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2 Juniors and seniors become mentors

Update your ethnicity and race information in Oracle

Healthandfitnessclub discount offers

3 Do your part to save energy

4 News in brief

Answer the Question of the Week for a chance to win a $25 gift card

Communicator September 2009 | www.dallasisd.org | i | 2 | 6 A newsletter for employees of the Dallas ISD

Theater arts teacher is 2009 Teacher of the Year

J ohn MCColluM, theater arts teacher at Bryan Adams high School, was amazed when he was named the Dallas ISD 2009 Teacher of the Year.

“I do the best job I can,” he said. McCollum—who has been teaching for 34 years,

26 of those in Dallas ISD—attributes his success as a teacher to a lesson he learned in college: “Some of the students know more than I do, and you need to let them do it.”

he knows, for example, that sound and technology are not his areas of expertise, so he gives his students the opportunity to display their knowledge and take possession of the project. Every year, he sets up “offices” in different specialized areas of theater production that give those in them recognition throughout the school.

This approach allows students to find something they can excel at and gain a new level of confidence, which is then reflected in other academic areas.

“Students who are not successful in other classes, manage to find success in his class,” said former Bryan Adams principal Cynthia Goodsell. “one of his students actually wrote a play last year that was pro-duced by [the] high school’s drama department, and subsequently, [the student] received a scholarship to a four-year university. McCollum demonstrates teach-ing excellence on a daily basis. Through theater and theater tech, he supports core academic subjects of language arts and mathematics.”

McCollum’s philosophy of successful teaching also includes not talking down to students but collaborat-ing with them. The collaboration concept extends to giving students the space to learn from each other.

“I share everything. I don’t take offense at suggestions, even from students, if they give them properly. If it’s a better way to do something, I’ll do it.”

john mccollum

theater arts teacher

bryan adams h.s.

“I make the kids learn from each other and lead each other,” he said. “I do it in theater, but I have also done it in math and English because whenever you get a peer to work with [another student] who is strug-gling, you have more success.”

McCollum also collaborates with other teachers and is happy to share methods that have been helpful to him with teachers who are getting their emergency certification or are otherwise new to the profession.

“A lot of them end up using some of the methods I stole from older teachers when I was younger,” he said. “I share everything. I don’t take offense at sug-gestions, even from students, if they give them prop-erly. If it’s a better way to do something, I’ll do it. The other night, I had rearranged a scene and someone had a better idea. We changed it.”

his advice to new teachers: “When things become overwhelming, you have to accomplish what you can and not beat yourself up for what you can’t.”

he says he has seen many teachers through the years question whether they will ever be good teach-ers because they can’t get through all the paperwork that’s required. he tells them to do the best they can, to prioritize, and if they make a mistake, to try again.

McCollum has produced 21 musicals and six full-length plays that have won local competitions and have advanced to the regional level. his students have received about 200 acting awards and a dozen techni-cal awards, and they have moved on to write and pro-duce plays in local theaters.

McCollum received a $5,000 cash award from Cen-tral Market Division of h-E-B.

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Dallas ISD Communicator September 2009 | www.dallasisd.org | i | 2 | 6

Employees must update ethnicity and race information by scheduled deadline

The u.S. Department of Education has ad-opted new guidelines for educational institu-tions to collect data on ethnicity and race.

The new reporting standard will provide a more accu-rate picture of the nation’s ethnic and racial diversity.

As a result of the federal mandate, the Texas Edu-cation Agency is implementing the new criterion starting with the 2009–2010 school year. The new standard allows individuals to be identified in both ethnic and racial classifications and in more than one racial category, if applicable.

Employees are asked to review and update their ethnicity and race information through an online form in Oracle Employee Self-Service by a specific deadline. Employees in School leadership and Ad-ministrative Services, Finance and human Resourc-es, Teaching and Learning, Office of Professional Re-sponsibility, and Internal Audit should have already completed their ethnicity and race form. Employees in the Superintendent of Schools and Superinten-dent’s learning Community divisions should have their online form completed by oct. 2. Employees who missed the deadline still can update their eth-nicity and race information until oct. 15.

Beginning oct. 16, if an employee’s form is not completed, the timecard approver and/or manager will perform observer identification and complete the form for the staff member. Additional informa-tion can be found by contacting the Employee Ser-vice Center at (972) 925-4200 or at http://inet.dallasisd.org/depts/mis/peims_ethnicityrace.htm.

