Subject Expert: SAISD employee resumes Prom season passion project

Expert: Ashley Johnson, application analyst clerk, SAISD Child Nutrition Department, and Founder/President of Project Prom Dress

Springtime means Prom season is here once again. For most schools, this will be the first “real” Prom in three years. Ashley Johnson has made it her mission to make Prom dreams come true with her non-profit “Project Prom Dress.” Founded in 2014 by Johnson and her husband Rodney, Project Prom Dress San Antonio has provided, free of charge, thousands of prom dresses, suits, and shoes to students over the years. 

Johnson can talk about the wonders a positive Prom experience can do for a teenager’s self-esteem. Just the return of a post-pandemic Prom season and what it means to the morale of students and staff is also something Johnson can speak to. 

Johnson and her passion project are inspirational. She knows from first-hand experience the real-life struggles families endure trying to make the Prom experience special for their children. The work collecting clothes for this year’s Proms is well underway. Johnson has a Dress/Suit Pop-Up Shop at Lanier High School on April 23.

Student voice: SAISD elementary student ready for Fiesta Flambeau Parade return as “Little Miss Reina”

Student: Regina Settles, Barkley-Ruiz Elementary 5th-grader

Barkley-Ruiz Elementary 5th-grader Regina Settles is a Fiesta pro. She has been dancing and participating in Fiesta parades since she was 3 years old. Now age 11, Regina is also this year’s “Little Miss Reina” for her dance team, Danza Vida San Antonio Dance Company. She and a team of about 40 dancers will ride a float in this year’s return of the Fiesta Flambeau parade. Regina can speak to the anticipation and excitement of Fiesta parade fever coming back after three years, along with pro tips for riding on a parade float. Because like we said before, this is not her first Fiesta rodeo.

Calendar items

March 26 (Sat) – SAISD hosts food distribution with the San Antonio Food Bank 
9 a.m., Jefferson High School, 723 Donaldson Ave, 78201 
Pre-registration: www.saisd.net/fooddistribution
SAISD is hosting a food distribution in partnership with the San Antonio Food Bank. All SAISD families are welcome. Distribution will take place on a first come, first served basis, while supplies last. 

March 26 (Sat) – SAISD Critical Needs Job Fair 
9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Alamo Convocation Center, 110 Tuleta Drive, 78212 
RSVP: https://saisdcareers.com/events/  
SAISD is hosting a Critical Needs Job Fair to recruit certified teachers in several high
needs areas, including Math, Special Education, Science and Fine Arts. Certified professionals such as Nurses, Librarians and Counselors also are invited to attend. Limited pre-hire opportunities will be offered to qualified individuals.

March 26 (Sat) – Longfellow Middle School cadets join Cesar Chavez March 
9 a.m. to 1 a.m., Downtown San Antonio 
SAISD students from the Longfellow Middle School LOTC will be among the participants in the Cesar Chavez March taking place on the near West side of San Antonio. It’s the first in-person march for this event since 2019. San Antonio City Council approved a measure making Cesar Chavez Day, March 31, an official city holiday. This is the first year that city holiday is recognized.

March 29-30 (Tues-Wed) – Head Start application events
• March 29 (Tues): 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Carroll Early Childhood Education Center, 463 Holmgreen Road, 78220
• March 30 (Wed): 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tynan Early Childhood Education Center, 925 Gulf St., 78202
San Antonio ISD is hosting application events for Head Start students. Each event will be held in the gym. Parents can register students for the 2022-2023 school year. Application requirements include children being 3 or 4 years of age by Sept. 1, 2022, and families must meet income guidelines. For more information, call (210) 554-2410 or apply online at www.saisd.net/Earlychildhood.

March 29 and 31; April 1 (Tues, Thurs, Fri) – Free Tax Preparation at SAISD’s CAST Tech High School
• March 29 and 31 (Tues, Thurs): 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• April 1 (Fri): 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 
CAST Tech High School, 637 N. Main Ave, 78205 
CAST Tech High School is hosting a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site on its campus to help households making $65,000 or less file their income taxes for free. CAST Tech students in Principles of Business, Entrepreneurship, and Practicum of Business classes do the data entry, while supervised by tax experts. The program assisted 146 taxpayers last year and has a goal of 200 this year. For more information, call (210) 554-2700. For a full list of dates and what to bring, visit: https://www.saisd.net/page/article/1089

March 29, 31 (Tues/Thurs) – SAISD Family Power Hour workshops
• March 29 (Tues): 6 p.m. – School Safety
• March 31 (Thurs): 2 p.m. – Behavioral Challenges
Zoom links: https://www.saisd.net/page/parenttraining
The SAISD Family and Community Engagement Office holds free, one-hour parent training workshops on various topics of interest. Sessions held virtually.

March 30 (Wed) – SAISD bus driver job fair
10 a.m.-noon, Transportation Depot, 418 Roland Ave., 78210
Registration: https://saisdcareers.com/events/ 
San Antonio ISD is holding a job fair to recruit bus drivers. Starting pay is $16.75 an hour, with additional consideration for directly related experience. Signing incentives are $1,000 for those with a CDL license and $500 for those without a CDL license. Position comes with paid CDL training and opportunities to earn extra pay through field trips and supplemental work at the bus terminal.

March 30 (Wed) – Author returns to SAISD roots to meet with young writers 
Noon to 2:00 p.m., Young Women’s Leadership Academy, 2123 W Huisache Ave, 78201 
SAISD is proud to welcome award-winning author Alda Dobbs back to the city and schools that sparked her education as a child. Dobbs’ book, “Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna,” was honored as an NPR Best Book of 2021 and a Texas Bluebonnet Master List selection. Dobbs attended SAISD schools Knox Elementary and Harris Middle School. Dobbs will lunch with writers at YWLA, and then present to all students at 1 p.m.

March 31 (Thurs) – SAISD and UTSA host Cyber Threat Defender competition 
10 a.m. to 2 p.m., SAISD Adult Education Center, 1411 Guadalupe, 78207
The SAISD CTE Department is hosting its first Cyber Threat Defender competition for middle school students. Cyber Threat Defender has been described as “Dungeons and Dragons” for cyber security. UTSA is SAISD’s partner and is facilitating this event. Schools participating in the practice tournament include Crockett, Longfellow, Rhodes and Rogers middle schools and Young Men's Leadership Academy. Participation prepares those interested to level up to Cyber Patriot competition, an advanced stage, where the action moves from cards and boards to a fully online cybersecurity competition experience.

April 1 (Fri) – Chief McManus joins “Books & Breakfast” at elementary school 
8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Douglass Elementary School, 318 Martin Luther King Dr, 78203 
“Books and Breakfast” kicks off at 8:30 a.m., with a short presentation for parents. SAPD Chief William McManus will read for students from 8:45 a.m. to 9 a.m. Following the Chief’s story time, families and groups will break out in the gym to complete a reading activity. Students and parents will enjoy their breakfasts while lounging on blankets in an indoor picnic-like setting.