Clerk gets satisfaction from keeping kids safe

When you ask Risk Management clerk Veronica Magdaleno what led her to a 35-year career in education, she jokingly blames her mother.

“My mother’s the one who started it all,” said Magdaleno, who celebrated her anniversary with the district this week. “She was one of (former Superintendent of Schools) Billy Reagan’s secretaries. And everybody in our family but my father ended up getting into education. My brother was one of the district’s attorneys, my sister worked in Curriculum, and my other sister was with (retired Chief Financial Officer) Melinda Garrett for a number of years.”

Magdaleno spent more than 20 years as a cataloguing clerk in Library Services before accepting her current position, but she has also served as a teacher’s aide at West University ES School and a secretary at the old administration building on Richmond.

Now, she derives great satisfaction from working in the Safety and Loss department of Risk Management, where she compiles reports dealing with intruder and fire drills in compliance with Senate Bill 11 requirements.

“It went by fast,” she said, “but I like it. It’s something different and it’s related to safety. We all want to be safe in our work environment. I want to be safe and I want everybody around me to be safe.”

Magdaleno officially marked her anniversary with the district on Oct. 16, but several other employees are also marking theirs this week (Oct 13–19). See if you know anyone on this list:

30 years

• Billie Grant, evaluation specialist, Child Study 

25 years

• Karl Huff, senior plant operator Construction & Facility Services      
• Maria Aguirre, parent engagement representative, Furr HS   
• Tondra Thompson, Special Education chair, Harper Alternative      

20 years

• Willie Thomas, teacher, Barrick ES         
• Roland Flores, teacher, Madison HS      
• Johnnie Washington, associate teachers          
• Eloy Garza, teacher, Red ES        
• Andrew Monzon, assistant principal, Bellaire HS        
• Maria Garza, teaching assistant, Golfcrest ES  
• Maria Marquez, executive secretary, Curriculum and Instruction     

15 years

• Blanca Rivera, teacher, Helms ES          
• Maria Escamilla, bus driver, Transportation Services  
• Olivia Salazar, business operations team lead, Transportation Services    
• Mary Hawthorne, custodian, Construction & Facility Services          
• Ricky Warren, teacher, Wheatley HS      

10 years

• Hilda Ramirez, teacher, Crespo ES        
• Victor Garcia, teacher, Ketelsen ES        
• Joy Babb, nurse, SHMSTC           
• Gloria Chavez, clerk, Davis HS    
• Mamie Williams, attendant, Transportation Services   
• Andrea Wyche, nurse, Burbank ES        
• Rose Nyimba, associate teacher 
• Stephen Araujo, teacher, Reagan HS    
• Artis Long, crossing guard, Durham ES 
• Gloria Hernandez, custodian, Construction & Facility Services        
• Elsi Ventura-De Hernandez, custodian, Construction & Facility Services  
• Donna Coachman, clerk, Special Education    
• Debra Edwards, associate analyst, Budgeting & Financial Planning          
• Penelope Velasco, teacher, Fondren ES           
• Harkness Donna, associate teacher       
• Maria Mireles, attendant, Food Services

5 years

• Clarissa Andrews, bus driver, Transportation Services           
• Jose Marin, bus driver, Transportation Services           
• Jodene Rogers, attendant, Transportation Services    
• Phyllis Jolley, attendant, Transportation Services        
• Simeona Marin, attendant, Food Services         
• Jacqueline Moore, attendant, Food Services    
• Benjamin Phagan Jr, bus driver, Transportation Services     
• Sharlene Dupree, attendant, Food Services     
• Florencia Reyes Cerda, custodian, Construction & Facility Services           
• Raquel Del Toro, student information representative, Petersen ES 
• Marlena Kondraciuk, teacher, T. H. Rogers MS
• Joycitha Vallet, attendant, Food Services          
• Shameka Baines, teaching assistant, Sterling HS      
• Smiles Asare, maintenance repairer, Construction & Facility Services       
• Quaneshia Mays, teacher, Atherton ES 
• Donna Gordon, associate teacher           
• Doris Gonzalez Perdomo, custodian, Construction & Facility Services       
• Paula Santos, custodian, Construction & Facility Services    
• Herminia Alvarez, custodian, Construction & Facility Services         
• Jessie Nava, custodian, Construction & Facility Services      
• Laterrel Hackney, teaching assistant, Montgomery ES           
• Lavene Thomas, clerk, Williams MS       
• Aretha Reese, plant operator, Hilliard ES
• Albert Lewis Jr, associate mechanic, Transportation Services          
• Jessica Toohey, teacher, Park Place ES
• Shona Williams, teacher, Longfellow ES          
• Tchernavia Williams, teacher, Milby HS 
• Dana Arreola, principal, McGowen ES   
• Shannon Verrett, senior manager, Leadership Development           
• Kathi Hayward, assistant controller, Finance General Accounting   
• Annie Wilder-Sells, associate teacher    
• Estrella Peissel, teacher, Bellfort ECC   

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