Upcoming professional development opportunities

Dallas ISD offers professional development for central and campus staff through a variety of opportunities.

Central staff

Ignite and Unleash Potential Through Talent Conversations 

Audience: Supervisors, Managers, Directors

One of the fundamental roles of a leader is to recognize and unleash the talents and strengths of others.  Talent conversations play a vital role in engaging employees and influencing their performance and development if done effectively and often enough.  This session will provide tools to prepare for and facilitate effective talent conversations.

Results Focused Leadership: Goals and Check-ins

Audience: Supervisors, New Managers, Managers, Directors

Discover how check-in meetings make it easier to manage day-to-day work of the staff and ensure it is connected to big picture goals that impact results.

Audience:  Central Staff Managers, Supervisors, Directors
This session will identify and explain the components of an individual growth plan.  A standardized purpose and language for professional growth will be discussed.

 

Campus staff

The Language, Literacy, and Social Studies departments cordially invite teachers to The Language, Literacy, and Social Studies Fall Conference 2019. This year’s theme is “Empowering Students Through Disciplinary Literacy.” The organizers are actively seeking attendees who wish to learn about how to best implement strategies to empower student voice and ownership of student learning.

The conference will take place from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9, at Bryan Adams High School. Teachers may register by clicking here. Registration is required for attendees. Keynote speakers for the conference include Dallas ISD Chief of Teaching and Learning Dr. Ivonne Durant and national literacy expert Pam Allyn. Professional development credits will apply towards Future of Learning hours. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

From Wing Stop to Dallas ISD maintenance supervisor

David Ybarra was working at Wing Stop before joining Dallas ISD’s Operation Services as a groundskeeper.

“I wanted something more than a job,” Ybarra said. “I wanted a good, stable and dependable career with benefits that I could grow in.”

At age 19, Ybarra had to quickly learn the new career path and craft he signed up for. And while Ybarra admits that there were times he doubted himself over his work challenges and responsibilities, they only helped him thrive.

“It took the right leaders in the Operations Division to help me grow,” Ybarra said. “They shared their knowledge and experiences with me so I could find the solutions to challenges.”

Fast forward 10 years, and Ybarra, who has a child enrolled in Dallas ISD, is now the Interim Supervisor at the Northwest Grounds Division.

“It’s a great journey being a part of the district,” Ybarra said. “Now as a supervisor, I get to help and advise new incoming leaders who will one day grow into a bigger role like I did.”

Ybarra credits his peers and supervisors for helping him achieve the role he has today. But he added that it would not be possible without internal ambition and perseverance.

“Dallas ISD is like a big door, and once you open it, there are so many other doors of opportunities in which you can grow into,” Ybarra said. “But you just have to have the patience and strive to learn above all.”

Policy Acknowledgement and Compliance Training starts Sept. 3

In compliance with state and federal laws, Dallas ISD requires that all employees view compliance training videos and complete an annual policy acknowledgement. The window to complete this process for the 2019-2020 school year will open on Sept. 3. For more information, visit Staff News.

Policy acknowledgement

Employees will be required to log in to the annual policy acknowledgement application at http://PolicyAcknowledgement.dallasisd.org/ using their EAD credentials.

Videos

Online training for the 2019-2020 school year will be available to all district employees in Cornerstone at https://dallasisd.csod.com. Employees will need to use their EAD username and password to log in to Cornerstone. This year, staff members will have an assignment for the compliance training on their “Welcome” page in Cornerstone. More details will be provided as the window approaches.

The deadline to complete both the annual policy acknowledgement and compliance training is Oct. 31, 2019. Questions or concerns regarding the annual policy acknowledgement and compliance training should be directed to HCMcompliance@dallasisd.org or (972) 794-7858.

Dallas ISD Toastmasters launch meetings at administration building

Dallas ISD Talk It Up! Toastmasters invite district staff to attend the club’s meetings in room 201 at 9400 N. Central on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays beginning Wed., July 24.

The weekly 6 p.m. meetings feature self-paced speeches and leadership opportunities based on the time-tested Toastmasters curriculum. Members grow in speaking and leadership ability by taking on roles as toastmaster, timer, speaker, evaluator, and ah-counter.

The one-hour meetings are held in room 201 and are open to all employees. For more information, go here to download a flyer, or contact the club’s Vice-President of Membership Cecilia Oakeley at Oakeley@dallasisd.org.

New Dallas ISD grant program will expand innovation in neighborhood schools

The Dallas ISD Office of Transformation and Innovation has launched a new initiative to expand innovation in neighborhood schools.

