Paula is the Family Literacy Specialist for the Family Literacy Program. She has been an educator for 22 years. Prior to this, she worked at La Vega ISD as their district literacy coordinator. She has also been a dyslexia interventionist for Dallas ISD and taught ELAR/Language Arts in grades 5th, 7th and 8th. Other positions include teaching ESL K-12th grade, RETELL specialist at the Department of Education in Massachusetts and being an English Language Fellow for the English Language Fellowship Program in the Republic of Georgia. Mrs. Garzon holds a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from Lee University and a Masters in TESOL from New York University. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family especially her husband and two boys -Josue and Eli. Mrs. Garzon feels honored to be a part of the Family Literacy Program and wants parents to be true partners with their child's school and community
My name is Evan Pritchard and I've been teaching ESL at the Family Literacy Program since 2002. I went to school at the University of Memphis in Tennessee where I earned an M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language. I've taught English in Japan and the Czech Republic, so I know what it feels like to live in another country whose language is not my own. What I enjoy most about my job is being able to meet so many people from so many different countries. I've learned a lot about the world through my job. When I'm not teaching, I enjoy practicing guitar and reading.
I graduated from Howard Payne University in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. I hold certificates for teaching Early Childhood thru 6th grade. After college, I went to Caracas, Venezuela and taught first grade for two years at an international school. I returned to Texas in August 1995 and taught first grade for one year at a private school. The summer of 1996 I went to St. Petersburg, Russia where I taught English to university students. From 1996-2001, I taught third grade in Fort Worth ISD. Currently, I am teaching in the Family Literacy Program where I have been since 2008. My favorite part about teaching adults English is getting to know them and learning about their cultures. Every day is a new opportunity for them to learn English and for me to learn more about them.
Dr. Grant earned her PhD from the University of North Dakota. She also has a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. She has taught Pre-K through 8th grade, college, and is currently teaching parents of Title I AISD children. She has written and edited reading curriculum for kindergarten through second grade. She enjoys leading her students through the journey of learning with the ultimate goal of earning a GED or HiSet equivalency certificate.
Hello, my name is Altagracia Arias. I'm from the Dominican Republic, but I live in Forest Hill now. I was a teacher in the Dominican Republic for about 13 years at the Evangelical National University as well as their Business Administration coordinator. At the university, I taught Finance, math, Business, and Accounting I have a B.S. in Economics and a Master’s in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting from the Ana G. Mendez University in Dallas. I love to write and read in my spare time, and I love going shopping. I also love to travel to different countries. I have worked for 15 years as an educator in my country and four years in the ECC Program with the Title I Family Literacy Program.
Hello, my name is Glenys Fontenot. I was born in the Dominican Republic. I graduated from the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo with a degree in Accounting. I have two wonderful children, a boy and girl. In my spare time, I like go to the mall, to travel and to ride my bicycle. In my home country, I worked as an accounting assistant for 13 years. I have been a teacher’s assistant for two years.
My name is Stephanie Thomas. I am originally from South Bend, Indiana, the home of the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame University. During my junior year of high school, my family moved to Denison, Texas where I graduated from high school. I received my Associate of Science in Elementary Education with a concentration in Special Education from Grayson Jr. College in Sherman, Texas. I attended Ball State University (best known for David Letterman); however, after a few detours, I received my Bachelor of Science in Educational Studies from Grand Canyon University located in Arizona. On December 14, 2022, I will graduate with my Master of Education in Early Childhood Education from Grand Canyon University. I have worked with children of various ages and grade levels for over 14 years including special education behavior. As a third-grade student, I knew I wanted to become a teacher and work with exceptional needs students. I love teaching and I enjoy watching students grow and develop and watching their reactions when they realize they did it and they can do it! I'm a firm believer that all children can learn; they just learn at different rates. Therefore, it is my responsibility to help them reach their highest level of learning in a way that is both fun and engaging for them!
My name is Joelyse Mercado. I am from Puerto Rico but I live in Dallas, TX. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Computed Tomography with Magnetic Resonance from the Ana G. Mendez University in Puerto Rico and an Associate Degree in Radiological Technology from the Technological Institute of Puerto Rico. I love spending time with my husband and family and like to travel and listen to music.
During my years of experience working with people of all ages, I have realized that it is truly something that I am passionate about and would like to continue to grow in this knowledge. In the time that I have worked for the Family Literacy Program, I have been able to put my artistic knowledge to use. It has been a time of many new experiences. I have had the opportunity to work with our ECC students on their fine and gross motor skills as well as in their cognitive skills. I have also been able to work with our children on their social emotional learning skills. I would like to continue working on these and other skills that will benefit and support our ECC classes.
