like a safe place.” 

Do you know someone who might be interested in making a difference for Dallas students in the fields of safety and security and nursing? If you do, Dallas ISD is hiring for a variety of positions in these areas and others in central administration.  

Campus Security Officer (185 days)

Police Officer, Police Department (235 days)

Nurse- Districtwide (191 days)

To explore other openings, visit www.dallasisd.ord/careers. If you are a hiring manager and interested in highlighting your open vacancies and/or department, contact Central Recruitment at careers@dallasisd.org.

Fifth-grade math teacher Brittney Washington has been teaching for the past eight years, and she said she loves seeing the difference she is able to make at her ACE campus. 

Last year at John Neely Bryan Elementary School, she had a student who was struggling, but they formed a connection that encouraged him to come in from the hallway and spend time in her class instead. 

“He actually came to love math,” Washington said. “He went from being one of the students who didn’t want to come to the board to one of the students who always wanted to come to the board. It took all year, but I felt like he just needed someone to watch his back and support him.” 

The potential to make such a profound difference in students’ learning is why Washington is encouraging other teachers to take advantage of the upcoming ACE job fair on Tuesday, Feb. 28, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Billy Earl Dade Middle School. Current Dallas ISD teachers with a Proficient I and above rating who are interested in joining an ACE team can attend the job fair in anticipation of this spring’s upcoming open transfer window. 

Washington said she has received great support from fellow teachers as well as from her administration team. They provide helpful feedback that gives her opportunities to grow, and ACE campuses emphasize planning, which Washington said enables her to hone in on the curriculum her students are working to master.

“If you want to make a big difference, I think that ACE will be the campus for you,” she said. “Yes, it will be extra work, but if you want to make a difference in a child’s life, you’re always going to have to put that extra work in. And you’ll have a lot of support. I think you should give it a go.”

Another job fair for external and internal candidates interested in high priority campuses will be held on Tuesday, March 7, at Harold W. Lang Middle School. Candidates will have the  opportunity to interview with Dallas ISD principals for a teaching position where they may be needed the most.

Attendees will need to have a completed teacher application on file, which can be found at www.dallasisd.org/careers. The recruitment team also asks that candidates upload their resume, references and teaching certification prior to their attendance at the in person job fairs. The recruitment team will confirm their registration prior to the event via email. 

To reserve a spot at the Feb. 28 job fair, click here. To reserve a spot at the March 7 job fair, click here. If you have additional questions, email Melody Tillman at meltillman@dallasisd.org.

In the 24 years that Annie Partee has been with Dallas ISD, she has seen minority participation in contracting increase, and during this year’s Black History Month, her department—Minority/Women Business Enterprise—is honoring that growth by highlighting African American in the industry. 

“Our distinguished guest speakers include M/WBE leaders, black owned businesses, philanthropic supporters, contractor and chamber of commerce leaders, and Dallas ISD executives,” Partee said of the M/WBE Department lecture series on Facebook. “These leaders have a vested interest in the success of Dallas ISD and their communities.”

To watch the recordings of the series, visit: www.facebook.com/DallasISDMWBE.

Partee, who is originally from Tallulah, Lou., has lived in the Dallas area for approximately 30 years and joined Dallas ISD as coordinator in MWBE in 1999. She is proud of the work she has done to uplift and support African American businesses and other minority groups. 

“My most important role is to serve and to help others to be able to support their families, their businesses, and their communities, so that they’re in a position where they can give back and help others,” said Partee, director of MWBE.

Celebrating Black History Month honors the department’s commitment to ensure the inclusion of minority and women owned businesses in all aspects of the district’s purchasing and contracting opportunities, something that Partee says she and her team are intentional about practicing every day.

“This work is extremely important not only because of diversity, equity and inclusion, but it also affords us an opportunity to help others that are being underrepresented and underutilized. We are giving back, serving others, and helping others to reach their goals,” she said. 

One of the ways that the MWBE department honors the district’s commitment to diversity is by offering outreach to Black and other minority and women owned businesses to teach them how to do business with Dallas ISD. This is done through a series of educational opportunities throughout the year which can be found in the M/WBE Department visit their page here.

Dallas ISD will celebrate and showcase the hard work of teachers, assistant principals and central staff who have been reimagining what the next generation of teaching, learning and leadership could look like in the district at the Seventh Annual Innovation Showcase on Feb. 28. 

The Innovation Showcase is an in-person celebration designed to recognize Dallas ISD’s Innovation in Teaching, School Retool and iDesign Central Fellows for the 2022-2023 school year. The event will take place at Emmett J. Conrad High School from 5:15 to 7 p.m. and will elevate the voices of the fellows through three panels and a release of a virtual exhibition for attendees to explore their design projects over the year. 

See all the fellowship members recognized here, and register for the event at www.thepltoolbox.com/showcase. If you have any questions, reach out personalizedlearning@dallasisd.org. 

Random acts of kindness can change the world or, at least, make a difference for those who practice them and receive them. 

In honor of Random Acts of Kindness Day, celebrated on Feb. 17, Dallas ISD team members shared some of the random acts of kindness that they have been on the receiving end of or participated in. 

A Dallas ISD team member, who is an educational diagnostician, remembers having to go the extra mile to help a parent in need who was new to the district. The parent, who had just moved from another state, was living in a motel with her children, several of whom had disabilities, and was working seven days a week. When the team member first met the parent, the mom was apprehensive about sharing her story. But once she did, the team member knew the student needed more than an IQ and achievement test, due to the needs of the family. 

“I immediately went into action. I requested special education records for all her disabled children from her previous state, got her in touch with several organizations in Dallas to help her with daily needs, and then reached out to our Homeless Education Department,” said the team member. Thanks to this act of kindness, the family is now on the path to connect with agencies and resources that will help them succeed. 

“It makes my heart happy that all it took was stepping out of my role as an assessment professional and making a few phone calls and sending a few emails to change a family’s life,” the diagnostician said. 

Another Dallas ISD team member recalls recently helping someone who had a flat tire: ”I felt good about being able to be there at the right time, in order to bring relief to someone who was having a challenging day.” 

Yet another felt good being kind to a complete stranger by giving giving $20 to a person in need to buy something to eat at a fast food drive-thru.

 “He said ‘God bless you,’ and the entire day, I felt good because to me, I had been a blessing to a person who needed a blessing.” 

As far as being on the receiving end of an act of kindness, a few shared instances of someone paying for their coffee or meal at the drive-thru. 

Another team member said they received $25 in tickets from a kind couple who was leaving the state fair and didn’t plan to return, so they gave their tickets away. 

“It was helpful to me and my family, as the fair can be quite expensive. Thanks to these kind strangers, my family was able to enjoy the fair a little more,” they said. 

Another team member shared that their neighbor gave them tickets to see the Dallas Mavericks play, as they weren’t going to be able to use their tickets that day. 

“It was an unexpected surprise that absolutely made my day,” they said. 

One team member recalls being surprised by coworkers who decorated her desk with balloons and a birthday banner. 

“It was just what I needed, because I was having a rough week. They made my birthday really special and that thoughtful gesture turned my week around. My coworkers made me feel appreciated and validated,” she said. 

As far as ways to commemorate this day, the consensus was to be thoughtful and to take care of and to look out for one another. 

“Do something for someone else with gratitude. Buy them a cup of coffee or buy them some lunch,” is advice that was shared by team members. 

If you’re looking for ways to commemorate this day, visit the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation at https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/.

Every day, over 80 languages are spoken in schools throughout Dallas ISD, and on Feb. 21, this cultural and linguistic diversity will be celebrated and highlighted during International Mother Language Day.

Celebrated since 1999 by the United Nations, the day promotes the richness of multilingualism. This year’s theme—Multilingual education, a necessity to transform education—highlights the importance of celebrating diversity among students like those in Dallas ISD where, according to home language survey data, in addition to Spanish and English, languages like Burmese, Swahili and Arabic are spoken in district homes. 

“At the moment, our current refugee population speaks about 15 different languages. Refugees are one category of immigrants, and we provide different services for all immigrants,” said Zeljka Ravlija, who works directly with refugee students, as a coordinator in the ESL Dual Language Department.

“We work  to meet the needs of different language groups, through translation and interpretation,” Ravlija said. “This includes things such as school orientation for parents in their native language, translated brochures about the educational systems in the [United States], and all types of assistance such as parent conferences, tutoring, among many other services,” 

Ravlija, who is originally from the former Yugoslavia and whose native language is Serbo Croatian, is familiar with the challenges students may face when arriving in a new country and having to learn a new language and culture. 

Translation Services works hand in hand with Ravlija’s department, in providing assistance to students and families who are new to the country.  

“By providing services in their native language, we help families maintain their cultural background as they adapt to their new environment,” said Adriana Cabeza, supervisor in the Translation Services Department. 

Michael Woodruff, an interpreter and tutor, who speaks Arabic and works with refugee students couldn’t agree more. 

“Learning in your native tongue is also preserving one’s culture,” Woodruff said. “There’s a saying in Arabic that says when a language is lost, part of the culture is lost. By the same measure, the traditions and culture continue living in the hearts and minds of those that understand,” he said. 

According to the UN’s website, “Every two weeks a language disappears, taking with it an entire cultural and intellectual heritage. At least 43% of the estimated 6000 languages spoken in the world are endangered.”

Ndayishimiye Innocent, an interpreter and tutor, who speaks French, Kirundi, Kinyarwanda and Swahili believes that teaching students in their native language has many benefits.

“In another language that’s not their native language, students would be limited to think critically,” he said. “So because of that, preserving the native language is important because we always think in our mother tongue. It doesn’t always help with communication but it helps with all other areas of critical thinking, according to scientific research.” 

Christine Nduwimana, an interpreter and tutor who speaks French, Kirundi, Kinyarwanda, and Swahili says the work they do goes beyond language, as they are teaching  students the basics for life in their new school and country. 

“We will explain things such as immunizations, for example. We explain that students need their immunization shots, because if they came from an area in Africa, for example, that didn’t require this, they might not know that immunizations are needed in order to be in school,” Nduwimana said. 

To learn about International Mother Language Day, and what you can to do to commemorate this day, visit the United Nations page dedicated to this day at: /www.un.org/en/observances/mother-language-day

Dallas students have big dreams for the future, and they deserve great teachers who can help them break through barriers and build the lives they dream of. Dallas ISD is giving talented educators a chance to become one of those teachers and make a difference for students in the Dallas community at two upcoming job fairs.

Encourage any interested professionals you may know who are interested in working at one of the district’s ACE campuses to join the Human Capital Management recruitment team from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28, at Billy Earl Dade Middle School. Current Dallas ISD teachers who are interested in working at an ACE campus can attend the job fair in anticipation of the open transfer window that should open soon.  

Another job fair for external and internal candidates interested in high priority campuses will be held on Tuesday, March 7, at Lang Middle School for an opportunity to interview with Dallas ISD principals and gain a teaching position where they are needed the most.

Attendees will need to have a completed teacher application on file, which can be found at www.dallasisd.org/careers.

The recruitment team also asks that candidates upload their resume, references and statement of eligibility prior to their attendance at the in person job fairs. The recruitment team will confirm their registration prior to the event via email. 

To reserve a spot at the Feb. 28 job fair, click here. To reserve a spot at the March 7 job fair, click here. If you have additional questions, email Melody Tillman at meltillman@dallasisd.org. 

Three Dallas ISD teachers were recently honored by the Dallas Metroplex Musicians’ Association for their dedication to student success and their years of hard work in the music industry. 

Nelda Washington of Clara Oliver Elementary School and Osley Cook Jr. of Franklin D. Roosevelt High School Of Innovation were both inducted into the Dallas Metroplex Musicians’ Association Hall of Fame for serving the area for over 30 years. Chad Lott of Skyline High School earned a Next Generation of Music Professionals Award, which is given to professional musicians who have been in the field for less than 10 years.

The Dallas Metroplex Musicians’ Association is a nonprofit that works to preserve the legacy of distinctively African American music, celebrate local African American musicians and award annual scholarships to students to foster their musical talent and success.

Cook, who is currently an assistant band director, has taught in Dallas ISD for 28 years and counting. He said some of his accomplishments include taking multiple “dead” band programs and bringing them back to life at the elementary, middle and high school level and seeing his students perform at the Battle of the Bands, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day parades, several universities, the African American Read-in and more. 

While Cook said he was excited to have been inducted into the Dallas Metroplex Musicians’ Association Hall of Fame, his proudest achievement is seeing his students succeed and benefit from new opportunities. 

“The greatest thrill for me is seeing my students take these music scholarships and go to play in the college programs,” Cook said. “I’m currently aware of six of my former students working as music teachers after receiving their degree in music. Plus, I have another who just graduated in December who hopes to find the right fit for the fall.” 

Lott said he sees his job in a similar manner. He started out in Dallas ISD as a math and science teacher and soon decided to put his music certification to good use. Now in his fourth year as director of choirs and an AP music theory instructor at Skyline, he loves helping his students grow, thrive and find inspiration. 

“I’ve really seen students buy into the choral culture we have created, and it has been amazing,” Lott said. “I want to show them that they can do this—that they can do anything—especially as a man of color. Representation matters, and for them to see that I’ve done this gives them opportunities and credence to feel like they can do the same.”