Teacher finds great satisfaction in serving troubled youth

Elizabeth Similien-MacKingtee has been a member of Team HISD for 35 years now, but in a way, she has had two different careers with the district. The first was at Revere Middle School, where she served as a science teacher for two decades. The second started about 15 years ago, when she joined the Community Services department.

“I was at a conference one time, and mentioned wanting to retire so I could work with the Sunshine Kids,” said Similien-MacKingtee. “Someone said, ‘Well, you don’t have to wait. We have teachers in the hospital right now.’ And that’s how I found out about Community Services.”

Since then, the veteran educator has been working with some of the state’s most-troubled and sick youth, both in and out of various correctional, psychiatric, and healthcare facilities.

“My strong suit is working with behavioral children,” said Similien-MacKingtee. “But I also have compassion for kids who are medically ill. I spend half a day in juvenile detention, and half with home-bound students, some of whom are battling for their lives after heart transplants. In those situations, you also have to be a cheerleader for the parents.”

Similien-MacKingtee acknowledges that it takes a special type of person to work with gravely ill and deeply troubled young people, but insists she finds great satisfaction in her career choice.

“This year, I have some of the most explosive students I’ve ever dealt with, but the students are always a challenge,” she said. “I don’t have problems with them. As an adult, you always want the kids to respect you, but you have to show them respect first. There’s never a dull moment.”

“Some of these young men have been homicidal or suicidal,” added Similien-MacKingtee, “and they don’t trust anybody, so just to break through that is so rewarding. After the holiday break, one of my boys ran up to me and gave me a hug and a lollipop. It’s a special kind of candy that he knows I can’t find on my side of town, so he saved it for me. That was really special.”

Similien-MacKingtee will officially mark her 35th anniversary with the district on Jan. 17, but a few other employees have also marked theirs this month (Jan. 1–17). See if you know anyone on this list:

40 years

• Emma Lollis, attendant team lead, Food Services
• Jan Walker, teacher, Pilgrim Academy

35 years

• Yolanda Brantford, teacher, Oak Forest ES
• Francis Ding, IT team lead, Internal Audit
• Shari Emelle, teacher, Revere MS
• Yolanda Evans, specialist, Secondary Curriculum
• Cheryl Hughes, logistics manager, Bond Fund Program
• Khalid Kukoyi, teacher, Madison HS
• Daphne Morgan, teacher, Cook JR ES
• Consuelo Solis, clerk, Student Assessment
• Betty Williams, program specialist, Special Education
• Antonia Yanez,  clerk, Braeburn ES

30 years

• Ercilia Ampudia, teacher, Looscan ES
• Hector Bello, master electrician, Construction & Facility Services
• Oberon Coleman, teacher, HSLECJ
• Bobby Jones, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
• Constance Lathan, instructional specialist, King ECC
• Leonora Mejia,student information representative, Patterson ES
• Myra Njoku, program specialist, Special Education
• Lottie Williams, custodian, Construction & Facility Services

25 years

• Willie Bailey, associate teacher
• Jacqueline Carpenter, teacher, HSPVA
• Kelly Clawson, teacher, Edison MS
• Chante DeBelle, bus driver, Transportation Services
• April Dever, evaluation specialist Child Study
• Kevin Frei, teacher, Madison HS
• Carla Guillory, teaching assistant, Ross ES
• Brett Hervat, teacher, Bellaire HS
• Jaye Robinson, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Laura Teatsworth, teacher, Garden Villas ES

20 years

• Sue Aaronson, teacher, Bonham ES
• Josephine Benitez, teaching assistant, R. Martinez ES
• Pamela Bosman, teacher, Bellaire HS
• Raymond Cain Jr, teacher, Lamar HS
• Ann Danet-Ebrahimi, record and information manager, Administrative Services
• Anthony Harvey, senior electrician, Construction & Facility Services
• Russell Lewandowski, Special Education employment representative, Bellaire HS
• Valenti Moore, teacher, Frost ES
• Eunice Ponce, clerk, Davis HS
• Margarita Robles, teaching assistant, Johnston MS
• Hilda Salazar, teacher, Cage ES
• Perla Sanchez, teacher, DeAnda ES
• Sandra Scranton, clerk, Chavez HS
• BeverlySmith, teacher, Alcott ES
• Terry Thomas, teacher, DeBakey HS
• Cardelia Wiseman, secretary, Robinson ES
• Helen Wood, secretary, Bush ES

