Demographics

Clarissa Luna

Degrees: Bachelor's Degree in English, Master's Degree in Educational Guidance and Counseling

Certifications: Teacher Certification: Early Childhood - 4th Grade, ESL Teacher Certification, Counselor Certification Kinder-12th Grade

Leadership & Committees: 504 Committee, RTI Committee, Attendance Committee, Drop-out Prevention Committee

Professional Memberships: AFT

Years in Education: 17 years serving in both Elementary and High School

Duties and responsibilities: Mrs. Luna is our Senior Counselor who serves students and families in 12th grade. She works closely with Seniors and their families ensuring students are credit complete and have met all graduation requirements. Mrs. Luna instills a comprehensive program of guidance and counseling utilizing planning, implementation, and evaluation that includes counseling services for McAllen High School students. Mrs. Luna uses a planning process to define the needs and priorities of the population served; provides a proactive, developmental guidance program for all students to maximize personal growth and development; she assists with post-secondary education and college admissions for Seniors. Mrs. Luna also works closely with grade level Counselors to ensure all McAllen High School students are meeting their emotional needs to ensure academic success.

Adriana Hernandez Flores

Degrees: Bachelor's Degree in Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, Master's Degree in Educational Guidance & Counseling

Certifications: Educational Aide II; Elementary Mathematics Grades (1-8); Elementary Self-Contained Grades (1-8); School Counselor Grades (PK-12)

Leadership & Committees: 504 Committee; Response to Intervention (RTI) Committee; Attendance Committee

Years in Education: 32 years serving Elementary, Middle School, and High School.

Duties and responsibilities: Mrs. Hernandez Flores is our Junior Counselor who serves students and families in 11th grade. She works closely with Juniors and their families ensuring students are credit complete and have met all graduation requirements. Mrs. Hernandez Flores instills a comprehensive program of guidance and counseling utilizing planning, implementation, and evaluation that includes counseling services to McAllen High School students. Mrs. Hernandez Flores uses a planning process to define the needs and priorities of the population served; provides a proactive, developmental guidance program for all students to maximize personal growth and development; she assists with post-secondary education and college admissions for Juniors. Mrs. Hernandez Flores also works closely with grade level Counselors to ensure all McAllen High School students are meeting their emotional needs to ensure academic success.

Michelle Alanis

Degrees: Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Spanish; Masters Degree in Counseling

Certifications: Generalist EC-4, Generalist 4-8, Special Education EC-12, School Counselor EC-12

Leadership & Committees: 504 Committee, Response to Intervention Committee, Attendance Committee

Awards: McAllen ISD School Counselor of the year 2020, MISD Service Award (5 Years)

Years in Education: 16 Years at the Middle School and High School level

Duties and responsibilities: I create, deliver, and analyze a school counseling program that improves a student’s academic success at the high school level. The program is focused on core values that advocate for enriching students' lives through achievement, prevention, and intervention. I work with students directly to promote character development and social-emotional learning.

Sandra Sierra

Degrees: Bachelor's Degree in English, Minor in Psychology; Masters of Education in Counseling and Guidance;

Certifications: Texas Teacher Certification Elementary Self-Contained (1-8); Secondary English Language Arts (6-12); Secondary Psychology (6-12), Counselor Certification (EC-12); Principal Certification (EC-12).

Leadership & Committees: 504 Committee, RTI Committee, Attendance Committee

Awards: MISD Service Award (5 years).

Years in Education: 22 years total at the PreK, Kindergarten, 5th grade, and High School levels

Duties and responsibilities: Ms. Sierra serves the students and families, primarily in 9th grade. She works closely with students as they transition from middle school to high school. She meets with students to discuss the importance of good grades, attendance, time management, and study skills. In addition, Ms. Sierra works with students to facilitate social skills, character development, and social-emotional learning.

Mirtha N. Jimenez

Degrees: Bachelor's Degree in Education, Minor in Mathematics; Master's of Education in Counseling and Guidance.

Certifications: Texas Teacher Certification Elementary Self-Contained (1-8); Elementary Mathematics (1-8); Texas Counselor Certification (PK-12), Region One Behavioral Strategist Certificate

Leadership & Committee: Leadership & Committees: Lead Teacher, CTE Interviews Committee, Dual Enrollment Committee, ARD Committee, 504 Committee, RTI Committee, LPAC Committee, Dual Enrollment Committee, AVID Committee, Crisis Intervention Committee, CTE Advisory Committee, South Texas Career & Technical Education Association Scholarship Committee, Dual Credit CTE Advisory Committee, and Hiring & Interview Committee

Awards: Service Awards (5 years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years) and CTE Counselor Recognition Award

Professional Memberships: Texas Classroom of Teachers Association (TCTA), Career Technical Association of Texas (CTAT), American School Counselor Association (ASCA), South Texas-Career and Technical Education Association (ST-CTAT)

Years in Education: 34 years serving Elementary, Middle School, and High School

Duties and responsibilities: Mrs. M. N. Jimenez plans, implements, and, provides the CTE comprehensive program of guidance, including counseling services; providing career interest and aptitude assessment activities, determining career & technical education needs, assisting students and parents with career and educational planning strategies; providing a proactive developmental guidance program for all students to maximize personal growth and development; establishing productive Career Technical Education Program and contributing to the District's overall student academic achievement towards post-secondary and career preparedness.

