BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Shannon Grona, President, District 5
Terri Williams, Vice President, District 2
Sandy Hughey, Secretary, District 1
David Beyer, Trustee, District 4
Steve Hilliard,Trustee, District 6
Marsha Landry, Trustee, District 7
Diane Sciba Villarreal, Trustee, District 3
EXECUTIVE STAFF
Sean Maika, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools
Dan Villarreal, CPA, Chief Financial Officer
Anthony Jarrett, Chief Instructional Officer
Rudy Jimenez, Chief of Schools and Leadership
Anthony Mitchell, Ed.D., Chief Operations Officer
Aubrey Chancellor, Executive Director of Communications
Cover: Kids get creative with summer enrichment activities. (photo credit: KidCreate Studio)
Page 3: Countdown to Cap and Gown
Get all our information for this year’s graduations.
Page 4: North East Briefs
News and information from across our District
Page 5: NEISD Kids’ Summer Camps
Sign up for these full-day, weekly summer camps.
Page 6: NEISD Summer Enrichment Classes
Looking for something for just a few hours? Check out these enrichment classes for kids.
Page 7: H-E-B Excellence in Education Winners
This year, NEISD took home two prestigious state educator awards. Find out who was honored.
Page 8-9: NEEF Gala Spotlights Students, Grants and Donors
Read how much was raised and where the money will go.
Page 10: How They Became Million Dollar Students
Meet two NEISD seniors who are graduating with record-setting scholarship offers.
Page 11: NEISD Alumni Spotlight
Former students make a big impact on the world.
Page 12: It’s Never Too Late for Your Education
Going back to school later in life can be hard, but see how this NEISD employee did it.
Page 13: NEISD Resources for You
From student registration to learning in retirement, we can help.
Page 14: NEISD Teachers of the Year
Help us congratulate all of our campus and overall District Teachers of the Year.
Page 15: Business and Job Advertisements
Back Cover: North East ISD is now hiring!
All NEISD graduations will be live streamed through our District’s graduation ceremonies Youtube channel.
Click HERE to access the site and bookmark for viewing on the big day.
For more event details, visit: neisd.net/graduation
International School of the Americas May 26 7 p.m. Johnson May 27 2:30 p.m. Churchill May 27 7 p.m.
Madison May 28 2:30 p.m. Legacy of Educational Excellence May 28 7 p.m.
Reagan May 29 2:30 p.m.
MacArthur May 29 7 p.m.
Roosevelt May 29 10 a.m.
The traditional high school ceremonies will be held at the Alamodome.
(100 Montana, San Antonio, TX, 78203)
The International School of the Americas ceremony will be held at Trinity University in the Laurie Auditorium.
(One Trinity Pl, San Antonio, TX 78212)
If you see something, say something. Online or by phone.
North East Tip Line
neisd.net/ tipline
North East Police Department
Emergency Number 210-407-0911
Non-emergency Number 210-407-0925
SCHOOL DISTRICT
In the event of an emergency, it’s crucial that your contact information is up to date in your Skyward Family Access account.
Parents, please take a moment to double check your contact information. If you need to update your email address, emergency contacts or phone number, you can easily do so by logging into Skyward (neisd.net/skyward).
To find the latest information on our NEISD Board of Trustees, including maps, policies, meeting dates, videos and agendas, visit: neisd.net/board
It may be possible that you inadvertently unsubscribed from text or email communication from the District. If you believe that’s the case, you can log into your account to double check.
In the event of an incident or emergency on District property, NEISD may communicate with you through several avenues, including email, text message, phone calls, social media and our District website.
kids eat free this summer
North East ISD is participating in the Summer Food Service Program, providing free meals to children 18 years of age and younger. For a location near you:
• CALL 211
• TEXT FOOD or COMIDA to 304-304
• VISIT neisd.net/summermeals
NEISD Community Education invites you to explore our new Youth Summer Enrichment Program. Morning and afternoon classes are available for kids from kindergarten through 5th grade. For your convenience courses will be held at Tuscany Heights, Encino Park and Coker elementary schools.
Come join the fun!
To register visit: https://neisd.ce.eleyo.com or scan the QR code below. For additional information, email commed@neisd.net or call 210-407-0140.
NEISD’s Pre-K Academy at West Avenue is our District’s only dedicated pre-K campus. The H-E-B top honor comes with a $25,000 prize for the school.
The Academy introduces students to social and academic skills through several teaching strategies. They currently enroll 3- and 4-yearold students.
Students get to explore science, technology, engineering, art and math in classrooms guided by teachers trained in early childhood education.
Amie Charney is the Creative Writing Director at the North East School of the Arts (NESA). Her H-E-B award comes with $10,000 for her and an additional $10,000 for NESA.
NESA is a gifted and talented program in the arts, structured as a magnet program on the campus of Legacy of Educational Excellence (LEE) High School.
Students study daily with our unique staff of professional educators who are also working artists with significant training and experience in their individual disciplines.
The North East Educational Foundation (NEEF) hosted its 2023 Boots, Bling and Big Dreams Gala on March 4 at Pedrotti’s Ranch. The western-themed celebration brought together more than 600 guests and raised more than $350,000 for North East ISD students and teachers.
The Gala, chaired by Kimberly Prater, wrangled up teachers, District staff, business partners, parents and community members for a night filled with a BBQinspired menu, entertainment, and fun, all while uniting around the Foundation’s mission.
Funds were raised that evening through table sponsorships, donations, silent and live auctions, a raffle, and a Fund-A-Need appeal.
“The Boots, Bling, and Big Dreams Gala was a huge success because of our amazing sponsors” said Prater. “Their sponsorship serves as an investment in our District and in our community’s future.”
In addition to raising funds, the Gala was a great opportunity for the community to learn about our wonderful students.
“Having students represented at our Gala is extremely important to showcasing their incredible talents,” said NEEF Executive Director Katherine Sanchez-Rocha.
Guests were greeted by the Legacy of Educational Excellence (LEE) High School drum line, as well as cheerleaders from all seven NEISD high schools. This year, two gifted students from the North East School of the Arts (NESA) painted live art during the Gala that included a Pedrotti family portrait and landscape of
the Pedrotti Ranch. Performances by MacArthur High School’s Grupo Folklorico Magnifico and LEE’s Mariachi Unido Ensemble delighted guests during dinner. And Johnson High School Advanced Photography students lent their talents and served as the event photographers.
Every year, the Gala highlights a new initiative in our District. This year, the NEEF Board of Directors chose the NEISD JROTC program as this year’s special FundA-Need appeal.
A few years ago, NEISD set aside 22 acres of land for the development of an JROTC training complex. The training complex, named Camp Henson, has an obstacle course already in use and is accessible to anyone in or out of our District. However, Camp Henson is missing one significant piece of equipment -- a rappel tower. Building a rappel tower at Camp Henson gives JROTC cadets a wonderful opportunity to advance their skills.
Each year, teachers can submit grant applications for their innovative projects. If a project meets the criteria, NEEF will award them with a grant to help bring their idea to life. Will you help support NEEF and help teachers bring their ideas to life?
It will be the first of its kind in San Antonio not located on a military base. During the Gala, NEEF supporters raised nearly $72,000 for the rappel tower, and the NEEF Board of Directors committed an additional $28,000 to complete the project.
One new feature at this year’s Gala was the NEEF Grant Showcase. Students from STEM Academy at LEE, STEM Academy at Nimitz Middle School, Career and Technical Education Center Construction Academy, Woodstone Elementary School, and Agriscience Magnet Program (AMP) at Madison High School displayed how their NEEF grants have enhanced their academic education. Grant funds helped AMP students train guide dogs for the visually impaired. AMP students Chloe Dale and Emma Barna spoke to guests about the intense process to become a guide dog handler and the training routine for raising the dog.
Each year, the Gala raises critical funds to support NEEF’s Innovation Grant Program. These grants are focused on bringing a whole new learning dynamic to students and the classroom. NEEF grants begin with a great idea, lead to profound learning and have a lasting impact.
“This is a game-changer,” said Gordon Hartman, presenting sponsor and founder of the Gordon Hartman Family Foundation. “It’s a game changer because if this did not occur, many children would not be able to achieve some of the incredible results, the outcomes that they will achieve.”
