Patterson ES kindergarten teacher celebrates 30 years with HISD
When Lori Hays first started teaching kindergarten at Southmayd Elementary School back in 1983, she didn’t plan to be in the classroom for long.
“My plan was to teach for about five years and then get married and have a family,” she said. “But as you probably know, life has a way of not going the way you think it will.
Hays, who marked her 30th anniversary with the district last Sunday, described it as “pretty amazing” to realize she had been here for three decades. Even so, the veteran educator says she can’t imagine being anywhere else.
“I’ve been here my whole career,” she said. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Hays, who has been at Patterson ES for two years now, has also served at Sánchez and Brock elementary schools, as well as the King Early Childhood Center. She graduated from Sam Houston State University with a degree in elementary education.
Many other HISD employees are also marking milestones this week—see if you know anyone on this list:
30 years
- Delories Jolly, senior executive secretary, Legal Services
25 years
- Sheila Edwards, teacher, Mading ES
- Bertha Franco, teacher, Crockett ES
- Laura Leroy, teacher, Braeburn ES
- Erica Mathis, clerk, Construction & Facility Services
- Deborah Miranda, dispatcher, Police Department
- Johnathan-Perry O’Brien, teacher, Franklin ES
- Rita Peralta, clerk, T. H. Rogers MS
- Juan Ramirez, plant operator, The Rusk School
- Carolyn Salazar, secretary, Memorial ES
20 years
- Eddie Paul, custodian, Jones HS
- Sylvia Romo, Special Education employment representative, Westside HS
- Maria Salazar, bus driver, Transportation Services
- Harriet Smith, teacher, Reynolds ES
- Cecilia Wofford, clerk, Almeda ES
15 years
- Estela Barrientos, custodian, Cunningham ES
- Martha Compean, teacher, Love ES
- Sylvia Garcia, teacher, Love ES
- Luis Gomez, teacher, White ES
- Patricia Guillen, aide, Bush ES
- Martha Guzman, secretary, Bonner ES
- Robert Lee, teacher, Davis HS
- Alicia McAfee, instructional coordinator, Reagan HS
- Ruth Ruiz, assistant principal, Ortíz MS
- Anthony Thomas, teacher, Furr HS
- Tamara Yeldell, evaluation specialist, Child Study
10 years
- Betty Bradley, associate teacher
- Debra Eisenberg, associate teacher
- Joe Gainous, bus driver, Transportation Services
- Leisa Glenn, bus driver, Transportation Services
- Mary Malone-Garza, Special Education chair, Waltrip HS
- Dilbert Prothow, crossing guards
- Stephen Wilborn, teacher, Kelso ES
5 years
- Corey Buck, bus driver, Transportation Services
- Shanti Causey, quality control representative, Food Services
- John Coulter II, teacher, Sharpstown Intl. HS
- Jessica Macias Delatorre Bocanegra, clerk, Food Services
- Brittany Dugas, bus driver, Transportation Services
- Shemetria Duncan, generalist, High School Ahead Academy
- Karla Gomez, associate teacher
- Anna Hyde, teacher, Wilson Montessori
- Ronnie Joseph, teacher, Whidby ES
- Fidelia Lopez, plant operator, Construction & Facility Services
- Sandra Luis, secretary, Barrick ES
- Dulce Mancillas, teacher, Burbank MS
- Gloria Montes, custodian, Scarborough HS
- Janell Nash, teaching assistant, Roberts ES
- Sandra Ortiz, teacher, Garden Villas ES
- Winford Pugh, associate teacher
- Joy Ugboajah, teacher, Hartman MS
- Albert Wright, associate teacher
- Cheryl Young, teaching assistant, Young ES
| Check back next Friday for more 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. |
