The first day of school is always special, but this year’s return to classes in Dallas ISD on Aug. 11 was greeted with extra fanfare at Arthur Kramer Elementary in Preston Hollow.
How so? Think brightly-colored banners and signs, festive balloon arches, and a uniformed cheer squad.
“I’m still so excited about the first day of school,” said fourth-grade teacher, Earl Wilson. “Student experience is my number one thing, taking the lessons and making them into experiences.”
A 10-year classroom veteran and transplant from Memphis, this will be Mr. Wilson’s first year at Kramer. He sported a specially-selected school bus-print tie for the occasion, and posed for photos with second-grade teacher, Joanna Arce. Ms. Arce has taught all primary school grades in both Mexico and the United States throughout her 15-year career.
“Honestly, I love this age group,” she said. “For me, teaching is all about the students, and how to help them be better people. They spend so many hours here at the school, so it’s very important that they have a familiar face, someone they can trust, and someone they can talk to.”
As an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, Kramer is part of a community of 5,000 schools accredited in a globally-recognized program that focuses on character development alongside core studies. Just before the double doors opened at 7:30 a.m., Principal LeAnna Bentley explained a bit more about this student-centric approach.
“We’re focused on high-quality instruction,” she said. “For our students, that means that they’re really owning their learning and that we have a high level of engagement. On the teacher side, we’re tracking data so that we can personalize that learning and ensure that we’re meeting students’ goals and helping them continue to grow.”
Principal Bentley emphasized that, in recent years, Kramer has grown from an 81 to an 89, or B-plus, on the Texas Education Agency’s rating scale. Shortly after our chat, she joined parents, colleagues, and a smiling squad of Hillcrest High cheerleaders to officially welcome students into the school. Judging by the many bright smiles and high-fives, this year is off to an A-plus start.
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