Inside Dallas ISD

In 2019 Jonathan Lopez made a big switch from working in commercial refrigeration to teaching Dual Language Principles of Construction and HVAC 1 at the North Dallas Career Institute. After graduating from Townview School of Business in 2014, Lopez attended a trade school and got his degree in air conditioning and then started his career in the field working in commercial refrigeration and residential HVAC. While Lopez loved the day-to-day variety of his commercial refrigeration job, he saw the opportunity to teach at a career institute as a no-brainer.  “I wanted to give back to the community and I wanted…

Jeremy Taylor has always had a passion for inspiring and supporting people, especially young people. Whether it was at church, through his career as a professional electrician, in a professional wrestling ring, or now as a Career Institutes instructor, Taylor’s desire to make a difference has remained the same. Taylor is an instructor for the electrical pathway at Dallas ISD’s Career Institute North. In addition to his passion for working with youth, he brings more than eight years of professional electrical experience to the role, having started his professional trade career in May 2013 as an electrical apprentice at Humphrey…

Married for 16 years, Elena and David Bates are Dallas ISD Darlings. Their love story began while both worked at Thomas C. Marsh Middle School and led and supported student groups and community partnerships. David began his career in Dallas ISD in 1999 as a Leadership Cadet Corps Instructor at Marsh Middle School, athletic coach and campus leader. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army and currently serves the district as Assistant Superintendent of Maintenance and Facility Services/Construction Services Support Elena joined Dallas ISD as an English as a Second Language teacher at Marsh Middle School in 2000. Elena…

Dallas ISD is home to bilingual and bicultural student leaders. To motivate their students to excel academically, bilingual teachers  Jaime Garza and Rene Crespo encouraged their 7th- and 8th-grade Dual Language students at E.D. Walker Middle School to participate in an essay contest by writing on “The Importance of Being Bilingual Students.”  The contest, sponsored by the National Association for Bilingual Education, offers students, teachers, educational leaders and advocates the opportunity to be recognized for their efforts in promoting the importance of languages, literacy and equity. At E.D. Walker, the dedication of the teachers and students is reflected in their…