As the nation's eleventh largest school district, Dallas Independent School District serves more than 160,000 students who come from homes where 58 different languages are spoken. Operating with a $1 billion dollar budget, DISD employs 18,613 employees including 10,000 teachers in 220 schools.
8 Jun 2001
Use of Car for a Year Is Top Prize for Perfect Attendance
It is a known fact that students perform much better academically when their teacher is present reducing disruption to the flow of lessons. However, in a world when many teachers are juggling parental duties and other responsibilities, perfect attendance is a goal that is becoming harder and harder to achieve.
This semester, more than 1,200 DISD teachers met that goal and their hard work and dedication will be recognized at the Teacher Incentive Program celebration at 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 20, at Loos Field House, 3815 Spring Valley Rd. The pilot program, designed to increase teacher attendance, could lead to improved student achievement and reduced substitute teacher costs.
At the ceremony, one teacher's name will be drawn for the grand prize—use for a year of a new Impala or Tahoe donated by Friendly Chevrolet.
Teachers also will be eligible to win prizes donated by local businesses, including savings bonds from Schepps Dairy and Oak Farms, Park Place Motors, Sewell Lexus/Cadillac, Texas Credit Union, Allen Samuel Ford and Metroplex Toyota. Perfect-attendance teachers also will qualify to participate in a drawing for dinner for two passes at many Brinker Restaurants, Dallas Symphony concerts, sports events and a cruise courtesy of Freeman Honda.
In addition, the names of never-absent teachers will be recorded and listed on a "Wall of Honor" in the School Administration Building.