June 13, 2012 - Aldine Independent School District

ActionLine...Your Board Meeting UpdateJune 13, 2012Staff assignments approvedDuring a special called meeting on May 18 of the Aldine ISD Board of Education,Aldine ISD Trustees approved three staff assignments. The three individuals wereintroduced during the June 12 Board meeting.Juan Santos was named principal of Garcia-Leza EC/Pre-K Center after serving asan assistant principal at Orange Grove Elementary School. Garza received his bachelor’sdegree in computer information from the University of Houston-Downtown in 2003 andhis master’s degree in educational administration from the University of St. Thomas in2008. He is certified as a principal. He began his career as a third-grade bilingual teacherat Patterson Literature Magnet Elementary School in Houston ISD in 2004. In 2006, hetransferred to Barrick Elementary School where he taught third-grade bilingual andserved as grade level chair and then became the Title I coordinator at that same campus in2007. He was appointed to his current assignment as an assistant principal at OrangeGrove Elementary School in 2009. Garza has eight years of experience in the field ofeducation and has spent three of those years with Aldine ISD.Innetta Carter was named principal at Harris Elementary School after serving as anassistant principal at that same school. Carter received her bachelor’s degree inelementary education from Texas Southern University in 1991 and her master’s degree incounseling from Prairie View A&M University in 2000. She also has a master’s degree ineducational administration, which she received from Prairie View A&M University in2005. She is certified as a principal. She began her teaching career at GoodmanElementary School in 1991, where she taught second- and third-grade gifted and talented.She transferred to Gray Elementary School in 1999 and served as a skills specialist,counselor and special programs director before assuming her current position as anassistant principal at Harris Elementary School in 2006. Carter has spent all of her 21years in education with Aldine ISD.Jose Almendarez was named principal at Sammons Elementary School after servingas an assistant principal at Lewis Middle School. Almendarez received his bachelor’sdegree in mathematics from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1994 and hismaster’s degree in administration from Sam Houston State University in 2003. He iscertified as a principal. He began his teaching career as a math teacher and coach inCorrizo Spring ISD in 1995. He moved to Aldine ISD in 1999 to teach Algebra I atMacArthur Ninth Grade School, where he was the campus Teacher of the Year in 2002.In 2003, he was named an assistant principal at Hambrick Middle School and transferredto Nimitz Ninth Grade School in 2006 to serve as the assistant principal for curriculumand instruction. He was selected by Houston A+ Challenge to serve as a principal internin its Principal Leadership Academy in 2009. His internship was completed atEisenhower High School and Escamilla Intermediate School. He moved into his presentposition as an assistant principal at Lewis Middle School in 2010. Almendarez has 17

years of experience in the field of education and he has spent 13 of those years withAldine ISD.During the June 12 Board meeting, Aldine ISD Trustees approved a number of staffassignments and administrative transfers.Veronica White was named principal of Smith Academy after serving as an assistantprincipal at Rayford Road Intermediate School. White received her bachelor’s degree inelementary education from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in 1992 and hermaster’s degree in school administration from that same university in 2004. She iscertified as a principal. She began her teaching career as a pre-kindergarten teacher atLakewood Elementary School in North Forest ISD in 1993. In 1994, she taught fourthgradeat that same school. She joined Aldine ISD in 1998 as a fourth-grade teacher atGray Elementary School. In 1999, she transferred to Carter Academy where she served asa fourth-grade teacher for one year, reading specialist for a year and skills specialist forsix years. During the 2004-05 school year, she was named Carter Academy’s Teacher ofthe Year. She was named an assistant principal at Gray Elementary School in 2008 andtransferred into her current position as an assistant principal at Rayford RoadIntermediate School in 2010. White has 18 years of experience in the field of educationand she has spent 14 of those years with Aldine ISD.Stephen Heady was named an assistant principal at Aldine High School after servingas a science skills specialist at that same school. Heady received his bachelor’s degree inscience from Bob Jones University in 1981 and his master’s degree in literature fromIndiana State University in 1984. He meets district requirements for this position. Hebegan his teaching career in 1993 as a science teacher at Grantham Academy. Hetransferred to Aldine Ninth Grade School in 1998 to teach biology and physical scienceand served as department chair. He moved into his present position as a science skillsspecialist at Aldine High School in 2000. Heady has spent all of his 19 years in educationwith Aldine ISD.Francis Nathan was named assistant principal at MacArthur High School afterserving as a math teacher at Plummer Middle School. Nathan received his bachelor’sdegree in political science from Lamar University in 2004 and his master’s degree ineducational administration from Prairie View A&M University in 2009. He is certified asa principal. He began his teaching career as a math teacher and football coach at EdisonMiddle School in Port Arthur ISD in 2004, where he was rookie Teacher of the Year in2005 and a finalist for the Port Arthur ISD Rookie Teacher of the Year that same year.He joined the staff at Plummer Middle School as an eighth-grade math teacher and coachin 2006. Nathan has eight years of experience in the field of education and he has spentsix of those years with Aldine ISD.Daniel Blanson was named an assistant principal at Aldine Ninth Grade School afterserving as the Plato instructor at Eisenhower High School. Blanson received hisbachelor’s degree in management information system technology from Prairie ViewA&M University in 2005 and his master’s degree in educational administration from thatsame university in 2011. He meets district requirements for this position. He began histeaching career as a health and wellness instructor at Reed Academy in 2005. Hetransferred to Eisenhower High School in 2008 to teach business education. In 2009, hemoved into his current assignment as the school’s Plato instructor. Blanson has spent allseven of his years in education with Aldine ISD.

