Jose Armendariz worked for three years at the U.S. Consulate before deciding to become a teacher to continue his family’s legacy in education. After receiving his Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Texas at El Paso, he began his career in Dallas ISD as a bilingual teacher in 2004, through the Alternative Certification Program at John J. Pershing Elementary. Now with more than 17 years at Pershing, Mr. Armendariz has had an impact in almost every teaching assignment at the campus. Since 2016, he has been a member of the Bilingual ESL Cadre, an extension of Dallas ISD’s Bilingual ESL department. He has been showcased on Univision via the TV Educational Show Unimás, and partnered with his campus leaders to re-establish the Pershing Lions PTA. Principal Lourdes Morales-Figueroa describes Mr. Armendariz as an exceptional teacher, whose “contributions to our school community have been remarkable.” She credits him with increasing students’ self-esteem and interest in learning, saying, “He provides them a nurturing environment and includes parents as crucial team members in their student’s education.”
