Staff News

Deputy Chief Technology Officer Laurie Vondersaar, who started with Dallas ISD June 7, will oversee districtwide technology operations and campus technology support. Prior to coming to Dallas, Vondersaar was assistant superintendent of Strategic Initiative and Communication for Lovejoy ISD. In her 21 years of experience, she has also held the position of chief technology officer at various districts. She holds bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies and a master’s degrees in computer education and cognitive systems from the University of North Texas and a doctorate in educational administration from Concordia University.

The Board of Trustees will hold its regular monthly briefing at 11:30 a.m. During the meeting, the board will review and discuss reports on:

• The 87th Texas Legislative Agenda
• District Cooperative Purchasing Agreements with Related Fees and Purposes
• Racial Equity Update–Equitable Leadership & Operations
• 2021-2022 District Improvement Plan (DIP)
• Re-Defined Discipline in Dallas ISD
• Operation Connectivity Update

To view the meeting, visit the district’s website for a link at www.dallasisd.org starting at 11:30 a.m. To view the agenda, visit https://go.boarddocs.com/tx/disd/Board.nsf/vpublic?open.

After months of winter and the soggy weeks of spring, people are ready to enjoy the sunny days that summer brings. Make sure that you are enjoying them safely by protecting your skin regardless of your skin pigmentation.

Protection starts with choosing the correct sunscreen. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, when selecting a sunscreen, make sure the label includes the following information*:

• Broad spectrum:The words “broad spectrum” means that the sunscreen can protect your skin from both types of harmful UV rays — the UVA rays and the UVB rays.
• SPF 30 or higher:The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that you select a sunscreen with an SPF rating of 30 or higher.
• Water resistant: Dermatologists also recommend that you look for the words “water resistant.” This tells you that the sunscreen will stay on wet or sweaty skin for a while before you need to reapply. Water resistance lasts either 40 or 80 minutes. Not all sunscreens offer water resistance.

Once you have the right sunscreen, you need to apply it correctly for effective protection. Sunscreen is safe and can protect your skin against skin cancer and premature aging. Follow these tips from AAD dermatologists when applying sunscreen*:

1. Apply sunscreen before going outdoors. It takes approximately 15 minutes for your skin to absorb the sunscreen and protect you. If you wait until you are in the sun to apply sunscreen, your skin is unprotected and can burn.
2. Apply enough sunscreen. Most adults need about 1 ounce—or enough to fill a shot glass—to fully cover their body. Rub the sunscreen thoroughly into your skin.
3. Apply sunscreen to all skin not covered by clothing. Remember your neck, face, ears, tops of your feet and legs. For hard‐to‐reach areas like your back, ask someone to help you or use a spray sunscreen. If you have thinning hair, either apply sunscreen to your scalp or wear a wide‐brimmed hat. To protect your lips, apply a lip balm with a SPF of at least 15.
4. To remain protected when outdoors, reapply sunscreen every two hours, or immediately after swimming or sweating. People who get sunburned usually didn’t use enough sunscreen, didn’t reapply it after being in the sun, or used an expired product. Your skin is exposed to the sun’s harmful UV rays every time you go outside, even on cloudy days and in the winter.

Whether you are on vacation or taking a brisk walk in your neighborhood, remember to use sunscreen.

*Source: American Academy Of Dermatology https://www.aad.org/public

Hard work, perseverance and the need to help others succeed has led Angela Hernandez, to find herself at home as a fourth-grade teacher at John Quincy Adams Elementary School.

Hernandez started her journey with Dallas ISD as a 2011 graduate of Skyline High School and became a teacher’s assistant in prekindergarten after graduation. She enjoyed engaging the campus’s youngest students and their parents so much and did such a great job that she transitioned into a new assignment as a parent liaison at the school.

“I really enjoyed working with parents and building community connections that ultimately helped students succeed,” Hernandez said.

While serving as a liaison, Hernandez earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas at Dallas—the first person in her family to do so.

Thanks to Dallas ISD’s Alternative Certification Program, she was able to complete her teacher certification while maintaining her full-time job at Adams Elementary, where she is now a teacher.

Hernandez acknowledges that teaching has its challenges, but she wouldn’t do anything differently.

