Staff News

Dallas ISD team members deserve to be praised for their Core 4 spirit as they demonstrate what being focused, flexible, fast and friendly means in their everyday interactions. If your central administration department has been doing regular recognitions, please nominate those you celebrated for a central-wide recognition by completing this form. 

A committee will look at the nominations and choose a central administration champion for the quarter for each of the four tenets. We’ll be asking for nominations again in a few months. Those who are recognized will receive a bag with Core 4 items and the opportunity to park in the Core 4 Champions spot at the Linus D. Wright Dallas ISD Administration Building. 

Recognizing team members in your department is part of the Core 4 experience.

Celebrate Women’s History Month with Dallas ISD’s extensive library resources. Dive into a diverse collection of e-books, access invaluable online platforms like Gale for comprehensive research, and explore enriching print books. These are available to any student and team member in the district.

“Our resources have information that inspires and educates students about the remarkable contributions of women throughout history,” said Patricia Alvarado, director of Library Media Services. 

Below are some of the resources:

Picture book biography link to access information on Teaching Books resources from the district: https://share.teachingbooks.net/QLS9CAW 

Site about women’s history from one of the district’s premium resources,

Elementary Gale in Context: Voting Rights for Women 

A short video about women’s history from Britannica High School: https://school.eb.com/levels/high/as sembly/view/253414 . 

All of these resources and more can be found at www.dallasisd.org/onlineresources

Academic Services has launched a site to help parents navigate the district’s curriculum resources through the new Parent Curriculum Support Website. As partners in your child’s education, Dallas ISD understands the importance of providing resources and activities to help parents support their students’ learning journey at home.

The curriculum strategy focuses on delivering grade-level content, aligned with state standards, while offering additional support for students who may need it. The district believes that strong collaboration between schools and families is essential for students’ success.

On the website, parents will find resources and activities designed to support children’s learning in reading language arts and mathematics. Whether it’s reinforcing concepts covered in class or exploring new topics together, these resources are available to enhance the educational experience.

In the Molina family there is an inside joke about Dallas ISD: “It’s a family business.” According to Mario Molina, who recently retired, nine out of the 11 siblings have worked for the district. To the family members, who also attended schools in the district, Dallas ISD has definitely been home over the years. 

Molina retired this past December after having worked 37 years in the district’s Evaluation and Assessment Department, where he was assigned to the warehouse service center—shipping and receiving state and local tests, among other duties. 

Molina says he is a proud product of Dallas ISD, as he and all of his siblings attended Dallas ISD schools, from elementary to high school. All but three graduated from Sunset High School. His three older siblings graduated from Crozier Tech High School, which has since closed and is a historical landmark. 

Besides his siblings, Molina’s spouse, Anita Espinosa, has worked for the district for approximately five years, and is the office manager at the School for the Talented and Gifted at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center. Molina even has nieces and nephews who work for the district as teachers or work in the school office. Espinosa, who grew up in Plano, knew that it was only a matter of time before she, too, would end up working for the district. And she was right. 

So how did this family tradition start? Molina says one of the older sisters was the first to take a job with the district, and soon other siblings followed. He said one of the things that has attracted him and family members to the district was the opportunity to work and grow in the numerous departments. 

“There’s something for everybody here in the district,” Molina said. 

Since several family members have the same holidays and vacation dates—one of the perks of working for the district—they get together for breakfast or make it a point to see each other, Molina said. While he’s enjoying his retirement, Molina said he enjoyed working with his district team and saw them more like family. 

“They become your family because you never know when they might need your help or you may need their help, without expecting anything in return—that’s what family does, related or not,” he said.

For Molina, it’s family—both biological and work family—that motivated him to get up to go to work every morning  for the district for almost four decades. But said it was the students who motivated him the most.

“Just knowing that the students were getting the supplies they needed and how I was helping counselors, teachers, and schools, was gratifying,” Molina said. While he admits that he might not have always seen the direct impact his work had on students, he knew that the role that he and his colleagues did was important. 

Espinosa began her career in the district first as an attendance clerk and then as a financial clerk, to her current job of office manager. She says she is able to see the direct impact her work has on students and team members at her school, and that it’s the little things that motivate her.  She often receives thank you notes from students after assisting them with materials they need for student activities. 

During the trajectory of Molina’s career with the district, he says he has experienced many memorable moments, but some of his favorites involve bringing sunshine to someone’s day. He recalls a moment when a campus counselor was having a challenging day and was in tears. He started telling her that everything was going to be okay and how everything would work out. 

“Seeing her demeanor change, made me feel good inside and made me want to strive to do more of that,” said Molina. “I was able to make her day a little better.”

Meeting different counselors, test coordinators, and team members from throughout the district who always had a story to tell or share about the good things happening on their campuses, was when he got glimpses of the impact that his work had on supporting the district’s students. 

For Espinosa, one of her favorite things about her role at Townview TAG is helping the parents and students. Although she’s only been on that campus since last February, she says she’s already established a rapport with students, parents and team members. 

While Molina says he misses the interaction with his colleagues, Espinosa says they both stay busy with their daughter’s athletic activities. She is a senior, so they both spend a lot of time at volleyball and softball games. In their spare time, they enjoy going out dancing to Tejano and country music and are also big Rangers fans.

“If I had to do it all over again, I would still work for the district,” Molina said. “You actually don’t know how many lives you’re touching or how many lives you’re affecting even though you’re not on campus, but your job is helping students get a step closer to where they want to go, and that makes me happy.” 

Starting as a teacher and leader in both high school and middle school in Dallas ISD, Miriam Gaytan has worked to make a positive impact on students’ lives. Now, in her role in Maintenance and Facility Services, she continues to bring her dedication and focus on pursuing the highest standards of excellence for the benefit of students and team members.

Gaytan, currently director of operations, is a Thomas Jefferson High School graduate and an example of commitment and dedication to the community. She oversees the budget and management of the 10 organizations in Maintenance and Facility Services, she said. With an outstanding 22 years of service with Dallas ISD, Gaytan has demonstrated a commitment to education and a drive for success.

“After graduating high school, I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Those 13 weeks of boot camp changed me forever, and I will never forget the pride I felt earning the title of Marine,” she said. “The Corps taught me to be a better steward of my community and to be grateful for the men and women who have sacrificed for our freedom.”

Gaytan’s journey in education was inspired by her own experiences as a student in Dallas ISD. 

“As a product of Dallas ISD, I wanted to give back to the district that helped raise me,” she said. “I admired my teachers from an early age and wondered if I could be like them someday.”

She returned to Thomas Jefferson High School as a teacher and was not disappointed when she was welcomed back as a colleague by her former teachers, something that was “incredibly special. They mentored me and helped me become the teacher I always dreamt of being,” she said. 

In her current role, Gaytan is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion for women in her department. 

“As a woman in a department with majority men, I understand the importance of advocating for and creating awareness regarding the inclusion and acknowledgment of all perspectives and ideas,” she said. 

Words of wisdom Gaytan often shares: “Be proud of where you come from and give back every chance you get. Cherish those that love, grow, and believe in you. Always leave things better than you found them.”

In moments of adversity, Miriam draws strength from her parents, who emigrated from Mexico in pursuit of a better life.

“I think of my parents who raised three girls in a completely different country, and through their struggles, I saw their persistence and tenacity to always provide for our family,” she said.

Miriam’s leadership extends beyond her professional responsibilities; she makes time to interact with students and inspire the next generation. During Read Across America Day, she visited Sam Tasby Middle School to read a story to students and share her own story of motivation.

Miriam hopes her legacy of leadership, resilience, and dedication will continue to inspire generations to come. 

Guardians of the Green Conservation and Health Club, the newest club at Edward Titche Elementary School, is teaching students, families, and team members about hygiene, waste reduction, fitness, and nutrition.

The club is the brainchild of Kamron Barton, and it demonstrates her commitment to the well-being of students and the environment. 

“Establishing and sponsoring the group this year has been rewarding,” she said. 

The Guardians of the Green are impacting their school community by promoting food safety throughout the holidays, healthy eclipse viewing, and recycling. 

“In support of Earth Day’s 2024 theme we want to reduce plastic use by at least 60 percent” she said. 

As school counselor, Barton is passionate about education and is devoted to her students. With more than a decade of experience in education, she said she has dedicated her life to educating young minds and creating a culture of conservation and health awareness. Promoting positive exchange is reflected in all aspects of her work, including the health club. 

Despite the challenges of managing the club in addition to her other duties as counselor, she remains dedicated to her students and the goals of helping them improve their lives and the lives of their families.  

“Every staff member sponsors a club that meets at the same time, and all students are expected to participate in one,” she said. “Therefore, consistent meeting attendance can be a challenge, but seeing the enthusiasm and dedication of our members makes the obstacle worthwhile.” 

Barton hadn’t always envisioned herself as an educator, but the tech bust years ago drove engineers into the classroom, where she found her calling. Her experiences in the classroom and as an instructional coach reinforced her passion for counseling. She advises anyone working with children that exposure to new things is key. 

“Providing students with opportunities to experience something new and to learn its value can shape their careers and personal lives in profound ways,” she said.

Barton has also led school diversity and inclusion initiatives and has organized and implemented initiatives for Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Most of all, she is proud of helping students succeed.

“Professionally, I am proud of helping two immigrant Sheltered English students who’d lost their father pass TAKS for the first time,” she said. “I enjoyed learning that these engineers graduated from UT and Texas A&M on full Gates scholarships.”

“This year, I counseled a grieving newcomer despite language barriers,” she said. “I also prioritize guiding fourth-graders to connect learning to future careers. Coming from a low-SES high school without access to such resources, I aim to provide a different experience for my students. At Titche, fourth-graders regularly discuss connections between subjects and their career goals. It’s about showing children, parents, and staff that they are seen, heard, loved, and believed in.”