Newsletter
Winter Quarter
NEA-Dallas Board of Directors
President Delna Bryan
Vice President Sheila Walker
VP of Teacher Affairs Hope Lee
VP of DISD ESPs Carmen Behrend
Secretary Vivian Bryant
Treasurer Angela Davis
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
GREETINGS DEAR NEA-DALLAS MEMBERS;
Happy New Year! The Twilight Express Train is speedily moving along with
Semester II in focus here in our wonderful Dallas ISD school district. We have
returned to our students with all the renewed energy and purpose after
regrouping and reenergizing ourselves over the Winter Break.
We are in the full swing of teaching our students to walk with a purpose
because they just might collide with their destiny. They must be prepared for
that future, and that is why we are all touching their lives at this interval.
Whether I am a teacher, a counselor, an administrator, a nurse, a community
liaison, a secretary…whatever you may be because you are cognizant of the
fact that we are all inclusive at NEA-Dallas…you are touching a student’s life
each day at school. Some of the students already have all the pressures of
TELPAS, STAAR, ACPs, and AP Exams on their minds. We are here to make
them successful! There is no doubt in our minds that we came in to finish the
2019-2020 school year strong. Our students will excel at all the assignments
and tests given to them.
We have not spoken since the massive tornado that destroyed some of our
homes and schools on October 20, 2019. Our organization would like to
express our deepest regrets to those members who lost so much during that
destruction. We also, would like to thank Dallas ISD for being so supportive of
all their employees who were affected in one way, or another by the ten
tornadoes (we later found out that it was not one, but ten) that night.
Most of all, we would like to congratulate our friends who were involved with
their students in the mass moving from one campus to another across town,
and all done without a major hitch in what was outlined for them to do. The
level of expertise as well as the logistics that had been worked out made the
entire plan work.
In closing, I would like to reiterate the initial greeting of a Happy New Year to
one and all! We will join hands in harmony and unity as educators to all work
diligently with our students to produce that Strong Public School in Dallas ISD
where all students are triumphing! Happy Semester II to all of you!
Delna
My Story: Karen Craft
My name is Karen Craft, I have worked for Dallas Independent School District for 21
years. I started as a Food Service Assistant in the Food Service Department at Martin
Luther King Learning Center where I worked for three years. Success came after only
one year later when I became a supervisor trainee, and later prompted to a Supervisor
at John J. Pershing Elementary. After three years. At Pershing, I spent 15 years as a
supervisor at Thomas Jefferson High School. Last year, I was promoted to my present
position as a Specialist II in Procurement at Food and Child Nutrition Services.
As a single mother, it was important to work the same hours that my son attended
school. At the time, the most practical solution was employment with a school district.
Now, 21 years later, my son has grown up and graduated in 2009, I still love working
for the school district and students. I initially came to work for the district because of my
son, but now I stay because of other peoples’ sons and daughters.
I was raised a Teamster since my father was a member of a union while working for
Safeway Inc. for 30 plus years. So, I knew when I started working for a company that
had unions I had to join, “once a Teamster always a Teamster.” During my career, I
have belonged at one time or another to a union. Since I have been with the district, I
have belonged to all 3 unions: Local 100, Alliance AFT, and now I am a member of
NEA-Dallas, an affiliate of the National Education Association and Texas State
Teachers Association. The main reason I joined NEA-Dallas is that for several years
now our enrollment in the unions had been dropping and one reason is due to the mass
exodus of teachers from public education. When charter schools open, teachers leave,
retire, and younger and new teachers coming into in public education, do not replace
them in the union.
As stated on the website, NEA is committed to good public schools for all students. As
a tax funded schools, Charter Schools are not held to the same safeguards and high
standards of accountability, transparency and equity as public schools. In addition,
employees of charter schools do not enjoy due process, benefits and contractual
support as charter school employees. These are the benefits that unions build.
Knowing your union is supporting Public Schools first made it a no brainer on which
union I needed to be a part of.
Another reason that I joined NEA Dallas is because Ms. Delna Bryan was elected the
local president in 2017. When she taught at Thomas Jefferson High School it was a
privilege to know her. Ms, Bryan always supported cafeteria workers, other support
persons, and teachers. I decided to switch unions because I knew she would be a
voice for the support staff. Ms. Bryan advocates for all members by attending school
board meetings, speaking up for the little people, as well as the teachers. I know it will
take more support staff joining NEA-Dallas to get more action taken, but I really hope
that I can show all Support Staff, Food Service, Teacher Assistants, Custodians,
Security Staff, and School Clerks that it takes a village to move mountains. So, if we
want change/move the mountain in front of us, we need everyone to join and let their
voice, be a voice in NEA-Dallas.
I am a Proud Product of Public Schools! I teach at a Public School!
Yes, I am! Yes, I am! Yes, I am! I am a proud product of our Public Schools. Now, I
teach in a Public School. The same quality education that I had gotten in the Public
Schools is what I have been proud to inculcate in all my students in the Public Schools
in Dallas.
My teachers had a passion to teach me. I have a passion to teach my students. The
Public Schools teachers all had high expectations of me. What was demanded of me at
the Public Schools was also expected of me at home. I had to attend school. I had to
learn what was being taught, read, study. I had to do homework, take the tests, prepare
for my future.
Public Schools prepared me to go on to college because that was my choice. The
Public Schools prepared me to take the SAT, to speak and write eloquently.
Public Schools prepared me to speak and write fluently and with ease in two languages
with few grammatical errors.
I will reiterate here that I am the Proud Product of Public Schools and I teach at a
Public School! Yes, I am!
Delna L. Bryan
AP Spanish Teacher
Young Men’s Leadership Academy @ Fred Florence Middle School
[REMINDERS]

1/1-3/2020 Winter Break

DISD & NEA-Dallas will be CLOSED
TSTA Help Center 1-877-ASK-TSTA
1/6/2020 Student Holiday / Staff Development
1/9/2020 DISD Board Briefing @ 11:30 am NEA-Dallas www.NEADALLAS.com
1/13/2020 Parent Teacher Conferences (Grades 9 - 12) 6500 Greenville Avenue, Suite 520 www.TSTA.org
Dallas, Texas 75206 www.NEA.org
1/14/2020 Parent Teacher Conferences (Grades 6 - 8)
1/16/2020 Parent Teacher Conferences (Grades PreK - 5) Monday – Friday
8:30 am – 5:00 pm
1/20/2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Lunch Break 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
DISD & NEA-Dallas will be CLOSED
[Closed Saturday, Sunday & all DISD holidays]
TSTA Help Center 1-877-ASK-TSTA
TSTA Help Center 1-877-ASK-TSTA
1/23/2020 DISD Board Meeting @ 6 pm
1/25/2020 NEA-Dallas General Membership Meeting
6500 Greenville Avenue, Suite 520
Dallas, TX 75206
10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Janna Connolly Raya Staley
TSTA Staff Office Manager
(469) 952-7288 – cell (214) 821-2061
jannac@tsta.org officemanager@logixonline.com

2/11/2020 DISD Board Briefing @ 11:30 am NEA-Dallas neadallas1

2/14/2020 Student Holiday / Staff Development TSTA Help Center

2/15/2020 NEA-Dallas General Membership Meeting 1-877-ASK-TSTA
6500 Greenville Avenue, Suite 520 www.TSTA.org
Dallas, TX 75206
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Important remaining dates in the Dallas ISD 2019–2020 calendar
2/17/2020 President’s Day BY THE HUB ON JANUARY 6, 2020 INSIDE DALLAS ISD

DISD & NEA-Dallas will be CLOSED

TSTA Help Center 1-877-ASK-TSTA Under the approved Dallas ISD 2019–2020 calendar, the school year
started for students on Aug. 19, included a full week off for Thanksgiving,
2/27/2020 DISD Board Meeting @ 6 pm
and ends for students on May 27.
Here are the remaining important dates for the Dallas ISD calendar :
▪ Student/Staff Holiday: Jan. 20
▪ Student/Staff Holiday: Feb. 17

