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One can argue that music teacher Andrés Rodriguez is a renaissance man. Among his many roles is teaching modern band and drumline, being the esports coach at his school, hosting a podcast, and performing as a professional musician who emphasizes learning about the richness of Hispanic culture.

His path began when Rodriguez  joined the orchestra and choir in his elementary school and continued his music education into his high school years. Rodriguez currently teaches pre-K through fifth grade at Arturo Salazar Elementary School, where he has been since 2020. Although he was active in music growing up, being a music teacher wasn’t originally on his radar. 

That didn’t happen until he was studying psychology at Tarrant County College and became a marching tech at his high school, which encompassed volunteering his time and helping  the new kids out with marching, he said. While helping the older students develop  leadership skills, he discovered that he was quite good in this role and enjoyed it, he said.

He went on to study at the University of North Texas, which is known for having a top rated music program. Rodriguez’s primary instruments are tuba and drums, but can play and teach multiple instruments. 

Rodriguez, who is Mexican American, makes sure students are empowered by helping them learn about their rich cultural heritage, something that he said is very relevant at Salazar where the majority of students are Hispanic.

“Teaching the culture of our people and incorporating it into the western way of learning music is very important because some of my students don’t speak English,” he said. “Some of my students are ESL students, and being able to learn a song, whether it be Spanish or English, is something that everyone can do.”

Rodriguez feels that incorporating culture, such as that of Hispanics, is a way for students to connect to each other, and celebrate their uniqueness. It is a way to empower students by connecting to their heritage, he said. “I feel like that helps grow the culture, the respect for where you came from or where your family came from,” he said.

Rather than losing their identity, Rodriguez likes to celebrate the uniqueness of his students. Not only do students learn different songs, they learn the history behind it. An example would be teaching the history of where songs such as “La Raspa” or “La Cucaracha” come from. 

“Most of the students have heard of them, but what is the historical significance behind the songs?” Rodriguez said. 

Rodriguez started as a teacher at Dallas ISD during COVID and used his talents to create YouTube videos to keep his young students engaged. He also has won grants to help fund the needs of his music program, which includes a modern band program and a drumline. Thanks to grant funding, his students have marching band instruments. 

“We learn all of the things that you would learn in a high school drumline, but at a place where the kids can really understand and develop themselves,” Rodriguez said.

One of Rodriguez’s accomplishments was being a top three finalist in the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s 2024 Music Teacher of the Year Award. While Rodriguez is not currently teaching strings in his classes, he said the DSO judges likely felt a connection to him teaching students ukulele because of the strings and the hand positioning—things that musicians of orchestra instruments do. Besides the grants, awards, and accolades, Rodriguez knows that the importance of music goes deeper.

“You have music literacy,” he said “You are learning the  values  of notes and all of the key nuances of music. But before students do that, they need to learn how to read to learn lyrics, and they have to know math because you do a lot of counting in music.” 

Rodriguez plans to continue challenging his students and developing these young musicians, but mostly he hopes they will become leaders who will go out into the world with confidence. 

National IT Professionals Day, observed annually on the third Tuesday in September, is a time to recognize and appreciate the dedication of those who safeguard the digital world. At Dallas ISD, the Information Security team is formed by a group of professionals committed to protecting the district from ever-evolving cyber threats.

Led by Security Manager Tommy Pigeon—who has already made significant progress in improving the district’s approach to cybersecurity in the 10 months he has been with the district—the team has redefined, prioritized, and managed security risks in the education sector.

“Creating sustainable and secure IT solutions to enhance the classroom experience for our students drives my team each and every day,” Pigeon said. 

The team is structured into three specialized vertical sections, each playing a crucial role in fortifying Dallas ISD’s cybersecurity landscape:

• Architecture and Engineering: This section is responsible for the design and implementation of secure systems across the district.
• Threat and Vulnerability Management: Focused on identifying and mitigating potential security risks, this team ensures that any abnormalities in data or district assets are promptly addressed.
• Privacy and Compliance: This team works diligently to protect employee and student data by overseeing data sharing agreements and ensuring that all vendors comply with district and educational standards.

One of the key projects currently being spearheaded by Security Architect Sean Sheridan and Security Engineers Jose Gonzalez and Daniel Akwei is the implementation of cloud security and data loss prevention measures. These efforts are critical in enhancing how applications and data are securely handled within the district.

Since last year, the Threat and Vulnerability Management team has expanded, with Brandon Nerios and Adrian Villanueva joining Jennifer Le as information security analysts. Their combined expertise have strengthened the team’s ability to detect and address security risks more effectively.

Maria Macias and Christian Thomas, who lead the Privacy and Compliance team, play an essential role in managing data agreements and ensuring vendor compliance with district policies and standards. Their work is vital in maintaining the integrity and security of our district’s data.

Information Security’s work extends beyond their technical expertise as they regularly interact with stakeholders, including principals and concerned parents. The team’s flexible approach, aligned with the district’s Core 4 values, ensures that needs and concerns are addressed with professionalism and care.

You may have heard there’s an election coming up on Nov. 5. If you want to vote, state law requires you to register 30 days prior to the election in which you want to participate, which this year is Oct. 7. This means that if you are not a registered voter by Oct. 7, you won’t be able to cast your vote.

Fortunately, there is still plenty of time to make a plan and either update your registration if you have moved to a new address, are new to the state or have never registered before. Remember, you can’t cast your ballot unless you’re officially registered, so don’t miss the deadline!

Voter Eligibility Requirements

You may register to vote if you fulfill all of the following requirements:

• You are a U.S. citizen
• You are at least 17 years, 10 months of age (to vote, you must be 18)
• You have not been declared totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction
• You are not finally convicted of a felony, or, if so convicted must have (1) fully discharged the sentence, including any term of incarceration, parole, or supervision, or completed a period of probation ordered by any court; or (2) been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disability to vote

How to register

Texas does not allow for online voter registration, but there are other ways to register:

• You can download, print, and mail and application, which must be postmarked by Oct. 7. Applications are available in English(PDF document), Spanish(PDF document) and Vietnamese(PDF document).
• You can request an application by phone at (469) 627-8683
• You can register in person in your county office
• You can pick up an application at your local tax office, library and other government offices

Once you are registered, you will receive your voter registration certificate via mail. The certificates are yellow and are valid from the date of your registration through Dec. 31, 2025. You will get a new certificate every year while your registration remains active.

What is suspense?

The term Suspense usually refers to voters whose current address is not up-to-date in the state’s voter registrar system. A voter’s name may be added to the suspense list if they fail to respond to an address confirmation notice sent by the county where the voter last resided. Notices are triggered by the following circumstances:

• If a voter’s name appears on the list of nonresidents from the jury service office, or
• If a voter’s registration certificate is returned via mail to our department.

 For information on how to update your voter registration, visit https://www.votetexas.gov/. Information should be updated by the Oct. 7 registration deadline.

 Source: Dallas County Elections and dallascountyvotes.org

The Beat is starting Life Matters, a new occasional series to help team members navigate some of life’s challenges.

Handling work and caregiving responsibilities is never easy. Worldwide, the number of caregivers is rising every year and caregivers often must balance work, family, and other responsibilities as well as their caregiving role. Explore the challenges that working caregivers might face and learn ways to help balance these important responsibilities.

Understanding and balancing responsibilities

If you are managing caregiving responsibilities as well as your regular employment, you may face questions and uncertainties. You may not know whether your loved one will recover from an illness or how much care you will have to provide down the road.

Despite these uncertainties, it’s important to plan and explore the many sources of support available. This will allow you to do your best at work while knowing your family member,  relative or friend is getting the best possible care.

Caring for a loved one—a common experience

Here are some facts:

• More than 250 million people around the world are caregivers with an estimated 53 million in the United States alone. 
• Women predominantly take on the caregiving role. Worldwide, it is estimated between 57% to 81% of all caregivers of the elderly are women, according to a study published by the NCBI. Cultural differences play a role in this to varying degrees across the globe.
• Many young people are caregivers. Although the average age for caregiving is age 50 to 64, many caregivers are in their 20s or 30s. And the demand on young people for this role is growing as the population of older adults increases.

The realities of being a working caregiver

Most people underestimate how much time they will spend as caregivers. While working full-time and getting your own needs met—let alone providing care—you may not realize how many hours you are putting into caregiving for a relative, but the hours will add up. For one week, write down the hours you spend providing care and see if it matches your estimate. This will give you clarity and choice over how you best plan your time.

Caregiving affects physical and mental health. Studies show that caregivers experience higher levels of depressive symptoms and stress than non-caregivers. Caregivers also have reported worsening physical health ranging from complaints such as headaches to increased risk for heart disease.

Keeping this in mind can help you plan for the challenges you may face as a working caregiver. For example, because so many people underestimate how much time they will spend as caregivers, you may need to develop both a short- and a long-term plan for combining work and caregiving.

Juggling your many responsibilities

One of your biggest tasks as a caregiver who works is finding a way to manage your work and caregiving responsibilities so that you can give your best to both. Here are some tips:

Set priorities. Identify the caregiving tasks that are most important and schedule time for them in your calendar. Don’t wait until a crisis occurs to decide which commitments you can reduce or eliminate, because you may not be thinking as clearly then.

Learn to delegate. Even if you can meet all your relative’s needs on your own, you’ll provide better care if you take breaks from your responsibilities. Delegating some of the tasks of caregiving will help you avoid burnout and maintain the energy you need to meet all your responsibilities. It will ease the resentment that comes from taking on too much and will enhance the relationship with the person for whom you are caring and the rest of the family.

