Staff News

Every spring, graduation is a rite of passage for many, and this year, one graduation was special—a mother and son graduated together with associate degrees. 

Esmeralda Landa-Soch, office manager at Dr. Wright L. Lassiter Jr. Early College High School at El Centro and her son Elijah Soch, a student at the high school, graduated from Dallas College on May 12. 

“I was so happy when our names were called to go up there, especially with my mom, because that experience was amazing. As we walked up to receive our diplomas, I could just feel my heart,” Elijah said. 

Esmeralda describes the day as emotional because they had entered the program together, and had now reached the pinnacle—graduating—together. 

The journey to earn an associate degree began when Elijah was in middle school and was thinking about his options for high school. When he told his mother that he wanted to attend Lassiter Early College High School, she encouraged him to apply. That’s what gave Esmeralda the motivation to go back to school and go for her degree alongside her son at the Dallas College campus at El Centro, where Lassiter is housed. It was not an easy process. 

“My mom just kept telling me that I just had to push through and do it,” Elijah said. “Even if I messed up on my assignment, I needed to keep pushing through and come up with a solution like going to tutoring, and trying to figure out what I did wrong, to fix my mistakes and then learn from them to do better next time.” 

While Landa-Soch graduated with an associate degree in education, Elijah graduated with a degree in science and plans to continue his studies at Texas State University in the fall. She plans to put her degree to good use by ultimately teaching American Sign Language to high school students. 

Sign language is something deeply personal to both Esmeralda and Elijah, whose father is deaf. At the end of the year senior luncheon, Elijah presented a heartfelt message to his family in English and then in sign language. To see the video, click here. 

Landa-Soch learned sign language years ago as a way to communicate with a cousin who was deaf, and it enabled her to communicate with the person who would become her husband and Elijah’s dad. 

“It makes me very proud that my son knows that language. It’s his first language,” she said.

The school, community and principal couldn’t be prouder of the two graduates. Laura Landry, Lassiter principal, believes that higher education changes everyone’s outcomes and is proud that one of her team members is embodying the mission.

“Mrs. Landa-Soch is not only exemplifying our organization’s values, but she’s also showing the kids first hand what can be done,” Landry said. “She’s leading from the front, and we love that.” 

Throughout the experience, Landa-Soch and her son motivated each other to keep going no matter the challenges. There was a piece of advice she held onto that helped her get through challenging moments.

“A former colleague told me to take a class every semester, and that before I knew it, I was going to be done,” she said. “It was very valuable advice.” 

Although their studies will take mother and son on different career paths, they are both thankful to have had this opportunity to help each other. 

“It’s always so exciting to see someone achieving an accomplishment like this that changes lives,” Landry said. “You can’t help but have such a sense of pride. And just the joy on their face, between Elijah and his mom, was really special.” 

Mental Health Services is inviting all team members, students, and community to join the district in fighting the stigma around mental health during Mental Health Awareness Month and beyond. Maintaining mental health and wellness can be complicated, especially when stressors and difficult life circumstances appear, so it is important to remember that it is OK to ask for help—and that you are not alone. 

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five adults in the United States experience mental illness, while one in 20 adults experience serious mental illness. 

The good news is that help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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. 

More resources

People in need can also rely on the NAMI HelpLine, a free, nationwide peer-support service providing information, resource referrals, and more to people living with a mental health condition, their family members and caregivers, mental health providers, and the public. HelpLine staff and volunteers are experienced, well-trained, and able to provide guidance. All you have to do is call or text the NAMI HelpLine at 800-950-NAMI (6264). 

Additionally, you can find help, support, and comfort from your social or familial network, a mental health professional, and/or a support group. 

As you assess the status of your mental health, remember that help is available and you are more than enough. If you would like to see more resources, visit Mental Health Services’ Mental Health Month Toolkit. 

Marco Antonio Barker, the principal at Rosemont Lower Elementary and Upper Middle School, began teaching in the summer of 2004 and has called Dallas ISD home ever since.

Originally from San Andrés Island in Colombia, Barker was finishing up his last semester at Paul Quinn College when the Dallas ISD Alternative Certification Program recruited him. Placida McDonald was instrumental in recruiting and supporting Barker through the early stages of his teaching career, and Barker said he is thankful for the many opportunities he has had to transform student lives ever since. 

