Community, district honor board. Staff assignments approved

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1 Community, district honor board In honor of School Board Recognition Month, Sally Bradford of the Greater Greenspoint Redevelopment Authority thanked the Aldine ISD Board of Education for its leadership and commitment to the community during the Jan. 11 board meeting. Additionally, Ben Wilson, assistant superintendent of community and governmental relations, pointed out that because of the board s leadership, Aldine ISD earned a Recognized rating from the Texas Education Agency for seven straight years and in 2004 was named a national finalist for the Broad Prize for Urban Education. Wilson also added that the Texas Business and Education Coalition in Austin awarded Aldine ISD its Distinguished Achievement Award. Aldine ISD was the only school district in Texas to win the award this year. Wilson also noted a proclamation from Texas Gov. Rick Perry thanking them for the sacrifices board members make in ensuring that every child has an opportunity for a brighter future through education. During the employee recognition portion of the board meeting, department heads thanked Aldine s board members for their time and service to the district. The board members also received art projects and other items from students as their way of saying "thank you" to the board for their service to the district. Prior to the start of the Jan. 11 board meeting, members of the Aldine Middle School LOTC (Leadership Officer Training Corps) provided board members with refreshments. Aldine ISD s Board of Education consists of President A.W. Jones, Vice President Rick Ogden, Secretary Marine Jones, Assistant Secretary Emmett W. Hill and Members Steve Mead, Art Murillo and Dr. Viola M. Garcia. Staff assignments approved During the Jan. 11 board meeting, trustees approved two staff assignments. Luis Pratts was named principal of Plummer Middle School after serving as principal at Aldine Middle School. Plummer Middle School will open at the start of the school year. Pratts received his bachelor s degree in education from Sam Houston State University in 1982 and his master s degree in educational administration from that same university in He is certified as a midmanagement administrator. He began his teaching career in the Crockett Independent School District in 1983 where he was assigned to teach physical science at Crockett High School. In 1984, he joined the Willis Independent School District and was assigned to teach science at Willis High School. Pratts came to Aldine ISD in 1997 and was named

2 an assistant principal at Hoffman Middle School. In 1998, he transferred to Aldine Ninth Grade School as an assistant principal. Pratts was named principal at Aldine Middle School in Pratts has 21 years of experience in the field of education and he has spent seven of those years in Aldine ISD. Debra Carrington was named principal of the yet to be named new elementary school on Gears Road, which will also open at the start of the school year. Carrington currently serves as principal at Conley Elementary School. She received her bachelor s degree in elementary education from McNeese State University in 1981 and her master s degree in reading from Bowie State University in She is certified as a midmanagement administrator. Carrington began her teaching career in Maryland in 1981 with Prince George s County Public Schools as an elementary teacher. She taught in Hawaii in 1986 and in 1987 rejoined Prince George s County Public Schools. In 1994, Carrington moved to Texas and worked in Humble ISD as a GT/ESL teacher at Lakeland Elementary School. She joined Aldine ISD in 1995 where she was assigned to teach reading and language arts at Parker Intermediate School. In 1998, she transferred to Eckert Intermediate School and was assigned as an assistant principal. Carrington moved into her present position as principal at Conley Elementary School in She has 19 years of experience in the field of education and she has spent nine of those years in Aldine ISD. Board approves election call During the Jan. 11 board meeting, Aldine ISD trustees approved an election call for Position 1 and Position 2. The election will be held on Saturday, May 7. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on May 7. Marine Jones holds position 1 and Emmett W. Hill holds Position 2. The deadline for candidates to file for a place on the ballot is March 7 at 5 p.m. Candidates need to pick up an election packet from Bettie Stubblefield, whose office is located in the Central Office at Aldine Westfield Road. Individuals interested in receiving a ballot by mail may do so between March 8 and April 29 at the Central Office between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Early voting will take place from April 20- May 3 at the Central Office from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

3 Employees honored During the Jan. 11 board meeting, a number of employees were honored for the contributions they make to Aldine ISD on a daily basis. Jim Pinkerton, director of transportation, named Maria Patino as his department s Employee of the Month. Patino drives out of the east side transportation department and has been with the district for six years. Emitte Roque, executive director of buildings and properties, named MacArthur Senior High School as his department s Building of the Month. On hand to accept the award were principal Rose Avalos and head custodian Glenda Clark. The Yard of the Month Award went to Keeble EC/Pre-K Center. On hand to accept the award were principal Dr. Linda Rodriguez, head custodian Matilde Gonzalez and yardman Jose Pena.

