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Fort Worth ISD Names 10 District Teachers of the Year
Fort Worth ISD students, teachers, and administrators may be operating from home right now, but that did not stop the District from selecting not one, not two, but 10 District Teachers of the Year.
In 10 separate Zoom meetings on April 20, campus principals and colleagues surprised their teacher winners with signs, balloons, and music to announce they were one of 10 District Teachers of the Year for 2020. Every teacher was surprised by the announcement, and some were visibly moved by the praise they received from their peers in the meeting.
Watch a compilation of the elementary school teacher announcements here. A compilation of the secondary school teacher announcements is available here.
A panel of judges had previously selected these 10 exemplary teachers from more than 70 applicants. Each applicant had already been elected by their peers as the Campus Teacher of the Year for 2020.
In a typical year, these 10 teachers would have been named finalists who would then go through a rigorous panel interview process to determine one elementary and one secondary Teacher of the Year.
This year is anything but typical, and the District decided to name five elementary and five secondary Teachers of the Year. All 10 winners will have a special Zoom meeting April 22 with Superintendent Dr. Kent Scribner, Board of Education President Jacinto Ramos, and District partner Central Market.
Central Market is the annual sponsor for the Campus Teacher of the Year and District Teacher of the recognition programs, and they will provide each Teacher of the Year with a special prize in their honor.
While these teachers will not be able to attend the traditional teacher award dinner, the District will shine the digital spotlight on them, with special videos and photos on the District website. They will also be virtually recognized at an upcoming school board meeting.
Elementary Teachers
Jennifer Sanchez, third grade math and reading, Western Hills Elementary: Master’s and bachelor’s degrees from University of Texas at Arlington.
Brooke Darby, fifth grade ELAR and social studies, DeZavala Elementary: Bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University
Carminia Moreno, Fifth grade science and social studies, Sam Rosen Elementary: Bachelor’s degree from University of Texas at Arlington
Amy Craft, dyslexia interventionist, Carter Park Elementary: Bachelor’s degree from Crichton College
Mireya Cadena, second grade DLE English Language Arts Teacher, Cesar Chavez Elementary: Bachelor’s degree from University of California Los Angeles
Secondary Teachers
Kathy Elliott, Ninth grade biology, Ninth grade college transitions, Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences: Master’s degree, University of Texas at Arlington; Bachelor’s degree, University of Texas at Austin
Derek Smilowski, Head Director of Bands, Eastern Hills High School: Bachelor’s degree, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
Matthew Bradford, Sixth grade Health, Meadowbrook Middle School: Master’s degree, University of Texas at Arlington; Bachelor’s degree, Stephen F. Austin University
Vicky Robertson, AVID teacher, Polytechnic High School: Bachelor’s degree, Texas Wesleyan University
Ray Horton, Geometry and Algebra I, TCC South- Fort Worth ISD Collegiate: Master’s degree, University of Texas at Arlington; Bachelor’s degree, Baylor University; Bachelor’s degree, University of Texas at Austin
-FWISD-
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