Meet the Staff
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
2024-2025
School Year
Principal
Estela Carrillo
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IMy name is Estela Alvarez Carrillo and I am a Hobbs Native even though I was born in Seminole, Texas. I attended St. Helena Catholic School 2nd – 6th grade. I attended public education and I graduated from Hobbs High. After graduation I attended New Mexico Junior College and received an Associates of Arts Degree. I then went on to Eastern New Mexico University in Portales and received my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education with emphasis in Bilingual Education. I continued my education and received a Master’s Degree in Education with emphasis in Bilingual Education from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. I returned to Portales, NM and received an Administration Degree. Throughout my teaching years I obtained 45 hours over my Master’s Degree from different universities including New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, NM, Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, and La Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain.
I have two grown children, Xochitl Thomas and Xavier Carrillo. Both followed my footsteps by attending St. Helena Catholic School and by obtaining college degrees. I have two grandchildren. Xuri is now a 6th grader and attends middle school. She attended St. Helena Kindergarten – 5th grade. My second grandchild, Jaxon, is a 4th grader here at St. Helena Catholic School. I take pride and joy in saying that we are a three generation St. Helena Catholic School Family.
Presently, I have had the privilege and honor to be the principal here at St. Helena Catholic School for the past year and a half. My past educational experiences are 37 years in public education. I taught as an Adjunct Professor at the University of the Southwest teaching Bilingual Education Courses. During those 37 years I worked as a teacher and principal for the Hobbs Municipal Schools for 25 years. I worked as a teacher and as an assistant principal in Artesia for six years. Then my last public education job was in Gallup where I was a principal for six years. I left my administrative position in Gallup six months after my granddaughter was born to come back to Hobbs and take care of her while her parents both worked. I thought I was done working in education until I got a call to come work at St. Helena. Working here has brought back many memorable childhood memories that I have cherished all of my life. I hope to inspire and instill the love for God and the love of learning to all of our students just as it was done to me when I attended St. Helena Catholic School. Here at St. Helena Catholic School we strive to foster good values, morals and the love of God in all that we do.
As a conclusion I want to say that I love to meet people. Working here has given me the opportunity to meet new and young families some who are also new to our community. I love to travel. My traveling experiences have taken me to Spain, the Netherlands, the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada, and Hawaii. I am not done teaching nor am I done traveling so on to an adventurous school year! Blessings to all!
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Secretary
Mayra Brown
My name is Mayra Brown, I am the Secretary at St. Helena Catholic School. I have a passion for education and desire to promote positive relationships within our school community. I am committed to maintaining a welcoming environment for students, parents and staff. I have been apart of the St. Helena Catholic School family for several years, in various positions and am looking forward to this new school year.
Office Assistant
Monika Botello
I was raised in Hobbs, NM and I am an alumnus of St. Helena School, Pre-K through 6th grade. I was an active teen in the church as an Altar Server, participated in the Circle of Friends Youth Group and sang in the Youth Choir at the Youth Mass on Sunday evenings from 1998-2004. I graduated from Hobbs High in 2004 and graduated in 2006 from Kaplan College as a Registered Medical Assistant.
My husband and I have been married for 16 years and have two teenage children in high school who are active in the church as well, and two dogs. Although my background has been in the medical field, I was blessed to have been able to return back to St. Helena School in 2021!
Custodian
Antonia Ramirez
I was born & raised in Valle Hermoso Tamauplipas, Mexico. I moved to Hobbs when I was 44 years old. I have been married for 48 years. My husband and I have 4 children and 9 grandkids, which 5 of my grandchildren attended & graduated from St. Helena School. I have been an active parishioner of St. Helena Catholic Church since 1974.
I started working at St. Helena School in 2007, this is my 17th year. I love being around all the children & watching them learn about God.
Pre K Director / Teacher
Rosa Torres
I have been a Pre-K teacher for 25 years. I have also been a teacher at St. Helena School for 10 years. I have a Certificate in Early Childhood Education, Certificate of Completion NMEC, Education & Family Support Vocational Program, various numerous trainings in Early Childhood Education. I am also CPR-First Aid Certified. I love my job!!
​I have been married for 29 years. I have three sons and four step-children.
Kindergarten
Elizabeth Guajardo
Welcome to the 2024-2025 year. My name is Mrs. Guajardo and I'm so excited to be teaching Kindergarten this year! This will be my seventh year teaching and my second year in Kindergarten. I graduated from the University of the Rio Grande Valley with a Bachelor's in Secondary Education. I am looking forward to a great school year and making lots of memories.
1st Grade
Delfa Tersero
My late husband Manuel and I have two sons, Manuel and Gabriel. We have lived in Hobbs for about fifty years. I have a Level Two Professional K-8 and an Early Childhood License.
I am very excited to teach first grade at St. Helena School for the second year. St. Helena staff and students are the best and I am looking forward to a fun and successful school year!!
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2nd Grade
Celia Burrows
I am married and we have a son and a daughter. I have four grandsons and one granddaughter. I also have two great grandsons.
I grew up in Portales, NM and graduated from Portales High School. I attended NMJC and University of the Southwest, graduating magna cum laude and earning a degree in Education and a minor in English. I started working in Hobbs schools in 1994, working first as a paraprofessional and later as an elementary teacher having taught 2nd to 6th grades.
I am retired from public schools and am enjoying extending my teaching at St. Helena School.
