Sharlene Laud
Sharlene Laud, an English as a Second Language teacher at Rodriguez Elementary School, is instilling a strong sense of ownership in her students by having them conduct their own class meetings and encouraging them to reach out when they are stuck.
“Every morning after breakfast, my class conducts a student-led meeting in which they recite our creed,” she said. “I have found that by having the students state the rules, they are reminded of the expectations they need to hold themselves to and start the day with a focused mindset. It is a daily reminder that they must be active participants in their education.”
Laud also has a poster on her wall that reads, “Instead of I don’t know, say…” to remind students of their options. “The poster reinforces a saying we have in our classroom,” she explained. “‘It is okay to not know, but it is not okay to not try.’ Students know that even they always have options for support, whether that is asking a friend or getting clarification. I want students to be comfortable admitting they do not know something, embrace the opportunity to learn, and be proactive in getting more information for themselves.”
| Had a breakthrough in your classroom? Tell us about it! Just send an email to info@houstonisd.org briefly describing your situation, and we could feature it here. |
Prepared 4 Life, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the empowerment of middle-school-age children, will be holding its seventh annual Lemonade Day on Sunday, May 4, 2014—and HISD students and their families are encouraged to participate.
The communitywide event, which fosters entrepreneurship and character development among Houston’s youth, teaches children how to start, own, and operate their own business by setting up lemonade stands across the city. Visit the link above for details, or click here to locate a stand near you.
Here are some other dates you might want to mark on your calendar:
- May 2: Gen TX Day
- May 4–10: Teacher Appreciation Week
- May 6–12: School Nurse Appreciation Week
- May 7 (.pdf): Payday
- May 8: Regular Board meeting
- May 10: Houston Art Car Parade
- May 17: Empty Bowls
- May 21 (.pdf): Payday
- May 26: Memorial Day (school in session)
- May 29: Last day of school (students)
- May 30-June 8: Graduation ceremonies (.pdf)
- June 1: Hurricane season begins
- June 4 (.pdf): Payday
- June 2-Aug. 1: Summer schedule in effect
- June X: Summer school starts
- June 12: Regular Board meeting
Remember: HISD’s Warehouse Operations department will be closed from the end of business on Thursday, May 1, through the end of business on Thursday, May 8, in order to conduct its annual physical inventory.
The warehouse will reopen for business at the usual time on Friday, May 9, 2014.
Please call 713-676-9471 if you have any questions or concerns.
Julie Warner
Julie Warner, a kindergarten teacher at Roberts Elementary School, was recently recognized by the Children’s Museum of Houston for her dedication to working with some of Houston’s youngest students.
Warner was named the 2014 winner of the museum’s Marian and Speros Martel Early Childhood Educator Award on April 26. She was selected by committee from a field of candidates who have worked with children aged eight and under for at least five years and who have an associate or bachelor’s degree in education, Montessori certification, or Child Development Associate Certification.
Warner received a $1,000 honorarium and a year’s membership to the Children’s Museum of Houston as a part of her prize. You can read more about her in this related article.
Congratulations also go out this week to:
- Rusk School teacher Joseph Olan, who has been selected as a Fulbright Scholar. He will be learning and teaching in Singapore during the second semester of next year.
- Jackson Middle School and Scroggins Elementary School, which both received $5,000 grants to expand, update, and diversify their library book collections through the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries Awards. The Jackson and Scroggins collections are overseen by librarians Cynthia Ramos and Jo Reed, respectively.
- The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, which received the inaugural Arts Empowerment Award from Young Audiences of Houston (YAH). The school was recognized for its 33-year partnership with YAH, as well its commitment to high-quality arts education, ensuring the continuing success of its many talented students.
- Reagan High School, which received a commendation from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry recently for its participation in student foreign exchange programs.
| If you know someone who should be featured in Accolades, please email us at info@houstonisd.org and tell us why. |
Consuelo Bravo
This week’s Shout Out goes to Consuelo (Esquivel) Bravo, a cafeteria attendant at Seguin Elementary School. She has been a member of Team HISD for 26 years, and her supervisor, Jerry Davis, has nothing but good things to say about her.
