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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.

DISD Final Preparations for Opening

14 Aug 2001

DISD MAKING FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR OPENING WEDNESDAY

Only A Few Schools Have Remaining Facilities Problems

DALLAS—DISD General Superintendent Mike Moses said Tuesday morning that final efforts to prepare the 218 schools within the district are underway, and noted a few exceptions that might not be completed in time for the beginning of the school year on Wednesday morning.

"We've met with building officials from the district, and there are only about four schools at present that have air conditioning issues that we are working diligently to repair before Wednesday morning," Moses said. "Our people are doing the best that they can and responding to the reports from teachers and principals as they come in. We are all doing the best we can to ensure that the learning atmosphere for our schoolchildren is the best it can be."

"We do not want to get in a position of making excuses about why school buildings are not ready for the children on Wednesday, so we won't," Moses said. "However, it is really an unrealistic expectation that everything in all DISD schools is going to be in perfect condition. With 218 schools, many in need of significant repair, it's just a fact that there are going to be problems. We are going to work as promptly as possible to remedy the problems as we are made aware of them."

To help teachers, principals and administrators coordinate efforts to manage facility emergencies and other opening week issues, Moses said he has set up a central command center next to his office that will be staffed for the next week. The phone numbers for the center are:

Parent Hotline 972-925-KIDS (5437)

Transportation-Regular 972-925-3240

Transportation-Special Ed 972-925-3241

Food Services 972-925-3242

Personnel 972-925-3243

Special Education 972-925-3244

Overall Facilities Support 972-925-3245

Enrollment Boundaries (Prek-K) 972-925-3246

Maintenance 972-925-3247

School Operations/Summer School 972-925-3248

Safety and Security 214-932-5627

Student Transfers/Desegregation 972-925-3270

Health Services 972-925-3386

"The hotlines are set up to report issues and to help field questions parents might have about the new school year," Moses said. "We invite anyone with questions to call the numbers available, and we will do everything possible to help."