The Duncanville ISD Board of Trustees hosted a regular board meeting on May 17, 2021. A video recording of the meeting will be available on the district website under Board of Trustees. Information shared and decisions made include the following:
Board of Trustees Approve Hire of New Director of Professional Development
The Duncanville ISD Board of Trustees approved the hire of Dr. Tamara Liddell who will serve as the new Director of Professional Development. Dr. Liddell brings more than 20 years of experience to the district. Her expansive knowledge comes from experience working with Title I, public, private and charter schools and in collegiate settings. She most recently served as an elementary school principal in Mansfield ISD. Dr. Liddell has developed and implemented initiatives that promote the retention of highly qualified teachers and uses best practices to recruit and retain exemplary teachers. Dr. Liddell has a Doctorate in Education from Texas Wesleyan University, a master’s degree from the University of Mississippi and a bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University.
Dedicated Staff Member Receives Bus Driver of the Year Award
The Property Casualty Alliance of Texas (PCAT) has named Duncanville ISD bus driver Felicia Witcher as the District Bus Driver of the
Year. The Transportation Department’s route supervisor Vicki Bryant nominated Ms. Witcher and said that Ms. Witcher has established excellent relationships with her students and their parents. Ms. Witcher is always willing to lend a helping hand and help the department run more smoothly. Ms. Witcher will advance to be considered for the Texas Statewide PCAT Award.
District Introduces New Virtual Instruction Program
Duncanville ISD is planning to establish a fully online program of choice for selected students in grades 11 and 12 for the 2021-2022 school year.
The launch of this virtual program is dependent upon decisions being made at the state level that will determine if virtual learning will be approved and funded for the next school year.
If the state allows, the Choice Virtual Instruction Program (VIP) will give high school juniors and seniors who have done well in an online learning environment the opportunity to continue to learn virtually.
Students will attend school 100% remotely for the school week. Teachers who support the VIP program will teach virtual students in separate class periods exclusively offered for remote learners. Some teachers may teach remote online classes and also a few in-person classes at separate times. Course schedules will vary.
Enrollment will be limited to 200 students. Eligibility will be based upon a student’s grades, attendance and behavior and whether college readiness standards and graduation requirements are on track to be met.
Students enrolled in
Collegiate Academy, P-TECH and T-STEM are not eligible for the Choice Virtual Instructional Program. The VIP is not recommended for students who participate in other programs that require in-person learning activities.
Students will be allowed to participate in extracurricular programs outside of the regular school day as long as they provide their own transportation.
For more information and to apply, click here.
Superintendent’s Report
Duncanville ISD Superintendent Dr. Marc Smith began his report with the latest issue of the district magazine, “Inspire.” This issue features district leaders who are paving the way in academics, fine arts and athletics. To view the digital version of “Inspire,” go here.
Dr. Smith also discussed Duncanville High School Collegiate Academy’s first graduating class. The Collegiate Academy has proven to be a high-achieving program for students and has created opportunities students may not otherwise have access to. This year’s first graduating class has amassed nearly $3 million in scholarships so far, including senior Lesleigh Taylor who is one in 300 students who received the Gates Scholarship. Lesleigh also received a $70,000 scholarship from Vanderbilt University, which she will attend in the fall.
Dr. Smith continued highlighting student excellence with the fourth year of “Superintendent’s Scholars,” a program recognizing students in grades 8-12 who have achieved outstanding scores on college readiness assessments, such as the SAT and AP exams. This year, 99 students were recognized at a banquet celebrating their academic achievements. To learn more about “Superintendent’s Scholars,” click here.
The Inspiring Leadership Academy (ILA) graduated their latest cohort of Duncanville ISD professionals. The ILA is a program designed for the district to grow our own leaders within our schools and create a pathway to administrative leadership positions within the district. The district currently has principals and assistant principals who are ILA graduates.
Dr. Smith concluded his report with the success of “Read Across the ‘Ville,” a districtwide literacy event hosted by the English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) Department. The event, coordinated by ELAR coordinators Ashley Evans and Kristi Mullins, included a book drive where students of all ages were invited to receive a free book and a live virtual event on the district’s YouTube channel. “Read Across the ‘Ville” received local news coverage, and more than 600 people logged in to view the live event with more than 700 live chat messages. To view the “Read Across the ‘Ville” live video, click here.
Other Items
The board agenda items can be found here.
Approved minutes from the April 19 board meeting
Approved financial report for March 2021
Approved budget amendments for March 2021
Approved Edugence contract renewal
Approved Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS) appraisal calendar for the 2021-2022 school year exceeding $50,000
Approved Acton Leadership Academy – districtwide Panther mascot and delegation of purchasing authority for school action funds purchases exceeding $50,000
Approved RFP 20-21 all-inclusive printing service
Approved purchase of Avtec Scout Dispatch Communication Platform
Approved interlocal agreement with the City of Dallas for police services
Approved marketing purchases
Approved Duncanville Choice Virtual Instruction Program
Approved College Board exam feed exceeding $50,000
Discussed update on JROTC Program
Discussed strategic plan and portrait of a graduate 2021-2026
Discussed update on COVID-19 plan and efforts