News

This year marks 100 years of national Black History observances, honoring the individuals, movements, and traditions that have preserved Black history and shaped cultural identity, pride, and resilience.

Devon Furston, head wrestling coach at Justin F. Kimball High School, has built a championship program rooted in unity. A former student-athlete and Kimball alumnus, Fortson has dedicated nearly four decades to the sport of wrestling and is now making history. In recognition of his lasting influence on students and the wrestling community, he will be inducted into the 2026 Texas High School Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Honor.  

“When I found out about the honor, I was reminded how everything happens in due time,” he said. “In due time, you’ll get your flowers—you’ll get your reward for the hard work you do. I’m glad I was able to see it in my lifetime. I’ve had success, but in the beginning it’s hard to say how you are going to climb the ladder.” 

As a student, Fortson was named Kimball High School’s Class of 1989 Most Valuable Athlete. He competed year-round in football, track, and wrestling, which is the sport that ultimately defined his career path. When he transitioned into coaching, Fortson was intentional about being known as a wrestling professional committed to growth and mentorship, he said.

During Fortson’s days as a student, Kimball High School was becoming integrated in an environment of racial tension across Dallas he said. He recalled how student athletes played a key role in shaping a culture of unity and respect for one another

“One thing that made Kimball successful was that we got along,” Fortson said. “There was still racial tension going on in the late ’70s, but we used sports to change that dynamic here at Kimball. We saw what was happening throughout the city, but we made a conscious effort to say we weren’t going to let that happen at our school. At the time, we considered ourselves the best melting pot of people getting along in high school. Everyone was able to sit across from someone that didn’t look like them, and say—‘that’s my brother too.’”

The journey to becoming a Hall of Honor inductee began after high school. He attended Richland Junior College and continued wrestling. He earned a full scholarship to Ranger Junior College, FortsonCollege Fortson and continued his education at West Texas State University, taking up football and earning a Division I scholarship. 

In 1997, Fortson returned home to Kimball High School as a teacher’s assistant. One year later, he founded the wrestling program, laying the groundwork for what would become one of the district’s most consistent athletic programs. 

Today, Fortson continues to share valuable lessons with his students, telling them everyone is capable of learning, regardless of background, he said. Girls’ wrestling is one of the fastest growing high school sports in the nation, ranking second only to girls flag football in participation and growth. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, girls wrestling increased by 1000 participants in 2025 alone, with more than 74,000 students competing nationwide. 

“I got our girls to try wrestling by inviting them to learn self-defesnse,” he said. “And it worked out well. One of our girls made history in Dallas ISD when she became a wrestling state champion two years in a row. She is the only student to ever accomplish this.”

With the support of a dedicated coaching staff, Forston has led Kimball’s wrestling teams to the UIL Wrestling State Tournament for 23 consecutive years. 

Forston’s induction ceremony will take place later this month at the 2026 UIL State Wrestling Tournament, marking a full-circle moment of recognition grounded in the same community and school where his journey began.

“I’ve been asked to go to other places and start programs,” he said, “But I’ve always stayed here at Kimball, and stayed true to my roots for 28 years.” 

Board Services has partnered with Diligent to implement a new agenda management system, Diligent Community, designed to meet the evolving needs of modern governance.

Diligent acquired BoardDocs Agenda Management system and has since determined that the platform is built on technology that no longer fully supports the evolving demands of effective governance. As a result, the district will transition from BoardDocs to Diligent Community on March 1.

The new system offers:

• One-click print for a complete agenda and meeting materials packet
• Online user guides and instructional videos for training via Cornerstone
• Single sign-on compatibility to help safeguard against external threats 
• OCR-enabled search functionality
• Improved mobile capabilities

 To activate their account, users will receive an email from notifications@highbond.com, which is not spam and is safe to open. Once your account is activated, you are ready to use the system. On-demand training with resource materials can be accessed via Cornerstone.

•   Diligent Training: Create and Submit Agenda Items (Staff)
•   Diligent Training: Approve and Reject Agenda Items (Admin. Staff)

All board documents and materials for meetings held in March and thereafter will be managed in Diligent. Visit the Dallas ISD Portal to bookmark the Diligent icon for quick access. For additional questions, please contact the Board Services Department.

