Staff News

Reliant and the Dallas Cowboys honor teachers throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area who constantly encourage, lead and strive for excellence in the classroom through Cowboys Class Acts, powered by Reliant. During the 2022-2023 school year, Reliant and the Dallas Cowboys will recognize a total of six teachers across the area for their phenomenal work empowering local youth, and two Dallas ISD teachers recently earned the distinction.

Congratulations to Mount Auburn STEAM Academy’s Citlali Flores and Woodrow Wilson High School’s Theresa Benedetto, who have respectively been named the December and January Teachers of the Month. 

Both Flores and Benedetto received a $4,000 grant and a celebration on their campus during a surprise visit from Cowboys Legend George Teague, Cowboys mascot Rowdy, Reliant mascot Hugo and more on Jan. 30. 

Learn more about these extraordinary educators below.

Citlali Flores

Citlali Flores is truly one of Mount Auburn STEAM Academy’s best and brightest teachers. As a kindergarten teacher, she exemplifies the school’s mission to foster a joyful academic environment by the hard work she does every day to ensure her kindergarten students are ready to meet the challenges ahead of them. Flores received her degree from Texas Tech University and is currently certified as a bilingual EC-6 teacher. She is currently in her fifth year at Mount Auburn and in her first year as a recognized “Distinguished Teacher” in the state of Texas, a true indicator of her hard work and her commitment to education. 

When asked about her work in education she proudly claims: “One of the reasons I became a teacher was to contribute to my community and encourage others to love learning. In my vision for educating my students I hope I can help them foster open-minded thinking and become bilingual and biliterate to succeed in the future. I hope to inspire students to grow the self-confidence in believing in themselves and empower them, so they are excited and motivated to learn even when things can become challenging.”  

Theresa Benedetto

Theresa Benedetto, an instructional lead teacher, English teacher and cheerleading sponsor at Woodrow Wilson High School, joined Dallas ISD in 2020. Raised in Chicago in a home where teaching was the family business, Benedetto always dreamed of being an educator. It was hearing her brother, a former Dallas ISD teacher and football coach, talk about the district’s diverse students and communities that led her to land at Dallas ISD. 

Her teaching and leadership responsibilities at Woodrow Wilson include instructional training of campus teachers across contents, mentoring new teachers and creating an engaging environment and lively culture in her 10th grade classroom. Relationship building and creating impactful classroom climates are at the core of Benedetto’s teaching practice. 

D.A. Hulcy STEAM Middle School teacher Rebekah Jean thought she wanted to be a doctor until one student changed her life forever. She was volunteering in preschool classrooms during college when she met a child who she said had “a lot of anxiety with reading and writing—to the point that he would start throwing things and running away anytime you would put a pencil or a crayon anywhere near him.”

Jean patiently worked with him, and by the end of the year, he wrote her a letter and was able to spell his name. 

“The fact that he was finally able to release some of that anxiety and thought of me enough to do that was eye opening,” she said. “From that moment on, I knew teaching was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.” 

She pursued her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, studying education and applied psychology so she could continue transforming student lives. In the process, she formalized her personal philosophy behind teaching. 

“I’m a strong believer that if we can’t teach children how to manage and understand their emotions, there is no way we can begin to teach academics,” Jean said. “With everything that I’ve learned in psychology, if they don’t have those basic fundamental needs met, which includes a lot of those emotional needs that some children are lacking, they can’t start to learn.” 

In her four years of teaching, Jean has brought social and emotional learning to the forefront of every classroom she leads. One of her favorite ways to do so this school year has been leading a community circle every Friday. 

After guiding her students through a moment of mindfulness, Jean delivers “mini lessons” in social and emotional skills or different life skills including practicing good hygiene. They then discuss what is going well in their community—whether it’s related to their classroom or to all of Hulcy—and what improvements or changes they might like to see, and they practice conflict resolution with their peers. Finally, they close with a community reward and a game to celebrate the good work they are doing academically and emotionally. 

The results have been positive. For example, during one community circle, a student who was experiencing some anger was talking to another student who was upset about something that had happened at recess. Jean said she saw the first student “building up and starting to get angrier,” so she encouraged the student to take a moment and practice coping exercises. 

