DeSoto ISD is helping its school community come back from COVID-19 better and stronger thanks to a United Way program, funded through an $897,000 grant from the Texas Instruments Foundation in partnership with Educate Texas.
The program—called Heal, Play, Learn—is designed to encourage students’ social and emotional wellness, physical activity and engagement with the arts and sciences after more than a year of pandemic-related learning disruption and limited in-person activities. Following the challenges of COVID-19, there is a heightened need to better prepare students to practice self-management, self-efficacy, social awareness and decision-making skills, while also reigniting their critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration and creativity.
The grant from the TI Foundation will meet those needs through Heal, Play, Learn, which will deliver summer academic and enrichment programming and continue into the fall.
Thanks to the funding and support offered to DeSoto ISD via United Way’s Heal, Play, Learn initiative, DeSoto ISD students and families are invited to attend community social events, which DeSoto ISD is calling “4 Corners,” which will feature free food, fun, games, prizes and more.
“We are just so excited to welcome our families back to DeSoto ISD following a difficult time in our community and across the world,” said DeSoto ISD Superintendent of Schools Dr. D’Andre Weaver. “Thanks to the support of the United Way, our families and staff have the opportunity to come together as a community and celebrate our perseverance of significant time in our lives and experiences and to celebrate a fresh start and a new school year.”
DeSoto ISD families are invited to attend any of the four events which will take place as follows:
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5:30 to 8 pm, June 24 at DeSoto High School
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5:30 to 8 pm on July 8 at West Middle School
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5:30 to 8 pm on July 22 at The Meadows Elementary
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5:30 to 8 pm on August 5 at Katherine Johnson
For more information about the Four Corners events, call the district at 972.223.6666 or direct an email to [email protected].