CI North Newsletter

A digital publication to keep parents, students, and the community engaged and up to date on the latest events at Career Institute North.

Jean Laswell

Welcome back, everyone!

I hope this newsletter finds you well after our winter freeze. With temperatures reaching zero and below, our skilled workers have become our latest heroes! The freezing temperatures led to a multitude of repairs, in our homes, and in our schools, and businesses. Thanks to our linemen, plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, and construction workers, we have been able to rebound from the adversity and move forward.

Electrical power outages and broken equipment were the focus of hundreds of electricians, many coming from neighboring states to help get power flowing again to homes and businesses. HVAC Technicians worked day and night to bring comfort back to many homes as heat-generating units failed from the strain of freezing temperatures. Skilled plumbers are continuing to repair broken pipes and lines that could not withstand the extended freeze. Construction workers are busy repairing roofs, walls, ceilings, floors, and other damages related to the worst winter storm in decades.

All the more reason we need Career Institute North! We are preparing the next generation of plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, and construction workers. So, when the next disaster strikes, we will be ready to support our community and continue to make it the best place to live, work and thrive.

By: Memo Michel

Started his professional electrical trade career in 2013 as an electrical apprentice in May 2013 at Humphrey & Associates, Inc. Later on he started an apprenticeship school at Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) in January 2014 and graduated from IEC in May 2017. He became a Journeyman Electrician after completing 8,000 On-The-Job hours and passing the state licensing exam in October 2017. He has been able to work on several important projects including major companies across the DFW area.

Mr. Taylor also combines his teaching and professional electrical career with the very exciting sport of Professional wrestling. He began training at Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) in Louisville, KY in January 2005. Then when he relocated to the D/FW metroplex, Mr. Taylor began wrestling for the Christian Wrestling Federation (CWF) in Rockwall in August 2006. Holding the CWF championship and CWF tag team titles on multiple occasions wrestling in several modalities including ladder matches, steel cage matches, falls count anywhere, hair vs. hair matches, and has wrestled in shows all over the state of Texas as well as Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Maryland. But also has seen some International action on mission trips to Nigeria in 2007, Mexico in 2008, and Egypt in 2009

When I asked him why he decided to leave the industry and become a CI North teacher, he responded:

“I decided to become a teacher because I wanted to be able to share not only my electrical trade knowledge to the next generation but also from my own experiences that might possibly help students in preparation for future life decisions.

I have an Associate's degree that I have never used and was truly unaware of the trades as an option for a career. I started in the electrical trade as an apprentice after already being an adult, married, and with a child as well.

I did not have an option like this in high school and to find out this school/program existed in the DFW area definitely interested me in a chance to give more back than was available to me.

In my very short time as a teacher so far, I have found a passion to work with students that I either didn't know existed or has been dormant for years.

My hope for each of my students upon graduation is that through the education and experiences they have at Career Institute North, they would be better prepared for making a decision to either continue in the electrical trade as an apprentice, seek higher education for a career related to the trade, or choose to start working right after high school."

Paxton and Patterson's Construction Trades Areas are ready for student use at CIN!

These stations Provide instructional and engaging hands-on experience for students in construction, HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, computer drafting, and blueprint reading pathways. Exposure to these real-world job skills allows students to utilize industry-standard tools and equipment as they explore careers in the construction industry from Blueprint reading to finish carpentry skills.

During this second cycle, our CIN students are focused on rigorous Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Training in their various pathways. Our pathway teachers complement the online training with various instructional activities and one-on-one support to ensure student success. The 10-hour modular course covers general safety and health hazards for entry-level workers. The OSHA certification is a requirement for our freshmen to ensure they grasp job-safety basics before they start handling industrial tools in the workshops and prepare them for the workplace. So far, 153 students (53%) have successfully completed OSHA online training and earned their OSHA Certifications. Congratulations to those students.

Click here to continue your OSHA 10 Certification course.

One of the most powerful ways to prepare a child for success in life is through regular school attendance. Covid-19 has led to an increase in the number of absent students; CIN experiences chronic student absence. It has been difficult for our teachers to teach the class and build their students' skills when most of their students are absent. A missed day is a lost opportunity for students to learn. Students who attend school regularly have been shown to achieve at higher levels than students who do not have regular attendance. Career Institute North is Welcoming, Conducive, Friendly, Enabling, and Safe learning environment; encourage your children to regularly attend school either in-person or on-line for better performance. Help us to help your children.

We are staying vigilant in our efforts to keep our campus and families safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are still requiring that everyone who enters the school must be wearing a mask properly over their nose and mouth. Temperature checks are performed on every individual and those exhibiting a temperature over 100.1 must go home. Staff may request COVID-19 rapid tests at any time and results are available within 15 minutes.