“Ever since then, anytime he starts to notice that he’s feeling really angry, he has been saying, ‘Hey, I just need a minute. Can I step off to the side?’ Or he’ll call me over and say, ‘This is happening and I need some advice,’ or, ‘I need you to listen,’” Jean said. “A lot of things that are happening with the community circle are seeing different students advocating for themselves and understanding that they don’t have to let their emotions control them.” 

Jean’s passion for mental health and wellness contributed to her becoming Hulcy’s 2022-2023 campus teacher of the year, and the community is celebrating her dedication and commitment to making a difference. 

“Rebekah Jean is an amazing whole brain teacher,” said Amber Harrison, one of the school’s counselors. “Hulcy is fortunate to have a teacher with her experience, drive, dedication and empathy for the success and growth of students. She consistently brings her lessons alive and creates lifelong experiences for students to remain engaged. Her inclusion of SEL and mindfulness tools also help students to grasp core content and real-life concepts. Ms. Jean is an exemplary educator!” 

The Dallas Mavericks are offering two programs during February and March to engage students, inspire future leaders and promote literacy. Learn more about the Mavs Black History Month Art Contest With American Airlines and the Mavs Reading Challenge presented by Whataburger below, and help us spread the word to get more Dallas ISD students involved. 

Mavs Black History Month Art Contest With American Airlines

To honor Black History and inspire future change makers, the Dallas Mavericks and American Airlines are encouraging students from eighth to 12th grade to create and submit a visual art medium that interprets the beliefs of past and present Black leaders and how they inspired others to unite and join hands for justice.

Five students will be selected as grand prize contest winners and will receive an invitation to the Feb. 28 Dallas Mavericks home game, an opportunity to have their art featured in the African American Museum of Dallas at Fair Park during March and more. Learn the details by visiting https://www.mavs.com/blackhistory/. 

Mavs Reading Challenge presented by Whataburger 

The Mavs Reading Challenge presented by Whataburger is fostering a love of reading in students of all ages. Students K-12 who read (or are read to) for 20 minutes a day for a total of 40 days can earn cool prizes from the Dallas Mavericks and Whataburger. 

This year’s challenge runs now through March 31, so encourage any students you know to get started. Visit https://www.mavs.com/readingchallenge/ to learn more about how students can participate. 

Dallas ISD’s Food and Child Nutrition Services deserves a hearty congratulations for receiving a “perfect” Administrative Review from The Texas Department of Agriculture, making Dallas ISD the largest district in the state to earn this recognition this school year. 

FCNS received the “perfect” AR over the last full week of school in December, when 12 on-site and five off-site Texas Department of Agriculture auditors and review specialists spent a week visiting the participating schools, auditing every part of the food services department. The key review areas included financials, procurement, federal and state program compliance, operations, meal quality, and food safety. 

On-site auditors visited 19 schools for breakfast and/or lunch service and 24 schools for after-school meal programs. In addition to the week of on-site review, the off-site auditors spent three months examining last year’s records. The rigorous process included FCNS staff uploading thousands of documents and records for review.  

FCNS deeply appreciates the partnerships of campus team members and administrative support, without which the “perfect” audit result would not have been possible, said Michael Rosenberger, executive director of Food and Child Nutrition Services.

“Earning a perfect Administrative Review is a direct reflection of our FCNS staff’s hard work and dedication,” he said.

Assistant Principal David Fifield centers all of his work at W.E. Greiner Exploratory Arts Academy around the motto, “You only succeed when they do,” and it shows. 

He can often be found building rapport with students in the hallways or the cafeteria and practicing the Core 4 culture tenets of being fast, focused, flexible and friendly to accelerate learning and reduce disciplinary issues. 

“At such a large school, we have to have the Core 4 in place so everyone feels like they are welcomed and like they are not just a number,” Fifield said. “They are all individuals, and their needs are being addressed based on what they need, not what somebody else needs.”

One of the ways Fifield does this is by appreciating every victory, no matter how small. For example, he was working with a student who had been missing a lot of school, and when she came to campus one day, he made sure to celebrate with her, even though she was still not in class. 

“That’s a step in the right direction,” he said. “We can get her into class as a second step.” 

