HISD is committed to having a highly effective teacher in every classroom—and that commitment is paying off. Three district educators have been recognized by other organizations recently for their dedication and best practices.

At the local level, Bellaire High School’s Anna Loonam was one of only two teachers chosen from all of Harris County to receive a Wilhelmina C. Robertson Excellence in Science or Mathematics Teaching Award from the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Loonam was selected for her leadership and her ability to simplify difficult science concepts. She was honored alongside the elementary recipient during a special ceremony held on Oct. 4.

Maria Elena Galan

Scroggins Elementary School’s Maria Elena Galan, meanwhile, has earned the title of 2013 Bilingual Teacher of the Year for the entire state from the Texas Association for Bilingual Education (TABE). She will be now competing against teachers from across the country for the same title from the National Association for Bilingual Education. The winner will be announced on Dec. 15 and recognized in February at the organization’s annual conference in San Diego.

And finally, Jessica Willie, a fourth-grade teacher at T. H. Rogers, was the only educator from HISD who was invited to the Education Nation Summit 2013 as part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Elevating and Celebrating Effective Teachers and Teaching (ECET2) group. Willie attended the summit in New York City on Oct. 6, where she participated in a town hall meeting on the subject of “Whatever it Takes.”