His passion and dedication to Dallas ISD’s mission of educating all students for success has contributed to his recent accomplishment of being 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 as 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, and campus climate data.

Learn more about Barker and his passion for education below.

What drew you to education? 

As a child, my mother always said, “Son, I cannot give you much, but the one thing I will ensure you receive from me is a good education.” My mother’s wisdom is what led me to my path in education. She understood education’s value and instilled that same value in me. I know I have the opportunity to deposit this value into others. I didn’t have a choice; I was destined for this!

What qualities make a great principal? 

There are so many qualities a great principal should possess; three of the most crucial attributes that have positively impacted my principalship are empathy, reflection, and humility. Being empathetic allows us to listen without judgment, which helps us make unbiased and objective decisions. Being reflective and acting on that reflection helps us to build trust with our stakeholders, and remaining humble causes people to follow us for the right reasons. 

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

Transforming mindsets through scholarship, character, and self-discipline. 

What inspires you about your position? 

I get to change lives! It’s up to me how I choose to go about it!

Dorothy Tomlinson has called Dallas ISD home for the past 55 years, first as a special education teacher for over 20 years and now as a speech therapist at Richard Lagow Elementary School. She said she loves nothing more than transforming student lives by removing any barriers that may be in their paths. 

Currently, she works part time with 3-year-old students who have trouble communicating. One student in particular was only speaking one or two words at a time, but Tomlinson stayed focused on providing support and recently saw a breakthrough. She said the two of them made good eye contact at the end of a session one day. When she called his name and said goodbye, his response blew her away. 

“He looked at me and said, ‘Goodbye, grandma,’” Tomlinson said. “I was in tears, and so was his classroom teacher because he put words together and he expressed a whole thought. Now, a few weeks later, it’s like the floodgates are open. He is talking all the time, and it’s just amazing.” 

Tomlinson has experienced many changes during her time at Dallas ISD, but she said the best ones she has witnessed are the services provided to children with special needs. When she started out as a teacher, she did not have any students with special needs in her classrooms, as they were typically enrolled in United Way schools. 

“Now our schools have these students, and they interact and they’re included,” Tomlinson said. “That is a very wonderful experience to have been a part of and to see. Once those doors are opened, the changes we see in our kids are absolutely incredible.”

Tomlinson has no intention of retiring anytime soon, but her legacy will carry on long after she does retire thanks to the influence she has had on her family. She has a grandchild who is going into education now, another grandchild who is pursuing psychology with a goal of using it in a school district, a daughter-in-law who is a speech pathologist, and another daughter-in-law who taught for many years, and she said she is proud to be part of a “family of educators.” 

“There are so many wonderful experiences, and I think we as teachers—no matter where we are or what we’re teaching—have such wonderful opportunities to touch the lives of kids in ways that nobody else does,” Tomlinson said. “So yes, I’ve done it for a very long time, and I just told my department that I’m coming back next year. I’ll keep doing it as long as I feel like I’m making a difference.”

For Tomlinson, that difference has always come back to giving her students the “gift of communication” and empowering them to live their lives to the fullest.

“My husband can always tell when I’ve had a fantastic day because I come in and I’m smiling and I’m very happy,” Tomlinson said. “He will say, ‘What did this student do? I know somebody did something fantastic with speech,’ and that’s very true. It’s a natural high. You’re very euphoric when you see incredible changes in these kids.”  

During May, Dallas ISD’s IT department will be going through the process of notifying central and some campus team members that they can claim their account through the new digital portal—Dallas ISD Portal. 

This process is a way for users to identify themselves to the new system and set their password and security questions. Although the new portal will not be fully functional until July, team members are encouraged to claim accounts early so they will be ready to log in immediately once the system goes live. Other campus team members will receive information to claim their accounts in July. 

Team members have received or will receive an email with the subject “Welcome to Dallas ISD–Claim your Account” from a noreply@rapididentity.com address. This email is safe and will contain the information required to claim accounts. Please do not delete the email until you have completed the process to claim your account. For detailed instructions on the process, please download this helpful guide. If you have already received a claim email and claimed your account, you may disregard this notification. 

