May Employee of the Month

May Employee of the Month– Noel Ruiz

Noel Ruiz, an Inventory and Store Specialist working in the Business Operations and Contracts Division, received the TJJD Employee Excellence Award for the month for May.

Ruiz, who began working for the agency in April 2008, has demonstrated commitment, dedication and initiative in a job that operates behind the scenes and is rarely recognized, unless something goes wrong, according to his supervisor, Director of Business Operations & Contracts Kenneth Ming. Ruiz helps assure that everyone has the supplies they need, singlehandedly receiving all the commodity goods purchased by and shipped to Central Office.

He also manages TJJD’s – wait for it – $195 million in assets.

Wrote Ming in recommending Ruiz for recognition: “While I have the title of Agency Property Manager, Noel does all of the work and gets very little credit. He does the annual inventory, identifies missing items, does administrative work in CAPPS, disposes, transfers and retires assets.” And then Ming approves and signs the paperwork.

“Noel is a giant of a man and might be intimidating to some, but when you get to know him, you learn his heart is bigger than his stature. The agency operates more smoothly because of his efforts,” Ming wrote.

Ruiz, a native of Trinidad, formerly lived in Brooklyn, New York. He’s a US Air Force veteran and in his free time, he plays table tennis, a lifelong hobby, and keeps tropical fish. He will receive reserved parking, a certificate of appreciation and the option for a $50 gift card or 8 hours of Executive Leave.

McFadden Sends Youth Home with Backpack of 'Hope'

By Y. Denise Caldwell Community Resource Coordinator, Northern District Parole Office FLOWER MOUND, Texas - Larry Bossaler, McFadden volunteer McFadden Ranch Volunteer Larry Bossaler enjoys his assignment: Making sure that every youth who leaves the McFadden halfway house knows that people are praying for him and wishing him the best in his future. He is the man who brings them their “Good-Bye” backpack. When he delivers the backpacks, he makes sure to do three things – visit with the youth, show the contents of the backpack (because staff put them in the lockers until the youth leaves), and lastly close the visit with a heartfelt prayer. The youth enjoy and appreciate the backpack, the visit and the prayer. Many are a little anxious and scared to leave but knowing that the McFadden volunteers care enough to send them off in this special way, helps them feel a bit less worried. “I always bring an extra backpack,” Larry said. ...

IN MEMORY AND APPRECIATION: Trayce Haynes Alexander

Trayce Haynes Alexander, of Cat Spring, Texas passed away in April. She was a JCO IV at the Giddings State School and began her employment with the Texas Youth Commission on January 5, 2009, as a JCO III. She was promoted to a JCO IV on April 1, 2010. Trayce was a hardworking, loyal and dedicated staff member and friend. Her number one priority was the youth in her dorm and she would drive one hour and forty minutes everyday (even in ill health) to try to make a difference in the lives of the youth she worked with. She was well respected by both staff and youth due to her extraordinary work ethic. The boys could always depend on her to hold them accountable. She is survived by her husband Geoff Alexander and two daughters, Kristyn and Robyn Alexander. Trayce was born on September 3, 1952. She earned a BS from Southwest Texas State University in Law Enforcement.

Canyon Lake Evening Reporting Center

When Comal County Juvenile Probation Chief Kris Johnson joined the department in March 2011, he brought with him a long-term vision to open an Evening Reporting Center (ERC) in the county. ERCs, which require youth offenders to report to specified locations during evening hours for programming, skills building and community service, were first used in Chicago, where juvenile justice advocates needed after school programs to keep their higher risk kids from getting involved in the gang scene. They also serve as an alternative to detention pending a youth’s hearings. ERCs have become common detention alternatives in many communities throughout the United States and are based on research and best practices recognized by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Johnson believed implementing an ERC in Comal County would reduce juvenile crime by providing supervision during the hours crime is most likely to occur. Additionally, it could significantly reduce the cost of deten...

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