The Office of Student Advocacy and School Choice is charged with the responsibility for serving as the board鈥檚 designee in matters related to student admissions, attendance, and discipline. We are a resource for campuses and the community in issues pertaining to educational law, legal documents and the Student Code of Conduct.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Katherine Lyssy
Director, Office of Student Advocacy and School Choice
Meet the SASC Team
Katherine Lyssy
Director
katherine.lyssy@nisd.net
Brent Draker
Assistant Director
brent.draker@nisd.net
Pedro Chavez
Hearing Officer
pedro.chavez@nisd.net
Traci Meredith
Hearing Officer
traci.meredith@nisd.net
Cynthia Swanson
Hearing Officer
cynthia.swanson@nisd.net
Guadalupe D'Andrea, Student Attendance Liaison
guadalupe.dandrea@nisd.net
I have been with Northside ISD since 2021, first atStevens HS as an In School Suspension Instructional Assistant. This is my second year as a Student Attendance Liaison. I graduated from the University of Texas at SanAntonio in 1999 with a Bachelor鈥檚 Degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Sociology. Prior to joining Northside ISD, I was a Bexar County Juvenile Probation Officer for over21 years. My husband and I have 2 children and 2 dogs. My children are graduates ofNorthside ISD and now attend UTSA (Go Runners!) Outside of work, I enjoy the outdoors, trying new foods, attending sporting events, and spending time with family and friends.
Eric Esquibel, Student Attendance Liaison
eric.esquibel@nisd.net
Mr. Esquibel has over 30 years of experience working with youth, from Pre-K all the way to early 20s. He has a great passion for all students, especially the students he works with at John Jay High School and its feeder schools. Mr. Esquibel attended Our Lady of the Lake University, but after seeing the movie Rudy during his freshman year, he decided to chase his dream of attending the University of Notre Dame. He transferred to Holy Cross College in South Bend, IN and finished his last two years of college at Notre Dame. While at Holy Cross and Notre Dame, he was a member of the Notre Dame Marching Band Drumline. Mr. Esquibel is also a 14-time marathon finisher. He conquered his goal of running 2 marathons in 2 days in 2020, and he also ran the New York City Marathon in 2022. Mr. Esquibel understands the concepts of resilience and striving for greatness, and he uses his experiences to instill those values into his students. He believes in the ideals of positive encouragement as well as tough love. Mr. Esquibel is humbled and honored to work for 皇家华人 and to serve the entire John Jay community.
Gilda Laurel, Student Attendance Liaison
gilda.laurel@nisd.net
I am your Student Attendance Liaison (SAL) for 皇家华人 皇家华人. I look forward to building relationships with parents, students, teachers, and community partners. I鈥檝e been with 皇家华人 for 16 years. I have experience in the field of education as an Instructional Assistant, Special Education, BMC, Substitute Teacher, and Family and Community Engagement. I have a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice at the University of Texas Pan American. My previous background experience is in the field of Criminal Justice as a Parole Officer II and Pre-trial Bond Officer. During my free time I enjoy watching high school and college football and attending local sporting events. I am a proud UTSA and OC Panther mom. I am excited to serve as your SAL!
Adri谩n Flores, Student Attendance Liaison
adrian-1.flores@nisd.net
I'm a Student Attendance liaison for Northside ISD. I love spending time with my family. I enjoy basketball and football. My two favorite teams are the Spurs and Cowboys. I have been with Northside ISD as attendance liaison for 5 years. I worked at BCFS as a case manager
assistant for 2 years.
Lalita Fuller, Student Attendance Liaison
lalita.fuller@nisd.net
I received my Bachelor鈥檚 degree in English from Assumption University in Bangkok, Thailand. I earned my Master鈥檚 degree in Counseling from the University of Texas at San Antonio and started my career in mental health at Bluebonnet Trails Community Services up in Round Rock, Texas. I have worked mostly in the non-profit sector with organizations such as The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Communities in Schools of San Antonio. I grew up in southern California, lived abroad in Thailand for some time, but now consider myself a proud Texan. In my free time, I love to travel and spend time with my family.
Joslyn Allen, Student Attendance Liaison
joslyn.allen@nisd.net
I joined 皇家华人 in 2015 as a Truancy Specialist. Although originally from the Midwest, my career in education started as a substitute teacher in Louisiana. As a military spouse with young children, I found myself in education wherever we moved and soon realized this is where I belong.
