Staff News

Last school year, I had the honor of being called to work in the classroom on two occasions. It was part of the program that asked central team members to offer support to campuses.

I don’t have the honor to call myself a teacher. I’m a central staff team member who works in the Communications Department, and one thing of which I am certain now is that teachers are superheroes. After substituting in Debora Castro Torres’ kindergarten classroom at Stevens Park Elementary School, I realized that she and her students are superstars. 

In fact, I told Israel, one of her students, that he was a superstar after he was the first to finish his work, which he did without errors. 

He carried those words with him all day. 

“Miss Arroz, I’m a superstar,” he said, to which I replied, “Yes, you are,” trying to hold back tears of joy. It only goes to show that words are meaningful, and if used wisely, can make a significant impact.

By the way, I gave the students permission to call me Ms. Arroz, the Spanish translation for Rice, my surname.

When I first heard that I was going to substitute for a kindergarten teacher, my heart sank a little because I was scared. I have a first grader at home who is full of energy. I imagined a classroom full of children like him. Was I ready?

I went through a range of emotions—from happiness to fear and anxiety—but mainly I felt hope that it would be a day of learning and discovery; mostly for me.

I was right. I needed to have this experience in the classroom, probably more than the students needed me to be there.

When I arrived at the school, I sat in my car and prayed I would do a good job because I was determined to succeed in this assignment. I took a deep breath and walked in. 

That day, I got a firsthand look at how much of the emotional, physical and intellectual labor it takes to run a classroom. I think everyone in Dallas ISD is important and plays a vital role, but teachers and paraprofessionals—you all are special. What would society do without you? Crumble and fall, surely. What a gift you are to the world. What do you give someone who has changed your life forever by giving you the gift of reading, math, science and art?

I’m a Dallas ISD team member, but I’m also a parent who has a child who attends a school in the district. Educators give parents and families peace of mind knowing that there’s a person out there who cares deeply about your child and is going to do everything possible to ensure that your child learns, eats a healthy meal, plays and is safe. They take care of the social and emotional needs of children throughout the day. For that, and more, I’m deeply grateful. 

I might not have known just how much teachers should be appreciated every day had it not been for this experience as a substitute. Here was a classroom full of smart young minds who clearly adored their teacher and loved to learn because this is the culture that Castro Torres has cultivated. 

The kids were brilliant. They knew what to do by heart. They pulled out their tablets, pencils, got up to recite sounds and vocabulary, danced to songs about learning, and everything that the lessons called for. I simply had to follow the lessons she graciously left on the smart board, with links and detailed instructions.

The students had mercy on me and helped me along saying, “That’s not how we do that Miss Arroz. We have to do this first” and so on. They showed me where things were kept and were patient. If this is any indication of what future leaders will be like, I’m incredibly hopeful.

There were times when they got a little excited. I remember being in school and totally taking advantage when my teachers were absent and a substitute teacher was present. I was always chatty—and on days like that, I chatted even more. 

But these kids, Castro Perez’s students, were kind, thoughtful, compassionate and showed me that their teacher was not only an incredible educator, but an incredible human being. I saw the teacher through her students. They are a reflection of the care, love, commitment and perseverance of their teacher. They are her mirror.

One of the many things that impressed me was that each table had a leader, but truly, all the kids showed leadership skills.

Even as it was time for dismissal and the families came to pick up the students at the end of the day, I felt a deep sadness. I was going to miss the students. By that time, I had learned their names and was getting to know their personalities. 

This is what teachers go through every day. What an honor to have been in this space even if only for a moment.

One of the students, Eliani, drew me a picture as a parting gift. We were talking about the weather and she drew a picture of flowers and trees in bloom. How fitting, I thought. This is what Castro Perez has created—a garden, her classroom, that is in full bloom. 

We published a story about Ms. Castro in The Beat this year. You can find it here.

This story was written by Communication Services team member Priscilla Rice.

For Edwin DuBois, assistant principal at Sunset High School, community is key when it comes to developing a thriving campus. 

When he first began his role as assistant principal in February 2022, he sent out a student survey to ask them about their attendance and what would encourage them to come to school more. After reviewing the data, DuBois started doing engaging activities like karaoke in the cafeteria to enrich the student and team member experience.

“We want students to come to school not just because they have to, but because they enjoy it,” DuBois said. “It’s not just about the books and the pens and the papers—it’s also about the social side of life.”

DuBois said the influence of these engagement efforts has been positive, helping boost Sunset’s average attendance to 88 percent during the 2022-2023 school year, with a goal of breaking 90 percent moving forward. They have also seen above average Assessment of Course Performance (ACP) and State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) scores, as well as a strong focus on advanced placement classes through the Sunset Prep program.

“We want students to know that they can really make a difference, and it starts here,” DuBois said. “We want them to get their high school diploma and to go above and beyond and think bigger. We could have the next doctor, the next lawyer, the next judge, the people who are major decision-makers. That’s my motto. We want them to come from Sunset.”

But creating that environment would not be possible without being focused, fast, flexible, and friendly every day, DuBois said. 

He makes an effort to be the first to welcome students, family members, and other stakeholders to Sunset and listens carefully to find efficient solutions to any problems that may arise while transforming student lives in the process. 

While managing the school’s English and United States history departments as well as overseeing campus safety often keeps DuBois focused at his desk, he sets regular reminders to get up and walk through the halls to greet students and team members alike with a smile.

“Corny as it may sound, the Core 4 tenets really make me who I am,” DuBois said. “Those culture tenets sum up who I am in my servanthood and who I am every day. They have really been a blessing to not only myself, but to students, to team members, and to stakeholders, and I would encourage other colleagues to be intentional about implementing them. You will see a positive change.”

Moving into the new school year, DuBois said he is honing in on professional development opportunities to strengthen his conflict management skills while always working toward “being better than I was the day before.” 

“My wife was the one who encouraged me to apply to become an educator,” DuBois said. “Other than my children and my wife, it was probably the best decision and opportunity that I’ve ever had in my life. I love going to school every day. I love our teachers, I love our administrators, and I love our students. We are a premier team.” 

When life gets tough, people can sometimes struggle to focus on the happiness and joy available around them. This is because mental health concerns, including anxiety and depression, can create a kind of tunnel vision and encourage individuals to make quick decisions based on self-preservation. 

One of the keys to counteracting these negative thoughts and feelings is to practice positive habits that promote well-being. Explore several ways to form healthy mental habits below, and make a plan to improve your well-being today.

Recognize your strengths. It is important to identify what brings you the most happiness and life satisfaction while optimizing your performance at work and in your personal goals. Ask yourself these questions: “When do I feel most engaged? What energizes me? When do I get so involved that I lose track of time?” Once you determine those areas or activities, consider how you can incorporate them into your life more often.

Prioritize laughter. Laughter has been shown to release endorphins, known as the “feel-good hormones,” that improve mood. If you are experiencing a hard season, make time for laughter. Watch your favorite comedy, find cute animal videos on YouTube, or plan a fun night with friends. 

Be present. Savoring life’s sweet moments can add great memories and rich experiences to your days. Practice staying in the moment and enjoying the small things. Close your eyes when you listen to a favorite song, eat your meals slowly, or soak in some sunshine. 

Make gratitude a daily practice. Reflecting on the things you are thankful for is a great way to boost happiness and optimism during good and challenging times alike. Schedule a few minutes each day to write down three things you are grateful for or start journaling about what brings you joy. 

Plan for success. Don’t wait to prioritize your mental health and well-being. Choose one or more of the habits above and start incorporating them into your daily routine. As you do so, practice self-reflection to identify what helps you most in increasing your happiness and decreasing your stress.

If you need additional support, Dallas ISD team members can take advantage of the Employee Assistance Program by LifeWorks. The confidential, secure platform has countless resources available online for free, including on-call counselors who are available seven days a week, 24 hours a day. 

Reach out to LifeWorks at (972) 925-4000, or visit www.dallasisd.org/benefits and click on Benefits Resources to access online EAP information. 

Source: LifeWorks

For Alyssa Kuykendall, a math teacher at Woodrow Wilson High School, one of the highlights of the 2022-2023 school year was overseeing Saturday schools as the campus’ Attendance For Credit Program coordinator. 

“I know that sounds silly, but I just find that the students are so much more open and willing to talk and hang out there,” she said. “It allowed me to get to know who they really are as people. I am always very impressed by the things they do outside of school that I don’t always get to see, whether it’s band, soccer, or whatever else.”

Kuykendall first came to Woodrow Wilson in 2021 and quickly stepped up as the AFC coordinator. She transitioned the program to a digital system, working closely with the attendance office to create QR codes and make it easier to get information to students. 

In addition to orchestrating Saturday schools, she expanded the program’s availability by showing up before and after school to give AFC students the opportunity to catch up on any learning they might have missed and to gain a better understanding of why attendance is so important to their future success. 

Anne Marie Light, a teacher cluster lead at Woodrow Wilson, said Kuykendall’s commitment and organization have transformed their AFC program for the better. 

“This is no easy task; however, she makes it seem effortless,” Light said. “She makes sure that students know the process of petitioning absences, that students know how many hours they owe, that teachers are providing enough work, and that students are showing up and gaining their credit back. This work is essential to making sure our students graduate. We are beyond grateful to have a teacher and AFC coordinator who goes above and beyond for not only her students but all of our students.”

And Kuykendall’s wins do not stop there. She has seen several students blossom over the years, which she said has been especially meaningful as many of them do not enjoy math when they first enter her classroom. 

One student in particular has dyslexia and struggled with math, so Kuykendall worked closely with her on breaking each success criteria down into simple steps and taking every opportunity to grow. By the end of the year, the student earned “meets” on her State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test and visited Kuykendall when school started again with a special message.

“She told me that I was really the person who changed things around for her and made her believe she could learn,” Kuykendall said. “Of course, I broke down in tears because I was so happy for her. She expressed that she now feels like she has the ability to persevere when things are hard and to know that it’s OK to not know the answer.”

Moving into a new school year, Kuykendall said she is excited to get to know a new group of students and continue making memorable moments every day. 

“I really feel like I learn more from my students than they ever learn from me,” she said. “They are so resilient and kind and thoughtful. I am in awe of them all the time for the way they carry themselves in the world and the situations they live in.”

Principal Dawna Duke is taking learning on the go at Thomas C. Marsh Preparatory Academy thanks to recently getting cleared to drive a school bus for Dallas ISD.

Duke said she realized how expensive it is to use a school bus due to the cost of paying a driver and how limited field trips are if they have to be completed by a certain time, so she decided to step up and take on a bus driver role herself to make active learning more accessible. As a licensed bus driver, she can use a district bus. 

Now that she has her commercial driver’s license (CDL) approved in the state of Texas, she said she is looking forward to expanding her students’ horizons. Marsh already had a reading buddies program in place, through which they have taken 6 to 10 students to elementary schools in their feeder pattern to read to younger students, and now they can double the participation and continue building great relationships with their neighbors. 

The campus was also awarded a $21,000 grant through Texas State Parks to take students camping overnight at Cedar Hill State Park in the fall and in the spring of the 2023-2024 school year, and Duke said driving the bus herself will make a huge impact. 

“For a lot of our students, it’s the first time that they have been camping ever,” Duke said. “To rent a charter bus for an overnight trip is very expensive and would suck up a lot of the funds from that grant, so my goal is to drive the bus, camp with them, and then bring them back after the trip is over. Just having access to the school bus will likely be able to double our participation.”

This is not the first time Duke has driven a bus. She said she has had an active CDL since she was an 18-year-old taking students on daily field trips as part of an after-school program; she just was not certified to drive a school bus for Dallas ISD. 

To get that certification, she had to complete her medical clearance, a Dallas ISD onboarding program, the state driving test, a certification course, and a driving record check—all while managing her responsibilities as a principal, but Duke said all her hard work is paying off. 

“We don’t know what we don’t know as kids,” Duke said. “By giving them exposure and access to activities that aren’t in their day-to-day lives, it gives them opportunities to dream, think about what they want to be when they grow up, and see that the future is right in their hands. They just have to get these experiences.” 

More teachers have applied to come work at Dallas ISD every month since January than in the same period the past five years. The district received more than 6,000 teacher applications in May alone, considerably more than last May.

“Human Capital Management is committed to ensuring that our campuses have a highly effective teacher in every classroom,” said Chief of HCM Robert Abel. “There is still a shortage of teachers throughout the country, but with our competitive salaries, strategic compensation system, robust alternative certification program, and incentives in several areas, we have made our district attractive to teachers.”

The district’s recruitment team strategically developed a robust marketing plan to promote the teacher application to build a viable candidate pipeline utilizing Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund, Title and general operating funding sources. In addition, the district enhanced its Alternative Certification program with initiatives like free tuition for program expenses.

“These teacher applications allow principals to screen, identify, and hire the best-fit candidates for their schools,” Abel said.

Claiborne Allen has been providing outstanding Core 4 customer service in the Information Technology department for the past 15 years. His customers have taken note, and the business systems analyst said being focused, fast, flexible, and friendly has always come naturally to him. 

“I base my behavior, my support, and my service on the moral of treating people how I want to be treated,” Allen said. “I never let a bad day get me down, and I never bring my bad day onto other people or my customers. The Core 4 just falls in line with that.” 

Allen primarily assists the Payroll and Human Capital Management departments with any issues that arise with Oracle and ensures that any help tickets he receives are resolved in a timely manner to help keep daily operations across the district running smoothly. 

Samantha Castillo, Olivia Pintor, and Krystal Castillo all work in School Leadership and praised Allen for always stepping up to meet their department’s needs.

“Mr. Allen exemplifies the Core 4 as he is always responsive, willing to help, and a great communicator,” Pintor said. “He goes above and beyond with a positive attitude to provide exceptional customer service.” 

For Allen, it’s all in a day’s work. He grew up watching his mother dedicate three decades of service to Dallas ISD, so when he was ready to join the workforce, he said the district was a clear choice. His first role was at a service desk, and as he gained experience over the years, he worked his way up into his current position. 

Allen said he appreciates everything about his job, as it allows him to do meaningful work that contributes to Dallas ISD’s mission of educating all students for success.

“I take pride in helping people every day,” Allen said. “I’ve always been a great supporter of others, and that’s what makes my days go by—making people happy by resolving their issues. I really do enjoy what I do now and want to continue doing it until I retire.”

Hailey Rangel, a prekindergarten teacher at Jill Stone Elementary School, is on a mission to bring “field trips” to her students, which includes interactive activities to not only engage them, but also make learning more meaningful. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, field trips were restricted and schools had limited visitors. The expense of busing students to field trip locations even without the pandemic restrictions was also an obstacle.

So putting two and two together, Rangel decided to bring the learning opportunities of field trips to her school, instead. At the beginning of last school year, she did research for free on-campus activities students could participate in. 

“I built a list and invited different groups to visit the school, to give the students different opportunities to expand their learning,” said Rangel. 

Josefina Rodriguez, assistant principal at Jill Stone, describes Rangel as a vital asset to the school who has gone above and beyond to bring her students different experiences that broaden their possibilities to learn. 

The activities that Rangel has brought to the school range in areas from science to the arts. For example, Rangel is responsible for starting the school garden and bringing a mobile dairy farm to the school. 

Invited guests have included representatives of the Dallas Museum of Art and City of Dallas staff members who talked to the students about the importance of water conservation. 

This past school year, students also had the opportunity to study ladybugs, butterflies, and worms that Rangel received from the district’s Living Materials Center. 

One of Rangel’s motivations is remembering her family making it a priority to expose her to enrichment activities when she was a kid. She remembers how meaningful it was to her in her development and love of learning. 

Rangel has fond memories of her mom taking her and neighborhood kids to museums and places like Chuck E. Cheese due to good grades in report cards.

“I just want to give those same opportunities to my students, who otherwise might not have them,” Rangel said. “All students deserve to enjoy learning.” 

One of the things that Rangel loves about being a pre-K teacher is knowing her students are eager to learn. 

“They love to learn different things. Someone just has to show them,” Rangel said. She says that even seeing a little stem sprout from a tomato plant in the school’s garden is exciting to the kids, who soak everything in, according to Rangel.

The seeds to become an educator were planted in Rangel’s mind from the time she was a kid, as she comes from a family of educators– her mother, aunt and sister are all educators.

It was after graduating from college that Rangel found her calling. She was part of the National Civilian Community Corps from the AmeriCorps program, and one of her team’s projects was working in a summer literacy program at an elementary school in Maryland. She was a teacher’s assistant and was in charge of the garden. 

“I realized then that by being a teacher I could make a difference,” said Rangel.  “I felt I could open up the students’ minds and help to close learning gaps.”

After Rangel returned from her assignment with AmeriCorps, she began working other jobs, which included being a substitute teacher. That’s when she went through the district’s alternative certification program to become a teacher. 

