AAPI Month Spotlight: Estrellita Perez Richter

Since she was recruited from the Philippines 27 years ago, Estrellita Perez Richter, a gifted and talented program teacher at Julius Dorsey Leadership Academy, has made Dallas ISD home. 

Perez Richter came to the United States in 1995 to be a teacher as part of the district’s worldwide recruitment efforts of experienced teachers in response to teacher shortages here. She had been a teacher in the Philippines since 1978 and was teaching English as a second language to Chinese refugees—from 5 to 60 years old—before coming to Dallas. 

Even though Perez Richter spoke fluent English when she emigrated to the United States—an important language in the Philippines—the transition was not easy. She faced the many challenges that immigrants face, such as finding themselves alone, but was able to make a connection with her students and family members. In fact, she sees them as her extended family. 

“One of the reasons why I see my students and their families as part of my family is because I don’t have a child,” she said. “I tell them, ‘I love you guys.’ I want you to make good decisions because I want you to be successful.” 

Although Perez Richter feels very connected to the Pleasant Grove community where Dorsey is located, she has never forgotten her roots. 

“I’m proud of being Asian because being Asian represents so many—Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese and many others,” she said. “I’m proud of my brown complexion and my beautiful country with beaches with blue water, rich food, and people who are very hospitable and accommodating to visitors.”

Like many Filipinos, Perez Richter says she comes from a mixed culture with influences from China, Spain, Malaysia, and other countries that have played a role in the history of the Philippines, from the cuisine to the language. She is able to make connections with her students’ families, most of whom are Spanish speaking, because some words in the dialects spoken in the Philippines are similar to Spanish, such as “sapatos” (shoes) or “mesa” (table). There might be some variations in the spelling, but the meaning remains the same, she said. 

Beyond sharing common ground with her students when it comes to some of the aspects of culture and language, she loves helping them find their potential.

“The gifted and talented program is something that is boundless, and the kind of instruction that you give has no limit,” she said. “Although we follow the curriculum, I can go beyond, and I can be flexible depending on the needs of a child, because every child is different.”

She attributes her success to her education growing up in the Philippines and wants education to open the doors for her students, as it’s done for her. 

She was the second of eight siblings, and believes education is the key to change the course of one’s life. 

“I would not be in the United States if I did not get the education that I sought for myself,” she said. “I want my students to have an abundance of opportunities. I teach based on my experiences, and I share them with my children in the classroom.”

Jacinto Cabrera, principal at Dorsey, is thankful for the wealth of knowledge that Perez Richter shares with her students.

“Her years of service and dedication to the field of education extend beyond the classroom to our parents, community, and other educators, and that truly amazes me,” he said.

Putting positivity at the forefront

Sujehy Arredondo grew up in El Paso, Texas, where she had a teacher who changed the course of her life. She said her sixth grade teacher, Mr. Salcido, treated her and her classmates like “mini adults” and served as a role model for them. As Arredondo was entering the workplace, originally in public health, she realized her true passion was transforming the lives of middle school students as her teacher had done for her. 

Arredondo has been in the classroom for five years, and the Hector P. Garcia Middle School sixth grade math teacher is achieving her dream of giving back to students and her community. 

“Every year I get above 90 percent on my student surveys because I build those relationships with my students,” Arredondo said. “I always remember how Mr. Salcido treated us, what he did for us, the stories and experiences that he would share. I wanted to share my experiences with my kids, too, and here I am telling those stories.”

Her passion for making memorable moments and setting her students up for success led to positive results when she became the 2020-2021 Campus Teacher of the Year at Seagoville Middle School as a second-year teacher. She credits her accomplishment to being a go-getter and always prioritizing her students.

“Every time that I would receive feedback, I would take it as, ‘This is an opportunity to grow,’” Arredondo said. “I’m always open to constructive feedback. I welcome others to observe my classes, and every single test that we take, I analyze and ask, ‘What is our next step after this?’ I am always thinking ahead.”

Gabrielle Paulo, who taught alongside Arredondo at Seagoville Middle School, saw Arredondo in action and said she was impressed by the commitment and leadership Arredondo brought to the forefront of their campus. 

“Ms. Arredondo goes above and beyond not just for the students, but the teachers as well,” Paulo said. “She is a wealth of knowledge about data and uses that to help everyone bring scores where they should be. She won teacher of the year her second year teaching ever because her scores and data were so good. She then became team lead and brought the entire department up.”