Nelda A. Gutierrez

Degrees: Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Master's in Education, Counseling & Guidance

Certifications: Teaching Certification K-6, Counselor Certification K-12, ESL Teacher Certification, GT Certification, TPESS Certification, PDAS Certification, TTESS Certification, Principal Certification

Leadership & Committees: Lead Teacher in Kinder, 2nd grade, and 4th grade, Lead Counselor in Elementary and Middle School settings, Crisis Team Committee, 504 committees, RTI committee, LPAC committee, AVID committee, College & Scholarship Committee

Awards: Teacher of the Year, Donna ISD service award 15 years, McAllen ISD service award 5 years

Professional Memberships: American School Counselor Assoc. (ASCA)

Years in Education: 23 years in Elementary, Middle School, and High School Levels

Duties and responsibilities: Ms. Gutierrez serves the students and families, primarily in the 11th - 12th grades. She provides a program which that focuses on the major aspects of career counseling and college planning. With a goal of 100% college acceptances & 100% of financial aid application submissions, she works in coordination with the student’s administration team, counselors, staff, and parents/guardians, to assist students in discovering their strengths and interests, exploring career alternatives, and finding institutions of higher learning which meet these interests & strengths. Ms. Gutierrez supports students in their exploration of career alternatives and helps them understand the college application process. She assists students with college planning, academic preparation for college, meeting both graduation and college acceptance requirements, college searches, school and financial aid applications, scholarship searches, testing, recommendations, and the transition to college.

Yvonne Mendoza

Degrees: Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, Master's in Education - Counseling & Guidance

Certifications: Special Education EC-12, Counselor Certification EC-12

Professional Memberships: American School Counselor Assoc. (ASCA), American Federation of Teachers (AFT)

Years in Education: 15 years serving Middle School and High School

Duties and responsibilities: Ms. Mendoza serves the students and families, primarily in 9th - 11th grades. She provides a program that focuses on the major aspects of career counseling and college planning. She works in coordination with the student's administration team, counselors, staff, and parents/guardians, to assist students in discovering their strengths and interests, exploring career alternatives, and finding institutions of higher learning which meet these interests & strengths. Mrs. Mendoza supports students in their exploration of career alternatives and helps them understand the college application process. She assists students with college planning, academic preparation for college, meeting both graduation and college acceptance requirements, college searches, scholarship searches, and testing.

Reynaldo Ochoa

Degrees: Bachelor's Degree in Rehabilitative Services; Master's in Rehabilitation Counseling

Certifications: Special Education: PK-12; Bilingual/ESL: PK-12; Principal Certification: EC-12

Leadership & Committees: SBDM Leadership Committee Member

Awards: Teacher of the Month in April 2022

Professional Memberships: Associate of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE) Member

Years in Education: 21 years serving between Middle School & High School

Duties and responsibilities: Mr. Ochoa serves the students and families, in 9th - 12th grades. He provides a program that focuses on administrating college and university-related exams such as PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, and AP tests. He works in coordination with the student administration team, counselors, staff, and parents/guardians, to assist students in preparing themselves to achieve the maximum opportunities of attending college, universities, and any other vocational training school or secondary education they wish to attend. The students accomplish this by taking the required entrance college and university exams required for admission. Mr. Ochoa supports students in their assessments and registration for College Board, as well as providing resources to help students achieve their full potential in practice and tutoring sessions for their college and university entrance exams. He assists students with college testing preparation, meeting both graduation and college acceptance requirements.

John Brooks

Degrees: Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice - Corrections

Certifications: Teaching Certification - Special Education (all levels)

Years in Education: 26 years

Yvette Cecille Johnson

Degrees: Bachelor's Degree in Rehabilitation and Vocational Services / Masters Degree in Education with a specialization in Guidance and Counseling

Years in Education: 27 years in the field of education

Duties and responsibilities: My career/job is to ensure that every at-risk student earns a diploma. My goal is to reduce our dropout rate at McAllen High School. I assess each student's needs, and obstacles to achievement, and devise a plan of intervention to ensure success. I also ensure that all at-risk students are exposed to career exploration and career goals. A holistic approach to this is best practice. I involve parents, teachers, counselors, support staff, administrators, and all that have a direct impact on the well-being of our students. Involving and listening to our students is a fundamental cornerstone of my outreach. When our students have a say about their education, they feel validated and take control of their destiny.

Susan Cortez

Degrees: Bachelor's Degree in Social Work / Masters of Science in Psychology with a concentration in Applied Behavioral Analysis

Certifications: Youth Mental Health First Aid Trainer, Trauma Informed Care Trainer, AS+K Trainer, Psychological First Aid

Awards: MISD Service Award (10 years)

Years in Education: 12 & 17 total in mental health

Duties and responsibilities: Prevention Intervention Specialist with the Family Treatment Program. Crisis Response Team, Safe and Supportive School Program Team, Mrs. Cortez serves students in grades 9-12 with the MCHI vertical team. I provide intense case management, community mental health resources, and help with staff development training and mental health awareness. I also serve as a Social Work Field Instructor for UTRGV and UT Austin.

Lorena M. Prado

Degrees: Bachelor's Degree in Social Work

Certifications: License in Social Work, Associate Prevention Specialist (Texas Certification Board of Addiction Professionals)

Leadership & Committees: United Way Education Council Member, Crisis Response Team

Years in Education: 14 years working in School Social Work. 7 years at McAllen High School.

Duties and responsibilities: Mrs. Prado serves as Campus Social Worker serving students in grades 9-12 in collaboration with campus teachers, staff, the administration team, and the Community in providing direct services that support students' academic and social success. Implementation of individual and group, social/emotional well-being, community resources, and leadership/ mentorship program. My focus as School Social worker is to help eliminate barriers that students may be encountering in efforts of promoting academic success.

Ignacio Negrete

Degrees: Bachelor's Degree in Psychology with a minor in Addiction Studies

Years in Education: 9 years teaching and 2 years as an Emotional Quotient Specialist

Duties and responsibilities: My role is to equip the students, staff, and community with the knowledge and skills needed for developing self-care, social-emotional awareness, and self-acceptance. Every student will also learn how to build healthy relationships and become productive citizens in our community.