Staff News

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Refer a CDL driver

The Board of Trustees recently approved pay increases for Dallas ISD employees.   As of result of these increases, CDL drivers will now have a minimum hourly rate of $22.69 per hour.  Existing Dallas ISD CDL drivers will have their pay rates adjusted to the new pay scale as well and will receive approximately a 10% increase in their hourly rate.

Dallas ISD’s CDL Driver Referral Incentive program will reward any Dallas ISD staff member who refers a CDL driver applicant who is then hired as a bus driver. It will pay $200 for referring an applicant with a CDL and P/S endorsement at the time of hire and $100 for referring an applicant who has only a CDL at the time of hire.  Refer someone with a commercial drivers license and it could be a win-win for both.

For current drivers, the Dallas ISD offers a retention incentive, designed to compensate full-time CDL bus drivers who hold their passenger and student endorsements. Eligibility for the incentive requires that the employee be full time and hold a CDL with a P/S as of Jan. 1, 2021. The employee must be active at the time of payout and have remained a Transportation bus driver with no break in assignment or service. The supplemental earning amount is $800 per year with 50% paid in December and the remaining 50% paid in May.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Join the team

If you know someone interested in teaching in Dallas ISD, let them know about the district’s next  “In-Person Job Fair Hiring Event” from 4 to 6 p.m.  Thursday, July 22, at Skyline High School.

During the job fair, principals will interview candidates for all campus based openings, such as teachers, teacher leads, and paraprofessionals. Campus booths and interviews will be set with social distancing that is in compliance with the CDC and state guidelines.

This who want to participate in the event will need to bring proof of teaching certification or statement of eligibly from their education preparation program. Should you have any questions, please email us at futureteacher@dallasisd.org.

Candidates who have not yet completed the district’s teacher application, should do so prior to the hiring event. Our Teacher Application can be found at www.dallasisd.org/careers.

To register for the event, click on the invitation link.

 

 

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District observes new holiday

Juneteenth National Independence Day was recently established as a federal holiday, and Dallas ISD, following policy guidelines, has adopted June 19 as an official district holiday.

Traditionally, when school districts elect to honor a federal holiday, if the holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is used to commemorate the holiday. To honor the passage of this historic law—which this year took place June 17, a day before the end of the 2020-2021 school year—Dallas ISD will allocate one additional local day (PTO) to those who were full-time employees on June 18, 2021. 

Based on approved changes to DEC (Regulation), Human Capital Management has revise the 2021-2022 staff calendar and the contract start and end dates document to reflect the new federal holiday of Juneteenth National Independence Day.

Juneteenth commemorates the announcement of the emancipation of slaves on June 19, 1865, in Galveston, following the Emancipation Proclamation that was issued two years earlier. Several states, including Texas, still practiced slavery despite the emancipation in 1863 until federal troops arrived in Galveston to bring word of then President Abraham Lincoln’s proclamation.

Juneteenth, traditionally a Texas holiday, has gained more and more prominence among African Americans at the national level as Emancipation Day, leading to the signing of the bill by President Joe Biden that officially makes it a federal holiday. Juneteenth has been a state holiday in Texas since 1980.

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At home serving his community

Corey Banks, a custodial Services Supervisor and proud South Oak Cliff Golden Bear, is committed to uplifting his community through his leadership position.

With 23 years of service under his belt, Banks manages over 80 custodial services employees who ensure the day-to-day smooth operations of 23 Dallas ISD campuses in southern Dallas. Part of his secret sauce for success stems from valuable lessons on collaboration and determination that he learned during his teenage years at South Oak Cliff High (SOC).

“I am who I am today because of the education that I received here at South Oak Cliff,” he said during an interview last year. “The love that I have for this building and for this school community is off the charts. Golden Bears bleed gold and white!”

Like him, Bank’s father graduated from a Dallas ISD school, and both of his uncles are SOC alumni. His mother graduated from Pinkston High and worked for Dallas ISD for more that 30 years, in the Sarah Zumwalt Middle School attendance office and later in Accounting at the Administration Building.

