Back Talk Lakewood/East Dallas

DISD ethics policy: Participate in the survey to suggest changes

You might remember a few weeks ago when DISD's ethics policy was the subject of a few unfavorable stories: school board chair Jack Lowe was prominently (and unflatteringly) the big star of that imbroglio, since his company, TD Industries, has several million dollars in contracts with DISD — a fact critics (particularly the DMN) found inappropriate. Well, DISD established a committee to look into the ethics policy, and part of that process is distributing a survey to the public asking questions about what the policy should look like. If you'd like to participate in the survey, which will take you probably two minutes tops if you are  pretty quick typist (a few questions ask for a written response), here's the link.

Some things about DISD maybe you didn't know

In 1999, the Dallas ISD had nine exemplary and recognized schools. This school year, more than 100 district schools were ranked exemplary and recognized. (source: http://www.dallasisd.org/)

In 1999, students took the TAAS test.  The more rigorous TAKS test was implemented in 2003 and added a science component.

For those who think that it's affluent Anglos who define a school's success, think again. In 1999, district demographics were: 39% African-American, 49% Hispanic, 9% Anglo and 75% Economically Disadvantaged. Today they are: 30% African-American, 64% Hispanic, 5% Anglo and 84% Economically Disadvantaged. (source: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/aeis/hist/district.srch.html)

Did you know?  I didn't think so, which is why I posted this.

Sent to Balk Talk by Louisa Meyer

Former Dallas Morning News man's movie delves into the faltering newspaper industry

I hear a lot of talk lately — I hate to admit more often and with a hint of satisfaction around circles of magazine and new media people — about the impending demise of the printed newspaper.

Back Talk's Jeff Siegel, on the contrary, has issued several thoughtful posts on this blog about plunging stock prices at Belo and McClatchy (companies that own The Dallas Morning News and Star Telegram, respectively) with a sense of concern. But that's because he is (in his own words) "an old newspaper guy" who gets it.

J.L. Long principal Dr. Jennifer Jones resigns due to health reasons

Bad news for students and parents in the Lakewood-Long-Woodrow feeder pattern: J.L. Long principal Dr. Jennifer Jones has resigned due to health reasons, according to an email passed along from Jennifer Schmieder, Long PTA's vice president. Apparently, Dr. Jones is facing major — but not life-threatening — surgery and felt it would be in the school's best interest for her to step down. Dr. Jones' father is a former Long principal, and she had talked openly about hoping to stay at the school indefinitely. And during the year she led the school — she was the third principal at Long in the four years our two sons attended the school — discipline problems dwindled and student and parent enthusiasm for the school seemed to be on the upswing. DISD expects to appoint an interim principal shortly while also launching a search for a replacement.

HAZE the movie: aims to warn students against binge drinking

It sounds like a beefed-up Real World episode, only with all-too real and tragic consequences, Haze, a documentary presented by The Gordie Foundation will premiere regionally at SMU Sept. 4. Why am I writing about this so far in advance you might ask ... because there are only 50 tickets available to the public. Tickets are free but will not be available for long.

Delving into the issues surrounding the college drinking culture in America, the feature-length film examines the life and death of college freshman Gordie Bailey, whose deadly fraternity initiation ceremony at the University of Colorado gained national media attention in 2004.

Bailey's parents will be in attendance to address the audience — they say they hope the screening and the documentary "will help prevent further tragedies like Gordie’s death and make college campuses a safer place for youth across the country."

50 tickets are available to the general public and will be given out on a first come, first served basis. To reserve tickets, please call The Gordie Foundation no later than August 29th at 214-823-0235, or email contactus@gordie.org.

SMU rowing team leaving Bath House for White Rock Boathouse

While chatting with Roger Kallenberg as we walked his dog around the neighborhood (see "Wall of Sticks", July Advocate), I learned that the SMU rowing team will soon be leaving the Bath House Cultural Center’s basement, where they’ve stored equipment and based practices for several years. 

Here’s the scoop: They’re actually moving from the Bath House to the newly-founded White Rock Boathouse as a part of the Boathouse’s “community of recreational rowers” initiative.  The Boathouse is currently home to the Woodrow Wilson High School rowing team and the Bishop Lynch High School rowing team, as well as quite a few people who just like to row.

No worries for Bath House fans, though; the cultural center is already looking into ways to fill the space. They’re considering everything from a complete renovation of the area to just letting another group lease it for a while.  They’re also looking for ideas from the interested public, so if you’ve got a particularly stellar idea, pick up the phone and give them a ring. 

