Staff News

District employees can use the online platform Donors Choose to get help from friends, family and even strangers in funding classroom projects and equipment. When teachers create a project, they are creating a shopping list from the organization’s list of vendors that offer special pricing and outstanding service. Setting up a project is easy.

1. Visit donorschoose.org and create a project
2. The project is reviewed and posted
3. Spread the word
4. Get email notifications when project funded
5. Equipment and materials arrive (consumable supplies to teachers’ homes and technology and larger supplies to the schools)
6. Equipment received must be tagged, a decal applied and the donation logged
7. Don’t forget to thank your donors!

Just remember that all district policies for donations apply and that the donation must be properly reported. Some other things to remember:

• Applicant must be a full time Dallas ISD employee who spends 75% of their time with students.
• Registration from principals, administrators, PTAs, teacher assistants, student teachers, substitutes and part-time teachers will not be accepted.
• Pursuant to CDC policy, donations must be documented and logged online by school designee.
• Materials/equipment that is delivered to the school is the property of the school and will primarily remain at that school if the teacher leaves.
• A point system gives teachers the opportunity to create projects with higher monetary values.

For more information on how to get started on Donors Choose, visit https://www.donorschoose.org/teachers.

To make it easier for staff to stay safe as the reentry process continues, Dallas ISD will observe a business casual dress code that includes scrubs, starting Sept. 8.

In response to feedback from employees concerning the challenges of aligning work attire with safety protocols, the district will follow a business casual dress code. This dress code will allow employees to feel more at ease and comfortable while implementing safety and cleaning protocols as they perform their work duties.

In accordance with district policy, please remember that the business casual dress code does not mean unkempt and does not allow for inappropriate apparel. To guide you in determining what is business casual clothing, the dress code guidelines can be found below. During specific occasions and for formal meetings, employees will be expected to wear standard business attire. Please consult with your supervisor to determine appropriate attire for your job and the various business needs of the department.

The dress code will be reevaluated every quarter and may be subject to change.

2020-2021 Dress Code Guidelines

Business Casual

Overview

• Business casual includes clothing that is comfortable and neatly put together while communicating professionalism.
• Business casual may differ based on the various business needs of the department. Please consult with your department supervisor to determine appropriate attire for your job.
• Certain events on the District’s calendar may require employees in a specific department or location to wear business attire instead of the business casual look.
• Take your workday schedule into account when considering your attire for the day. If you have a meeting scheduled with the public or vendors, you may need to wear business attire.
• Administrators will have the discretion to make exceptions to appropriateness of attire as it relates to culture, religious beliefs, vocational courses, physical education, maintenance, medical necessities, events, and spirit days.
• Employees required to wear District-issued uniforms are expected to wear the assigned uniform.

Acceptable Attire

• Clothing should be clean, pressed and wrinkle-free, without holes or frayed areas.
• All attire should fit appropriately (not excessively tight or excessively loose).
• Footwear – Loafers, boots, flats, sandals, and leather deck shoes are acceptable.
• Slacks – Nice pants or cotton slacks.
• Shirts – Blouses, casual shirts, and golf shirts are acceptable.
• Dresses and skirts – Casual dresses and skirts appropriate for an office environment are acceptable.

Unacceptable Attire

• Inappropriate attire includes, but is not limited to, form-fitting, snug, sagging, or transparent clothing.
• Excessively worn, faded, or tight clothing is not acceptable.
• Revealing or provocative attire is not acceptable.
• Slippers, flip-flops, house shoes, sneakers, and athletic shoes are not acceptable.
• Jeans, sweatpants, shorts, bib overalls, leggings, spandex, and lycra are not acceptable.
• Tank tops and shirts or t-shirts with inappropriate messages/graphics are not acceptable.
• Dresses and skirts shorter than three inches above the bend of the knee are not acceptable.
• Gym clothes and beach wear are not acceptable.

Download the district’s mobile app to have easy access to news, calendars and other information via mobile devices. The district and schools can also send informational and emergency notifications to parents and staff who have downloaded the app and chosen to receive notifications.

Through the Dallas ISD app, staff have direct access to email, PowerSchool, staff news and more. Parents have access to school information, transportation, school menus, and district sports events. The app is available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Burmese, French, and Swahili.

For more information about the app and direct links to download it, visit www.dallasisd.org/mobileapp.

Sherry Christian has been named deputy chief of Staff. She will supervise many departments that were previously under School Leadership where she was assistant superintendent for seven years. As deputy chief of staff, she will oversee health services, psychological services, safety initiatives, student discipline, and demographics. She will also lead the development of the district calendar, high-needs facilities and bond projects, and partnerships with local entities. Most recently, Christian had been deputy chief of Operations, and prior to that, she served in Student Services, providing oversight to various departments, including Athletics, Child Abuse Services, Youth and Family Centers and student discipline.