“I live for ‘light bulb moments when students learn and finally get it,” Hernandez said. “I love helping students understand that they can succeed and accomplish anything. I’m proof that this is true.”

The students, parents, and staff of Adams Elementary appreciate Hernandez’s contribution and all that she brings to their campus.

“Angela is a passionate, dedicated, resilient, and courageous teacher who loves education and does not cease to continually reflect and grow to serve our Pleasant Grove community regardless of the challenges life puts in front of her,” said Yoshiko Reyes, Adams Elementary principal.

Because Dallas ISD offers free meals to all its students, all families are eligible to receive the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT), a one-time benefit provided by the State of Texas for eligible families to buy food.

Eligibility includes:

• Children up to 21 years old who are certified for free or reduced-price meals at school in Texas during the 2020-2021 school year.
• Children 5-18 years old who received SNAP food benefits for at least one month between October 2020 and June 2021.
• Children who attend a school that offers free meals to all students, such as Dallas ISD schools

Texas Health and Human Services will put funds in the Lone Star Card accounts of families who get SNAP benefits and whose children are approved for P-EBT. Families who are approved after submitting the application will receive a P-EBT card loaded with benefits from Health and Human Services.

Enrolled students (up to 21 years of age) in families that temporarily lost access to free or reduced-price school meals for the 2020–2021 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible to receive P-EBT. These benefits can be used to buy food from any retailer that accepts the Lone Star Card.

The application for P-EBT opened June 2, 2021. Go to yourtexasbenefits.com/Learn/PEBT to apply. The application link is case-sensitive. The deadline to apply is Aug. 13, 2021.

Who Needs to Apply?

• A parent/guardian must apply if eligible child is:
  • Enrolled in K-12 and NOT part of a family who received SNAP benefits for at least one month between August 2020 and June 2021.
  • Born on or before Aug. 1, 2014, and part of a family who received SNAP benefits for the first time during the 2020–2021 school year in May or June 2021.
• A parent/guardian does not have to apply if eligible child is:
  • Born on or before Aug. 1, 2014, and part of a family who received SNAP benefits for at least one month between August 2020 and April 2021.
  • Born after Aug. 1, 2014, and part of a family who received SNAP benefits for at least one month between October 2020 and June 2021.

For more information about eligibility, applying and getting your P-EBT benefits, visit hhs.texas.gov/pebt, or call the P-EBT call center at 833-442-1255, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Dallas ISD is offering a free summer learning experience to students that, if offered by another provider, would likely cost families at least $300.

“This is an outstanding opportunity for students that won’t cost their parents a penny,” said Sharla Hudspeth, executive director for Dallas ISD Extracurricular and Extended Learning Opportunities.

The PreK–8 Summer Cool Camp is designed to meet the needs of the whole child. Students will experience a full day of activities, ranging from fun hands-on learning to various extracurricular activities. Transportation, breakfast, lunch and participation incentives will be provided to students.

Students who are eligible for the camp, which will be offered at 82 Dallas ISD schools, will be contacted by their home campus. The camp will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 22–24 and June 28–July 1.

Dallas ISD is also partnering with Big Thought and the City of Dallas for Dallas City of Learning, an online directory of low to no-cost activities for youth of all ages. The opportunities include activities such as theatre, dance, band, sports and STEM. Visit www.dallascityoflearning.org to learn more.

Você fala português?

While most Dallas ISD students would likely answer in the negative, after next year, some at Skyline High School and Harold W. Lang Middle School will be able to say: Sim!

Portuguese will be added to the growing list of languages other than English that are taught in Dallas ISD schools, said Amy Anderton, director of World Languages. This addition also makes the district the first in the state to offer this romance language as an option in schools,

There is a lot of interest for Portuguese, especially among Hispanic students who already speak Spanish and want to learn a third language, she said. The district already offers French and Italian among the 10 foreign languages taught in schools, so Portuguese was the next logical step. In the 2021-2022 school year, Dallas ISD will offer German at 16 schools and Italian at 12 others.

“Dallas ISD offers the most language choices in the state,” she said. Korean, for example, is offered in eight schools, making it the largest program in the south central region of the country.

