Kindness makes 30-year journey ‘very, very nice’

Reginald Mays, a quality assurance analyst with HISD’s Construction and Facility Services department, jokes that he’s worn so many hats in HISD since he came on board in 1983 that he has no hair left on his head.

He started out as a custodian 30 years ago, but since that time, he has also served as a crew leader, a supervisor, and a plant operator, as well as a monitor of fire equipment, pest control and playground equipment. The common thread running through every position, he said, was the kindness of the people he met along the way.

“All of the nice people I have met over the years, they have been so kind to me,” said Mays, “from the superintendent all the way down to the kitchen workers and the bus drivers. It’s been a very, very nice journey working with the district.”

Mays officially marked his anniversary with the district on Sept. 27, but several other employees are also marking theirs this week and last*. See if you know anyone on this list:

40 years

• Mary Taylor, teacher, Cook ES     

35 years

• Wilma Johnson, teacher, Highland Heights ES           
• Candias Strange, teacher, Sugar Grove Academy      

30 years

• Teodoro Franco, carpenter, Construction & Facility Services

25 years

• Tracy Hudson, secretary, Grissom ES    
• Kathryn Tipton, evaluation specialist, Child Study       
• Melanie Addison, teacher, Frost ES        
• Carlotta Brown, principal, Peck ES         
• Debra Carr, teacher, Reynolds ES          
• Felicitie Fisher, teacher, Hartman MS    
• Sandra Gonzalez, teacher, Bonner ES  
• Sharon Harris-Sims, teacher, Kashmere HS    
• Cynthia Hernandez, teacher, Burnet ES           
• Tonya Lee, licensed specialist in school psychology,, Child Study  
• Myrtice Newhouse, teacher, Madison HS          
• Erlinda Breshears, teaching assistant, Scroggins ES 
• Denise Pronin, clerk, Sharpstown Intl. School 
• Aurora Chapa, secretary, West University ES   
• Pamela Etienne-Branch, teacher, Foerster ES 
• Rita Foster, campus education technician, McNamara ES    
• Georgia Johnson, teacher, MacGregor ES        
• Mary Richardson, instructional coordinator, Hobby ES           
• Patricia McNeil, teacher, Johnston MS   
• David Stevens, assistant principal, Clifton MS 
• Raymond Glass, principal, Harper Alternative  
• Arnel Alcantara, HVAC Repairer, Construction & Facility Services  
• Lenita Kelly, assistant principal, Lewis ES        
• Veronica Parra, data entry clerk, Long Academy          
• Debra Diaz, secretary, Lantrip ES

20 years

• Ada Rivera, dean of students, SHMSTC
• Sylvester Fletcher, warehouse driver, Food Services  
• Dolores Messa, student information representative, Travis ES         
• Betzabe Parra, teacher, Benavidez ES  
• Rosalio Parra, teacher, Benavidez ES   
• Jacqueline Ellis, teacher, Crespo ES     
• Elizabeth Kelm, teacher, Bellaire HS      
• Josefina Pena, teacher, Patterson ES    
• Alissia Pickens, clerk, Food Services     
• Oscar Berrios, Special Education employment rep., Austin HS        
• Sonia Bonilla, plant operator, Construction & Facility Services         
• Sandra Craig, clerk, Transportation Services    
• Mellonee Davis, teacher, Yates HS         
• Marvin Flanagan, custodian, Construction & Facility Services         
• Maria Perez, plant operator, Construction & Facility Services
• Leonel Najera, plant operator, Construction & Facility Services        
• Ruth Rodriguez, clerk, IT Security           
• Tamma Mitchell, teaching assistant, Thompson ES    
• Claudia Atondo-Kanzig, teacher, Herod ES      

15 years

• Susan Broz, teacher, Pershing MS         
• Rosiland Campbell, associate teacher   
• Maria Davis, teacher, Anderson ES        
• Angel Guillen, associate teacher 
• Lazetta Henderson, teacher, Kolter ES  
• Rhonda Leduff,  principal, Wesley ES   
• Mark Miranda, director, Business Operations    
• Elliott Myers, teacher, Westbury HS        
• Roberta Pilate, teacher, Burbank ES      
• Debra Pitcher, teacher, Almeda ES        
• Nelly Ronquillo, teacher, Scarborough ES        
• Smith Huey, teacher, Milby HS    
• Mildred Allen, bus driver, Transportation Services       
• Mery Garza, teaching assistant, Bonner ES      
• Kathryn Vidock, clerk, Milby HS   
• Juana Payan, custodian, Construction & Facility Services    
• Hillma Villegas, clerk, SHMSTC  
• Mary Cullivan, attendant, Food Services           
• Clementina Rodriguez, custodian,  Operations Administration        
• Ivonne Rodriguez, assistant principal, Austin HS        
• Mary Skillern, clerk, Hines-Caldwell ES 
• Ana Vasquez, teaching assistant, T. H. Rogers MS     
• Gwenivera Funderburk, teacher, Burbank MS 
• Darlene Scott, , bus driver, Transportation Services    
• Pamela Williams, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Barbarita Reiter, secretary, River Oaks ES         
• Natasha Richards, speech therapist, Child Study        
• Stella Cunningham, teacher, Scarborough HS
• Reyna Lumbreras, attendant, Food Services    
• Gisela Bravo, student information representative, Kolter ES 
• Maria Diaz, teacher, Lyons ES     

10 years

• David Alvarez, associate teacher 
• Jinette Allen, clerk, Daily ES        
• Tiffany McGee, teacher, Davis HS          
• Patrick Monroe, teacher, Jordan HS       
• Maribel Oropeza, teacher, ES       
• Daniel Castillo, telecom repairer, Transportation Services     
• Katie Cramer, associate teachers
• Salvador DeLaGarza, teacher, Kelso ES           
• Ines Hernandez, student information representative, CECHS          
• Doris Irizarry, teacher, Robinson ES       
• Reginald Newton, teaching assistant, Williams MS    
• Tavrsus Stubbs, officer, Police Department      
• Brenda Obregon, crossing guard, Davila ES    
• Maria Reyes, teaching assistant, Walnut Bend ES      
• Josephina Abreu-Servin, custodian, Construction & Facility Services        
• Edelmira Alfaro, parent engagement representative, Jackson MS   
• Marcus Conway, bus driver, Transportation Services  
• Nadine D’Souza, clerk, Whidby ES         
• Evans Arleita, teacher, Welch MS           
• Erika Galvez, teacher, Farias ECC          
• Martha Gomez, custodian, Construction & Facility Services  
• Phyllis McCarver, teacher, Alcott ES       
• James Megginson, teacher, Davis HS   
• Janel Myers, teacher, Ketelsen ES         
• Ejakpovi Onokpikini-Naibe,           associate teacher
• John Petter, evaluation specialist, Child Study
• Deborah Washington, teaching assistant, Rucker ES
• Kevin Smith, assistant principal, Patterson ES 

5 years

• Paul Gonzales, teacher, Pilgrim Academy        
• Anita Samuy, teacher, Clifton MS           
• Angela Bryant, teacher, Milby HS
• JaMorcus Trayham, teaching assistant, Lewis ES       
• Lucinda Cade, teacher, Hobby ES          
• Coretta Gilpin, teaching assistant, Blackshear ES       
• Benilde Gradney, counselor, Jordan HS           
• Teresa Vargas, aide, Braeburn ES          
• Lori Bujung, teacher, Marshall MS          
• Ping-Yu Adams, instructional coordinator, Sharpstown Intl. School
• Maria Vasquez, teacher, Halpin ECC     
• Michelle Bigley, clerk, Waltrip HS
• Zena Handy, associate teacher   
• Elvia Jimenez, attendant, Food Services           
• Miguel Jimenez, attendant, Food Services
• Kimberly Joseph, teaching assistant, Sinclair ES        
• Gwendolyn Roberts, associate teachers
• Raquel Rodriguez, clerk, Burbank MS   
• Matthew Rogers, clerk, REACH Charter
• Mirna Solorzano, bus driver, Transportation Services 
• Wesley White, attendant, Athletics          
• Daria James, lecturer, HSPVA     
• Montree Maxie, teacher, Frost ES
• Porfiria Pena, custodian, Construction & Facility Services    
• Lauri Anderson, Apollo 20 tutor, Lee HS
• Daniel Beier Jr, lecturer, Furr HS 
• Dina Burton, attendant, Food Services  
• Leslie Cepin, teacher, Travis ES  
• Adrienne Davis, associate teacher          
• Nancy Flores, teacher, Browning ES      
• Phillip Kent, associate teacher
• Midhat Korman, associate teacher
• Maria Lopez, aide, Lantrip ES      
• Louisa Meacham, teacher, Davis HS     
• Alejandra Ramos, attendant, Food Services     
• Geralene Randolph, nurse, Health and Medical Services     
• Mario Sandoval, teacher, Southmayd ES          
• Kandy Simmons, budget clerk, Finance
• Ruth Ann Morales, clerk, Austin HS       
• Veronica Gonzalez, lecturer, Wilson Montessori          
• Belinda Ingram, bus driver, Transportation Services   
• Richard Williams, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Lillie Jackson, teaching assistant, Bell ES        
• Vanessa Nicole Revis, nurse, Sugar Grove Academy
• Kesha Nicole Newell, evaluation specialist, Child Study       
• Maria Velazquez De Rueda, attendant, Food Services           

*The Milestones section did not appear in last week’s special edition of eNews, so this week’s edition recognizes employees whose anniversaries fell between Sept. 22 and Oct. 5.

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