AISD: Social Studies - Middle School

Joe Ramirez:

(joramire@austinisd.org) I graduated from the University of Texas at AUSTIN ISD Social Studies Curriculum Department Wins AASA Award

Austin ISD Social Studies Curriculum Supervisor Joe Ramirez received the good news in January that his department had won the
2009 American Association of School Administrators award for outstanding leadership in voter education. (see AASA press release)

The award was presented during the Friday, February 20, General Session at the AASA convention in San Francisco.

(see photos from event)

"All of us at the National Student / Parent Mock Election are delighted with the leadership role Austin played and hope to share your exciting work with school districts all across the country," said the President of NSPME, Gloria Kirshner. Austin in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education that also includes a social studies composite. I went back to graduate school at the University of Phoenix in 2006 and recently graduated with a Masters of Arts degree in Educational Administration that includes principal certification. I began my teaching career in Austin ISD in 1984. I spent the first nine years of my career at O. Henry Middle School, where I taught 7th and 8th grade social studies in addition to the Peer Assistance and Leadership (PAL) class. I also served as Student Council and Junior National Honor Society sponsor. While at O. Henry, I had the honor of being selected O. Henry Middle School Teacher of the Year in 1988 and 1989. I was part of the original faculty that opened Bailey Middle School in 1993 and remained there until 1996. During the time I spent at Bailey, I taught 8th grade social studies and the PAL class. During my tenure at Bailey, I also began the National Geography Bee at this campus and had several students advance to the state finals each year. I completed my teaching career at Stephen F. Austin High School, where I taught World History and Advanced Placement U.S. History. I also served as the sponsor for the Austin High Hall of Honor Steering Committee and was part of a team that oversaw the construction of the new Hall of Honor in the school's new Performing Arts Center. While at Austin High, I was chosen by my peers as the 1999 Austin High School Teacher of the Year. In the overall district competition, I was selected as the 1999 Austin ISD High School Teacher of the Year. I left Austin High School in January 2001 after being in the classroom for 17 years and moved into district's social studies curriculum department. I have worked in the Austin ISD Social Studies Curriculum Department for the past six years. I began by supporting the district's high schools and was part of the team responsible for the development and implementation of the district's IPGs and benchmarks. During my tenure in this department, greater accountability has been placed on social studies as the state of Texas implemented the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) for social studies in Grades 8, 10, and 11. I currently serve as Vice President of the Texas Social Studies Supervisors Association (TSSSA) and am a member of the Capital Area Council for the Social Studies (CACSS), Texas Council for the Social Studies (TCSS), National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), and the National Social Studies Supervisors Association (NSSSA). I have been serving in the capacity of academic social studies supervisor since February 1, 2008 and work with a strong and dedicated group of professionals who consistently support all Austin ISD campuses in the promotion of a rigorous and engaging social studies curriculum at all grade levels. Back to Top >>

Lisa Ellis:

Lisa Ellis (lellis@austinisd.org) Lisa began working for AISD in 1984 as a senior at McCallum High School for Vocational Office Education. She substituted during the summer of 1985 and was hired permanently in December of that year. Since 1995 she has worked in the Curriculum Department as an Administrative Assistant for Music, PE and now Social Studies. Lisa and her husband have been married for 13 years and have a daughter, Skylar who is 8 and a son, Trace who is 5. She says, "I love working in the Social Studies department. These guys are great to work with!" Back to Top >>

Arika Ramirez-Cuevas:

Lisa Ellis (aramire1@austinisd.org) Arika (pronounced like Erika) Ramirez-Cuevas worked at J. Houston Elementary as a clerk from 2004 until July 2008 when she joined the Social Studies curriculum department. Arika is a newlywed and is currently pursuing a degree. She is very eager to see another side to A.I.S.D. in her new position as a secretary in the social studies department.
"I can't wait to discover the wonderful world of social studies!" says Arika. Back to Top >>

Janie McClam:

Janie Mcclam (jmcclam@austinisd.org) Janie is a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso with a BA in History. She has a Masters in Education from Lesley University. She is certified in Texas to teach General Elementary 1st through 8th Grade, Social Studies, 1st through 8th grade, and has a mid management and supervision certificate. She has taught in public schools for 24 years and in private schools for two years. She is married to Jim McClam, who is retired military (Army) and who works for Motorola. They have two sons, Kevin, a NASA engineer and Dwayne who works for the city of Austin in the GIS department. She has a daughter-in-law, Serena who works in business and two super grandsons James, a first grader and Michael, a preschooler. Janie has two granddogs, Misty, a loyal German Shepherd and Diva, a friendly Italian Mastiff. Back to Top >>