Luis Lucio was named assistant principal at Carroll Elementary School after servingas program director of elementary bilingual/ESL education. Lucio received his bachelor’sdegree in academic studies from Sam Houston State University in 2000 and his master’sdegree in educational administration from that same university in 2004. He is certified asa principal. He began his teaching career as a bilingual teacher at Oleson ElementarySchool in 2004. Also in 2004, he became the bilingual skills specialist at that sameschool. He transferred to MacArthur High School in 2005 as the parent liaison and ninthgradeinitiative facilitator. He moved into his present position as program director ofelementary bilingual/ESL education in 2007. Lucio has spent all 12 of his years ineducation with Aldine ISD.Kory Jessie was named assistant principal at Calvert Elementary School after servingas a math skills specialist at Rayford Road Intermediate School. Jessie received hisbachelor’s degree in communications from Dillard University in 2001 and his master’sdegree in educational administration from Sam Houston State University in 2009. He iscertified as a principal. He began his teaching career in Aldine ISD in 2006 as a mathteacher at Eckert Intermediate School, where he was the campus Teacher of the Year in2009. He transferred to his present position as the math skills specialist at Rayford RoadIntermediate School in 2010. Jessie has spent all six of his years in education with AldineISD.Katie Afyounizadeh was named assistant principal at Francis Elementary Schoolafter serving as the testing coordinator at Hill Intermediate School. Afyounizadehreceived her bachelor’s degree in science from State University of New York in 2003 andher master’s degree in educational administration from Sam Houston State University in2008. She is certified as a principal. She began her teaching career in 2003 as a sixthgradeEnglish teacher at Splendora Middle School in Splendora ISD. In 2005, she movedto Aldine ISD and Hill Intermediate School where she served as a reading lab teacher,early intervention coordinator, response to intervention specialist and the campus testingcoordinator. Afyounizadeh has nine years of experience in the field of education and shehas spent seven of those years with Aldine ISD.Coy Hooey-Adams was named assistant principal at Francis Elementary School afterserving as the math intervention specialist at Smith Academy. Hooey-Adams received herbachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from Prairie View A&MUniversity in 1988 and her master’s degree in educational administration from that sameuniversity in 2002. She meets district requirements for this position. She began herteaching career as a third-grade teacher at Sanderson Elementary School in Houston ISDin 1990. In 1998, she moved to Aldine ISD as a fourth-grade teacher at Smith Academy,where she also served as grade-level chair from 1999-2002. She transferred to AldineAcademy as the math skills specialist in 2003 and returned to Smith Academy in 2008 toserve as the school’s math skills specialist. Hooey-Adams has 18 years of experience inthe field of education and she has spent 14 of those years with Aldine ISD.Demedia Edwards was named assistant principal at Orange Grove ElementarySchool after serving as a language arts skills specialist at Magrill Elementary School.Edwards received her bachelor’s degree in education from Henderson State University in2001 and her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction and educational leadershipfrom Houston Baptist University in 2006. She is certified as a principal. She began herteaching career in 2001 as a first-grade teacher at Orange Grove Elementary School. In

