Thirty-year employee has a hard time picking a favorite role

Since Vanessa Nieto-Gomez joined Team HISD in 1984, she has served as a first- and second-grade teacher, a Guided Reading interventionist, a Title I coordinator, and a new-teacher trainer, but when asked which role has meant the most to her over the years, she hesitates.

“Oooh, that’s a hard one,” she says. “It’s really a tie, because I love what I do right now, but my experience as a reading teacher at Will Rogers [ES, now closed] was also very meaningful. Three of us started the Guided Reading program there and we were able to address any issues that the students had so they became better readers. The teachers of the older grades were starting to notice, so there was recognition in the value of what we were doing. I’m glad to see the district moving in that direction again [with Literacy By 3].”

Nieto-Gomez now serves as the mentoring program coordinator for new teachers in Professional Support & Development, where she has successfully made the transition from teaching children to teaching adults.

“I enjoy the teaching very much,” says the California native. “It’s gone by pretty quickly.”

Nieto-Gomez will officially mark her 30th anniversary with the district on Sept. 13, but a few other employees are also marking theirs this week (Sept. 7–13). See if you know anyone on this list:

35 years

• Patrick Raney, senior HVAC repairer, Construction & Facility Services

30 years

• Rebecca Arreola, teacher, Daily ES
• Loretta Landry, teacher, Foerster ES
• Ramona Davis, teacher specialist, Pilgrim Academy
• Cheryl Foster, teacher, Young ES
• Nolan Johnson, senior small engine repairer, Construction & Facility Services

25 years

• Shawn Chilo, speech therapist, Child Study
• Dawn Huebner, clerk, Clifton MS
• Mellanee Jones, teacher, Bellfort ECC
• Jeffery Lee-Henry, teacher, Austin HS
• Alicia Obando, crossing guard, Horn ES
• Denarda Pierre, customer service representative, Construction & Facility Services
• Thomas Riffle, teaching assistant, White ES
• Charlotte Sias, teacher, Hartman MS
• Erma Smith, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Angela Tillmon, senior student information representative, Federal and State Compliance
• Cynthia Trujillo, teacher, Rodriguez ES
• Carmand West, attendant team lead, Food Services
• Mary Williams, teacher, Austin HS

20 years

• Diana Anaya, teacher, Park Place ES
• Theresa Davis, teaching assistant, Chávez HS
• Charles Norman, plant operator, Construction & Facility Services
• Starla Reichek, nurse, Garden Oaks Montessori
• Maria Sanchez, custodian, Construction & Facility Services

15 years

• Miriam Alvarado, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Ana Cruz, teaching assistant, Pilgrim Academy
• John Dixon, teacher, T. H. Rogers MS
• Hermelinda Gutierrez, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Monica Hicks, secretary, Williams MS
• Juan Huerta, teacher, Piney Point ES
• Maria Niño, teacher, DeAnda ES
• Gary Peters, teacher, DeBakey HS
• Cora Robinson, stadium attendant, Athletics
• Veronica Starovic, teacher, Eliot ES
• Adrienne Tollerson, teacher, Sutton ES
• Jackeline Vanegas, secretary, Herod ES

10 years

• Pearl Adams, clerk, Transportation Services
• Antonia Adams-Batres, teacher, Lockhart ES
• Dennis Andrus, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
• Paul Blue, stadium attendant, Athletics
• LouEthel “Lucy” Bremond, director of community engagement, Strategic Partnerships
• Norma Chavez, clerk, Bellfort ECC
• Tracey Clary, teacher, Horn ES
• Rosa Diaz, analyst, Budgeting & Financial Planning
• Sheryl Holmes, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Jeffrey Knoblauh, teacher, Sugar Grove Academy
• Lincoln Jacobs, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Ernestine Jones, associate teacher
• Osias Mendoza, teacher, Love ES
• Denise Morgan, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Ethel Nelms, associate teacher
• Azusena Orellana, secretary, Alcott ES
• Albert Pizana, associate teacher
• Lindsey Pollock, principal, Garden Oaks Montessori
• Doretha Pullum, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Jennifer Purvey, teacher, Piney Point ES
• Diana Quintero, associate teacher
• Rosie Riston, associate teacher
• Lisa Springer, associate teacher
• Lakeisha Washington, teacher, Burbank MS

5 years

• Ruby Alexander, associate teacher
• Larry Boyd, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Susan Bradford, teacher, Longfellow ES
• Gregory Carmouche, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
• Zoila Castillo, clerk, Laurenzo ECC
• Abu Conteh, associate teacher
• Ana Corona, clerk, Park Place ES
• Dion Craig, associate teacher
• Daniel Duong, senior analyst, Budgeting & Financial Planning
• Jesus Figueroa, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Fayester Foulcard, associate teacher
• Terry Grier, superintendent of schools
• Donna Gruetzmacher, analyst, Budgeting & Financial Planning
• Estrella Guerrero, clerk, Park Place ES
• Juan Guillen, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
• Lashawnda Harris, nurse, Lyons ES
• Folashade Ituah, associate teacher
• Timory Jacobs, teacher, Black MS
• Brenda Jefferson, attendant, Food Services
• George Jolly, teacher, Mark Twain ES
• Esperanza Lenis, associate teacher
• Roxana Maldonado, secretary, Henry MS
• Edna Martinez, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
• Jaime Montano-Hidalgo, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Migdalia Moreno, receptionist, Stevens ES
• MaribelParada, teacher, Bellfort ECC
• Silvia Perez, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
• Aaron Rodriguez, aide, Twain ES
• Sandra Salazar, teacher, Brookline ES
• Pamela Stephens, teacher, Dowling MS
• Anne Sung, teacher, Davis HS
• Evelyn Wilder, associate teacher
• Alexandrea Williams, instructional specialist, Pershing MS
• Esther Zamarripa, teacher, Burbank ES

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