Corey Banks, a custodial Services Supervisor and proud South Oak Cliff Golden Bear, is committed to uplifting his community through his leadership position.
With 23 years of service under his belt, Banks manages over 80 custodial services employees who ensure the day-to-day smooth operations of 23 Dallas ISD campuses in southern Dallas. Part of his secret sauce for success stems from valuable lessons on collaboration and determination that he learned during his teenage years at South Oak Cliff High (SOC).
“I am who I am today because of the education that I received here at South Oak Cliff,” he said during an interview last year. “The love that I have for this building and for this school community is off the charts. Golden Bears bleed gold and white!”
Like him, Bank’s father graduated from a Dallas ISD school, and both of his uncles are SOC alumni. His mother graduated from Pinkston High and worked for Dallas ISD for more that 30 years, in the Sarah Zumwalt Middle School attendance office and later in Accounting at the Administration Building.
Banks finished high school in the top 20 percent of his graduating class in 1991. Decades later, both of his sons—Corey Jr. and Kendrick Banks—graduated from SOC in 2016 and 2018, respectively. Like their father, both brothers finished in the top 20 percent of their graduating class.
We spoke with Banks about his love for SOC, his best high school lessons, and the impact he wishes to have in his community.
What is South Oak Cliff High School to you?
SOC is a school of tradition. It’s a school that is loved by the community. A school known and respected by the state. Growing up as a Golden Bear was an experience that taught me how to be mentally strong and prepared me for life. It taught me teamwork, dedication, perseverance and respect. Our teachers cared about our education and our growth for the future. We trusted the process and I was under the leadership of two amazing principals, Dr. Todd and Mr. Waylan Wallace. They were personable and always had our best interest in mind. The school was old and full of history and pride. Like every high school, South Oak Cliff had its challenges, but we owned and loved our school regardless.
Tell me about a lesson that you learned in high school that still applies today.
At SOC, I learned perseverance, I learned discipline and hard work, and I carry that over to my job. Dealing with 23 campuses, you have multiple personalities and you have to be strong and learn how to be attentive to everybody’s needs. You have to push and weather the storms, to make sure that things are moving at a rate that’s pleasing the customer.
During our senior year, our class had the opportunity to join a play called Blues, Beat, Bumps. A South Oak Cliff graduate came and sang with us and taught us the play, which was about the music from the ‘60s through the ‘90s. We had wardrobe changes, dances, acting, everything. And that resonated the most with me because we all came together, all of us got really close and it taught us how to work together as a team. It taught us team-building and depending and trusting that someone else on a team has their part. It showed us versatility and how to depend on one another.
That was a great learning experience for me at SOC. And that was one of many great experiences, because I was also into sports. I played football, basketball, ran track and won games. And all of those experiences also taught me about perseverance and team building, and were great and memorable too.
How would you convince your sons that the next generation of Banks should be Golden Bears?
I don’t think I’d have to convince them or encourage them a lot, because they love SOC just as much as I do.
South Oak Cliff is an outstanding school in the inner city, located in the southern sector in a traditionally historic building and with outstanding support from the community. The people that go to South Oak Cliff High want to make sure that their community is recognized, uplifted, and brought to a point where it should be. Like me, many want their future generations to keep adding to the culture and to the commonwealth of the community.
I would tell my kids that this environment can really teach you about the importance of community.
Tiffany Huitt has served as deputy chief of Academics in Teaching and Learning and executive director of magnet schools in School Leadership after spending five years as the principal of the School of Science and Engineering at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center, one of the top high schools in the country. She began her career in Dallas in 1999 as a science teacher at the Dallas Environmental Science Academy. Since then, she has worked as lead science teacher and instructional coach while also developing science curriculum assessments and professional development for K-12 science courses. She serves on local and state committees, including the TEA Science Standards TEKS Revisions Committee and the Leadership Council for the Global Learning Network. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Paul Quinn College and a master’s degree in interdisciplinary sciences from The University of Texas at Arlington.
Oswaldo Alvarenga has served as assistant superintendent of STEM, CTE and Career Institutes in the Teaching and Learning Division. Previously, he was executive director of the STEM departments—mathematics, science, computer science, career technology education, STEM environmental center, and health/physical education. Originally from Chicago, Alvarenga earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He has worked for various telecommunications companies as a senior design engineer. He has also worked as a high school mathematics teacher, mathematics instructional coach and supervisor, and director of educational technology in Dallas ISD.
Usamah Rodgers has served as assistant superintendent of Post-Secondary Partnerships and Programs. Previously, she served as assistant superintendent for Strategic Initiatives and External Relations. Prior to becoming an assistant superintendent, Rodgers served as the executive director of P-TECH and early college programs where she was responsible for assisting with the design and implementation of systems to support campuses as Dallas ISD launched 18 Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) programs. She has served as feeder pattern executive director and campus administrator at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Rodgers received a Bachelor of Science in elementary education from Missouri State University, as well as a Master of Education in education administration and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy from the University of Texas at Austin.
Marlon Harrison has served as director of student systems—IT Enterprise Applications. Harrison has been with Dallas ISD since 2005 and transitioned into the Information Technology department in 2008. For the past 11 years, Harrison was the manager of the Applications Training team, which trained and supported Student Applications and Oracle EBS. He has extensive experience in design, delivery, implantation, and facilitation of student applications. Harrison has a Bachelor of Science in computer science from Hampton University.
Damien Stovall has been named executive director over ACE schools. Previously, he was executive director of the Bryan Adams and North Dallas elementary feeder pattern. Prior to becoming an executive director, he was a principal at Charles A. Gill and Edward Titche elementary schools. During his tenure at Tiche, Stovall turned the school around from an IR5 school to one that earned all six distinctions, a B rating, and meeting state expectations. Titche would continue to earn six distinctions and an “A” rating the following year as well as be named a 2020 National Blue Ribbon school. Stovall has been a principal of the year and a district Master Principal.
Diana Nuñez has been named elementary executive director for Seagoville and W.W. Samuell Feeder Patterns. She has served as principal of W.H. Adamson High School since 2017, an area where she grew up and attended school. Nuñez has been with Dallas ISD for 21 years as an elementary teacher and an administrator at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Nuñez is a Master Principal and has been a principal of the year finalist. During her leadership at Dallas Environmental Science Academy, the school accomplished the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program Award in 2017. Nuñez led Adamson to become the only comprehensive high school (out of 23 high schools) to achieve “Breakthrough” Raking in Dallas ISD’s school performance framework in 2018-2019.
Jameile Choice has been named student services executive director. Choice began serving in education as a technology coordinator and teacher for Fort Worth ISD. Realizing his penchant to lead, Choice transitioned to servant leadership as a Dallas ISD assistant principal and then to the current principal of New Tech High School in 2016.
Temesghen Asmerom has been named executive director in School Leadership. He has been principal of Emmett J. Conrad High School for the past four years. Under his leadership, the school has shown significant growth and has been recognized as a breakthrough campus. Conrad has been home to five distinguished NAF academies and a successful H-TECH program. Since joining Dallas ISD, Asmerom has served in seven different campuses as a member of a leadership team. Prior to joining Dallas ISD, Asmerom worked as a water chemist and research assistant.