The HCM Benefits Department has launched the district’s 2026 Go Red–Healthy Heart Campaign for February. The campaign aims to raise awareness about heart health and promote a healthier lifestyle for all Dallas ISD employees. 

Go Red ribbons

Departments and schools should have gotten red ribbons for team members to wear throughout February in support of heart health awareness. Wear your ribbon proudly and show your commitment to a healthier heart.

Keep it pumping

Join the fun with the benefits wellness challenge. Get started with activities like walking, hitting the gym, doing yoga, or even taking the stairs at work. It’s all about keeping your heart healthy. Benefits will provide red pledge hearts for team members to hang up around campus or work areas as reminders to stay on track.

Red step challenge

Get your teams together for the Red Step Challenge. Departments and schools are encouraged to name their Red Step Challenge Teams with the word red and/or hero included and together mark 10,000 steps a day. Departments that participate in the Red Step Challenge can submit their weekly count every Friday in the month of February to benefits@dallasisd.org using the subject: Red Step Challenge. Winning teams will receive one week of jeans in March and be highlighted in the employee newsletter, The Beat.

Knowledge is power

In partnership with UT Southwestern, Benefits is hosting healthy heart screenings from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 25, in Room 300 at the Linus D. Wright Administration Building.  Monitoring your heart health is important.

Show your red

Wear your red on Feb. 13 and celebrate heart health with a fun twist by also wearing jeans for the day. It’s a small gesture that can make a big impact because you are showing your support for a healthy heart.

Tips

Stay tuned for helpful tips throughout the month on managing blood pressure, healthy eating, and simple exercises to keep your heart strong. Plus, don’t forget to download your Go Red digital email signature from the Benefits website to show your support.

Let’s come together to Go Red this February and make heart health a priority in our lives. If you have any questions or require additional information, contact the Benefits Department at 972-925-4300 or email benefits@dallasisd.org.

Dallas ISD is taking a moment to shine the spotlight on a truly special group of people—the champions behind the district’s 2026 Employee Giving Campaign.

Every year, the employee giving campaign is driven by the energy, commitment, and heart of these amazing team members. Nominated for their outstanding ability to bring people together, champions go above and beyond to unite Dallas ISD team members around a shared purpose of reaching the goal of $100,000.

Their work continues long after the campaign ends, reminding everyone that real change starts with those willing to connect and inspire others. For a list of campus champions, download this document.

On any given day at Innovation, Design and Entrepreneurship Academy, students are dreaming up ways to solve problems most adults barely notice. One group imagines a vending machine that fulfills needs—stocked not with chips and candy, but with deodorant, lotion, pencils, pens, sanitary pads, and even hoodies that meet dress code. Another team wants to redesign the lanyard for student IDs so it feels more like an accessory. Another looked at the hallways, and spearheaded a campaign to decorate them with student art to improve campus culture. 

Kathryn Cates, the teacher who is turning entrepreneurship into a way for students to reshape their own world, calls these “simple ideas that solve real problems students face every day.” For Cates, entrepreneurship is less about churning out CEOs and more about teaching students that their ideas have weight in the real world.

“What’s cool about entrepreneurship is that it’s so full of creativity. It’s asking kids to be natural problem solvers,” Cates said “It’s telling them to look at the world and think about the problems that exist. The students get really excited about that because they want to address the issues that they see around them, even if they’re small.”

A Dallas native, Cates has deep roots in Dallas ISD—both her mother and grandmother are proud graduates of the district. After college, she later spent more than a decade teaching in a large, urban public school system in Portland, Ore., often in school serving low-income communities. Over time, she moved into a support role that looked a lot like assistant principal work—professional development, mentoring, discipline, and restorative justice.

“I was doing that for about five years, and was really burnt out, because with that kind of work you’re always dealing with conflict,” Cates said. “I needed to do the part of teaching that I really love, which is seeing kids grow and learn.”

