Staff News

They support office environments, manage clerical work, communicate with clients, make sure everyone gets paid, and more to keep day-to-day operations running smoothly. And on April 26—National Administrative Professionals Day—their contributions are celebrated and appreciated everywhere. 

Dallas ISD is home to a variety of administrative teams across campuses and departments, and their Core 4-driven work is critical to the district’s mission of educating all students for success. 

Financial clerk Vanessa Gutierrez wears many hats to support her team at K.B. Polk Center for Academically Talented and Gifted, and she said she loves what she does. Each day, she comes to work with a smile in place, ready to provide fast, flexible customer service to anyone who needs it.

“I’m super friendly,” Gutierrez said. “That’s just how I grew up. My mom and my brother work for Dallas ISD as well, and everybody knows us as always smiling. I do my best to always be positive and have a good attitude, and I feel like the students and the team see that, and it makes them feel more comfortable.”

Gutierrez, who first came to Polk as a teaching assistant in 2018, can often be found helping with arrival and dismissal, creating the school’s newsletter, communicating with parents and the community, scheduling tutoring sessions or field trips and getting the word out about the fine arts magnet’s upcoming shows and events. 

While her weeks often get busy, Gutierrez said it is worth the effort to help keep Polk on track and contribute to the front office’s positive environment. Her hard work has not gone unnoticed, according to Berta Alvarado, Polk’s office manager.

“Ms. Gutierrez works in the front office applying the Core 4 every day when communicating with parents and campus team members,” Alvarado said. “She deserves to be recognized for her commitment to creating a welcoming atmosphere for all visitors and volunteers, as well as for her dedication to our team and willingness to go above and beyond to complete a task.”

But for Gutierrez, it is all in a day’s work as an administrative professional. 

“Our office team does a lot behind the scenes that isn’t always known, but it is noticed,” Gutierrez said. “We make sure each day runs smoothly, whether a teacher needs coverage, copies or help with a student. They know they can give us a call or send a student down, and we will make sure they have everything they need. We’re here for them.”

Education has always been a priority for Master Principal Tangela Carter. She said she was born and raised in Dallas and attended schools in both South Dallas and Pleasant Grove, including H.S. Thompson Elementary School, Annie Webb Blanton Elementary School and W.W. Samuell High School. 

She graduated as the first African-American salutatorian from Samuell in 1991, while her sister graduated as the first African-American valedictorian from Samuell in 1992. Carter began learning Spanish at home from her father, who was a construction superintendent for the City of Dallas. 

Carter has since spent 20 years working in education as a bilingual teacher, assistant principal, elementary principal, director of ESL and Newcomer Programs and currently as principal at Zan Wesley Holmes Jr. Middle School. Previously, she worked as a parole officer and a probation officer in Dallas. She is also a 30-year member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. and is a charter member of the Nu Iota Chapter at the University of Texas at Arlington. 

Thanks to her determination, passion and expertise, Carter is among the more than 20 Dallas ISD principals to be awarded the Master Principal designation for the 2022-2023 school year. 

These designations are awarded annually to the top 10 percent of Dallas ISD principals in three categories: neighborhood elementary schools, neighborhood secondary schools, and choice schools, and Carter said she is proud to be leading her “legendary” campus community. 

What drew you to education? 

As a parole officer and a probation officer, growth with clients was limited. Many of the people I served/monitored had high school diplomas but could not read or write. I switched to education to catch children on the front end of their lives. Education is a game changer for all. 

What qualities make a great principal? 

The qualities that make a great principal are integrity and knowing that everyone has value. 

What is your educational philosophy or a motto by which you work? 

The motto by which I work is, “Effort is good, but results are better!”  

What inspires you about your position? 

The potential that our students, campus team and community have inspires me daily. Day by day, we get to see and participate in the growth of our future leaders.  

As they prepared for their participation in a robotics world championship, the members of Emmett J. Conrad High School’s RoboChargers—newly minted as state champions in UIL Robotics—were encouraged by their coach to be proud of themselves and stay focused.

“Be proud of what you’ve accomplished,” said Rex Lees, engineering teacher and robotics coach. “Be proud of what you’ve done as a team. Feel good about what’s been happening.” 

His words were meant to remind the team of how far they have come this year—months of preparation, working with a team of mentors who work in STEM careers—to win the state championship and to make it to the FIRST Robotics Championship in Houston, where they have a chance at a world title. 

The championship taking place through Sunday is a culminating international event for the youth robotics competition season and is an annual celebration of science, technology, engineering and math.

Lees, who teaches four sections of robotics, had 120 students sign up for robotics classes this school year. 

“For the first time, we had all four robotics classes build a robot and compete, to various degrees of success,” he said. 

Of all the students learning about the growing field of robotics, 26 competed at the state level and are currently at the world competition. 

“There are 600 teams from everywhere,” he said of the challengers his students will face. “There are teams from Turkey, Israel, India, Mexico, Brazil and several Canadian teams. All of the students are 18 and under.”

While he is excited about the growth of robotics at Conrad, Lees would like it to become even bigger throughout the district. 

“One of our goals is robotics for all. STEM education for all,” he said. “We want to make sure that everyone feels safe and welcome and that’s one of the reasons why we’ve been able to do many of the things we’re doing.”

Lees first discovered his love of teaching when he was in graduate school. He had already been working as a chemical engineer, making polymers and resins for a paint company, when he decided to go back to school. His undergraduate degree is in biology with focuses on biochemistry and genetics.

Lees said he kind of always knew he would be an educator, as his mom and his four grandparents were all teachers. 

“I was raised by educators and both of my grandmothers and my mother’s father were math teachers. My other grandfather taught shop and drafting,” he said. 

“I had taught biology, chemistry and anatomy for many years and have had a penchant for leadership to an extent,” he said. “I was told [in my previous district] that they would like to put me in an engineering role.” 

That’s when his journey into robotics began and brought him to the district. Lees joined Dallas ISD last school year at Conrad High School. He quickly noticed the level of support the mentors provided to students. 

“In the beginning of last year, we had 10 to 12 mentors and now we have 16,” he said. “It’s amazing to have these professionals come together to make this happen and share their knowledge with the students.” 

“We work together and go to competitions. I see that we’re not the only team that does this. And there’s all these teams in the state that are our team friends.” In fact, Lees says these competitions are often called “coopertitions.” 

One of the things that he likes most of what he does is bringing opportunities to his students that will open doors for them in the future. 

“Every bit of this is engineers showing the design process in real time, in a timed situation, in a deadline situation, where we don’t always know the answer and figure it out,” he said. “Walking students through the process, they’re seeing how design happens. Some of them are learning how to use tools for the first time—little to complex things, like how to program an app.”

Lees believes that the competitions and these experiences are setting his students up for success, and will help them have access to resources, such as internships and future jobs.

“They’re building this giant network, so all these kids get the opportunity to meet all these STEM professionals,” he said. “During the competition, we tell them to meet the other people and ask them questions and network. Not only are they getting this knowledge and inspiration from our mentors, they’re getting it from other mentors. I want this to spread to education at large.”

When Josué Tamárez Torres, a master teacher at César Chávez Learning Center, was appointed by the governor to serve as the chair of the Texas Education Agency’s Teacher Vacancy Task Force, he said he was driven because the TVTF’s mission to develop recommendations that will improve the teaching experience in Texas felt “personal.”

Tamárez Torres grew up in the Dominican Republic in a low income family and said his parents always emphasized education as their children’s “way out of poverty.” They later immigrated to the United States, where Tamárez Torres discovered his passion for teaching while tutoring students from similar backgrounds as his own, joined Teach For America and found a new home in Dallas. 

“I became a teacher to show my students what is possible,” Tamárez Torres said. “It’s possible to come from a low income family and still be successful, it’s possible to overcome poverty and it’s possible to succeed in life. When a teacher leaves the classroom, the students in low income communities are usually the students who suffer the most. That’s why I said yes. I want to be part of the solution.”

The TVTF met every other month for a year starting in 2022 to conduct research, consult with experts and define high-priority, actionable recommendations that would have an immediate impact on teacher retention and, by extension, student achievement across the state. 

The task force identified three overarching areas for state legislators and decision makers to target: compensation, training and support, and working conditions. Tamárez Torres said each category and their branching recommendations are meant to be implemented together with a “holistic approach.”

For example, Tamárez Torres said if decision makers increase teacher salaries without creating a supportive environment for teachers, or if they develop support systems without incentivizing teachers to put in the necessary work to be successful, the vacancy rates would continue because the change would only fix a piece of the problem. 

Now that the TVTF has completed its final report, Tamárez Torres and the other members are working hard to spread the word. They have been sending letters to legislators, meeting with teacher unions and educator preparation programs and testifying before Congress in addition to supporting their own students and campuses. 

Tamárez Torres is encouraging families and team members across Dallas ISD and beyond to get involved by contacting their state representative or senator through an email or phone call to ask them to fully fund Texas public schools, which would include a pay raise for teachers and all team members. 

“This is not just about teachers in Dallas ISD,” Tamárez Torres said. “This is about all teachers in Texas because we care about every single student in Texas. Behind each teacher, there are 27, 25, 17 little faces who deserve and need all the help they can get, especially after the pandemic.”

To find out who your legislator is, visit https://wrm.capitol.texas.gov/home. To read the full TVTF report, visit https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/tvtf-final-report.pdf. 

Dallas ISD will discontinue the use of Zoom for virtual meetings and other video conferencing starting May 23 as a savings to the district and a measure to enhance cybersecurity. 

Team members will be able to access Microsoft Teams, which is already in use, and Google Meet for their video conferencing needs. Both tools are available at no extra cost to the district and offer comparable features. The transition to these tools will also increase efficiency and standardize support.

Features available in Teams and Meet are comparable to those in Zoom and include the ability to:

• Schedule a meeting
• Invite participants 
• Chat
• Screen Share

Microsoft Teams is available as an app in all district devices and is the default when scheduling meetings using Outlook Calendar. Google Meet can be accessed using the Google waffle.

Team members who have recurring meetings scheduled with Zoom or have published Zoom links that will be used after May 23 are encouraged to recreate those meetings and links using Microsoft Teams or Google Meet. Any Zoom recordings or reports will need to be downloaded to OneDrive or Google Drive because they will be unavailable after May 23.

Dallas ISD team members will be able to join Zoom meetings that have been created by external contractors, vendors and partners.

Departments and campuses can request to purchase Zoom licenses and will need pre approval from their chief in order to start the procurement process.

For support in navigating the video conferencing platforms after May 23, download this helpful guide or contact Professional and Digital Learning at PDL@dallasisd.org 

Dallas ISD’s College and Career Advising Program (CCAP) is setting high school students up for success starting in ninth grade thanks to an $11 million annual investment from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund. 

Cheryl Nevels, assistant superintendent of college readiness, said typical college advising programs focus on financial aid and college entry application, but with the ESSER investment, Dallas ISD has expanded the program to include career preparation. The program provides students with college and career advisers as soon as they enter high school to effectively support students to and through their postsecondary transition. 

“It’s about giving students a voice in the choices available,” Nevels said. “We are equipping them with the skills they need to increase their postsecondary options. Advisors work in tandem with counselors to support students with college and career readiness plans, college applications, financial aid, scholarships, entrance exams, etc. so they are empowered to matriculate from high school to college. They are also exposing students to career opportunities so they can plan for college and career success.”

David Laneave, a P-TECH instructional specialist in the postsecondary department, said Dallas ISD’s CCAP student data is “leaps and bounds” above neighboring districts. 

Over 90 percent of Dallas ISD seniors have college applications on file, well above most neighboring districts, which range from 56 to 77 percent of seniors. Additionally, 81 percent of Dallas ISD seniors have applied for financial aid in comparison to 53 and 65 percent in some neighboring districts.

Across the board, Dallas ISD’s student data is tracking at about 9 percent above other metroplex districts on average. 

“Of the 87 percent of our seniors who have submitted a college application, that’s 87 percent of our students who have a say in their future,” Laneave said. “That’s one of the biggest components of this program.”

The ESSER funds provide college and career access vendors to district campuses to guide students through the application processes and help them develop four-year plans. The vendors also conduct parent outreach to get families involved in the college and career process.

“The CCAP program helps establish, maintain and support a college and career identity in high school,” Laneave said. “By collaborating with high school students and team members starting from ninth grade all the way through high school, we are effectively targeting postsecondary success for our students.”

The open transfer period allows eligible team members to accept a position at another campus for the following school year, and Dallas ISD’s 81 high priority campuses (HPCs) are looking for outstanding teachers. If you are passionate about your profession and your heart lies with helping students succeed no matter what, the open transfer window may be for you.

To assist with the recruitment and retention of the best teachers at the HPCs, the district recently approved higher stipends for HPC campuses. The expanded HPC teacher stipend structure for 2023-2024 is increasing existing stipend amounts and expanding eligibility effectiveness levels.   

Highly effective teachers may now earn up to $9,000 in stipends annually for service at an HPC campus.  

With this expansion, teachers holding a Proficient I Effectiveness Level will now earn a $4,000 stipend for service at an HPC. Amounts for TEI Distinguished teachers have also been increased up to an additional $2,000 for 2023-2024. 

2023-2024 Proposed HPC Teacher Stipends  

If you are interested in serving at an HPC, sign up for the April 22, 2023, job fair here, or connect with a Human Capital Management recruiter by email at futureteacher@dallasisd.org. Interested teachers may also download the roster of 2023-2024 HPCs ahead of the job fair. 

Dallas ISD’s Alternative Certification Program was recently recognized by the State Board of Education for its success in preparing and supporting teachers who identify as African American. 

The Dallas ISD Alternative Certification Program (ACP) received a 2021-2022 Educator Preparation Program Commendation in Category 2, Preparing the Educators Texas Needs. This category identifies these programs for preparing and supporting teachers who identify as teachers of color or are employed in rural areas. 

In partnership with the Dallas ISD Teacher Residency Program, the ACP’s strategic recruitment efforts have increased the number of Black and Latino male educators in the district. Through this collaborative effort, African-American and Hispanic students have access to effective and diverse teachers who match their ethnic background, creating an education system that is equitable across our classrooms. 

The Dallas ISD ACP enhances the alternative teaching route by providing intentional content test preparation and a standards driven training program where future educators can engage with others, explore, and practice the newest and innovative approaches to teaching, and develop a deeper understanding of their impact on student achievement in Dallas ISD.

There are currently over 150 teacher interns for the 2022-2023 school year. This is in large part due to the program’s redesign, which includes free tuition for candidates seeking certification in critical shortage areas—such as  elementary bilingual, elementary ESL, secondary math, secondary science, secondary english language arts and reading, and all level special education. 

If you know of someone who is considering a career in teaching, application for the next cohort in the district’s recognized program is open through July 10. Applications are accepted via the Dallas ISD website at https://www.dallasisd.org/acp.

For the Willis family, Dallas ISD is home, as a total of five of their immediate family members work for the district and all share a long history with the district.

Carla and Christopher Willis Sr. met in 1977 when they were both students at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Carla was a freshman and Christopher Sr. was a sophomore. Christopher was a fulltime student, studying music, and Carla was in the dance cluster, while also attending South Oak Cliff High School. 

They have been married 38 years. 

Their daughter, ChrisSharrah Yancy, is an investigator in the Professional Standards Office; their son, Christopher Willis II, is a coordinator in the Reset Center at H.W. Lang Middle School; and Darryl Yancy, ChrisSharrah’s husband, is a supervisor in Custodial Services in the Operation Services Division. 

While all work in the district in different positions, departments and schools, there’s one common thread that unites their work—they all have a commitment to serving others. They are also all passionate about serving in their local communities and church.

“One thing that’s unique about our story is that my parents also met while they were students at Booker T. Washington, before it was a performing arts high school. Who would think I would meet my wife Carla at Booker T. Washington as well?” said Christopher Sr.

Carla, who has been working for the district for 24 years, is a coordinator in the Reset Center at David W. Carter High School. Prior to that position, she worked as an office manager in the Office of Family and Community Engagement, Construction Services and a Redirection Special Education teacher.

Christopher Sr., who has been working for the district for 38 years, wears many hats at Thomas L. Marsalis Elementary STEAM Academy, where he is the music teacher, safety coordinator, bus coordinator and textbook coordinator. 

