Dr. Jackeline Orsini is the Director of the Department of Early Childhood Learning and a proponent of high-quality customer service, data-driven strategic plans, school-community involvement and the principle that all students should have equal opportunities to achieve excellence. Dr. Orsini earned her doctorate in education with an emphasis in educational leadership from Dallas Baptist University. She previously served as the first principal of Arlington ISD’s McNutt Elementary. As the director of early childhood learning, she has implemented the district’s first full-day pre-K program for four-year-olds, adopted a new pre-K curriculum, implemented new TEA Pre-K High-Quality Standards, built new early-childhood community partnership models, and led planning for districtwide pre-K renovations as part of the 2019 Bond. She is passionate about education and committed to ensuring students have fun while learning, creating and exploring.
Department Contact:
Dr. Hildelisa Diaz
Early Childhood Coordinator
Curriculum | Instruction | Professional Learning
hdiaz@aisd.net
Dr. Hildelisa Diaz is honored to serve as the Coordinator of the Department of Early Childhood Learning. She earned her doctorate from Texas Wesleyan University and holds a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas at Arlington. Dr. Diaz is deeply committed to supporting the education of young children and their families within Arlington ISD.
With extensive experience teaching several elementary grade levels, Dr. Diaz has also served as a lead teacher, instructional coach, and curriculum and instruction specialist. She is passionate about building a strong, educational early childhood program that allows our students, families, and teachers to thrive.
Lilly Hamner is ecstatic to join the Department of Early Childhood Learning as the coordinator of operations after serving as the assistant principal at Pope Elementary for six years. She began her career in education as a kindergarten teacher assistant in Lilburn, Georgia and made her move to Texas where she served as a bilingual teacher, dyslexia interventionist, and ELL specialist in Irving ISD. Lilly earned her B.A. in music from Agnes Scott College and M.Ed. in administration from Lamar University. She looks forward to supporting Arlington ISD campuses, Head Start, and community based centers in ensuring that every child has the opportunity to engage and benefit from an exceptional early childhood program.
Nadia Azari is grateful to serve as an instructional specialist for the Department of Early Childhood. In 2003, she began her career in Arlington ISD as a bilingual pre-K teacher at Morton Elementary. Nadia holds both a B.S. in Kinesiology and a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is committed to providing a high-quality early childhood education experience that nurtures the potential of each child and prepares them for lifelong learning.
Ken Foster is proud to be an instructional specialist for the Department of Early Childhood Learning. He began his career at Arlington ISD in 2010 as an Early Childhood Assistant with West Elementary. In 2011, he became a Prekindergarten teacher at Kooken Education Center. Ken holds both a B.A. Interdisciplinary Studies in Education and a M.Ed. in Mind, Brain, and Education from the University of Texas at Arlington. He considers himself a lifelong learner and enjoys sharing his love of learning with adults and children alike.
Kathy Sowell is an instructional specialist supporting early childhood special education teachers. She began her career in Arlington ISD as a speech pathologist at Atherton Elementary. Following her passion for working with our youngest students, Kathy moved to Kooken Education Center to teach preschool students with disabilities. After 14 years, she moved into the instructional specialist role with the special education department. Kathy received her B.A. in Education with emphasis in speech, language and hearing therapy from the University of Louisiana-Monroe. She has a M.S. degree in Communication Disorders from the University of Texas-Dallas. Kathy is a big sports fan and loves, mysteries, cooking and listening to music.
Salma Perez is the secretary of the Department of Early Childhood Learning. Ms. Perez's love for education sparked back in kindergarten and continues to fuel her work today. She began her career with Arlington ISD as a secretary for Special Education curriculum coordinators. In her current role, she supports the Curriculum & Instruction and the Operation EC teams to reach their goals. Ms. Perez collaborates closely with each team member to ensure that both small and large-scale objectives are achieved. Her extensive experience has made her dedicated to supporting the department and ensuring smooth operations for staff, students, and parents.
Department Contact:
Melindaaprell Johnson
Early Childhood Clerk
Curriculum & Instruction
mjohns26@aisd.net
Ms. Melindaaprell Johnson Joined the Early Childhood Department in 2021. She is originally from Washington DC and proud Mom to three children. She has an extensive customer service background in both the hospitality and retail industry for a combined 18 years of service. Melindaaprell is going into her 6th year with AISD. She was a classroom assistant in a community-based center. She also served as Community Base Clerk for two years, before transitioning to the role of a campus clerk for Kooken Educational Center. Ms. Johnson brings strong customer service skills to support families across the district and in the community.
Yenia Ponce joined the Department of Early Childhood as an Early Childhood Clerk. She has a degree in Attorney & Law from the Universidad Autonoma de Chihuahua in Mexico. She was a Family Liaison at Hutcheson Junior High, where she had the opportunity to create a successful bridge between the school, community, and parents through events and programs. She also served as a Guidance Technician at Pope Elementary. She has always felt passionate to support young kids and their families. She likes to spend time with her husband and two kids, playing board games, watching movies, and visiting family.