The Innovation Engine Grant Program will annually award up to 20 neighborhood schools $50,000 in seed money to help them explore and implement innovative education models. Interested school teams can go here to learn more and apply by the Sept. 6 deadline.

“The purpose of this program is to deepen and expand innovation in neighborhood schools throughout the District,” OTI Strategic Development Manager Courtney Rogers said.

The OTI Department is hosting three information sessions about the program in July and August at the Linus D. Wright Administration Building, 9400 N. Central Expressway.

From creating a space for social and emotional learning to training staff on next generation instructional strategies, the schools can use the funding in a variety of ways to support innovation on their campus.

The new grant program comes as the OTI Department readies for the 2019–2020 school year that will see eight additional Dallas ISD neighborhood campuses become innovation schools. The eight new innovation schools will have one of two academic models: Personalized Learning, which focuses on a student’s interests, talents and goals; and STEAM, which focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.

“We are committed to accelerating innovation in Dallas ISD by bringing more educational choices and innovative programs into our families’ backyards,” said Angie Gaylord, Dallas ISD Deputy Chief of Transformation and Innovation.

Dallas ISD launches summer learning with new opportunities for teachers

Dallas ISD is turning up the heat on learning opportunities this summer by rolling out a brand new type of professional development experience called Learning Academies.

Teachers will have it made in the shade for the 2019-2020 school year after they attend one of these conference-style learning academies this June. Attendees will hear from nationally-recognized keynote speakers, engage in a wide variety of breakout sessions, explore thought-provoking demonstration areas, and enjoy multiple types of interactive, hands-on learning experiences.

Keitha Shelby of the Dallas ISD Professional and Digital Learning Department called the summer learning opportunities a big upgrade. Next generation learning experiences have been designed for teachers to become content and technology integration ninjas, to collaborate with colleagues to generate new ideas and innovative solutions for universal educational challenges, and to expand their understanding of how to differentiate instruction to create culturally responsive classrooms for students.

“The district is not just looking to support the whole child, we are looking at how we can support the whole teacher,” Shelby said.

Learning Academies will be hosted at D. A. Hulcy Middle School, 9339 S. Polk St.  Sessions and accompanying topics are scheduled for:

  • Whole Child Development (June 10–13)
  • STEAM & Technology Integration (June 17–20)
  • Meeting the Needs of All Students (June 24–27)

Teachers view the 2019 Future of Learning Summer Learning Guide Catalog and Summer Professional Learning Agreement at www.dallasisd.org/pdl.

Special discounts for district employees at DSW

On Thursday, May 2, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., district employees will receive an additional 20 percent discount on regular priced items and 10 percent on clearance items at any DSW. Employees must present the official flyer and a Dallas ISD employee ID to receive the discount. The first five employees to make a purchase at the DSW located at The Shops of Park Lane, 8160 Park Lane, will also receive a backpack when they present this flyer while supplies last.

Munch Madness winner is announced

After many calorie guesses during Munch Madness, Luis Rosado of Procurement Services emerged the champion. In addition to the admiration of the other participants, Rosado also won a $25 gift card when his guess came close to the 780 calories for Texas Tech—pork rib patties, mashed potatoes, mixed veggies and brownie meal. Munch Madness is a fundraiser by the district’s Core 4 Team on behalf of the United Negro College Fund. Contributions made during the Munch Madness events benefit the scholarship fund, and money raised by Dallas ISD will go to graduating seniors from district schools.

 

April 3 MTSS Twitter chat to focus on best practices for student support

Teachers, counselors, and campus administrators are encouraged to participate in an April 3 Twitter chat hosted by Teaching and Learning highlighting best practices for instruction, intervention strategies and information supporting Multi-Tiered Systems of Support at each campus. A new initiative being implemented throughout the district, the MTSS framework is aimed at providing support for students in the areas of reading, mathematics, language, and engagement. The Twitter chat is set for 4 p.m., Wednesday, April 3, @DallasISDMTSS. For more information, contact Teaching and Learning at 972.925.8804.

Submit proposed names for campus and district facilities to Board Services by March 29

District staff members are reminded that all Dallas ISD facility and school names and name changes require approval by the district’s Board of Trustees. Board policy spells out the naming process and requires that proposed names of new facilities and changes to names of existing facilities be submitted to Board Services on the approved nomination form by April 1 of each year for consideration by trustees in June. Community members and employees are urged to go here to review the policy on facility/school namings. The site links to the required nomination form with guidelines for names and instructions to submit proposed names. Nominations should be submitted by 5 p.m., Friday, March 29, to meet the April 1 deadline. Questions about the process should be directed to Board Services at 972-925-3720.