Develop a system. Consider making a list of your loved one’s needs (such as visits, doctors’ appointments, and help with shopping). Include the times when they occur and spaces for people to sign up to help with them. Copy the list and send it to everyone who might be able to help. Or create a password-protected website that people can check regularly to learn about your relative’s needs and help them decide how they can help. Alternatively, an online service such as Lotsa Helping Hands can make communication and coordination much easier between those who provide care for your relative. (Note: Keep in mind you may need to check with those who help you with your caregiving responsibilities to make sure they’re not sick as your relative or friend may be at increased risk of severe illness. Consider asking visitors to wear a mask for the safety of your relatives.)

Keep good records. Set up a system to organize papers related to your relative’s care—for example, transportation, adult day care, medical bills, and various legal documents—so you’ll always be able to find what you need. You can use folders, an accordion file, or a three-ring binder and make sure you have a dedicated notebook to write down information and keep track of your relative’s medical history, current medical conditions, and medications to give to the health care provider or emergency medical personnel if needed. Write down any questions you have of medical professionals as your time with them will be limited.

Plan for emergencies. It may take weeks or even months for appointments with professionals, such as health care providers or elder law attorneys. If your relative’s doctor has said that they may soon need to see a specialist, call now to find out the waiting times and make an appointment. And keep in mind that planning includes knowing your relative’s end-of-life decisions. Encourage your relative to complete such documents as a living will and a durable power of attorney for both medical and financial decisions, and a will.

Get ideas from other working caregivers. Talk with them about your challenges and how they might resolve them. You may also get helpful ideas from the Family Caregiver Alliance.

Find out what kind of support your employer offers for caregivers. Your employer may offer benefits that would make it easier for you to juggle your work and caregiving needs, such as flexible working or job-sharing. Avoid waiting until a crisis occurs to ask about these, so you’ll have enough time to think about which might work best for you. 

Talking with your manager

Your employer’s support is vital to navigating your work and caregiving. A conversation with your manager can help you find solutions to your caregiving challenges. Have the conversation right away if your caregiving has started to affect your work or you feel it will soon. It’s essential to discuss with your manager if your caregiving tasks have caused you to miss a deadline, come in late or leave early, or if those tasks have affected your ability to meet an important responsibility at work. Your manager may know of helpful resources offered by your employer or be able to adjust your responsibilities so that all the work gets done on time.

Keep your manager informed of changes that may affect your ability to meet all your responsibilities. Let them know promptly if the situation changes so that they can make any needed adjustments to the plan you’ve worked out for getting the work done.

Taking care of yourself

Balancing life, work, and caregiving is a challenge that can affect your own health and wellbeing. You’ll be able to provide better care if you take good care of yourself as well.

Here are some guidelines that may help you make your own health a priority:

• Maintain your usual good health routines. Eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and get seven to nine hours of sleep every night to maintain your energy.
• Use vacation to recharge. Think of your time off as a break not just from work, but, if possible, from caregiving.
• Look into respite care. Respite care gives you a temporary break from caregiving responsibilities. Some long-term care facilities provide overnight respite care for limited periods of time. You could also arrange for a relative to provide respite care for a shorter period, such as a few hours each weekend while you visit a park or have lunch with a friend. Learn more about respite care and find links to programs in your community on the site for the ARCH National Respite Network.
• Look into any leave laws under which leave may be covered (such as the Family and Medical Leave Act [FMLA]) if you need to provide extended care. FMLA allows caregivers to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave, with some restrictions, to care for a family member. 
• Contact the assistance program. The assistance program has additional resources on managing stress, finding local services, dealing with housing, staying on top of health issues, and coping with job-related issues you may face as a working caregiver.

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.

Dallas ISD team members who create altars each year to commemorate Día de los Muertos in their homes or community have an opportunity to share their talents with others. The Latino Cultural Center, located in downtown Dallas, is calling for entries for their annual Día de los Muertos exhibition, which celebrates the lives and legacies of loved ones with colorful and creative altars. 

Community members, organizations, and artists are invited to share their own unique altars as part of a public exhibition. Submissions can be traditional or can have a modern interpretation, as long as they stay respectful to culture, according to the LCC website.

The altars cannot exceed six feet in height, six feet  in width, and four feet in depth. Perishable food will not be permitted in the altars but pre-packaged items, such as unopened candies and chips, are acceptable. Candles are also acceptable but cannot be lit. If you need a table for your altar, the LCC can provide it, but tables are limited.

If you altar is accepted for inclusion:

Installation: Oct. 18-24
Exhibition: Oct. 25-Nov. 9
Breakdown of installation: Nov. 12 and 16

For more information, call the LCC at 214-671-0045 or visit their website  at https://lcc.dallasculture.org/. Link to apply: https://form.jotform.com/242285990803160

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.”