Deno Harris has been appointed deputy chief of Operations. With more than 30 years of experience in customer service and project management, workflow automation and business planning, Harris will oversee various aspects of district operations. Most recently, Harris has served as executive director of Administrative and Board Services where he coordinated activities of the Administrative Services office through the development and implementation of policies, programs and practices in support of the initiatives of the district and the Board of Trustees. Prior to this, Harris managed and coordinated Business Services activities related to the planning, development and implementation of policies, programs and practices in support of Financial Services, Support Services, Project Management, Construction Services and Auxiliary Services. He also served as director of Community and Administrative Services and as manager of the district’s Customer Service department. Prior to Dallas ISD, Harris was assistant director of Communication and Information Services for the City of Dallas, where he was responsible for Desktop Support, Mainframe, Account Management, Customer Service, Maintenance Contracts, Hardware/Software standards and Call Center/Help Desk.

Shantell Grant has been appointed executive director of Board Services. Most recently, Grant has served as project manager in Human Capital Management, where she has coordinated and implemented leadership development programs for central staff employees in collaboration with university partners, administered the HireVue, OnDemand and Live interview systems, created and monitored the departmental contract tracking system, managed summer internships districtwide, and led the districtwide reentry plan preparations for HCM for the COVID 19 pandemic. Grant began working in Dallas ISD in 2007 in the superintendent’s office, became a board coordinator in 2013, and was named special assistant to the deputy superintendent of Academic Improvement and Accountability in 2016 where she coordinated leadership team projects, including the implementation of the district’s Strategic Improvement Plan, established a baseline framework for tracking progress with the Lone Star Governance Model, and Coordinated and managed the timeline and workflow for the District of Innovation Committee for the creation of a Local Innovation Plan among other duties. Grant worked as director of Board Services for Houston ISD for a year before returning to Dallas ISD in 2018.

Dallas ISD has implemented new safety measures in the work environment to help minimize the spread of communicable diseases. District employees are required to complete the Dallas ISD Reentry Employee Safety Training course that provides employees information on social distancing, the proper use of face masks and other safety protocols.

Employees can also access the training by going to Cornerstone at https://dallasisd.csod.com and use their EAD username and password to log in. For problems logging into Cornerstone, such as resetting your password, contact the IT Service Desk at (972) 925-5630.

The training assignment will be in the “Required Training” section of Cornerstone located on the “Welcome” page. If the assignment is not listed, employees can hover over the “Learning” tab, select “Learner Home” to access training offerings, and scroll down to the “Required” section to choose the Dallas ISD Reentry Employee Safety Training. The Spanish version is listed under the “Featured” section.

Employees are required to complete the training within two days of their reentry but may do it in advance of their return to work in district facilities.

Supervisors will receive reports so they can ensure all employees complete the required training.

For questions or concerns regarding the training, please contact Human Capital Management’s Policy and Compliance department at HCMcompliance@dallasisd.org or (972) 794-7858.

Don’t miss out on your opportunity to explore all the new benefits available to district employees and your families. There is just one more week to enroll. Enrollment is passive this year, so if you do nothing, your current benefits will continue.

However, it is important that you log into the Benefits portal to sign up if you want to participate in Flexible Spending Account, Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account or Sick Leave Bank, as these require active enrollment.

It is also important that you review your current beneficiary designation.

For personal assistance in enrolling, contact the Call Center at 972-925-4000 or the Benefits Department at 972-925-4300 or Benefits@dallasisd.org. Virtual enrollment appointments are also available for individual assistance by emailing Benefits@dallasisd.org. Visit www.dallasisd.org/benefits for detailed information on all available benefit plans.

Dallas ISD teachers will see additional compensation thanks to $28 million the district will receive as part of HB3 Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) for strategic compensation this fall.

This week, Dallas ISD was named one of only 26 districts statewide to receive approval for participation in the HB3 Teacher Incentive Allotment, passed by the 86th Texas Legislature in June 2019. The TIA seeks to provide a six-figure salary for teachers who prioritize teaching in high needs areas and rural district campuses. Under the TIA, approved districts submit highly effective teachers for a state designation of Recognized, Exemplary, or Master, based upon their performance and impact on student growth.

Because the district’s Teacher Excellence Initiative system meets the criteria outlined in HB3 for teacher effectiveness, the district has submitted nearly 2800 TEI-eligible Distinguished and near-Distinguished teachers for state designation.

These Teacher Incentive Allotment funds will serve to strengthen and sustain the district’s existing TEI compensation system by ensuring a market-competitive base salary at all experience and effectiveness levels, including a $100,000 salary for teachers earning a Master effectiveness level under TEI.

In addition, the district will leverage these TIA funds to expand equitable access to highly effective teachers at High-Priority and ACE campuses, where Distinguished teachers may earn up to an additional $18,000 in stipends annually.

Dallas ISD remains committed to improving the quality of instruction and placing an effective teacher in front of every child. As a result of TEI compensation and additional stipends by campus assignment, effective teachers in Dallas now have a defined path to a six-figure salary by serving Dallas ISD students.

More information about the Teacher Incentive Allotment and the Teacher Excellence Initiative can be found online here.

The start of the 2020 school year is right around the corner. With the decision made to open schools Tuesday, Sept. 8, Dallas ISD is preparing to welcome staff to the new normal of an unprecedented school year. Current plans are to open schools with both in-person and remote learning options.

The district is holding three virtual information sessions to answer questions and to reassure staff that safety is the district’s top priority. The goal is to share information about the variety of protective measures the district is taking to keep everyone healthy.

Separate sessions are scheduled for the staffs of the Operations Division, campuses and central offices. The meetings will feature information about:

• personal protective equipment (PPE)
• reentry safety measures
• cleaning and sanitizing protocols
• remote work and employee leaves
• instructional models, and
• testing and contact tracing in the event of positive COVID cases

Staff will also be able to ask questions, and sessions will be recorded for later viewing.

All sessions will be held via Zoom webinar. Registration links for the campus and central staff meetings are listed below.

You are invited to register for a Zoom webinar: Reentry Q&A for Campus Staff

Monday, August 17, 2020 at 10:30 a.m.

Register in advance for this webinar at:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FrxV7htcSvamdjAtxtj9Rw
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

You are invited to register for a Zoom webinar: Reentry Q&A for Central Staff 

Monday, Aug 17, 2020 at 1:30 PM
Register in advance for this webinar at:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_dRyW4d44QUGgCahGpm-3Kw
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

You are invited to register for a Zoom webinar: Reentry Q&A for Operations Staff

Tuesday, August 18, 2020 at 10 AM
Register in advance for this webinar at:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_53r1402LQ7-Lon2etjaCiA

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

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El comienzo del año escolar está a la vuelta de la esquina. Se tomó la decisión de reabrir las escuelas el martes, 8 de septiembre, y Dallas ISD se prepara para recibir al personal en la nueva normalidad de un año escolar sin precedentes. Actualmente, los planes son reabrir las escuelas ofreciendo tanto la opción educativa presencial como la virtual.

El distrito realizará tres sesiones informativas virtuales para responder a preguntas y recalcar que la seguridad es la prioridad de Dallas ISD. El objetivo es compartir información sobre todas las medidas de protección que está implementando el distrito para mantenernos sanos a todos.

Se tienen programadas sesiones separadas para el personal de la división de operaciones, personal escolar y personal de las oficinas centrales. En las reuniones se presentará información sobre:

• el equipo de protección personal (PPE)
• medidas de seguridad de reingreso
• protocolos de limpieza y desinfección
• trabajo a distancia y licencias para empleados
• modelos de instrucción y
• pruebas y rastreo de contactos en casos positivos de COVID-19

El personal podrá hacer preguntas y las sesiones serán grabadas para que las puedan ver en otro momento.

Todas las sesiones se llevarán a cabo a través de Zoom y se requiere que se registre para participar. Los enlaces para registrarse son únicos para su respectiva sesión y se pueden encontrar abajo. Solamente la reunión para el personal de Operaciones se llevará a cabo en inglés con interpretación en español.

Está invitado a registrarse para la reunión: Reentry Q&A for Campus Staff

Lunes, 17 de agosto del 2020 a las 10:30 AM

Regístrese con anticipación en:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FrxV7htcSvamdjAtxtj9Rw
Después de registrarse, recibirá un email confirmándolo que contendrá información para participar en la reunión.

Está invitado a registrarse para la reunión. Reentry Q&A for Central Staff 

Lunes, 17 de agosto del 2020 a la 1:30 PM
Regístrese con anticipación en:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_dRyW4d44QUGgCahGpm-3Kw
Después de registrarse, recibirá un email confirmándolo que contendrá información para participar en la reunión.

Está invitado a registrarse para la reunión: Reentry Q&A for Operations Staff

Martes, 18 de agosto del 2020 a las 10 AM
Regístrese con anticipación en:

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_53r1402LQ7-Lon2etjaCiA
Después de registrarse, recibirá un email confirmándolo que contendrá información para participar en la reunión.

The safety of staff and visitors is the top priority for Dallas ISD as staff continues to transition to work in district facilities. We want to remind all staff that face masks should be worn at all times while on district property in accordance with district and Dallas County guidelines.

Staff returning to the central administration and campus buildings should expect to follow established practices and protocols designed to ensure that all employees and visitors in district facilities feel safe and secure as we effectively navigate the complexities of a “new normal.”

If you have any questions or concerns about face masks or other safety measures, please email HumanCapitalManagement@dallasisd.org.

Annual enrollment ends at 5 p.m. on Aug. 21, so don’t dally in logging into the Benefits Portal to review your benefits and make changes. For example, you might want to review the new vision plan option that allows you to get glasses and contacts in the same year.

This year, you have a choice of three plan options: basic, moderate, or premium (new). If you are currently enrolled in the premium plan and you take no action, you will be automatically enrolled in the moderate plan for 2020–2021. The new premium plan benefit allows you to purchase contacts AND glasses, or two pairs of glasses, or two orders of contacts. There is also a higher allowance for frames and lower copays for this plan than the other two vision options. Warby Parker and GlassesUSA are part of the many in-network providers available.

Individual virtual enrollment sessions are being scheduled daily through the end of annual enrollment to answer any questions or to help you enroll. Appointments will be held virtually through the district’s computerized systems. However, if you do not have access to a computer, phone appointments are available. If you need assistance, email benefits@dallasisd.org or call (972) 925-4300 to schedule an appointment.