Campus-based employees are reminded that required compliance training on a variety of health and safety topics is available online this school year. The sessions range from bloodborne pathogens, bullying and child abuse to suicide prevention, sexual harassment and type II diabetes. All campus employees are required to complete the compliance training by Sept. 30, 2018. A list of the online sessions and instructions to register are available here. Completed courses will appear on employees’ transcripts. Staff should direct questions to Jennell Johnson-Polk at (972) 925-3379. Similar training planned for central staff will be communicated at a later date.
It’s Monday morning, and a group of Dallas ISD teachers are learning how to use a Mood Meter, which will help them recognize their own—and their students’—emotions.
One of the summer professional learning sessions happening July 23 at W.H. Adamson High School is part of a continued district focus on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), which helps students develop the skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to be successful in school, work and life. Through the Mood Meter, for example, students can reflect, name, and label their emotions in an effort to practice self-awareness, social awareness, and self-management. This helps the students practice the skills needed for success with support from their teacher.
There are 120 Dallas ISD campuses this school year that have partnered with the Student Engagement and Counseling Services Department to engage in a series of SEL professional learning sessions. These campuses have committed to implementing SEL signature practices. This summer, SEL professional learning sessions have also been made available to campus administrators and teachers across the district.
“There’s tremendous evidence showing campuses that implement SEL practices see a significant reduction in discipline incidents. ” said Juany Valdespino-Gaytan, Executive Director of Student Engagement and Counseling Services for Dallas ISD’s Teaching and Learning. “Campuses are excited about integrating SEL into their instruction and practices, and we can expect to see much more positive academic and classroom experiences for students.”
The Dallas ISD Board of Trustees in 2016 adopted a policy requiring SEL curriculum standards to supplement the TEKS, and guidance for teaching SEL. For campus leaders such as Dan D. Rogers Elementary Principal Lisa Lovato, the benefits are clear: students learn better when they feel better.
“Focusing on social and emotional learning helps us develop the whole child,” Lovato said. “And by focusing on the whole child, we are setting our students up for success.”
About 1,500 Dallas ISD school employees convened on July 25 at Wilmer-Hutchins High School to officially kick off a districtwide program to foster best classroom practices by emphasizing teamwork.
Campus Instructional Leadership Teams (CILT) are made up of five people, including the principal and teachers, and will help guide a more effective and consistent implementation of curriculum across the district. The CILT program had previously existed, but had been shelved the past few years.
Superintendent Michael Hinojosa and members of his Executive Leadership Team touted the benefits of working together to help ensure the best results for students. After hearing from district officials, CILT members broke into smaller sessions based on grade level and subject to focus on specifics.
The kickoff will be followed by five additional CILT group meetings before each six-week grading period begins to pinpoint what aspects of the curriculum will be the focus.
While enrolled in medical school and doing night rounds at a hospital, Michael Gayles came to a life-changing decision: he would follow his dream of becoming an educator.
After graduating from medical school, Gayles went on to serve as a teacher at North Dallas High School and, several years later, as an assistant principal at T.W. Browne Middle School. Today, Gayles is helping open and serving as principal at IGNITE Middle School, the new Dallas ISD Personalized Learning transformation campus opening in August.
For Gayles, his goal for IGNITE Middle School is simple: help students envision their best possible life, and set them on the path toward making that life a reality.
“Growing up I didn’t have anyone who helped me think about what I was passionate about or possible career paths I could pursue,” Gayles said. “What I’m most excited about is how Ignite Middle School will help students discover their passions at an early age.”
IGNITE Middle School is seeing tremendous interest: more than 700 incoming sixth-graders applied for what was originally 150 seats. Due to the high interest, the campus increased its inaugural class to 230 students.
IGNITE Middle School is a Personalized Learning campus that will provide individualized instruction, not only based on each student’s academic needs, but also on their interests and goals. The students will take field trips to high schools, colleges and workplaces to help them better envision their future.
“The most important resource in a child’s educational life is their own potential. If we can ignite that potential, they will be unstoppable,” Gayles said. “Ignite is dedicated to helping students discover their super powers.”
IGNITE Middle School is opening thanks to the Office of Transformation and Innovation’ Public School Choice Competitive Proposal Process. The process gives educators the chance to create high-quality, best-fit options for Dallas ISD students to realize their full academic potential.
Kelli Yonker will happily tell anyone who listens that she has one of the best jobs in the world.
As the library media specialist at Stonewall Jackson Elementary School—and the Dallas ISD 2018–2019 Librarian of the Year—she inspires a love of reading and researching in students. And while she appreciates the Librarian of the Year honor, nothing for her can top helping students succeed.
“Watching the lightbulb go off in students’ heads when they realize they know how to research and learn something new—or seeing their eyes light up when they pick out a book and get excited about reading—is the best feeling in the world,” Yonker said.
As the former technology teacher at Stonewall Jackson Elementary, which will be renamed Mockingbird Elementary School in July, Yonker infuses technology learning into the library. Students create “book trailers” on iPads and use the latest technology to research.
“The role of the librarian has dramatically changed over the past 10 years. You have to adapt to the latest technology so the students are equipped with the skills needed to succeed today,” Yonker said. “My daily goal is to make the library a warm and welcoming place where students enjoy reading and researching. This is truly a dream job.”
