Nov 2023 Professional Employee of the Month

Kayla Maldonado -EA SPED Teacher Mott ES

She is always willing to do not only her part, but assist other team members with their part. She is communicative with the SPED team and ensures that everyone is on the same page about each student. She communicates time changes and allows each team member to reschedule ahead of time and respects the related service team’s time and commitments. She has offered her own supplies and supports to assist others in their job responsibilities.  

She keeps a positive attitude throughout the day regardless of what is happening. When a student has a behavior, she handles it appropriately and continues the day with a positive outlook. If something does not go as planned, she is ready to change the plan and makes everyone around feel at ease. She consistently keeps her composure and encourages the other staff members.  

She has supported her students and been ahead of the curve with every need her students have. She reached out for the necessary supports and accommodations for each student. She also is willing to assist her team members with tasks that do not specifically relate to her or impact her. she is in constant communication with her students’ parents and includes the related service and SPED team.

She is a team member that always shows up for the job and her team members. She has offered continuous support and encouragement to her students, the students on campus, and her coworkers. She makes the work place a safe space.

Overall, she is an amazing teacher and Pflugerville ISD is very grateful for her dedication to the students, the staff and this district.  

Nov 2023 Support Employee of the Month

Shari Thorn – Executive Assistant for the Board of Trustees

She, consistently maintains a remarkably positive attitude when handling phone calls from upset parents, community members, and teachers. Her dedication to treating every individual with respect, ensuring they are directed to the appropriate resources for assistance, and following up to confirm resolution demonstrates her unwavering commitment to exceptional service.

Her workload is notably demanding, serving NINE different bosses, including the Superintendent and Chief of Staff. Despite this, she diligently tends to their needs, always making each of them feel like their concerns are her top priority. Her unwavering dedication and approachable demeanor are invaluable assets in fostering a positive and productive working environment.    

"She is a hidden gem within our organization, quietly but profoundly contributing to its success in ways that often go unnoticed. While she may not always be in the spotlight, her behind-the-scenes efforts are undeniably integral to our daily operations. Shari plays a pivotal role in ensuring the well-being of our Board members, the seamless execution of our Board meetings, and the provision of compassionate assistance to those who reach out in distress.

It's not uncommon for organizations to celebrate individuals who achieve remarkable feats, coordinate noteworthy events, or raise substantial funds for a noble cause, yet sometimes, the unsung heroes who consistently show up, day in and day out, providing essential support to maintain the organization's vitality, can be overlooked. Shari embodies this understated dedication.

She brings a sense of order and efficiency that is invaluable to our organization. She guarantees that our Board members are cared for and that our Board meetings are conducted smoothly and professionally. Her warm and compassionate approach to addressing concerns and inquiries over the phone is a source of comfort to those in distress. 

Her contributions may not always make headlines, but they are the foundation upon which our organization's success is built. She is, without a doubt, an unsung asset to Pflugerville ISD, and her tireless dedication deserves our recognition and appreciation." 

Overall, we are very fortunate to have her in our district and furthermore as part of our Administrative Staff. Pflugerville ISD is very thankful for her dedication to our staff and our district. 

Nov 2023 Guest Educator of the Month

Angelina “Angie” Salazar Springhill ES

Angie comes in almost every day to support our vacant EA positions. She is always checking in to see what help we need and where. She is not just a sub to us- she is willing to help as a full staff member with whatever is needed!    

She is always a joyous and positive presence when she is on our campus! Our kids (and staff) are always happy to see her and love it when she comes to help them.

When she is here, she works like she is a full-fledged staff member and not a sub. She is always asking what else she can do to help lighten our load. She also learns what the students like and will bring them little things that will be motivating for them to work for!

Overall, she is the best. She has built a great relationship with the students and our staff. Pflugerville ISD is very thankful for her dedication to our students, the staff and our district. 

Oct 2023 Professional Employee of the Month

Heather Blamey - Timmerman ES PE Teacher

When you think of a team player, Heather is who you should think of. Every morning she is out front opening car doors and welcoming students to school. When students get out of the car upset, she calms them down and gets them to their classroom within minutes of their arrival. She then teaches her gym classes throughout the day before returning to parents' pick-up at the end of the day in the hot sun, smiling and checking in on parents in the pick-up line. When our system had flaws, Heather met with the admin team to find ways to make our system better and continued to enhance our system until we got our end of day dismissal down to roughly 20 minutes.   