2006, she became the skills specialist and campus dyslexia coordinator at that sameschool. She transferred to Magrill Elementary School in 2008 as a language arts skillsspecialist. Edwards has spent all of her 11 years in education with Aldine ISD.Cicely Bailey was named assistant principal at Harris Elementary School afterserving as a special education counselor at Carver High School and Eisenhower HighSchool. Bailey received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston-Downtown in 1998, her master’s degree in counseling from Prairie View A&MUniversity in 2006 and her master’s degree in administration from that same university in2009. She is certified as a principal. She began her teaching career as a math teacher in1999 at the Brown School. In 2004, she moved to Aldine ISD to teach special educationat Hill Intermediate School. She transferred to Lane School to serve as a specialeducation counselor in 2006 and then transferred to Rayford Road Intermediate School in2010. She moved into her current position as a special education counselor at CarverHigh School and Eisenhower High School in 2011. Bailey has 10 years of experience inthe field of education and she has spent eight of those years with Aldine ISD.Aldine ISD Trustees approved the following administrative transfers during their June12 meeting: Jacquelyn Narro from assistant principal at Nimitz Ninth Grade School toassistant principal at Victory Early College High School; Juan Carlos Vargas fromassistant principal at Stehlik Intermediate School to assistant principal at Aldine HighSchool; Christi VanWassenhove from assistant principal at Escamilla IntermediateSchool to assistant principal at Stehlik Intermediate School; Tami Schuler from assistantprincipal at Jones Elementary School to assistant principal at Spence Elementary School;Denise Butler from assistant principal at Francis Elementary School to assistant principalat Jones Elementary School; Claudia Salcedo from assistant principal at Reed Academyto assistant principal at Carter Academy; Irma Guardiola from counselor at EisenhowerNinth Grade School to counselor at Davis High School; Marva Casey-Flentroy fromcounselor at Shotwell Middle School to counselor at MacArthur High School; and NedraBrown from counselor at Spence Elementary School to counselor at Eisenhower HighSchool.Trustees approve budget, tax rateDuring the June 12 Board meeting, Trustees approved the budget for the 2012-13school year and the proposed tax rate for the 2012-13 school year. Anne-Marie Hazzan,assistant superintendent of finance, recommended the tax rate be set at $1.328388($0.195000 for interest and sinking and $1.133388 for maintenance and operations). Thetax rate will remain the same as it was for the 2011-12 school year. Aldine ISD Trusteeswill not be able to officially approve the proposed tax rate until the district receives thecertified tax roll from the Harris County Appraisal District in late August. At that time,the district will be able to set the tax rate. A notice of the tax rate appeared in the HoustonChronicle, Northeast News and the Leader newspapers. Trustees also approved thebudget for the 2012-13 school year. Hazzan recommended the 2012-13 budget be set at$477,544,051, which is an increase of $25,968,214 from the 2011-12 adopted budget.This represents an overall increase of 5.75 percent. The 2012-13 budget provides fundingfor all programs and activities in Aldine ISD.

Trustees approve salary increasesAldine ISD Trustees unanimously approved a salary increase for all employeesduring their June 12 Board meeting. Gloria Cavazos, assistant superintendent of humanresources, recommended that teachers, nurses, counselors, information literacy specialists(librarians) and speech pathologists receive a 2% salary increase with some equityadjustments or additional salary increases for employees who are making less than the“market” average in the area. Additionally, Cavazos recommended a 3.5% base salaryincrease for auxiliary and para-professional employees. Cavazos also recommended a 3%salary increase for all administrators in the district with some equity adjustments oradditional salary increases for employees who are making less than the “market” averagein the area. The salary increases will be in place for the 2012-13 school year. Trusteesalso approved Cavazos’ recommendation that longevity pay be reinstated for the 2012-13school year. Longevity pay will not be retroactive for the 2011-12 school year.Bethune Academy, Reece Academy honoredOlivia Boatner, director of Magnet schools,announced at the June 12 Board meeting thatBethune Academy and Reece Academy wererecently named Schools of Distinction at theMagnet Schools of America Conference. The twoAldine ISD schools were the only schools fromTexas to receive the designation. On hand to accepttheir plaques were principals Theresa Craft andSherrie Batro.Grants announcedDuring the June 12 Trustee’s meeting, Stacey Smith, program director of resourcedevelopment, announced two grants.Xandra Williams-Earlie secured a$254,631 grant from Chevron to fund TheJason Project. On hand representingChevron, and to make the checkpresentation, were Joni Baird and MikeHawes. Dr. Robert Ballard, a NationalGeographic explorer and discoverer of theTitanic and the Bismarck, conceivedJason’s Project. The Jason Project willconnect Aldine ISD middle school students with Jason research scientists for face-to-face

virtual learning. Twenty-one teachers will be trained as “coaches” to implement theprogram district wide. The experience will culminate with one teacher and one studentwho will receive hands-on experience aboard the Exploration Vessel Nautilus. AldineISD was one of only three Houston-area school districts to receive funding from Chevronto participate in the Jason Project.Cheryl Matthews, principal of HoffmanMiddle School, and Hoffman teacher MonicaAngelle secured a $5,000 grant from Lowe’s to turnan enclosed area of the campus into a sciencelearning arboretum. Teachers, staff members andstudents will volunteer to plant flower beds, laypavers and create a pond where students can learnabout natural science, while creating anenvironment that enhances and preserves the beautyof Hoffman Middle School for future generations.The grants announced at the June 12 Board meeting totaled $259,631.