Being an assistant principal at Greiner requires flexibility and focus as no day is the same, but Fifield is up to the challenge. He first joined Dallas ISD as a teacher in 1998 and made memorable moments in the classroom until 2014, when he became Greiner’s assistant principal. 

His passion for service started early. His mother owned a daycare, so Fifield was constantly around younger children growing up, helping them accomplish tasks like working on their homework, tying their shoes or expressing themselves. When it came time for him to choose a career, transforming student lives was an easy choice. 

Fifield said some of his favorite memories at Greiner, an arts magnet school, include seeing students “come alive” on stage. Even those who are quiet in class transform when they are performing as they gain confidence and demonstrate their passion for what they love, he said. 

“We have a lot of amazing students. When I go into their classrooms, I make a point to ask them about their work so they know that I am interested in who they are,” Fifield said. “If I can’t work with them to help them be successful, then at the end of the day, I haven’t been successful myself. So I always try to keep a positive outlook and build rapport with the students and the parents so that the students are spending more time engaged academically.” 

One in two adults has high blood pressure, and few have it under control, which can lead to severe and chronic health issues. The Human Capital Management Benefits Department is going red during February to help team Dallas ISD members be aware of risks and improve their heart health.

The campaign will include tips on preventing heart health issues, high blood pressure screenings, and opportunities to help others.

In partnership with Carter Blood Care, the Benefits Department will host a blood drive at the Linus D. Wright Administration Building. According to the American Red Cross, every two seconds, someone in the United States requires a blood transfusion. By donating blood, people can help those injured in accidents, undergoing cancer treatments and battling blood diseases.

 The blood drive will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 15 at the administration building in Room 1350. To see if you are eligible to donate blood, click here, and to sign up, click here.

In partnership with Health Services, the Benefits Department will host two blood pressure screening dates in the Administration Building:  11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Feb. 8 in Room 206 and on Feb. 22 in Room 205. Screenings at campuses will also be available through the school nurses. No need to sign up.

Also, if you Go Red by wearing red during the week of Feb. 13-17 to support heart health awareness, you can wear jeans one day during that week. 

For more information and tips, please visit the Benefits website.

Due to inclement weather, there will be no after-school activities including athletic events and practices today, Jan. 30. As temperatures are expected to remain above freezing, we will complete the day as normal. Buses will run at the regular time, however, may experience delays as drivers exercise extreme caution this afternoon. Thank you for your patience and understanding. 

We will continue monitoring the weather and provide updates on any changes. For information on school openings or closures, visit the district’s social media channels or www.dallasisd.org

Dr. Stephanie Elizalde
Superintendente Dallas ISD

No existen palabras
Cuando lo inimaginable se desenvuelve ante nuestros ojos, no existen palabras que puedan ayudarnos a comprender el horror de lo que vemos, como son las imágenes que fueron capturadas en el vídeo de Memphis donde un joven brutalmente perdió la vida. No existen palabras para consolar, razonar, analizar o explicar. Ninguna.

En momentos en que las palabras nos fallan, debemos aferrarnos a la humanidad que nos une para proteger nuestros corazones y mentes y evitar que perdamos la esperanza, haciendo imposible avanzar juntos. Hoy, no mañana, debemos unirnos y enfrentar este claro ejemplo de desprecio por la vida humana. Hoy más que nunca, tenemos la obligación, desde nuestro lugar en el mundo, de trabajar todos los días para construir puentes y enseñar a nuestros hijos a entenderse, respetarse y honrarse unos a los otros. Aún más importante, debemos ser ejemplo de este comportamiento con nuestros amigos, vecinos, colegas y todo el que nos rodea.

El mundo se vuelve un lugar peligroso cuando nos permitimos hacer caso omiso de cualquier realidad que impacte negativamente a nuestras vidas. Y cuando lo ignoramos, invade nuestras calles, nuestros hogares y nuestras comunidades, como hemos visto en Memphis.

Como madre, tengo el corazón hecho pedazos al pensar en otra madre cuyo hijo ha sido sometido a este tipo de trato inhumano. Como superintendente de un distrito escolar centrado en preparar a los jóvenes para que lleven una vida mejor y contribuyan a la sociedad que los rodea, estoy más decidida que nunca a ayudar a brindarles a los estudiantes las herramientas para mejorar el mundo en el que viven, ya que ellos son nuestra esperanza para un mejor mañana. Y como integrante de la raza humana, no dejaré de abogar por el respeto, la comprensión, la tolerancia, la equidad y la bondad.

En este momento, es fácil perder la esperanza. Hemos visto demasiados casos como este en todo el país. Pero no me rindo, y tampoco se rinden nuestros maestros, directores e integrantes de nuestro equipo. Los tiempos difíciles requieren personas aún más resilientes, y estamos aquí para encontrar la solución. Tengan la certeza que Dallas ISD hará todo lo posible para asegurar que nuestros jóvenes estudiantes estén preparados para hacer lo mismo, y los invitamos a unirse a nosotros.

Nuestros pensamientos y oraciones más sinceros están con la familia de Tyre Nichols. Y pido que todos trabajemos para que esta increíble tragedia no haya sido en vano. Comencemos hoy

___

Justin Henry
presidente de la Junta Escolar

Es extremadamente doloroso ver una vez más un evento nacional donde nuevamente, un joven negro es asesinado de manera tan brutal. Tyre Nichols, de 29 años, era padre de un niño de 4 años. Por lo que he leído, le encantaba fotografiar los atardeceres y andar en patineta, una pasión que tuvo desde que era niño.

Ningún ser humano que lleve sangre en las venas puede ver cómo se desarrolla esta historia y sentir que el mundo está bien. ¡No estamos bien! El asesinato de Tyre es otro doloroso reflejo de las injusticias raciales en América. Ya es tiempo de acabar con la retórica y entrar en acción. Todos debemos actuar, especialmente los líderes locales y los encargados de formular leyes.

La Junta Escolar de Dallas ISD ha actuado diligentemente para abordar las desigualdades raciales en Dallas ISD. Las injusticias raciales de nuestro pasado y presente continúan avivando incendios y dejando escombros en nuestras calles, hogares y comunidades. Si no hacemos frente contra el tipo de comportamiento que hemos observado en Memphis y los sistemas que crean ese comportamiento, no podemos avanzar como nación.

Tengo el corazón roto al ver como Tyre llamaba por su madre que no estaba muy lejos. Como padre, el solo pensar en su desesperación, me paraliza. Nadie debería perder su vida de esta manera.

Nuestros corazones están con los amigos y la familia de Tyre Nichols, y seguimos orando por ellos.

Dr. Stephanie Elizalde
Dallas ISD Superintendent

There are no words
When the unimaginable plays out before our eyes, there are no words that can help us comprehend the horrors we see, like the images captured on the Memphis video where a young man brutally lost his life. There are no words to comfort, sense make, analyze, or explain. None.

In times when words fail us, we must cling to the humanity that binds us to guard our hearts and minds and keep us from losing hope, making it impossible to move forward, together. Now, not tomorrow, we must come together and take a stand against this type of blatant disregard for human life. More than ever, we should be compelled to, in our own little corners of the world, work every day to bridge build and teach our children to understand, respect, and honor each other. Even more importantly, we must model that behavior with our friends, neighbors, colleagues, and others.

The world becomes a dangerous place when we give ourselves a pass to somehow close our eyes to any harsh reality that negatively impacts our world.  And when we fail to address it, it plays out in the streets, in our homes, and in our communities, as we have seen in Memphis.

As a mother, my heart breaks at the thought of anyone’s child being subjected to that type of inhumane treatment. As a superintendent of a school district focused on preparing young people to lead better lives and contribute to the world around them, I am more resolved than ever to help give students, the tools to improve the world around them, for they are our hope for a better tomorrow. And as a member of this human race, I will not stop advocating for respect, understanding, tolerance, equity, and kindness.

At this moment, it is easy to lose hope. We have seen far too many instances like this playing out across the nation. But I am not a quitter, and neither are our teachers, principals and team members. Tough times require even tougher people, and we are here for the solution. You have our word that Dallas ISD will do everything in our power to ensure our young students are equipped to do the same, and we invite you to join us.

Our sincerest thoughts and prayers are with Tyre Nichols’ family. And I ask that we all work to bring some meaning to this incredible tragedy. Let’s start today.
___

President Justin Henry
Dallas ISD Board of Trustees

In today’s world of cybersecurity, we all have a duty to protect the safety of students, parents, team members and the districts’ private information. Dallas ISD takes this responsibility seriously and will continue the necessary measures to ensure confidential information remains secure.

