Dr. Audra Barrett – Vice President of Academic Affairs
Tarrant County College Southeast Campus

Kim consistently proves herself as a dedicated professional in designing and implementing effective professional development programs. Her expertise in educational technologies is exemplary, as she continually integrates cutting-edge tools and methodologies to enhance student and faculty learning experiences.

As an innovator and researcher, she makes significant contributions to the field, exploring new methods and technologies that advance educational outcomes. Her commitment to staying abreast of emerging trends ensures that her projects are always at the forefront of educational innovation.

Kim exhibits strong organizational skills and a keen ability to oversee complex initiatives from inception to completion. Her leadership and collaborative approach have been instrumental in driving successful outcomes in educational settings.

Beyond her professional achievements, Kim is known for her genuine and approachable demeanor. She fosters a supportive environment for students and faculty alike, always willing to lend her expertise and guidance.

Kim’s skills in designing professional development, expertise in educational technologies, innovation, research acumen, student and faculty focus, project management, and overall positive demeanor are valued and utilized to their fullest potential. She is a remarkable individual whose contributions continue to make a meaningful impact in the field of education.

Dr. Kristen Kirkpatrick – Director of Academic Operations
Tarrant County College Connect Campus

Kim Estes is a true scholar and advocate for educational technology, instructional design, and innovation. She is an avid researcher and early adopter of software and tools, ensuring that she can serve as a resource for the rest of us. She leads her team by focusing on what really matters- prioritizing tasks based on data and potential impact. She supports district and campus leadership, deans, department chairs, instructional designers, E-Faculty coaches, and a variety of other teams and departments in her current role. She is organized, efficient, and dependable. I value her as a colleague and friend!

Mrs. Estes has a wide background of planning and providing successful, engaging, and informative professional development. Her abilities extend from simple, short, targeted sessions of thirty minutes to an hour to planning and executing successfully full multiple day conference experiences. Her ability with logistics, planning, and preparation is second to none. Mrs. Estes is an excellent project manager. Decision-making based on data and feedback are two key components that drive Mrs. Estes in determining how to proceed. Every decision can be backed with authority and evidence. Additionally Mrs. Estes finds projects that best suit the personalities, strengths, and interests of her team. She is extremely supportive of building leadership within her team and assisting her team in achieving its team and personal goals.

Kim is willing to help anyone at any time — students, staff, community members — anyone. She tutored students that were not in her class and she was very helpful with her technology skills. She helped teachers on the other side of the building. She would really do anything for anyone. Kim is simply amazing. If we paid her by the hour, it would bankrupt the district. She never quits working and she can do anything. During basketball season, Kim was picked for making a difference by five different basketball players. She is special — and she does make a difference.

If anyone was to be awarded Teacher of the Year as a newbie to the campus and district, it’s gotta be Kim. Even as she was learning the Cleburne ropes, she was taking other newbies under her wing and insisting that we all learn together. That’s what good teachers do. Kim sees everyone as a potential student, no matter who they are. I was lucky enough to be her next-door classroom neighbor last year and definitely ended up in her room on more than one occasion needing help. I was always met with patience and care. I am so grateful that I was by her side during our introduction to CISD. I definitely couldn’t have survived last year without her. She wholeheartedly devotes herself to students; it’s not unusual to find Kim in her classroom before school, listening attentively to one of her students vent or helping another with classwork. In fact, anyone who needs help — student, colleague, administrator, parent — will be taken under Kim’s wing. Her empathy and compassion seem endless.

Kim designs training appropriate for the least technological to the most advanced. She is patient with the novices, but she challenges the experts and pushes them beyond their abilities. Our district is light years from where we were before Kim came to us. Her innovation has brought a massive amount of knowledge and tools into our hands, allowing us to provide our students with a truly excellent education. They leave us ready to conquer the world. For that matter, our teachers move onto other districts spoiled rotten and missing Kim’s support and expertise.

I cannot say enough about how wonderful Kim is. She is always willing to offer help and additional training for our staff. Regardless of how many times she may have offered help before, she always has a wonderful attitude and desire to see people “get it”. Kim is always prompt, patient and professional. She always makes the learning experience fun when it could easily be stressful. She has shown our department how to make our work lives easier through utilizing the available technologies, and for that we are incredibly grateful!

Over the course of 14 years working with Kim in various projects to promote learning among a wide range of students, I have found her singularly focused upon the mantra of “the tool doesn’t matter if the learning doesn’t happen”. I hear teachers at every campus on which she serves speak, without exception of her patience, value, and determination to help them succeed in promoting student learning.

Kim has taken me from basic applications to being able to imagine that I can create a unit that incorporates technology to connect with other campuses all over the country. Kim’s leadership in creating classrooms that not only use technology but deepen the learning because of the technology is undeniable.

On paper, Kim is an educator’s dream. It is however, her strength of character and natural charisma that, when combined with her innate intelligence and work ethic, make her a complete candidate. As most in the profession know, there is an intrinsic quality in all good educators that involves the coalescence of a broad knowledge base, genuine passion for subject, and a strong sense of self. I believe Kim has all these traits.

Her innovative use of technology inspires and brings joy to hundreds of district employees, which, in turn, inspires and brings joy to thousands of students. From the tech savvy teacher who is yearning for more, to the 30 year veteran who is nervous using email, Kim brings about a confidence to fulfill all needs. Her passion goes so much beyond her job description. She will go above and beyond to assist me, as a campus instructional leader. If I didn’t have a campus to run, I could write about her for hours.

Despite her not being in a traditional classroom, Kim Estes is the best teacher I have had in recent memory. She has helped me shape a vision for what a 21st century curriculum, classroom, and campus ought to be. Kim has shown her willingness to “get the job done” no matter what it takes by helping train me and other teachers on her days off.

In 29 years of teaching, I have never known anyone with more knowledge of technology and curriculum, and who has a greater capacity to envision lessons that integrate the two. Regardless of the curriculum I bring to her, she is able to create a lesson that implements exactly what I or the teacher asked for. She is an engaging instructor, able to get work out of the proverbial turnip. This includes teachers and students.

Every time you meet with Kim she brings her knowledge, skills, and new ideas to the table. From, “My Chromebook won’t let me watch this video,” to the implementation of augmented reality, Kim was with us every step of the way. My teaching is better because of Kim Estes. My students were all positively affected by Kim Estes. Kim Estes is an extremely valuable asset, whose leadership and support enhance the entire Burleson ISD. As for our team, we hold Kim in the highest regards and consider her to be one of us. Kim is our “Fifth Beatle”.

The leadership qualities that Kim displays through the implementation and development of technology is amazing. From using it herself, to teaching staff how to use it, to instructing students on proper techniques, Kim goes above and beyond to make sure that everyone is supported in the areas of technology that they need. On top of this, the creativity of this woman is amazing.