“She’s the type of person that if you ask something of her, nothing is too big or too hard,” explained Davis. “She is one person who I can really count on in a time of need. If I send her to another school, she will fit in perfectly, and it will be as if that was her regular school. She has the best attitude with teaching staff and her co-workers, and she never complains. She loves her job even after all the years she has been in the district, and to me, she is very special. I am her supervisor, and I love the job she does.”
| Know someone who deserves a shout out? Send an email to info@houstonisd.org with the subject line “Shout Out for eNews!” and tell us why. |
The Children’s Museum of Houston will be hosting its next Professional Development Workshop for educators from 9 a.m. until noon on Saturday, May 17, 2014.
This month’s theme is “fitness and learning in the classroom,” and participants can get some great ideas for how to keep kids engaged in the classroom with hands-on, TEKS-aligned activities that are designed to help you combine health and fitness with everyday core subjects. The target audience is teachers of grades 3–5.
Sign up now for HMNS summer energy workshops
Middle- and high-school science teachers are invited to participate in one of two weeklong workshops over the summer sponsored by Marathon Oil Corporation.
Participants will acquire knowledge of careers in the energy industry by touring production sites such as the Cedar Bayou Natural Gas Power Plant, the Varel Drill Bit Factory, and the South Texas Nuclear Project.
The workshop costs $45, and lunch is provided each day. Please see this related flyer (.pdf) for details.
WITS joins forces with UH to offer ‘Common Ground’
Writers in the Schools (WITS) has joined forces with the University of Houston Honors College once again this year to offer seminars on the craft and teaching of writing through the Common Ground Teachers Institute.
This incredible opportunity will be offered to secondary teachers June 30–July 11. The program is free, but applications must be submitted no later than June 10 for consideration.
Please see this related package of materials (.pdf) for details.
Want to grow as a professional? Join Toastmasters!
If you’ve been trying to think of a way to advance in your career, consider Toastmasters.
Toastmasters is a nonprofit organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. Members learn more about public speaking, how to conduct a meeting, how to listen effectively, and how to provide constructive feedback. HISD’s Toastmasters club currently has 30 members and is accepting applications. It received its official charter on Jan. 9.
To see if Toastmasters is right for you, drop in on one of the monthly meetings, which take place on the second and fourth Thursdays of every month from 5:05 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W. 18th St., 77092), in either the cafeteria or Room 1E02.
All new members will receive a manual and resources about how to become a better speaker and a more confident leader.
For more information, please contact Kim Golden or Theresa Campos at 713-696-0600 or kgolden@houstonisd.org and tcampos@houstonisd.org.
Get LinkedIn! Join the HISD Employee Group for Discussion, Updates
The Houston ISD LinkedIn group is a virtual meeting place where district employees can connect, collaborate, and share information and ideas. If you have a LinkedIn profile, please take a moment to join the group—just select “group” in the drop-down search menu and enter “Houston ISD,” then click “join group.” If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, go to www.linkedin.com and create one. Please be sure to list your employer as Houston ISD.
In this week’s I Am HISD, which features district students, graduates, employees, and other members of Team HISD, Scarborough High School graduate Brandon Bonilla talks about how he landed an internship with an IT company his senior year, which industry certification he is grateful to have earned before graduation, and what it’s like being back in the classroom as a district contractor instead of a student.
You graduated in 2012 from Scarborough High School’s Futures Academy, which focuses on Network and Computer Systems Administration. When did you first become interested in computers?
Brandon Bonilla, doing what he does best
I always had an interest in computers. I just never really had the opportunity to get to work with them as closely as I did when I was in high school. Sure, I took computer classes in elementary and middle school, but they had us learning how to properly use keyboards, and making Power Points. It wasn’t until high school that I had the opportunity to get hands-on experience working with computers.
You served as teacher Nolen Thorn’s technology assistant all four years of high school. How did that experience contribute to where you are today?
It helped dramatically. As a freshman, I had very little knowledge of how a computer worked, or the capabilities that a computer has if used the right way. Having worked with Mr. Thorn all four years has helped me in so many ways, from knowing how to take care of my personal computers to helping me get a job at Netsync.