Since I have been at Timmerman, I can honestly say I have never heard anything negative from or about Heather. If she's not loving kids and encouraging them, she is loving staff members and encouraging them. Her positive energy is felt around campus in everything that she does.

When you think about, above and beyond, duties for Heather, the one that sticks out the most is her spearheading dismissal, but outside of that, this is her first year as a PE Teacher. Heather most recently taught 2nd grade and has been in the classroom, but now she is our PE teacher and we already see her bringing in new and innovative ways to make sure we get our PE minutes, but also make sure our staff members get active, as she has also taken on the campus wellness coordinator.      

Being a new staff member at a campus is tough whether you are a new teacher or new admin, but Heather not only welcomes the current staff members, she welcomes them all. As we as a district think about passionate service, we should strive to have more people who embody the qualities of Heather, as she is truly a hidden gem.

Overall, she is an amazing teacher and Pflugerville ISD is very grateful for her dedication to the students, the staff and this district.  

Oct 2023 Guest Educator of the Month

Jeanne “Nanie” Smith Caldwell ES

Nanie is at CWES almost every day, whether she is subbing in a classroom or volunteering.  She is always helping and asking staff what she can do to assist them, which makes her an amazing team player. 

Nanie is the definition of positivity.  No matter the situation or concern, she is always there with optimism and providing solutions to help assist.

Nanie comes in every morning and assists us with our crosswalk because we currently do not have someone hired for that position. She also has been helping cover classrooms and be additional support for them while they are completing the BOY testing.

I believe Nanie is very worthy of this nomination. She is known on campus as everyone's grandma due to her love and care for the staff and students.

In a nutshell, she is overall the best. She has built a great relationship with the students and our staff. Pflugerville ISD is very thankful for her dedication to our students, the staff and our district. 

Oct 2023 Support Employee of the Month

Melissa Ostoja – Caldwell ES Admin Support

Melissa is open-minded and will work with anyone on any task that is needed to help the school be successful.          

Melissa is always smiling and cheerful.  She greets everyone who walks into the office with special attention and care.    

Melissa is fluent in Spanish, and often provides translation services for the nurse and administration on a regular basis. She is someone that we can always count on.

Melissa is a hard worker and works until everything that needs to be accomplished is completed, whether or not that item is strictly part of job her description or not, she will ensure that it gets done.

Overall, we are very fortunate to have Ms. Ostoja in our district and furthermore, as part of our Support Staff here at Caldwell ES. Pflugerville ISD is very thankful for her dedication to our staff and our district. 

May 2023 Professional Employee of the Month
Maryann Camacho: Dessau Middle School

With 15 nominations for the month of May, here are just a few of the great things that some of Ms. Camacho’s team members had to say about her; she communicates very well regarding her students and goes above and beyond to ensure that families are involved with their children's learning. She consistently greets her students and coworkers with a genuine smile and uses restorative practices in her daily lessons to help grow and sustain positive relationships.

In the ELAR department, she sets goals, keeps morale high, and effectively directs our team.  When you meet her, you will assume that no one can be that genuinely upbeat and positive, but she's all that and more! She motivates others with her genuine winning spirit! She always has a smile and a kind word to share with others. She is one who advocates for her students and tutors during her lunchtime. "Having her on TEAM DMS makes a huge difference! The DMS family can attest to how much input and behind the scenes work she contributes to our DMS community. She's devoted to helping whenever and wherever she is needed. In addition to that, she is constantly and patiently explaining technology strategies, tutoring educators on best practices, giving her time and expertise all over the campus. When our DMS family gets bogged down in confusing concepts, she clears the muddy waters and checks on us down the road. She does all of this with grace and selflessness." She's insightful, encouraging, enthusiastic, and an incredible problem-solver.

Overall, she is an amazing teacher and Pflugerville ISD is very grateful for her dedication to the students, the staff and this district.  

May 2023 Support Employee of the Month
Espy Mena: Rowe Lane ES Crossing Guard

Ms. Mena is one who enjoys working closely with others. As a crossing guard, she gets to see all the children come through every single morning, making her a great team leader for our organization. She is a dedicated team member who is well known at Rowe Lane ES. Due to her excellent team-oriented personality, everyone at the school, including the children, knows Ms. Mena.

She comes in every single morning ready to work with a great smile on her face and such a positive attitude that is very contagious to others. She always makes eye contact with all the kids and parents and ensures that she tells the kids to have a great or wonderful day. She will call them sweetie. The kids will come up to her and call her by her name and give her a hug. I have never seen her NOT smiling. All the kids love her and will say hi and wave to her because she is just so joyful to be around. She recognizes the importance of being a positive influence for children and knows that she is the first thing they will see in the morning, so her radiance is what will hopefully brighten their day. She strives to hopefully change their attitude when they cross that "crosswalk" threshold and "have a great day".

Safety is our number one priority for our children and she recognizes the importance and knows that we must keep that as our priority. She ensures that all of our children are kept safe every morning. She communicates effectively with her partner and anyone that is waiting to ensure that no one moves out of turn, whether it's the cars or the kids and always performs her duties with a high degree of accuracy.  She is very impressive at her job.

She’s a trustworthy member of our team who is consistent, dependable and someone who takes care of a BIG part of our future. The love and nurturing effect she has helps their attitudes change when she welcomes them every morning and it's such a positive thing to know that we have her as part of our team. This school is lucky to have someone who we can rely on to make these kids so happy from the get-go. She is overall just a great person.

Overall, we are very fortunate to have Mr. Mena, in our district and furthermore, as a Crossing Guard at Rowe Lane ES. Pflugerville ISD, is very thankful for her dedication to our staff and our district. 

May 2023 Guest Educator of the Month
Kendra Hack: Mott ES Guest Educator  

Ms. Kendra Hack was nominated as Guest Educator for the month of May by one of the parents whose greatest importance is the education of her children.

She stated “I would like to nominate Ms. Hack for being a great teacher to the Kinder class at Mott ES, she offered to ensure these little ones had a teacher after having the class bounce around from 2 different teachers and offered them stability.”

She is an amazing and super supportive guest educator who is extremely helpful towards these children. She also has a great line of communication with her parents.

Ms. Hack is a great team player who always performs with a positive attitude and goes above and beyond her initial assigned duties.

In a nutshell, she is overall the best. She has built a great relationship with her students. Pflugerville ISD is very thankful for her dedication to our students, the staff and our district. 

April 2023 Guest Educator Employee of the Month
Valerie Cantwell: Jessica Carpenter Elementary

Valerie has been selected as our April Guest Educator Employee of the Month. Ms. Cantwell has been with the district since 2010.

Her peers described her as someone who deeply cares for the students and is always flexible. She goes above and beyond what is asked of her and has built a great relationship with the staff and students. 

April 2023 Professional Employee of the Month
Mimi Winkler: Timmerman Elementary School 1st Grade Teacher

Ms. Winkler has been selected as the PfISD Professional Employee of the Month for April. She steps in whenever needed and is always willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.

She has been described as a first-rate leader and steps in whenever she is needed. She has been teacher of the year several times and is just absolutely amazing.  

 April 2023 Support Employee of the Month 
Chris Turner: Connally High School SpED Behavior EA

Mr. Turner is a team player who is always looking out for everyone around him. A great role model for our students and staff and someone who is always there to lend a helping hand. 

His presence with the entire school body is one that is welcomed. He loves helping out, whether it's sports, behavior or just making everyone smile. CHS is fortunate to have Mr. Turner.  

March 2023 Professional Employee of the Month
Monica Guerra: Cele Middle School  Counselor

Monica works diligently alongside her AP and with her 6th grade team daily to provide a seamless atmosphere of both academic and social-emotional support. She meets the definition of a team player perfectly and I am grateful to work with her as well as be part of our Cele Colt Counseling team.

Monica also urged and helped organize a coat donation drive during our first cold weather snap. Thanks to her initiative, students without coats can come to our office to get a coat any time throughout the year. Monica truly is priceless to our campus's positive culture.

March 2023 Support Employee of the Month 
Estella Alvarado: Support Services Custodial Staffing

Ms. Alvarado is always assisting with our department's issues and helping come up with solutions. She is not afraid to step up out of her role and help in a different capacity. 

She is an amazing person to be around and we are fortunate to have Estella as our staffing specialist. Furthermore, we are very thankful for her dedication to our staff and our district.

March 2023 Guest Educator Employee of the Month
Tracy Thomas: Jessica Caldwell Elementary

Ms. Thomas is always willing to lend a hand when subbing at our campus. She is a positive light and always finds good in the things around her.