“Teaching is probably the first job I’ve had where I don’t wake up in the morning and think ‘oh my gosh, I don’t want to go to work today,’” Rangel said. In fact, she loves teaching so much that she sees this as her career choice for the foreseeable future. 

Rangel’s hopes for her students include them having the freedom to choose their own pathways in life. 

“If they want to be an astronaut or a farmer or anything they want to be, there’s a pathway to that, and they can do it,” Rangel said. “I’m just bringing them different opportunities. They just have to do a little bit of research, but the sky’s the limit. They just have to keep trying until they reach their goals.”  

Through the Core 4—the district’s culture tenets—student success is at the core of everything we do. That’s why it’s important to model and recognize when team members exemplify the district’s four culture tenets by being:

• Focused on transforming student lives
• Fast by working with urgency for all 
• Flexible when striving for the yes
• Friendly to make memorable moments

Department recognitions

Central departments are encouraged to hold monthly recognitions to highlight outstanding examples of those embracing the culture tenets. These employees will then be recognized districtwide every quarter. Campus recognitions will launch later in the 2023-2024 school year. 

Departments can hold local recognitions as frequently as every month by asking team members, parents and the community (when appropriate) to share instances where someone has exemplified one of the tenets in an outstanding way. The example should be specific and mention the tenet and how the person being recognized exceeded expectations during their interaction. We recommend that examples be submitted in writing or by creating a Google form using these instructions. We recommend designating a Core 4 coordinator or ambassador for each department to gather these nominations, to coordinate who is chosen each month for recognition, and to share them with the department and, later, the districtwide recognition committee.

Once team members who embrace the Core 4 have been chosen by departments, we encourage you to share their names with the rest of the team by:

• Setting up a Core 4 Board in the employee lounge
• Announcing them in meetings
• Adding a Core 4 card to their door or workstation

 Districtwide recognitions

In a few weeks, departments will receive a packet with items to recognize individuals in each of the four tenets throughout the year. Electronic copies of some of the materials will also be available.  

For additional recognition, a central recognition will be held periodically based on names of individual department winners that are submitted by the department’s Core 4 coordinator or ambassador. Sharing can take place at the end of each department’s recognition however often they take place. 

What should districtwide nominations look like?

Recognitions should be evidence-based, so the examples of team members who are chosen for embracing and practicing the Core 4 tenets in an outstanding way need to be specific. These submissions will be reviewed by a Core 4 Committee to choose four employees to be recognized at the district level—one for each of the tenets.

Once the Core 4 Committee chooses team members to recognize from all those whose names were submitted:

• A story with their names and photos will appear in an issue of The Beat
• An invitation to do Coffee with the Chief will be sent
• Their information will be added to the Core 4 and Team Dallas ISD pages
• Those housed in the Linus D. Wright Administration Building will be able to park (based on a predetermined schedule) in the special Core 4 parking spot

If you have  outstanding team members who you think especially embody one or more of the Core 4 culture tenets and you have recognized them in your department already, use this form to submit their names for districtwide recognition: https://forms.gle/B9d22srykzu5nLb38. Be specific! We are looking for evidence-based examples using the behaviors suggested by the Core 4 rubric for each tenet as a guide. 

Make sure to include a horizontal photo of each nominee.

Dallas ISD schools and administrative offices will be closed Monday, July 3, through Friday, July 7, for summer break. However, team members can still get assistance with benefits.

The benefits call center will be open Monday, July 3, from 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. It will close on July 4, and will resume regular business hours for the remainder of the week.

For those non-emergency health concerns such as cold and flu, TRS ActiveCare participants can utilize Teladoc at a reduced cost. Call 1-855-Teladoc (835-2362) or visit their main page.

If you have questions regarding your HSA/ FSA, contact Optum at 877-528-9876 or visit www.optum.com. Optum is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

You may reach the benefits call center at 972-925-4000 or email benefits@dallasisd.org. For questions regarding leaves of absence, email benefitsleaves@dallasisd.org. During the periods in which the district is closed, the email boxes will be monitored periodically to ensure any critical issues are resolved in a timely manner.

Keep an eye out for Annual Enrollment 2023-2024, which will run from July 10–Aug. 17, 2023.

Please visit www.dallasisd.org/benefits for more information.