Central Staff News

When Daniel Negrete was a student at Woodrow Wilson High School, one of his friends asked him to join the ballet folklorico ensemble. He eventually joined, and his performance of “El Jarabe Tapatio” in front of the whole student body during a pep rally changed his life. 

Performing in front of a live audience sparked something in Negrete, making him think “Wouldn’t it be great if I could do this forever?” 

In a full circle for him, Negrete returned to Woodrow as a teacher and is now the head director for the iconic Sweethearts drill team, assists Marissa Marez with the Woodrow dance company, co-directs Montes Ballet Folklorico with Marez, and both teach dance arts. He previously taught dance at Emmett J. Conrad High School. Returning to the school where his passion for dance was ignited feels surreal to Negrete, a six-year veteran of the profession.

“I’m teaching my high school dance director’s daughter, talk about full circle, and I’m teaching the community that gave me the tools that helped me find my pathway in life,” said the East Dallas native. 

A few years ago, Negrete was contacted by a colleague about writing the curriculum for Mexican American Folkloric Dance Studies, which did not exist as a dance course. Negrete and Quan Powers, along with a team of dance educators, created the Dance Appreciation: African American and Mexican Folkloric Studies course, which was approved by the Texas Education Agency. It was first implemented during the 2020-2021 school year as a statewide course.

Negrete wrote the Mexican Folklorico Dance course, while Quan Powers took the lead in the African American Dance Studies course. 

Negrete and his team had the challenge of creating a curriculum that represented what he calls “the face of Mexico.” They looked at important rituals, celebrations, and events that formulate Mexican folklore. One of the challenges they faced was that some traditions are passed down through storytelling.

Negrete has observed that students in his course are surprised about how diverse Mexico is.

“People don’t know about Afro-Mexican cultures and how much it has influenced Mexican dance,” said Negrete. 

Through his work, Negrete hopes he is breaking stereotypes, inspiring his students to embrace who they are, and finding an appreciation for their community like he did as a student. 

While cultural dance is celebrated in his family, he felt that it was initially seen more like a hobby, rather than a livelihood. Negrete admits to having received some pushback from his family in the beginning, but he was able to shift their mindset once he began studying dance at Texas Woman’s University and became a dance educator. He is a first-generation college graduate, and it was his mother who taught him the phrase “echale ganas y ponte las pilas,” which encouraged him to “give it his all.”

“I was brought up thinking that men usually work outside or have labor intensive jobs,” Negrete said. “Dance is also very laborious, but in a different way.” 

Finding the connection with his Mexican roots was a bit of a journey for Negrete, who was born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, before his family moved to the United States. He credits dance and his teachers for helping him reconnect with his heritage and find an appreciation for other cultures.

“As a teen, I didn’t like being Mexican, and I was very reluctant to accept my culture for a while,” said Negrete. “Through dance, I learned to embrace my culture and explore who I really was.” 

Negrete credits his dance teachers during his formative years for instilling a passion for advocacy for Latino and African American students. 

As an advocate for cultural dance, he co-founded the North Texas Ballet Folklorico Competition, along with fellow dance educators Leah Longoria-Huggins and Karla Hardaway. The dance competition, which attracts ballet folklorico teams from Dallas ISD and the state, is entering its third year. For more information about the North Texas Ballet Folklorico Competition, click here 

Negrete is also the first male Latino on the executive board of the Texas Dance Education Association, and is only the second male in the history of the board. He has facilitated presentations and discussions on inclusion and diversity in the dance classroom and has shared his knowledge of ballet folklorico through movement classes with other dance educators in the state of Texas. 

As a male dancer and dance educator, he knows he is opening doors for other male dancers, especially Latinos and men of color. 

“Visibility is important for the students and community, sometimes we’re so unaware that the arts can take you to a plethora of careers,” he said. “You can change lives with the arts.”

In addition to teaching, Negrete also dances with two companies—Flamenco Black, which focuses on the exploration of Afro-Andalusian flamenco dance, and Ballet Folklorico Mayahuel, which focuses on Mexican traditional dances.

