Spring Branch ISD Featured News

October 5 is World Teachers' Day. This year's theme is 'Leading in crisis, reimaging the future.' We celebrate all the teachers who daily choose to make a difference in the lives of Every Child in Spring Branch ISD.

Let’s meet a few of our newest teachers who previously served as paraprofessionals in the district. Each is thankful for the growth opportunity and happy to be helping students achieve their dreams, too!

Rogerik Tubbs, Valley Oaks Elementary

When volunteering at an afterschool program as extra credit for a college class and noticing the difference he was making in young people’s lives, Rogerik Tubbs realized a career in education was in his future. 

He worked as a health fitness assistant at Valley Oaks Elementary where the staff was kind and helpful to him on his journey to become a certified teacher.

This year he is back at Valley Oaks as a health fitness teacher, where he is pleased with the team approach to splitting time between in person and distance learners.

“We have a nice rotation in progress for who is teaching who,” said Tubbs, noting that building rapport with his students helps them feel like they are more than just a name on a list. 

Teaching health fitness within physically distant parameters takes some creativity. For example, Tubbs sent his students off on a “scavenger hunt” to find certain items at home or in the classroom. The students did an exercise when they completed the quest. 

The SBISD Core Values provide a foundation for guiding students to their T-2-4 goals. Collective Greatness is the Core Value that inspires Tubbs. “I believe if one of us is great, then we all are – and vice versa,” he said.

 

Melanie Bell, Rummel Creek Elementary

After graduating from Baylor University, Melanie Bell completed seven years of teaching experience throughout Texas, including a stint in SBISD, prior to a temporary move to Pennsylvania. When she returned to Houston last spring, she worked as a teacher assistant at Wilchester Elementary to get back into the SBISD arena. 

This school year, she is a reading/science teacher at Rummel Creek Elementary, teaching both in person and distance learning students during different periods of the day. 

Limitless Curiosity is evident in Bell’s classroom. Being a hands-on learner herself, she incorporates songs and motions into lessons, among other engaging techniques. As a student-focused teacher, she partners with students in their learning, and provides as much choice as possible in their independent learning time.

“I am also big on building classroom community,” said Bell. “I start my class with community time where we come together to work on the soft skills. I feel it is important to build on that together!”
 

Two SBISD alumni are also among the group of former paraprofessionals who are new teachers in SBISD this year.

Chris Rueda, Spring Oaks Middle School

Chris Rueda was raised in Spring Branch and graduated from Northbrook High School in 2012. He attended Sam Houston State University and earned a Kinesiology degree. With an idea to go into education and coaching, Rueda attended an SBISD Job Fair. He was hired as an assistant teacher at Shadow Oaks Elementary and served in this role for three years.

“After a full year at Shadow Oaks, I realized that teaching is my passion,” said Rueda. “It really fulfilled me to come home to where I grew up and help shape the minds of the young people here in Spring Branch.”

This year, he is teaching Social Studies at Spring Oaks Middle School, where his main goal as an educator is to help Every Child realize the potential in themselves.

“The number one thing I rely on when it comes to student relationships and motivating them in the classroom is that I came from the same neighborhoods as them,” said Rueda. “I often tell them, ‘going to school can be hard and frustrating, but if I did it, anyone of y’all can do it.’”

 

Karla Mota Velazquez, Spring Woods Middle School

Karla Mota Velazquez, was inspired to become a teacher from her 12th grade engineering teacher and soccer coach at Spring Woods High School, Marc Pollicove. Although she was set to major in civil engineering upon high school graduation, he noticed his student had done a lot of volunteer work in schools. She recalled, “He asked me the million-dollar question, ‘Based on your resume, why don’t you teach?’” 

This question inspired her to change her major to education during her first year at Houston Community College. She completed her teaching degree at University of Houston, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude (with highest honors).

Last spring, she worked as a paraprofessional at Lion Lane School for Early Learning to jumpstart her career in SBISD.

She is now a distance learning teacher in the Math Lab at Spring Woods Middle School. “I believe technology is a huge part of today’s society. I would love to incorporate more technology into my classroom,” said Mota Velazquez.

She wants to inspire her current and future students with her own story: “I want them to know that if I was able to graduate from college after coming to the US at age 12, knowing no English, and not understanding how this country works, they will for sure accomplish anything if they set their mind to it,” she said.

The tenets of Every Child are what Mota Velazquez experienced in her years as a student in the district. As a teacher, she firmly believes that every student should have the same possibilities to achieve success.

“Everyone deserves to have a chance and to have the support to succeed,” she said.

 

A word of encouragement goes a long way.

Today on World Teachers' Day, and EVERY DAY, let your teachers know their hard work on behalf of Every Child is appreciated and recognized.