It has been determined by the federal government and the State of Texas that the video-sharing platform TikTok poses a serious security risk for its users. To better protect against cybersecurity risks, the district is discontinuing access to the platform from its devices and networks.

Starting at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, TikTok will be blocked from district-issued devices and networks. TikTok will no longer be accessible on any device if you are connected to the district’s Wi-Fi networks. While TikTok will be accessible from private devices and networks, Dallas ISD does not allow its use for instructional purposes or district-related projects. External networks should not be utilized to access TikTok on district devices.

In 2022, the U.S. Congress prohibited the use of the platform on any government-issued devices and networks, and the governor of Texas recently issued orders to eliminate the cybersecurity risk posed by TikTok by removing access to it from devices of state agencies, including school districts.

The cybersecurity risk stems from the belief of state and federal agencies that TikTok’s parent company tracks data from users—including when, where and how a person conducts internet activity— that could be used to threaten national security as well as impact district cybersecurity.

The district understands that videos can provide a level of creativity and engagement that benefits instruction. Other video-sharing platforms can be used on district devices and within district networks to support instruction and other Dallas ISD initiatives. Reels is an effective feature on Instagram that allows the creation of short and engaging vertical-style videos. Tips on how to utilize Reels and other applications can be found on the district’s social media webpage.

For additional guidance on the use of district-issued electronic devices and networks, please, refer to Board Policy DH–Employee Standards of Conduct and CQ–Technology Resources by visiting the district’s online Board Policy Manual.

Dallas ISD va a descontinuar el acceso a TikTok

En el mundo actual de la ciberseguridad, todos compartimos la responsabilidad de proteger la seguridad de los estudiantes, padres, miembros del equipo laboral y la información privada del distrito. Dallas ISD se toma muy en serio esta responsabilidad y continuará implementando las medidas necesarias para asegurar la confidencialidad de este tipo de información.

El gobierno federal y agencias del estado de Texas han determinado que TikTok, la plataforma para compartir videos, presenta un riesgo importante a la seguridad de sus usuarios. Como protección contra estos riesgos a la ciberseguridad, el distrito va a descontinuar el acceso a la plataforma en todos sus dispositivos y redes.

A partir de las 11:59 p.m. el jueves, 26 de enero, el acceso a TikTok será bloqueado en los dispositivos pertenecientes al distrito y todas sus redes. No se podrá tener acceso a TikTok en dispositivos privados que estén conectados a la red Wi-Fi del distrito. Aunque se podrá tener acceso a la plataforma a través de dispositivos y redes privadas, Dallas ISD prohibe el uso de la plataforma en la instrucción o proyectos relacionados con el distrito. No se deberán utilizar redes privadas para obtener acceso a TikTok en dispositivos pertenecientes al distrito.

En el 2022, el Congreso de los Estados Unidos prohibió el uso de la plataforma en dispositivos y redes pertenecientes al gobierno federal, y el gobernador de Texas recientemente emitió una orden para eliminar el riesgo a la ciberseguridad que presenta TikTok al bloquear el acceso a ella en todos los dispositivos pertenecientes a agencias del gobierno estatal, lo cual incluye a distritos escolares.

Los riesgos a la ciberseguridad están basados en la creencia por parte de las agencias estatales y federales de que la empresa matriz monitorea los datos de los usuarios—incluyendo cuándo, dónde y cómo utilizan la internet—de una manera que podría presentar un peligro para la seguridad nacional.

El distrito entiende que los videos proporcionan un nivel de creatividad y participación que es de gran beneficio para la instrucción. Otras plataformas para compartir videos están disponibles en dispositivos y redes del distrito para apoyar la instrucción y otras iniciativas de Dallas ISD. Reels está disponible en Instagram y permite la creación de videos verticales cortos y efectivos. Pueden encontrar consejos de cómo usar Reels y otras aplicaciones en la página de medios sociales del distrito.

Para información adicional en el uso de dispositivos y redes pertenecientes al distrito, por favor, consulte las regulaciones Board Policy DH–Employee Standards of Conduct y CQ–Technology Resources que se encuentra en línea en Board Policy Manual.