United South Middle School Assistant Principal Jodee Gamez has been named the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Region One Assistant Principal for 2024-2025, school officials have announced.
“I am excited and feel extremely honored,” said Gamez, who is starting her 7th year as an Assistant Principal at USMS and 17th year overall with United Independent School District.
Gamez graduated with a degree in Business Administration and was working as an internal auditor for BBVA when she received a call from a family member who let her know that UISD had an opening for a Career and Technology Education teacher.
“Being an educator was never the plan, but I thought I’d give it a try,” she said. “I was hired at Clark Middle School as a Career Investigations teacher. I was excited and being that I had never been in a school setting outside of being a student myself, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but fell completely in love with it.”
During her 7 years at Clark, she coached the Dance Team, One Act Play, was the UIL coordinator and 8th Grade Team Leader. She went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Educational Administration. She then worked as an Academic Coordinator at Salvador Garcia Middle. During her last year there, she took on the role of cross country coach and says that has been one of the most rewarding experiences in her career.
She knows something about running. She enjoys long distance running and triathlon. She has competed six half ironmans, two full ironmans and an ultraman. She is currently training for The Barkley Fall Classic - a 50k trail run in the Smoky Mountains, Tennessee this September.
“My family and I are very adventurous. We participate in races together, we love to ride roller coasters, jump off high things … the more thrilling, the better. I absolutely love that we all have that in common. Life with them is so fun,” she said.
Her energetic, positive personality has helped her establish strong connections with the students.
“It is so important for every student to feel wanted, supported and validated. As an administrator, it’s my job to discipline students when they’ve done something wrong, but it is also my job to make sure they understand that their unfavorable actions do not define them. Their past is not a reflection of how bright their future could be. I make it a point to try and build a foundation of mutual trust and respect,” Gamez added.
USMS Principal Carlos Valdez said when he came in as principal, he decided to hire Gamez as his first assistant principal.
“She has this energy and she connects with the staff extremely well,” Valdez said. “She was a teacher and coach and then academic coordinator and she has put in her time and understands the demands of the classroom. She shows that you should always lead by example. She has lots of energy, bouncing off the walls and it’s contagious.”
She is also in charge of the TELPAS (Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System) at the school. About half of the school’s students have to take the test. Under her leadership and guidance of the teachers, the score has gone up 10 points in the last two years.
He said that she has a sense of humor - they both love and quote often from the show The Office. She uses that humor to connect with staff and students in order to make the work environment feel lighter.
“Our job is stressful at times. We experience many sad situations, we get frustrated, we sometimes go home asking ourselves if we really make a difference. Laughter provides a balance, and I think it is so important to find that joy in our jobs every day,” Gamez said.
But she reminds herself that she is “surrounded by so many amazing people who are just as deserving of this achievement.”
“I have learned so much from my colleagues. It takes a lot of passion, dedication and collaboration. Success is never achieved alone,” Gamez added.
She credits a strong support system to her success as well and says she is blessed. Her parents, Laura and Francisco, and her husband, Hector, and their two boys Alex and Ben, are her “greatest cheerleaders and have been there every step of the way.”
Gamez also wants to recognize her team at United South Middle.
“My Principal, Chuck Valdez, took a chance on me. He will never understand how that changed my life. My Assistant Principal partner, Cynthia Garza, and Academic Coordinator, Elizabeth Ramirez, have been a team for the past 6 years and I could not have asked for a better one. I also work with some of the most dedicated, kind and talented staff and teachers,” Gamez said.
TASSP recognizes outstanding principals and assistant principals from the 20 region Education Service Centers in the state. School administrators are nominated and chosen by their peers within their region. She is now eligible to compete for the state title of Texas Assistant Principal of the Year.
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