As a member of the Hector P. Garcia community, Arredondo has continued to lead by example as a member of her campus’ Language Proficiency Assessment Committee and Sunshine Committee and as a mentor teacher. 

“I always try to come to school with a positive attitude, and that makes a difference,” Arredondo said. “We get to see our kids, our students, and they’re excited to see us. I make everything as positive as I can, and I don’t let anyone tell me, ‘You can’t do this.’ I truly think that makes a difference.”

Must get your fingerprints

With the safety and wellbeing of students and team members in mind, Dallas ISD has been updating fingerprints for employees who were fingerprinted before June 1, 2015. 

The district’s Background Department has been contacting employees who were part of this group and scheduling appointments to register their fingerprints. This process will be done at no cost to employees. 

Team members who had not yet been fingerprinted should have been contacted the first week in May to set an appointment. Those who have not been contacted or have yet to set up an appointment with the Background Department, can download the instructions to set up an appointment

Employees who choose to fingerprint at an IdentoGo location, can schedule an appointment following these instructions and submit a reimbursement request for the expense.

Getting updated fingerprints from staff is necessary as part of the district’s subscription to the FBI Civil RapBack program. The FBI Civil Rap Back program allows an entity, such as school districts, to receive notifications of new activity to a criminal history record of an employee at the national level.

Dallas ISD already subscribes to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Fingerprint-based Applicant Clearinghouse of Texas (FACT) to receive notifications if an employee’s criminal history record changes. For example, the district would be notified if the employee is arrested or charged with a violation of law after the initial background check. In the past, the subscription service only made notifications of new activity to a Texas criminal history record.

By subscribing to the FBI Civil Rap Back program, Dallas ISD will receive notifications of events within Texas and also notifications of events that occurred elsewhere in the nation. These programs are designed to assist Dallas ISD in the continuous vetting of employees in positions of trust and who have direct contact with students.

Employees who have questions regarding the FBI Civil Rap Back Program, should contact Erika Cazares at (972) 925-8081 or fingerprinting@dallasisd.org.

When is the time to get help?

Life is full of ups and downs and stressful situations. It is important to remember that waiting to feel like something is wrong is not the only time to get help and talk to someone. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Dallas ISD’s Mental Health Services is sharing ways you can assess how your body feels to gain insight into your mental well-being.

Did you know the body can create physical symptoms that act as red flags to let a person know they may need help?

If you are experiencing any of the following, it may be time to ask for help:

  • Excessive fear or worrying
  • Constantly feeling sad or low
  • Trouble concentrating, thinking, or learning
  • Extreme mood changes
  • Feeling irritable or angry for longer than usual
  • Dramatic changes in eating habits such as increased hunger or lack of appetite
  • Dramatic change in sleeping habits, oversleeping, or not being able to sleep at all
  • Having thoughts of self-harm or suicide
  • Feeling excessively tired or low energy

If you or someone you know is experiencing any or all of these symptoms, it may be time to get help from a trusted person, counselor, or mental health professional.

Dallas ISD’s Employee Assistance Program

Dallas ISD is committed to the four pillars of its wellness program—health and wellness, mental health, social health, and financial health. Mental Health Awareness Month is a great time to focus attention on the resources available to district employees to ensure their mental and emotional well-being.

The May Mental Health Awareness Month campaign is focusing on the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which is free for employees, 100 percent confidential, and available to all employees and their dependents. 

Sessions through the EAP are available by phone, virtual, and in person. Employees can also find tips, articles, self-assessments, and topical features focusing on specific EAP resources available through the EAP smart App.

To start on your wellness journey please visit dallasisd.lifeworks.com and follow these instructions:

  • Select ‘Sign up’ in the top right-hand corner of the page.
  • Alternatively, you can download the free LifeWorks mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store on your smartphone and enter the invitation code in the ‘Sign up’ section. 

If you have already registered, you can download the free LifeWorks mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store on your smartphone and press ‘Log In’. You can also visit LifeWorks on one of the supported browsers (Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome, or Edge) and log in.

If you need additional support, reach out to EAP by calling 972-925-4000 and selecting option 3 for EAP. And remember, you are more than enough! 

You matter, and so does your mental health and well-being. Take some time to reflect on how you are doing, and prioritize yourself and your needs. And remember: You are more than enough.

