Partnership In Education

All School District Employees will get a piece of the PIE with the Red McCombs Partnership In Education Program.  Members Qualify for Special Discounts on New or Used Vehicles, and a 15% discount on Parts and Services for up to $250 from any one of our Participating Dealerships (not in conjunction with any other discount or special).  The McCombs Family also will donate $100 towards your Harlandale ISD Education Foundation with the purchase of any vehicle from any one of our Participating Dealerships.

 

A certificate for this donation must be filled out and presented at the time of purchase to be processed.  The certificate can be downloaded by clicking on this link..... Or ask your salesperson for one.

 

All School District Employees are required to provide a photo ID or proof of employment to receive all special discounts.  Visit our website www.redmccombspie.com to view additional participating sponsors offering PIE Partnership discounts.  For more information call or e-mail Pedro “Speedy” Gonzalez to put you in contact with the Sales Manager of the dealership of your choice.

 

For special discounts on Vehicles, Parts and Services go to the Participating Dealership near you or the vehicle brand of your choice.

 

The Director of the Partnership Program for Red McCombs is Dr. Jo Ann P. Gonzalez; please contact her after your vehicle purchase via E-Mail at Drjpgonzalez@Redmac.Net to receive your Partnership In Education gift from our participating Vendors.

 

 

Red McCombs is proud to announce the recognition program Partnership In Education (PIE) employee of the month for HISD.
Goes to: Ms. Mary Valenzuela

School District Name:  Harlandale ISD

Employee Name:  Mary Valenzuela

Campus/Work Area Assigned:  Administration

Job Title:  Administrative Assistant to Assistant Supt. Of Administration

Years of Service:  37 Years

Nominated By:  Peggy West

 

Mary Valenzuela has worked in the Harlandale Independent School District for 37 years.  She currently works as Administrative Assistant to the Assistant Superintendent of Administration.  The consummate professional, Mary is the standard bearer by which all paraprofessionals should be measured.  She is polished, polite and helpful to all.  Often she is required to deal with very irate parents.  She relishes assisting them and never fails to validate their concerns and facilitate their needs.

 

Throughout her years of employment she has served as president or filled many other officer positions for the Harlandale Educational Secretaries and Associates organization.  Mary was instrumental in organizing the HESA scholarship fundraiser, HESA Today.  Held once a year, this banquet serves as the organization’s only fundraising event.  Since its inception eleven years ago, each year five high school students have been awarded college scholarships.

 

Part of the celebration also involves recognition of a Teacher Assistant, Clerk and Secretary of the Year.  Judges not affiliated wit the district review nominations and select one outstanding employee from each category.  Also, annually an award is presented to the Friend of HESA, as an individual, a company or firm that contributes in a way that helps the organization achieve its goals.

 

This banquet requires countless hours of planning, preparation, meetings and oversight of committee responsibilities.  Never doing anything in a small way, the HESA Today banquet is a full-blown production that includes a meal, entertainment, prizes and awards.

 

Beginning months before the event, Mary begins working to make the banquet a  top notch, high quality, memorable event.  Her heart is focused throughout the process on the goal of presenting scholarships to deserving students.

 

HISD Runners up for the PIE Program

Runner-up

School District Name:  Harlandale ISD

Employee Name:  Gina Maranto-Castro

Campus/Work Area Assigned: Child Nutrition Department

Titles:  CATCH Facilitator , Elementary P.E. Facilitator, Safe and Drug Free Schools Facilitator

Years of Service:  28 Years

Nominated By:  Sally Cody, M.S., R.D., L.D. Coordinator for Child Nutrition

 

Ms. Gina Maranto-Castro, a long time Elementary P.E. teacher, was looking for ways to help students be more active to prevent obesity and diabetes.  She came across a program called the Coordinated Approach to Child Health (C.A.T.C.H.) and realized this was a program that would benefit HISD students physically and at the same time enhance their academic performance.  CATCH is designed to teach students how to live healthy lifestyles by increasing physical activity and improving their diet.  In 1999, Ms. Maranto-Castro applied for and won a grant from the Texas Dept. of Health and the Bexar County Health Collaborative which allowed HISD to implement the CATCH program in 5 elementary schools.  At this time, she continued to teach P.E. but also oversaw the CATCH implementation.  In 2002, all elementary implemented the CATCH program and Ms. Maranato-Castro left her job as a P.E. teacher to oversee the CATCH program and develop the School Heath Advisory Council (SHAC) which also includes community members, parents, and school staff and advises the School Board on all health issues.  She also kept the job of P.E. facilitator for Elementary schools.

 

In 2003, the CATCH program was combined with the Child Nutrition program and Ms. Maranto-Castro implemented nutrition and education for all elementary students and quarterly newsletters were sent home to parents.  Ms. Maranato-Castro has been instrumental in working with the Child Nutrition program to implement Nutrition policy changes mandated by the state.

 

For 2004-2005, Ms. Maranto-Castro was the chairperson of Texas Association of Health Physical Education Recreation and Dance, Administrators Section.  Ms. Maranto-Castro represents HISD on the board for the SBC/YMCA.  In December, 2005 Ms. Maranto-Castro received an award from the state CATCH office called the CATCH Champion Award for outstanding program implementation.  In addition to overseeing this program in HISD, Ms. Maranto-Castro has been instrumental in obtaining research grants for the district and oversees the Safe and Drug Free program.

 

Ms. Maranto-Castro’s love of children and teaching has created a deep interest in promoting good health in students.  Ms. Maranto-Castro says, “Because of tragedies in my personal life cause by heart disease and diabetes, I want the child of Harlandale ISD to be educated in healthy living and to have long and successful lives.”

 

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Runner-up

School District Name:  Harlandale ISD

Employee Name:  Ruby Plata

Campus/Work Area Assigned:  Curriculum / Assessment

Job Title:  Student Assessment Coordinator

Years of Service:  28 Years

 

Anybody who knows a thing or two about education knows the role assessment plays in the educational system.  It is a year round morning to evening job and Ruby Plata is the best when it comes to assessment.

Nobody knows how much work it takes to keep all district assessments and state assessments in order.  Just this year alone, Ruby will scan and grade over 100,000 answer documents, order state assessments for over 20 schools at least 5 times this school year .  At any time, anyone can walk in and request testing information and Ruby can get the exact notebook form a collection of over 100.

Ruby is always willing to give a helping hand and go the extra mile to get you what you need.  She is truly dedicated to making everything run smooth.  The rare many nights that Ruby stays late to make sure all tests are secure and accounted for before going home.  She is truly deserving of “The School House Award” and I am honored to nominate her and to call her my friend.

 

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Runner-up

School District Name:  Harlandale ISD

Employee Name:  Beverly Pickett

Campus/Work Area Assigned:  Harlandale Middle School

Job Title:  Reading Teacher

Years of Service:  30 Years

Nominated By:  D. Hernandez

 

I am very pleased to hear about the Partnership in Education employee recognition so that I can nominate Ms. Beverly Pickett to receive the “Red McCombs School House Award”.  Beverly Pickett is a reading specialist at Harlandale Middle School, a true master teacher in every sense of the term, dedicated to her calling of teaching students to acquire reading skills that instill in them a love for reading.  She selfishly spends countless days and even weekends planning various activities that will get a concept across to the students.  Thoroughly grading papers and calling parents to inform them of their child’s progress. She truly cares about each student and about each students success.  Every student gets a birthday card in Mrs. Pickett’s class and every student is welcome.  Her thirty year teaching career include assignments in Willingford, Connecticut as well as in Atlanta, San Francisco and now, Harlandale Middle School.  Mrs. Pickett conducted a Saturday reading camp in the spring and is holding a book club after school.  Beverly Pickett received her bachelor degree from Agnes Scott and a Masters in reading from The University of Texas at San Antonio.  Mrs. Pickett is admired and respected by her peers for her teachers effort and dedication to teaching reading, her diplomacy, her impeccable diction, grammar and penmanship.  Most of all, her consistency to others needs.