Category Archives: Teachers

HISD to host Educator of the Year Awards on June 15

A two-part event will celebrate the Houston Independent School District’s “rock star” teachers on June 15.

During the day, an in-person and socially distanced event will take place at Delmar Stadium. Set for two different windows, teachers will receive swag bags and celebrate winners from 2020 and 2021. Teachers from the North, Northwest, and West areas will be able to attend from 9:30 to 11 a.m., with teachers from A180 schools, as well as the East and South areas, from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

That evening, a virtual event will be held to recognize the Principals and Assistant Principals of the Year, Teachers of the Year, Beginning Teachers of the Year, Librarians of the Year, the Ann Sledge Instructional Coach winners, and the various winners for nurses, teachers, and Associate Teachers of the Month throughout the school year.

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Braeburn ES teacher named May Teacher of the Month

Braeburn Elementary School teacher Sandy Trejo was not expecting the sights and sounds that greeted her when she stepped outside of the school on Tuesday.

As students waved handmade signs of congratulations, a mini parade of brightly decorated cars snaked through the parking lot, blaring their horns to honor the first-grade ESL teacher as the district’s Teacher of the Month for May.

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HISD announces 2020-2021 Teacher of the Year finalists, Beginning Teacher of the Year winners

Twelve educators have been named as HISD’s 2020-2021 Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year finalists, and two teachers have been named the Beginning Teachers of the Year.

The two Teacher of the Year winners will go on to represent the district in Region IV. The 12 finalists were selected from all 280 schools based on performance data and other criteria.

At the elementary level, the six Teacher of the Year finalists are:

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HISD celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week May 3-7

Houston Independent School District will recognize its nearly 12,000 teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week, May 3 through 7.

The week is a part of a nationwide campaign spearheaded by the National Parent Teacher Association.

“Our teachers truly are the heart and soul of HISD,” Interim Superintendent Dr. Grenita Lathan said. “Over the past year, teachers have stepped up as true team players for our students and families. Teachers have transitioned to virtual learning and back again, often teaching two classes at once—one at home and one in-person.”

To celebrate the week, HISD is launching a campaign that focuses on these All Stars—and students, staff, parents, and the community are invited to participate through social media.

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HISD to participate in Teacher Incentive Allotment program

Next spring, HISD will be participating in the Texas Education Agency’s Teacher Incentive Allotment, a program that aims to help districts boost student success while also recruiting and retaining high-quality educators.

HISD is eager to be a part of this program because it will help increase salaries for the district’s highest performing teachers — at little-to-no cost to the district — while also ensuring students have equitable access to the most effective teachers.

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Children’s Museum Houston honoring HISD teachers with early childhood awards

Twelve Houston Independent School District teachers are being honored by Children’s Museum Houston for being outstanding educators.

The museum’s annual Marian and Speros Martel Early Childhood Educator Award is for pre-K through third-grade teachers who exemplify excellence in the classroom.

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Teacher at The Rice School named Teacher of the Month for March

If you ask Shalisha Kemp why she loves teaching, she’ll tell you it’s because of her “Peter Pan mindset.”

“You have to think like a child to reach out to children, to be able to guide them, to lead them to greater success in adulthood,” Kemp said.

Whatever it may be that sets her apart, it is certainly working.

The second-grade teacher at The Rice School was named HISD’s Teacher of the Month for March, with a surprise parade at her school.

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December and January Associate Teachers of the Month

In the sunny courtyard of Blackshear Elementary, Tanya Fontaine Clark stood speechless for a few moments before elaborating on her passion for her job—and the school she calls home.

“My mother was a teacher. I guess I’m a chip off the old block,” Clark said. “I wanted to give back. I wanted to enrich the lives of the children at Blackshear.”

The third-generation educator had just received the award for January’s Achieve 180 Dedicated Associate Teacher of the Month. It was just one of the stops of the day for Human Resources , as they also surprised the December and January Associate Teachers of the Month and Achieve 180 Dedicated Associate Teachers of the Month.

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Eliot ES teacher named January Teacher of the Month

On a chilly Tuesday morning at Eliot Elementary School, fourth-grade ELA teacher Fernando Lopez was teaching his students how to analyze a story when he was suddenly summoned to the school parking lot for a special surprise.

Cars covered in painted messages and decorations drove by Lopez, cheering him on for being named HISD’s January Teacher of the Month – not only for effectively teaching his students English, but also for helping them develop a love of reading. As a thank-you for his hard work, he will be driving a 2021 Honda CR-V, courtesy Sterling McCall Honda.

An alumnus of Eliot Elementary School, Lopez has dedicated the last 22 years to helping ensure his students grow in their acquisition of a second language and their ability to effectively read and communicate through writing.

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Robinson ES teacher named December Teacher of the Month

Fifth-grade math teacher Jennifer Harwell was teaching her students at Robinson Elementary School how to multiply decimals when she was pulled out of her classroom for a special surprise.

Harwell was named HISD’s December Teacher of the Month for making learning about numbers exciting for all students, even those who may not always enjoy math. As a thank you for her hard work, this holiday season, she will be driving a 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT, courtesy Sterling McCall Chevrolet.

Harwell is also a team lead for fifth grade and ensures her team works cohesively and actively collaborates with other grade levels to align instruction and good practices. This year, she has taken on the role of Career Pathways Instructional Excellence Coach and is working to coach new teachers on effective practices and quality instruction for all students.

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