Bright and early this morning, a small group of SAISD administrators, with swag bags and crystal plaques in hand, surprised two unsuspecting staff members with the announcement that they were winners of the District’s Great Employees Modeling our Standards (G.E.M.S.) Employees of the Year award for the 2019-2020 school year. The G.E.M.S. award program recognizes campus and department full-time classified and paraprofessional employees who embody SAISD’s core values of commitment, passion, integrity, respect, and teamwork.
Adriana Moreno, computer lab assistant at Carvajal Elementary School, is the G.E.M.S. Employee of the Year in the paraprofessional category. Magdalena Cruz, head custodian at Travis Early College High School, is the G.E.M.S. Employee of the Year in the classified personnel category.
Adrianna Arredondo, principal at Travis, said that ever since Cruz joined the Travis team, the building has never looked so clean.
“Ms. Maggie, as we endearingly call her, believes, as we all do, that her job is as important as those of the teachers who teach, the cafeteria staff who serve three meals a day, or those in the main office who manage the campus,” said Arredondo. “What is most admirable about her is her honesty and humility because everything she does, she does well and from behind the scenes, never expecting public recognition.”
Dr. Hugo Saucedo, principal of Carvajal Elementary School, had high praise for paraprofessional category winner, Adriana Moreno.
“Ms. Moreno is a true asset to the district,” said Saucedo. “Her commitment to ensuring our students had the materials they needed at a time of crisis is admirable and selfless. She is truly working from the heart and embodies all that is good about SAISD.”
In addition to the two winners, Delisa Nunez, senior executive secretary at Operations Services and Patricia Perez, data clerk at Margil Academy, received honorable mentions in the paraprofessional category. John Gutierrez, warehouseman in the Office of 21st Century Learning, and Anna Zuniga, head custodian at De Zavala Elementary School, received honorable mentions in the classified category.
“During this time, many employees have performed at extraordinary levels to ensure that the District’s mission was fulfilled,” said Associate Superintendent, Human Resources Toni Thompson in a recent memo. District-level winners were recognized at the Monday, Aug. 17, 2020 Board meeting. Click here view the recording.
For more information on the G.E.M.S awards, contact Sylvia Rendon, director of Human Resources, at srendon3@saisd.net or 210-554-8412.
2019-2020 NOMINEES: EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
PARAPROFESSIONAL
Adriana Moreno, Carvajal ES
Amber Sandidge, Mission Academy
Delisa Nunez, Operation Services
Denise Zamora, Herff Academy
Dorothy A Gamez, Ogden
Gina Armendariz, Estrada AC
Jose Patalan, Jr., St. Phillips ECHS
Marian Halderman, ALA Euclid
Martha Trejo, Technology Dept.
Monica Garcia, Miller ES
Patricia Perez, Margil ES
Rebecca Garcia, Early Childhood Dept.
Rebecca Rendon, CAST Med HS
Rita Garay, Crockett Academy
Stephanie Burks, Davis MS
Rosemary Solis, Wilson ES
Angelica Castillo, Cyber P-TECH Sam Houston
Tammy Sheppard, Bowden
CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL
Ana Zuniga, De Zavala ES
John Gutierrez, Office of 21st Century Learning
Magdalena Cruz, Travis ECHS
Maria Luisa Ortega, Douglass Academy
Martha Tristan, Rogers Academy
Raul Coronado, Franklin ES
Graciela Chavez, Highland Hills ES