For Jose Torres, a teaching assistant at W.A. Blair Elementary School, the district’s 2024-2025 theme of Make it Happen has been more of an approach to life. He made it happen as a senior in high school during COVID when he stepped in to teach a chemistry class and is doing it now as he works on his teaching degree. 

Torres, who graduated from Dr. Wright L. Lassiter Jr. Early College High School at El Centro College, loves chemistry, and it was through that subject that he learned he also loves teaching. The pandemic led to a teacher shortage during a brief period, and he took on the challenge. 

“I love chemistry, and so I took that opportunity to do this,” he said. “But I was just doing it because it was something I felt like I would enjoy.” 

After graduating from Lassiter Early College with an associate’s degree in science, Torres tried a variety of jobs in which teaching was a recurring theme. 

“I worked with the city of Dallas pools, teaching lifeguard classes,” he said. “I also worked in the medical field as a medical scribe. And then, even when I went to college, during my time in radiation therapy, I was teaching and making YouTube videos for my chemistry class.”   

It was during that time in college that he took a step back and asked himself what he really wanted. 

“In my last year, I was like, ‘What is something I’m actually passionate about?’ I realized that everything I’ve done in my life revolved around teaching, and so I looked into it,” he said. 

Now pursuing a Bachelor of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education and Teaching from Dallas College, Torres is one semester away from completing his yearlong teacher residency at W.A. Blair Elementary School. He also has gained experience as a teacher while working for Park in the Woods Recreation Center in Dallas, where he worked with the after-school program, tutoring students with their homework. Sometimes, the students couldn’t read, so he took the time to teach them, he said. 

Torres keeps making it happen as he juggles working at Blair and attending class at Eastfield College to finish his degree. He not only has fourth- and fifth-grade classes as a teacher assistant, but also coaches fourth- and fifth-grade soccer for girls and boys. 

“Honestly, I help everywhere, wherever they need me,” he said. “In the morning, I start up with fifth-grade math, and after that, I teach fourth-grade Reading and Language Arts.” 

On Wednesdays, he drives to Eastfield College to take a four-hour class composed of five courses compressed into one. His busy schedule and commitment to his studies is one of the things he believes allow him to connect with his students. 

“The kids know. They’re like, ‘Oh, it’s Wednesday, Mr. Torres. You have class.’ I always tell them I know exactly how they feel coming into class.” he said. “I’m still a student.”   

His own background growing up as a Spanish-dominant student in bilingual classes allows him to better understand and connect with his students at Blair Elementary, who were reluctant at first to participate in class, he said. 

“The most rewarding part is just seeing [the students] grow, especially my Spanish-speaking students,” he said. “They would talk, of course, especially after seeing a familiar face they’re able to relate to. I also grew up going to bilingual classes when I was in elementary school, and I know that the language barrier can be difficult.” 

Torres plans to continue in education—as a teacher in Dallas ISD once he graduates and pursuing a master’s degree in the future. One day, he said, he would like to become a chemistry professor. 

Torres knows that being a teacher is a calling and acknowledges that it is not easy, nor should it be, he said. But making a difference for even one student matters greatly. 

“It’s worth it in the long run,” he said.  

The dedicated counseling team at Emmett J. Conrad High School has earned a prestigious state award recognizing their role in helping students grow and secure life-changing scholarships and opportunities.

Claudia Rodriguez, lead counselor, works alongside fellow team counselors Leslie Moore, Sonia Gilb, and Nicole Butler to champion their students’ academic achievement and well-being. This collaborative approach has been key to their success and their recognition through the Counselors Reinforcing Texas Award. 

“We are the heart of the school,” Rodriguez said. “And we are grateful to have a supportive administration that allows us the autonomy to find creative solutions for our students and not just follow a one-size-fits-all script for the students we interact with.” 

Rodriguez said the program follows a model set by the American School Counselor Association, which emphasizes supporting students in reaching their academic, career, and social-emotional goals.  

Through events like Career Day and through student achievement awards, the counseling team helps students build lasting connections and boosts academic morale across the campus.

According to the four counselors, their success stems from key qualities, such as flexibility, creativity, passion, and patience.  

“We love what we do every day. It’s been amazing to see that, as counselors, we can in turn help adults as well,” Moore said. “What we do for the students often trickles down to their families, making them better parents to their children.” 

That deep sense of purpose is shared across the team with each counselor bringing a unique background and decades of experience in education to meet the daily needs of the program. 

Moore has been an educator for 27 years and currently supports Conrad High School students in grades nine through 12. She discovered her passion for counseling while teaching math at South Oak Cliff High School where a fellow teacher encouraged her to consider counseling after observing her strong connection with students.   

“I would have after-school tutoring, and I always ended up talking to the students about their day,” Moore said. “I would have so many kids in my room because my class wasn’t just a math class; at times, it felt like a counseling class.” 

Moore received her master’s degree in school counseling from Prairie View A&M University. 

Butler, also a counselor for grades nine through 12, taught middle school art for eight years before discovering her passion for counseling. She has been an educator for 18 years and a counselor at Conrad for six. 

“It feels good to be able to help students both understand and change their perspective on life and to help make their futures better,” Butler said.  

Gilb became a counselor because of her love for high school. She began her career in education as an ESL teacher, helping students earn college scholarships, and has since dedicated herself to supporting high school students throughout her career path. 

“The students bring me joy,” Gilb said. “I love interacting with them and helping support them. It’s a joy to work with my counseling team. They are my people.”   

Gill collaborates with Rodriguez, and together they support students in P-TECH and early college pathways. 

“I love being a counselor because I can help the students, the bilingual community and the parents all at once,” Rodriguez said.  

Through a partnership with East Texas A&M University, Dallas ISD’s Grow Your Own Program encourages and supports district team members who want to earn their bachelor’s degree to become certified teachers, without having to leave their current roles.

Last fall, nine dedicated employees began their journey through ETAM’s Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in organizational leadership with a teacher preparation emphasis—a fully online, flexible pathway designed for working professionals. Participants received:

• a $425 scholarship per term toward tuition
• seven-week Competency-Based Education (CBE) terms, renewable for up to six terms
• transfer credit opportunities (up to 84 credit hours)
• additional financial aid for those who qualify
  

Led by Kara Campbell, ETAM’s Pride Pathway provides further scholarship support for paraprofessionals, assistants, and other team members who lack a bachelor’s degree the opportunity to become certified Texas teachers.

“Through our partnership, up to 20 Dallas ISD employees may receive scholarships to move closer to becoming certified Texas teachers, and that’s a game-changer for the future of education in Texas,” Campbell said.

Why apply?

• 100% online so participants can learn from anywhere
• Accelerated terms so participants can graduate faster
• Affordable, starting at $1,000 per term (before scholarships)
• Built for working adults who can keep their jobs while earning their degree

Team members who are ready to inspire the next generation of students as classroom teachers can apply today or learn more by contacting: Simeon Oston, Grow Your Own coordinator, at soston@dallasisd.org. 

Resilience is the ability to adapt well in the face of adversity, such as experiencing personal or family issues, a serious health concern, work stress, money worries, or other challenges. It’s the ability to bounce back from those challenges. One of the key ways to build resilience is to focus on self-care. 

Get physical

Make exercise a priority, especially during challenging times. Try to get a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise that increases your heart rate on all or most days of the week, whether it’s walking, swimming, biking, working out at the gym, or with an exercise video, or even doing vigorous housework. Make sure you check with the doctor before starting a new exercise program.

Follow a healthy diet by avoiding junk food and fast food and limiting alcohol.

Establish a bedtime routine and try to stick to it. It can be as simple as listening to soft music, drinking a cup of herbal tea, or having a bath and then turning out the lights at the same time every night. Try not to watch TV shows that are too stimulating, as it may then be difficult to turn off your brain. 

Reframe your view 

A key element of resilience is perception of an event. Reframing means changing the way you think or “talk” to yourself about a stressful event. Instead of saying “I will never get through this,” you could try a more positive approach, such as, “I will get through this.” Use techniques that have helped in difficult experiences in the past, including asking others for help and finding strength in community.

Build emotional resilience

Think about other people you know and admire who are resilient, whether they are public figures or people you may know in your personal or work life. What are some of the strategies you’ve noticed them using to deal with and stay strong through adversity? Think about how you could adapt and use some of those strategies in your own life.

Try to see your situation as temporary, no matter how difficult. Life tends to ebb and flow in ways that are impossible to predict. This view can help you gain perspective and maintain momentum to work through the current circumstance. Try to avoid catastrophic thinking. We may wonder “what if this happens” and imagine worst-case scenarios. While it is good to be prepared, it is rare that worst-case scenarios come true.

Practice relaxation techniques. Deep breathing, meditation, mindfulness, and yoga are four widely used relaxation techniques that can help improve mental as well as physical wellbeing.

Take a break

When a national or world event is dominating the news, avoid over-exposure to media, especially if it’s making you feel ineffective, anxious, or unable to have control of your life. Unplug for part of each day from all your sources of media and news.

Make meaningful connections

Strong ties to family, friends, coworkers, and community groups help you find the social and emotional support you need to bounce back from setbacks or disappointments. Make time for your closest relationships. Try to have dinner together as a family as much as possible. Spend time with people you like and doing things you like. Carve out time to be with friends. 

Talk about what you are going through with others. Family, friends, and co-workers can be a lasting source of emotional support as well as “reality checks.”

Spend time with like-minded people. Even when the circumstances seem beyond your control, connecting with others who feel similarly can help form an important bond. Ideas on ways to manage, take action, or cope may arise from such bonds. Doing so will make you feel less alone.

Keep it simple

Simplifying your life is especially important during stressful times. Plan simple meals, don’t take on too much, and resist signing up for too many activities. Don’t be afraid to say “no.” Make time for simple pleasures, such as playing with your pet, or simply sitting and drinking a cup of tea.

The Dallas ISD’s proposed budget for the 2025-2026 school year includes a 2% raise for exempt campus and central team members, differentiated increases for team members in excellence initiatives, and an increase to $17 an hour in the district’s minimum wage. 

The proposed increases in salaries for all team members amount to $35.9 million in the 2025-2026 budget and focus on the district’s compensation priorities: market competitive salaries, Dallas ISD’s commitment to a living wage, strategic compensation, and stipends for service at identified District Support Initiative campuses.  

Increases for excellence initiatives

The proposed budget also sets the minimum teacher salary at $64,000 and has adjustments to the new hire schedule for teachers to match market rates. Returning teachers will receive a projected average teacher salary increase of approximately $2,235 or 3.6%, based on the greater of three increases:

• Change to effectiveness level
• Change to compensation level value
• Board approved differentiated salary increase  (2% of compensation level)

Proposed TEI compensation levels

The proposed budget also includes increases for other employees who are evaluated through an excellence initiative—assistant principals, principals, school leadership executive directors.  Increases for excellence initiative team members are paid in October 2025 retroactive to contract start date. 

Minimum wage and other central increases

The proposed increase to $17 per hour in the minimum wage continues to place Dallas ISD as a regional leader in minimum wage among area school districts and primarily impacts support and operations team members.

Employees not on an excellence initiative will see the greater of two increases:

• Minimum wage adjustment to $17 per hour or
• 2% of the midpoint for support (non-exempt) employees and professional (exempt) employees

Campus and central team members who are not on an excellence initiative will see their increase reflected in their paychecks starting in September if they were hired before Dec. 31, 2024.   

Stress is unavoidable. People carry stress within their bodies, as everyday pressures cause muscles to tense up. Too much stress can make people physically ill and leave them at greater risk for serious conditions such as heart disease and depression. There are many effective ways to relieve stress, including some that can be done without the help of professionals. 

Learning to relax is one of the best ways to deal with stress and its physical and emotional symptoms. Relaxation gives the body and mind a chance to calm down and recuperate and can also help manage pain, get an energy boost, or just feel better in general. It can help decrease muscle tension, lower blood pressure, decrease irritability, improve sleep, and generally improve well-being.  

Therapies you can do on your own

Some methods are very simple, such as taking a few minutes to just sit quietly. Other methods may require instruction and practice because you need to tune in to and teach the body to shift into a relaxed state. The key is to keep trying. For many people, first attempts at relaxing may be less fulfilling than hoped for. But as you experiment to find what works for you and practice, you’ll find yourself more and more able to relieve tension any time you want to.

Find a comfortable place, free of distraction.

Deep breathing. Concentrate on your breathing. Inhale with slow, deep breaths through your nose, and slowly exhale through your mouth. Imagine calmness entering your body with every inhalation and tension leaving your body with every exhalation. Counting each breath will help you stay connected to your breathing. Try to extend your exhale to be a few seconds longer than you inhale.

Progressive muscle relaxation. Lie down on a bed, sofa, or floor—anywhere you can comfortably stretch out. Breathe in and out slowly and deeply while you concentrate on each of the muscle groups in your body one at a time. Starting at your toes and working your way up your legs and continuing through your body to your neck and face, contract each muscle area for three to five seconds and feel the tension as you breathe in, and then concentrate on letting it go on the exhale. Gradually your entire body will be completely relaxed.

Meditation. Many ways to meditate have been developed over thousands of years. Meditation offers techniques and practices for attaining inner peace by focusing on images, sounds, or breathing. For instance, you might take a few minutes in a quiet place to close your eyes and quietly focus on a mental image, such as walking on a beach or in a wooded area, or on an object that calms you. 

Stretching. Tension builds up in the muscles throughout the body. Just a few minutes a day of slowly and gently stretching your muscles can relieve a lot of that tension. Hold each position for 30 seconds. Don’t stretch too hard—you want to feel the muscles extended, but not pulled.

Exercise. It doesn’t have to be very strenuous. Even a quick walk around the block can help to relieve tension. Find a physical activity that works for you and do it at least a couple of times a week. Work up to 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise on all or most days of the week.

Mindfulness. Mindfulness is a way of becoming more aware of the moment without making judgments that can get in the way of being fully present. You can try to become more mindful on your own by, for example, slowing down and savoring the taste of each bite of a meal instead of rushing through it. 

Massage. Massaging muscles can relieve tension and help your muscles relax. You can get a professional massage, or you can rub the tension out of your neck and shoulders yourself any time you feel tight. Remember to take a moment to stop what you are doing and concentrate on relaxing while you massage your neck and shoulders.

Dallas ISD celebrated the 2025 State of the District, an evening dedicated to honoring the impact and progress that drive schools forward. This celebration, held May 6 at the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, put the spotlight on powerful stories of students, teachers, and leaders who are transforming lives and breaking barriers every day—making it happen together.

Another of the evening’s highlights was the announcement of the 2024-2025 Educator of the Year Awards, sponsored by the Dallas Education Foundation. The winners received $5,000 each while finalists were awarded $1,500 each. Meet the winners:

Teacher of the Year—Elementary

Netallia Rush
Ronald E. McNair Elementary School

Netallia Rush is the lead fifth-grade reading teacher at Ronald E. McNair Elementary School. Rush is a Mississippi native, who has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Jackson State University, a master’s degree in reading literacy from Belhaven University, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in educational leadership at the University of North Texas at Dallas. As a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated, Rush embodies the values of scholarship and service. Her leadership roles include Cheer Coach, Debate Coach, House System Lead, Team Lead, Campus Instructional Leadership Team Member, Poetry Slam Coordinator, and Campus Mentor. Through her innovative leadership, Rush fosters a culture of empowerment, growth, and community. By inspiring young voices and guiding her peers, she exemplifies excellence in education and remains dedicated to shaping tomorrow’s leaders through her passion, purpose, and unwavering commitment to learning.

Teacher of the Year—Secondary

Bernardo Velez Rico
North Dallas High School

Bernardo Velez Rico teaches Advanced Placement English and OnRamps Rhetoric at North Dallas High School. Born in southern California and raised in Grand Prairie, Rico is the son of immigrants from rural Guanajuato, who instilled in him the transformative power of education. A first-generation college graduate, Rico earned his Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University. Before teaching at North Dallas, Rico managed school outreach programs at the Dallas Museum of Art. This role afforded him the opportunity to work directly with students in Dallas ISD classrooms, sparking his commitment to fostering equity in education and uplifting local communities.

Rico’s journey as a teacher began four years ago as a member of the district’s Latino Residency Program, and he has since taken on roles including mentor teacher, Teacher Excellence Initiative campus expert, AP Ally, content study group leader for the Alternative Certification Program, OnRamps District Content Lead, and Virtual Conference Facilitator with The University of Texas at Austin. Rico’s work is guided by a clear mission: to provide rigorous and equitable learning opportunities that empower students to exceed both their own expectations and those imposed by others. At North Dallas, he has led initiatives to expand and strengthen the school’s AP and OnRamps programs, more than doubling the number of students earning college credits in English. His leadership also extends to professional development, where he has facilitated school, district, and state-level workshops on effective instruction and equity in advanced coursework. Rico’s teaching philosophy is rooted in an unwavering belief in his students’ potential, challenging them to reimagine what is possible while equipping them with the skills and confidence needed to thrive.

Teacher of the Year—Choice/Magnet

Patricia Cortez
School for the Talented and Gifted in Pleasant Grove

Patricia Cortez is a dedicated educator at the School for the Talented and Gifted in Pleasant Grove, where she teaches sixth-grade world cultures and seventh-grade Texas history. A proud product of Dallas ISD, Cortez brings a personal connection to her work. Cortez earned her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on bilingual education from The University of Texas at Arlington and her Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction in personalized learning methods from Texas Tech University. Her career began at the elementary school she attended as a child, Casa View Elementary School. She later transitioned to the School for the Talented and Gifted in Pleasant Grove, where she hopes to inspire students, drawing on her experience as a former magnet school student.

Committed to student achievement, she collaborates with other social studies educators to develop creative lessons aligned with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills standards. Her collaboration with the Dual Language Department has been particularly impactful, as she has helped create activities and lesson plans for teaching Texas history in Spanish, ensuring equitable access for bilingual learners. Beyond the classroom, Cortez oversees several programs and initiatives aimed at enriching student and teacher experiences. She manages Clubs and Whistles, a program that fosters student engagement through extracurricular activities, and coordinates University Interscholastic League competitions for elementary and middle school students. She also leads the LadyBots and LadyDronez, all-girls robotics and drone teams, and is part of a broader initiative to bring robotics opportunities to all students at the school. Through these efforts, Cortez inspires young women and all students to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Additionally, she serves on the campus Climate and Culture Committee, promoting a positive and inclusive environment for students and team members.

Principal of the Year—Elementary

Beverly Mullins Ford
Anne Frank Elementary School

Beverly Mullins Ford is a dedicated and visionary leader in Dallas ISD, committed to student achievement, school excellence, and community engagement. A Dallas native, she began her career as an eighth-grade science teacher at Edward H. Cary Middle School. She earned her master’s degree in educational administration from The University of Texas at Austin and joined Anne Frank Elementary a year after its inception, serving as assistant principal for 19 years before stepping into the principal role seven years ago.

With 26 years at Anne Frank Elementary, Mullins Ford’s leadership is a testament to her commitment to erasing opportunity and achievement gaps and ensuring equity, excellence, and success for all students. Under her leadership, the school has earned multiple Texas Education Agency distinctions, a Gold Ribbon School recognition, and consistent Breakthrough Campus status, with a focus on achieving an A rating.

A firm believer in relationships, visibility, and high expectations, she greets students and team members daily, creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment. She is also a mentor to many to build leadership capacity in those looking to grow in education. Honored as a 2023-2024 Master Principal, she continues to inspire educators, engage families, and shape the future of Dallas ISD.

Principal of the Year—Secondary

Stephanie Amaya
W.H. Adamson High School

Stephanie Amaya, the daughter of Salvadoran immigrants, is a proud graduate of Dallas ISD and a first-generation college graduate who holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas and a master’s degree from Lamar University. She is currently pursuing a doctorate degree at Dallas Baptist University. With a deep sense of commitment to the communities she serves, Amaya is dedicated to uplifting others and making a meaningful impact. Her experiences and background fuel her passion for service and the desire to give back to the people and neighborhoods that have shaped her journey. She has been recognized as 2018 Principal of the Year and named Outstanding Principal by the Dallas Southeast Chamber of Commerce in 2019. She has successfully implemented International Baccalaureate, Expeditionary Learning, and Novel Engineering at her schools.

Currently in her fourth year leading Adamson High School, her leadership has earned her recognition as a Master Principal for three consecutive years. With her guidance, the school has seen significant improvements in student achievement, earned scholarships, and campus culture. Amaya leads with a focus on inclusiveness and empowerment, fostering supportive environments for students and team members. She is committed to continuous growth, mentoring, and hands-on leadership, striving to improve the schools and communities she serves.

Principal of the Year—Choice/Magnet

Channel C. Hutchinson
New Tech High School at B. F. Darrell

Channel C. Hutchinson, a 16-year veteran in education, is in her fourth year as principal of New Tech High School at B.F. Darrell. A graduate of the University of New Orleans and holding a Master of Education degree from the University of Phoenix, Hutchinson began her career in Arlington ISD teaching social studies and special education for nine years. She later served as assistant principal at New Tech, where she laid the foundation for her leadership role. Under her leadership, New Tech transformed by expanding Career and Technical Education programs, including new pathways in audio video and gaming design, in addition to a successful animation program. Hutchinson also pioneered project-based learning initiatives, leading to community events like the Careers in Gaming Expo, a film festival, and a Mindstorm Project with the President of Lego Education.

In 2023, New Tech was named the #1 Gold Ribbon Campus in North Texas by Children At Risk, and in 2024, the school earned an A rating across all STAAR domains—making it the only district high school to achieve this distinction. New Tech is also an AVID National Demonstration School and received the Excellence in Education Award from the organization. Hutchinson’s leadership has led to significant academic gains, increased enrollment, and a positive school culture. She is committed to equity, innovation, and providing all students with an exceptional educational experience.

Starting on May 27 and through Aug. 29, the district will implement its summer dress code so employees can be comfortable as they perform their normal work duties while still portraying a professional image to students, parents, and community members.

While the summer dress code allows for a more casual look, standards for daily attire are still at the discretion of the supervisor; however, the dress code must be followed and does not permit inappropriate apparel. [See DH(LOCAL) and DH (REGULATION)]

• Casual includes clothing that is comfortable and neatly put together while communicating professionalism.
• Casual may differ based on the various business needs of the department. Please consult with your department supervisor to determine appropriate attire for your job.
• Certain events on the district’s calendar may require employees in a specific department or location to wear business attire instead of the casual look.
• Take your workday schedule into account when considering your attire for the day. If you have a meeting scheduled with the public or vendors, you may need to wear business attire.
• Supervisors will have the discretion to make exceptions to appropriateness of attire as it relates to culture, religious beliefs, vocational courses, physical education, maintenance, medical necessities, events, and spirit days.
• Employees required to wear district-issued uniforms are expected to wear the assigned uniform.

Acceptable Attire

• Pants—Nice pants or cotton slacks
• Shirts—Blouses, casual shirts, and golf shirts
• Dresses or skirts—Casual dresses and skirts no shorter than three inches above the bend of the knee and appropriate for an office environment.
• Footwear—Loafers, boots, flats, sandals, and leather deck shoes
• Clothing should fit appropriately and be clean, and wrinkle-free

Unacceptable Attire

• Form-fitting, snug, sagging, or transparent clothing
• Excessively worn, faded, or tight clothing
• Clothing with holes or frayed areas
• Revealing or provocative attire
• Necklines that expose cleavage
• Dresses and skirts shorter than three inches above the bend of the knee
• Jeans, sweatpants, shorts, bib overalls, leggings, spandex, and lycra
• Tank tops, T-shirts, and shirts with messages/graphics
• Athletic wear and beachwear
• Footwear—Slippers, flip-flops, athletic, house, and sneaker-style shoes
• Hats are not to be worn inside, unless used as protective wear appropriate for one’s job function.

Earlier this year, Melissa James, art teacher at Solar Preparatory School for Girls, received exciting news—one of her students’ artwork had been selected to be displayed in Austin.

Seventh-grader Elsa B.’s “My Best Friend” was selected by Texas’ First Lady Cecilia Abbott to be among 14 art pieces from across the state to be on display in the Governor’s Business Office until 2026.

This is not the first time the artwork of James’ students has been recognized at the state level. Just last year, while teaching at Moisés E. Molina High School, James encouraged her student, Jessica M., to submit her felted piece to the state Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE). Jessica spent all summer perfecting her felted artwork, which depicted a girl lying on her belly with beloved childhood objects strewn about her. Out of approximately 34,000 submissions, only 100 were awarded a Gold Seal, the highest honor at the event. Martinez was among the awardees.

“It’s really neat to see these things happening, especially knowing that I’ve made a difference as a teacher,” James said.

James, a 33-year teaching veteran, has spent the last six years at Dallas ISD—first at Molina High School and now at Solar Preparatory. She grew up in Houston and learned early on to express herself through art. Her passion began, of all places, in hospitals and doctors’ offices, where her twin brother, often sick, spent a great deal of time.

“I had to be quiet, so I would take out white paper and draw,” she said.

James experienced firsthand the healing power of art. As a child, she didn’t speak much, leading her family to assume she was a mute, she said.

“I didn’t talk my first year of school and I was put in a speech class. I had a twin brother, and we weren’t around any other kids,” she said.

Only art broke through the communication barrier and gave James a voice.

“I was able to express emotions through my art,” she said.

James hopes to foster her students’ latent artistic abilities and give them a voice that is just as powerful as hers was through art at their age. She feels this is especially important after the COVID pandemic that left so many young children with difficulties expressing themselves verbally.

“Growing up, I didn’t realize the potential I had in me,” she said.

In class, James likes to vary her lessons and introduce concepts—and projects—her students will find enjoyable.

“I’ve been choosing things that they’ve never done before so that they’re not bored,” she said. “I want them to say, ‘Wow, this is so cool.'”

James encourages her students to turn to their lives for inspiration for their art assignments instead of looking for images on the internet. The assignment to photograph something beloved—family, pets, friends—print it, and sketch it, led to Elsa’s piece. Following the sketch, James set the class to practicing texture, an art technique that creates the illusion of physicality.

All students worked hard, but Elsa took particular care to apply James’ suggestions, ultimately giving the drawing of her pet doodle a lifelike quality.

James often works one-on-one with students but makes sure that her classroom has an atmosphere of inclusion so that all feel their needs are being met and they can build on them, she said. Her love for the welfare of children and her passion for art continues to motivate her to this day.

“Where your mind takes you is in your heart,” she said. “That’s what needs to come out in a painting—it’s you.”

To keep Dallas ISD moving forward and team members attuned to the latest innovations, Library Media Services is offering a hands-on virtual learning series that will teach the ethical and meaningful use of Gemini AI to support teaching, learning, and everyday tasks.

The learning series—Wired Wednesdays–Gemini at Work—was created by Patricia Alvarado-Barnes, director of Library Media Services and member of the district’s artificial intelligence task force, which was created to study ways to responsibly integrate AI across all levels. Alvarado-Barnes also happens to be a skilled user of Gemini.

“It’s getting easier and easier to really use AI for everything—for translating, for reviewing your documents, editing your emails, brainstorming ideas,” she said.

Gemini AI is not the only resource open to everyone in the district. Turning to her monitor, Alvarado-Barnes pulled up Notebook LM, a research and note-taking tool built on Gemini AI. She uploaded a 300-page document and watched as the AI extracted the main ideas and supporting evidence in just seconds. Small pop-up windows, known as tooltips, appeared below the chat window, giving her the choice to convert the document into a podcast or a mind map.

“Notebook LM is super powerful, and it’s wonderful. If you’re going to college, you feed it all your information from your professor, and it will create a podcast,” she said.

Many people have concerns about artificial intelligence replacing jobs or human capability, but that isn’t what Gemini AI does at all, she said.

“People feared the internet when it came out, too,” Alvarado-Barnes said as she continued demonstrating how Gemini can take notes for the user, synthesize information, create spreadsheets, and even generate a budget variance analysis. All of its input and output, however, requires human presence, making it a tool, not a replacement.

“I don’t see it as a shortcut,” she said, “but as a way to enhance learning. I want to make sure our students and teachers don’t miss out on this.”

Even so, there are valid fears about artificial intelligence gathering information for sale, but Alvarado-Barnes put those to rest.

“It’s connected to our district, so it is not selling the information to someone else,” she said.

The district in fact reached a privacy agreement with Google, which prevents the search engine from selling what employees create through the use of Gemini AI to third parties.

“Unlike ChatGPT, where there is no privacy agreement with the district, using Gemini AI is as secure as using Google Drive,” she said.

But what about plagiarism?

“We’re having these training sessions to teach the responsible use of technology,” Alvarado-Barnes said.

Also, anything put into or produced by Gemini’s vast database will be kept there and cross-referenced by its algorithm, thus flagging users who commit plagiarism, she said.

Reading Language Arts classes are already using AI-powered grading tools to provide essay feedback for students and teachers.

Over the next few weeks, the district will launch pilot programs in select high schools to implement Gemini AI.