The North East Educational Foundation (NEEF) is a private, non-profit 501 (c)(3) charitable corporation chartered in 1986. Its purpose is to develop and expand educational opportunities for students in North East ISD. NEEF underwrites projects and programs that enhance the basic required curriculum and broaden the range of students’ educational experiences.
Planning for the future can be scary, overwhelming and intimidating for families of future graduates. College isn’t cheap. Financial aid forms can be complicated, and students are all competing for the same scholarships.
Thankfully, North East ISD’s AVID program streamlines the process for our students and families.
And for seniors, Letty Hernandez and Brandon Vasquez Munoz, it earned them both over $1 million in scholarships.
AVID, which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination, sets each child with dreams of earning a college degree up for success.
Letty is a 2023 MacArthur High School graduate. She knows without a doubt that she wouldn’t be attending college at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) this fall without AVID.
“Before AVID, I genuinely thought it was just me on my own,” said Letty. “I just thought high school would be it for me. I never thought I could get into college. I always thought I was limited to what I was able to do, but AVID really helped me believe that I could do more.”
Letty joined AVID at Garner Middle School and stayed the course at MacArthur, where she met Reagan Beres. She’s been teaching at MacArthur for more than 30 years.
AVID places students into AP and Honors courses and puts them on the college track. They are also enrolled in the AVID Elective. For one period a day, they learn organizational and study skills, work on critical thinking and asking probing questions, get academic help from peers and college tutors, and participate in enrichment and motivational activities.
She now teaches the AVID class, where she considers herself lucky to be able to support students who are striving to not only get into college, but earn scholarships along the way. With Beres’ support, Letty earned more than $1 million in scholarship offers during her senior year, including a Dell Scholarship worth $20,000. Letty now has enough scholarship money to pay for both her undergraduate and graduate degrees. She plans to study biology at UTSA and hopes to one day research medicine.
“When I found out that I got the Dell Scholarship, I emailed her at five in the morning to tell her. She’s an inspiration to me and so many others. I don’t know how I could ever thank her for what she’s done for me. She’s guided me the whole way.”
Brandon received similar guidance and support and is graduating this year from Johnson High School with more than $1.2 million in scholarship offers. His tuition will be totally covered at Cornell University, where Brandon plans to study mechanical engineering.
Getting involved in AVID his freshman year changed the trajectory of Brandon’s life, and he has the scholarships to back it up. One of his most impressive awards is a Bill Gates Scholarship worth more than $320,000.
“I think going to college for free is everyone’s dream,” said Brandon. “Honestly, I did not expect this. I was hoping to get something but over a million, I was very surprised. I think I owe a good portion of my success and everything I’ve achieved to AVID.”
AVID is helping students like Brandon and Letty -- who weren’t even sure they’d attend college -- get their degrees debt free.
AVID is currently in 21 NEISD middle and high schools. Reach out to your counselor for more information.
North East ISD is proud of the men and women who graduated from our District and went on to make a positive impact on the world.
arysia
Roosevelt Class of 2015
Roosevelt High graduate, Arysia Porter, plays for the World-Famous Harlem Globetrotters.
“The best part of joining the team is playing the game that I love while traveling around the world to put smiles on people’s faces. In addition, it’s a pleasure to be able to inspire the younger generation, especially young girls.”
The support and inspiration Porter provides the younger generation was something she learned from her teachers and coaches during her time in NEISD.
“They made a positive impact on my life in and out of the classroom.”
Nicolas Cantu
former Stone Oak Elementary School student
Nicolas is a former NEISD student who is making big moves in the entertainment world.
Nicolas recently starred in The Fablemans, directed by Steven Spielberg.
“When I got the news that I would be working with Spielberg on this movie, I was, of course, excited,” said Cantu. “I mean, it’s Steven Spielberg!”
You can also seen him on the big screen in his newest project. Nicolas will voice Leonardo in the new animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem movie to premiere this fall.
Madison Class of 2018
Trevor Mitchell is a commercial pilot who flies for CommuteAir. But just a few years ago, he was a student in NEISD. And he credits this education for getting him where he is today.
“The experiences and teachers I had at NEISD taught me the value of determination, work ethic, and perseverance in achieving your dream career.”
