Staff News

Whether as a former teacher and principal or as a parent himself, Israel Rivera has had a lot of experience in meeting the needs of parents and truly being part of the team that helps students be successful. As the new executive director of the department that provides services to parents, he is committed to ensuring parents have a voice and get the support they need.

“We want to help schools in giving parents a voice, a platform to speak—PTSA, SBDM—and provide the extra support when needed to make sure those avenues are available and running smoothly,” Rivera said. “We also want to work on making sure parents hear about resources, where to make connections. I think they would feel a lot better knowing all the services and resources we provide.”

In his new role over Parent Advocacy and Support Services, Rivera oversees parent services, attendance, truancy and homeless education. One of the first things he did when he took over these departments this summer was analyze what has been done before, what works and what the vision is going forward to better support campuses differently or better.

“We just want principals to welcome us, especially when it comes to parent engagement,” Rivera said. “We are not there to poke around or get them in trouble. We are there to ask, ‘How can we help you bring parents back to campus?’”

The department offers a FROG bus that visits campuses during the school year and attends events to share information and resources with parents and staff. But Rivera said they are exploring other ways to enhance parent engagement and let them know the district is there to help them help their students, especially in the area of social emotional learning.

“Our focus is letting parents know that SEL is out there, it’s a real thing, and letting them know they can go beyond their immediate community and get the help they need elsewhere,” he said. “They can seek help for themselves and their families from organizations and not feel embarrassed. I think it’s about giving parents access to resources at all levels.”

His focus for parent advocacy—whether it’s in the area of mental and educational resources or attendance improvement—is to first be very responsive.

“Having been a principal myself, it gives that lens to know how to help principals resolve issues,” he said. “One thing I want to do is get in front of the principals to let them know my role is to help them in their parent engagement. You don’t want a parent to leave the campus confused or feeling like they weren’t heard because that will fester and make the problem worse.”

Rivera also has experience working with schools from the other side. He is a Dallas ISD graduate and moved around a lot during his childhood because the family went where rents were more affordable. He graduated from Skyline High School and went into a career in advertising, but in the early 2000s, circumstances led to him becoming an instant parent to his brother’s children. He started dealing with the children’s schools and then the education bug bit him.

“I got to see what our teachers were like, principals were like and how they welcomed families,” he said. “When I could be part of sessions and meetings, I always participated. I got to see both sides.”

In 2005, he went through the alternative certification program and later became an assistant principal and principal. He opened Joe May Elementary School in 2016 and then became principal of the Business Magnet at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center.

 “My mother instilled in me the drive to help others, serve others, help find solutions and help them be better people,” Rivera said. “I have helped others and had put myself on hold, so I am now working on my doctorate. I also realized that I wanted to work on a bigger scale. I had so much fun and loved engaging with parents as a principal, and now I have this opportunity to do it at a districtwide scale. I am very excited about the possibilities. It makes me feel good to be helping parents and to make sure they are taken care of.”

After a long school year of teaching and learning, most might not be excited about a few extra weeks honing skills and knowledge. This year, Dallas ISD’s Summer Cool program has blown away students and teachers like fifth-grade math teacher Katherine Turck and fifth-grade science teacher Jennifer Mitchell of Anne Frank Elementary School.

“Even for teachers, some people are like, ‘Oh, you’re doing summer school?’ But I loved it,” Mitchell said. “We did activities and arts and crafts, so the students were still doing academics, but they didn’t even realize it. It was a different atmosphere than the normal school year, and it was really fun.” 

Anne Frank was one of several Dallas ISD schools to host the four-week program through the month of June. The Extended Learning Opportunities department designed Summer Cool to connect students with their peers, engage them in rigorous tasks and accelerate their learning in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic—something Turck and Mitchell experienced firsthand.  

Each week brought a new theme, and their students dove right in. During heroes week, the students wrote letters to local heroes and decorated nearby streets with kindness quotes. Then they designed robots and built 3D models during invention lab week, and they investigated the plot structure of various Disney movies during Lights, Camera, Action! week. Finally, they celebrated nature camp week and the end of Summer Cool with a water day. 

“It was really busy, but it was amazing,” Turck said. “When you have the smaller classes and can work more one on one with them, they get excited. They knew they were going to work all morning and then they would get to apply the lessons and have fun.”

Their classes of 12 students or fewer spent two hours reading and two hours doing math each morning, had daily gym time and even attended special music classes. They also received breakfast and lunch, as well as hands-on activities to bring home. Mitchell said some of her students would come to class the next day showing off the crafts they made out of leftover popsicle sticks and other materials, so she knew their engagement extended beyond the classroom. 

Several Summer Cool students had failed their State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) this past year, so Turck and Mitchell focused on key grade-level skills to prepare them for success moving forward. The results they saw were overwhelmingly positive. 

“Our students are excited to come back in August because they had fun and they feel like they are caught up,” Turck said. “They know they weren’t successful last year, but now they can say, ‘I already know that. That’s fifth grade math.’ They feel more confident.” 

Summer Cool may be over for 2022, but additional free summer learning opportunities are available to students through July 29. Learn more about the schedule by visiting the Summer Learning Guide, and remember to spread the word to any families who might be interested. 

About 90 overage middle school students are headed to high school with a new determination to succeed thanks to the Phoenix 2.0 accelerated graduation plan that helped them catch up. 

Phoenix 2.0 accelerates students’ progress in their eighth-grade core classes, while simultaneously putting them in a position to earn industry certifications and high school credits. The overarching goal is to offer opportunities to a group of students that is often forgotten to help them graduate from high school in three years.

Director of Districtwide Student Initiatives Leslie Swann explained that the students receive access to their core curriculum online, so they are able to work on their own timeline in addition to receiving support from their teachers during the school day. They also attend classes at the Career Institutes on a regular basis, where they pursue a career pathway and gain high school credits. One student worked so hard that they earned four high school credits throughout the 2021-2022 school year in addition to completing their middle school core requirements. 

The Phoenix 2.0 team is proud of students’ development in the areas of self-management of learning, self-awareness and self-regulation, which are all necessary life skills. The team’s combined efforts yielded favorable results. About 65 percent of the students acquired industry certifications with over 195 high school course completions.

“We are really excited,” Swann said. “With Phoenix, these students are our priority. We are very intentional about exposing them to opportunities, and 100 percent of the students who applied to a collegiate academy or a choice program were accepted to that program for next school year.” 

While the Phoenix students—who are 15 or 16 years old on average—remain in their home middle school campus’ database, they attend classes at one of three Phoenix sites: Hillcrest High School, Spruce High School and Skyline High School. 

“It is a wonderful opportunity for the students to be around students who are their age, so they do not feel like they’re too old to be at the middle school campus,” Swann said. “They are in a setting with age-appropriate peers, which helps build self-esteem in those particular students.” 

No students are required to participate in Phoenix 2.0. The choice program is available to any high school-aged middle school students who want to take advantage of the opportunity. While the courses can be challenging, the results speak for themselves. 

“We asked the students, ‘Would you recommend this program to someone who may have been in your situation?’ and 100 percent of them said yes,” Swann said. “They would absolutely recommend the program to their peers who need it.” 

The students are proud of their accomplishments and are positioned for high school success, and now Swann is asking staff across the district to spread the word about Phoenix 2.0 so more families learn about this incredible resource for their students. 

“We really want to celebrate Phoenix,” she said. “To see the metamorphosis by mid-semester and then at the end, it is a testament to working through challenges and trying to provide the very best opportunity to students.” 

To learn more about the Phoenix 2.0 program, visit https://www.dallasisd.org/Page/50021. 

Dallas ISD will be closed for summer break July 4-8, and many staff members are already looking forward to how they will spend their week off. Summer break is special, some pointed out, because with the district being closed everyone has time to relax and enjoy with family and friends without worrying about what may be going on in the office.

“Finally, a break!” one of you shared. “Here at the campuses, we need more than a two-week break; we need at least three to really feel like a had a summer break. Especially with everything going on at different school districts or even ours with innocent people being killed and to top it off COVID is still around.”

Another take: “It is awesome to know that our district recognizes the importance of disconnecting to rejuvenate for the upcoming school year!”

And another: “R&R is what we all need to give ourselves some self care, rest and relaxation, take a mental break.”

While quite a few staff members said they will be using the time to rest and recharge, others have a series of activities planned: “Everyone, everyone needs time to be destress, relax, work on things we want to do… and just be in a different mindset to come back and do it all over again but de-stressed and relaxed.”

“My summer break will be busy; however, I am anticipating spending time with family and friends!” said someone else.

Water was a running theme in activities staff shared, including spending time at waterparks and the Texas coast to spend some time relaxing on the beach.

“Ready to put my feet in the sand and watch my son splash in the waves. Padre Island here I come!”

“So excited to be off for summer break! Did summer schoolwork, but now it’s time to relax at least for a whole week. Family and I will be traveling to Oklahoma to Beavers Bend that is very exciting fishing, relaxing, sleeping spending time with family.”

While the district may be closed July 4-8, many resources are available if you need assistance with your benefits.

The Benefits Contact Center will be closed Monday, July 4, but will be open on its regular business hours—7 a.m. to 7 p.m.—from Tuesday, July 5, through Friday, July 8.  

If you want explore your benefits for the 2022-2023 year to take advantage of the enrollment window opening on July 5, you can use the Benefits Portal to enroll, or you can reach out to the Benefits Contact Center by phone.

For those non-emergency health concerns such as cold and flu, TRS ActiveCare participants can utilize Teladoc at a reduced cost.  Call 1-855-Teladoc (835-2362) or visit their main page.

If you have questions regarding your HSA/ FSA, contact Optum at 877-528-9876 or visit www.connectyourcare.com.  Optum is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

You may reach the benefits call center at 972-925-4000 or email benefits@dallasisd.org.  For questions regarding leaves of absence, email benefitsleaves@dallasisd.org.  During the periods in which the district is closed, the email boxes will be monitored periodically to ensure any critical issues are resolved in a timely manner. 

Fourth grade bilingual math and science teacher Yoban Quijano has been teaching full-time at Dallas ISD for eight years, but he has never seen test scores as high as this year’s, and he credits his campus’ School Day Redesign calendar for the improvement. 

Maple Lawn Elementary School is one of five district schools with this special calendar, which extends the year to start at the beginning of August and end in late June for all students, teachers and staff. As a result, teachers like Quijano were able to spend more time planning, connecting with students and getting ahead on test preparation. 

Dallas ISD adopted the School Day Redesign calendar along with the Intersession calendar— which allowed 41 schools to create time for five additional intersession weeks—to mitigate the learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, something Quijano experienced firsthand. 

One of his students missed most of last year due to virtual absences, leading her to get a score of 21 on her State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) math test. This year, however, she was able to triple her score and earn a 72 thanks to the extra time in class. And she was not Quijano’s only student who experienced such noteworthy growth. 

“I had another student who is on the spectrum,” Quijano said. “He got an 18 last year, and this year, he passed with a 68, so he tripled that score. His family was ecstatic because he had never passed any test in his life, so it was really a good moment for everyone.”

Extended school year campuses across the district are seeing similar success stories. Derek Little, deputy chief of academics, said it has been “a large ask” for teachers to spend so much additional time with their students, but Dallas ISD is seeing the impact of that work.

“All of the student surveys that we have put out this year at both School Day Redesign and at Intersession have been positive,” Little said. “With our preliminary STAAR data, we’re seeing really good results from the work teachers have done at these 46 extended schools. We are excited to see teachers come back next year ready to make an even bigger difference in the lives of their students.” 

While Quijano has faced additional challenges this year due to the pandemic, helping his students grow and develop kept him moving forward week after week. 

“I love when my students start to believe in themselves,” Quijano said. “Once they feel successful, the fear is gone, and when the fear is gone, they are willing to try anything. That’s when they start to learn. If I can make that difference and a student is able to triple their score, how far can they go? That’s my motivation for next year: Let’s see what the limit is.” To learn more about Dallas ISD’s extended school year calendars or to see a list of participating schools, visit https://www.dallasisd.org/Page/74532.

Do you have family or friends looking to move to Texas and specifically Dallas? Dallas ISD is making it easier for them to get a job teaching with its new certification exemptions for out-of-state teachers.

As part of the recently approved District’s Innovation Plan, teachers who hold standard teaching credentials from other U.S. states could be considered for positions upon a local review of the experience, education, and credentials. There are some exceptions to this as Bilingual/English as a second language (ESL) and Special Education certifications do not apply.

So spread the word far and wide that out-of-state teachers can begin the process of relocating to Dallas ISD by applying through the 2022-2023 Teacher Application. Applicants are also eligible for the new teacher incentives.

For any certification questions, inquiries may be sent to certifications@dallasisd.org.  For recruitment opportunities please reach out to futureteacher@dallasisd.org. 

Campus and district leaders celebrated the end of the 2021-2022 school year by honoring the “Celebrating the Road We’ve Traveled.” The event honored the work of principals during the year and was designed to create a shared space of recognition, reflection, and empowerment.

Principals played an essential role in focusing and sustaining the efforts of school communities throughout the district to persevere through a different, and often difficult school year. Their efforts and successes were highlighted by Superintendent Michael Hinojosa, Chief of School Leadership Tiffany Huitt and other district leaders. The event, where Anthony Muhammad was the keynote speaker, took place at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical conference space. 

“We are excited, not only about the road we’ve traveled, but the road that’s ahead,” said Deputy Chief of School Leadership Jolee Healey. “Thank you, principals, for all that you have done and all that you will continue to do for our students, families, and communities.”

The Maintenance & Facility Services department has been hard at work getting the district ready for the 2022-2023 school year. While each summer project takes time and effort—especially in the 100-degree weather—every Maintenance & Facility Services crew is proud to support students across Dallas ISD. 

Cesar Villarreal, director of maintenance, said his team’s efforts are currently focused on ACE campuses. They are updating carpets, wood floors, walls and ceilings, and they are painting and helping with graphics. The summer months tend to bring extra condensation, so they are also prioritizing condensation and plumbing issues.

“Any project that we put on our summer list gets completed,” Villarreal said. “I’ve been here for 37 years, and we have always met that deadline. We take pride in our work, and we understand that our job is to make sure that our customers feel welcome and that every building looks good when the students start.” 

Coy Frazier, director of grounds and athletic fields, is ensuring that the grounds throughout the district maintain their “drive-up appeal” by watering, fertilizing and irrigating them. Frazier is also working to update several baseball and softball fields with new brick dugouts, brick backstops and batting cages. His team’s mission is to provide students with high-quality facilities for the upcoming sports seasons, which started with new turf for the football fields and is now expanding to track, baseball and softball fields. 

Meanwhile, close to 1,000 full-time staff are combing through all district schools to provide “a detailed clean on every campus.” Aaron Stephens, assistant director of custodial services, said they have been working on a new rotating schedule to allow for summer programs and extended school year calendars, but they are on track to get each campus disinfected and cleaned ahead of the first day of school. 

“Our schools provide the safest environment for many of our students,” Stephens said. “The ultimate goal is to eliminate any distractions that could impede the learning culture. The appearance of the facilities, cleanliness, temperature, proper disinfection—all those little things—they factor into the comfort of the students and staff to ensure that we are all focused on the primary intent: learning.” 

Dallas ISD is appreciative of all the hard work, dedication and pride demonstrated by staff in Maintenance & Facility Services. Thanks to their efforts this summer, students will return to class ready to make memorable moments and pursue academic success. 

Positive mental health encompasses more than not doing poorly. Mental health is all about a person’s overall well-being and how they cope with the stresses of everyday life to function at their highest level, which means positive mental health comes into play when someone’s social and emotional environment is producing their highest level of functioning. 

As you assess the status of your mental health, remember that having positive mental health does not require you to be free of mental illness. The two states can coexist, just as you can have good physical health and still catch a cold. 

Read on to examine four signs of positive mental health. 

You find purpose every day. 

Experiencing a sense of meaning and purpose in your daily life is an important element of positive mental health. Do you feel fulfilled and energized by your work routine? How about at home and in your relationships with your loved ones? A sense of meaning keeps us engaged and motivated throughout the week. 

You cope with challenges and obstacles. 

Positivity does not equal an easy life. Each and every one of us faces various stressors and problems. The question is, how do you respond? If you are able to manage them without being overwhelmed or letting your worries take over, you are practicing positive mental health. 

You connect with loved ones. 

It takes a village to get through the hard times and to enjoy the good ones. Whether your community consists of three people or 37, engaging with others on a consistent basis contributes to positive mental health. We really are better together! 

You enjoy your time. 

Negative emotions are an inevitable part of life, but they need to be balanced out by positive ones. Do you often find yourself feeling delight, contentment, joy and satisfaction? Do you laugh and smile throughout the day? Ask yourself how many positive emotions you experience compared to negative ones. This will help you identify the state of your mind. 

Good news: You do not have to be perfect. You also do not have to check off every sign to be experiencing positive mental health, but they can guide you to the place you want to be. If you recognize any areas you would like to improve to live your life to the fullest, help is available through Dallas ISD’s Employee Assistance Program by LifeWorks. 

This confidential, secure platform has countless resources available online for free. From 24/7 on-call counselors to practical tips on subjects like managing grief, connecting with adult children and achieving work-life balance, employees can find what they need, when they need it. 

Reach out to LifeWorks at (972) 925-4000, or visit www.dallasisd.org/benefits and click on Benefits Resources to access online EAP information. Positive mental health is available to everyone, so do not hesitate to get the support you need. 

*Source: LifeWorks