Nina Aitha

Christine Bolitho (right), Valme Alvarez and Adam Morrison each pose for a photo, excited to start teaching at Flower Mound. They all came from different backgrounds, but were ready to educate. “I guess you could say it’s my dream to come work in Lewisville because it’s such a good district,” Bolitho said.

As each new school year begins and new students are welcomed, a wave of eager teachers are welcomed to Flower Mound as well. Teachers work tirelessly to guide students along their paths and make our school days brighter. Christine Bolitho, Adam Morrison, and Valme Alvarez, a few of this year’s new teachers, are excited to teach their students and deserve to have their own stories be told.

“Finding that moment, those little moments, is what really keeps me going,” Bolitho said.

Bolitho, an English 2 teacher now beginning her third year of teaching, expressed what motivates and inspires her to teach: an ‘aha’ moment. She explained an ‘aha’ moment as when a student finally understands what they are learning, and it finally clicks in their head—she loves making that moment happen and being a part of it. Outside of the classroom, Bolitho has two cats, a one year old son, and a husband who works in Lewisville. In her free time, she loves cooking and reading, the latter being her favorite activity. She grew up in Flower Mound, graduating from Marcus High School in 2011.

“So that’s always been my dream,” Bolitho said, “to come back and teach and live here as well because it’s my home. I love it here.”

Bolitho, along with many other teachers, is excited for this school year.

Morrison, an Economics teacher, has been teaching for around a decade. The relationships and the ability to connect with kids to make a positive impact on their lives are what motivates him, and it all started with a few of his favorite teachers from when he was still a student. His relationships with his 7th and 9th grade history teachers were meaningful to him because of the positive impact they had on his life and he’s still in touch with them today. 

“It’s the impact, the ability, to do something that will hopefully positively make somebody’s life better,” Morrison said.

Although he came from a family of educators, Morrison has not always been a teacher; he started off in sales and marketing, and decided to finally get a teaching license after he was laid off in 2013. Outside of school, he drives his kids around to their baseball teams and ballet. Occasionally, they go back to East Texas, where Morrison is from. He spends time with his family and his dog watching TV.

Alvarez, a Spanish teacher, is starting her first year of teaching. Alverez always wanted to teach, so when she arrived in America from England, she made her dream a reality.

“Being in the classroom with the students, sharing what I know and seeing that they are learning and enjoying the lesson, right when you see they are engaged and are having a good time. Yeah, that’s the best part,” Alvarez said.

Her goal is to build connections with students so they can have fun in the classroom.

“I try to establish relationships with students so they can feel comfortable and safe in the class and then that’s probably going to help them to be more interested in the subject,” Alvarez said.

In her high school years, she found that when teachers would build relationships with their students beyond class work, it made school more enjoyable. Before she started teaching, she was a logistics coordinator working in London. Born and raised in Spain, she found herself interested in Spanish artists like Picasso and has a background in art. In her free time, she goes to art exhibitions and does pilates.

Despite different backgrounds, all these teachers are eager for the new year. While some began in another career path, or have known they wanted to teach their whole life, they’re part of the jaguar family starting this year.  Teachers help give us knowledge, shape our future, expand our interests, and improve skills, which is why it’s important to show our gratitude and respect for them.