ActionLine...Your Board Meeting Update August 19, 2008 Staff assignments approved Susana Velis moves from regional financial aid advisor at Texas A&M University to college access advisor. Velis received her bachelor s of science degree in communication sciences and disorders from the University of Texas in 2005. In 2002 as an undergraduate, she served as a mentor in the Longhorn Scholars Program at the University of Texas. In 2005, she served as an AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination, a college preparatory program) tutor in Aldine ISD. In 2006, she returned to the University of Texas-Austin to work as an admissions counselor. And in 2007, she went to work for the Texas A&M University as a regional financial aid advisor. Velis meets the district requirements for the position of college access advisor. Cindy Benge moves from language arts skills specialist at MacArthur Senior High School to program director of intermediate and middle school language arts. Benge received her bachelor s of arts in telecommunications and English in 1985 from Texas Tech University and her master s degree in education from Sam Houston State University in 2007. She began her career in education as an English and journalism teacher at Dayton Independent School District (TX) in 1986. She began to work for Aldine ISD in 1990 in the same capacity. In 1999, she transferred to MacArthur Ninth Grade School to serve as an English teacher. She returned to MacArthur Senior High School in 2005 to serve as a language arts skills specialist. Benge meets the district requirements for the position of program director of intermediate and middle school language arts. Marcus Pruitt moves from assistant principal at Hambrick Middle School to principal at Aldine Middle School. Pruitt received his bachelor s of science degree in mathematics from Jarvis Christian College in 1992 and his master s degree in administration from Prairie View A&M in 2004. He began his career in education in 1994 as a fourth-grade teacher in Fort Bend Independent School District. In 1995, he joined Covenant House Texas as a youth supervisor and activity manager. He began to work for Aldine ISD in 1996 as a mathematics teacher and coach at Hambrick Middle School. In 2005, he moved to serve as assistant principal at the same campus. Pruitt is certified as a principal Dana Carpenter-Baker moves from instructional specialist at Eisenhower Senior High School to assistant principal at the same campus. Carpenter-Baker received her bachelor s of science degree in elementary education from the University of Houston in 1990 and her master s degree in education from Sam Houston State University in 1997; she is certified as a principal. She began her career in education in 1990 in Aldine ISD as an elementary teacher at Black Elementary School. In 2000, she transferred to Stovall Middle School to serve as an English/language arts teacher. In 2003, she transferred to MacArthur Ninth Grade School where she served as instructional specialist. She moved to Eisenhower Senior High School in 2007 to serve as an instructional specialist. Carpenter-Baker is certified as a principal.
Jason Babcock moves from special education teacher at MacArthur Senior High School to assistant principal at Hall Education Center. Babcock received his bachelor s of science in education from Stephen F. Austin State University in 1998 and his master s degree in education administration from Prairie View A&M University in 2004. He began his career in education in 1998 in Aldine ISD as a special education teacher at MacArthur Senior High School. Babcock meets the district requirements for the position of assistant principal. Dr. Jamie Bryson s title has changed from director of financial services to executive director of finance. Olivia Boatner moves from assistant principal at Carter Academy to director of magnet schools at AISD s Resource Center. Boatner received her bachelor s of science in human resources management and consumer science from Texas Southern University in 1995 and her master s degree in educational administration from Prairie View A&M University in 2000. She began her career in education in 1995 in Houston Independent School District as an elementary teacher. In 2000, she joined Aldine ISD as an elementary teacher at Carter Academy. Later in 2001, she served as assistant principal at the same campus. Boatner is certified as a principal. Tamika Alford-Stephens moves from compensatory education teacher at Carter Academy to director of special initiatives at AISD s Central Office. Alford-Stephens received her bachelor s of science degree in business management from Dillard University in 1999 and her master s degree in education administration from Prairie View A&M University in 2003. She began her career in education in 2001 in Aldine ISD as a third grade teacher at Carter Academy. In 2007, she served as compensatory education teacher at the same campus. Alford-Stephens meets the district requirements for the position of director of special initiatives and is certified as a principal. Dr. Lona Alexander moves from director of consolidated programs at AISD s Central Office to program director of Title 1 at Resource Center. Alexander received her bachelor s of science degree in education from Wiley College in 1981 and her master s degree in supervision from Lamar University in 1990. She received her doctorate in educational administration from Texas Southern University in 2000. She began her career in education in 1983 at St. Mary s Catholic School in Port Arthur (TX). In 1984, she joined Beaumont Independent School District as a mathematics teacher at Dunbar Elementary School; in 1992, she moved to serve as curriculum coordinator at the same school. In 2000, she went to work for Port Arthur Independent School District as director of special programs. She joined West Orange Cove Independent School District in 2002 to serve as assistant principal at West Orange Cove High School. In 2003, she returned to Beaumont ISD to serve as principal at Fehl Elementary School. She joined Aldine ISD in 2006 to serve as director of consolidated programs. Alexander is certified as a mid management administrator. Bart Miller moves from social studies teacher at Aldine Senior High School to assistant principal at the same campus. Miller received his bachelor s of arts in history from Loras College and is currently enrolled in a master s degree program at Sam Houston State University. He began his career in education in 1997 in Aldine ISD as a history teacher at Aldine Senior High School. In 1998, he transferred to Aldine Ninth Grade School to serve as a history teacher. He returned to Aldine Senior High School in
2007 to serve in the same capacity. Miller meets the district requirements for the position of assistant principal. Jill Metcalfe moves from skills specialist at Aldine Middle School to assistant principal at Aldine Ninth Grade School. Metcalfe received her bachelor s of science degree in agricultural development from Texas A&M University in 2000 and is currently enrolled in a master s degree program with Sam Houston State University. She began her career in education in 2001 in Aldine ISD as a history teacher and coach at Nimitz Ninth Grade School. In 2006, she transferred to Aldine Middle School to serve as a history teacher. Later in 2007, she moved to serve as skills specialist at the same campus. Metcalfe meets the district requirements for the position of assistant principal. Jennifer Merryman moves from counselor at Aldine Middle School to assistant principal at Plummer Middle School. Merryman received her bachelor s of science degree in mathematics from Sam Houston State University in 1996 and her master s degree in counseling and administration from the same university in 2007. She began her career in education in 1996 in Aldine ISD as a mathematics teacher at Eisenhower Senior High School. In 2001, she transferred to Nimitz Ninth Grade School to serve in the same capacity until being named a counselor at the campus in 2004. In 2007, she moved to Aldine Middle School to serve as a counselor. Merryman is certified as a principal. Edith Santiago moves from bilingual inclusion teacher at Stovall Academy to assistant principal at Black Elementary School. Santiago received her bachelor s of science degree in elementary education from the University of Houston in 2002 and her master s degree in educational psychology from Texas A&M University in 2005. She began her career in education in 2002 in Aldine ISD as a first-grade bilingual teacher at Sammons Elementary School. In 2003, she transferred to Bussey Elementary School to serve in the same capacity; she later went on to serve as bilingual skills specialist and second-grade bilingual teacher at the campus. She joined Stovall Academy in 2006 to serve as an itinerant bilingual inclusion teacher. Santiago meets the district requirements for the position of assistant principal. Joyce Evans moves from program director of elementary language arts at AISD s Resource Center to assistant principal at Stephens Elementary School. Evans received her bachelor s of science degree in elementary education from the University of Iowa in 1990 and her master s degree in education from Sam Houston State University in 1996. She began her career in education in 1991 in Aldine ISD as a seventh-grade level reading teacher at Hambrick Middle School. In 1996, she transferred to Bethune Academy to serve as a fifth-grade language arts teacher until being named skills specialist at the same campus. She joined Smith Academy in 1991 to serve as an instructional specialist. In 2000, she moved to serve as assistant principal at Smith Academy. And in 2002, she joined AISD s Resource Center to serve as program director of elementary language arts. Evans is certified as a principal.
Grants Kimberly Corrick, International Baccalaureate coordinator, and Rhonda Merriweather, composition and rhetoric lab teacher, successfully applied for the Texas International Baccalaureate Schools Innovation Teaching grant in the amount of $1,500. The grant funds will go toward the composition and rhetoric classroom at Kujawa Elementary School where students will be able to engage in drama, debate and speech. Also on hand was Principal Debera Thomas. Principal Raymond Stubblefield of Stephens Elementary received a scholarship in the amount of $1,000 to attend the National Urban School Leaders Institute at Harvard University held July 20-25. The institute is designed for school leaders and teams charged with creating more effective urban schools. Participants examine schools in relation to the community exploring race, culture, equity, special education, and social justice in today s diverse urban classrooms. The institute focuses on strategies for improving teaching and learning, and how to engender commitment from the community to support the work of schools. For information about the institute, visit www.gse.harvard.edu/ppe/principals/programs/usl.html. Hoffman Middle School is the recipient of a Houston A+ grant in the amount of $50,000. Principal Rhonda Johnson will use the funding to infuse art into the curriculum at the campus.
Dr. Sharon Sterchy, AISD program director of health and wellness, has been instrumental in bringing The First Tee National School Program to the school district. The First Tee National School Program trains physical educators to introduce children to the game of golf and The First Tee Nine Core Values honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, preseverance, courtesy, and judgment during regular physical education classes. The Houston Golf Association has informed Dr. Sterchy that AISD has been awarded an additional $5,000 to expand the program. Accepting for Sterchy was Sarah Ptomey, executive director of curriculum and instruction. For more information about The First Tee National Schools Program, visit www.thefirsttee.org. Program presented During the August 19 AISD Board of Education meeting, Dr. Linda Diane G. Patin, AISD program director of gifted and talented, gave a presentation on the Preliminary Scholastic Achievement Test (PSAT). She discussed how students who take the PSAT improve their SAT scores. A major component of the Aldine-College Board Initiative is to encourage tenth-grade students to take the PSAT as a practice test. They receive feedback on their strengths and weaknesses in the three areas the test measures: critical thinking, math problem-solving skills and writing skills. Students can then focus on preparation on those areas that could most benefit from additional study or practice. The students are encouraged as eleventh-graders. As eleventh-graders, the students can enter the competition for scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSQT). Students who take the PSAT not only get to go online and receive feedback, they also have access to My College QuickStart, a free, personalized college and career planning kit. Dr. Patin showed data indicating how students who took the PSAT fared far better than those that did not. The district goal is to increase the number of students taking the PSAT as tenth- and eleventh-graders to help them increase their test scores and scholarship opportunities. For more information about the PSAT/NMSQT and My College QuickStart, visit www.collegeboard.com.