Learning foreign languages like Portuguese, German, Italian, or Korean gives Dallas ISD students an advantage in a variety of professional fields once they graduate, Anderton said. Texas does businesses with a lot of transnational companies, so when looking for a job, all things being equal, being able to speak the language of the parent company might make a difference.

What languages are offered at which schools depends on interest among students and parents and the funding priorities for the school, but the goal is to create grade level alignment with language offerings down to the elementary school level. This alignment could allow students not only to graduate with a Seal of Biliteracy or even an endorsement in arts and humanities— depending on how long they study the language—but also make them more attractive candidates for colleges and businesses.

In the future, World Languages is exploring introducing Russian and then maybe Arabic, Hebrew, and Hindi, depending on interest and funding, Anderton said.

Three principals have been chosen as Principal of the Year representing Elementary Schools, Secondary Schools and Choice/Magnet Schools. Meet the winners:

Elementary School

Reymundo Cervantes Guajardo, Henry B. Gonzalez Personalized Learning Academy

Reymundo Cervantes Guajardo became a school administrator in 2014 after serving in elementary schools since 2006. As principal for Gonzalez Academy, Cervantes Guajardo has facilitated the school’s choice transformation to a personalized learning academy and led the work that earned it an A rating from the Texas Education Agency. The campus has also been recognized as the safest school in Dallas ISD since 2018. Cervantes Guajardo is currently finishing his doctoral studies at Southern Methodist University.

Watch a video about him.

Secondary School

Joseph Sotelo, Hillcrest High School

Joseph Sotelo has been an administrator with Dallas ISD for eight years, all at the secondary level. He began his career in Dallas ISD in 2013 as an assistant principal at Sunset High School where he oversaw both the English and science departments. In 2015, Sotelo was promoted to principal of Benjamin Franklin Middle School. Within 18 months, the school was authorized as an International Baccalaureate campus. Sotelo left Franklin Academy to become principal of Hillcrest High School. As of 2021, Hillcrest is the only high school to offer both a collegiate academy and an IB program. Sotelo also oversaw the addition of 21 new classrooms, two new gyms, a weight room, and renovations to several classrooms.

Watch a video about him.

Choice/Magnet School

Ruby Ramirez, School for the Talented and Gifted at Pleasant Grove

Ruby Ramirez is proud daughter of an immigrant mother and Dallas ISD graduate. Learning and growing in Dallas ISD as a bilingual talented and gifted student, she was able to graduate with honors from Woodrow Wilson High School. She always knew she wanted to one day give back to the district, community, and families where her opportunities started. In 2003, she became a teacher assistant at William Lipscomb Elementary School, the same campus she attended as a child. Ramirez became an assistant principal at Felix G. Botello Elementary School in 2013 and a year later at John H. Reagan Elementary School, both in Oak Cliff. In 2018, she was called to open a unique Two-Way Dual Language Talented & Gifted campus in the heart of Pleasant Grove.

Watch a video about her.

People have been led to believe that dry mouth is just another fact of growing older, and while more common among seniors, there are many conditions that can cause it at any age.

Dry mouth is the feeling that there is not enough saliva in the mouth, which can be caused by dehydration or certain medications, both factors common among older adults. The condition can make it difficult to chew, swallow, or even talk. Lack of saliva, which in the mouth is used to fight infections, can increase the risk of developing tooth decay or fungal infections.

For people who use dentures, not producing enough saliva can make wearing dentures uncomfortable because the saliva lubricates the dentures and keeps them from rubbing on the gums and causing damage and infections.

One of the main causes of dry mouth among older adults is medications like those taken for high blood pressure, depression, and bladder control problems. Diseases themselves—Diabetes, Sjögren’s Syndrome, and HIV/AIDS—can also contribute to dry mouth. Some radiation and chemotherapy can also affect the salivary glands or make saliva thicker, which causes the moth to feel dry.

People who think they might have dry mouth should, see a dentist or physician. He or she can try to determine what is causing it and offer treatment options such as changing medications or using artificial saliva, sold in most drug stores/pharmacies. Some people benefit from sucking sugarless hard candy or chewing sugarless gum.