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Dallas ISD celebrates teaching excellence by recognizing outstanding educators who are making a difference in the lives of students every day. Meet the 2022-2023 districtwide Teacher of the Year finalists by clicking their photos below. And just a heads up, you’re going to be inspired.
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Angela Burley
Dr. Frederick Douglass Todd Sr. Middle School
Secondary Category WinnerMeet Angela Burley | Dr. Frederick Douglass Todd Sr. Middle School
Angela Burley teaches sixth-grade world cultures at Dr. Frederick Douglass Todd Sr. Middle School, where she also serves as department chair and social studies lead. She is a Distinguished Exemplary II Teacher in Dallas ISD and a State of Texas Master Teacher. Burley proudly served as a 2021-2022 Teach Plus fellow and now serves as a 2022-2023 senior fellow for the Recruitment and Retention of Teachers of Color cohort. Burley graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Arts degree and earned her Master of Education in learning, teaching, and curriculum with an emphasis in social studies from the University of Missouri. Burley’s educational philosophy: I am a lifelong educator and student who believes education is a practice of freedom.
Give a shout out to Mrs. Burley on social media using #DallasISDTOY and/or #DallasSchools.
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Jonatan Cruz
School for the Talented and Gifted in Pleasant Grove
Choice / Magnet Category WinnerMeet Jonatan Cruz | School for the Talented and Gifted in Pleasant Grove
Jonatan Cruz is the dual language instructional lead teacher and reading language arts teacher at the School for the Talented and Gifted in Pleasant Grove. Cruz has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Puerto Rico in Río Pedras. He first taught at Bishop Arts STEAM Academy. His skills allowed him to become part of the “STAG in PG” team, where he has taught fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh grades. He has served in leadership roles on the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee, Technology and Innovation Committee, Climate and Culture Committee, as the Teacher Excellence Initiative campus expert, on the Magnet Assessment and Recruitment Committee, and on the implementation of the dual language program on the campus. He has trained teachers on dual language best practices and the new Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills and has also been selected to serve as a Dallas ISD curriculum and assessment writer.
Give a shout out to Mr. Cruz on social media using #DallasISDTOY and/or #DallasSchools.
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Iván Medina
Marcus Leadership Academy
Elementary Category WinnerMeet Ivan Medina | Marcus Leadership Academy
Iván Medina is a fifth-grade math and science dual language teacher at Marcus Leadership Academy. A second-generation American whose parents emigrated from the small, rural town of Arroyo Seco, Queretaro, Mexico, Medina was born and reared in the Dallas area. He is the first member of his family to graduate from both high school and college. Medina holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master of Public Affairs in Education Policy from The University of Texas at Austin. Medina is a highly effective, sixth-year veteran who has earned both the TEI Distinguished Teacher and Teacher Incentive Allotment Exemplary Teacher designations. Medina’s personal mission is to leave the world a better place and to empower others to dream the unimaginable.
Give a shout out to Mr. Medina on social media using #DallasISDTOY and/or #DallasSchools.
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2022-2023 Dallas ISD Teacher of the Year Finalists
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Bobby Bailey
Billy Earl Dade Middle School
Secondary Category FinalistMeet Bobby Bailey | Billy Earl Dade Middle School
Bobby Bailey, instructional lead teacher and sixth-grade math teacher at Billy Earl Dade Middle School, joined Dallas ISD in 2011. A “proud product of Dallas ISD,” he was born and raised in Dallas and attended Dallas ISD schools from kindergarten through 12th grade, graduating from David W. Carter High School. Bailey earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Huston-Tillotson University in Austin. As a 12-year veteran teacher, he has served at four elementary and middle schools in various leadership roles. He holds the responsibilities of sixth-grade math lead, instructional lead teacher, mentor teacher, sixth-grade representative on the Discipline Committee, head football coach, head basketball coach, and TEI campus expert. His goal is to foster productive citizens and allow God to guide his steps. He is grateful to give back to the students, schools, and district. Above all, his greatest return is to invest in Dallas ISD, the district that cultivated who he is today!
Give a shout out to Mr. Bailey on social media using #DallasISDTOY and/or #DallasSchools.
