Staff News

Twenty clinical teachers in Dallas ISD toured multiple schools to see for themselves why they should work for the innovative school district.

Clinical teachers, also known as student teachers, are educators-in-training in Dallas ISD who are getting their teacher certifications from different programs. Clinical teachers go to a Dallas ISD school and work with a mentor teacher to get in-classroom experience.

“Our goal is for the high-quality clinical teachers to then become teachers in Dallas ISD,” said Jill Peeples, Dallas ISD coordinator of clinical teaching.

The clinical teachers visited Francisco “Pancho” Medrano Middle School, where they learned about social and emotional learning; L.G. Pinkston High School, where they observed Career and Technical Education classes and the collegiate academy program; and Raul Quintanilla Sr. Middle School, where they talked with and learned from students and saw a performance. The teachers last week also toured Dan D. Rogers Elementary School, Eduardo Mata Montessori and Robert E. Lee Elementary.

“Overall, we are trying to create this experience through these visits where the clinical teachers know about our district and feel a calling to work with our students,” Peeples said.

Community Liaisons Monica Zumaya from W.W. Samuell High School and Elsa Cardenas from Ann Richards Middle School attended Judge Faith Johnson and the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office–Family Violence Division’s annual open house on Friday, Oct. 6.

During the open house, Ms. Zumaya and Ms. Cardenas were able to network with other organizations such as Genesis Women’s Shelter and Support, The Family Place, Catholic Charities, and Human Rights Initiative of North Texas to take back resources for their campus, parents, and community as well as bring about awareness of domestic violence.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month.

Along with teachers, school principals play a vital role in laying the foundation for student success.

With that in mind, October is National Principals Month, and it’s a chance to thank these campus leaders who work so hard to make their schools successful.

Dallas ISD is encouraging community members, staff and students to share the below image and post it on social media. Include the name of the principal you are thankful for, and use the hashtags #DallasISD and #ThankAPrincipal.

If you’re looking for a fun and exciting way to support Dallas ISD students, plan now to volunteer at the Oncor Mayor’s 5K Race Saturday, Dec. 9. Join more than 10,000 students from all grade levels along with district faculty and staff for this annual community event. The Mayor’s Race is a morning packed with fun and encouragement for students and their families to engage in regular physical activity.

Go here to sign up today, and show students you believe they can accomplish their goals both in and out of school. Students have already begun training for the race, so come out to cheer them on and help distribute water and t-shirts to the participants. Each volunteer will receive a t-shirt, a huge thank you for supporting Dallas ISD students, and the satisfaction that comes with encouraging students to lead active, healthy lives.

Norma Wright, a counselor at Billy Earl Dade Middle School, is one of five finalists for the Lone Star State School Counselor Association School Counselor of the Year program.

The program honors the best of the best in Texas: school counselors who are running a top-notch, comprehensive school counseling program at either the elementary, middle or high school level. This year’s school counselor of the year candidates completed an extensive application process and were judged by a panel of counseling professionals on multiple criteria, including school counseling innovations, effective school counseling programs, leadership skills, and contributions to student achievement. There were 35 nominations submitted, 14 semi-finalists, and 5 finalists.

Wright was named the 2015–2016 Dallas ISD Counselor of the Year. Wright says that being a counselor is a calling.

“It is the work in serving the needs of any educational community that has driven me to be equipped with the skills necessary to meet the needs of that community,” Wright said. “We dice the children on academics, and performance, but the focus has to be on the whole child. It’s my unwavering commitment to building relationships that keep the core of the school on one heartbeat.”