HISD’s longtime community partner, the Houston Rockets, will be hosting HISD Nights for district employees on Fri., Nov. 1, and Sat., Nov. 9, and Sat., Nov. 23, 2013.
Employees can get tickets to all three of these games at a discount, and everyone who purchases tickets through this special offer will get to shoot a free throw on the Rockets’ home court immediately after the game.
For details, please see this flyer (pdf).
The Woods Project’s fall luncheon scheduled for Oct. 29
The Woods Project will be hosting its annual fall luncheon on Tues., Oct. 29, and anyone who is looking for a new way to support under-served youth should consider attending.
The event will take place at The Junior League of Houston (1811 Briar Oaks Lane, 77027) from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m., and participants can meet some of the students who have benefitted from the program, about a third of whom come from HISD schools.
There is no cost to attend, but donations are gratefully accepted to support the organization’s mission. Please complete the registration form located here if you plan to attend.
Nominate Someone for an H-E-B Excellence in Education Award
All public school districts and state-certified, full-time public school teachers and principals currently within the H-E-B service area are eligible for nomination. Check out this page for details on award categories available, and this page to nominate someone.
Deadline is midnight on Dec. 8, 2013.
Sandy Gaw
Sandy Gaw first joined Team HISD back in 1993 as a substitute teacher, but now she is calling the shots from the principal’s office. Over the past two decades, she has also served as a teacher at Herrera ES, an assistant principal at Smith ES and Hohl ES, and a dean at Grady MS. She became the principal at DeChaumes in 2007.
Gaw said it was a surprise to realize she had been with the district 20 years, but the one thing that has remained the same over the years is the pleasure she takes in watching children grow and learn.
“Interacting with students is the best part of my job,” she said. “It always has been.”
Gaw officially marked her 20th anniversary with the district on Oct. 21, but several other employees are also marking theirs this week (Oct. 20–26). See if you know anyone on this list:
45 years
- Linda Carlson, teacher, Briarmeadow Charter
40 years
- Maria Puente, teaching assistant, Brookline ES
35 years
- Johnnie Thomas, clerk, Sterling HS
30 years
- Michael Rideaux, teacher, Bellaire HS
25 years
- Jesse Martinez, senior plant operator, Construction & Facility Services
- Pamela Wilson, teacher, Milne ES
- Anne Okorie, teacher, Vision Programs
20 years
- David Sepulveda, officer, Police Department
- Linda Trejo-Todd, nurse, Seguin ES
- Lynda McQuarn, teacher specialist, Reagan K-8
- Cherlyn Pinkney, clerk, Sterling HS
- Randall Mae, teacher, Peck ES
- Delcy Rochez, teaching assistant, McNamara ES
- Emma Fernandez, teaching assistant, Furr HS
- Nancy Cintron, senior student info. representative, Multilingual/Special Programs
15 years
- Marilyn Williams, attendant team lead, Food Services
- Rosalinda Martinez, teaching assistant, Park Place ES
- Tammie Baines, clerk, Yates HS
- K’lah Flannel, clerk, Madison HS
- Joseph Provost, substance control representative, Worthing HS
- Gwendolyn Andrus, teacher, Henry MS
- Sonia Rodriguez, teacher, Westside HS
- David Salisbury, teacher, Berry ES
- San Juana Coronado, attendant, Food Services
- Secundina Espinosa, attendant, Food Services
- Juana Garcia, attendant, Food Services
- Maria Salmeron, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
10 years
- Jessica Abarca, secretary, Liberty HS
- Eugene Redic, senior plant operator, Construction & Facility Services
- Amado Campos, repairer, Construction & Facility Services
- Karen Jones, counselor, Milby HS
- Anh Nguyen, school business manager, Ortiz MS
- Gregory Franklin, associate teacher
5 years
- Elizabeth Barba, teacher, Gregg ES
- Yousha Tijuana Hilliard, bus driver, Transportation Services
- Estela Gutierrez, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
- Maria De Los Angeles Cisneros, attendant, Food Services
- Reginald Longmiles, bus driver, Transportation Services
- Laura D Rodriguez, bus driver, Transportation Services
- Graciela Valenzuela, attendant, Food Services
- Marvin Tibbs Jr, warehouser driver, Food Services
- Diana De Leon, teacher, Park Place ES
- Asma Akhter, teacher, Worthing HS
- Lakeith Hunt, teaching assistant, Woodson ES
- Tamara Sarver, associate teacher
- Bryan Paule, teacher, Lanier MS
- Valencia Hackett, bus driver, Transportation Services
- Veronica Zuñiga, aide, Sutton ES
- Consepcion Zapata, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
- Rosa Maria Guzman, attendant, Food Services
- Patricia Ann Worthy, teaching assistant, Roosevelt ES
- Stephanie Denise Walker, clerk, Construction & Facility Services
- Jennifer Lynn Jackson, budget clerk, Accounts Payable
- Jasmine Giron, teacher, Madison HS
- Imelda Rivera, teacher, Garden Villas ES
- Shawn Grimm, retirement programs administrator, Benefits
| Check back next Friday for more October Milestones. Leave a comment below if you’d like to congratulate any of the above employees. |
This week’s Shout Out goes to the members of Team HISD who work the overnight shift, specifically the technicians in HISD’s Alarm Communications department.