When Cates and her husband moved back to Dallas in 2023 to support her aging mother, she knew she wanted to work in Dallas ISD and continue serving diverse communities.

“I wanted to continue to work in low income schools that I had been working in. I feel really passionate about supporting students,” she said.

When Cates first arrived at IDEA, her job looked like a patchwork of roles: government, economics, yearbook, a semester of psychology, and a year of entrepreneurship. She later added librarian duties when the campus faced budget cuts.

All the while, IDEA’s entrepreneurship class was struggling to find steady footing. The program had cycled through “a rotating set of teachers,” as Cates put it, making it hard to build consistency or a long-term vision. Yet Cates, whom Principal Alan Varney and other colleagues identified as a potential candidate, had an advantage. She had a personal connection to business.

“My mom is a small-business owner. My family runs one of the only financial newspapers in the state,” Cates said. “So I’ve been around people running small businesses my entire life.”

Cate was already weaving economics and the “business side of history” into her teaching, and IDEA wanted someone who would commit to students and to the program for the long haul.

“They really wanted somebody who is consistent and who will show up with our kids and who has a vision for the program,” Cates said.

Though Cates was not immediately convinced, she eventually agreed to pursue her business certification, passed the exam easily, and stepped in as the entrepreneurship teacher.

“My goal has been really to make kids feel passionate about entrepreneurship, because what entrepreneurship teaches is not just running a small business; it’s really a set of skills that you need in order to kind of do anything in life,” she said.

The program Cates leads is a four-year journey. Freshmen start with the basics of the U.S. economy and capitalism, and sophomores begin conceiving business ideas. By their junior and senior years, students are actually building prototypes, conducting market research, and preparing for the workforce through practicums.

“What’s exciting to me is that I think it’s an opportunity for kids to come up with an idea in their head and then to feel supported to make that idea actually come into reality,” Cates said. “That is not something we often get to do with kids in the classroom.”

In her classes, students research markets, write business plans, and present to adults from the community. Cates urges them to treat that work as real job experience they can put on a résumé. Over time, she has watched students who once shut down at the first sign of struggle start to accept feedback, revise their ideas, and try again.

“I want to inspire students to graduate and to go and put the things that they dream of into the real world,” Cates said. “I think my greatest legacy would be to see kids in 20 years bringing innovations and changes to our world.”

Cates is clear that the ultimate goal is bigger than any one product or pitch competition. She sees entrepreneurship as a vehicle for teaching resilience, problem-solving, and a sense of agency and goes so far as to treat “failure” as a mandatory data point in the curriculum.

“The baseline assumption is that people are going to give you feedback that your product needs to change,” Cates said. “It doesn’t mean you’re a failure; it’s a part of the process.”

Phishing is becoming more and more common, but Dallas ISD’s cybersecurity team has some tips to help you avoid getting scammed: 

• Check the sender’s address carefully—attackers can use modified usernames or domains to look legitimate
• Hover over links before clicking to verify they lead to a trusted website. If anything looks off, don’t click
• Be cautious with emails that contain unexpected attachments or files, especially if you weren’t expecting the email.
• Watch for urgent or threatening language designed to make you act quickly without thinking. 
• Use the CyberNut Squirrel Button to report suspected phishing/SPAM emails.

Dallas ISD team members show up for students every single day in classrooms, offices, buses, cafeterias, and campuses across the district. Starting this week, they can take that commitment one step further by participating in the 2026 Employee Giving Campaign.

By giving to the district’s direct philanthropic partner, the Dallas Education Foundation, during the campaign, team members have the opportunity to invest in the students, teachers, and schools they serve. Every dollar raised stays in Dallas ISD. Gifts expand opportunities for students and educators beyond what public funding alone can provide. Let’s make this a winning year for our schools.

Through DEF, employee giving contributions advance key initiatives including:

• Expanding innovative teaching and campus-based grants
• Strengthening early learning tools
• Building home libraries through book vending machines and book drives
• Supporting college, career, and postsecondary readiness
• Elevating educator recognition and support

Why give? 