Mr. Thorn said that when you first came to Scarborough, you knew very little about computers and networking, but by your junior year you were already working independently. How did you become so knowledgeable so quickly?
I just try to do my best whenever a task comes my way. I like to tackle things head-on, and that mentality helps me learn and pick up on things rather quickly. Practice helped, too. I got to repeat many steps over and over again, so after a while, even the hardest task can become instinctual.
You’re serving as in intern now with NetSync, and working on the districtwide Windows 7 upgrade. How did you obtain that position? And has it been weird to be installing equipment in the offices of people you knew just a few years ago as teachers?
Mr. Thorn helped me land the internship at Netsync when I was a senior. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know where I would be. It has been great getting to see familiar faces whenever I go to a school.
I understand you earned industry certification as a Certified Autodesk AutoCAD Specialist while still at Scarborough. How has that benefitted you?
I earned that certification my senior year, and it helped tremendously when I applied to the college of engineering. It also saved me money, and I’m extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to take it in high school.
You’re currently working toward a degree in civil engineering at the University of Houston. What are your plans after graduation?
I hope to get a job at an engineering/architecture firm as soon as I graduate. I hope to be fully independent and be able to support myself and my family, and be able to say that I am the first in my family to graduate from college and be an inspiration to others.
| If you know a graduate, student, employee, or other member of Team HISD who should be featured here, please email us at info@houstonisd.org. |
Sylvia Gloria
For Sylvia Gloria, there’s nothing quite like the satisfaction that comes from working with children.
“I couldn’t work in a cubicle,” she said. “There are no kids. At one point, I was going to work at a hospital, but I just couldn’t do it. These students are all my children. That’s how I feel about this job. I don’t care about anything else. I don’t need a pat on the back or a thank you. It’s all about the kids. I’d do it all over again if I could. I wouldn’t do anything else.”
Gloria joined Team HISD right out of high school back in 1974 and since then, she has also served at Lee Elementary School (now closed), Brock Elementary (also closed), Helms Elementary, and Reagan High School. She has been the secretary at Wharton K–8 now for the past 16 years.
“My favorite part of the job is watching these children grow up,” she explained. “I’ve already seen maybe five classes graduate since they left here.” The proud Davis High School alumna (“I’m a panther through and through…”) also has no plans to retire any time soon.
“If I can’t figure things out anymore, then I’ll hang up the towel,” she said, “but as long as my brain still functions, I’ll be here.”
Gloria officially marked her 40th anniversary with the district on April 30, but several other employees have also marked theirs over the past few weeks (April 20–May 2). See if you know anyone on this list:
30 years
- Micheal Guillory, manager, Construction & Facility Services
25 years
- Simona Barbosa, teaching assistant, Brookline ES
- Andrea Baty, assistant principal, Parker ES
- Eustolia Castillo, teaching assistant, Anderson ES
- Sabrina Dillon, teacher, Bell ES
- Tina Mendoza, teaching assistant, Eliot ES
- Angela Talley, teaching assistant, Harper Alternative
- Andrea Williams, teacher, Windsor Village ES
20 years
- Roberto Dominguez, teacher, Wharton ES
- Guillermo Gutierrez, senior mechanic Transportation Services
- Victor Hernandez, officer, Police Department
- Norma Mejia, bus driver, Transportation Services
- Anthonia Nwadinobi, teacher, Deady MS
- Rose Ochoa, teacher, Hamilton MS
- Dora Tellez, secretary, Key MS
- Bei Wang, teacher, Roberts ES
15 years
- Jesse Alvarado, security guard, Police Department
- Avedanand Busgeeth, associate teacher
- Catherine Collins, café manager, Food Services
- Judith Ghobrial, associate teacher
- Nancy Martinez, secretary, Psychological Services
- Perpetual Omozeze, teacher, Bell ES
- Deborah Pettway, associate teacher
- Thomas Wright, senior network systems engineer, IT
10 years
- Maria Garza, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
- Sara James, associate teacher
- Jacqueline Marion, bus driver, Transportation Services
- Margurite Montgomery, associate teacher
