Board Recognitions

G-PISD aims to recognize and celebrate individuals for their accomplishments, and those recognitions are provided through our schools and programs in a variety of ways. Since it is virtually impossible to honor all our incredible students, staff, and families/community in a limited forum or fashion, guidelines are necessary to ensure an appropriate level of recognition for various honors including recognizing above-and-beyond performance before the School Board at their scheduled board meetings.

Request Form

After reviewing the requirements and guidelines (below), you can complete the BOARD RECOGNITION REQUEST FORM for any individual(s) and/or group(s) to be recognized at a G-PISD board meeting. Requests must be made a minimum of 10 business days in advance of the preferred or upcoming school board meeting.

School Board meeting dates are posted here on our website. If you have more questions about board recognitions, please call 361.777.1091, ext. 1057, or email to communications@g-pisd.org. Thank you!

Requirements & Guidelines

General Information

Student Recognitions

Students earning an award or recognition at the regional, state, or national level(s) are eligible for recognition.
Student(s) may also be recognized for above-and-beyond community or district service, at the discretion of the Superintendent and/or the Chief Communications & Engagement Officer.
The campus teacher, coach, sponsor, principal or a district-level coordinator must initiate the request for student recognition by completing the correct request form and adhering to all deadlines.

Staff Recognitions

G-PISD employees who have earned a regional, state, or national recognition or designation directly related or credited to their type of role, position, or work in the district may be considered for recognition.

G-PISD employees may be also recognized at a school board meeting with an approved outstanding, above-and-beyond service to the community or district at the discretion of the Superintendent and/or Chief Communications & Engagement Officer.
Each month, the district also recognizes Employees of the Month as selected and submitted through the Board Recognition Request Form. Anyone can nominate G-PISD employees of the month.

Family / Community Recognitions

G-PISD families and community members who volunteer in our schools receive annual recognition, and those serving the most hours in any given school year are recognized by the school board.
Community members who have contributed directly to the district in an outstanding way via local partnerships, district or community service, and/or actions taken to improve the lives of students and staff will also be considered for recognition.

Recognition Process @ Board Meetings

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE BEING RECOGNIZED:

1. RSVP! - Make sure you RSVP to the district or campus employee who provided notification. RSVPs as early as possible are vitally important as certificates and materials must be printed. The board will only publicly recognize those who have confirmed they will attend in person. This procedure allows the recognition portion of the meeting to proceed with the interest of valuing the time of all in attendance.

2. ARRIVE 15 MINUTES EARLY! - This allows campus/district teams to ensure all individual(s) being recognized are accounted for in advance of the meeting, and allows time for any question(s) you may have upon arrival.

3. FOLLOW STAFF DIRECTIONS & PROCESS FLOW - The district will provide specific instructions via email to each individual(s) being recognized, which will include a map of where to report; how to line up for recognition; what to know for photos that will be taken; and other general information regarding what to expect before and during the board meeting.

Recent Recognitions w/ Photo Gallery

2023-24

SEPTEMBER 2023

G-PISD Employees of the Month

Our Board of Trustees recognized the G-PISD Auxiliary, Paraprofessional, and Professional Employees of the Month at their board meeting on September 18, 2023. The G-PISD Employees of the Month for September are:

AUXILIARY

Mrs. Brenda Montez is dedicated, hard-working, and takes great pride in her work as an Entry Monitor at G-P Middle School. She understands the importance of maintaining safe and secure schools for our students, and takes that role seriously as she goes about her day. Last year, when the district's custodial team was short-handed, Mrs. Montez volunteered to step up and lend a helping hand. Today, she serves as a substitute custodian whenever she may be needed and she performs this work in addition to her normal duties, after her regular work day. While she began helping out at just the middle school, because of her strong work ethic and attention to details, as well as her generous heart, Mrs. Montez now also helps out at other G-PISD schools when she is called to serve.

PARAPROFESSIONAL

Mrs. Noemi Garcia is said to work "tirelessly" throughout the school year to keep her entire campus team notified of the latest updates and changes to student enrollment and placement as S.F. Austin's Public Education Information Management System (or PEIMS) Clerk. Her colleagues describe her as pleasant, accurate, and timely with information and goes above and beyond to serve others. Mrs. Garcia is approachable, and responds to questions from the team with grace and a smile. We are grateful for her incredible service to our district and all of those we serve together!

PROFESSIONAL

Mrs. Cassandra Smith is a leader in our district whose dedication is rock-solid and whose service to students and staff is immeasurable. Mrs. Smith is said to be a "shining example" of the incredible impact that just one person can make in a school community. Her role as an instructional coach transcends her job responsibilities as she effectively mentors, guides, leads, and facilitates academic growth at her campus with a true passion for seeing our students succeed. Mrs. Smith is extremely intelligent, and she tries to be both strategic and thoughtful as she performs her work and interacts with others. She has an abundance of kindness and compassion, and employs those qualities when seeking first to understand - not just to be understood.

U.I.L. Journalism and Speech and Debate Students recognized for Exceptional Achievements

Additionally, at this month's board meeting, multiple OUTSTANDING G-P High School students were recognized for their exceptional achievements. The first group recognized were students whose talents and hard work throughout the last school year resulted in placement to the All-State UIL Journalism Staff. This impressive feat required them to acquire a minimum of 50 points by competing and exceling in various competitions.

These honors were determined in late summer, and therefore we have some current and former students who were named to the All-State staff. With 74 points, and a region qualifier for feature writing in addition to being a member of the all-state staff, current Senior, Jaiden Vo.

With 93 points earned, and a region qualification for editorials, current G-P Senior, Mark Trevino.