A free interactive, online workshop is open to Dallas ISD educators and administrators to promote the success of immigrant and refugee students.
Teachers, administrators, librarians and volunteers can go here to register for free. The workshop—Immigrant Student Success: Strategies and Tools for K-12 and Adult Educators—will be held July 10–11 from 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
The workshop will explore how to:
- Integrate immigration into the curriculum;
- Build relationships with immigrant students, families and communities in perilous times;
- Use storytelling to educate all students on immigration;
- Empower both teachers and students;
- Create more welcoming classrooms, and more.
A party at Stonewall Jackson Elementary School celebrated four retiring teachers who combined together have worked 118 years at the campus.
Art teacher Cheri Flynn and deaf education teachers Melissa Alloway, Heather Wood, and Cyndy Jaremko are also the last group of teachers to technically retire from Stonewall Jackson Elementary School, as the school will change its name to Mockingbird Elementary School in August.
“This is a culmination of our history. These teachers are a legacy, having worked here for so many years,” Principal Melanie Mans said. “We are so proud of them and we want them to know today how thankful we are for everything they have done for our students and schools over the years.”
Dallas ISD Racial Equity Office established the Multicultural Studies and History Advisory Council.
This group will serve as an advocacy council for creating multicultural studies, experiences and opportunities for student and adult voices to be heard, engaged and expressed in education. This council will support the Racial Equity Office in its efforts to engage various sources from literature to oral history in an effort to educate and celebrate a variety of cultures.
“This council marks a powerful moment in the history of Dallas ISD. We are excited to engage people from many different ethnic groups and cultures to empower all children,” said Leslie Williams, Deputy Chief of Racial Equity Office
Participates in this advisory council were from different educational entities from across the city of Dallas which included non-profits, local universities, Dallas County Community Colleges, arts community, film makers, artist, faith-based organizations and more. Dallas ISD Racial Equity Office is creating a number of specific collective impact models that will serve as collaborative opportunities to engage Dallas ISD from a variety of different entry points.
“History comes from a variety of societal and cultural viewpoints. Therefore, it is critical to understand the historical context that has shaped the lived experiences of people of color,” said Jamila Thomas, Director of Racial Equity Office. “Equally important, is the opportunity to celebrate a variety of cultures that represent the beauty of diversity. If we can exemplify how students should value their individuality while celebrating those who may look, sound and experience life different, we can create a beautiful mosaic of educational spaces.”
Each student at Anson Jones Elementary School has a dream, and now people across the world know it, too.
The campus participated for the second time in two years in the Dreamline Project that saw the school’s 620 students each write down their dreams on individual flags. Whether the student dreamed of being a doctor, President of the United States, or running their own business, art teacher Candice Lindsay said the students greatly benefited from thinking about their future goals.
Four staff members from Jones Elementary traveled to Philadelphia on May 5 to show off the students’ creations, as well as dream flags from Arcadia Park Elementary School.
“Some of these students had never really thought about the future before this project,” Lindsay said. “The fact that these students sat down and thought about their dreams and were then able to visualize them, that could change the world.”
“Seeing students express their aspirations through poetry and art was very powerful and reinforced the impact we as educators have on our students,” added Anson Jones Elementary Principal Alberto Herrera. “We can easily extinguish or ignite these dreams by our actions and words. It is also a testament to the teamwork exhibited by Anson Jones staff as they kindled our student’s imaginations to voice their ambitions in a relevant, heartfelt manner.”
Jeff Harlan, founder of the Dreamline Project, called Anson Jones Elementary a model to all 120,000 students across 35 countries and 42 states who have declared and shared their dream on a flag.
“The presence of Anson Jones flags and leaders in Philadelphia made our event so much more powerful and potent. Everyone was touched by it,” Harlan said. “We look forward to more collaboration with Anson Jones and to supporting a surge of dreaming and doing across Dallas in the months ahead.”
Any Dallas ISD campus that wants to participate in the Dreamline Project can contact Mrs. Candice Lindsay at CBLOUNT@dallasisd.org or call Anson Jones Elementary School at 972-794-4700.
Mia Witt didn’t know why she got summoned to the principal’s office earlier this month, but some of her students thought it was funny.
Witt, a special education inclusion teacher at Onesimo Hernandez Elementary School, is the first recipient of a quarterly $250 recognition provided by Carter Financial Management. The effort will spotlight and thank dedicated teachers by providing funds for them to spend in their classrooms. The award is coordinated by the district’s Partnership Services and Special Education departments.
Parents, community and staff were encouraged to identify nominees that demonstrate qualities of a distinguished special education teacher, setting high standards and demonstrating commitment for improving outcomes for students who receive special education services in Dallas ISD.
Witt graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School and studied Elementary Education at UNT.
“Ms. Witt goes above and beyond what is expected of a teacher,” said teacher Danielle Wegman. “She seeks out challenging students and goes the extra mile to engage them in their learning and help them conquer challenges outside of school as well. She sought out the challenge of joining an ACE school because of her love for transforming the lives of disadvantaged students. During her time at Hernandez ACE she has worked well outside the prescribed hours of tutoring to even ride the bus with her students to prevent fights.”
Teacher Dora Griffin said Witt helps her students from the minute they walk into Hernandez until the minute they leave to go home.
“She knows every student on campus by name, even the gen ed students,” Griffin said. “She helps motivates and encourage every student to be and do his or her best.”