“I enjoy teaching and sharing music,” he said. “It’s not really a job per se. My career is part of my life. I love music and I get to share that.”

 For ChrisSharrah, seeing her parents work in education and the roles they play in their community motivated her to also join public education. 

“My parents have always worked in education and as leaders in ministry. Having that discipline and structure has always been there with my dad being a pastor,” she said. “I didn’t see myself in education initially because I originally wanted to do law, but when I saw I could use my areas of expertise at Dallas ISD, that allowed me to see there’s a place for me here in the district as well.” 

“For the Willis family, faith, family, education and giving back to others serve as a foundation to build on for this generation and others to come. This is Home for the Willis family,” said Carla. 

What do you like most about working in the district?

Carla: It’s a great opportunity to invest and pour into the lives of our young people. It’s imperative for me to be a part of helping our students find their purpose and passion in life. Some of our students come from hard lifestyles.In my role, I want to show them love and compassion through my work while building great and meaningful relationships, teaching them to accept responsibility for their actions, and finding the right outcome. 

My role can be very challenging at times. Dealing with the anger, childhood adversities, and the complicated households of our students causes me to keep my WHY at the forefront. My WHY is our students need that someone one and WHY not me! To stay effective, I must continue to have a heart for the students.

Christopher Sr.: I’ve always been able to help students tap into their creative sides, whether they are the A Honor Roll students or the students that are struggling academically. Not all the time, but many times, students who are struggling academically excel creatively in other areas like music. 

It’s always given me the opportunity to help students who might not be doing as well in the classroom. Many times, once you get a music instrument in their hand, you can see how things begin to change for them, for those who have an interest. I love being able to do that. I’ve even had the unique opportunity to teach three generations from a family– a grandparent, the mother and the grandchild.

What impact have you seen your role play in the lives of your students?

Carla: Since I’ve worked in the district schools, teachers would say the students that have a hard time behaving are the ones that gravitate to me for help. This has always been an opportunity for me to help redirect their challenging behaviors.  I sometimes can have a positive talk or lead them through some type of social emotional program or do a mindfulness activity that helps to apply them to those behaviors. But the most impactful thing is seeing the student walk away better than they came.   

Christopher Sr.: I taught high school for a year and a half, but I’ve been working in elementary for most of my career as an educator. There’s something unique when they’re young and so impressionable that you can make an impact on them at such a young age. 

No matter what background they come from, many are just accustomed to just one style of music. We introduce them to many styles and music genres. I’ve seen students go from all Ds and Fs, and they tap into their creative music side, and it opened them up like a rose to blossom in so many other areas. To understand and write the music, you must learn how to spell the words, and music is math. You can’t have music without math. Music impacts all areas of life. 

For Master Principal Lonnie Russell, the decision to pursue a career in education was a clear one. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, he said he was inspired by his cousin, Eboni Russell, who is still “an amazing teacher,” to enter the profession to make a positive impact on students’ lives.

Now, 16 years later, Russell said he is proud to call Rufus C. Burleson Elementary School home and to be among the more than 20 Dallas ISD principals who have been awarded the Master Principal designation for the 2022-2023 school year. 

These designations are awarded annually to the top 10 percent of Dallas ISD principals in three categories: neighborhood elementary schools, neighborhood secondary schools and choice schools. The awards are part of the Theory of Action, which governs how Dallas ISD makes decisions that ultimately impact student achievement, and Russell is sharing his thoughts on leading a campus to excellence. 

What drew you to education? 

I wanted to make a difference in the lives of students and in the communities I serve. I am thankful for my cousin, Eboni Russell, who encouraged me to get started on this transformational journey. 

What qualities make a great principal? 

I really care about people. Leading Burleson Nation has been an amazing experience and has given me countless opportunities to hone my leadership strengths and mindset. I am proud of my team’s service and commitment to the Burleson Nation students and community!

What is your educational philosophy or a motto by which you work? 

Ensuring the success of every student, every team member, every day. Burleson Nation went from an “F” to a “B” and from no distinctions to four distinctions. Our goal is to have an “A”mazing year with all six distinctions.

What inspires you about your position? 

I get to build relationships with the best students and team members in Dallas ISD and beyond. The present and future of our Burleson Nation students are very bright.