10 Dec 2006
School Named in Honor of Trailblazing African American Educator
DALLAS—Dallas Independent School District officials were joined by community leaders, parents, students, and elected officials Sunday, Dec. 10, for the dedication ceremony of Jimmie Tyler Brashear Elementary School, 2959 South Hampton Road.
Part of an $18 million collaborative project with the City of Dallas, the school adjoins the new Hampton-Illinois Branch Library and serves 823 students from the Kiest Park community. The school is named for Jimmie Tyler Brashear, the first African American administrator employed by Dallas ISD, who was the only African American instructional supervisor in the state of Texas of many years. Brashear held many roles in Dallas ISD as a teacher and administrator, and was instrumental in the creation and organization of the Second Dallas Association for Childhood Education.
Principal Deardra Hayes-Whigham opened the celebration, which included the presentation of colors and pledge by the Brashear Boy Scout troop. Speakers included Dallas ISD Trustee Carla Ranger and Ronald Peace, deputy superintendent-Business Services. Barbara Brashear Carter, Brashear's daughter, spoke about the 38 years of service her mother gave to Dallas ISD and the many contributions she made to education across Texas. The school's choir and dancers performed and a video presentation featured Brashear students. In addition to honoring Brashear, the event also recognized retired teacher Kathryn Lacy Mitchell for whom the school's auditorium has been named.
District 6 Trustee Ranger discussed several of the school's academic initiatives, including the bilingual and ESL programs, full day pre-kindergarten classes, and instructional coaches who support the work of bilingual and reading/language arts teachers. The school is equipped with videoconferencing facilities giving students the opportunity to learn and discuss lessons with other students internationally and receive instruction from experts in various fields.
The 89,000-square-foot school includes 33 core classrooms plus a science lab, computer lab, art and music rooms, media center, auditorium, gymnasium, and cafeteria and kitchen area. The school also has special education and speech classrooms. Outdoors, students can enjoy a paved play court and soccer fields.
Brashear Elementary received students from John W. Carpenter, Margaret B. Henderson, Maria Moreno, and Daniel Webster elementary schools. Students will continue their education at T.W. Browne Middle School and Justin F. Kimball High School.
The construction and design team included program manager, Jacobs/Pegasus; architect, RBDR Architects; and builder, SEDALCO Construction Services.
Brashear is the second of two district schools that share libraries with city residents. Students and faculty of Arcadia Park and Brashear elementary schools use the adjoining branch libraries as their school library. In both ventures, Dallas ISD managed construction of the facilities and is sharing construction and operating costs with the city.
The 2002 Dallas ISD bond program funded a total of 21 new schools, more than 30 major additions and renovations to nearly every campus in the district. Jimmie Tyler Brashear Elementary School is the 12th new school dedication of the 2002 bond program. To date, 15 new schools and 94 of 155 renovations are complete. Thirteen hundred twenty-seven new classrooms have been added across the district with the capacity to serve more than 30,000 students.
The Dallas ISD opened 12 new schools during the 2006-2007 school year. Additional dedication ceremonies are scheduled as follows: