Jaqueline Olivares is a proud South Texas native who has been a dedicated educator in Comal ISD since 2015.

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She began her teaching career as the Dance Director at Mountain Valley Middle School and later served as the Assistant Dance Director at Smithson Valley High School. Most recently, Ms. Olivares held the position of Fine Arts Coordinator for Comal ISD, where she played a pivotal role in supporting arts education across the district.

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Ms. Olivares earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Education from Texas State University, where she was also a member of the renowned Texas State Strutters. She later received a Master of Arts in Dance Education from Texas Woman’s University and is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Dance Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, with a concentration in Teacher Pedagogy, Leadership, and Policy.

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Deeply committed to advancing dance education, Ms. Olivares is actively involved in curriculum development, teacher professional development, and student leadership initiatives. She is a frequent presenter at the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) and the Texas Dance Educators Association (TDEA), sharing her expertise with educators and practitioners nationwide. She currently serves at the TDEA DTAC Committee Chair. A committee leading a state-wide initiative. 

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In addition to her work within Comal ISD, she has served on various district taskforces, including the AVID Taskforce and the District Educational Improvement Council (DEIC). Ms. Olivares also mentors future dance educators as a cooperating teacher at Texas State University and works as a research assistant under Dr. Barbara Bashaw at Columbia University.

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Her contributions have been recognized through multiple honors, including grants from the Comal Education Foundation, a scholarship for Excellence in Writing from Texas Woman’s University, Comal ISD’s "New Teacher of the Year" award in 2016, and the prestigious Comal ISD 590 Award in 2021.

Ms. Olivares is thrilled to join Pieper High School and looks forward to inspiring and empowering the next generation of dancers in her new role.