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Angela Castro

SPED Teacher

Ms. Angela Castro is excited to join the Rufino Mendoza Elementary family and bring her passion for student advocacy, special education, and relationship-building to the Longhorn community. With experience serving students in both inclusion and resource settings, she is dedicated to ensuring every learner receives the support, encouragement, and opportunities needed to thrive.

Throughout her career, Ms. Castro has worked with students across multiple grade levels and content areas, including Mathematics, Reading Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. Her experience supporting students with diverse academic and emotional needs has strengthened her belief that every child can grow and succeed when given the right accommodations, scaffolds, and encouragement.

Ms. Castro is known for her positivity, energy, and ability to create a welcoming environment where students feel safe, supported, and valued. She believes that strong relationships are the foundation of student success and strives to be a trusted adult who balances compassion with high expectations. Whether providing academic support, celebrating successes, or simply lending a listening ear, she is committed to helping students build confidence and develop the skills needed for long-term success.

One of Ms. Castro's greatest strengths is her ability to adapt instruction to meet individual student needs. She uses accommodations, manipulatives, scaffolds, and multiple instructional strategies to help students access grade-level content while building independence and self-advocacy skills. She believes strong instruction requires flexibility, preparation, and a willingness to adjust based on student needs and responses.

As a lifelong learner, Ms. Castro values feedback, reflection, and continuous improvement. She welcomes opportunities for coaching and collaboration and is always looking for ways to strengthen her practice to better serve students. Her goal is to help students achieve meaningful academic growth while also empowering them to believe in their own abilities.

Outside of school, Ms. Castro's greatest joy is spending time with her daughter, Abigail. She also enjoys swimming, being near the water, and creating opportunities to relax and recharge with family and friends.

Ms. Castro hopes her students leave her classroom feeling empowered, capable, and confident in their ability to advocate for themselves and succeed both in and beyond the classroom. She is excited to partner with families and colleagues to help every Longhorn reach their full potential.

 

Lekesha Stephens

Dyslexia Specialist

LeKesha Stephens brings 18 years of experience in education and a deep passion for literacy to Rufino Mendoza Elementary. Throughout her career, she has served students across Kindergarten through 4th grade, as well as in the role of ESL Specialist, building a strong foundation in differentiated instruction and language development.

Ms. Stephens is highly confident in her reading instruction and is committed to helping every student grow as a reader. She is especially passionate about supporting students with dyslexia and aims to be a trusted expert in this area, using her knowledge and skills to make a meaningful impact on campus. She is excited to expand her expertise by learning and implementing the Take Flight curriculum, approaching this new learning with both enthusiasm and a growth mindset.

In her classroom, Ms. Stephens prioritizes strong, high-quality instruction delivered with fidelity to meet students’ unique learning needs. She regularly uses mastery checks, midpoint checks, and observation to monitor progress, while providing immediate feedback and guided questioning to ensure student understanding.

Ms. Stephens values collaboration and believes that feeling heard is essential to building strong, effective teams. She welcomes feedback as a tool for continuous improvement and growth in her practice.

Originally new to Rufino Mendoza Elementary, Ms. Stephens is eager to learn campus systems, build strong relationships, and collaborate with colleagues and specialists to ensure student success. Her goal is for every student to enjoy coming to class and to show significant improvement in their reading skills by the end of the year.

Outside of school, Ms. Stephens finds joy in spending time with her family and friends.

Email: lekesha.stephens@fwisd.org

Cedric Jackson

Spec Ed

 

Christina Martini

ECSE Teacher

Ms. Christina-Marie Martini is excited to continue her journey at Rufino Mendoza Elementary and begin a new chapter serving students in ECSE. Originally from Washingtonville, New York, Ms. Martini moved to Texas at the age of 19 to attend Texas A&M University. She is proud to call Texas home and is passionate about making a difference in the lives of young learners.

With six years of experience in education, Ms. Martini has taught 5th Grade, Kindergarten, and Resource, giving her a wide range of experiences supporting students with diverse learning needs. She is known for being joyful, loyal, and kind, and works hard to create a classroom environment where students feel safe, supported, and capable of achieving their goals.

One of Ms. Martini's greatest strengths is advocating for students and ensuring they receive the support they need to be successful. She believes strong instruction is carefully planned, aligned to student needs, and intentionally designed to address misconceptions before they occur. Through continuous monitoring and adjustment, she strives to help every student make meaningful academic and personal growth.

Ms. Martini values feedback and collaboration and believes growth happens when educators work together, share ideas, and support one another. She is excited to learn from her colleagues and continue developing her skills as she transitions into ECSE. Her commitment to lifelong learning and student success drives everything she does.

Outside of school, Ms. Martini enjoys reading, relaxing by the pool, and cheering on her favorite sports teams. She treasures spending time with family and friends and values opportunities to recharge so she can bring positive energy and enthusiasm to her students each day.

Ms. Martini's goal is for every student to feel successful, celebrated, and proud of their accomplishments. She hopes her students leave her classroom knowing they are capable of achieving great things and feeling confident in their abilities.

Ms. Martini is honored to be part of the Longhorn family and looks forward to helping students learn, grow, and thrive.