Staff Assignments Announced, Employees Recognized at April Board Meeting

Disponible en:

Several staff assignments were announced during the April 19 Aldine ISD Board of Trustees meeting. In addition, several employees were recognized, as were district business partners.

The April 19 Board meeting was held in the Board Room of the Donaldson Administration Building.

Staff Assignments Announced

Aldine ISD Superintendent Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney announced four staff assignments during the April 19 Trustees meeting.

• After serving as Director of Buildings and Properties, Juan Vargas was named Executive Director of Buildings and Properties.
• Cornelius Harmon was named the head football coach and Campus Athletic Coordinator at Nimitz High School after serving as Offensive Coordinator at Summer Creek High School.
• Merly Serrano Condor was named an Assistant Principal at Orange Grove Elementary School after serving as a Math teacher at MacArthur High School.
• After serving as a Math Instructional Specialist at Sammons Elementary School, Tia Smart was named Program Director of Primary Mathematics.

Teaching, Learning, and Leading Department Recognizes SHABE TOYs

During the April 19 Board meeting, Chief Academic Officer Dr. Todd Davis announced the district’s SHABE (Suburban Houston Association for Bilingual Education) Teachers of the Year (TOYs). Dr. Davis announced that Cesar Linares of Black Elementary School was the district’s SHABE Bilingual Teacher of the Year, Anju Bhalla of Carmichael Elementary School was the district’s Elementary ESL Teacher of the Year, and Margarita Cruz of La Promesa was the district’s Secondary ESL Teacher of the Year. Dr. Davis also announced that Davis High School senior Kevin Fuentes was awarded a SHABE scholarship at the district’s SHABE banquet held on April 1.

FACE Recognizes Two Community Partners

Dr. Martha Escalante, Executive Director of the Family And Community Engagement Department, recognized two community partners during the April 19 Board of Trustees meeting. She first recognized Shiney Hiney Diaper Pantry. That organization recently distributed diapers, baby clothes, shoes, strollers, car seats, and playpens to students at Hall Success Academy. Representing Shiney Hiney at the April 19 Board meeting were Tiawona Osborne-Davis, Shanice Davis, Byron Davis, and Desiree Spencer.

Dr. Escalante also recognized the Young Ladies of Elegance Organization, which provided prom dresses to hundreds of Aldine ISD High School students. Members of the Young Ladies of Elegance Organization who were recognized at the April 19 Board meeting were Aldine ISD Board Vice-President Dr. Kimberley Booker, Marilyn Palmer, Janae Norris, Crystal Speights, and Cayla Speights.

AEF Recognizes Amplify

Aldine Education Foundation (AEF) Director Linda Flores Olson recognized Amplify during the April 19 Trustees meeting. She thanked Amplify for serving as the Exclusive Presenting Sponsor for the AEF Education of the Year Breakfast. At the EOY Breakfast, Paul Griffin, Vice-President of Strategic Urban Initiatives, and LaShon Ormand, Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Humanities, attended the EOY Breakfast. Ormand represented Amplify at the April 19 Board meeting.

Employees Recognized

During the April 19 Board meeting, several Aldine ISD employees were recognized for their leadership and for representing the district’s values.

• Aldine ISD Police Chief Paul Cordova named Officer Elisia Dixon his department’s Employee of the Month.
• German Enamorado, Executive Director of Transportation, named Donna Vinson his department’s Employee of the Month. Vinson is a bus attendant at the West Side Transportation Department.
• Juan Vargas, Executive Director of Buildings and Properties, named the Donaldson Administration Building his department’s Building of the Month. Head Custodian Anna M. Bonilla and her staff of Delmy Ortez, Magdalena Aguilar, Gloria Avila, and Antonio Serna represented the custodial staff at the April 19 Board meeting.
• Tremel Prudhomme, Director of Maintenance, named Meka Punch his department’s Employee of the Month. Punch serves as the department’s Executive Director’s Secretary.
• Susan D’Amico, Executive Director of Child Nutrition Services, named Doris Calderon as her department’s Employee of the Month. Calderon serves as the Cafeteria Manager at MacArthur High School.
• Steve Oakes, Director of Central Receiving and Warehouse Services, named Kapono Cicchetto as his department’s Employee of the Month.
• Patrick Mouton, Executive Director of Facilities Planning and Construction Department, named Jose Penaherrera as his department’s Employee of the Month. Penaherrera serves as a Project Manager for the department.

Grant Announced

Stacey Smith, Director of Special Programs, announced one grant at the April 19 Board meeting.

• Hinojosa Primary School Principal Denise Meister and teachers Melanie Gonda and Maricela Moreno secured a $10,000 grant from Fund for Teachers. Over the past couple of years, Gonda and Moreno have observed an increase in students’ need for social and emotional skills and self-regulation. They have seen an increase in restless behavior due to the pandemic. Through the fellowship with Fund for Teachers this summer, the duo will participate in workshops throughout Europe to study meditation and mindfulness, yoga, and kids yoga.

Trustees Approve Action Items

During the April 19 Board meeting, Aldine ISD Trustees approved the following action items. Those action items were:

• Approved an Interlocal Agreement between Harris County Precinct 1 and Aldine ISD for funds towards a SPARK Park at Caraway Elementary School
• Approved the recommendation of textbook materials adoption for physical education, health education, and human sexuality curriculum
• Approved a clinical affiliation between Texas Women’s University System
• Approved an authorization for the Superintendent of Schools to execute Subrecipient
• Approved an authorization for the Superintendent of Schools to execute a Subrecipient Agreement between the City of Houston and Aldine ISD
• Approved bids for awards, incentives and spirit apparel, instructional supplies, materials and equipment, professional and consulting services, restaurant, food and catering vendors, student and district activities and venues, fuel services, roll-off container services, paint crew services, roof repair crew services, and bid contract renewals
• Approved the consent agenda
• Approved contracts of purchases of more than $50,000
• Approved General Fund Budget Amendment for Period 10 for the 2021-22 school year
• Approved the Monthly Tax Office Refunds
• Approved the Amended TASB Risk Management Fund
• Approved term contract recommendations, renewals, and extensions for the 2022-23 school year
• Approved probationary contract recommendations for renewals for the 2022-23 school year.

Before the meeting, the Jones Middle School LOTC Color Guard presented the colors. Elijah Kennedy, Eduardo Rivera, David Standridge, and Zayden Minor comprised the Color Guard. Students from Anderson Academy led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance and Pledge to the Texas Flag. Those students were: Amari Brown, Lyllian Hicks, Leyla Hicks, Noelle Trevino, Genesis Williams, Logan Reynolds, Gavin Powell, Easton McGowan, Sean Hart, Justice Ware, Jaxon Norman, Jayonna Davis, Zaria Ford, Monserrat Sandoval, Nailyn Zarazua, Karla Mejia, Nayeli Aguilar, Alexia Hernandez, Andres Ortiz, and Nathan Hernandez.

The May Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 17. It will begin at 7 p.m. and be held in the Board Room of the Donaldson Administration Building.