Welcome back, District 6! I hope your holidays were everything you wished for and you are refreshed and ready for a successful new year. We all have a lot to look forward to this year.
MLK Oratory finalists named
One of my favorite Dallas ISD events is coming up – the annual MLK Oratory Competition, which will be held this year on Jan. 13, at W.H. Adamson High School. I’m proud to say that District 6 has two finalists in this year’s competition – fifth graders Zihair Douglas from T.L. Marsalis Elementary and Daniella Mitchell from Thomas Tolbert Elementary. The eight contestants will be speaking on the topic, “What Would Dr. King Say to Us Today About Hope for Tomorrow.” Good luck to Daniella, Zihair, and all the young orators.
Mourning the loss of two leaders
I recently joined the entire school community in mourning the passing of Mr. Gail David Dupree, a beloved teacher, coach, and administrator who served for years as the principal at Carter High School in District 6. His last Dallas ISD role was as executive director of Student Discipline, a job he was well suited for because of his temperament and his patience with students. Mr. Dupree, known best as simply “Dupree,” was also a longtime staff member of the Dallas Cowboys organization, and he will be missed by fans across the Metroplex and beyond.
Dallas ISD also mourns the loss of Mr. Lester Jerome Mays, a longtime educator and manager who served 29 years in educational leadership for the district before retiring as executive director of Purchasing. He was a former director of Lincoln High School’s award-winning drill team and was recognized for his valuable service to the district’s South and West Learning Centers, the Selena Butler Leadership Development Institute, and El Centro College.
May they both rest in peace.
What a thrill it was for me to watch our cheering squads compete and to present awards to them during the recent Cheer Challenge Competition. In total, 634 elementary cheerleaders from 48 schools had the opportunity to show off their new uniforms and skills at the Dallas ISD Cheer Challenge Showcase. Go, squads!
Campus Teachers of the Year
As you know, I support our teachers as the most important resource in Dallas ISD, and I am always happy to see them get their due respect. As part of that recognition, the district’s Campus Teachers of the Year have been announced. This is a special honor because the winners are selected by their peers. For the full list of outstanding campus teachers, visit https://www.dallasisd.org/campusteachersoftheyear.