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Ebony Garrett
Umphrey Lee Elementary School
Elementary Category FinalistMeet Ebony Garrett | Umphrey Lee Elementary School
Ebony Garrett is a third-grade math and science teacher at Umphrey Lee Elementary School. She believes educating scholars, colleagues, and families is essential to establish a community of support for students so they can succeed inside and outside the classroom. She has a bachelor’s degree from Texas Woman’s University and will earn her master’s in Public Administration from the University of North Texas at Dallas in May. Earning the Distinguished Teacher designation was a significant accomplishment and she is proud to serve her community and the school that she attended as a child. Her education, exposure, and experience at Umphrey Lee shaped her into the educator she is today. Garrett has nearly 13 years of teaching experience and ignites learning through a rich and engaging classroom culture. Her goal is to build relationships and ensure that learning is rewarding, rigorous, and connected to real-world experiences.
Give a shout out to Mrs. Garrett on social media using #DallasISDTOY and/or #DallasSchools.
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Kayleigh Overman-Fassel
Emmett J. Conrad High School
Secondary Category FinalistMeet Kayleigh Overman-Fassel | Emmett J. Conrad High School
Kayleigh Overman-Fassel teaches English 1 for emergent bilinguals at Emmett J. Conrad. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts from Trinity University, she realized her dream of working with language learners as a writing consultant for Lone Star College-Montgomery, as a substitute English 1301 instructor, and then as an intermediate developmental English instructor. She has also worked as an instructional coach, curriculum writer, test developer, and, in her favorite role, an English 1 teacher. Her passion for working with emergent bilinguals led her to Emmett J. Conrad. In addition to her classroom duties, she has served as the emergent bilingual/newcomer mentor, a mentor teacher, and a facilitator for professional development to help other teachers improve their proficiency in working with Dallas ISD's emergent bilingual population.
Give a shout out to Mrs. Overman-Fassel on social media using #DallasISDTOY and/or #DallasSchools.
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Nancy Salas
Henry W. Longfellow Career Exploration Academy
Choice / Magnet Category FinalistMeet Nancy Salas | Henry W. Longfellow Career Exploration Academy
Nancy Salas, a Dallas ISD alumna, is a seventh- and eighth-grade Career & Technology teacher and yearbook advisor at Henry W. Longfellow Career Exploration Academy. After graduating from the University of Texas at Arlington with a bachelor’s in Mass Communications, Salas began her education career as a substitute teacher. It was during that experience that she found her true calling and decided to devote her life to teaching. Six years later, Salas continues to pursue her mission of helping students succeed in the classroom. She is dedicated to building strong partnerships to help her students and their families achieve their dreams, just as her teachers did for her.
Give a shout out to Mrs. Salas on social media using #DallasISDTOY and/or #DallasSchools.
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Laura Trevino
W.E. Greiner Exploratory Arts Academy
Secondary Category FinalistMeet Laura Trevino | W.E. Greiner Exploratory Arts Academy
Laura Trevino teaches eighth-grade English-language arts at W.E. Greiner Exploratory Arts Academy. She is an educator by accident and a writer by trade. Through an education posting in Kazakhstan with the Peace Corps, Trevino learned what teaching was all about and fell in love with the transformative power of education. After her tour in the Peace Corps, Trevino worked with AmeriCorps to train Texas teaching fellows to impact their students with the nonprofit Citizen Schools. Trevino knew she belonged in the classroom and became a certified Texas teacher. Eight years later, she has no plans to leave teaching behind but extends her reach beyond the classroom, including educator assessment writing with the Texas Education Agency and Pearson. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Madonna University and a Master of Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Give a shout out to Mrs. Trevino on social media using #DallasISDTOY and/or #DallasSchools.
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Mia Witt
César Chávez Learning Center
Elementary Category FinalistMeet Mia Witt | César Chávez Learning Center
A proud graduate of Dallas ISD, Mia Witt is a special education teacher at César Chávez Learning Center. She began teaching at J.L. Long Middle School, where her grandmother was a cafeteria worker for years and many of her family members attended. She has a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from UNT. Witt has provided interventions to and advocated for students with disabilities from Pre-K through 8th grade for over eight years. Her teaching philosophy is to meet children at their level and scaffold them to academic, social, and vocational independence. Witt is an Apple teacher and digital ambassador and uses technology to streamline accommodations and modifications for students. She founded a campus food pantry at J.L. Long Middle School and also facilitates a food and clothing pantry at César Chávez. She relies on open communication with students to meet their needs while maintaining their dignity and privacy.
Give a shout out to Mrs. Witt on social media using #DallasISDTOY and/or #DallasSchools.