Willie Nelson (no, not that one) marks 35 years of teaching Houston’s students

Since marrying her childhood sweetheart back in the early 1970s, Willie Nelson has heard all the jokes. No, she’s not related to the singer; yes, it’s her real (married) name; and no, she doesn’t teach music.

But the HISD veteran has spent the last 35 years teaching students in grades 3–5 with special needs—first at the campus she attended as a child (Reynolds ES) and now, at Cunningham ES, where she has served for the past two decades.

“I always knew I wanted to work with kids,” said Nelson, who celebrates her 35^th anniversary with the district on Jan. 11. “I just love it.”

And while she didn’t set out to focus on children with special needs, the first time Nelson was asked to work with them, she realized she had found her calling. “It fit me like a hand in glove,” she explained.

Nelson is herself a product of HISD. She graduated from Worthing HS in 1974 and became an educator through the district’s own Alternative Certification Program. She will celebrate her 39^th wedding anniversary to Robbie Nelson, whom she met in the sixth grade at Woodson MS, next month.

Many other HISD employees are also marking milestones in early January—see if you know anyone on this list:

30 Years

• Martha Bolanos, attendant, Food Services
• Garry Dunham, teacher, Kashmere HS
• Rudell Kizzee, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Debra Sapp, teacher, Northline ES

25 Years

• Beverly Bennett, teacher, Hartman MS
• Raul Garivey, lieutenant, Police Department
• Christine Hernandez, teacher, Janowski ES
• Rita Hubbard, teacher, Alcott ES
• Rita Jones, student information representative, Young ES
• Teresa Sanchez, teacher, Farias ECC
• Patricia Wood, teacher, Johnston MS
• Fredrick Terrell, teacher, Foster ES
• Joyce Yancy, teacher, Stevens ES

20 Years

• Jack Allen, warehouse, Food Services
• Tammy Fuller, teaching assistant, Harper Alternative
• Francia Gomez, custodian, Bush ES
• Alta Jennings, psychologist, Counseling and Guidance
• Anna Valls, assistant principal, Waltrip HS
• Antonia Ventura, custodian, Milby HS

15 Years

• Lynette Adams, plant operator, Mading ES
• Leticia Castillo, teaching assistant, Burnet ES
• Aura Cruz, teacher, Peck ES
• Irene Diflavio, teacher, Browning ES
• Ellie Garza, assistant principal, Berry ES
• Steven Hadley, teacher, Jones HS
• Laura Harlow, teacher, HSPVA
• Sirrenio Herrera, teacher, Lantrip ES
• Gretchen Kasper-Hoffman, principal, Grady MS
• Marcela Landestoy, ES specialist, Curriculum
• Elizabeth Payne, teacher, Reagan HS
• Michelle Taylor, teacher, Hartman MS

10 Years

• Portia Alvaro, teacher, Patterson ES
• Lorna Bowles, associate teacher
• Erik Carter, assistant principal, Hamilton MS
• Shartrina Charles, teacher, Lockhart ES
• Cheryl Contreras, teacher, Fondren MS
• Maria Cruz, teacher, J. P. Henderson ES
• Gerardo DeLeon, graduation coach, Davis HS
• Blanca Fraire, teaching assistant, Scroggins ES
• Marisa Hartling, manager , Secondary Curriculum
• Sonya Gipson, teacher, Brookline ES
• Daymi Gomez, teaching assistant, Halpin ECC
• Candace Guest, teacher, Sherman ES
• Concepcion Guzman, attendant, Food Services
• Homeira Irani, teacher, Helms ES
• Mercedes Izquierdo, custodian, Johnston MS School
• Luis Jasso, plant operator, Poe ES
• Margaret Keaton, teacher, Scarborough HS
• Jessie LeBlanc, teaching assistant, Burbank MS
• Maria Lopez, teacher, Whittier ES
• Rosa Lopez, teaching assistant, Red ES
• Minnie Malone, teacher, Felix Cook ES
• Barry Matherne, teacher, Hamilton MS
• Luisa Medina, custodian, Lanier MS School
• Juanny Mendez-Guerrero, clerk, Sugar Grove Academy
• Aiesha Odutayo, instructional coordinator, Woodson K-8
• Silvia Ortiz-Cansinos, teacher, Valley West ES
• Esmeralda Padron, teacher, Sherman ES
• Veronica Pina, clerk, Askew ES
• Roxie Randolph, teacher, Oates ES
• Sandra Rodriguez, teacher, DeBakey HS
• Nina Roman, teaching assistant, Wainwright ES
• Dollie Smith, teaching assistant, Kennedy ES
• Cecily Stevens, teacher, Oak Forest ES
• Lorenzo Thompson, associate teacher
• Sandra Villanueva, teacher, Cage ES
• Lawerence Watkins, plant operator, Anderson ES
• Lashena Webb, secretary, Foster ES
• Brad Weber, school business manager, Lamar HS

5 Years

• Beatriz Aranjo, teaching assistant, Seguin ES
• Rosalinda Barrera, custodian, J P Henderson ES
• Kirk Belt, teacher, Vision Programs
• Daniel Bevill, teacher, Edison MS
• Lillie Blake, associate teacher
• Yady Blessinger, teacher, Halpin ECC
• Aretha Burleson, teacher, Rucker ES
• Adriana Caballero, teacher, Wainwright ES
• Stephen Cabell, teacher, Lanier MS
• Stephanie Calderon, teacher, River Oaks ES
• Rene Cavazos, teacher, Worthing HS
• Rufus Chaney, writer, Career and Technical Education
• Nadia Coleman, teaching assistant, Chavez HS
• Reginald Cooper, HVAC Repairer, Construction & Facility Services
• Antonio Cordova, team lead, Administrative Services
• Natasha Edmond, teacher, Henry MS
• Ana Estrada, clerk, Hogg MS
• Vida Gamble, associate teacher
• Gloria Guerrero, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Johnatan Guzman, teacher, Burbank ES
• Ellen Harrison, teacher Hogg MS
• Gwendolyn Hoston, custodian, Transportation Services
• Byron Ireland, HVAC Repairer, Construction & Facility Services
• Sylvia Jackson, teacher, J. R. Harris ES
• Celeste Jimenez, teacher, Southmayd ES
• Lydia Long, associate teacher
• Gary Marks, applications developer, Information Technology
• Frederick McGrew, plant operator, Cornelius ES
• Albania Martinez, teacher, Piney Point ES
• Alma Martinez, attendant, Food Services
• Maria Martinez, attendant,  Food Services
• Adela Melendez, custodian, Petersen ES
• Mark Monita, teacher, Burbank MS
• Graciela Noonan, associate teacher
• Ian Olmstead, teacher development specialist, Professional Development
• Emilia Orozco Flores, teacher, Highland Heights ES
• Anitra Provost, teaching assistant, Kashmere HS School
• Dora Ramos, teacher, J. P. Henderson ES
• Diana Rocha, teacher, Rodriguez ES
• Pascuala Santos, attendant, Food Services
• Kelly Streams, teacher, Grady MS
• Iriton Shabazz, crossing guard, Foerster ES
• Mary Shaffner, clerk, White ES
• Melvin Sheard, teacher, HSPVA
• Helen Shimada, teacher, Moreno ES
• Patricia Smith, associate teacher
• Veronica Smith, teacher, Sam Houston MSTC
• Patricia Swayzer Cooke, associate teacher
• Matt Tezeno, associate teacher
• Juanita Vallejo, attendant, Food Services
• Arturo Velazquez III, teacher, Browning ES
• Stacey White, teacher, T. H. Rogers MS
• Blight Williams, attendant, Food Services
• Mildred Woodson, bus driver, Transportation Services

Check back next Friday for more January Milestones – and if you know someone who should be featured in this space, let us know at info@houstonisd.org. Leave a comment below if you’d like to congratulate any of the above employees.