Zachary Ochoa
Hello! My name is Coach Ochoa, and I am one of the PE teachers at Blazier Primary. This is my sixth year teaching, and I’m proud to be a graduate of Texas State University. I’m passionate about promoting health, fitness, and wellness, and I strive to help students develop the knowledge and skills they need to lead active, healthy lifestyles. Outside of the classroom, I enjoy watching and playing sports, traveling and exploring new places, and I’m currently working on improving my golf game. As a lifelong sports fan, my favorite teams are the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Longhorns. I’m looking forward to a fun, active, and exciting year in PE!
Contact Information:
Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1JXL9NPIGR37J?ref_=wl_share
Danelle Smith
Hello, I’m Ms. Smith! This will be my 12th year at Blazier and my 17th year in education. I have worked in many different educational positions: Pre-K teacher, Special Education TA, DL Kindergarten teacher and Art teacher.
I was born and raised in Austin and graduated from The University of Texas at Austin. I have 3 daughters. In my spare time, you will find me baking, crafting, or working out.
Favorite Things:
Color: Olive Green
Food: Mexican & Italian
Snacks: Popcorn, Dark Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Candy: Dark chocolate w/any kind of nut & Life Saver Wild Berry Gummies
Drinks: Dr. Pepper, Iced Mocha Coffee, Iced Sweet Tea
Flower: Lavender, Eucalyptus & Freesias
Hobbies: Baking, Arts & Crafts
Sports Team: Texas Longhorns
Contact Information:
512-841-8800 ext. 21332
Planning time: 10:20-11:05a
Jacob Alaniz
Howdy Howdy Blue Jays!
My name is Coach Alaniz, and I’m excited to be starting my fourth year teaching P.E. here at Blazier Primary! I graduated from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (GO VAQUEROS!) in 2022 with a Master of Science in Kinesiology.
I absolutely love what I do—teaching students how to stay healthy, be social, and most importantly, have fun while playing PE games. I believe in the power of movement and enjoy helping kids learn how to live active, balanced lives through exercise and play.
Outside of school, I enjoy weekend walks with my wife and our dog, and I’m a big fan of both soccer and baseball. You’ll often find me cheering on the Yankees and Austin FC whenever they’re playing!
Looking forward to another awesome year with our Blue Jays!
A few other of my favorite are:
Color- Orange
Food- Mexican Food
Drink- Diet Coke
Sports Teams- New York Yankees, Austin FC, Dallas Cowboys
Hobbies- Playing golf, going for hikes
Email: jacob.alaniz@austinisd.org
Alexis Sears

About the teacher:
Hi there! I just recently graduated from Texas State University Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and a Minor in Spanish. Music has been a huge part of my life since I was little and I am so honored and blessed to be teaching students the thing that I love! I play the French Horn and I love to sing! I have a cat who is fond of birds but not so fond of the French Horn, however; he is intrigued when I sing to him. This is my first job and I am thankful to be a Blue jay and work with such an amazing team!
Some of My Favorites(list your favorites):
Color- Periwinkle or Sky Blue
Food- Any home cooked meals! But chicken alfredo is always good!
Fast Food- Chic-fil-a, Chipotle or El Pollo Loco.
Drink- Flavored Sparkling Water, Fruity Lemonades or Dr. Pepper!
Coffee- Hazelnut or Coconut blends, Matcha is also a go-to!
Candy- Skittles or chocolate.
Flower- Love all flowers!
Sports Team(s)- Texas Longhorns, TXST Bobcats, Texans, Astros
Hobbies- I love to knit, read, or solve puzzles (Actual puzzles and the puzzle books from PennyPress), drawing is something else I like to do as well.
Books- I like thrillers, romcoms, John Grisham's books, and books that make you think about life. I'm also open to reading suggestions!
Contact information:
Email: alexis.dunaway@austinisd.org Planning: 10:20am-11:05am M-F