Please be aware that the password you set while claiming your account should be different from your current password and will be updated in all your existing district applications immediately (EAD, email, Google, Oracle, etc.), so use that new password moving forward. Also, once you have claimed your account, please use the new portal for any future password resets.

Dallas ISD is very excited about the new digital portal and encourage you to claim your account as soon as possible after receiving the email with instructions. 

For more information about the Dallas ISD Portal read this.  A list of frequently asked questions is available here. 

If you have questions about the process, please contact the IT Help Desk at 972-925-5630.

When Hye “Kat” Paoq first moved from Seoul, Korea, to Savannah, Ga., at the age of 13, she faced one of the biggest challenges of her life—learning English and learning a new culture. Now, she teaches students how to be strong communicators through her English class at Skyline High School, where she has worked for the last five years. 

“I overcame a challenge where I learned English because I had to, and now it’s become my passion. So I want to teach it to everybody,” said Paoq.

In her first year, she was awarded “Rookie of the Year,” and last year received the recognition of “Teacher of the Year” at her campus. 

After living in Georgia for about a year, Paoq moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, where she spent her teenage years and a good portion of her adult life until five years ago, when she moved to Texas. Wherever she has lived, she has celebrated and shared her Korean cultural heritage, which she now often shares with her students and helps her make connections.

“When they make that connection with me, whether it’s just through food that I cook for them like Korean food or Hawaiian food, they just get it,” she said. “It’s not something I can express with words because it’s just who they are.”

Paoq admits that having to learn a new culture as a teenager wasn’t easy but some aspects were liberating. For example, she wrote with her left hand, which was considered a faux pas in her country for religious reasons but was accepted here. Living in a new country also allowed her to open up to new cultures such as those of Filipinos, Portuguese, Chinese, Polynesians, Latinos, and other groups in Hawaii. 

At Skyline, she currently teaches mostly Advanced Placement and dual enrollment courses but has taught ESL in the past and understands the challenges of her students, many of whom come from immigrant families.

“I always tell my kiddos, ‘Your struggles can develop your strengths.’ For me, building up my weakness of not knowing the language turned into my passion and strong point as an educator, especially in assisting my ESL students, as I too, was once in their shoes,” she said.

She carries the cultural influences of the places she’s lived—South Korea and Hawaii—in the way she interacts with students on a daily basis. For example, she always greets her students with the word aloha.

“I explained to them the etymology of what aloha means and what Ho’oponopono means, which is a little mantra that we say in Hawaii,” she said. “It’s all rooted in the words of ‘I respect you, I love you, and thank you.” 

Paoq says that these are things that everyone understands, no matter what culture or heritage you come from. 

While Paoq says her greatest accomplishment has been becoming an educator, she came to the profession recently. In Hawaii, Paoq was a successful realtor, magazine editor-in-chief, restaurateur, and professional ballroom dancer, a skill she still practices. She sees herself and her struggles in her students, which helps her have a better understanding of what many of them face. 

Having gone through challenges such as being an emerging bilingual student herself as well as struggling with multiple learning disabilities such as dyslexia and falling on the autistic spectrum, Paoq hopes to make a direct impact on her students with the life experiences and skills she has acquired through challenges of her own as a neurodivergent learner. 

“I’m a strong advocate for fostering student-led mindful discussions in the classroom, cultivating equitable opportunities, and nurturing social and emotional experiences that can empower students to become culturally responsive contributors as well as life-long learners,” Paoq said.

Her multiple talents have helped her further connect with her students. For example, she has taught them how to salsa dance and shared about the time she met Beyonce when she was a magazine editor. Her students even ask her about KPop, a popular music genre from Korea, although Paoq admits that this genre is not her most favorite.

“Cultivating strong relationships, earning my kids’ trust, and fostering an inclusive, accessible learning haven are my utmost priorities before any contents are being taught in my classroom,” she said. 

If approved by the Board of Trustees in June, Dallas ISD’s proposed budget for the 2023-2024 school year includes a 2% raise for exempt campus and central team members, increases in select tiers for the Teacher and Assistant Principal Excellence Initiatives, and an increase to $16 an hour for the district’s minimum wage.