15 years

• Erika Alexander, customer service representative, Employee Relations
• Gloria Altamirano, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
• Ricardo Avila, teacher, Reagan HS
• Gary Bishop, teacher, Yates HS
• Dana Carmouche, teacher, Lee HS
• Gloria Clarke, lead teacher, Bellaire HS
• Gilbert Diaz Jr, teacher, Elmore ES School
• Bertha Espinosa-Garza, assistant principal, Briscoe ES
• Deborah Flowers, teacher, Anderson ES
• Jacquelyn Franklin, teacher, Seguin ES School
• Pamela Hinsey, teacher, Herod ES
• Linh Hoang, teacher, Pershing MS
• Cordell Holloman, plant operator, Construction & Facility Services
• Melissa Iglesias, teacher, J. P. Henderson ES
• Keshia Julian, teacher, Fonwood ECC
• Jennifer Lemon, teacher, Parker ES
• Jennifer Moore, magnet coordinator, Harvard ES
• Iraida Olmedo, teacher, Braeburn ES
• Ruthanne Parker, student information representative, Gregory-Lincoln Education Center
• Marie Reed, associate teacher
• Alfonso Reyna, teacher, Cage ES
• Maura Reyes, teaching assistant, Sutton ES
• Ronnie Riles, customer service representative, Information Technology
• Veronica Sanchez, teacher, Smith ES
• Natasha Smith,Special Education chair, Ortiz MS
• Sonja Vodehnal, teacher, Reagan HS
• Karen Watts, teacher, Twain ES
• Iralyn Whittingham, teaching assistant, Lamar HS
• Mei Wu, teacher, Edison MS

10 years

• Laura Adame, teaching assistant, Sutton ES
• Lilia Aguilar, teaching assistant, C. Martinez ES
• Sharon Bauknight, logistics manager, Student Assessment
• Imelda Benson,Crossing GuardCrossing Guards
• Doris Blake, teacher, Twain ES
• Susan Boyd, secretary, Lamar HS
• Gina Colion-Hernandez, teacher, Rice School
• Eleanor Crocker, teacher, Lanier MS
• Melissa Denamarquez, teacher, Milby HS
• Donna Easter, attendant, Food Services
• Fernando Galaviz, grounds worker, Construction & Facility Services
• Melody Gerard, teacher, Mickey Leland College Prep
• Nadine Ghosn, assistant principal, Scarborough HS
• Christina Gonzalez, teacher, Johnston MS
• Teresa Herrin, teacher, Bellaire HS
• Arnita Hodge, associate teacher
• David Husbands, operations manager, Food Services
• Antonia Ibarra-Torres, teacher, Bonner ES
• Sarah Johnson, teacher, Westbury HS
• Sharon Jones, teacher, Kashmere HS
• Erin Kline, teacher, Hamilton MS
• Cindy Le, clerk, School at St. George Place
• Laura Llanas, teacher, De Chaumes ES
• Jamie Lopez, teacher, Middle College at HCC Fraga
• Jane Lopez, clerk, Shearn ES
• Beverly Marlin,curriculum specialist, Secondary Curriculum and Development
• Domitila Martinez, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
• Amy McIntyre, teacher, Bellaire HS
• Maria Mendez, attendant, Food Services
• Zaira Ramos, teacher, Cornelius ES
• Charlie Reed, mailroom attendant, Transportation
• Lawrence Richmond, teaching assistant, Pershing MS
• Michael Rivera, teacher, Johnston MS
• Marlen Rodriguez, attendant, Food Services
• Sandra Rodriguez, attendant, Food Services
• Mayra Rosales, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
• Rosa Ruiz, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
• Sherry Taylor, attendant, Food Services
• Ilene Thomas, teacher, Lovett ES
• Luis Tovar, maintenance team lead, Construction & Facility Services
• Margeurite Williams, crossing guard, Piney Point ES

5 years

• Katherine Anderson, associate teacher
• Amir Bellamy, teacher, Jackson MS
• Ashley Brown, teacher, Sharpstown Intl. School
• Ashley Duran, graduation coach, Milby HS
• Timothy Glover, teacher, HSPVA
• Sarah Greer Osborne, general manager, Strategic & School Communications
• Tracey Hall, teacher, Shearn ES
• Danielle Isles, associate teacher
• Deborah Joseph, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Edmond King, associate teacher
• Olivia Knootz, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Truc Luong, teacher specialist, Park Place ES
• Catina Omowale, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Connie Pattum, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Magdalena Ramon, teacher, Sanchez ES
• Myrian Redman, teacher, Fonwood ECC
• Veronica Reynaga, secretary, Marshall MS
• Christopher Salinas, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
• Sherry Stoger, teacher, Milne ES
• Karim Treistman, teacher, The Rice School