Dallas ISD juniors and seniors become mentors

T hiS PaST SummER, ninth-grade students got some help adjusting to

high school through Transitions, a program that was implement-ed for the 2009–2010 school year at Dallas ISD’s 22 compre-hensive high school campuses. A generous $100,000 grant from the AT&T Foundation funded freshman camps in August.

As part of the program, hun-dreds of Dallas ISD juniors and seniors received mentor training in preparation for help-

ing freshmen understand the importance of academics and student involvement in clubs and organizations and how to navigate their school. Every freshman was assigned an up-perclassman as a big brother or sister to help them navigate their campus their first year.

The program was piloted last year at four high school cam-puses: David W. Carter, Sunset, W.T. White, and Woodrow Wil-son. This year all high school campuses participated.

SavE on hEalTh anD fITnESS mEmbErShIpSa variety of health and fitness clubs offer discounted memberships for benefits-eligible Dallas ISD employees to participate in through payroll deduction. For more infor-mation, contact the health clubs directly.

• Texas health Club, 800 Main Street; (214) 761-6300

(www.thetexasclubfitness.com)

• The premier place, 5910 n. Central Expressway;ß (214) 624-5800

(www.lifetimefitness.com)

• baylor/Tom landry fitness Center, 411 n. Washington St.; (214) 820-2791 (www.baylortomlandryfitnesscenter.com)

• YmCa, 601 n. Akard; (214) 954-0500 (www.ymcadallas.org)

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Dallas ISD Communicator September 2009 | www.dallasisd.org | i | 2 | 6

E vERYThInG IS going green—green buildings, green jobs. People are shop-ping green, eating green, and living

green—recycling, reusing, and reducing in hopes of creating a healthy, more efficient, and sustainable environment.

The Dallas ISD is part of this trend. new schools are being built, and existing schools are being renovated using high efficiency heat-ing and cooling systems and recycled construc-tion materials. School campuses are benefiting from water efficient landscapes, community gardens, and tree planting projects.

But the district, right now, is not green when it comes to saving energy through day-to-day operations. The help of its employees is needed to turn that around.

“Energy efficiency isn’t just about be-ing green, it’s more about consumption and waste,” said Michael Brown, executive director

– Facilities Services. “It’s how to make small changes in your daily routine to use less and waste less, and, in the end, save the district and taxpayers money.”

The Dallas ISD processes about 1,800 utility bills—electricity, water, and gas—a month that add up to about $40 million per year. To help reduce energy usage and thus reduce energy costs, the district has introduced an energy management program that includes:

• operation blackout: Scheduling set times to shut down exterior lighting at schools and athletic complexes

• hvaC set point adjustment: Establish-ing standardized heating and cooling tempera-ture set points at district buildings

• hvaC shutdown: Scheduling hvAC sys-tems to shut down one hour prior to the end of the school day/workday

The next step is to get employees to become proactive in saving energy.

“If every teacher would turn off the lights in his or her classroom when not in use, or if central employees would turn off the lights when they leave their office for lunch, meet-ings, and at the end of the day, the district could save thousands of dollars in energy costs,” said Brown.

According to some energy studies, leaving a computer running 24 hours a day every day costs, on average, about $77 per year. If at least half of the district’s workforce, about 10,000 employees, has a computer, the cost to the dis-trict is $770,000 a year. Putting the computer in sleep mode overnight costs, on average, $24 per year or $240,000 for 10,000 computers. Shutting it down completely reduces costs even more.

Employees must do their part to save energy“If every teacher would turn off the lights in his or her classroom when not in use, or if central employees would turn off the lights when they leave their office for lunch, meetings, and at the end of the day, the district could save thousands of dol-lars in energy costs.”

—michael brown

exective director

facilities services

Before leaving for the day, employees are asked to turn off office equipment—computers, monitors, printers, scan-ners, copiers, and fax machines—and any other electronic devices used, such as radios, CD players, coffee pots, and fans. Adapters plugged into outlets use energy even if they are not charging, so unplug them from wall outlets. Also make sure to shut any windows that have been opened and turn off desk lamps and overhead lights.

If there’s a leaky faucet or any source of water loss, the temperature in a room is too hot or too cold, or there’s a window or door that doesn’t close tightly, report it to the building’s facility supervisor or the main office. unless someone is made aware that energy is being wasted, no one will know to have the problem fixed.

