W.T. White High School’s ongoing construction, needed repairs and role in the $12.9 million interim bridge plan took center stage at last night’s Dallas ISD District 1 community forum.

The hour-long forum is one that Trustee Edwin Flores organizes every semester, this time hosting it at W.T. White. “People there had data; people there were engaged; people there knew what was going on, so I was very happy about that,” Flores says.

He spoke only for about 10 minutes at the start of the forum, letting parents’ questions, concerns and suggestions take the forefront of the discussion. Perhaps because of the meeting’s location, construction issues dominated the conversation.

“We still have a lot of needs, and we need to see if we get those met,” Flores says of W.T. White’s facility.

Other attendees emphasized the importance of community involvement, whether it be strengthening connections with Hispanic families or advocating for school improvements. Flores told attendees open communication with the board of trustees is most important.

“Other communities have organized themselves well to do that and have really, believe it or not, been very successful in moving the needle for their community,” he says.