Meet Master Principal Ryan Bott

Ryan Bott, principal at Bryan Adams High School Leadership Academy, has spent 13 years making memorable moments and transforming student lives as an educator, with eight of those years in Dallas ISD. 

He grew up in the Dallas area and taught in Denton ISD and Houston ISD before becoming an assistant principal at Moisés E. Molina High School, where he led a high achieving math department and early college high school. After three years at Molina, he stepped up as principal at Bryan Adams. 

His accomplishments include being named Teacher of the Year in Houston ISD for his innovative work as an Algebra I teacher and Dallas ISD AVID Principal of the Year for the 2022-2023 school year, as well as being awarded the Master Principal designation for the 2022-2023 school year.

Bott said he is proud to be among the more than 20 Dallas ISD leaders to be recognized as a Master Principal across 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. The criteria used are the School Effectiveness Index, State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness/EOC Domain 1 results, and campus climate data.

What drew you to education? 

My wife was a high school English teacher. I saw the impact that she was making so I decided to join her in education. Since then I have seen teachers face unprecedented challenges, and they have risen to them with grace, care, and excellence. Their dedication has kept our students safe, engaged, and, most importantly, in the community, and I am thankful for every one of them.

What qualities make a great principal? 

Commitment, vision, and being student-focused are essential to leading a campus at a high level. 

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

Effort = Achievement 

What inspires you about your position? 

I get to make an impact on so many people, kids and adults, and I am dedicated to continuing the excellence of Bryan Adams and to maintaining the traditions that our community members hold near and dear in their hearts.

Teacher appreciation discounts

Dallas ISD teachers go above and beyond to educate all students for success. Join us in celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week from May 8-12 to recognize their dedication and passion, and don’t miss this message from Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde or this message from Human Capital Management.

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, several businesses are offering discounts and deals to educators. See the available discounts below, and remember to thank an educator in your life.

Potbelly

During Teacher Appreciation Week, Potbelly will be giving teachers a free cookie or regular-sized soft drink when they purchase an entrée. Teachers will just need to show their work ID or badge at the counter.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra 

Teachers can receive 50 percent off tickets to select Dallas Symphony Orchestra concerts during the season by bringing their school ID to the guest services counter or by using promo code TEACHER50 at checkout. Learn more by clicking here.

Shake Shack

Shake Shack is celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week with a complimentary shake with a purchase during the week. Show your badge to enjoy a hand-spun shake on them.

Half Price Books

Half Price Books supports educators, school teachers, and librarians in the community with an Educator Discount Card to save 10 percent all year round. Learn how to apply for a discount card here

Whataburger

Whataburger will be hosting a free breakfast item giveaway to teachers in the community at participating Whataburger restaurants. The offer will be available for the entire week of May 8-12 from 5-9 a.m.

Dallas Arboretum

Teachers and administrators grades K-12 get complimentary daytime admission (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) to the Main Garden and Children’s Adventure Garden at the Dallas Arboretum. To reserve tickets ahead of time, send a picture of your school ID to customerservice@dallasarboretum.org. In addition to making a reservation, educators need to present their school ID upon arrival. Teachers and educators may also purchase a Dallas Arboretum membership and receive a 10 percent discount with their IDs. Learn more here

Subway

Do you have lunch plans? Subway is giving out 2,000 free footlong sandwiches every day during Teacher Appreciation Week. Sign-ups open every morning at 8 a.m. Apply here.

Michaels 

Michaels offers teachers 15 percent off their entire purchase, including sale items, to make it easier to save on everything they need for the classroom. Learn how to enroll to save here.

RaceTrac

With a valid ID, RaceTrac would love to share a complimentary cup of coffee with educators anytime the week of May 8-12. And yes, they can visit all week. This offer is good for any associate of any school district at any RaceTrac.

Gloria’s Latin Cuisine

Gloria’s Latin Cuisine is offering a special promotion during Teacher Appreciation Week. All teachers can enjoy 20 percent off their total bill, with the purchase of an entrée. To receive the discount, just show your valid school ID to your server or manager. Learn more here.

Summer fashion arrives soon

Starting on May 30 and through Sept. 1, the district will adopt its summer dress code so employees can be comfortable as they perform their normal work duties while still portraying a professional image to students, parents, and community members.

Standards for daily attire are at the discretion of the supervisor. The dress code does not allow for inappropriate apparel. (See DH(LOCAL) and DH (REGULATION))

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

Acceptable Attire

  • Clothing should be clean, pressed and wrinkle-free, without holes or frayed areas.
  • All attire should fit appropriately (not excessively tight or loose).
  • Footwear – Loafers, boots, flats, sandals, and leather deck shoes are acceptable.
  • Slacks – Nice pants or cotton slacks.
  • Shirts – Blouses, casual shirts, and golf shirts are acceptable.
  • Dresses or skirts – Casual dresses and skirts appropriate for an office environment are acceptable.

Unacceptable Attire

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

Get free legal assistance

Volunteer attorneys will answer legal questions at no cost from 4-8 p.m. every Wednesday in May via a LegalLine E-Clinic, sponsored by the Dallas Bar Association—a professional, voluntary organization of more than 11,000 Dallas-area attorneys. 

This month’s remaining LegalLine E-Clinics are May 10, May 17, May 24, and May 31. A volunteer attorney will call the participant to provide up to 15 minutes of free legal advice for their legal issue. 

Space is limited, and registration will close at noon on the Tuesday prior. To participate, complete the online form found here for the upcoming LegalLine. 

Please note that the volunteer attorney will remain anonymous. Participants should watch for a call from an unknown number that should be labeled “No Caller ID” or something similar. No attorney-client relationship will be established. There is no guarantee that the attorney will speak any language other than English. Individuals may also receive referrals to local, legal, or social service agencies.

For legal assistance any time, contact the DBA’s Lawyer Referral Service at www.dallasbar.org/index.cfm?pg=LawyerReferralService.

From sub to homeroom teacher

Becoming a teacher was always in the back of Allison Eddy’s mind, but she said she did not take the leap until she became a substitute teacher and saw how powerful the connections she formed with her students could be. 

“I was a long-term sub for six weeks, and it felt like my classroom,” she said. “Then one evening I got a text that I was no longer going to be their substitute. That broke my heart. I really knew my students, and I never wanted to be pulled from a class again. So I signed up and got my alternative teaching certification through the state of Texas.”

Eddy is now an accomplished eighth-grade social studies teacher at Thomas J. Rusk Middle School. She has taken on a variety of leadership roles that have made a noticeable difference in her school community. 

“Ms. Eddy has been serving our campus as the unofficial redesign coordinator, arranging all of our intervention rosters, clubs, student schedules, etc., going on two years now,” said Shannon Cagle, a fellow Rusk teacher. “She is also the eighth-grade chair, the Altruismo house leader, and still manages to rock some awesome scores. The students love her and our redesign campus would not have been nearly as successful if it were not for her diligence in organizing everything.” 

As one of Dallas ISD’s five redesign schools for the 2022-2023 school year, Rusk has reimagined every school day to include more time for teachers to collaborate and prepare, as well as more time for student enrichment and acceleration.

Eddy has been at the forefront of those efforts, creating detailed rosters that track test data to rotate students through either reading and math intervention or science and social studies intervention on Redesign Wednesdays. She also builds club schedules based on each student’s interests and club availability to give students the best experience possible during Rusk’s monthly club days. 

“Redesign is always focused on intervention,” Eddy said. “The purpose of Redesign Wednesdays is for teachers to be able to see all of their students and provide small group instruction so they can target TEKs based on the data. And it’s worked. Last year we were ranked ninth out of all middle schools in Dallas ISD.”

Eddy said she is proud to be transforming student lives at an Accelerating Campus Excellence school like Rusk. Since it became an ACE school, Rusk has gone from an “F” rating to a high “B,” and Eddy said it is “a great place to work.”

“At this point I’ve taught siblings, I’ve taught cousins—I’ve been teaching full families,” she said. “We call ourselves the Ram Fam here, and that’s one thing that I see as a success: being able to truly connect with my kids. And then once you have those relationships, that’s when I think the data shows.” 

Instilling pride in culture through music

It was a full circle moment for Maria “Lupe” Vargas Garcia, when she first came to teach at W.E. Greiner Middle School Exploratory Arts Academy to be the orchestra director—she had attended the school as a student.

When she found instruments at the school that could potentially be used to start a mariachi student program, she approached her principal about the idea and received the green light to start an afterschool program. 