- Lisa Perez, teacher, JJAEP
- John Whitley, associate teacher
- Rufus Williams, crossing guard
5 years
- Rashad Abron, associate teacher
- Isaac Asiwe, bus driver, Transportation Services
- Gail Baker, associate teacher
- Sakina Taylor, clerk, Accounts Payable
- Stella Brown, teaching assistant, McGowen ES
- Kenneth Chalaire, associate teacher
- Mary Davis, bus driver, Transportation Services
- Judith Dryer, teacher, Fondren ES
- Brooke Fendley, associate teacher
- Isela Garcia, bus driver, Transportation Services
- Jana Gaskin, secretary, Bastian ES
- Kayreen Gilmore, associate teacher
- Marlen Gonzalez, production attendant, Food Services
- Charles Guthier, associate teacher
- Hunt Harris, associate teacher
- Elham Hashemi, associate teacher
- Jesse Henry, grounds worker, Construction & Facility Services
- Roston Kees, plant operator, High School Ahead Academy
- Anne Kilday, associate teacher
- Clint Matthews, teacher, Austin HS
- Taurean Minor, associate teacher
- Laura Puga, production attendant, Food Services
- Valeria Ross, teacher, Madison HS
- Angelina Steward, teacher, Dogan ES
- Suzanne Taylor, secretary, Grants
- Frances Teal, bus driver, Transportation Services
- Barbara Tennant, associate teacher
- Jason West, associate teacher
| Check back next Friday for more May Milestones. Leave a comment below if you’d like to congratulate any of the above employees. |
The Children’s Museum of Houston will be hosting its next Professional Development Workshop for educators from 9 a.m. until noon on Saturday, May 17, 2014.
This month’s theme is “fitness and learning in the classroom,” and participants can get some great ideas for how to keep kids engaged in the classroom with hands-on, TEKS-aligned activities that are designed to help you combine health and fitness with everyday core subjects. The target audience is teachers of grades 3–5.
Sign up now for HMNS summer energy workshops
Middle- and high-school science teachers are invited to participate in one of three, three-day workshops over the summer sponsored by Marathon Oil Corporation.
The first one starts on June 16, and sessions are limited to the first 22 applicants. Participants will acquire knowledge of careers in the energy industry by touring production sites such as the Cedar Bayou Natural Gas Power Plant, the Varel Drill Bit Factory, and the South Texas Nuclear Project.
The workshops cost $45 each, and lunch and transportation from the HMNS to the workshop’s sites will be provided each day. Please see this related flyer (.pdf) for details.
WITS joins forces with UH to offer ‘Common Ground’
Writers in the Schools (WITS) has joined forces with the University of Houston Honors College once again this year to offer seminars on the craft and teaching of writing through the Common Ground Teachers Institute.
This incredible opportunity will be offered to secondary teachers June 30–July 11. The program is free, but applications must be submitted no later than June 10 for consideration.
Please see this related package of materials (.pdf) for details.
Want to grow as a professional? Join Toastmasters!
If you’ve been trying to think of a way to advance in your career, consider Toastmasters.
Toastmasters is a nonprofit organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. Members learn more about public speaking, how to conduct a meeting, how to listen effectively, and how to provide constructive feedback. HISD’s Toastmasters club currently has 30 members and is accepting applications. It received its official charter on Jan. 9.
To see if Toastmasters is right for you, drop in on one of the monthly meetings, which take place on the second and fourth Thursdays of every month from 5:05 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W. 18th St., 77092), in either the cafeteria or Room 1E02.
All new members will receive a manual and resources about how to become a better speaker and a more confident leader.
For more information, please contact Kim Golden or Theresa Campos at 713-696-0600 or kgolden@houstonisd.org and tcampos@houstonisd.org.
Get LinkedIn! Join the HISD Employee Group for Discussion, Updates
The Houston ISD LinkedIn group is a virtual meeting place where district employees can connect, collaborate, and share information and ideas. If you have a LinkedIn profile, please take a moment to join the group—just select “group” in the drop-down search menu and enter “Houston ISD,” then click “join group.” If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, go to www.linkedin.com and create one. Please be sure to list your employer as Houston ISD.
