Working together earns Reinhardt ‘A’ rating

By Andy Morgan

The halls and classrooms are quiet now at Reinhardt Elementary in East Dallas, but the 2025-26 school year will be one for the books.

Reinhardt kicked off the school year with news of an A rating by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), just one of three East Dallas elementary schools to receive that distinction.

TEA also recognized the school with accolades for reading/language arts, mathematics, science plus a top 25 percent honor in academic growth.

Elisa Morrissey, who’s been Reinhardt principal for three years, credits the school’s recent success to a team effort by the faculty, staff, parents and local community.

“It takes a village,” she said. “It’s everyone working together to have our students and our school be successful.”

In recent years, volunteers from the neighborhood, St. John’s Episcopal Church and the East Dallas Exchange Club are making a difference, Morrissey said.

In addition to the TEA’s top rating, Reinhardt’s robotics team of fourth, fifth and sixth graders placed first at a regional competition. That win enabled them to participate in the world competition earlier this year in St. Louis.

“We really all work together,” School Counselor Ellen Gutt said. “This truly is a community here. We don’t have a large PTA and we don’t have a large faculty base. We’re a smaller school. So, when we want something done, we all have to be a part of it.”

Kim Dearman, who leads St. John’s efforts at Reinhardt, said the church decided to make Reinhardt an important part of its community outreach because the church started in the Reinhardt community. St. John’s inaugural service in 1946 was held at Reinhardt Elementary, with two tables pushed together for a makeshift altar.

“Now, we’re their go-to if they need something,” she said. “I’ve told them just let us know, because there’s a lot of things we can help with.”

Dearman said the church and its volunteers have assisted with the school’s courtyard by building picnic tables and planting flowers and ferns. They’ve given new printers to teachers, donated snacks and sodas, provided food pantry items and contributed furniture for a teachers’ lounge.

Last winter, St. John’s hosted a school holiday party with decorations and food at the church’s parish hall, Dearman said. And recently, St. John’s volunteers put on a barbeque for the teachers.

Church members Amy Maceo, Charity Cornelius, Patty Boren, Judy Williams, Laura Eyres and the Men’s Camping Group all have helped in the Reinhardt efforts. 

Wilson Schoellkopf said the Exchange Club each year contributes “block grants” to Reinhardt and 11 more East Dallas schools. Last year, the club gave $15,000 grants to each school.

The Exchange Club was started in 1948 to serve East Dallas public schools and their students. At Reinhardt, the club contributed the funds to update the school’s courtyard, said Schoellkopf, who’s also a member at St. John’s.

The entire St. John’s congregation did a needs drive last summer for Reinhardt and will again this summer. “We want the school to know that they have a friend at St. John’s,” Dearman said. 

Morrissey’s experience and leadership have also been a contributing factor. She’s been a teacher and assistant principal in the Dallas Independent School District for nearly 20 years. The district named her the Teacher of the Year in 2018.

Morrissey said the school’s faculty and staff work hard to make parents and children feel safe and welcome. 

“We work with families facing a wide variety of challenges, so we focus on supporting the entire family and ensuring the children receive the emotional care and encouragement they need,” she said.

Dearman, who lives near the school, said the first time she went inside Reinhardt, she was overwhelmed by the “vibrant colors” and just “how nice people were.”

“I could tell they love what they’re doing,” she said. “They have a heart for students.”