• Close the gap by helping fund district priorities that public funding alone cannot cover.
• Amplify your impact by joining forces with thousands of colleagues to create a larger wave of support.
• Show your pride by sending a collective message that we believe in our students and our schools.

Every role matters; every gift counts—no matter the size of the contribution, participation demonstrates pride in the district and belief in our students’ potential. A contribution of just $5 can help put a book in a student’s hands, supply a classroom, or support a teacher’s innovative idea. Small gifts, multiplied across the district, create big results. A successful employee giving campaign sends a powerful message of belief in students and pride in the district.

Jeans days

Here’s the deal: Donate just $5 per Friday and you can wear jeans on a Friday during the campaign. Or donate $30 or more, and you’ll get to wear jeans every Friday for the duration of the campaign. As a bonus for those who donate $30 or more, jeans will also be allowed on Fridays in December 2026. 

Get in the game 

• Payroll deduction through Oracle
• Credit card donation

Whether the gift is $5 or $50, every contribution helps move Dallas ISD closer to a future where every student has what they need to succeed.

Let’s show the power of Team Dallas ISD. Make your play by making a gift today!

https://www.dallasisd.org/departments/dallas-education-foundation/employee-giving-campaign

Simone Chandler, a science teacher at Young Women’s STEAM Academy at Balch Springs and Dallas ISD graduate, credits her early exposure to science for shaping her career in education and her journey toward becoming a dentist. Now, she is preparing the next generation to be resilient and inquisitive girls. 

International Day of Women and Girls in Science on Feb. 11 highlights the importance of encouraging young women to pursue innovation, discovery, and leadership in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The observance also recognizes learning environments, such as the STEAM academy, that promote equity and opportunity in science education.

Chandler has taught at the school for four years and understands firsthand what it means to grow up with a love for science. From her early years as a student at Harry Stone Montessori, to her high school experience at the School of Health Professions at Yvonne E. Ewell Townview Center, she was encouraged by educators who supported her plan to become both a dentist and a teacher.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in biomedical science from Sam Houston State University, and while teaching, Chandler is continuing her own goal of becoming a dentist.

“When I was in eighth grade in my science class, I knew I wanted to be a dentist,” she said. “Our teacher took us to the Texas A&M College of Dentistry downtown, and I knew that was what I wanted to do. It’s science and it’s art. I get to make people happy and bring them out of discomfort. It’s my ultimate STEM dream.”

Receiving her Registered Dental Assistant certificate while at Townview gave Chandler a head start after high school, allowing her to secure a position as a dental assistant at Mint Dentistry, where she worked for three years before becoming a teacher.

These days, between preparing for the dental school admission test and developing student lesson plans, Chandler is living by the values she teaches in her classroom—a growth mindset and an understanding that mistakes are not failures, but a necessary part of learning and scientific discovery.

“It’s fun being a teacher because you can show the girls different ways of thinking and different points of view,” Chandler said. “I am preparing them to be more confident in the science field and more confident in understanding the why behind how things work.”

Her philosophy as an educator is to make science relatable and to use the subject to prepare students to become critical and ethical thinkers in their everyday lives.

Chandler also leads the coding club at her campus. Through the Young Women’s Preparatory Network, a local nonprofit that supports young women in education, students participate in an annual STEAM Challenge.

Last year, Chandler guided her students in creating a prototype that addressed challenges related to natural disasters and the people affected by those incidents. After competing at NorthPark Center, students earned the People’s Choice Award.

“I’ve taught here for most of my teaching career,” she said. “Teaching the girls here is what I’m used to, and I love it. I honestly don’t want to ever leave.”

Through her work in the classroom and beyond, Chandler is ensuring that more young women see science not as an obstacle, but as a pathway that prepares them to navigate life with confidence.

“Science is driven by curiosity, and your curiosity leads you to learn different things about the world,” she said. “Developing girls’ curiosity when it comes to science is my whole goal as a teacher, because STEM is the biggest force behind many things in our world.”

During National School Counseling Week, Dallas ISD recognizes educators who support students’ academic success while nurturing their social emotional well-being. At Frank Guzick Elementary School, counselor Elizabeth Reed-Smith is creating a student-centered program that helps young learners understand their emotions and build confidence.

After nearly 20 years in the classroom, first as a teacher and then as a librarian, Reed-Smith is now in her first year as a school counselor. As a veteran educator, she brings both experience and a modern perspective to the profession.

“My success this year is because of a strong and encouraging school community,” she said. “Having a supportive principal that trusts you to lead the school’s program has really helped me. I am also grateful to have an experienced and helpful co-counselor to collaborate with.”

Throughout her career, Reed-Smith has always aspired to become a school counselor. She achieved this lifelong goal after earning her Master of Education in Counseling and Development from Lamar University, with a specialization in professional school counseling.

As a former librarian with a love for reading, Reed-Smith incorporates literacy into her counseling approach. She uses books as a tool to teach social emotional concepts, such as kindness, to help students connect stories to real life experiences.

Guzick Elementary serves a population that is approximately 60% Hispanic and 40% African American. With this diversity in mind, Reed-Smith is committed to supporting students in both English and Spanish.

“I meet with students in small groups each week, and although I’m a native English speaker, I don’t leave my Spanish speaking students out,” Reed-Smith said. “I always write a script and speak Spanish with them. I have Spanish only in small groups, and then I have my English only in small groups, and they both go over the same things. I want all students to have an equal opportunity to learn.”

Her goal for the school’s counseling program is to reach all students and support them in learning how to express their feelings in healthy ways. As an early childhood counselor, she works with students who are just beginning to navigate a wide range of emotions, providing resources and activities that help them understand their feelings and how to respond to them.

Reed-Smith collaborates closely with teachers, using classroom observations and feedback to shape her counseling program, which helps guide small group activities designed to support social and emotional development.

Her role begins when students step through the school doors, often carrying big emotions from experiences at home, including the broader political climate, Reed-Smith said. She checks in with students daily, teaching coping, regulation, and self-expression skills to those who need additional support.

One of the strategies Reed-Smith uses is a sensory activity called “calming bottles.” During the activity, students fill a plastic water bottle with clear glue and glitter. When they feel frustrated or upset, they shake the bottle and watch the glitter slowly settle at the bottom, practicing deep breathing until the glitter becomes still.

“We work on breathing through things, and taking a moment to know what you need,” Reed-Smith said. “I teach them this because these are the skills that stay with them into adulthood. Those feelings don’t go away, and we still have to regulate our emotions as adults.”

In addition to the social emotional learning component for younger students, the counseling program at Frank Guzick Elementary School introduces students to future pathways in college, career and the military. Each week, Reed-Smith shares a video with the entire campus that highlights a different college and what it has to offer.

“I write a script for each video that I make and read it in both English and Spanish during our school’s digital announcements,” she said. “We even highlight a teacher who attended that college. I call them our ‘famous alumni.’”

For Reed-Smith, this impact is most visible when students choose to wear college shirts on College Wednesdays, simply sparked by a new dream of attending a school they’ve just learned about.

“I feel like the seed has been planted, which is exactly what I wanted to do,” Reed-Smith said. “It will continue to grow throughout the years.”

Over the last several days, while winter weather challenged our city, Dallas ISD continued to stand strong because of the dedication of our essential personnel. From preparing more than 300 facilities, including our schools, ahead of time to responding when freezing conditions hit, Maintenance and Facility Services and other essential teams stepped up while other team members were at home. Their work ensured our buildings, walkways, and operations remained safe and functional. Dallas ISD is deeply grateful for their commitment and service. 

• Grounds & Athletic Fields Department has had 60-70 employees come in to work each day this week. 
• In collaboration with other MFS organizations, all campuses, bus transportation centers, and central sites are going through through the de-icing process to ensure safe lots and walkways.
• Crews went out with skid steer loaders, shovels, ice melt, backpack blowers, and an abundance of team members.
• Our Maintenance department worked tirelessly around the clock to repair any damages resulting from broken pipe leaks within our schools.
• Since the start of the freezing temperatures on Saturday, our Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Department has been addressing issues at various campuses.

To every essential Dallas ISD team member who answered the call this week: Thank you!