Banks finished high school in the top 20 percent of his graduating class in 1991. Decades later, both of his sons—Corey Jr. and Kendrick Banks—graduated from SOC in 2016 and 2018, respectively. Like their father, both brothers finished in the top 20 percent of their graduating class.

We spoke with Banks about his love for SOC, his best high school lessons, and the impact he wishes to have in his community.

What is South Oak Cliff High School to you?

SOC is a school of tradition. It’s a school that is loved by the community. A school known and respected by the state. Growing up as a Golden Bear was an experience that taught me how to be mentally strong and prepared me for life. It taught me teamwork, dedication, perseverance and respect. Our teachers cared about our education and our growth for the future. We trusted the process and I was under the leadership of two amazing principals, Dr. Todd and Mr. Waylan Wallace. They were personable and always had our best interest in mind. The school was old and full of history and pride. Like every high school, South Oak Cliff had its challenges, but we owned and loved our school regardless.

Tell me about a lesson that you learned in high school that still applies today.

At SOC, I learned perseverance, I learned discipline and hard work, and I carry that over to my job. Dealing with 23 campuses, you have multiple personalities and you have to be strong and learn how to be attentive to everybody’s needs. You have to push and weather the storms, to make sure that things are moving at a rate that’s pleasing the customer.

During our senior year, our class had the opportunity to join a play called Blues, Beat, Bumps. A South Oak Cliff graduate came and sang with us and taught us the play, which was about the music from the ‘60s through the ‘90s. We had wardrobe changes, dances, acting, everything. And that resonated the most with me because we all came together, all of us got really close and it taught us how to work together as a team. It taught us team-building and depending and trusting that someone else on a team has their part. It showed us versatility and how to depend on one another.

That was a great learning experience for me at SOC. And that was one of many great experiences, because I was also into sports. I played football, basketball, ran track and won games. And all of those experiences also taught me about perseverance and team building, and were great and memorable too.

How would you convince your sons that the next generation of Banks should be Golden Bears?

I don’t think I’d have to convince them or encourage them a lot, because they love SOC just as much as I do.

South Oak Cliff is an outstanding school in the inner city, located in the southern sector in a traditionally historic building and with outstanding support from the community. The people that go to South Oak Cliff High want to make sure that their community is recognized, uplifted, and brought to a point where it should be. Like me, many want their future generations to keep adding to the culture and to the commonwealth of the community.

I would tell my kids that this environment can really teach you about the importance of community.

 

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It’s time! Annual enrollment is now open

If you want to make changes to your annual benefits, explore options, or check out the new Health Savings Account offered to those who have a high-deductible plan, now is the time to do it.

Annual enrollment runs through Aug. 20 and becomes effective Sept. 1. If you don’t make any changes, you will keep the same medical, vision, and dental plans; however, if you want to put money into a flexible spending account or FSA, you need to enroll every year. Now is also the time to enroll in the Sick Leave Bank.

Dallas ISD offers staff medical, dental, and vision coverage and life insurance. The district also provides several  supplemental, voluntary insurance plans that can help meet your financial needs when the unexpected happens. You can choose from four different plans that provide benefits for require hospitalization, when you face various types of critical illness, when you become disabled and unable to work, or if you need long-term care at home or at an assisted living or rehabilitation facility.

You’ll find detailed information about each of the plans—including the optional, voluntary plans—and their premium costs through the Benefits Portal.

It all starts in the Benefits page at www.dallasisd.org/benefits, your one-stop-shop for all benefits information and links. From the Benefits Resources page, check out the Benefits Overview and Plan Costs, which provides many details on your benefit options.

If you have questions or need help, assistance is close by. Just call (972) 925-4000 weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Spanish- and English-speaking representatives will be available to guide you through the choices and the enrollment process.

For additional information you can also look at at the Benefits Overview Guide.

 

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Thinking Thursdays 

Dallas ISD’s Central Staff Leadership Development team is providing online summer professional learning opportunities for central staff supervisors. While the training is designed for supervisors any central staff member can register to attend.

To participate in Thinking Thursdays, sign up in Cornerstone for any of the upcoming live online learning sessions on Thursday mornings from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Keys to Influencing Others – July 15 or 22

Mindset in the Workplace – July 29 or Aug. 5

Facilitating Quality Check-ins – Aug. 12 or 19      

Providing Actionable Feedback – Aug. 26

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Keep safety first

With summer vacation and more people going out, it’s a good idea to keep safety in mind. Below are some tips for summer safety around vehicles and activities for children.

Remember not to leave valuables or cash in your car, and if you must leave them in the car, lock them in the trunk. Never leave children and pets in a locked vehicle and always check when you exit your vehicle. Temperatures in a vehicle during the summer can climb to dangerous levels in just minutes.

With children out of school, it’s more likely they will be walking in the neighborhood or playing outside. Drive safely and slowly around parks and playgrounds, and keep an eye out for children and pets, especially when driving in residential areas. Children and pets may be more concerned with catching a ball, staying on their bike or running after their dog than watching for vehicles coming toward them.

It’s a good idea that parents, especially when working outside the home, provide a list of phone numbers of neighbors, family and friends that children can call in an emergency.

Require your children to check in before leaving the house and when returning home. It’s also recommended that parents know the route children will take to and from a given location, such as summer camp, the park, the store or a friend’s house. If there’s an emergency, knowing the route and where children should be will make a difference if there is an emergency.

When going to summer camp, the park, the store or a friend’s house, remind your children that there is safety in numbers and that it is best to be with a group of friends. And make sure that they know to call 911 or contact a responsible adult if the feel unsafe or see something that makes them uncomfortable.

If they are riding a bike, make sure they have a helmet and wear as well as brightly colored or reflective clothing.

Summer break also means more time on the internet, so parents should remind their children to never give out personal information on the internet, whether it’s on social networking sites or interactive games.

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Legal assistance available

The LegalLine E-Clinic provides access to volunteer attorneys with the Dallas Bar Association, who will answer legal questions at no cost from 4 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays in July.

To participate, complete the online form found at https://tinyurl.com/DBALegalLine for the upcoming LegalLine. This month’s LegalLine E-Clinics will take place July 7, July 14, July 21, and July 28. A volunteer attorney will call participants who have registered to provide up to 15 minutes of free legal advice. Space is limited, and registration will close at noon on the Tuesday prior to the legal clinic date.

Please note that the volunteer attorney will remain anonymous. Participants should watch for a call from an unknown number that should be labeled “No Caller ID” or something similar. No attorney-client relationship will be established. The legal clinic cannot guarantee that the attorney will speak any language other than English. Individuals may also receive referrals to local, legal, or social service agencies.

For legal assistance any time, contact the DBA’s Lawyer Referral Service at www.dallasbar.org/index.cfm?pg=LawyerReferralService.

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Announcing the inductees into this year’s Dallas ISD Athletic Hall of Fame class

Among this year’s Dallas ISD Athletic Hall of Fame class are two track Olympians, including a four-time gold medalist; a pair of top-four NBA draft picks with 18 all-star game appearances between them, including a back-to-back NBA World Champion; a PGA Championship winner; two NFL Pro-Bowl selections, including a Super Bowl champion; a first-round WNBA draft pick; a four-sport prep athlete that helped lead his baseball team to a state championship; and, a baseball coach that guided his teams to 32 consecutive playoff appearances.

The 10 inductees slated to join the 2021 Athletic Hall of Fame include: LaMarcus Aldridge, Chris Bosh, Don January, John Jefferson, Johnny Wayne Johnson, Michael Johnson, Stone Johnson, Mike Livingston, Andrea Riley and David Shepherd.