I received my bachelor鈥檚 degree in Criminal Justice and received my paralegal certificate from UTSA. In my current position as a Student Attendance Liaison, my goal is to assist in discovering barriers to education and helping families overcome obstacles with resources and support.
In my free time I love to spend time with my family and friends, including the four legged ones, and going to the beach.
Cynthia Marmolejo, Student Attendance Liaison
cynthia.marmolejo@nisd.net
This is my 28th year working with students and families. My experience includes 21 years working with the Bexar County Juvenile Probation Department as a Supervisor in the Juvenile Detention Center. I retired in 2017 to become a Student Attendance Liaison with 皇家华人. I was born and raised in San Antonio Texas. I鈥檓 a proud alumni of the University of Texas at San Antonio with a Bachelor's degree in Behavioral Science. Go Roadrunners! I enjoy spending time with my son, family and friends.
I鈥檝e dedicated my professional career to helping families and being a resource and support to students, parents, staff and the community.
Christine Mart铆nez, Student Attendance Liaison
christine.martinez@nisd.net
Christine Martinez is a Student Attendance Liaison, specializing in attendance and resources. With a Bachelor's degree in criminal justice from the University of San Antonio, she has dedicated 20 years to Northside ISD, assisting families in overcoming barriers that cause them to miss school. Christine has raised three children, all Northside ISD graduates. Currently, she finds joy in photography, gardening, and witnessing plants bloom from seeds. Her philosophy centers on empowering families by emphasizing the importance of regular school attendance for future success.
Erica Montellano, Student Attendance Liaison
erica.montellano@nisd.net
My name is Erica Montellano and I am the Student Attendance Liaison for Passmore Elementary, as well as 6 other surrounding campuses. I am a former Sexual Abuse Investigator with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, and look forward to serving you and your family in this role as a Student Attendance Liaison. It is important for me to work with families in an effort to uncover any barriers that may be inhibiting students from attending school. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time.
Richard Ram贸n, Student Attendance Liaison
richard.ramon01@nisd.net
I am starting my 3rd year as a Student Attendance Liaison. Prior to joining the Northside Team, I was a Juvenile Probation Officer for over 20 years.
I am a graduate of Southwest High School and received my Bachelors in Criminal Justice from Kapan University in 2009.
My wife and I have 3 children, all of whom graduated from 皇家华人 schools. I enjoy being with family and making great memories. I also like to root for the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Cowboys and Texas Longhorns. My motto is When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
Roel Rinc贸n, Student Attendance Liaison
roel.rincon@nisd.net
Roel Rincon 鈥 Student Attendance Liaison I am starting my 4 th year as a Student Attendance Liaison. Prior to joining the Northside Team, I was a Juvenile Detention Officer for 20 years.
I am a graduate of Mercedes High School in the Rio Grande Valley, but have been calling San Antonio home for just about 30 years. I received my bachelors in Multidisciplinary Studies from UTSA in 2020.
My wife and I have 3 children, with 2 of them still enrolled in 皇家华人 schools. I enjoy the outdoors, friendly competition, and watching our beloved Dallas Cowboys. I try to make it a priority to bring a smile to everyone I come in contact with; life is too short to not have fun.
Rachelle Spencer, Student Attendance Liaison
rachelle.spencer@nisd.net
My name is Rachelle Spencer and my social services career began working with the unhoused population for several years. I then worked for several other school districts to include Harlandale ISD & SAISD. Before joining 皇家华人 in August of 2022, I worked for the City of San Antonio with Early Head Start as a Coordinator.
I earned a Bachelor's of Social Work and a Master's of Social Work from Our Lady of the Lake University where I became a state licensed Social Worker.
When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our son. I also enjoy working out!
Claudia Stowe, Student Attendance Liaison
claudia.stowe@nisd.net
Claudia Stowe began her career in Northside as a Student Attendance Liaison in 2015. Prior to moving to San Antonio she was a Director of the EOC program at the Victoria College and before that she served as a Community Supervision Officer for the 24th Judicial 皇家华人 Community Supervision and Corrections Department.
Claudia received her Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Houston Victoria. She and her husband have three children and they attend secondary schools at Northside. During their free time they enjoy nature, serving the community, and traveling.