Susan Everett:

Susan Everett (severett@austinisd.org) Susan graduated from the University of North Texas in 1986 in Denton. She began teaching Texas History at Strickland Middle School in Denton. An opportunity to teach AP U.S. History led her to teach at the high school level at Denton High School, and then later at Westwood High School in Round Rock. After her 21st year in teaching, Susan became part of the AISD Social Studies Curriculum team in August of 2006. Back to Top >>

Janie Maldonado:

(jamaldonado@austinisd.org) Janie Maldonado earned a B.A. from Our Lady of the Lake College in San Antonio, Texas. Her major was history with a minor in Spanish. She earned a Masters degree in educational management from UTSA. Her post masters' work includes certification in administration and supervision. She began her teaching career at Martin Junior High where she was also department chair and team leader. Janie transferred to Lanier High School where she taught, World History, United States History (honors and A.P.), Government, and Mainstream and Minorities, a course offered during the quarter system. In 1982, Janie completed an internship with Dr. Frances Nesmith as a Social Studies Coordinator Intern. At Lanier, Janie was department chair, served as co-chair of the CAC, scholarship committee, Faculty and Staff Appreciation Committee and other committees. Janie has also served on many district committees such as the District Safety Committee, 125th Anniversary, Committee, Reserve Force Committee, Professional Compensation Committee, and the AISD Committee for Teacher Evaluation. Janie has been in the Social Studies Curriculum Department since 2002.
She is also a member on four executive boards all focused on education. Janie is a member of several educational organizations. Back to Top >>

Jessica Jolliffe:

Celeste Smith (jjolliff@austinisd.org) After earning a B.A. in History from Bryn Mawr College, Jessica began her career in education in 1999 as part of Teach for America's Rio Grande Valley Corps. Jessica taught 6th grade Social Studies in Raymondville ISD and taught 6th, 7th and 8th grade Social Studies at the IDEA Academy, a charter school in Donna, Texas. In 2002 Jessica moved to Austin to attend graduate school at the University of Texas. Jessica received a M.Ed. in Curriculum Studies in 2003 and began working at Bailey Middle School as an 8th grade Social Studies teacher while pursuing a doctorate in Social Studies Education at U.T. Jessica's family includes her husband Tom, who is a teacher-mentor in AISD, her daughter Jean, who is 7 months old, and two cats, Martin and Deux. Jessica joined the Social Studies Curriculum team in July 2008. Back to Top >>

Celeste Smith:

Celeste Smith (celsmith@austinisd.org) After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin in May, 1977, Celeste began teaching World Geography at Crockett High School in August that same year. She spent her entire 30 year teaching career at Crockett, serving as the Social Studies Department Chair from1992-2007. In August, 2007, she began her new job as a social studies curriculum specialist with AISD.
Celeste and Gary Smith, Director of Pharmacy at Central Texas Rehabilitation Hospital, have been married for 27 years and have two sons, Christopher, a petroleum engineer and graduate of UT Austin, and David, a senior political management major at St. Edward's University in Austin. Back to Top >>

Terry Loessin:

(tloessin@austinisd.org) Terry Loessin is a 1986 graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown. He received his Masters of Divinity from the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 1990. In his fourth year of pastoral ministry work he began doing post-graduate work, selecting courses that appealed to his interest in history. He received his history certification through Southwest Texas State University in 1994, having completed his student teaching at Round Rock High School. He began his high school teaching career there the following year, teaching his passion - World History. In 1999 he and several other Round Rock veterans joined the founding faculty of Austin's newest high school in south Austin named for W. Charles Akins. In 2006 he began his new job as a curriculum specialist in the Bureau of Curriculum's Social Studies department. He enjoys helping teachers find the resources they need and providing as many of those resources as he can on the department's website - a project he helped develop and continues to enjoy managing. He's happy to receive your feedback, corrections, and recommendations of resources at anytime. Back to Top >>

Austin Independent School District - Bureau of Curriculum

SOCIAL STUDIES

Curriculum Team

STAFF

Select: