ActionLine…Your Board Meeting Update

Dec. 19, 2012

AISD Board reorganizes

The Aldine ISD Board of Education reorganized during its Dec. 18 meeting. The board’s nominating committee, chaired by Marine Jones, named Merlin Griggs president, Marine Jones vice president, Steve Mead secretary and Dr. Viola M. Garcia assistant secretary. Trustees Dr. Alton Smith, Rose Avalos, Rick Ogden will serve as members. Ms. Avalos and Mr. Mead served as members of the nominating committee. Mr. Ogden, who served as

president last year, handed the gavel to Mr. Griggs. Mr. Ogden thanked his fellow board members for their support over the year. Mr. Griggs, who will be serving for the first time as president, said he was looking forward to working with his fellow board members and Superintendent Dr. Wanda Bamberg, Deputy Superintendent Dr. Archie Blanson and the Aldine ISD team.

Staff assignment approved

During the Dec. 18 Board meeting, Aldine ISD Trustees approved one staff assignment.

Peter Coleman was named director of facilities, planning and construction after serving as the business development manager at Bitumen Technologies, LLC. Coleman received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Farleigh Dickinson University in 1983. He meets district requirements for this position. He began his career as a construction manager with Becom Real, Inc. in 1998. In 1990, he became senior construction manager for Blackstone Enterprises, Inc. In 1995, he became senior project manager and vice president for Thacker Engineering. In 1997, he moved to CCGI, Inc. to serve as senior construction manager. He moved into his present position as business development manager in 2010 for Bitumen Technologies, LLC. Coleman has 24 years of experience in the construction field.

Carolyn Washington was named director of special programs after serving as principal at Stovall Academy. Washington received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Texas Southern University in 1994 and her master’s degree in counseling from Prairie View A&M University in 1999. She is certified as a principal. She began her

teaching career as a sixth-grade English and study skills teacher in the Houston Independent School District in 1995. In 1998, she moved to Klein ISD to serve as an eighth-grade reading teacher and subsequently became an itinerant special education related service counselor, a case manager and special education department chair in the same district. She moved to Aldine ISD in 2005 to serve as a sixth-grade regular education counselor at Northwest Intermediate School (now Hill Intermediate School). In 2007, she was promoted to assistant principal at Marcella Intermediate School. She moved into her present position as principal of Stovall Academy in 2011. Washington has 17 years of experience in the field of education and she has spent seven of those years in Aldine ISD.

Heather Kirk was named principal of Davis Ninth Grade School after serving as principal of Hall Education Center. Kirk received her bachelor’s degree in teaching in 1989 and her master’s degree in counseling in 1992 from Sam Houston State University. She is certified as a principal. She began her teaching career in Aldine ISD in 1989 as an English teacher at MacArthur High School. In 1993, she became a counselor at Black Elementary School. In 1998, she transferred to Aldine High School to serve as a counselor and in 1999 she transferred to MacArthur Ninth Grade School to serve as the school’s lead counselor. In 2003, she became an assistant principal at that same school. In 2007, she transferred to Eisenhower High School to serve as an assistant principal. She moved into her present position as principal of Hall Center for Education in 2008. Kirk has spent all of her 23 years in education with Aldine ISD.

Scholastic honors three Aldine ISD schools

Scholastic honored three Aldine ISD schools for their outstanding participation in the company’s Summer Reading Program. Joe Shaw and Rick Benavides of Scholastic honored Hill Intermediate School, Odom Elementary School and Worsham Elementary School because their students read over one million hours during the Summer Reading Program. Hill Intermediate finished fourth in the nation and first in Texas, while Worsham Elementary School finished in ninth place and Odom Elementary School finished in 10th place in the state. Scholastic presented each school with a certificate of achievement and a banner that will hang in each respective school. On hand to accept for Hill Intermediate were principal Scott Corrick, librarian Brad Sveter and Arcelia Leon, who coordinated Hill’s program. On hand to accept from Worsham Elementary were principal Denise Meister and librarian Marbelia Saavedra. Worsham teachers Vonetta Carey and Angela Jones played a key role in Worsham’s success, but were unable to attend the Dec. 18 Board meeting. On hand to accept for Odom Elementary was principal Susan Perry.

AEF, ASF receive donations from AISD, Lone Star College-North Harris

During the Dec. 18 Board meeting, the Aldine Scholarship Foundation (ASF) and Aldine Education Foundation (AEF) received donations from Lone Star College-North Harris and Aldine ISD. Every year, Lone Star College-North Harris joins Aldine ISD to make a contribution to ASF, which helps create scholarships for Aldine ISD graduating seniors to attend any Lone Star College campus. Dr. Bennie Lambert presented a $10,000 check on behalf of Lone Star College-North Harris. AISD joined Lone Star College-North Harris in presenting with a $10,000 check for ASF and a $10,000 check to the newly created Aldine Education Foundation to support students attending other colleges and universities and to support grants for teachers for innovative classroom instruction and projects. ASF is now a part of AEF. On hand to accept the checks on behalf of AEF was Terry Williams, who serves as co-president of the AEF.

Employees recognized

During the Dec. 18 Board meeting, a number of employees were recognized for the contributions they make to the district on a daily basis.

Emitte Roque, executive director of buildings and properties, named Sammons Elementary School as his department’s Building of the Month. On hand to accept the award were head custodian Simon Echeverri and principal Jose Almendarez.

Roque named Houston Academy as his

department’s Yard of the Month. On hand to accept the award were head custodian Blanca Deantes, yard man Marquas Brown and assistant principal Dr. Evette Shelby-King.

Also during the Dec. 18 Board meeting, Roque presented the Yard of the Month Award for November to Rayford Road Intermediate School. Their representatives were unable to attend the November meeting. On hand to accept the award were head custodian Filomena Ibarra, yard man Jarred Goudeau and principal Robert Graham.

Dani Sheffield, executive director of child

nutrition services, named her department’s training managers as the Team of the Month. Debbie West and Wanda Clark serve as the department’s training managers. They are supervised by Chaundra Vaughn.

Robin DeRouen, executive director of transportation, named Hanner Willoughby as her department’s Employee of the Month. Willoughby works out of the west side transportation department as a route driver. In October, she used her training in CPR and first-aid training to come to the aid of a distressed student who was unresponsive on her bus. Willoughby remained with the child until an EMS unit arrived. The child

has since recovered from her ailment and is back in school. Willoughby has been with the district for four years.

Grants announced

During the Dec. 19 Board meeting, Stacey Smith, program director of resource development, announced a number of grants.

Kristin Craft, principal of Stehlik Intermediate School, and teacher Melonise Judie secured a $425 grant from ARTreach that will promote the focus on drug presentation by building character traits through dance and drama. The program is sponsored by the Texas Commission on the Arts.

A number of Aldine ISD schools received grants from the Meadow Foundation to fund a number of different projects. COMPASS principal James Metcalf and teacher Candis Houston secured a $500 grant to collaborate with the Houston Food Bank to host a food drive. Grantham assistant principal Aaron Griffen and teacher Deena Logan secured a $500 grant to develop and revitalize the school’s Memorial Garden into a butterfly and greenhouse observation ecosystem. Hall Center for Education principal Heather Kirk and teacher Alvaro Canales secured a $500 grant to allow Hall students to participate in the annual Trash Bash, an event held each year to clean up area beaches.

April Weisedel, program director of health services, and Toni Stephens, coordinator of pregnancy related services at Hall Center for Education, secured a $200,000 grant from the Texas Work Commission to fund childcare for students with children so that the students may continue attending school.

The grants announced at the Dec. 18 Board meeting totaled $201,925.

Program presented

Dr. Jeff Laird, director of secondary performing arts education, presented the program during the Dec. 18 Board meeting. Carver High School student Trey Lewis performed “I Got Plenty of Nuttin” from Porgy and Bess. Trey received a standing ovation from Board members and the audience following his performance. He was assisted by fellow Carver drama student Isaiah Rusk and

theater arts teacher Roshunda Jones. Dr. Laird also introduced a number of Aldine ISD band students who have qualified for TMEA area competition, slated for Alvin ISD in January. Representing Aldine High School will be Tina Tran (clarinet). Her teacher is Beverly Diano. Davis High School will be Christopher Truong (clarinet) and Danialle Vongsamphanh (oboe). Their teacher is Mark Richard. Representing MacArthur High School will be Timothy Guevara (clarinet) and Simon Morales (tenor saxophone). Their teacher is Caitlyn Melton. Representing Nimitz High School will be Bradley Ofoegbu (bass trombone) and Zachary Tamayo (tenor trombone). Their teacher is Stephen Jones. Prior to the Board meeting, Trustees and guests who attended the Dec. 18 meeting were entertained by the Aldine High School Choir Officers under the direction of Anna Long. They performed songs of the holiday season. Colleen Riddle, program director of elementary performing arts education, assisted Dr. Laird with the school board program.