Negrete credits his cultural strength and his resilience with being able to realize his vision and dreams. 

“It’s in my DNA and in my ancestry,” said Negrete. “Being a brown man in dance, and as challenging as it could be, the most rewarding thing is instilling culture, values and history in our youth.” 

Worrying is not always an unhealthy practice as the feeling can help us make plans and prioritize safety, but too much of it can begin to negatively impact our personal and professional lives. 

Signs of excessive worrying include being overly critical of ourselves and others, thinking obsessively about an issue, having trouble sleeping, imagining worst-case scenarios, feeling incapable of making decisions, experiencing physical sensations like a churning stomach or headaches, and feeling a lack of self-confidence. 

To better manage your worries and keep them from transitioning into excessive anxiety, try incorporating the following practices into your life. 

Start small. You do not have to cross off everything on your to-do list at once. Break a task into smaller pieces and set a goal of accomplishing one step. This can help you move forward even when you are feeling overwhelmed. 

Practice acceptance. You can control some things in life, but many situations and concerns will be out of your control. Learn to recognize which ones you do have power over and practice coping with the rest. For example, if you hear something upsetting in the news, take time to practice self-care and step away if you need to. 

Take a holistic approach. The mind-body connection is a powerful one. Try exercising, meditating, eating healthy meals, and maintaining a regular sleep schedule to decrease tension and anxiety. 

Rely on others. You are not alone. Schedule time to talk with a trusted friend or relative each day, even if it’s just 5 or 10 minutes. Feeling connected by venting or chatting with others can help you manage and soothe your worries. 

Recognize your thought patterns. Worrying can lead us to jumping to conclusions or assuming the worst. Practice recognizing when your thoughts are shifting to excessive worrying so you can better manage and disrupt those thoughts. Incorporating affirmations or words of encouragement into your daily routine could be a good place to start. 

Schedule a short time to worry. It sounds counterintuitive, but setting up a regular time to address your concerns can be a helpful coping tool. Once those 10 minutes are up, move on with your day knowing you already gave thought to the issue and potential solutions, or simply expressed your feelings. 

If you need additional support, take advantage of Dallas ISD’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) by LifeWorks, which is free for employees, 100 percent confidential, and available to all employees and their dependents. 

Sessions through the EAP are available by phone, virtual, and in person. Employees can also find tips, articles, self-assessments, and topical features focusing on specific EAP resources available through the EAP smart App.

To start on your wellness journey please visit dallasisd.lifeworks.com or reach out to the EAP by calling 972-925-4000 and selecting option 3 for EAP. 

Source: LifeWorks 

Since he was a student going through the deaf education program at W.W. Samuell High School, Bobby White has known he wanted to return to Dallas ISD as a teacher to provide high-quality services for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. 

Now, with 20 years of teaching experience and 10 years serving the district, White is bringing awareness to the importance of sign language and other resources in honor of the International Day of Sign Languages in September and beyond. 

As a deaf education teacher at Woodrow Wilson High School, White said one of his favorite parts of being an educator is being a “sounding board” for his students.

“One of the biggest issues related to sign language is that many of our deaf students’ families do not know how to sign with them,” White said. “Nowadays we have technology where they are able to communicate with their families, but they do not have that one-on-one direct language access. So when these kids arrive at school, they are finally able to meet someone who signs with them, someone they can communicate with, and you can see in the mornings that they’re just excited to be here because they’re able to sign and communicate and talk.” 

White recalls working with a middle school student who was grieving the loss of his mother. The student struggled so much that White said he “almost did not get promoted to high school.” But the student did move forward and enrolled in some of White’s classes. Seeing that the student needed additional encouragement, White began having breakfast and lunch with the student to provide academic assistance and prompted him to get involved in clubs on campus.

The student joined the wrestling team, and White worked with the student, his coaches, and his interpreters over the next four years. He watched the student become a champion on the wrestling team, take on leadership roles, and ultimately walk across the graduation stage in 2019.

“Just recently he sent me an invitation to attend the christening for his first son, so I was extremely excited about that,” White said. “I think the biggest success story for me is working with these students, providing them with communication and access, and giving them the opportunity to be a kid and to be successful.”

Dallas ISD’s deaf education program supports these students by providing them with interpreters in the classroom as well as at after-school activities. The Benefits Department has partnered with organizations like the Deaf Action Center to expand the number of interpreters available, while the Dallas Regional Day School Program for the Deaf delivers additional support to over 600 students across the district. Additionally, Translation Services provides ASL interpretation at meetings to help educators and parents communicate and create more opportunities for students. 

Ultimately, the work is collective, and White said he hopes awareness about the importance of sign language and deaf education will continue to spread.

“Our deaf students need communication,” he said. “Especially at our campuses with deaf students, be mindful and aware. It would be so awesome if team members could learn something as simple as “good morning” or “hello” in sign language. They are simple signs you can learn online that will put a smile on a student’s face.”

Dallas ISD team members are invited to a special professional development event featuring educator, author and TV personality Ron Clark. The event is free for staff but registration is required. 

The Racial Equity Office is hosting “Keeping It Real with Ron” from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30, at Ellis Davis Field House. Clark, founder of the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, will give leaders, teachers, faculty, and staff tools to help students achieve high levels of success. 

The event will have a game show theme allowing participants to participate in several familiar games and win prizes. A grand prize will be awarded for continuous professional development to attend The Ron Clark Academy for an immersive educational experience. Also, the first 75 team members to enter the venue will receive a free Ron Clark Book and meet him for a book signing.

REO is asking schools that have implemented Clark’s house systems at their campus to send pictures to racialequity@dallasisd.org so they can be featured during the event.

Register at bit.ly/realwithron.  Fill out this form to be selected for the “Ask Ron” Q&A.

Creating opportunities for students takes many forms, from tutoring and career fairs to providing them with essential resources. When teacher Julian Beltran and community liaison Maribel Roca realized not all students at the School for the Talented and Gifted in Pleasant Grove had access to hygiene products, they took it upon themselves to solve the problem, and now the school’s hygiene bank is helping their community thrive. 

“Essentially, what we wanted to do was serve the whole student,” Beltran said. “We want them to have a sense of belonging, and the hygiene bank serves what I’m calling the learning community. It’s open to anyone who is a student or is related to a student here—parents, siblings, or guardians have access as well.”

Roca and Beltran worked together to find a way to hand out the supplies without drawing unwanted attention to the students. Their solution? A Google form that parents or guardians can fill out to have free hygiene supplies delivered quietly to their students in class.

“Every Monday I’ll check the form and start filling it up,” Beltran said. “I recently had a student who came from gym to ask for deodorant and had no embarrassment about it. Before, that would have been something that might have been awkward, but we’ve opened up these conversations and let them know that everyone needs hygiene products. We’re going to talk about it and do something about it. That makes us feel really good.”

Beltran and Roca said they have received requests from students who need hygiene products for their siblings at other campuses, and parents have told them they were thankful to get support while they were waiting for a paycheck to come. 

They currently have about 52 families making requests through the Google form, and that does not include the students who come to them directly. Those families can continue to make requests as long as they need support with no questions asked. 

The hygiene bank has turned into a true community effort, Beltran said. Its shelves are stocked thanks to community partnerships, a DonorsChoose campaign, an Amazon Wish List, and contributions from the community. Its impact has been clear.

“We just want everyone to feel confident when it comes to hygiene, whether it’s students, parents, former students, or anyone who’s at the house,” Beltran said. “That’s what matters to us. We just want everyone to feel their best.”

Peggy Sanchez, a campus manager in HCM, has dedicated 23 years to Dallas ISD, where she discovered her passion for making sure schools have the team members they need to be successful. The district is highlighting her accomplishments in honor of Human Resource Professional Day. 

The national day is celebrated annually to recognize the hard work these professionals pour into helping organizations run smoothly. Dallas ISD’s Human Capital Management teams are among them, leading transformation and creating opportunities by focusing on the greatest asset in the district—the people—and ensuring there are highly effective employees in every position. 

Sanchez has worked in a variety of roles in the department, all of them related to putting the right people in the right positions. Currently, she oversees a team that hires campus employees, from teachers to school monitors and parking lot attendants.

“People I supported over a decade ago still remember my name, even though they may only have seen me that first time we met for their hiring appointment,” Sanchez said. “I have had many of those—teachers, teacher assistants, and even custodians—who see my name and say, ‘You were the person who onboarded me. I had a good experience.’ That makes me feel good. We’re giving opportunities to new candidates who come to the district, and they feel that they were welcome and that we took care of them from the beginning.”

Sanchez is motivated not only by her desire to support students in Dallas ISD but also by her own children. 

“My kids came from Dallas ISD,” she said. “My youngest one is a senior this year, so I really have a passion to make sure we have the best teachers in the classroom. It’s a big satisfaction. I love doing what I do, and HCM has been a great place for me.”

She said she is proud of her team and the way they keep Core 4 customer service at the forefront of everything they do—focusing on meeting and exceeding deadlines, ensuring new hires have the best possible experience, and managing ever-changing responsibilities and schedules with a smile. 

“Within my 23 years in the district, I have built a lot of strong relationships,” Sanchez said. “I’ve met a lot of people, and I always do my best on anything I put my hands on. We’re opening doors for the future. I just see everything as an opportunity, and building those relationships and being friendly has helped me a lot.”

If you are faced with the need to move the office or campus Xerox copier, don’t do it yourself. Get help from the Graphics Department to make sure your service is not interrupted or you face connectivity issues. 

Avoid unplugging the device from the network in preparation for moving it.

Unplugging it resets the DCHP/IP address and re-establish the connection will require a call to Xerox and to Educational Technology, which will delay the move request, sometimes by several days.

For a smooth move, make sure your Xerox copier is always connected to the network, which enables the district to receive vital printer readings, monitor the health of the printer, auto-replenish toner, allow remote IT support, and ensure Papercut features are up to date.

If the device is not on the network, please email the device model number and serial number to Linda Richardson-Taylor at LRICHARDSONTAYLOR@dallasisd.org to request connectivity to the district’s network.

Before the move, it is vital to make sure that the new spot where the copier will be located has a network drop and an appropriate power outlet. It is recommended to place a request to install these outlets if they are not available or to test them to make sure they are functional before making the move request. Remember to check the power requirements of your printer because some printers need more than the standard 110-volt outlet.

Following these standards will ensure that your copier device transition is fast and efficient, minimizing any down time. If you have any questions, please email graphicsinfo@dallasisd.org.

Gloria Prieto Puentes, a dual language teacher at Lakewood Elementary School, feels passionate about opening her students’ minds by bringing world cultures into her classroom.

“I teach them that there are many stories, many people, many books, and many cultures,” she said. “I always add this culture component to the instruction, so students can understand cultures outside of their own, and to accept other people’s realities.”

Her efforts have not gone unnoticed. Prieto Puentes was recognized this year with a Service Above Self Teacher Award from the  Rotary Club of Dallas, which included an engraved plaque and a cash prize. 

Prieto Puentes, who admits to being pleasantly surprised, says these kinds of recognition are important because all teachers should feel like they are appreciated every once in a while. 

She said she feels appreciated when students and parents thank her for her work in recognizing cultures from other countries. She has students from countries like Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, and Mexico. As a yearly tradition, she has an activity called “My Favorite Spanish-speaking Country,” in which students prepare a presentation via Google Slides or PowerPoint about a country of their choice. 

Many of her students choose a country they have a connection to, according to Prieto Puentes. The research culminates in a presentation in front of their parents, in which many of the students bring traditional food or wear traditional clothing from the country they chose. 

“What happens is that my students feel important and appreciated,” said Prieto Puentes. “They are learning that their culture and their voice are important.”