Symptomatic students may be tested as well if they have parental permission to do so before leaving campus. Contact tracing of staff and students that may have come in contact with a COVID positive individual is taken seriously and those who are identified during the process are sent home to quarantine.

Janitorial staff continues to make hourly rounds cleaning frequently touched surfaces throughout the building.

Germ blast is still being spayed throughout the campus and in every classroom on Saturdays. Self-care stations have been set up at the student entrance to the building, as well as, outside the nurse's office. Students can grab masks, shields, sanitizer, and other personal items they may require. Bottles of hand sanitizer are in every classroom and sporadically throughout campus. Shields are set up on every table and social distancing is still required. We are working hard to keep everyone healthy and present during this trying time. We are open to all suggestions on improving efforts and maximizing the effectiveness of these strategies. Any health-related questions regarding the students and Career Institute North are encouraged and can be answered by emailing me at Jenbarrett@dallasisd.org. Thank you for your cooperation and continued support as we keep health a top priority on our campus and in the district.

Tips for staying safe during this Covid-19 era:

1. Wipe down your immediate surroundings before you start your day and when you leave.

2. Wash your hands!

1. Before and after you use the bathroom.

2. After you sneeze or cough

3. Before and after you eat.

4. If your hands are visibly soiled.

3. Use sanitizer.

1. After touching any surface outside of your immediate surrounding

2. After touching someone else

3. After sharing items with someone else.

4. Social distance. Keep a distance of 6 feet between yourself and others.

5. Cover your cough/sneeze with the inside crease of your elbow. If you use your hands, make sure to wash

How do you juggle your responsibilities while trying to support your child’s academic, social and emotional needs with online learning?

The following information focuses on understanding stress and anxiety and how to use this information for your benefit and that of your children’s emotional benefit.

Our brain reacts with stress when our lives are not normal, and we can no longer access those mental tools that help us manage our lives in our normal way.

It is important to recognize signs such as tiredness, anger, confusion, etc. that may make our emotional issues more stressful not only affecting our lives but also the lives of our children.

Strategies that help with understanding yourself:

• Staying on top of your basic needs, rest, food, exercise, and those of your family
• Prioritize some areas of your life to be less stressful and therefore, you and your children will experience less stress
• Set realistic goals and expectations for both you and your children. Focus on what is important to all of you
• Set a routine for you and your family that can work with everyone’s schedule by taking control of the situation without demands
• Get organized and minimize clutter, which will minimize anxiety
• Do something for yourself that you enjoy, like walking, knitting, drawing, building, and the joy will spread throughout the family
• Use positive self-talk to change your mood and focus on what you are grateful for and what you appreciate. Mentor positive self-talk for your children
• Remember to breathe deeply, which helps to release stress and anxiety

Pointers:

• If we are stressed or anxious, our children’s reactions become anxious. Take care of yourself and you will be taking care of your children.
• Ask for HELP when you need it and in turn, give help when you can as we are all in this together.

A very special recognition to our lead custodian Mr. James Williams, who was present at our facility all the time during the winter storm, making sure everything was working properly. Around the district, more than 90 schools were affected by burst water pipes and electrical problems. Thankfully at CI North nothing bad happened and we are ready to receive all of our students safely.

To all our students,

It is really important for you to be on time to be picked up in the mornings at your home campus so you can be at the Career Institute North when the bell rings to start your classes in a timely manner.

We would like to remind parents and students that our buses are the only ones authorized to transport students from home campuses to the institute and to take them back to their home campuses. Students cannot drive themselves to the institute due to parking restrictions and safety concerns.

It is mandatory for students to wear their ID badges while on campus. Student Badges at CIN are color-coded based on their home campus. ID badges are used to identify a person, the badge that our students wear shows that they belong to our campus. Students must wear their badges as they enter the campus. ID badges should be easily seen. Staff at the entrance will always check for your ID badges daily. School badges help ensure the safety and security on our campus and it promotes career readiness in all our students.

Spread the word about Career Institute North and the coming pathways for the 2021-2022 school year. Career Institute North is for everyone! Feel free to complete the form below to start the selection process for your technical career or pathway while you are in high school.

www.dallasisd.org/cin

If you have any questions give us a call, or reach us through our multiple social media outlets, email, and visit our website.

Email: cinorth@dallasisd.org
Website: www.dallasisd.org/cin
Location: 13420 Midway Road, Dallas, TX, USA
Phone: 972-502-7000
Facebook: facebook.com/DISDCIN
Twitter: @DISDCIN