Carrying a total of 95 points, and advancing to region for headline writing and copy editing; then qualifying for state competition in headline writing as well, recent G-P graduate, Abigail Becka.

Having earned 97 points, and qualifying for region in two categories - editorial writing and news writing, current G-P Senior, Savannah Aguilar.

Congratulations to these students, their Journalism Teacher, Mr. Roger Ploch, Principal Monica Waggoner, and all at G-P High School for their support of the journalism program.

COMMUNITY: You can CLICK HERE to download and save the high-quality images of these board presentation photos. Thank you!

Also from G-P High School, two students were recognized whose exceptional achievements in Speech and Debate have been recognized at the state and national levels.

Congratulations to Haley Gregory, who is a National Qualifier in Duo with the National Individual Events Tournament of Champions (NIETC)!

Additionally, a big congratulations is in order to Samantha Gregory! She is a fellow speech-and-debate student who is now a State Qualifier for Program Oral Interpretation with the Texas Forensic Association (or TFA). Samantha is also a National Qualifier in Duo with the NIE Tournament of Champions!

Special thanks to our Speech and Debate Advisor, Mrs. Salena Pereida, Principal Monica Waggoner, and all our high school teachers and staff for their support of these students and their efforts in speech and debate. Congratulations, ladies!

COMMUNITY: You can CLICK HERE to download and save the high-quality images of these board presentation photos. Thank you!

AUGUST 2023

G-PISD Employees of the Month

Our Board of Trustees recognized the G-PISD Auxiliary, Paraprofessional, and Professional Employees of the Month at their board meeting on August 28, 2023. The G-PISD Employees of the Month for August are:

AUXILIARY

Mr. Cliff Avery doesn't merely fix problems; he prevents them from occurring in the first place. His meticulous attention to detail, combined with his dedication to keeping our school environment in top shape. While classrooms and hallways are where our students learn and grow, it's the tireless efforts of individuals like Mr. Avery that ensure these spaces are safe, functional, and conducive to learning. Every day, he goes above and beyond to ensure that our school facilities are well-maintained, efficient, and up to the highest standards. From completing work orders promptly to tackling building tasks with skill and precision, his commitment to his responsibilities is truly commendable.

PARAPROFESSIONAL

Mrs. Susie Rangel possesses the gift of being able to meet parents' concerns with reassurance, greet students' enthusiasm with a warm smile every day, and provide teachers with the support they need to create an effective learning environment. Her role in the front office at S.F. Austin Elementary extends beyond administrative tasks; it's a testament to her dedication and her unwavering commitment to our school's mission. She has not only mastered the art of multitasking but has also infused her work with a deep sense of care and empathy. She has the friendly voice that welcomes visitors, and the problem-solver who works tirelessly to ensure that our teachers have everything they need to succeed. 

PROFESSIONAL

Mrs. Seay is an exceptional educator whose influence among her students and colleagues is well noted at East Cliff Elementary and throughout G-PISD. As a former East Cliff teacher, she was instrumental in helping students overcome barriers to learning and now as an Interventionist she’s equipped with the ability to expand her reach to even more students in need of her vast expertise. She goes above and beyond her job description to help anyone on campus, always shows up when needed, and is dedicated to providing selfless service for all. The progress she’s helped students make to close achievement gaps and be successful is astounding, yet perhaps even more is the love with which her students approach her every day.

School Resource Officers and Armed Guards recognized for Honorable Work

Additionally, at this month's board meeting, G-PISD's School Resource Officers and Armed Guards were recognized for their honorable work. For many years, the district has employed SROs to provide support for our schools. As of last school year, three SROs were serving the district – one at high school, one at middle school, and a third officer maintained the flexibility to report to any campus as needed, when needed. Early this summer, after a year-long review and recommendation process, our Board of Trustees unanimously approved hiring a security firm selected per district protocols for their quality of support – and that firm, Southern Security, employs four Armed Guards as well as a supervisor who report directly to G-PISD leadership for the purpose of serving our elementary campuses.

This additional support equates to an additional annual investment of just more than $160,000 to serve our students, families, and staff – and because the Board approved this decision well in advance of new Texas legislation calling for armed services (otherwise known as House Bill 3) … we were among the very first to secure the highest quality of support for our schools well before the beginning of this academic year.

We would like to HONOR our partnership with the City of Portland who directly employs SROs funded in part by the district – and with Southern Security, our new partner for armed services at elementary schools.

COMMUNITY: You can CLICK HERE to download and save the high-quality images of these board presentation photos. Thank you!

July 2023

G-P Education Foundation honored for Giving to G-P Students & Staff

Our Board of Trustees recognized the G-P Education Foundation at their board meeting on July 24, 2023.The G-PEF was commended for their strong, positive impact in the community. The G-PEF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to serving and supporting our students, teachers, and staff through annual scholarship awards, grant programs, and more. In 2022, 2023, the G-PEF awarded:

- $29,079.14 in grants to G-PISD teachers and staff;

- $7,750 in scholarships for G-PISD Graduating Seniors;

- $5,000 in awards for Teacher of the Award recipients to purchase curriculum materials for their classrooms; and for the first time this year

- $8,938 in reimbursements for out-of-pocket testing expenses paid by G-PISD families whose students took multiple Advanced Placement course exams in the Spring

This brings the organization's annual giving total for last school year to $50,767.14. If YOU would like to learn more and support the education foundation, or attend any upcoming events – with State of the District being the next opportunity on October 25th this year -- you can find all of the information at www.g-pisd.org/gpef. Thank you to these community leaders for the important work they do in G-PISD! #goGPwildcats #GPpride

COMMUNITY: You can CLICK HERE to download and save the high-quality images of these board presentation photos. Thank you!