This impressive list of individuals constitutes the fourth class of the Dallas ISD Athletic Hall of Fame, an initiative designed to recognize and honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the district’s athletics programs. The 2021 class will be inducted into the Dallas ISD Athletic Hall of Fame virtual induction ceremony on Monday, Dec. 6.

To be selected for the hall of fame, individuals must exemplify the highest standards of sportsmanship, ethical conduct, and moral character.

Inductees were selected due to their striking accomplishments and undoubtful impact while advancing school athletics. Their successes, however, are not limited within Dallas ISD borders, but have reached recognition in local, state, national, and in some cases, international levels.

Meet this year’s class:

LaMarcus Aldridge excelled for the boys’ basketball team at Seagoville High School and was selected the Class 4A Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year as a senior in 2004. A highly recruited player, he signed with the University of Texas. He earned first-team all-conference honors in 2006, the same year he was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. After two seasons in Austin, he declared for the NBA Draft and went as the No. 2 overall pick. The seven-time NBA all-star averaged 19.4 points in a 15-year career that began in Portland and continued in San Antonio before ending with Brooklyn this year.

Chris Bosh helped the boys’ basketball team at Lincoln High School win the Texas Class 4A State Championship in 2002. He was named the High School Player of the Year by Basketball America and was the PowerAde Player of the Year in Texas. Bosh spent one season at Georgia Tech and was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors. He was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2003-04 and spent seven seasons with the Raptors, but played the final six seasons in Miami, where the 11-time NBA all-star won back-to-back NBA Championships in 2012 and 2013.

Don January played golf for Sunset High School. He later helped lead North Texas State, now the University of North Texas, win three consecutive NCAA championships. He was a member of the PGA Tour from 1956 until 1976, winning 10 events, including the 1967 PGA Championship in an 18-hole playoff. He added 22 wins on the Senior PGA Tour, becoming the first player to earn more than $1 million in Senior PGA Tour earnings in 1985. He played on the 1965 and 1977 Ryder Cup teams. In 1976, he won the Vardon Trophy from PGA of America for the lowest scoring average on the PGA Tour.

John Jefferson (formerly known as John Washington) was a standout wide receiver on the football team at Franklin D. Roosevelt High School. As a sophomore at Arizona State, he had a great sophomore season in 1975 to guide the Sun Devils to the Fiesta Bowl, where he was named the game’s most valuable player. The two-time All-Western Athletic Conference honoree was a consensus All-American selection in 1977. Jefferson concluded his career with an NCAA record 42 consecutive games with a reception. He was selected 14th overall in the first round of the 1978 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers, where he played three seasons. The four-time Pro-Bowl wide receiver also played for the Packers and Browns and was the first player to gain 1,000 yards in each of his first three NFL seasons.

Johnny Wayne Johnson (deceased) was a four-sport letterman at W. W. Samuell High School, where he participated in football, basketball, baseball, and track & field. A three-year letterman in baseball, he helped guide the baseball team to the 1965 State Championship. He was drafted by the New York Yankees out of high school but elected to attend Kilgore Junior College, where he was a member of the 1966 NJCAA National Championship team. He was a three-year starter on the varsity football team and won two letters in basketball and three in track & field. His 440-yard relay team tied the national high school record his junior year and reached the state finals his senior year.

Michael Johnson, who was on the track & field team at Skyline High School, won four Olympic Gold Medals and eight World Championship gold medals setting Olympic and World records in the 200 meters and 400 meters as well as the world record in the indoor 400 meters. Johnson attended Baylor University and won several NCAA indoor and outdoor sprinting and relay titles. He was considered the world’s fastest man in 1996, when the “man with the golden shoes” won Olympic titles in Atlanta in both the 200 meters and 400 meters. He added a gold medal in the 400 meters in the 2000 Sydney Olympics to go with a 4×400 relay gold in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Stone Johnson (deceased) was a three-sport athlete at James Madison High School in football, basketball, and track & field. James Madison opened in the Fall 1956 and Johnson was on the school’s first teams. He helped guide the football team to the City Championship as a junior in 1957 and guided the team to its first state championship appearance in 1958. He went on to earn a scholarship at Grambling State University, where he played football and ran track. He was a finalist in the 200 meters in the 1960 Rome Olympics. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 1963 AFL Draft.

