The International Baccalaureate program’s rigor was introduced to the school during the Fall 2014 semester. The program’s curriculum focuses on critical thinking and research development throughout grade school. (Photo by Rasy Ran)
The first week of school kicked off this week and Preston Hollow Elementary was eager to welcome back its students, teachers, and parents on Monday, Aug. 15.
This academic year, Dallas ISD was the second-largest district in Texas to see 140,000 students back in class and also welcomed an estimated 1,400 new teachers. The Dallas ISD superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde, Ed.D. k announced the theme of this school year as “The Year of Opportunity.”
“The first day was amazing because we did open the doors fully to parents all across the school and participating and feeling welcome,” Preston Hollow principal Ginette Suarez said. “You could see the smiles not only from the children but from the parents who were dropping off the kids or helping them get to their classes. The best part of the first week of school was seeing all of the families here.”
Suarez joined Preston Hollow Elementary last May and has been looking forward to this school year all summer along with the rest of the teachers.
“A week leading up to the first week, we all started to get butterflies because the kids are coming back and I remember a couple of teachers texting me that they weren’t able to sleep because they were all excited,” Suarez said.
In addition to the new outdoor learning space, students can anticipate the continuation of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. This curriculum emphasizes fostering a profound international understanding of diverse cultures to contribute to a more compassionate world. The curriculum encompasses eight subjects: languages, history, technology, mathematics, arts, sciences, and physical education. In the program’s fifth year, students will showcase their knowledge through a personal project. Araceli Hernandez, the coordinator of the IB program, collaborates with students, assisting in their development within the program.
“Sometimes Ms. Hernandez comes into the classrooms and she helps with our learning,” fifth-grade student, Matthew Carranza, said. “The first week has been exciting so far because I get to go with my fourth-grade teacher to fifth grade and I like when she makes songs for us to understand our learning.”
