It was early in 2024 when Cynthia Capetillo decided she was ready for a change. The ten year veteran Dallas ISD elementary teacher began looking for a new campus home and came across Terrell ISD on a DFW teacher forum. “Based on the positive comments, I immediately looked up the district, saw there was an upcoming March job fair and decided to attend,” she shared.
At the job fair, Cynthia interviewed with Dr. Bruce Wood Elementary Principal, Aleix Santiago, and was invited to take a tour of the campus the following week. “I was impressed with the positive campus culture and all of the teachers seemed genuinely happy. I knew this could be the place that would reignite my spark for teaching. Mr. Santiago offered me a first grade dual language teaching position for the 2024-2025 school year and I immediately accepted.”
Once Cynthia returned back to her current campus, she shared the news with her long-time teacher mentor, Arlene Vargas. Arlene had served as Cynthia’s mentor when she first began teaching and the two have worked together at the same Dallas ISD campus for nearly ten years.
“I couldn't not share my news with my teacher mentor, Arlene,” Cynthia shared. “She helped to grow me as an educator and gave me validation in the classroom from day one.”
As Cynthia shared more information about Terrell, Arlene became intrigued and decided to apply for a teaching position in early April. As luck would have it, another first grade dual language teaching position opened at Wood Elementary, Arlene applied and Principal Santiago invited her to interview. “The interview went extremely well,” Arlene shared. “As we were concluding the interview I mentioned to Mr. Santiago that I had been Cynthia’s teacher mentor and at that point he offered me the job on the spot.”
Arlene immediately called Cynthia to share the good news. “To be able to make this jump together was an incredible feeling,” she said.
But the story doesn’t stop there.
While Arlene had been Cynthia’s mentor, Cynthia also had her own mentee. Enter Edith Castillo. Three years prior, Edith had served as a student teacher in Cynthia’s classroom. “Cynthia was an amazing mentor,” shared Edith. “She provided a safe space for me to grow. I am the teacher that I am today because of Cynthia and ultimately because of Arlene.”
When Edith found out that Cynthia and Arlene were making the move to Terrell, she immediately began looking for openings in the district; however, there were not any at the time. She sent in her resume and credentials anyway.
In June Principal Santiago reached out to Edith and shared that a 2nd grade dual language teaching position had just become available and extended her an interview invitation. Edith nailed the interview and Principal Santiago offered her the position.
Between the three of them, Cynthia, Arlene and Edith, brought 21 years of teaching experience and all were certified.
Now that school has started the three former Dallas ISD teachers shared that coming to Terrell has been the best decision they have ever made.
“It has been refreshing being here,” Cynthia shared. Edith agreed. “The small town feel is really nice,” she said. I have like ten Terrell shirts already!”
“It has been such a positive experience that my family has even noticed the change,” Arlene shared. “My husband told me that I have usually cried several times by now and he hasn’t seen me cry yet. It is because I am happy. “
All three shared that they have teacher friends in other large districts who have reached out to them wanting to know about Terrell. “It is special here,” Edith said. “The word is getting out. More highly-qualified and certified educators are going to find out about this gem of a place who truly takes care of its teachers. There will be fierce competition for teaching spots here and I am so grateful that we took a chance on Terrell ISD.”