“The idea behind the district’s plan for energy efficiency is for employees to be comfortable while performing their work duties and to take responsibility for energy use,” said Sam Jackson, engi-neer – Energy Management. “By taking a few extra steps, every employee can help save energy and save money.”

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Dallas ISD Communicator September 2009 | www.dallasisd.org | i | 2 | 6

news in briefDISTrICT prEparES for ThE fluThe district, in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Dallas County health and human Services, is preparing for a potential challenge this fall dealing with h1N1 influenza. Specific steps are being taken to protect students and staff from the flu, with the goal being to minimize disruption of learning activities at every campus. For information about the district’s plan and how to protect yourself and your family from the flu, visit www.dallasisd.org/parents/flu.

EmploYEE onlInE DIrECTorY avaIlablE on mYDallaSISDThe online employee directory can be found on MyDallasISD at http://inet.dallasisd.org/directories. Employees can update their work telephone numbers, locations, fax numbers, box numbers, and room numbers using oracle’s DISD Employee Self-Service. updates in work telephone numbers provided by employees also are used to redirect calls that come into the district’s main tele-phone line, (972) 925-3700.

unITED WaY CampaIgn kICkS off oCT. 1The district’s 2009

united Way campaign will kick off oct. 1 and run through Oct. 30. Principals and department heads should have received information about this year’s challenge goal and how your campus or depart-ment can qualify to receive the humanitarian Award for outstanding giving. To donate to united Way, employees will use the DISD Gift Enrollment feature of oracle’s DISD Employee Self-Service.

oCTobEr DaTES To rEmEmbEr• oct. 2: Elementary Fair Day (regular school day

for secondary students and teachers)• Oct. 5: alternative Certification information

Session, 6:30 p.m., hillcrest high School• Oct. 9: Secondary Fair Day (regular school day

for elementary students and teachers)• Oct 12: high School Parent Conferences, 4–8 p.m.• Oct. 13: middle School Parent Conferences, 4–8 p.m.• Oct. 15: Elementary School Parent Conferences,

4–8 p.m.• Oct. 16: lee Denim Day (district’s observance)• Oct. 23: Early Release Day

Don’t forget to submit your answer to the Question of the Week and get your chance to win a $25 gift card from Chili’s Grill and Bar, Maggiano’s Little Italy, or On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina. To participate, go to MyDallasISD at http://inet.dallasisd.org.

previous winners (above, from left): • Week 1: martha blount, Special Education• Week 2: vickie hester, John F. Kennedy

learning Center• Week 3: nelida gonzalez, Reinhardt

Elementary School• Week 4: leslie pinkham, Instructional

Technology

For the latest in news and upcoming events, check out the Dallas ISD’s newest production, NewsBeat, at http://www.dallasisd.org/dstv/newsbeat_granicus.html. A new in-stallment is available every two weeks.

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InformationDallas ISD Communicator is published monthly by Communication Services, news and Information Services

3700 Ross Ave.Dallas, TX 75204-5491(972) 925-3700www.dallasisd.org

michael hinojosa, Ed.D.Superintendent of Schools

Board of TruSTeeS

adam medranoPresidentDistrict 8

lew blackburn, ph.D.First Vice PresidentDistrict 5

Carla rangerSecond Vice PresidentDistrict 6

leigh ann EllisSecretaryDistrict 3

Edwin flores, ph.D, J.D.District 1

Jack loweDistrict 2

nancy binghamDistrict 4

Jerome garzaDistrict 7

ron priceDistrict 9

Dallas ISD Communicator September 2009 | www.dallasisd.org | i | 2 | 6

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click here to take the survey now!

hp anD nba TEam up To EnhanCE STuDEnTS’ SkIllSDallas Maverick guard Jason Terry took time to encourage students during a recent visit to Alex W. Spence Middle learning Center as he delivered computers and printers to the school and encouraged students to stay in school.

Terry’s visit was part of the hP Digital assist educational grant competition, a nationwide program that partners hP with the nBA in an effort to enhance students’ math, science, and reading skills.

The hP Digital assist competition invites student teams to create sports or basketball-themed digital media projects that demonstrate their knowledge of math, science, or read-ing. The competition runs through nov. 20 and will include students from selected Title 1 public schools. More than $80,000 in prizes will be awarded.