Armando Mendez
Director Assistant - Office of Student Advocacy and School Choice
armando.mendez@nisd.net
Anna Perez
Administrative Assistant - Office of Student Advocacy and School Choice
anna.perez@nisd.net
Brenda Leach
Administrative Assistant - Office of Student Advocacy and School Choice
brenda.leach@nisd.net
Genevieve Juarez
Administrative Assistant - Office of Student Advocacy and School Choice
genevieve.juarez@nisd.net
Dulce Hernandez
Administrative Assistant - Office of Student Advocacy and School Choice
dulce.hernandez@nisd.net
Jennifer Flores
Administrative Assistant - Office of Student Advocacy and School Choice
jennifer-m.flores@nisd.net
Genevieve Juarez
Administrative Assistant - Office of Student Advocacy and School Choice
genevieve.juarez@nisd.net
Rebecca Karel
Administrative Assistant - Office of Student Advocacy and School Choice
rebecca.karel@nisd.net
The Texas Compulsory Law mandates that children aged 6 to 19 must attend school regularly, with exceptions for certain circumstances. Parents or guardians are responsible for ensuring their children meet attendance requirements set by the school district. The law aims to promote education, reduce dropout rates, and prepare children for future success.
The 90 percent rule, set by the Texas Education Agency, mandates that students must attend at least 90% of the days a class is offered to earn credit. Falling below this attendance threshold may impact a student鈥檚 course credit and academic progress. This rule highlights the importance of consistent attendance for a student鈥檚 academic success and eligibility for graduation.
The 皇家华人 handbook is a comprehensive guide outlining essential policies, procedures, and expectations for students and parents in the district. It covers academic requirements, disciplinary procedures, attendance policies, extracurricular activities, and student rights and responsibilities, ensuring a safe, supportive, and productive learning environment for all members of the 皇家华人 community.
The Home Access Center (HAC) is an online tool for parents to register students, verify data, view report cards, and track attendance. It's also known as the Parent Portal, providing convenient access to student information and fostering communication between parents, students, and educators.
Tiers of Interventions
The "Tiers of Interventions" outline the progressive steps taken by the school district's attendance office to address and mitigate student absenteeism.
Tier 1:
Involves direct communication between the teacher and the student or parent/guardian through phone calls, emails, text messages, or conferences to address attendance concerns at an initial stage. At this stage parents/guardians discuss the factors contributing to the student's absence, enabling us to offer tailored support and resources.
Tier 2:
Involves intervention from various administrative and support staff, including administrators, counselors, academic deans, special education (SE) coordinators, 504 coordinators, and forums dedicated to attendance at both the campus and district levels. This tier focuses on engaging both the student and parent/guardian, particularly for students aged 12 and older. During this stage, our focus remains on identifying obstacles to attendance to better assist families in overcoming them.
Tier 3:
Encompasses more intensive interventions conducted by Student Attendance Liaisons and Juvenile Case Managers. This tier may include phone calls, home visits, and conferences aimed at understanding and addressing underlying issues contributing to chronic absenteeism.
Tier 4:
Represents the highest level of intervention, involving legal action through case filing with the San Antonio Municipal Court. This step is taken when all other interventions have failed to improve the student's attendance and compliance with compulsory education laws.
Student Support and Intervention
- Federal Education Association (FEA)
Attendance: Compulsory Attendance
- Faculty of Education Department (FED)
Attendance: Attendance Enforcement
Making sure students attend school regularly is a team effort. Each team member has specific roles to address attendance issues. Below are the key responsibilities of the Administrator, Student Attendance Liaison (SAL), Academic Dean, Counselor, and Campus Support Members. Together, they support students and families to improve attendance and academic success.
Exploring the root causes of student absences is crucial for educators and support teams. It offers valuable insights into attendance barriers and aids in developing targeted intervention strategies. This process emphasizes the importance of addressing systemic issues to effectively reduce chronic absence disparities.
Community Partners
- Senior Juvenile Case Manager, Kadie Kappler
- Juvenile Court Case Manager, Marissa Victela
- Juvenile Court Case Manager, Ariana Patino
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Find an organization close to you that has a program that will meet your needs.
The Directory provides a list of behavioral health resources and services that may be helpful to the public.
We advocate and empower grandparents raising grandchildren by providing access to resources, information and support.
SASC in the News
Office of Student Advocacy and School Choice (SASC)
5900 皇家华人 Rd, Building D
San Antonio, Texas 78238
210-397-8695