“I admire the night crew, because it’s not easy working nights,” says Construction & Facility Services planner Michelle Hernandez. “But they do it, because they are dedicated and hard-working people. They go out to the schools and make sure they are up and ready for the next morning for the safety of the staff and students. So three cheers for the night techs!”
| 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. |
If you still want to participate in HISD’s Combined Charities Campaign, it’s not too late! The annual fundraiser runs through Oct. 25, so make your selections before the end of the day and your contribution will be included in this year’s tally.
Need inspiration? Check out these profiles on why your collagues give. Find out what unexpected diagnosis motivated Carolyn Travis, why Diana Perez likes the convenience the campaign offers, and what natural disaster still has Cynthia Smith “paying it forward” 12 years later.
For more information, or to make a contribution, please visit the CCC website.
Students at HISD’s South Early College High School (SECHS) are using visualization techniques to clarify their goals and take tangible steps to accomplish them.
Juniors such as Sydni Banks and Kevin Hernandez (pictured, playing guitar) are learning these techniques through a program called OneGoal, a teacher-led college persistence program that helps underperforming high-school students excel in college. The OneGoal program was brought to SECHS in 2013 by current program director Jamie Lopez.
“OneGoal is important because it gives diverse students the academic, social, and personal skills needed to graduate from a university in four years,” said Lopez. “OneGoal apprentices were selected because they demonstrated a commitment to earning a college degree and putting forth the necessary effort to do so.”
One project requires students to visualize their future by performing skits that not only showcase their talents, but also demonstrate what their personal growth will look like in the future.
Participants in the program say that the exercises are helping them make their plans a reality. Junior Wendy Argueta, for instance, says she has stopped procrastinating, while Mirla Estrada made “A”s in two of her summer classes at Houston Community College.
“I am contributing to the college culture by being organized and responsible in all of my classes,” said junior Araceli Beltran. “To me, (that) means turning in my homework on time and monitoring my grades every night.”
| 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. |
HISD will be hosting its annual School Choice Open House for students and their parents on Sat., Nov. 2, 2013, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. The event will take place at Northwest Mall, which is located directly across the street from the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W. 18th St., 77092). Visitors can learn more about the many options available for their children next year, from early childhood centers and montessori to magnet and early college high schools, and everything in between. For more details, and a list of FAQ, please see this related article.
Here are some other dates you might want to mark on your calendar:
- Oct. 1-31: National Principals Month
- Oct. 7-25: Combined Charities Campaign
- Oct. 26: Marathon Kids Houston Kickoff
- Nov. 2: School Choice Fair
- Nov. 4-8: Magnet Awareness Week
- Nov. 5: Election Day
- Nov. 5: New employee orientation
- Nov. 6(.pdf): Payday
- Nov. 14: ADL’s Houston in Concert Against Hate
- Nov. 18-22: SPARK Parks Week
- Nov. 23 & 24: Vio Colori Street Festival
- Nov. 27-29: Thanksgiving holiday (.pdf)
- Dec. 3: New employee orientation
In this week’s I am HISD, which features district students, graduates, employees, and volunteers, T. H. Rogers fourth-grade English language arts teacher Jessica Willie talks about being showcased in HISD’s Professional Support and Development video series on highly effective teaching practices, the value of family legacies, and why she never considered working anywhere but HISD.
You received your teaching degree from Alabama A&M University, the same historically black campus that your grandmother attended. Did her history there — and the fact that she was also an educator — play a part in your decision?
Jessica Willie
I had not really considered (where I was going to go), and then my grandmother raved about the school. It has such a rich history, and a phenomenal education department. She loved her time there, so she, my mom, and I went on a campus visit. I just fell in love with the place instantly, and ended up getting a partial scholarship. I still have family in the area, so it was a bit like having a home away from home.
When you returned to Houston in 2005, I understand that the only district you would consider working for was HISD, and that you’ve been at T. H. Rogers — your first teaching job — ever since. Why is that?
I am a product of HISD schools, and I know the value and emphasis placed on quality teaching and learning experiences for students. I thought I had lots to offer. Rogers has allowed me to grow and develop as a teacher. The supportive administrative team gives me the freedom to push my students and myself. They also support my desire to remain in the classroom and exercise leadership opportunities that come my way. I couldn’t ask for a better place to be.
You were one of the educators highlighted in the video series produced by Professional Support and Development as an example of highly effective teaching. What was that like for you?
Being a part of the video exemplar project was a great experience. I have had such positive feedback from colleagues from around the district. Teachers have e-mailed me about things they saw in the video, and I’ve been able to share lesson plans and materials with teachers I would have otherwise probably never met. I also loved being able to highlight the good things happening in my classroom. The students here are amazingly talented and eager to learn.
I understand you attended the Gates Foundation Conference in California and a Harvard leadership/teaching training in Boston this summer. Tell me a little bit about those experiences. What was the most important thing you took away from each?
The former was about getting the best and brightest teachers to solve problems together, and while it was really focused on the Common Core, what I realized is that those standards were pretty well-aligned with TEKS, and good teaching is good teaching.
At Harvard, we were essentially grad students for a week through a program called Project Zero. They had experts from all over the world modeling really effective teaching techniques, and it really spoke to the kinds of things we all want for our classrooms. It sounds corny, but it was life-changing.
I hear you completed your master’s degree in curriculum instruction at the University of St. Thomas this year. How did you balance the demands of a full-time teaching job with your studies?
I completed my master’s in July—and boy, was it hard work! My family really pushed me to further my education, as they all have post-secondary degrees, themselves. But I consider myself a lifelong learner, so continuing my education was a natural next step. I thrive when I am learning something new in a classroom.
Continuing my education didn’t come without sacrifice, though. There were nights and weekends I spent working on assignments and not out with family and friends. In the end though, it was all worth it. I think that having a firm grasp on curriculum and instruction has made me a better teacher. I can pull useful materials and resources with a more critical eye.
| 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. |
The holidays are meant to be enjoyed, but for many, those feelings of joy and anticipation can be mixed with anxiety, disappointment, and even depression.
Get some tips on how to de-stress your holiday at the Benefits Department’s brown bag workshop on Dec. 10. The session will take place from noon until 1 p.m. in room 3C12 at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W. 18th St., 77092).
Attendees will learn how to set realistic expectations, establish priorities, and limit obligations for the holidays, so you can focus on what’s really important.
Interested employees should sign up on eTRAIN, using course code BN0020.
Other learning opportunities:
- French teachers at all levels can learn how to incorporate art and museums into their instruction at the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s workshop for teachers Nov. 1 and 2. The nine-hour class will be led by Gislaine Bellocq of Thélème International, France, and will focus on Scenes from the Stone Age: The Cave Paintings of Lascaux, now on exhibit at the museum. Please note that professional development session will be led entirely in French. For complete details, visit the HMNS website.
The Woods Project will be hosting its annual fall luncheon on Tues., Oct. 29, and anyone who is looking for a new way to support under-served youth should consider attending.
The event will take place at The Junior League of Houston (1811 Briar Oaks Lane, 77027) from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m., and participants can meet some of the students who have benefitted from the program, about a third of whom come from HISD schools.
There is no cost to attend, but donations are gratefully accepted to support the organization’s mission. Please complete the registration form located here if you plan to attend.
Nominate Someone for an H-E-B Excellence in Education Award
All public school districts and state-certified, full-time public school teachers and principals currently within the H-E-B service area are eligible for nomination. Check out this page for details on award categories available, and this page to nominate someone.
The deadline for nominations is midnight on Dec. 8, 2013.
Houston Rockets hosting three HISD Nights in November
HISD’s longtime community partner, the Houston Rockets, will be hosting HISD Nights for district employees on Fri., Nov. 1, and Sat., Nov. 9, and Sat., Nov. 23, 2013.
Employees can get tickets to all three of these games at a discount, and everyone who purchases tickets through this special offer will get to shoot a free throw on the Rockets’ home court immediately after the game.
For details, please see this flyer (pdf).
Veronica Magdaleno
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. |