Another way in which Prieto Puentes incorporates culture into her teaching is by talking about the city she grew up in–Barcelona, Spain. Part of this includes teaching students a new flamenco song every year. They not only learn the dance but read together about the origin and meaning of the dance, as part of their research. 

For the last two years, Prieto Puentes has also led an international exchange program, with a school in Spain named Escola Serraparera, located in Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona. The main intent of the program is for students at both schools to communicate, as they work on an artistic project together. To learn more about the program, click here.

Among the criteria for the Rotary Club of Dallas award was “evidence that the nominee participates in activities or organizations that benefit the community in such a way that it positively affects students.”

Prieto Puentes’ passion for culture extends beyond the classroom with the work she does in the community, serving as the vice president of Casa de España, an organization that celebrates Spanish culture. She is also an actress and storyteller with Flor Candela theater company, and is the curator for the Día del Libro and Three Wise Men celebration at the Latino Cultural Center in Dallas. She also organizes art workshops in public libraries for students and community members. 

Prieto Puentes’ wish for all of her students is that they grow up to be compassionate people, who care for each other and for the planet. 

“It’s the idea that when we do good things, the idea spreads,” Prieto Puentes said. “It’s not something that stops in class—it goes beyond. I want my students to be good people, and potentially be our future leaders who will help make the world a better place.”

Dallas ISD is a step closer to introducing electric school buses for student transportation. The district is expected to begin the process of installing the infrastructure and chargers at the Lawnview Service Station in late winter or early spring.

According to Bryant Shaw, manager of the Energy and Sustainability Services Department, the first electric school buses are expected to roll out in the fall of 2024, and everything is currently on schedule for the district’s eventual transition to all electric buses, something that Shaw anticipates to happen by the year 2030. 

“I can’t wait to see the new buses rolling down our streets, picking up our students with zero emissions, making our air cleaner, and more breathable for generations to come,” said Superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde, Ed.D. when the buses were first announced. 

As part of the installation of the electrical infrastructure, the district has a partnership with Oncor. According to Shaw, the district and Oncor are working closely together to work on things such as managed charging, so the buses will be charged at a certain time, such as the evening hours, so the cost will be less. 

The district currently has 17 buses on order, mostly funded by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program. Two other buses are being funded by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. As the district carries out this project, most of the funding is going to come from the federal government thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, Shaw said.

Shaw and his team continue to diligently work on applying for federal funding to get more buses, including the EPA grant stemming from the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act. 

Dallas ISD has also received national attention for this work, as Shaw has presented  the district’s efforts around the country. He shares with other districts how to get onboard, as well as some of the issues to watch for along the way. 

For more information on the district’s electric school buses, visit the Energy and Sustainability Services website at www.dallasisd.org/energyandsustainability.

Superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde, Ed.D. provided an update to Dallas ISD’s Board of Trustees reporting significant progress in closing achievement gaps among students in grades three through eight. In comparison to the state and other urban districts, remarkable gains were made in the Approaches and Meets levels in reading and mathematics. 

Reading Achievements

Dallas ISD is above pre-pandemic levels in reading for grades three through eight and narrows the achievement gap within seven points of the state at the Approaches level. At the Meets level, the district improved to 45% of students reading on grade level while the state was at 51%, closing the achievement gap by almost 33%.

There was an accelerated growth with African American students in the Approaches level. Now at 67%, compared to 70% at the state level, this is the smallest gap in this student group since prior to the pandemic.

Emergent bilingual students and English learners are outperforming the same group at the state level in reading at the Approach and Meets levels.

Mathematics Achievements

The district continues to make strides in mathematics, with 71% of students reaching the Approaches level, closing the achievement gap by only one point from the state.

A significant milestone was achieved as African American students in Dallas ISD now outperform their state peers in mathematics at the Approaches and Meets levels.

Emergent bilingual students and English learners also outperformed the state in mathematics at the Approaches and Meets levels. 

View the full report from the September Board Briefing here. You can download a PDF of the presentation here. 

https://www.dallasisd.org/cms/lib/TX01001475/Centricity/Domain/17649/SEPTEMBER 2023-Superintendent Report .pdf