So he put those lessons to work. After graduation, he took flying lessons. Then he earned a degree Aeronautical Management Technology, and trained to become a Commercial Pilot and Certificated Flight Instructor.
ISA Class of 2011
For as long as she can remember, Jessie Saltzman has always loved the theater. Today, she works in the center of the industry – The Public Theater in New York City.
Her journey to one of the world’s biggest stages started at NEISD’s International School of the Americas and North East School of the Arts.
“My teachers at NESA, they played a huge role in who I am today and the work that I do.”
Today in her professional career, she’s worked with Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep and Sandra Oh to name a few.
We always want to hear from our amazing graduates, so if you are a North East ISD graduate or know of one you want to tell us about, reach out so we can tell your story! Drop us a line at neisd.net/tellyourstoryjessie saltzman
Virginia Calvillo proves it’s never too late to make a dream happen, and that no matter what hardship you face, it doesn’t have to hold you back.
“I was born in Florida but moved to Mexico with my parents and we lived there until I was six,” said Calvillo. “Then, we came back to the United States and I enrolled in school. But my parents took me out of school at 9 years old, and I started working with them doing gardening and cleaning yards.”
Soon after, her parents abandoned her, and surviving had to take priority over being in school, so she never reenrolled.
“At the age of 14, I moved to Austin and had my first child by the time I was 15.”
She did the best she could, working minimum wage jobs. Today, she is a mom to three boys. Her oldest asked her one day if she wanted to do more or try something else. It made her start thinking.
Then, as she did volunteer work at her youngest sons’ elementary school, she was encouraged by a staff member who saw how great she was with the children.
“She said she saw that I had a real passion. Mrs. Green made an appointment for me so I could go and start school to get my GED. She’s the one I really have to thank.”
Virginia’s appointment was with North East ISD’s Adult Education program which helps adults re-start and finish their education. And at the age of 30, Virginia was back in school. That was just this past June.
In four months, she got her High School Equivalency (HSE) and obtained a paraprofessional certification through Region 20.
By December, she was working as an instructional assistant at Regency Place Elementary School.
“In the morning, I help with lunch duty,” said Calvillo. “I also help the nurse, Ms. Jackie, whenever she needs me, or I help around the office whenever they need me.
Looking back at her experience with NEISD, she is so grateful to the people who helped and encouraged her.
“When I first started, it was hard. I kept saying I want to give up, that I didn’t think I could do it. But my teacher kept saying ‘Why not?’ and that ‘Why not?’ is always in my head whenever I want to back out or doubt myself. I’m grateful because this experience opened a lot of doors to me that I thought were all closed.”
And recently, she walked through another set of doors. Virginia enrolled in college and just finished her first semester at Alamo Colleges. She plans to become an early childhood teacher.
“For now, I’m doing my basics at SAC, but I hope to go to UTSA to continue. Fingers crossed.”
A life that started out rough is now full of promise, and just like people inspired and motivated her, she wants to do the same.
“I have people ask me for advice now. And I tell them, it’s never too late to accomplish your goals if you really want them. It’s never too late.”
For more information on the NEISD Adult Education program, click HERE.
The North East ISD online registration system was developed to help parents expedite their student’s registration process. Parents of students who are new to the District are encouraged to use the online system. You can access it on the main page of the NEISD website at neisd.net. It takes two easy steps.
Step 1: Register online and upload your documents. (birth certificate, proof of address, social security card, immunization records, etc)
Step 2: Confirm your registration with your child’s campus.
For complete details, visit: neisd.net/registration
If you are not sure what campus your child should attend, you can look it up online at: neisd.net/boundaries
*The registration window for the 2023-2024 school year is open. become
Parents, guardians, grandparents, business partners and any member of our community who wants to support our staff and students can apply to volunteer.
You can provide a variety of support to students, teachers and staff. From helping teachers in the classroom, going on field trips, lending a hand in the cafeteria, or serving as an extra set of eyes and layer of safety, volunteers are essential members of our NEISD family.
All volunteers must pass a secure background check and be at least 18 years old. To learn more, visit: neisd.net/volunteer
The Academy of Learning in Retirement (ALIR) is an all-volunteer learning academy, offering a variety of classes to anyone 50 or older. There are spring, summer and fall semesters, and for a fee of $85, members can take an unlimited number of classes per term. Each semester includes three luncheons, a member art show and lots of socialization.
Classes cover topics, such as history, painting, dancing, movies, health and wellness, quilting, technology writing and more!
Take a class, teach a class or do both!
For more information, visit: neisd.net/alir or call 210-407-0167.
Morgan Zettner (Bulverde Creek Elementary School)
Sarah Spring (Camelot Elementary School)
Kim Roy (Canyon Ridge Elementary School)
Jennifer Harrington (Castle Hills Elementary School)
Sigrid Stern (Cibolo Green Elementary School)
Courtney Teegardin (Clear Spring Elementary School)
Jennifer Sanchez (Coker Elementary School)
Brian Kingsbury (Colonial Hills Elementary School)
Patricia Riou (Dellview Elementary School)
Kristen Vara (East Terrell Hills Elementary School)
Cheryl White (El Dorado Elementary School)
Julie Vandertulip (Encino Park Elementary School)*
Lindsay Snyder (Fox Run Elementary School)
Ashlee Lara (Hardy Oak Elementary School)
Sarah Norman (Harmony Hills Elementary School)
Callie Richardson (Hidden Forest Elementary School)
Natalie Watts (Huebner Elementary School)*
Holly Elia (Jackson-Keller Elementary School)
Sydney Gray (Larkspur Elementary School)
Alison Davies (Las Lomas Elementary School)
Nicole Morrow (Longs Creek Elementary School)
Kelci Bowen (Montgomery Elementary School)
Melissa Rodriguez (Northern Hills Elementary School)
Leah Liles (Northwood Elementary School)
Heather Malone (Oak Grove Elementary School)
Mary Koudelka (Oak Meadow Elementary School)
Laura Outon (Olmos Elementary School)
Lillian Owens (Pre-K Academy at West Avenue)
Amy Little (Redland Oaks Elementary School)
Laura Moreno (Regency Place Elementary School)
Elizabeth Ruiz (Ridgeview Elementary School)
Gabriela De Los Santos (Roan Forest Elementary School)*
Lauren Kinsfather (Royal Ridge Elementary School)
Jessica Diaz (Serna Elementary School)
Linda Phillips (Stahl Elementary School)
Drea Granado (Steubing Ranch Elementary School)
Liliana Patino (Stone Oak Elementary School)
Colleen Chapman (Thousand Oaks Elementary School)
Laura Ryan (Tuscany Heights Elementary School)
Ariana Gonzalez (Vineyard Ranch Elementary School)
Leslie Rosas (Walzem Elementary School)
Christine Bouchard (Wetmore Elementary School)
JoAnn Williams (Wilderness Oak Elementary School)
Zachariah Jacobes (Wilshire Elementary School)
Michelle Renteria (Windcrest Elementary School)
Brynn Warner (Woodstone Elementary School)
Kristen Aceves (Bush Middle School)
Jennifer Perelstein (Nimitz Middle School)*
Amy Sadler (Driscoll Middle School)
Kyndall Carter (Hill Middle School)
Shirley Lebron (Harris Middle School)
Ami Giguere (Eisenhower Middle School)
Keisha Greenwood (Ed White Middle School)
Melinda Waters (Tejeda Middle School)
Crystal Nell (Wood Middle School)
Sarah Smith (Garner Middle School )
Erin Solis (Lopez Middle School )
Heather Gafke (Bradley Middle School)
Alyse Heinricks (Krueger Middle School)
Donald Payne (Jackson Middle School)
Kara Juhl (ACE)
Sonya Brown (CTEC)
Megan Cobb (Johnson High School)
Juliane Foy (MacArthur High School)
Leslie Ramirez (ISA)
Josh Beck (iCSI)
Jessica Saenz (Madison High School)*
Marnique Jourdan-Davis (Legacy of Educational Excellence)
Melissa Fekkos (NEAC)
Heather Solis (NETS)
Michelle Moore (Reagan High School)
Hana Velik (Roosevelt High School)*
Karin Montemayor (Churchill High School)
* District Finalists