As for the nature of the parting, Marty Van Cleek from the Bath House promises that the center and the team are definitely still friends.  “We’ve had a great time with them here, and we’ll certainly miss them, but this will be a really good thing for them.  The Boathouse is beautiful, and we’re happy for them.”

This weekend: Harry Potter in Dallas

Hogwarts is coming to the Hilton Anatole in Dallas (minus Dumbledore, mythical creatures and Daniel Radcliffe). From July 10-13, Portus: A Harry Potter Symposium will attract literary scholars and fans from around the world to convene and discuss the remaining mysteries and unanswered questions to the Harry Potter phenom that captured the world’s attention more than a decade ago.

I’m out of practice on my divination skills (my apologies to Professor Trelawney), but instincts tell me that the attendees will “delve into new questions raised as the curtain fell on the seventh and final installment” (or maybe I got a little help from the Portus website). 

For further information and registration details visit the website, and hurry — no spell can save you from missing registration.

Dallas Public Library: A new website, finally

This is somewhat old news. From what I understand, the new website launched in May, but I have to confess that I haven't used the Dallas Public Library website for months because I simply got tired of messing with the out-of-date online catalog. It was easier to make a trip to my local branch and ask a librarian a question, or make a book reservation through her.

But I needed an audio book for a road trip, specifically Stephen Colbert's "I Am America (And So Can You!)". (The audio version is, of course, hilarious, but it does leave out some of the footnotes, margin notes and special features — like stickers — that come with the book. I recommend buying the book and checking out the audio book from the library.)

I ended up requesting the book with a librarian, but I went home and double checked my request online. Lo and behold, everything had changed.

This is somewhat old news. From what I understand, the new website launched in May, but I have to confess that I haven't used the Dallas Public Library website for months because I simply got tired of messing with the out-of-date online catalog. It was easier to make a trip to my local branch and ask a librarian a question, or make a book reservation through her.

But I needed an audio book for a road trip, specifically Stephen Colbert's "I Am America (And So Can You!)". (The audio version is, of course, hilarious, but it does leave out some of the footnotes, margin notes and special features — like stickers — that come with the book. I recommend buying the book and checking out the audio book from the library.)

I ended up requesting the book with a librarian, but I went home and double checked my request online. Lo and behold, everything had changed.

DISD incompetence: Par for the course or a breath of fresh air?

The News did a follow-up story on the recently released DISD audit, and the story raises an interesting question: Is finding "incompetence" at DISD good news or bad? The story looks at both sides of that question. Those who think it's good news believe that Supt. Michael Hinojosa now has the ammunition he needs, as well as the funding, to solve this problem for the most part in the next couple of years. Those who think the audit means bad news for DISD seem to believe that uncovering incompetence at DISD isn't that difficult, has been done plenty of times in the past, and just shows that the goofs running the asylum now are no different from the many sets of goofs we've had during the past 20 years. As I said before here, DISD's biggest problem has been too many leaders lasting only a year or two or three, giving the incompetent staff there a chance to keep hiding in plain sight while each new leader figures his/her way around the district, only to be gone before being able to take action and be responsible for who works there. If Hinosjosa sticks around another five or 10 years, we won't be able to use that excuse anymore, but right now, it works.

DISD audit released: Time and steady leadership needed now

The long-awaited DISD audit is finally out, and — surprise, surprise — the auditors found out that DISD's finance/accounting department is a mess, according to the DMN story. It's too bad it cost a couple of million dollars to find that out, again (same song, second verse, from the 1999 audit), but there you have it: A school district (or any business, for that matter) that changes leaders every couple of years is bound to have problems keeping track of its money, along with just about everything else.

Which is why the audit conclusions are no big surprise. And which is why it's time for DISD to solve this problem, once and for all (or at least until the next couple of superintendents take over...). Anyway, Supt. Michael Hinojosa looks to be staying around for awhile, and he's pledging to do what it takes to clean things up. All that needs to happen now is that the board needs to give him the money and rope necessary to hire quality people to run the department, reorganize the ways things operate and get started on the right path — a path the auditors and other finance people seem to think will take 3-5 years. And that's only going to be possible if Hinojosa stays around even longer than that — long enough to see the job through, minimizing the inevitable turnover that happens when the guy in charge keeps being turned over. Let's hope the board sees things that way, too.