Central Staff News

Maria Rodriguez, the first Hispanic female sergeant in the Dallas ISD Police Department, has achieved a significant milestone in her community. Born and raised in Dallas, she attended various Dallas ISD legacy schools, including Maple Lawn Elementary School and Thomas Jefferson High School, where she was active in extracurricular activities such as the Liberty Belles and martial arts.

In 2010, she joined Dallas ISD as a teacher assistant at Skyline High School, where she met officer Alan Miles, who encouraged her to apply to the Dallas ISD police. At the time, Rodriguez’s son was 2 years old and needed attention, but she decided to join the police academy anyway and graduated in 2015.

Promoted to sergeant in December 2023, Rodriguez shared her pride in being the first Hispanic woman to achieve this rank within the department.

“I hope it paves the way for other Hispanic women,” she said, acknowledging the challenges of working in a male-dominated field. “Courage, resilience, and perseverance are key.”

Having worked as a detective for six years before her promotion, she credits her faith and strong support system for helping her navigate the challenges of her profession. Faith and family have been significant influences in her journey. 

“God gives me the wisdom to deal with situations as a police officer, and my supportive husband keeps me grounded,” she said. 

When asked about her impact on the Hispanic community, she highlighted the importance of representation. 

“Just by doing a good job with integrity and honesty, I hope others can see themselves in me and be inspired to pursue their dreams,” she said. She also shared a message for Hispanic students, encouraging them to “not let fear or limitations hold them back” and to see the possibilities in their future.

Rodriguez’s parents constantly encourage her to work diligently and represent the community with honor. 

“I am here to help,” she said. 

Parents often come to Rodriguez to discuss their concerns because they feel comfortable approaching someone who speaks and looks like them.

Her passion for community engagement is evident in her commitment to educating students about law enforcement. As a frontline supervisor for Bravo Patrol, she plans to work closely with students and parents to build strong relationships and mentor young people, particularly those who may lack positive role models at home.

“Mentoring and building relationships with students is a top priority,” she said, believing that early education on the law can prevent future issues.

“Many students within the district already come with challenges when they step in the door of the school,” she said. Students are looking for role models.

Looking ahead, Rodriguez hopes to increase Hispanic representation in law enforcement and continue educating students on the importance of making good choices. She believes that more Hispanic males and females are needed in the field and emphasized the importance of diversity in fostering trust and understanding between the community and law enforcement.

“Hispanic Heritage month is a time to reflect what we have overcome as a community and look at the future with a smile.” Rodriguez said. “Live life with joy and happiness.”

Rocio Castillo, a translator and interpreter in Translation Services, knows first-hand that sometimes it’s difficult to juggle work and children, but that it is still possible to help them live life to the fullest especially if they have special needs.

Castillo’s son, Malachi, is 18 and a 2024 graduate of North Dallas High School. He is also blind and has other disabilities, but that doesn’t stop him from living a life full of joy, she said. 

“Malachi wakes up smiling every day,” Castillo said. “So that really affected me in a way where I decided that I was going to stop being sad about all the things that he can’t do and just enjoy the things that he can do.” 

Her son’s happy disposition inspired her to make life choices that would include him in things that would bring him joy or help him learn.

With this goal in mind, Castillo helped her son in his mission to become homecoming duke. She made posters featuring the singer Drake and accompanied him to the homecoming dance where he was crowned duke and recognized with others who were part of the homecoming court. Seeing Malachi smiling and happy during his coronation gave her a sense of inclusion. 

“I got to experience the dance with him, and kids would just come up to him and say ‘What’s up Malachi?’ And he was just smiling. He couldn’t see them, but he was happy,” she said. 

Another one of Castillo’s goals has been to help her son achieve more independence, which he has done by using the white cane that allows the blind and visually impaired to navigate their surroundings and achieve more independence at work, school, and the community. White Cane Awareness Day, celebrated on Oct. 15, brings attention to this essential tool and its users. 

Working with her son helped Castillo, who for six years worked as a one-on-one teacher assistant to a student with disabilities, find joy in helping the student reach his goals, including being able to walk.   

After working as a teacher assistant, Castillo became an attendance clerk before then becoming an interpreter/translator. 

“I went in as Malachi’s mom, the mom to this child with special needs, but also with knowledge of special education and the ARD (Admission, Review, and Dismissal) process, and I was also fluent in Spanish,” Castillo said. Now, an interpreter in ARD meetings, a process she knows well, she is able to provide families of children who have disabilities with a service she once used.

“I love it. It doesn’t even feel like work because I love it,” she said. Castillo said she often runs into persons in the district who either worked with her son or know him, and she is often reminded of the positive and lasting impression he has made. She calls these moments full circle moments.

While Castillo is helping other families, Malachi spends the week at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Austin. Castillo believes this move was great for her son because everything is geared towards the blind and visually impaired, which is helping his self-confidence. On the weekends, Malachi returns to his mom. 

“It’s like going away to college,” Castillo said. She said that the experience has been fruitful for Malachi in many ways. Castillo said that one of the things that has helped her and her son is both of them finding a sense of community. 

“I just try to live in a way where he can enjoy life, and it also helps him being out there in the community,” Castillo said. “It’s important for people to see that people like him exist and are capable of living this great life, regardless of their limitations.”

Voting is a right, a privilege and a responsibility of every citizen, but one must be registered to cast a vote in any election from municipal to presidential, such as the one coming up on Nov. 5. Each state has a different deadline for citizens to register, and in Texas, those who want to vote in the Nov. 5 election must be registered by Oct. 7. 

If you are already registered, do you need to register again? Probably not if you haven’t moved and you are an active voter. But because states like Texas routinely do purges of their voter rolls, voters are encouraged to check if their registration remains active by scanning the QR code in the graphic. Schools and departments are encouraged to print and post this flyer in areas easily accessible to team members to help them check if their registration is active. 

You may be marked inactive if you:

• Do not respond to election officials’ postcards or letters
• Have not voted in the last two federal general elections (a midterm and a presidential election)

You need to update your voter registration if you have:

• Moved within your state or changed your name (and update the ID you will use when you vote)
• Moved into Texas from another state

If you find that your registration is inactive or you need to make changes visit www.votetexas.gov and make sure you follow the necessary steps before Oct. 7. If you are registering for the first time, remember that while you can fill out a form online, Texas requires that you print it, sign and mail the form in or visit a voter registrar in your county by the Oct. 7 deadline.

Source: www.usa.gov/confirm-voter-registration

Who hasn’t had a grumpy day? A day when one feels irritable, but these feelings are usually temporary. You may be “having a bad day” and feel in a bad mood. It could be nothing, but it could be a sign of something deeper. 

Little things may irritate you more than usual, like the driver in front of you cutting you off, your computer being slow to load, or the person ahead of you in line having a loud phone conversation. Irritability is often a sign that you’re under stress.

Paying attention to angry or anxious moods is important. The better you are at managing them, the less influence they can have on your interactions with others. Research shows that the ability to regulate and control negative moods is essential to our ability to work productively with others.

Here are six ways to increase your ability to manage negative moods if they occur.

Recognize that you’re feeling grumpy.

When you’re feeling grumpy, you may be:

• impatient
• irritable
• rude
• angry
• short-tempered
• easily annoyed

The first step in managing your emotions when you’re in a grumpy mood is to recognize how you’re feeling and acting. It’s being able to stop for a moment and admit to yourself, “I’m really grumpy today.” Once you’re able to do that, you can work on finding outlets and ways to feel better so that you do not allow your anxious or irritable mood to take over your interactions with others.

Pay careful attention to your physical health and your diet.

When you’re having a bad day, realizing that you’re feeling “off” physically can point you toward solutions. A headache or a sore back can trigger irritability or make it worse. Feeling too hot, too cold, or uncomfortable in a bad desk chair won’t help. Often a bad mood can be caused by something as basic as hunger.

Eat healthy and regularly with a focus on nutrient-dense foods. Eating the right foods during the day can have all-day benefits for your mood. Avoid high-sugar foods that cause your energy to spike and then plummet. For example, in the morning try low-fat yogurt, whole-grain cereals, fresh fruit, or whole grain bread with peanut or almond butter. Or have healthy leftovers for lunch, like brown rice or whole-grain pasta with lean meat and vegetables.

Eat balanced meals throughout the day. Eat in moderation and avoid foods with lots of salt and sugar.

Limit your intake of caffeine. It can leave you feeling jittery—and grumpier.

Try to drink several glasses of water a day. Sometimes fatigue can result from being dehydrated, which can lead to grumpiness.

Develop a support system.

Identify and make time for friends, both at work and outside of work. People who can be trusted to hear about how you’re feeling can provide an excellent opportunity to work through your feelings. Think about who can help you lift a bad mood and find a more realistic way to look at your situation. And if possible, avoid cranky people until a bad mood passes.

Get enough sleep.

Fatigue and lack of sleep can leave you feeling moody and irritable. Most adults need at least seven hours of sleep a night, on a regular basis, to feel rested and energetic. Getting less sleep—even for a couple of nights—can leave you feeling irritable, moody, and more likely to make mistakes.

Bring laughter into your day.

A good laugh can break a bad mood.

Incorporate humor. Spend time with people who make you laugh. Call a humorous friend or relative at lunch. Keep a cartoon calendar in your workspace. Or download to your phone a joke-a-day app or a few monologues by your favorite comedian. Look for entertaining comedy routines or sketches that are short enough to watch or listen to on your break at work with earbuds. Find a way to chuckle today.

Laugh at yourself if you can. There’s a popular quote that shows up often on Facebook and Twitter. “I’m not in a bad mood. Everyone is just . . . annoying.” It’s amusing because it requires us to recognize that we need to take responsibility for our own moods.

Make an effort to break the grumpiness cycle.

It’s easy to accept a grumpy mood as a fact of life or to tell yourself, “There’s nothing I can do about it.” But there is. Here are some tips:

Start your day off right. The mood we bring to our day has a powerful effect on us throughout the day. Plan and organize your morning routines to have enough time to make it as pleasant and stress free as possible. If you can’t avoid a long or frustrating commute, create a playlist of upbeat music—the kind that can put you in a good mood—to listen to on the way to work.

Talk yourself out of a grumpy mood. Tell yourself, “I’m going to feel better.” Moods are temporary and “this too shall pass.” Coaches sometimes advise people having a bad day to “fake it until you make it,” meaning that sometimes acting upbeat will actually improve your mood. You start your day appearing to be cheerful, even if it feels forced, and keep going until the cheerfulness becomes real. This simple technique works quite often. This may not always be possible though, and it shouldn’t be used all the time since all of our emotions are important.

Take responsibility for your moods and communicate them. If you know you are in an irritable mood, communicate this to others. For example, you may tell a fellow coworker that you are stressed today and don’t have the same patience as you may on a usual day.

Make an effort to ground yourself. Take a deep breath when you are feeling angry. Breathe and count to five to help yourself stay calm. Regular exercise can be an excellent way to control and temper negative moods.

Strive for balanced thinking. If you find that you usually assume the worst and downplay the good things in life, you may want to put more energy toward focusing on the positive—on an upcoming visit with a friend or on the things that are good in your life. Being able to be critical of any thoughts you have, whether they be “good” or “bad” can lead to being more realistic about situations you come across and help balance your moods.

If your irritable mood lasts a lot longer than it usually does, think about contacting a mental health professional to get to explore what’s bothering you.

If you take care of yourself and remember to eat well, get enough rest, and make time to be with people you care about, chances are you’ll feel less grumpy. And remember, it’s OK to be in a bad mood once in a while—so long as it doesn’t overwhelm you and your interactions with others.

You can find resources by visiting the Mental Health Services Department website at https://www.dallasisd.org/mentalhealth. 

If you need help, the district’s Employee Assistance Program provides short-term counseling for you, your spouse/partner, and any dependent family members. Counseling sessions can assist with a wide range of concerns, including stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and more. And, as always, you can reach TELUS Health EAP 24/7 at 972-925-4000 Option 3. For additional questions, employees may contact the Human Capital Management Benefits Department at 972-925-4300, email benefits@dallasisd.org, or click here for information on the Benefits Website.

Source: LifeWorks

The arts community will recognize Madison Frampton-Herrera on stage as a dancer, choreographer and director, but to students at Jesus Moroles Expressive Vanguard, she is their math teacher.

A product of Dallas ISD, Frampton-Herrera graduated from Booker T. Washington High School for the Visual and Performing Arts in 2015, where she studied dance. She grew up with both—dance and math. Her father is a medical physicist, and she grew up doing things like coding. So when she first began her journey at Moroles, she was the tech applications and robotics teacher and embraced this science role. 

Currently teaching ESL math, this is her second year teaching in the district and her fifth in public education. 

Independent thinking is something that she promotes with her students, and something she learned at Booker T., along with creative thinking and problem solving. While being a math teacher is her primary role at Moroles, this week she brought a little of her other life to the school when she started an afterschool classical dance class, which encompasses ballet, modern, and jazz, for kinder through third-grade students. On her first day of class, 15 students showed up. She anticipates more students showing up, as the news about this opportunity spreads.

“We’re preparing them for that next step, that next journey,” Frampton-Herrera said. “Especially with the current economy, dance isn’t always attainable.” 

Because of the cost of dance classes in studios, she said not every student will have the opportunity to take dance classes. One of the reasons she created this after-school program for kids was to give them that opportunity to try out dance without the cost of a private studio and instructor. 

“Dance is a way to get that kinesthetic awareness,” she said. “You learn how to move in space, you learn how to connect with one another.” 

Frampton-Herrera also said she started the program to help students improve in their problem solving skills and their gross and fine motor skills, which students need more of because they are constantly on technology, she said. 

“Having gross motor skills and building that core is so important to anything like walking, writing, typing, and so on,” she said. 

Like learning math, in dance you learn things that will help you in all areas of life because it’s learning work ethic and discipline, she said. 

“It’s all connected,” she said. Outside of Dallas ISD, Frampton-Herrera continues her passion of bringing dance to youth from communities all over the north Texas area through the nonprofit organization she founded with her husband Favian Herrera, who is also a graduate of Booker T. 

The Herrera Dance Project was founded back in 2019 and has done collaborative work with organizations such as the New Philharmonic of Irving, the Mesquite Orchestra, and most recently presented  “Echoes of Justice,” a choreographic dedication to Santos Rodriguez at Arts Mission Oak Cliff, a professional production that included both professional dancers and student performers. 

Frampton-Herrera said she’s encountered role models along the way that have inspired her in her journey, including Lily Cabatu Weiss, a leader in the Dallas arts community, who was her teacher at Booker T. She also cited Moroles principal Marissa Tavallaee as an inspiration.  

“My principal has shown me what it is to be a leader. She is the person that continuously strives for betterment, and I think that’s what this community needs,” she said.

Frampton-Herrera said she has had so many good experiences in these first two years with the district and said that when she shows up to work every day, her students show that they love learning and are willing to learn. To her, that’s one of the best things about what she does. 

“I am the teacher now that I needed as a child, and in that sense, I’m proud of myself because I wish someone would have broken it down for me like that,” she said. “I wish someone would have taken the time to really develop the concepts and not just teach the content, and I’m happy to be that person in their lives.” 

International Literacy Day, celebrated on Sept. 8, emphasizes the essential role of literacy in empowering individuals and nurturing literate communities. 

“It’s a day to celebrate the joy of reading and the shared experience of storytelling,” said Patricia Alvarado, director of Library and Media Services. “By cultivating a culture where students identify as readers, both at school and at home, we’re not just teaching essential skills—we’re instilling a lifelong love for reading that will continue to enrich their lives and our community long after they’ve left our schools.”

According to UNESCO, at least one out of seven adults aged 15 and above— approximately 765 million—lacked basic literacy skills. Part of International Literacy Day is to remind policy-makers, practitioners, and the public of the critical importance of literacy for creating a more literate, just, peaceful, and sustainable society, according to the UNESCO website. 

To find free resources available to Dallas ISD team members and students, visit the Library and Media Services website at www.dallasisd.org/librarymediaservices. 

A conversation, no matter how small, can help break down barriers, raise awareness, and create better cultures of support, which can lead to reducing the number of suicides across the world each year. The goal of World Suicide Prevention Day, commemorated on Sept. 10, is to highlight how changing the narrative on suicide is about transforming how we perceive this complex issue.

That is why the theme for 2024-2026 is “Start the conversation.” The day—sponsored since 2003 by the World Health Organization and the International Association for Suicide Prevention—also stresses the importance of shifting from a culture of silence and stigma to one of openness, understanding, and support. 

Suicide is a major public health challenge, with more than 700,000 deaths each year globally. Each suicide has far-reaching social, emotional, and economic consequences, and deeply affects individuals and communities worldwide. The call to action encourages everyone to start the conversation on suicide and suicide prevention. 

The IASP has a page with resources for Sept. 10 here. The organization also offers access to crisis helplines in your community by visiting their resources page. 

Dallas ISD’s Mental Health Services has provided students with a sticker that includes the number for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline and other outreach resources if they are in crisis and has shared community resources to help team members address the topic with students:

• The Texas Suicide Prevention Collaborative has resources on their website. 
• They also offer a free training: Suicide Safer Schools
• Suicide and Crisis Center of North texas

Source: World Health Organization, International Association for Suicide Prevention, and Dallas ISD

Dallas ISD’s Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise Department offers a plethora of initiatives year round for team members and others outside of the district wanting to take advantage of the opportunities offered through the department.

One of those upcoming initiatives is the M/WBE Vendor Expo, which will take place at 11 a.m. on Sept.10 at the Jesse Owens Memorial Complex, allowing the business community to meet and network with various Dallas ISD departments. 

“Through this expo and other initiatives the M/WBE Department is continuing the goal of the district to involve minority and women-owned businesses, in a legal and meaningful way, in all facets of the district’s contracting and purchasing activities,” said Annie Partee, executive director of the M/WBE Department. “Dallas ISD is at the forefront as it relates to ensuring racial equity.”

Partee said that the district is extremely fortunate to work under the leadership of strong women such as Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde and Deputy Superintendent of Staff and Racial Equity Pamela Lear in addition to the countless others who support the M/WBE Department and the district’s mission of educating all students for success.

Some of the other programs that the M/WBE Department offers are bonding and certification support, business development workshops and training sessions, contract compliance and monitoring, marketing, M/WBE advocacy, outreach, strategic partnerships, technical support, vendor expos, etc. 

Additional information may be found at www.dallasisd.org/mwbe.  

Fam Jams not only bring together parents from different schools but also bring together the team members who make them happen to offer the community a space for celebration, connection, learning, and resources.

Since 2019, schools from different regions are selected to host. Each Fam Jam involves coordination and collaboration with school team members, including community liaisons and parents, who play a critical role engaging families ensuring the event’s success, said Israel Rivera, executive director for Parent Advocacy and Support Services. The events are meticulously planned in the spring, so that each one is hosted by a school within a specific region, such as the upcoming kick off on Saturday, Sept. 14, at Skyline High School, which will serve the four vertical teams across regions 1 and 2. 

According to data from previous years, more than 1,130 families usually participate in an in-person Fam Jam and engage in discussions on how to support learning at home. They also take advantage of immunizations, health screenings, free breakfast, prizes, and giveaways.

“We work closely with the schools to organize everything from performances to resource fairs,” Rivera said. “Our goal is to involve all the schools in the vertical teams and create an engaging experience for everyone.”

The preparation for these events is extensive. From setting up decorations and organizing tables to coordinating with partners and community organizations, Rivera and his team ensure that every detail is accounted for. They begin their setup early, including the day before, to make sure everything is ready for the event.

“We have bands, balloons, and a variety of decorations to create an inviting atmosphere,” Rivera said. “Our partners and community organizations are crucial to this process, providing valuable resources and support.”

Fam Jams also serve as a platform for team members to connect with families outside the classroom environment. While the focus is on building relationships rather than discussing academic performance, the events offer opportunities for families to learn about district resources and engage with different departments. This year, there’s an added focus on enhancing special education resources at the events.

“We invite team members to join us because it’s a chance to build trust and show families that we are here to support them,” Rivera said. “We want to make sure that all families feel included and have access to the information they need.”

Chelsea Liles, family and community engagement coordinator, finds great fulfillment in working on Fam Jam. 

“One of the most rewarding aspects has been witnessing the growth of our event and the increasing engagement from our families,” said Liles, who is involved in marketing and logistics. “Every Fam Jam provides a unique opportunity to bring our ideas to life, from detailed marketing strategies to on-the-ground execution.”

Liles and her colleague, Ingrid Baylon, start collaborating months in advance, with marketing materials prepared as early as May, and every detail carefully planned with the families’ needs in mind. Their shared passion for these events has cultivated a strong working relationship, essential for managing these large-scale events. For Liles, the highlight is seeing the direct impact on the community and interacting with the diverse individuals who contribute to their success.

“There is no Saturday like a Fam Jam Saturday; there is no other district or any other set of parents I would wake up for on a Saturday at 4 a.m., besides our amazing Dallas ISD families and these incredible Fam Jam events,” Liles said.

Ever since Marisela Lopez was a teenager, she knew she someday wanted to be an athletic director. She now finds herself in that role at Dallas ISD, where she has worked for the last 18 years. 

Lopez, who is the assistant athletic director who oversees all soccer and cross country programs for the district, has created opportunities for student athletes—opportunities she sought when she was a student athlete. 

This summer, Dallas Athletics Club, a soccer club that she founded, traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Lopez first got the idea to start this organization in 2019 when she was at Sunset High School. She took her soccer girls team to Spain and France, and, when Lopez became assistant athletic director, she created this club to offer this opportunity to excel to boys and girls in the district’s high schools.

 This summer, Lopez took two different soccer teams composed of 17 girls and 17 boys to Argentina, along with chaperones. The students and chaperones, some of whom are soccer coaches, toured the city and had the opportunity to play three friendly games against teams from Argentina. They even got to see the iconic stadiums where Club Atlético Boca Juniors and Club Atlético River Plate play. 

 “The main goal was to give our kids an opportunity and a chance of a lifetime to go and play in another country,” Lopez said. “One of our boys got scouted from one of the Argentina professional teams, so we were hoping also for the kids to get recognized or even scouted.”

Lopez mentioned that two of the chaperones, Gabriel Valles and Miguel Valles, who are brothers and teachers at W.W. Samuell High School and Piedmont Global Academy, had had the opportunity to visit Argentina through another organization, when they were students. She said the brothers knew first-hand what this experience was like for the students and how it could be life changing. 

Approximately 68 persons attended the trip, including students, parents, and grandparents, which contributed to the students’ experience. This was the inaugural trip for the Dallas Athletics Club, and plans to expand the opportunity to more students. She and assistant athletic director Cinnamon Sheffield are taking volleyball girls to Italy, and Lopez is planning to take the soccer students to England next year. 

“I was very proud of myself. It took me four years just because I was new to the assistant athletic director position and a lot of people would ask me, ‘Lopez, what are you going to do? Are you going to create your own team?’ Because they knew what I wanted to do,” she said. 

Two of Lopez’s goals were to start the Dallas Athletics Club and a senior showcase for soccer seniors, which Lopez has accomplished. Last April, seniors participated in the inaugural soccer senior showcase, playing friendly games against each other, for the chance for local colleges and universities to recruit talent. 

This was the first time that Lopez had done this and turnout and the support was incredible, she said. She said what sparked the idea was a similar program in her hometown of El Paso, where she worked in athletics before coming to the district 18 years ago. 

Lopez always knew that she would assume a leadership position in athletics, something she had dreamed about since she was a sophomore in high school. She said that it was an athletic director who talked to her and other teens after she had gotten into a little trouble at school.

“When she went around the table to ask us what we wanted to be when we grew up, I told her I wanted her job. I knew this was my dream job,” Lopez said.  

She knows the challenges that student athletes face in balancing schoolwork, life, and sports as she played several sports—volleyball, basketball, soccer, track, and club softball. When she graduated from high school, she was a teen parent, who had several scholarship offers. While being a parent at an early age was challenging, Lopez admits, she continued with her studies and never lost sight of her dream. 

She credits her father and the mentors Patty Mullaney and Roger Velazquez who inspired her along the way. She also credits various coaches who assisted her with the project, including Veronica Ulloa, assistant principal at Hillcrest High School and teacher Gerald Solorio at Moises E. Molina High School.

Lopez never forgot about the community she came from in El Paso, where she was a student in the Ysleta Independent School District. To give back to her community, two years ago, she established the Marisela Lopez Soccer Scholarship at her alma mater. While Lopez has achieved various milestones in her career already, she said she’s just getting started and has more goals she wants to reach.

“It’s all about the students,” she said. “I want students to have as many opportunities for them out there as possible. I’m thankful to be in this position to be able to continue to open new doors for them.”