Dallas ISD Trustee Joyce Foreman, District 6 Dallas ISD Renews Laser Sharp Focus On The Classroom For 2014-15

Welcome back, Dallas ISD. The 2014-2015 school year kicks off Monday, August 25, and as always, it is an exciting time filled with anticipation and opportunity. As with any new journey, the start of the school year offers a chance to renew our goals with great vigor and purpose.

The Dallas ISD Board of Trustees continues its commitment to raise academic achievement for every student in the district by strengthening the classroom.

At our June meeting, the board allocated additional funding in the 2014-2015 budget to significantly impact our classrooms. This year, we added 389 new teachers, reducing the student/teacher ratio to the lowest it has been in three years. We reinforced quality instruction in the classroom by funding the new Teacher Excellence Initiative, an evaluation system designed to improve teacher effectiveness.

We also took action to provide more teachers for the district’s growing prekindergarten program, which was expanded last year to include elementary schools district-wide.

These provisions cover three critical areas that will benefit Dallas ISD students as we work to prepare them for college and career success. We have much work ahead, and I challenge each of us to make this the year we turn up the volume on our efforts to help students achieve academic success.

Whether you’re a parent or guardian, teacher or district staff, community partner or volunteer, each of us has something to give to this most important cause. I am honored to serve the great people of District 6 and invite each of you to join me as we move students to greater heights. Let’s make this a journey we all share and commit to living a life bigger than ourselves by making a difference in students’ lives.

Other back to school news across the district:

As we kick-off a new school year, District 6 welcomes newly appointed principals at the following campuses:
•Valarie Kendrick, Umphrey Lee Elementary School
•Shundra Brown, Martin Weiss Elementary School
•Josefina Martinez, Clinton P. Russell Elementary School
•Socarro Gonzales, Maria Moreno Elementary School
•Clement Alexander, Daniel Webster Elementary School
•Leslie Swann, Barbara Manns/John Leslie Patton Jr. Academic Center
•Jonathan Smith, T.W. Browne Middle School

I want to encourage the communities around these schools to support the District 6 principals in working to create optimal learning environments at our schools.

Parents are reminded the first day of school is Monday, August 25, and to make note of the new spring break dates (March 9-13). More information regarding the district calendar is available online.

School hours for prekindergarten, kindergarten, elementary schools and vanguards are 7:55 a.m. to 2:55 p.m.

Hours of operation for middle schools, Montessori programs and academies are 8:35 a.m. to 3:35 p.m. Hours for high schools, magnet schools and early colleges are 9:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. The law requires that students enrolling for the first time must provide official records of required and up-to-date immunizations prior to the start of classes.

The Dallas ISD will provide school meals at no charge to all district students, however, families will be required to complete the free or reduced lunch application to receive free meals.

The Back-to-School Hotline will be available to parents who have questions during the first week of school at (972) 925-5437. If you have questions before then, the Dallas ISD Constituents Line is available at (972) 925-5555.

For more back to school information to help get your student get started on the right track, visit the back to school page at www.dallasisd.org/backtoschool. District 6, let’s have a great school year.