Mike Livingston graduated from South Oak Cliff High School in 1964. He excelled on the gridiron earning a scholarship to play football at Southern Methodist University for the legendary Hayden Fry. He was the fourth quarterback selected in the 1968 NFL draft, going in the second round to the Kansas City Chiefs. During the 1969 season after injuries to two other quarterbacks, Livingston started six games – and won all six – in the Chiefs’ world championship season that eventually saw starter Len Dawson return to quarterback the team to a Super Bowl IV victory. He played 12 seasons for Kansas City and was on the Minnesota Vikings roster in 1980. In 1983, he played for the Oakland Invaders of the USFL.

Andrea Riley played basketball at Lincoln High School, helping guide the school to a 30-1 record and the Class 4A state title as a sophomore. Her junior team finished 29-5 and reached the state tournament. She earned first-team all-district and all-area honors as a junior. She averaged 17.8 point and 3.8 assists as a senior in earning all-state recognition. She attended Oklahoma State University and was second in the nation in scoring, averaging 26.7 points per game, to win the Nancy Lieberman Award as the top female point guard in the NCAA. In 131 career starts in Stillwater, she averaged 21.6 points in her career and totaled 2,835 points to finish as the school’s all-time leading scorer. She was the eighth overall draft pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. Riley played three seasons in the WNBA, also playing with the Tulsa Shock and the Phoenix Mercury.

David Shepherd was the long-time baseball coach at W.T. White High School. He coached at the school from 1980 until retiring in 2014, guiding the Longhorns to 32 consecutive playoff appearances. “Coach Shep” won more than 650 games and 16 district titles. Eight of his players were drafted by Major League Baseball teams, including first-round draft pick Calvin Murray in 1989. Murray, who played for Team USA in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, is one of four players – along with Trey Beamon, Jeremy Hill and Bryan Holaday – to reach the majors. He coached two All-Americans and mentored another 20 players who earned all-state honors. Hundreds of his players received college scholarships. The baseball field at W.T. White is named for him.

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Dallas ISD leadership announcement

Several changes in district leadership and a reorganization of some areas of college and career readiness will be effective July 1.

Tiffany Huitt • Acting Chief of School Leadership

Tiffany Huitt has served as deputy chief of Academics in Teaching and Learning and executive director of magnet schools in School Leadership after spending five years as the principal of the School of Science and Engineering at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center, one of the top high schools in the country. She began her career in Dallas in 1999 as a science teacher at the Dallas Environmental Science Academy. Since then, she has worked as lead science teacher and instructional coach while also developing science curriculum assessments and professional development for K-12 science courses. She serves on local and state committees, including the TEA Science Standards TEKS Revisions Committee and the Leadership Council for the Global Learning Network. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Paul Quinn College and a master’s degree in interdisciplinary sciences from The University of Texas at Arlington.

 

To bring coherence and continuity to the district’s post-secondary efforts, several changes have been implemented in the Strategic Initiatives Division. In addition to moving Career Institutes to the division, two deputy chiefs over post-secondary initiatives will report to Chief of Strategic Initiatives Brian Lusk.

 

Oswaldo Alvarenga • Deputy Chief of Strategic Initiatives (Career Institutes and career readiness)

Oswaldo Alvarenga has served as assistant superintendent of STEM, CTE and Career Institutes in the Teaching and Learning Division. Previously, he was executive director of the STEM departments—mathematics, science, computer science, career technology education, STEM environmental center, and health/physical education. Originally from Chicago, Alvarenga earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He has worked for various telecommunications companies as a senior design engineer. He has also worked as a high school mathematics teacher, mathematics instructional coach and supervisor, and director of educational technology in Dallas ISD.

