DALLAS— The Dallas ISD Board of Trustees recently recognized outstanding school district partners and volunteers for their support to schools in the 2012-2013 school year at the monthly board meeting in April. Members of the audience joined in to say thanks and recognize the award winners who are helping Dallas ISD meet the Destination 2020 goals.
Volunteers and partner groups annually contribute thousands of hours of time and numerous in-kind donations and financial resources to help schools extend learning experiences for students. This year alone, district schools have registered 26,159 volunteers and involved 1,200 school partners.
Below is the list of awards presented as well as a description of the honorees:
Outstanding Elementary Community Volunteer
Our 2013 Outstanding Elementary Community Volunteer is Ms. Sheryl Callandret. Ms. Callandret’s ongoing service in the workroom, the office, the library and classrooms has had a definite impact on R.L. Thornton Elementary School. She extends her volunteer efforts to tutoring, PTA, chaperoning field trips and encourages others in the community to devote time, money and services to our schools. She has faithfully served for 13 consecutive years.
Outstanding Elementary Parent Volunteer
Traditionally one elementary volunteer was selected for special district wide recognition; to spotlight the importance of Dallas ISD parent volunteers a separate category was created this spring. This year’s winner is Rosalinda Salinas. Mrs. Salinas has volunteered at Moseley for the past seven years. Currently, she is PTA President and is one of the first Parent Leaders in the district’s PREP U Leadership Academy in which she serves two additional schools: Balch Springs Middle School and H. Grady Spruce High School.
Outstanding Secondary Community Volunteer
This award spotlights the impact of one outstanding secondary school volunteer. Susan Schuerger, the district’s Outstanding Secondary Community Volunteer 2013, a faithful Dallas ISD volunteer since 1990, was nominated by Woodrow Wilson High School. Ms. Schuerger has presided over various committees including site-based decision-making committee, curriculum committee, the Woodrow Wilson Foundation, the Woodrow Community Council, as well as past leadership positions with PTA and Choir Booster Association.
Outstanding Secondary Parent Volunteer
The 2013 Outstanding Secondary Parent Volunteer is Rebecca Ordinario of W.E. Greiner Exploratory Arts Academy. For the past three years, Ms. Ordinario has donated time, energy and funds to Greiner, and is the president and co-founder of Friends of Greiner, a non-profit group developed to support the school. She serves as a mentor, brought the Graffiti Arts Club to create an amazing mural, and launched an after school program to help at-risk students.
Outstanding Community Liaison /Partnership Coordinator
This award is presented to one liaison whose work results in the greatest percentage of newly recruited volunteers, utilization of volunteers, the best ratio of volunteers to students, and documented partnership contributions. The 2013 award winner is Tonya Mayberry, from Amelia Earhart Learning Center. Ms. Mayberry’s efforts have increased assistance to Earhart students and staff, engaged parents and school partners, and resulted in broad-based growth of support for her school.