“I just figured there’s a lot of Latinos in the school and thought this would catch on really well here,” Garcia said. “I expected about 10 to 15 kids to show up. On the first day, about 30 kids showed up.”

What started out as an afterschool program is now part of the academy at Greiner. Just last month, Mariachi Los Unicos performed at the Texas Association of Mariachi Educators State Festival and was selected for the Middle School Showcase group, bringing the school another award and accolades. 

“We have approximately 150 students because we have a cap, otherwise we’d have more,” she said. “Many of the students who are in the orchestra program are also in the mariachi program.” 

For Garcia, this journey of bringing a mariachi program into a school started long before she became a music director at Greiner. 

When she was a student at Moisés E. Molina High school, she was part of the Young Strings Program with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Through the program she received a scholarship for private lessons, and she credits the DSO and her parents’ support for molding her violin playing through high school. 

While Molina didn’t have a mariachi program at the time, her mom, a community activist, thought it would be a great idea for Molina to offer this to students. 

“My senior year, my mom was able to advocate for the mariachi program, and they started the program at Molina. I worked really hard as a music student as well as in my academics and sports, as I graduated fourth in my class.” Garcia went on to graduate magna cum laude from The University of Texas at Arlington. She taught at Harry C. Withers Elementary and Nathan Adams Elementary School before coming to Greiner. 

Garcia has worked for the district 16 years, 14 of those at Greiner. She learned to play all the mariachi instruments with the help of her husband, who is part of a mariachi group with Garcia. 

“Being an orchestra director, I knew how to play a lot of the band and orchestra instruments already, but now I can now play or have an understanding of all the mariachi instruments—about eight instruments or so,” she said.

There’s a story about how Mariachi Los Unicos got their name. In choosing the name, Garcia wanted one that represented the school. 

“Our mascot is the yellow jacket, but could not find a name that represented that, and then I thought of the name los únicos (which translates to the only ones or unique), because we were the only middle school in Dallas ISD at that time that offered mariachi. We were the first ones, so that is a unique part of our story,” Garcia said.

Garcia says part of her No. 1 rule is that all of her students are required to not only sing, but to play an instrument in the mariachi group.

“In our program, violin and guitar are the most popular, but we give students the option after they’ve been educated as to what is needed in the mariachi band, and a lot of them choose their instruments,” she said.

Garcia is thankful not only to have a supportive principal and school, and a very knowledgeable and seasoned co-director, but to also have the support of the Greiner parents and community as well. 

“Many of the parents support the program through the booster club. They run errands, pick up uniforms from the dry cleaners, raise money for uniforms and food, and make themselves available to help.” 

Garcia has also received a lot of positive feedback from her colleagues at Greiner and from other directors.

“They say that they really appreciate the program because the students help put Greiner on the map, because these kids are doing such a great job representing us as they perform at the many events. They also need to be in good academic standing and have good discipline. In turn, this helps the students grow as a person,” she said.

Another thing that Garcia has heard parents express is their appreciation of culture through music. 

“I’ve heard comments like a parent who told me she heard her son singing her favorite song El Rey, and that’s something that makes the family feel proud and honored,” she added.  

But beyond that, Garcia believes that music defines culture and identity.

”It’s the basis of our civilization, and what better than to not just listen to it, but to be able to actually produce it and play it?” she said. “That’s exciting for them and for me to be able to instill this culture in them. Music can play an important role in a child’s development.”

One of the favorite things about being an orchestra and mariachi director for Garcia is seeing the students blossom. She said she loves to see their growth when they are up on stage performing for their parents and the community and know she had a part in it. 

Mariachi Los Unicos is busy at events throughout the year, in events such as Hispanic Heritage, Dallas ISD celebrations,DeSoto Teen Expo, the convention of police department chiefs, state fair performances, and others. 

While the group volunteers its time, donations to the booster club help support these community performances. 

One of the greatest rewards of Garcia’s work is seeing her former students go on to pursue careers in music like the student who graduated from Texas State University with a performance degree in violin and is now auditioning to get into the top mariachi group in California. Another former student became a conductor of a symphony orchestra, and yet another student is in the New York Philharmonic.

“I’ve run into several former students who are now playing mariachi professionally in Oak Cliff and throughout the Dallas area. I’m just very proud to see them out in the community performing and doing what they love.”

To catch Mariachi Los Unicos in their next performance, visit their social media page at: https://www.facebook.com/Mariachi-Los-Unicos.