The proposed increases in salaries for all team members amount to $47.4 million in the 2023-2024 budget and focus on the district’s compensation priorities: market competitive salaries, advancing equity, strategic compensation and high priority and retention stipends.  

The proposed budget also sets the minimum teacher salary at $61,000 and has adjustments to the new hire schedule for teachers to match market rates. Returning teachers will receive a projected average teacher salary increase of approximately $2,200 or 3.3%, based on the greater of three increases:

• Change to effectiveness level
• Change to compensation level value
• Board approved differentiated salary increase

Proposed 2023-2024 TEI Compensation Levels

High priority campus stipends

A proposed $4.1 million will fund an expansion of eligibility for high priority campuses as well as an increase in stipend amounts for other levels. Teachers in the Proficient I effectiveness level will now be able to receive a $4,000 stipend for working in a high priority campus. Proficient II or TIA Recognized teachers would see a $2,000 increase in the stipend they receive for working at an HPC.

Increases for Excellence Initiatives

The proposed budget also includes increases for other employees who are evaluated through an excellence initiative—assistant principals, principals, executive directors.

Minimum wage and other central increases

The proposed increase to $16 per hour in the minimum wage places Dallas ISD as a regional leader in minimum wage among area school districts and primarily impacts support and operations team members.

Non Excellence Initiative employees will see the greater of two increases:

• Minimum wage adjustment to $16 per hour
• 3% of the midpoint for support (non-exempt) employees and 2% of midpoint for professional (exempt) employees

Non Excellence Initiative campus and central team members will see their increase starting in September if they were hired before Dec. 31, 2022.  

Retention incentive

The district has established another round of retention incentives for the 2023-2024 school year using $63 million in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds. Employees who are not on an excellence initiative or who have no level in an excellence initiative will receive a $2,500 incentive to come back next year while those in excellence initiatives will receive amounts depending on their level ranging from $2,500-$4,000. To be able to receive the incentive, employees should have been working in Dallas ISD no later than May 1, 2023. All eligible employees with at least five years of service with Dallas ISD as of Sept. 1, 2023, will get an additional $1,000. For more details on the 2023-2024 retention incentive, click on the link.

“You are marvelous and magnificent” was the theme for this year’s Health Services end-of-year celebration, which recognized the 200 nurses and nurse aides for their daily contributions to keeping students healthy in the district. The event, which recognized both central and campus level team members, was the first in-person celebration for the department since COVID.  

The celebration—which took place on School Nurse Day, May 10, at Thomas Jefferson High School—included a special performance from the Liberty Belles, the school’s dance team. 

One of the highlights of the event was the presentation of the Employee of the Year Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award, which went to Annette Brown, who was recognized for her 35 years of service and received a special pin. Celeste Boudreaux, area lead nurse, described Brown as the epitome of the district’s Core 4 culture tenets.  

“She is focused, as she is a wealth of knowledge and an expert on district procedures and resources,” Boudreaux said. “She is fast to complete any task put in front of her. She is flexible because she can adjust to anything that comes her way, and she is friendly, because she is one of the most genuine and kind persons you’ll ever meet.”

Pauline Arnold, a nurse at William M. Anderson Elementary School, won the Best in Show Telehealth Award. Arnold had conducted over 100 telehealth visits, which are virtual office visits.

“These recognitions are to honor the invaluable services that nurses provide district-wide,” said Erika Alvarez, a nursing supervisor. “Healthy kids learn better. It’s so important for kids to have access to the school nurse, who will help them be proactive in their health.” 

Rosa Guerrero, a nursing supervisor, says she is happy they were able to organize this in-person end-of-year celebration, as nurses bring an abundance of knowledge and play multiple roles such as case-managing and helping families obtain resources such  as glasses or hearing aids for their children.

Dallas ISD is observing Mental Health Awareness Month throughout May to highlight the importance of maintaining one’s overall health and well-being.

Check out these 15 recommendations from Mental Health America to prioritize mental health in your everyday life, and remember that you are more than enough:

1. Make time to get some sunlight. If you cannot get outside, use a daylight lamp or a blue light lamp when you spend all day indoors.
2. Create a space to highlight your favorite things. You can include pictures of people or things you love, textures that bring you joy, or your favorite color.
3. Remember the mind-body connection by prioritizing movement. Find a good place to stretch, practice yoga, or do other exercises from the comfort of your own home.
4. Spend time with the people you care about. If you are not able to meet in person, build online communities or pick up the phone. 
5. Build a collection of affirmations or notes that you can look at throughout your day. These could go in your home or car to serve as regular reminders.
6. Play music or listen to a podcast or audiobook instead of watching TV when you are trying to relax at home.
7. Do some spring cleaning to remove clutter and benefit your mental health. Focus on getting rid of any objects that may trigger negative thoughts or habits.
8. Focus on the good in life! Put pictures of loved ones or pets in places that are easy to see to increase positive thoughts and feelings throughout the day.
9. Feeling overwhelmed by regular chores? Set a timer and clean what you can in 10 minutes. Doing this regularly will help you maintain your space in a stress-free way.
10. Stop and get some fresh air. Studies show that being surrounded by nature is a mood booster. You can also add plants to your space to improve air quality and cognitive functioning.
11. Relax by reading a good book. Reading can help people get out of their heads and relieve stress and tension. 
12. Be kind. Studies show that random acts of kindness increase release of oxytocin, the “feel good” hormone. It can be something as small as holding the door for someone or buying a stranger coffee. 
13. Incorporate more activity to decrease tension and improve sleep. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, or park your car farther away from the store. 
14. Bring your favorite colors into your home. If you can’t paint your walls, use art, pillows, blankets, or curtains to add joy to your day.
15. Prepare workday meals or pick out your work clothes the night before. The practice will save you some time each day and start your morning with a feeling of control.

Team members can also take advantage of Mental Health Services’ Mental Health Month Toolkit, where they have provided activities and resources to raise awareness about mental health. 

Feel free to click on the links, download the articles, videos, and more and use them with your students, family members, or for yourself. Mental Health Services is encouraging every member of the Dallas ISD family to look within and embrace all of who you are. 

Dallas ISD’s Employee Assistance Program

If you need additional support, all district employees have access to Dallas ISD’s Employee Assistance Program by LifeWorks. 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. You are more than enough! 

Thousands of team members have called Dallas ISD home for years, even decades, and the district is recognizing their commitment to the community through the Service Recognition Award program. Beverly Tillmon, a campus instructional coach at Personalized Learning Academy at Highland Meadows, is one of those being recognized for her long-time service—53 years. 

After graduating from the University of North Texas in 1969 with a degree in elementary education, Tillmon began her teaching career in Dallas ISD at Elisha M. Pease Elementary School as a fourth-grade math teacher. 

She said Dallas ISD was a “natural choice” because of her family’s historical ties to the city of Dallas. In fact, L.G. Pinkston and Lee A. McShan—for whom district schools are named—were the attending physicians at her birth in 1948 at Pinkston’s Clinic in North Dallas. 

In her years with Dallas ISD, Tillmon has served as a fourth-grade math teacher, a fourth-grade science teacher, a third- to fifth-grade interventionist, a kindergarten to fifth-grade interventionist, a new teacher mentor, and a math instructional coach. 

Tillmon said she is proud of her time in Dallas ISD and shared some of her memories and experiences. 

How have you seen the district change from when you started until now?  

When I came to the district in 1969, there was segregation for teachers and students. Shortly after, in 1971, it moved from a segregated district to a desegregated district. I have seen many strides in efforts to equip all teachers, students, and parents with tools and opportunities to achieve the optimum benefits from being Dallas ISD stakeholders.

What has inspired you to continue calling Dallas ISD home? 

Calling a place home makes me think of family. Throughout the years, I have made so many friends and lifelong relationships with administrators, teachers, parents, and students that it feels like home each day I come to work. I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to teach children of former students as well as work alongside former students as coworkers. Before I knew it, days became weeks, weeks became months, and months became years!

What is one of your favorite memories from your time in the district? 

Being a part of a family legacy of Dallas ISD educators is one of my favorite memories. My mother, aunt, and sister were Dallas ISD educators for several decades. At the present time, my daughter is also a proud Dallas ISD educator.