instructional assistant

custodian

secretary

clerk

tutor

Mcallen-Independent-School-District

-First, I get to work at 3:00 pm and clock in to track time; if the cafeteria's tables are not set up, we need to arrange them in their prospect spot.
By 3:20, we as student workers take attendance and give snacks to the kids.After that, we need to help them with their homework; it really depends on how long it takes because some kids do not have homework, other take shorter and others longer. 
Consequently, the kids go to the playground to free themselves with certain rules: Do not get close the school fence, Do not throw rocks to other classmates and obey their assigned coach(student worker).
Around 5:15 pm, the kids needed to line up to go inside the cafeteria to play board games, watch T.V or even rest for awhile.
At random times, each kid is picked up by his or her parent or guardian in their availability time. During 5:40 pm and 6:00 pm, we(student workers) need to clean up tables and restrooms; sweep and mop the cafeteria floor and stuff the refrigerator with Gatorades.
Finally, around 6 pm we need to clock out and leave. 
-The hardest part of the job is to earn the kids' attention and tolerate them as well. 
-The fun part is that one as a student worker gets to enjoy the kids' actions because sometimes they cry for no reason, make one laugh and tell one their daily routines.

I was responsible for Accounts Payable for the Facilities, Maintenance and Operations Department of McAllen Independent School District. A typical day at work involved processing work and purchase orders for a very large department comprised of custodians, manual trades and other plant operations personnel.
 
I also helped my colleagues by stepping in as needed to help with tasks, such as answering multi line phones and helping said colleagues with their work if time permitted. 

In addition, I honed my time management skills by working with various departments to meet tight deadlines. People skills were also important for accomplishing tasks and maintaining morale during some challenging moments.

My co-workers were courteous professionals, and after many years it felt like my second family.

The hardest part of the job was adapting to different people's management styles and having emergencies slowed down by bureaucracy. However, the most enjoyable part of the job was meeting new people and performing to the best of my abilities.

My biggest issue is the pay. McAllen ISD had temporarily increased pay due to a shortage of subs, but that ended on May 2023. McAllen ISD has some of the lowest pay rates across the board compared to other districts. Then they wonder why there are shortages.

Some schools also treat their substitutes unfairly. One day, while subbing in a middle school, I had just begun eating my lunch when an administrator told me I was supposed to be on lunch duty. I told them I was on my lunch and they didn't care. They forced me to go to the cafeteria and do lunch duty.

Another time, at a high school, one of the counselors blocked the doorway after a peprally and told me I had to stay and help direct the students. My workday ends at 4:15 and it was already past 4:15. 

Some office staff can be very rude, but luckily you don't need to deal with them too often. 

Administration makes a huge difference as well. Overtime, you'll start seeing the differences between schools. I love seeing administrators on lunch duty and other duties in the halls during class and while students are walking to class, and so on. Some schools have more substitute teachers and aides on duty, instead of administrators or teachers. 








Administrators provide little to no meaningful support for teachers, leaving them feeling micromanaged and overworked. Instead of empowering educators to use their professional judgment, administrators often impose excessive rules, constant documentation requirements, and frequent, unnecessary meetings. This culture of control discourages creativity and flexibility in the classroom, making it harder for teachers to meet the diverse needs of their students. When teachers ask for help, whether for resources, time, or classroom support, they are often met with vague responses or shifting expectations. As a result, morale declines, and burnout increases. The focus shifts from teaching and learning to compliance and paperwork. Teachers who entered the profession to inspire and connect with students end up feeling isolated and undervalued. Without genuine administrative support and trust, schools struggle to create a positive environment where both teachers and students can thrive.

Working at an alternative school is very rewarding and challenging. Students at our campus have problems with either substance abuse or following rules. The teachers at our campus work well together and adapt to changes on a daily basis. Many of our students don't particularly care about school and would much rather be elsewhere. It is a challenge for us to keep them engaged and on task. Its great when you see a student years later at store working or at a fast food restaurant and them telling me how much they now understand what we were trying to tell them on the responsibilities a person has once they move out of their parents house. In order for a school like this to be successful, you need strong leaders and support from central office.

·	Manage the receptionist area, including greeting visitors and responding to telephone and in-person requests for information
·	Assist in maintaining all attendance records and reports and input information into the computer
·	Produce student absence reports and report student truancy
·	Assist in registering and withdrawing students
·	Obtain pertinent student information from appropriate source
·	Organize files, developed spreadsheets, fax reports and scan documents
·	Manage daily office operations and maintenance of equipment in ordering and supervising inventory of office supplies and receiving or verifying incoming supplies
·	Type, copy, and distribute school notes and distribute building, mail, and community/district flyers
·	Assist students, teachers, and parents as needed
·	Maintain discretion and confidentiality

Seeing students advance in their English and reading skills was very rewarding to me.  As I was department head, I was able to guide the newest teacher as how to better sharpen their teaching skills. One of the things I loved best is having team meetings to discuss student needing extra help. Every students was different and I found it challenging to find their learning style and proceed accordingly. Sometimes it did get monotonous teaching the same lesson all day, but being that each class was different it wasn't too bad.

Learning on how to make a connection between the school district and the community around the school and learn to use the community resources was a great experience.

teaching students how to make and give their time back to the community was a great learning experience for my students, my teachers and myself. Seeing elderly people surrounded by student volunteering their time with them for one or two times a week made the elderly very happy. Students learned that giving their time to the community could be a great learning and growing experience

I’ve been working as a para even though I’m fully certified and getting my masters. I took the job for the experience while leaving a private, lucrative position behind. Although, I don’t regret it because I got my foot in the door at a public school, I am left needing more. The opportunity for advancement is low due to COVID. I love my campus and admin is wonderful. I recommend working here. The pay is deplorable though. 

You are given all the tools you need to succeed as a teacher in this district.  Being bilingual in both English and Spanish is almost a necessity as receiving recent immigrants is not uncommon at any point during the year for elementary teachers.  I greatly enjoyed the development opportunities offered by the district.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Instructional assistant 103 salaries reported	$17.09 per hour
Custodian 22 salaries reported	$14.89 per hour
Secretary 10 salaries reported	$20.47 per hour
Clerk 7 salaries reported	$16.07 per hour
Tutor 10 salaries reported	$16.93 per hour

Working at McAllen Independent School District: Company Overview and Reviews

McAllen Independent School District

McAllen Independent School District Ratings

Popular jobs at McAllen Independent School District

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected