Ca Trina Gallien: December 2012 Employee of the Month
Ca Trina Gallien, Employee of the Month for December, is a teacher’s aide at Thompson Elementary School, where she has worked since first becoming a member of Team HISD in 1999. The former stay-at-home mother started out as a volunteer at that campus, but has since served as an instructional assistant for elementary students of all ages, including preschool.
As a teacher’s aide, Gallien works primarily with students with special needs, including those with multiple impairments, others taking Life Skills courses, and children with behavioral challenges who need extra support in the classroom to succeed. She also serves as a sponsor of the “Students with Academic Greatness” (SWAG) peer-tutoring program, assists with fundraising initiatives, and volunteers for after-school enrichment activities.
A pair of tragedies inspired Gallien to create two other programs on-campus. Last spring, she staged the school’s first “Stop the Bully at the Door” Talent Show and Pep Rally in response to a cyber-bullying incident that resulted in the suicide of a young girl she knew, and in 2010, she and colleague Susan Alexander formed the “Aysha’s Heart” college-scholarship program to honor the memory of an inspiring student who died unexpectedly of a seizure that year.
A native Texan, Gallien lives in Houston with four of her six children and her fiancé. When not working, she enjoys decorating, singing, and spending time with her family. She is also in the process of pursuing a bachelor’s degree in education from Grand Canyon University.
“Ms. Gallien does a great job juggling all her responsibilities. As a single mom, she has to be very organized—and that carries over into her job here,” says Principal Marala Blackmon. “She is a very hard worker who stays late, does special projects, and works with clubs. She also has a real gift—a knack for working with special needs students.”
“Ms. Gallien has functioned in several critical capacities on our campus that have contributed to the improvement of student achievement and performance,” adds Special Education Resource Teacher Susan Alexander. “She is always professional and models HISD’s core values, and she consistently receives outstanding evaluations and compliments from parents, students, and staff for her performance.”
“The difference Ms. Gallien makes in students’ lives is nothing short of legendary,” explains Instructional Coordinator Trina Stanberry. “Not only does she give back to the school and the community, but she instills in her children a desire to give back as well. If she’s helping someone with a project, her students are involved. She is dependable, reliable, caring, and optimistic. She is also enthusiastic about helping others reach their goals and follow their dreams.”