Welcome!
The mission of the Office of Translation and Interpretation (OTI) is to promote meaningful family and community engagement by eliminating language and cultural barriers and promoting equity through language access.
Our Services
The Office of Translation & Interpretation (OTI) provides language access support to assist in communicating mainly academic information between schools and families to increase engagement in school activities and district-wide functions. This full range of language services is designed to help in 熱えapps mission of providing a comprehensive educational experience to prepare our students for college, career and life.
What we offer
(OPI)*
(VRI)*
Interpretation (In person/Zoom)*
Translations (Documents)*
*Services need to be requested by an 熱えapp employee. If you are an 熱えapp family needing services, please contact your school so they may request services on your behalf. Please email an 熱えapp staff member or contact your campus via Lets Talk (go to the bottom and click on Contact Campus by Text and select the school your child attends).
Please select the type of service you need.
Our 熱えapp Team
Cynthia Dacarett
Language Access Coordinator
Milly Hernandez
OTI Assistant-Scheduler
General Education Spanish Translators & Interpreters
Magdalena Graybill, Melissa Gonz獺lez, Victor Rodriguez, Margarita Ruvalcaba-Ord籀簽ez
Special Education Spanish Translators & Interpreters
Rachel Browne and Sandra Salgado
Select "Our History" to expand menu.
In 1982, 熱えapps Associate Superintendent Dr. Gonzalo Garza saw the need to provide Spanish-language services for the increasingly growing Spanish-speaking population of students and families of 熱えapp. Dr. Franciso Perea was hired as the first translator for 熱えapp, working full-time in the Office of State and Federal Programs. Dr. Perea held the position as District Translator providing Spanish-language support for Chapter 1 (now Title 1) schools for over 40 years.
While Dr. Pereas main duties centered on translation, there was a need for interpretation services as well. In 2004, 熱えapp hired Irma G籀mez-Palacios as the full-time District Interpreter for the Office of Communications. In time, the need to hire more translators became apparent. Dr. Janice Guerrero Thompson, 熱えapps Executive Director for Planning and Community Relations developed the idea to create an Office of Translation and Interpretation.
In 2010, the Office of Translation and Interpretation (OTI) was formally established, with Irma G籀mez-Palacios as its first Language Support Coordinator. While the OTI only serviced the Communications Office in Planning and Community Relations, all district translators and interpreters, including those working in Multilingual Education and Special Education programs, were housed in the same area, making it easier to share resources and expertise, which benefitted 熱えapp.
Currently, all translators and interpreters are managed under the Department of Communications and Community Engagement (DCCE), which has helped to increase and improve language services offered to 熱えapps Spanish-speaking students and families. The OTI also manages the translation and interpretation services offered to students and families speaking other languages, including American Sign Language.