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3rd Grade
Michael Lujan
Born and raised in New Mexico, I started my educational journey in my mid-thirties at New Mexico Junior College while working at what once was Lea Regional Hospital. Balancing the two was quite a task but I was determined to make it work. I started to work towards a nursing degree (the science part was very interesting) but had a change of heart as it seemed that teaching was always in the back of my mind, encouraging me. I switched paths and completed my years at NMJC and then transferred to College of the Southwest (now University of the Southwest). I received my Bachelor’s degree and received a K-8 Elementary License and a PRE K-12 Specialty Area License with endorsements in Social Studies, Science, and TESOL. I then worked as a teacher for the Hobbs Public Schools, in particular, Southern Heights in which I introduced dissection labs to my students, which was then unheard of for third grade. Years later I then got my master’s degree from CSW and continued to work at Southern Heights my whole career for twenty-five years and then retired. Science is what I am known for and that knowledge helped me as I was asked to become the STEM teacher for the 21st Century After School program at Southern Heights. Science is my strong suit and it gives me great joy when I teach it to my students when I see their faces brighten up with the science lessons I give them. Many of my former students have come back to me years later and thanked me for opening their eyes and minds which helped them achieve their own careers in areas such as business and science. That is the best reward I can think of.
4th Grade
Sara Miller
I am a native of Oklahoma but have lived in Hobbs since 1975. I started my teaching career in the Hobbs Municipal Schools at that time and taught K-2 and specialized in Reading for 36 years.
I retired to help care for my mother before she passed and then moved on to help with foster babies. My husband is an owner/operator hauling chemical. My daughter served time in the United States Navy for eight years and is now a kindergarten teacher at College Lane. My son is a commercial pilot with an associates in applied sciences/aviation. I have two beautiful granddaughters, the oldest attending Oklahoma University this fall and the youngest entering into the Hobbs Freshman High School. They have kept me busy running and the wheels turning on the “Grammy Taxi” for the last 13 years but I'm ready for a new adventure and look forward to joining your school.
5th Grade
Sandra Salas
Originally from Texas I grew up in a small town attending St. Theresa of the Child Catholic Church. A blessed mother of John Paul and Kristen, and a grateful wife to my husband Jeff. I enjoy watching and attending collegiate football, being outdoors, traveling with friends on motorcycle rides, going for walks, and socializing with friends and family. A member of St. Helena's Catholic Church, #3225 Hobbs Columbiettes and Altar Society. I've worked for Hobbs Public Schools as a Long-term Sub and for the past two years as a Elementary Art Teacher. My patron saints are St. Joan of Arc and St. Therese of Lisieux.
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Librarian / Computer Tech
Vanessa Aldavaz
Hello my name is Vanessa Aldavaz, I am 20 years old and this will be my first year at St. Helena school as a library/ computer lab teacher. I am excited for this new opportunity I was given to be able to teach your kids & to help your kids improve on their reading & computer skills, I love teaching kids! And I can’t wait to see what this school year brings to us! I’m excited to meet each and everyone of you!
Instructional Aide
Janie Gonzales
I am a widow. I was raised and went to school in Hobbs. I got married and had three sons/ whom are all deceased. I have eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. I have been a parishioner of St. Helena Church since 1949, when the old church was on Main St.
I worked for a family law firm for forty seven years and retired in 2016. In 2023, I came to work at St. Helena School where my children and one grandson attended. I enjoy my work here. I love being around the children and it gives me so much joy!
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Instructional Aide
Matilda DeLaRosa
I am a retired government employee and in addition, I retired from a medical information position.
I am married with three grown daughters and one stepson. I enjoy my eight grandchildren very much.
This year will be my second year at St. Helena School as a teachers aide. I LOVE working with the kindergarten children and take pride in watching their accomplishments. I eagerly await our first day of school and am excited for the new school year.
Instructional Aide
Melissa Morales
I am 23 years old and this currently my second year working at St. Helena School and I love it so much! I enjoy working with all the students and all the wonderful staff. I help Mrs. Tersero in first grade and I absolutely love the job, I love teaching kids and watching them improve in school. Working with kids has been the most wonderful thing I could in life and hopefully I can keep doing it for many years. I enjoy reading and learning new things. I especially love being outside. I can't wait to see what this new school year brings us!
Liturgy Coordinator
Ann Baeza
I'm Back!!! I have worked at St. Helena for 22 years before retiring. Then worked at St. Helena Church for 10 years.​
I am married to Carlos Baeza for 40 years!! My 3 daughters are alumni of St. Helena School.
I worked as a liturgy coordinator for both the school and the church. I enjoy working with the students and teaching them how to proclaim God's Word for mass and learning new music for them to sing. I hope to be able to teach them more and to also learn how to serve at the altar.
I'm happy to be back, it brings back a lot of old memories. The staff has been very nice in my return and I'm happy to be sitting next to my daughter, Mrs. Botello, in the office. Thank you for having me back! God bless everyone and God Bless our school!!
PE Coach
Gabriel "Gavy" Torres
I am a 1st year baseball coach at USW. I am from Puerto Rico but my family currently resides in Roswell, NM. I am a gradate of Roswell High.
I have coached PE at All Saints Catholic School in Roswell, NM.
I am currently a student at USW as well, studying Alternative Licensure in Education. I have a bachelors in Criminal Justice. My ultimate goal is to be a certified PE coach, where I can teach students the values and knowledge of fundamentals of health through exercise and play. I enjoy teaching at the elementary level but ultimately would like to be a high school coach.
I really enjoy teaching the students at SHCS.