4 Daryl Wade, director of athletics, named Janet Guinn as his department s Employee of the Month. Guinn, who serves as the girl s basketball coach at Hoffman Middle School, was recognized for volunteering her services to organize the ball boys during the Academy Invitational, held Dec at the M.O. Campbell Educational Center. Joyce Lyons, executive director of child nutrition services, named the Eisenhower Ninth Grade School cafeteria staff as her department s Team of the Month. The team consists of coordinating manager Karen Robertson, Margie Andrews, Betty Boone, Danette Brown, Terry Christian, Freda Dawson, April Hamilton, Dorothy Madison, Kenisha Moore, Jacqueline Ross and Diana Serna. The child nutrition supervisor is Erika Sampson and the principal is Mel McGowen. Mardee Barnett, executive director of technology services, named Kevin Muston as her department s Employee of the Quarter. Muston serves as a technology facilitator for applications. Barnett also presented each board member with a certificate recognizing them as the department s Technology Users of the Year.

5 Grants announced During the Jan. 11 board meeting, Judy Hoya, program director of resource development, announced a number of grants the district has received. Pat Adams, principal at Ermel Elementary School, and teacher Jesselyn Holden secured a $20,000 City of Houston Mayor s After-School Achievement Program Grant. The grant is designed to engage students in safe, supervised and structured activities to reduce juvenile crime and victimization from 3-6 p.m. Gina Rigsby, principal of Reed Academy and assistant principal Earnest Washington also secured a $20,000 City of Houston Mayor s After-School Achievement Program Grant.

6 Kristen Fox, principal of Worsham Elementary School, secured a public safety grant from the Aldine Improvement District in the amount of $2,477. The money will be used to purchase an emergency backpack for each classroom at Worsham Elementary. Barbra Jones, principal of Caraway Intermediate School, secured a $600 grant from her cousins Connie and William Hankins of Baltimore, MD. This marked the fourth straight year the Hankins have contributed to Jones school.

7 Terry Ross, principal of Black Elementary School received a $53,000 grant from the Be An Angel Foundation. The grant provided playground equipment at Black Elementary for handicapped students. Michael Musters and Marti Boone of the Be An Angel Foundation joined Ross at the board meeting. Dr. Linda Miller, principal of Raymond Academy, and Delilah St. Julian, the 21st Century After-School Program Coordinator, helped to organize a group of Raymond Academy students who participated in the Harris County Department of Education s writing contest titled, "This is My Dream." Students who participated were Jasine Ward, Zekia Harris, Vaughnkerrah Tatum, Damion Johnson, and Kayla Singleton. Their efforts netted Raymond Academy $8,700.

8 Franklin Higgins, director of career and technology education, and his department were responsible for the Tech Prep/Associate Degree Program Implementation Project in conjunction with North Harris College on the development and design of curriculum for Tech Prep in appropriate vocational and technical program areas including preparation and delivery of proposed six-year course sequences outlining requirements for completion of an associate of applied science degree. The amount of the grant was $58,937. Ruby Allen, principal of Carroll Academy, received a $288 grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts to bring the Carranza Puppets to the school for kindergarten and first-grade students. Carroll Academy also received a Toshiba America Foundation Grant for $980 to implement the school s Solar Oven Project. The grants announced at the Jan. 11 meeting totaled $164,982, bringing the total for the school year to $2,384,687.

9 Superintendent s contract extended During the Jan. 11 board meeting, trustees unanimously approved extending Superintendent Nadine Kujawa s contract for another year. Program presented During the Jan. 11 board meeting, Raylene Truxton, district coordinator for on-line learning, discussed the PLATO program and how it assists teachers in helping students learn.