She is always the last sub to turn her stuff in because she always makes sure that the kids are where they need to be at the end of the day. The students all love her and we all respect her. 

February 2023 Professional Employee of the Month 
Ameka Hunt: Weiss High School Principal

Mrs. Hunt exemplifies all of the WHS core values. No matter the task, she will roll up her sleeves and pitches in! Mrs. Hunt can often be seen helping out cleaning tables in the cafeteria, assisting with tardies, in and out of classrooms, and at every school event. Always the first to sign up to participate in faculty challenges, and supports all staff through positive encouragement.

In such a short time, Mrs. Hunt has come into Weiss and transformed this campus! The Climate and Culture are on the way UP! Her vision execution is happening at record speed and we are so grateful to have her here at Weiss!

February 2023 Support Employee of the Month 
Joe Cervantes: Executive Admin. Weiss High School

Joe is our do it all person! Often, he is one of the first people at school and the last to leave. He is always helpful, no matter what the situation. He will either help remedy a situation or find someone who can.  

Although Joe has a high-stressed job, he loves it. He strives to make Weiss High School the best with a smile on his face. He is proud of our students and shows it by taking pictures of all the wonderful things they do and keeping up with our social

February 2023 Guest Educator Employee of the Month
Douglas Manning: Wetview Middle Elementary

Mr. Manning is the finest example of what being a team player is all about. He has been a dedicated Guest Educator for Westview and has built and fostered wonderful relationships with our students.

Mr. Manning shows up to work with a smile and a good heart. He is now such a familiar face that the faculty and students say "hello" and good morning as they see him in the halls. He is always happy to be here, excited to see our kids and participates in our school spirit days. You can always catch him with a smile on his face. 

December 2022 Professional Employee of the Month
Brian Silverman:  Cele Middle School Essentials Teacher 

Mr. Silverman was selected among 36 other professionals in PfISD that were nominated in his category. His peers have shared that he is one who supports and contributes to the team with a positive attitude and he enjoys all of his students even when it's been a rough day. 

He always goes above and beyond without being asked and we appreciate the support that he provides for our students. He is an amazing teacher and we are grateful for his dedication. 

December 2022 Support Employee of the Month 
Elizabeth Araujo: Senior Admin. Assistant Fine Arts

 Ms. Araujo never ceases to amaze our staff with her unwavering ability to find a way to make things happen in the fine arts department. Her response to every question or concern is that we will figure it out. She has a team member mind set and always has the teachers and-most importantly, the students' best interests in mind. 

There isn't a day that she does not come in without a can-do attitude. We are very fortunate to have Liz in our district and, furthermore, as the Department of Fine Arts Senior Administrative Assistant. 

November 2023 Professional Employee of the Month
Karen Shah Executive Director

Karen always has the best interests in our district in mind. She has taken on her department and has made a significant contribution to the district due to her commitment and high-quality standards. She does not hesitate to offer her expertise and support when needed. 

She also manages to prioritize her own team, by offering support, monitoring workloads, supporting decision-making and general well-being. With little notice or preparation, Karen picked up the TIA project in August and has fully implemented new protocols to bring this project to fruition. She is at work before 7am and rarely leaves before 6pm.  Karen's depth of understanding is unmatched.  PfISD is lucky to have her, and she deserves to be publicly recognized for her work.

November 2023 Professional Employee of the Month
Stephanie Christian WMS Science Teacher

Stephanie serves on a number of teams at WMS including Leadership and the NJHS. She serves to be a great resource for our campus operations and has volunteered her lunches to help with hallway monitoring, and is especially reliable when classroom coverage is needed on campus. 

Her positive attitude is contagious. She is a highly personable, always attentive, charismatic role model and the students seem to welcome the constructive feedback as it is received in the intent to make them better, rather than focusing on errors. There is no off switch to GREAT teaching, peer assistance and support.  

November 2023 Guest Educator Employee of the Month
Rikki Taylor River Oaks Elementary

Ms. Taylor is always willing to help wherever needed. She comes in with a smile and never hesitates to assist with classes other than the one she originally chose. The staff at ROES feel lucky to have her as a guest educator on our campus.

She always has kind words for the staff and the students at our school and does not complain when asked to move from one position to another, she does everything with a smile on her face and offers to help wherever she is needed. Ms. Taylor is a great guest educator and PfISD is very happy to have her.