Ms. Cales has a Bachelor of Arts in both Spanish and Political Science from Texas State University and holds a Master of Education in Early Childhood Special Education from the University of Texas.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‍‌​‍‌‌‍​‌‌​‌​‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​​‌​‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

She hasn’t lived all over the world, but she has lived in quite a few places, including the Dominican Republic, China, and the United Arab Emirates. She regularly considers moving to Spain. Ms. Cales has three busy kids and considers it an accolade of the highest order on any given day if she and her family manage to be ready and out the door on time. They’ve come close many times!

Ms. Cales joins BASIS Independent as the Dean of Students after over 16 years in classroom teaching and school mentorship positions. She cannot wait to help shape a culture that balances high standards with a sense of fun.

A lover of language and people, Ms. Cales chose BASIS Independent because its strong academic framework balances high rigor with plenty of space for creativity, creating the best environment for learning.

In her free time, Ms. Cales likes to read, write and swim. She used to be an avid runner; these days, the races happen mostly in her mind — but hope springs eternal. She enjoys being outside, going to concerts and general lounging around. The beach is her favorite place on the planet.