ActionLine... Your Board Meeting Update August 18, 2010 Staff assignments approved During a special called board meeting on Aug. 2, Aldine ISD Trustees approved six staff assignments. Those six individuals were introduced during the Aug. 17 Board meeting. Dr. Bernethia Epps was named program director of stimulus programs after serving as success initiative director at Galena Park ISD. Dr. Epps received her bachelor s degree in psychology from the University of Houston in 1994, her master s degree in counseling from Prairie View A&M University in 1996, her master s degree in educational administration from Prairie View A&M University in 2004 and her doctorate in educational leadership from Texas Southern University in 2010. She is certified as a principal. She began her teaching career as a special education teacher at North Shore High School in Galena Park ISD in 1996. In 1999, she became a counselor at that same school, where she served as the lead counselor from 2003-2005. She was named assistant principal of curriculum at North Shore High in 2005 and remained in that position until assuming her current assignment as the success initiative director at the Zotz Educational Center in Galena Park ISD. Dr. Epps has 14 years of experience in the field of education. Julie Johnson was named principal of Anderson Academy after serving as an assistant principal at Houston Academy. Johnson received her bachelor s degree in special education/regular education from Peabody College of Vanderbilt University in 1982 and her master s degree in administration from Stephen F. Austin State University in 1998. She is certified as a principal. She began her teaching career as a special education and second-grade teacher at Highland Heights Elementary School in the Houston Independent School District in 1982. In 1986, she transferred to Shearn Elementary in HISD to teach self-contained special education. She moved to the Gregory-Lincoln Education Center in HISD in 1988 to teach special education resource. In 1989, she accepted an adaptive behavior special education position at Odom Elementary School in Aldine ISD. She transferred to Project Recovery (now COMPASS) in 1994 to teach social studies. In 1996, she moved to Caraway Intermediate School to teach sixth-grade partially self-contained special education and content mastery. She was named assistant principal at Anderson Academy in 2000 where she remained until assuming her current position as an assistant principal at Houston Academy in 2003. Johnson has 28 years of experience in the field of education and she has spent 21 of those years with Aldine ISD. Dr. Kathleen Cox was named principal at Mendel Elementary School after serving as an assistant principal at Goodman Elementary School. Dr. Cox received her bachelor s degree in Spanish from Texas A&M University in 2000, her master s degree in administration and supervision from the University of Houston, and her doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Texas A&M University in 2008. She is certified as a principal. She began her teaching career as a bilingual teacher at Pilgrim Elementary
School in the Houston Independent School District in 2000. In 2002, she was named that school s Bilingual Teacher of the Year. She transferred to Mark Twain Elementary School in HISD in 2002 where she taught dual language. She moved to Wharton Elementary in HISD in 2003 where she also taught dual language before moving to Bryan ISD and assuming a dual language position at Anson Jones Elementary in 2004. In 2006, Dr. Cox accepted a position with Aldine ISD to serve as coordinator of Project ELLA. She was assigned to her current position of assistant principal at Goodman Elementary School in 2008. Dr. Cox has 10 years of experience in the field of education and she has spent four of those years with Aldine ISD. Susan Perry was named principal of Odom Elementary School after serving as an assistant principal at Nimitz Senior High School. Perry received her bachelor s degree from the University of Houston in 1990 and her master s degree in education from Schreiner University in 2000. She is certified as a principal. She began her teaching career as a sixth-grade reading and language arts teacher at Shotwell Middle School in Aldine ISD in 1990. She transferred to Northwest Academy in the Houston Independent School District in 1991 before returning to Aldine ISD in 1995 where she was assigned to teach seventh- and eighth-grade reading and reading lab at Teague Middle School. In 2001, she was named an assistant principal at Drew Academy and in 2008 she was selected as a principal intern in the Houston A+ Regional Principal Leadership Academy and interned at Aldine Senior High School. In 2009, she was assigned to her current position as an assistant principal at Nimitz Senior High School. Perry has 20 years of experience in the field of education and she has spent 15 of those years with Aldine ISD. Robin Ross was named assistant principal at Nimitz Senior High School after serving as a social studies teacher at Aldine Senior High School. Ross received her bachelor s degree in secondary social studies from Troy State University in 1994, a bachelor s degree in Spanish from that same university in 1999 and her master s degree in administration from Sam Houston State University in 2008. She is certified as a principal. She began her teaching career as a Spanish teacher/facilitator in Crenshaw County, Brantley, Luverne and Highland Home, Alabama in 1998. In 1999, she moved to Goshen High School in Goshen, Alabama to teach Spanish, history and literature as well as sponsor the junior varsity cheerleading squad. In 2000, she moved to Houston and joined Aldine ISD where she was assigned to teach social studies at Aldine Senior High School. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she has served as the sophomore cheerleading sponsor and junior varsity/varsity assistant softball coach at Aldine Senior High. Ross has 12 years of experience in the field of education and she has spent 10 of those years with Aldine ISD. Ash Kirk was named assistant principal at Marcella Intermediate School after serving as a bilingual teacher at Thompson Elementary School. Kirk received his bachelor s degree in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Houston in 2005. He meets district requirements for this position. He began his teaching career in 2005 as a bilingual teacher at Thompson Elementary School. During his five years at Thompson, he has taught self-contained first-grade bilingual; fourth-grade math, science and social studies in a bilingual setting; and fourth-grade writing to English transitional and Spanish language students in the dual language program. He is a graduate of Aldine ISD s Grow Your Own program. Kirk has spent all five of his years in education with Aldine ISD.
The following staff assignments were approved by the Board during its Aug. 17 meeting. Jennifer Willand was named assistant principal at Eisenhower Senior High School after serving as the testing coordinator at Hoffman Middle School. Willand received her bachelor s degree in English education from the University of Northern Iowa in 2002. She meets permit requirements for this position. She began her teaching career as a seventh-grade language arts teacher at Shotwell Middle School in 2002. In 2003, she transferred to Houston Academy to teach sixth-grade gifted and talented language arts. She moved to Hambrick Middle School in 2005 to teach seventh-grade ESL language arts where she remained until she assumed her current position of campus testing coordinator at Hoffman Middle School in 2009. Willand has spent all eight of her years in education with Aldine ISD. Michael Williams was named assistant principal at MacArthur Senior High School after serving as mathematics skills specialist at MacArthur Ninth Grade School. Williams received his bachelor s degree in mathematics from Dillard University in 1989. He meets permit requirements for this position. He began his teaching career as a mathematics instructor at Dillard University in 1989. In 1997, he moved to Houston to teach mathematics at Sharpstown High School. He moved to Aldine ISD in 2001 and was assigned to teach mathematics at Hambrick Middle School and in 2008 he moved to MacArthur Ninth Grade School to serve as the mathematics skills specialist. Williams has 14 years of experience in the field of education and he has spent nine of those years with Aldine ISD. Kim Wratten was named assistant principal at Nimitz Senior High School after serving as a chemistry teacher at that same school. Wratten received his bachelor s degree in academic studies from Sam Houston State University in 2000 and his master s degree in administration from Lamar University in 2009. He is certified as a principal. He began his teaching career as a science teacher at Reed Academy in 2001. In 2004, he transferred to Nimitz Senior High School, where he also taught science. He assumed the role of science department chair at Nimitz in 2007 along with his chemistry teaching assignments. Wratten has spent all nine of his years in education with Aldine ISD. Christi Van Wassenhove was named assistant principal at Escamilla Intermediate School after serving as the reading skills specialist at Hambrick Middle School. Van Wassenhove received her bachelor s degree in English from Iowa State University in 1995. She meets district requirements for this position. She began her teaching career as a seventh-grade English/language arts teacher at Hambrick Middle School in 1996. In 1998, she was assigned to teach eighth-grade English/language arts at that same school. She was named the dyslexia and Irlen Coordinator/specialist as well as the English/language arts department chair and reading skills specialist at Hambrick in 2006. She has been the district coordinator and a regional board member of Destination Imagination since 2001. Van Wassenhove has spent all 14 of her years in education with Aldine ISD. Jennifer Torres-Price was named assistant principal at Goodman Elementary School after serving as the reading skills specialist at Gray Elementary School. Torres-Price received her bachelor s degree in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Houston in 2005 and her master s degree in administration from Sam Houston State University in 2009. She is certified as a principal. She began her teaching career as a first-grade gifted
and talented teacher at Harris Academy in 2005. She was named the grade-level chair at that same school in 2006 while continuing to teach first-grade GT. In 2007, she transferred to her current assignment as the reading skills specialist at Gray Elementary School where she also serves as the dyslexia coordinator. Torres-Price has spent all five of her years in education with Aldine ISD. Yolanda Rockins was named assistant principal at Spence Elementary School after serving as the language arts skills specialist at that same school. Rockins received her bachelor s degree in journalism from Sam Houston State University in 2000. She meets permit requirements for this position. She began her teaching career as a first-grade teacher at Odom Elementary School in 2001. In 2003, she transferred to Conley Elementary School to serve as a second-grade teacher. She moved to Spence Elementary School in 2005 to serve as a second-grade teacher and grade level chair and assumed her current position as language arts skills specialist at that same school in 2006. Rockins has spent all nine of her years in education with Aldine ISD. Herb Harris was named executive director of maintenance after serving as director of maintenance. Harris received his bachelor s degree in secondary education from Lamar University in 1983 and his master s degree in physical education from Texas Southern University in 1992. He is certified as a mid-management administrator. He began his teaching career as a special education teacher at Walnut Bend Elementary School in the Houston Independent School District in 1985. In 1986, he left education to play professional football with the New Orleans Saints for two years. He returned to education in 1988 and joined the staff at Eisenhower Senior High School as a special education and physical education teacher and coach. In 1994, he was named as an educational service manager at Eisenhower Senior High where he remained until assuming his current position as director of maintenance in 2008. Harris has 23 years in the field of education and he has spent 22 of those years with Aldine ISD. AISD earns best practices designation from TEA During the Aug. 17 Board meeting, Ben Wilson, assistant superintendent of community and governmental relations, announced that the district s Collaborative Monitoring and Intervention Model were deemed a Best Practices by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). TEA recently developed its Best Practices Clearinghouse in an effort to collect all the great strategies school district across Texas are using to educate students and share strategies with other school district. The strategies must be based on evidence that they work. TEA called AISD and asked the district to submit a best practice because the district won the Broad Prize in 2009. The district obliged and submitted its Collaborative Monitoring and Intervention Model which includes how Aldine schools pay attention to student performance data, the structures in place to intervene when students need help, a model for intervention when students need help, a model for intensive intervention when schools need support for struggling students and how the district trains and provides additional staff to support interventions. TEA was impressed with the program and sent the district a plaque.
Officers recognized During the Aug. 17 Board meeting, Aldine ISD Chief of Police Brian Allen named four of his officers as Officers of the Quarter for foiling burglary attempts at Worsham Elementary School and Orange Grove Elementary School. In July, Officer Ulises Jimenez arrested two suspects who attempted to break into Worsham Elementary School. On Aug. 5, officers Gustavo Adame, Larry Gomez and Orville Wright arrested four suspects who had broken into Orange Grove Elementary School, thus preventing the loss of property at the school. Chief Allen recognized the three for their quick response to the alarm call and for apprehending the suspects. Board approves Benefits Advisory Committee s recommendation During the Aug. 17 Board meeting, Trustees approved the Benefits Advisory Committee s recommendation of providing a benefits package for Aldine ISD employees. The district will continue to offer medical plans through Aetna and prescription drug benefits through CVS Caremark. Committee member Sharla Rogers, the music specialist and Magnet coordinator at Reece Academy made the recommendation. Other members of the committee were: Orange Grove Elementary School principal Bettie Morrow, Thompson Elementary School teacher Barbara Johnson and Harris Academy paraprofessional Tina Lewandowski. Program presented During the Aug. 17 Board meeting, Twiana Collier, coordinator of student financial aid, presented the program. She provided a summary of scholarships Aldine ISD students received during the 2009-2010 school year and provided an overview of her department.