Dance teacher helping students express themselves through movement

Sanja Korman had only been in the United States for a few years in 1999, when she joined Team HISD as a dance teacher at Bellaire High School. But since then, she has created an award-winning dance troupe (eMOTION), become a naturalized citizen, and even been recognized for her teaching prowess at the national level.

“I felt right at home when I came here,” said the Bosnian native. “My students helped me and made me feel very welcome. I taught them to dance and they taught me everything else! I think I’m the only one who is depressed when school is out.”

Korman listed a few of her proudest achievements as being named Dance Teacher of the Year twice in 2008 by two different organizations, and her contributions to the state’s new dance standards, which she helped develop as a member of the Texas Education Agency’s fine arts review committee.

“Dance is a very elegant, emotional, and passionate art form,” noted Korman. “For young people, it is also a powerful way of expressing themselves—and for some, the only way. Young people must conform to so much in our society, but with dance, there are no borders. Only your imagination limits you, so creativity is not suppressed. I love watching young people tell me a story through their movements.”

Korman officially marked her 15th anniversary with the district on Aug. 11, but a few other employees are also marking theirs this week (Aug. 10–16). See if you know anyone on this list:

40 years

• Sarah Harrington, principal, Horn Academy

30 years

• Sandy Alvarado, teacher, Reagan HS
• Misa Batcheller, teacher, J. P. Henderson ES
• Cathy Bibbs-Jackson, teacher, Bastian ES
• Kristin Blaies, teacher, Waltrip HS
• Gail Bradley, teacher, J. R. Harris ES
• Cathy Cole, instructional coordinator, Harvard ES
• Anthanette Darden, nurse, Gross ES
• Jacqueline Dawson, registrar, Jordan HS
• Debra Diggs, teaching assistant, Garcia ES
• Diane Duron-Seulean, teacher, Burbank ES
• Anthony Fields, teacher, Madison HS
• Mary Ford, teacher, Johnston MS
• Theresa Garza, teacher specialist, Barrick ES
• Juan Gomez, tree pruner, Construction & Facility Services
• Mary Gomez, curriculum director, Advanced Academics
• Gina Isabel, librarian, Seguin ES
• Elizabeth Johnson, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Regina McBride, teacher, Shadydale ES
• Avia McFarland, speech therapist, Child Study
• Pameler Morgan, teacher, Community Services
• Marcia  Norris, counselor, Middle College at HCC Gulfton
• Annette Padron, counselor, Anderson ES
• Tanya Thompson, teacher, Rice School
• John Threet, principal, West University ES
• Jo Warren, teacher, Garden Villas ES
• Shirley Wilturner, teacher, Sterling HS
• Betty York, teacher, Westbury HS

25 years

• Rachel Gallegos, secretary, Federal and State Compliance

20 years

• Margarita Arellano, clerk, Briscoe ES
• Kayla Brown-Hogans, teacher, Lockhart ES
• Marsha Collier, secretary, Windsor Village ES
• Frank Dewalt, crossing guard, Codwell ES
• Yolanda Esparza, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Sharon Landory, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Semone Lewis-Young, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Marshall Medders, teacher, Williams MS
• Nora Ryan, teacher, Piney Point ES

15 years

• Batula Ali, teacher, Thomas MS Robert Bellatti, teacher, Reagan HS
• Neressa Bailey, teacher, Almeda ES
• Tracy Baker, evaluation specialist, Child Study
• Maria Barcenas, teacher, Golfcrest ES
• Roberto Barillas, teacher, Browning ES
• Herson Barbosa, teacher, Waltrip HS
• Joyce Bennett, teacher specialist, Worthing HS
• Patricia Berwick, evaluation specialist, Child Study
• Miracle Blackwell, teaching assistant, Grissom ES
• Debbie Broadhead, teacher, Pershing MS
• Samantha Brooks, instructional specialist, South Early College HS
• Lee Broze, teacher, Bellaire HS
• Ana Busto, associate teacher
• Luis Carrillo De Alborn, manager, Curriculum
• Teresita Castillo, teacher, School at St George Place
• Myra Castle, assistant principal, Edison MS
• Danielle Charlton, specialist, Child Study
• Loretta Chue, teacher, Dowling MS
• Tara Conley, specialist, Child Study
• Patsy Canales, attendant, Food Services
• Melissa Cantu, teacher, Ketelsen ES
• Ginger Citizen, teacher, Hilliard ES
• Shanon Crosby, evaluation specialist team lead, Child Study
• Clyde Davis, teacher, Fleming MS
• Wally De Covarrubia, director of employee relations, Human Capital Accountability
• Douglas Dixon, online administrator, Student Assessment
• Edwin Dubon, instructional specialist, Sutton ES
• Alvin Duncan, teacher, Windsor Village ES
• Gennifer Ehmling, teacher, Reagan HS
• Maurice Eiland, teacher specialist, Williams MS
• Lisa Enriquez-Halloran, teacher, Travis ES
• Jennifer Ertel, specialist, College Readiness
• Guillermina Falcone, teacher, Roosevelt ES
• Julayne Fenner, teacher, Carrillo ES
• Jennetta Flugence, teacher, Jordan HS
• Bertha Garcia, teacher, Poe ES
• Sharon Goldstein, teacher, Park Place ES
• Jeannie Gomez, teacher, Sutton ES
• Maria Gomez, teacher, Robinson ES
• Hilda Gonzalez, teacher, Oates ES
• Maria Gonzales, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
• Marisol Gonzalez, teacher, Patterson ES
• Aurelia Graham, teaching assistant, Kennedy ES
• James Green, plant operator, Construction & Facility Services
• Douglas Guy, teacher, Westside HS
• Sonya Hamilton, teacher, Cook ES
• Karin Hansen, teacher, Walnut Bend ES
• Latricia Hardy, clerk, T. H. Rogers MS
• Alicia Harrison, teacher, Field ES
• Madeline Hartwell, teacher, Barbara Jordan HS
• Homero Hidalgo, teacher, Lyons ES
• Jennifer Hightower, clerk, Food Services
• Rhonda Honoré, teacher development specialist, Professional Development
• Elizabeth Hurwick, teacher, Pugh ES
• Carla Jano-Defez, specialist, Curriculum
• Barbara Lamport, teacher, Briargrove ES
• Walter Laracuente, teacher, Grissom ES
• Maria Lopez, teacher, Stevenson MS
• Carol Mandola, teacher, Condit ES
• Christopher Mahendran, teacher, Lamar HS
• Gail McGee, manager, Professional Development
• Michael McKinley, specialist, Curriculum
• Damon McLemore, teacher, Kennedy ES
• Kesha McNeil-Randle, instructional specialist, Dowling MS
• Luis Mendoza, teacher, Peck ES
• Robert Montiel, teacher, Sam Houston MSTC
• Claudia Morales, teacher specialist, J. P. Henderson ES
• Ama Mpiani, instructional specialist, Stevenson MS
• Billy Nave, teacher, Briargrove ES
• Lashawn Nelson, teacher, Reynolds ES
• Elizabeth Norkus, teacher, School at St. George Place
• Maria Ochoa, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
• Anamaria Peña, teacher, Whittier ES
• Shlon Phillips, evaluation specialist, Child Study
• Betty Pitts, teaching assistant, Blackshear ES
• Marina Portales, teacher, Ketelsen ES
• Angela Posey, attendant, Food Services
• Kathryn Prudhomme, teacher, Poe ES
• Elaine Racer, teacher, White ES
• Elizabeth Reyes, attendant, Food Services
• Sandra Rhea, teacher, Harvard ES
• Alicia Saenz, teacher, Coop ES
• Anne Sanchez, teacher, Park Place ES
• Ishtar Salazar, teacher, Herrera ES
• Raefernette Saxton, teacher, Madison HS
• BeverlyShaw, teaching assistant, Elrod ES
• Hector Sierra, teacher, Herrera ES
• Louanna Smith, teacher, Scarborough ES
• Pamela Smith, teacher, Fonwood ES
• Joann Stoehr, teacher, Park Place ES
• Amanda Sudduth, teacher, West University ES
• Timothy Taft, instructional specialist, Pershing MS
• Tina Thompson, VIPS administrator, Strategic Partnerships
• Jolayne Tillis, teacher, Askew ES
• Joette Tobola, teacher, Montgomery ES
• Maria Treviño, clerk, Rice School
• Marilou Valdez, teacher, HSLECJ
• Patricia Vargas, attendant, Food Services
• Monica Velasquez, teacher, Cage ES
• Ilsa Villarreal, instructional coordinator, Moreno ES
• Yaneka Walker, teacher specialist, Stevens ES
• Karnetta Watts, assistant principal, Furr HS
• Demetria Williams, librarian, Bellfort ECC
• Valkeith Winters, teacher, Milby HS
• Miguel Yepez, customer service representative, Employee Relations

10 years

• Catalina Arreola, attendant, Food Services
• Frank Dames, crossing guard, Stevens ES
• Alma Garcia, attendant, Food Services
• Frances Garner, secretary, Pershing MS
• Verna Gaston, evaluation specialist, Child Study
• Dennis Gifford, on-line training specialist, Professional Development
• Danyetta Godwin, teacher, Johnston MS
• Lakendria Grice, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Arthur Harris, teaching assistant, Hines-Caldwell ES
• Lesley Hernandez, teacher, Dowling MS
• Elneita Hutchins-Taylor, general counsel, Legal Services
• Roy Jefferson, parts technician, Transportation
• Gloria Jiles, counselor, Kelso ES
• Precious Jiles, attendant, Food Services
• DeMetria Jones, teacher, Patterson ES
• Gwendolyn Jones, teacher, Vision Programs
• Amelia Kennison, teacher, Westbury HS
• Rosanette Luther, teacher, Reach Charter
• Carlos Medellin, teacher, Kennedy ES
• Dinah Melton, teacher,Kashmere Gardens ES
• Shalanda Moore, teacher, Jordan HS
• Patricia Mosher, teacher, Sinclair ES
• Elodia Mundo, attendant, Food Services
• Argicola Muñoz, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
• Patricia Offenhauser, associate teachers
• Debra Peterson, associate teacher
• Roger Regner, teacher, Jackson MS
• Carmen Reyes, teacher, Crockett ES
• Betty Saavedra, teaching assistant, Halpin ECC
• Mamie Smart, associate teacher
• Brian Sonnier, teacher, Hamilton MS
• Stacia Spillane, counselor, Rice School
• Michelle Thomas, clerk, Almeda ES
• Tonja Tobias, attendant, Food Services
• Ana Vazquez, clerk, Sutton ES
• Gabriela Villafuerte, teacher, Bonham ES
• Kelly Webster, teacher development specialist, Professional Development
• Detra Williams, teaching assistant, Petersen ES
• Gina Zenor, teacher, Anderson ES

5 years

• Norma Alderete, clerk, Lamar HS
• Sandra Alix, clerk, Transportation Services
• Francy Baquero, teaching assistant, Daily ES
• Roderick Barron, teacher, Stevenson MS
• Billie Blackmon, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Bettye Booker, associate teacher
• Karen Brown, associate teacher
• Shereta Brooks, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Tomeka Brooks, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Lottie Caldwell, associate teacher
• Randy Caraway, warehouse driver, Textbook Operations
• Margarie Clemmons, attendant, Transportation Services
• Carl Coleman, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Thomas Collins, associate teacher
• Andrew DeFalco, teacher, Burbank MS
• Erika Favela, teacher, J. P. Henderson ES
• Eugenia Forbes, associate teacher
• Phyllis Frazier, associate teacher
• Terri Frazier, associate teacher
• Janice Froberg, associate teacher
• Arroliga Garcia, substitute aide
• Regina Gardner, teacher, White ES
• Paula Gonzalez, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
• Dewayne Grigsby, teacher, Law ES
• Megan Hanson, teacher, Garden Oaks Montessori
• Jane Haywood, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Elaine Hixon, teacher, Briarmeadow Charter
• Bryan Hoang, tutor, Westside HS
• Matisia Hollingsworth, construction project manager, Bond Program
• Abelardo Jaramillo, teacher, Sharpstown Intl. School
• George Johnson, associate teacher
• Anam Khan, teacher, West Briar MS
• Kathryn Kinson, teacher, Kolter ES
• Terah Kuhnen, teacher, Garden Oaks Montessori
• Linda Lowery, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Roy Marshall, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Susan McCue, associate teacher
• Shamorrow McKinney, attendant, Transportation Services
• Ruben Medrano, associate teacher
• Maria Mendoza, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Virgilda Menefee, tutor, Dowling MS
• Margorie Moore, associate teacher
• Amber Morris, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Monica Narvaez, teacher, Grady MS
• Tiffany Ogburn, teacher, Garden Villas ES
• Leticia Partida, dropout prevention case worker, Chávez HS
• Vicki Pickle, associate teacher
• Kenneth Robinson, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Vianey Rodriguez, teaching assistant, Mading ES
• Summers Rose, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Emily Ross, teacher, West University ES
• Graciela Rubio, associate teacher
• Sulaxana Sanchiher, associate teacher
• Wenden Sanders, principal, Johnston MS
• Khadijeh Seilpour, teaching assistant, School at St George Place
• EugeneSheppard, associate teacher
• Mallory Smith, teacher,Braeburn ES
• Pamela Smith, associate teacher
• Linda Stevens, associate teacher
• Victoria Syes, teacher, Yates HS
• Drew Talamantes, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Debra Terrell, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Leola Thomas, attendant, Transportation Services
• Melissa Thomas, associate teacher
• Khanh Tran, associate teacher
• Charlotte Washington, associate teacher
• Rayetta Weathers, associate teacher
• Elizabeth Wheeler, teacher, Looscan ES
• Stephanie Whiting, attendant, Transportation Services
• Marcus Williams, teacher, Rusk ES
• Darlene Wheatley, clerk, Kashmere HS
• Margaret Wilkerson, associate teacher

Check back next Friday for more August Milestones. Leave a comment below if you’d like to congratulate any of the above employees.