Update on TEI Class Action Lawsuit filed by NEA-Dallas ▪ Dallas ISD Spring Break 2020: March 16–20
▪ Student/Staff Holiday: April 10
On September 18, 2015, DISD teachers received the first district wide TEI scorecards. 80+ NEA- ▪ Inclement Weather Days: April 13 and May 1
Dallas members joined in a grievance filed October 14, 2015. As you will recall, the District ▪ Student/Staff Holiday: May 25
dismissed and denied the grievance back in the Spring of 2016, primarily on the basis that the ▪ Last Day For Students: May 27
grievance was not timely. That is in short, the District stated that the grievance should have been
https://thehub.dallasisd.org/2020/01/06/see-the-approved-dallas-isd-2019-2020-
filed within 10 days of the Board’s approval of the TEI board policy DNA(Local), or within 10 calendar-2/
days of the summative in the spring of 2015.
The Commissioner of Education affirmed the District’s decision in the spring of 2017, and the
case was appealed to the Travis County District Court. That court affirmed the Commissioner in
the spring of 2018. NEA-Dallas appealed the decision of the Travis County District Court to the
Austin Court of Appeals. The Austin Court of Appeals issued a decision, on October 17, 2019,
affirming and reversing the Commissioner. NEA Auto & Home Insurance Program
That decision is available at txcourts.gov/3rdcoa/. Click “Case Search” on the left-hand side. Brandon Watson – (512) 520-7248
Search by Case No. 03-18-00377-CV. bwatson@calcas.com
Sincerely,
Daniel A. Ortiz & Giana Ortiz
 6500 Greenville Ave., Ste 520
Dallas, Texas 75206
(214) 821-2061 office
(214) 821-0219 fax
www.neadallas.com

Dear Region19/NEA-Dallas Member:

It is that time of year again to nominate and elect delegates and alternates to the Region 19 House of Delegates, the TSTA State House of Delegates
and local delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly.
The Region 19 House of Delegates location is to be determined. We will be considering new business items to present at the State HoD in April.
The TSTA House of Delegates will be held in El Paso, TX at the El Paso Marriott in El Paso, April 24-25, 2020. There will be professional development
seminars conducted by TSTA the morning of April 24th. Delegates may want to start planning now for travel expenses to the state convention. The
TSTA convention hotel is the Marriott in El Paso. The hotel’s nightly room rate for members in the TSTA convention room block is approximately $159
for a single or a double, plus taxes. NEA-Dallas will provide one-night double occupancy for ONLY our ELECTED delegates.
The NEA Representative Assembly will be held July 2nd – July 5th in the wonderful city of Atlanta, Georgia. The NEA RA is the world’s largest
democratic decision-making body with upwards of 9,000 delegates in attendance from all over the United States and the world.
It is extremely important that we have our full delegation in attendance for these upcoming events. The future of our organization will be decided there
and each of you will have a vote. If we have delegates that do not attend, then we, here in Dallas, lose valuable input in that decision-making process.
To be on the ballot for these important elections, please fill out the enclosed nomination form and return it to NEA-Dallas (DISD Box 118) through DISD
mail, US Mail (6500 Greenville Ave., Suite 520 Dallas, Texas 75206), via fax (214-821-0219), or in person. We need your nomination form by 4:00pm,
Tuesday, January 21, 2020.
We want to encourage all of you to participate in these important events. This is an opportunity for all of you to become involved in YOUR
organization.
We look forward to receiving your nomination form.
Sincerely,

Delna
Delna Bryan
President, NEA-Dallas

Region 19 House of Delegates

TSTA House of Delegates
NEA Representative Assembly
Nomination Form

Please indicate which HoD you would like to be nominated for by placing a check on the line next to the appropriate HoD.
You may nominate yourself for all three.

_____ Region 19 House of Delegates _____ TSTA House of Delegates _____ NEA Representative Assembly
(TBD) (April 24-25, El Paso, Texas) (July 2nd - July 6th, Atlanta, GA)

(PLEASE PRINT)

NAME:______________________________________________________________________________________________________

WORKSITE:_____________________________________________ EMAIL:_________________________________________________

HOME ADDRESS:____________________________________________________HOME CITY:__________________ STATE:______ ZIP:__________

HOME PHONE:_______________________________ CELL PHONE:_____________________________________

ETHNICITY:__________________________________ POSITION TITLE:___________________________________

I, ______________________________________________________, certify that the above information is correct.

SIGNATURE:_________________________________________________________________DATE:_________________________

All information is REQUIRED to be officially nominated. Return completed form by 4:00 pm on Tuesday, January 21, 2020.

Please return via DISD Mail (BOX 118); via U.S. Mail (6500 Greenville Ave. Suite 520, Dallas, TX 75206) via fax (214-821-0219) or in
person to NEA-Dallas by 4:00pm, Tuesday, January 21, 2020.