It’s hard to describe Andy Marks-Garcia succinctly. She’s a world-traveler with deep Texas roots. A passionate educator who thought she would be a politician. A bilingual American whose second language (English) has supplanted her first (Spanish). She patrols her classroom with the authority of a mother and the enthusiasm of a child. Andy Garcia is…

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Most of us conjure a specific image when we think about teachers. We all remember a favorite, a man or woman who would stop at nothing to empower and inspire us in our youth. It’s easy to think of great teachers as the Golden Standard. But that can be dangerous. Our students need more than…

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Footsteps and the thunder of rolling trash cans echo through the halls of Shady Brook Elementary. The lights are already off in sections of the building, and most of the desks have been pushed into the corners of their classrooms. It’s the first official day of summer for students in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District,…

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Kelly doesn’t look like a woman who hit the end of her rope. Not anymore. In fact, a cursory glance at Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District’s Coordinator of Family Engagement, Community Outreach, and Teacher Support would reveal nothing out of the ordinary. She’s a bright, charismatic, and altogether capable person. You’d never guess that she spent…

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Kelly doesn’t look like a woman who hit the end of her rope. Not anymore. In fact, a cursory glance at the HEB ISD employee would reveal nothing out of the ordinary. She’s a bright, charismatic, and altogether capable person. You’d never guess that she spent an evening weeping on her kitchen floor, surrounded by…

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