 

Usamah Rodgers • Deputy Chief of Strategic Initiatives (P-TECH and college readiness)

Usamah Rodgers has served as assistant superintendent of Post-Secondary Partnerships and Programs. Previously, she served as assistant superintendent for Strategic Initiatives and External Relations. Prior to becoming an assistant superintendent, Rodgers served as the executive director of P-TECH and early college programs where she was responsible for assisting with the design and implementation of systems to support campuses as Dallas ISD launched 18 Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) programs. She has served as feeder pattern executive director and campus administrator at the elementary, middle and high school levels.  Rodgers received a Bachelor of Science in elementary education from Missouri State University, as well as a Master of Education in education administration and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy from the University of Texas at Austin.

 

Marlon Harrison • Assistant Superintendent of Information Technology

Marlon Harrison has served as director of student systems—IT Enterprise Applications. Harrison has been with Dallas ISD since 2005 and transitioned into the Information Technology department in 2008. For the past 11 years, Harrison was the manager of the Applications Training team, which trained and supported Student Applications and Oracle EBS. He has extensive experience in design, delivery, implantation, and facilitation of student applications. Harrison has a Bachelor of Science in computer science from Hampton University.

 

Five principals have been chosen to fill vacancies in the School Leadership feeder patterns.

 

Damien Stovall has been named executive director over ACE schools. Previously, he was executive director of the Bryan Adams and North Dallas elementary feeder pattern. Prior to becoming an executive director, he was a principal at Charles A. Gill and Edward Titche elementary schools. During his tenure at Tiche, Stovall turned the school around from an IR5 school to one that earned all six distinctions, a B rating, and meeting state expectations. Titche would continue to earn six distinctions and an “A” rating the following year as well as be named a 2020 National Blue Ribbon school. Stovall has been a principal of the year and a district Master Principal.

 

Dwain Simmons has been named secondary executive director for the Skyline, H. Grady Spruce and W.W. Samuell Feeder Patterns. Simmons has been principal of Skyline High School since 2019.  Prior to that time, he led L.G. Pinkston High School, where he established the schools P-TECH program and led the expansion to include students in sixth through eighth grade. Before his tenure at Pinkston High School, Simmons was associate principal at the John Leslie Patton Jr. Academic Center, which was the district’s high school for over-aged and under-credited students. Simmons has been principal of the year and a mentor principal.

 

 

Diana Nuñez has been named elementary executive director for Seagoville and W.W.  Samuell Feeder Patterns. She has served as principal of W.H. Adamson High School since 2017, an area where she grew up and attended school. Nuñez has been with Dallas ISD for 21 years as an elementary teacher and an administrator at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Nuñez is a Master Principal and has been a principal of the year finalist. During her leadership at Dallas Environmental Science Academy, the school accomplished the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program Award in 2017. Nuñez led Adamson to become the only comprehensive high school (out of 23 high schools) to achieve “Breakthrough” Raking in Dallas ISD’s school performance framework in 2018-2019.

 

Jameile Choice has been named student services executive director. Choice began serving in education as a technology coordinator and teacher for Fort Worth ISD. Realizing his penchant to lead, Choice transitioned to servant leadership as a Dallas ISD assistant principal and then to the current principal of New Tech High School in 2016. Building on the school’s transformation, Choice worked tirelessly with his staff, making New Tech the first Dallas ISD high school to become an AVID Demonstration Site in 2017. A product of Dallas ISD (elementary, middle, and high school), Choice acknowledges his teachers’ impact and serves as an Ambassador for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Dallas, consistently advocating for mentorship and tangible support for youth.

 

Temesghen Asmerom has been named executive director in School Leadership. He has been principal of Emmett J. Conrad High School for the past four years. Under his leadership, the school has shown significant growth and has been recognized as a breakthrough campus. Conrad has been home to five distinguished NAF academies and a successful H-TECH program. Since joining Dallas ISD, Asmerom has served in seven different campuses as a member of a leadership team. Prior to joining Dallas ISD, Asmerom worked as a water chemist and research assistant.

 

 

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