Spring ISD : Spring ISD Honors Top Educators, Employees During Employee Recognition Celebration

Press release from Spring Independent School District:

June 4, 2021

Dozens of Spring ISD educators, staff members and administrators gathered at the Randall Reed Center at Planet Ford Stadium on Wednesday evening to celebrate the district’s top teachers and support staff during the 2020-21 Employee Recognition Celebration.

The event recognizes employees who exemplify dedication to the students of Spring ISD, along with employees who have reached milestones with the district or recently retired. The celebration, which took place virtually last year, was for many their first time gathering in-person for a large district event since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic last spring.

“I think all of us in this room would agree that educators are among the most important and influential people in our community,” Spring ISD Chief of Innovation and Equity Dr. Lupita Hinojosa told the audience. “Excellent educators are a source of encouragement, motivation and inspiration. That’s why it’s so exciting to be here tonight in a room filled with those who are dedicated to excellent education, whether as a teacher or a support staff member.”

In keeping with their tradition of generously supporting educators, platinum sponsor Randall Reed’s Planet Ford was on hand to award a brand-new 2020 Ford Escape and an all-expense-paid trip to the Elementary Teacher of the Year and Secondary Teacher of the Year winners, respectively. Spring ISD Board of Trustees President Rhonda Newhouse shared her enthusiasm of being able to celebrate in-person after a year of virtual meetings and social distancing.

“In Spring ISD, we strive to make a real and lasting difference in the lives of our students, to reach every child and do right by them every day,” said Newhouse. “You exemplify those core values and inspire those around you – staff and students alike – to pursue excellence in all that they do. Your work is essential to the success of our schools and our students.”

Before the evening’s biggest announcements were made, Spring ISD retirees were recognized for their time served in the district along with current employees who have reached milestone years of service.

“Experience is important in the education field, so it is important to take time to honor employees who have dedicated years to serving the students of Spring ISD,” said Executive Chief of District Operations Mark Miranda. “We thank you for your dedication to the district and most importantly to making a difference in the lives of our students and our community.”

Miranda also announced the 2020-21 winners of the Board of Trustees Employee Excellence Awards, which are given to employees who model the SpringWay Core Values and showcase exemplary performance while doing their job. The Employee Excellence Award is designed to allow anyone – parents, community members, principals, staff members – to nominate employees who have brought the Spring ISD mission to life and help the district reach each and every Spring ISD student. Out of the seven finalists, Multilingual Compliance Coordinator Alex Sanchez, from the district’s central office, walked away as the Employee Excellence Winner of the Year, and was awarded a $1,000 check.

Among other guests recognized were the 2020-21 Spring ISD Elementary and Secondary Principals of the Year – Shanna Swearingen of Ponderosa Elementary School and Kenisha Williams of Twin Creeks Middle School –  and Rookie Teachers of the Year from each campus. The 2019-20 Region 4 Teachers of the Year, John Martinez of Reynolds Elementary and Jo’NeQui’a Powers of Roberson Middle School, were also acknowledged before the 2020-21 finalists were announced. 

Springwoods Village Middle School art teacher Ariel Keller walked away with the Secondary Teacher of the Year recognition, and was presented with an all-expense-paid vacation on behalf of Randall Reed’s Planet Ford and a proclamation on behalf of the City of Houston. Keller is known across the district for creating art instructional videos during the pandemic for students and parents. She says she worked alongside Spring ISD’s Performing and Visual Arts (PVA) department in an effort to advocate for arts education while schools were closed.

“I started to put together videos of different projects that we collaborated on to see what would go best with our curriculum, and it just evolved into fun videos that we shared on Spring ISD’s Facebook page,” she said, shortly after winning her award. “And it’s not done yet. Visual arts and PVA has so much more that we’re going to be pushing out moving forward, because education is evolving. I’m grateful and blessed that my hard work has been recognized, but it’s all for the kids. I’m just glad I’ve been able to share the passion of art for the kids who love it.”

In the end, Booker Elementary teacher Jasmine Thomas was announced as the district’s Elementary Teacher of the Year and was handed the keys to a brand-new 2020 Ford Escape. After hearing her name called out, Thomas cried with shocked excitement.

“Everything that you’ve done in your life has prepared you for every day of being a teacher,” said Thomas. “For someone like me who has been a private tutor, an arts integration manager at a non-profit theater and now a classroom teacher, I’ve worn so many hats, but everything has centered around education.”

Representing Planet Ford, Shawn Burns said the Employee Recognition Ceremony is the sponsor’s favorite event of the year. “In my personal opinion, teachers are way underappreciated, and this event shows the best of the best, so why not reward the best with a car,” he said after announcing Thomas as the winner. “It’s tear-jerking, and we do it from the bottom of our hearts, and we want it to be special for them.”

Thomas said she was most excited to show her students her new car. She says she ultimately believes God placed her on earth to serve in education. 

“The most rewarding part is that I don’t feel like one second of my life has been wasted,” she said, “and I’ve been so blessed to continue this work.”

2020-21 Elementary Teacher of the Year

• Jasmine Thomas – Booker Elementary

2020-21 Secondary Teacher of the Year

• Ariel Keller – Springwoods Village Middle

2020-21 High School Campus Teachers of the Year

• Nia Harris-French – Dekaney
• Maria Martinez – Spring Early College 
• Coralei Rodriguez – Spring 
• Mario Cisneros – Westfield 
• Kathryn Gerbich – Wunsche 

2020-21 Middle School Campus Teachers of the Year

• Nikia Johnson – Bailey
• Catherine Mottola – Bammel
• Paula Martin – Claughton 
• Diashoni Stewart – Dueitt 
• Katheryne Bobga – Spring Leadership Academy
• Cory Idlebird – Roberson Middle
• Ariel Keller – Springwoods Village
• Stephanie Lander – Twin Creeks 
• Lajuan Smith – Wells Middle

2020-21 Elementary School Teachers of The Year 

• Anne Michelson – Anderson 
• Adrienne Ellis – Bammel 
• Allison Boyer – Beneke 
• Jasmine Thomas – Booker 
• Sarah Carlisle – Burchett 
• Jacqueline Blackwell – Clark Intermediate
• Michael Thomas – Clark Primary
• Krislynn Medlin – Cooper
• Julio Quintero Ramirez – Eickenroht 
• Jordan Bedford – Heritage 
• Samuel Castilow – Hirsch
• Fynithia Bazron – Hoyland
• Juan Lozano – Jenkins
• Matthew Walters- Lewis
• Samantha Rollins – Link
• Melonie Harvey – Major
• Felma Quinto – Marshall
• Frances Taylor – McNabb
• Victoria Okosun – Meyer
• Deyanira Montemayor – Northgate Crossing
• Stephanie Burden – Ponderosa
• Nicole Swan- Reynolds
• Juivya Alexander – Salyers
• Jennifer Henry -Smith
• Ebony Bailey Johnson – Thompson
• Iris Bueno – Winship

2020-21 High School Rookie Teachers of the Year 

• Robert Ponton – Dekaney
• Kevin Quiroz – Spring Early College
• Sophy Bedru – Spring 
• Ashley Reeves – Westfield
• Stanley Idlebird – Wunsche

2020-21 Middle School Rookie Teachers of the Year 

• Markesha Turner – Bailey Middle
• Latonia Nowden – Bammel Middle
• Cristen Gauthier – Claughton Middle
• Jenjer Swindell – Dueitt Middle
• Oscar Munoz – Spring Leadership Academy
• Siria Zelada – Springwoods Village
• Abram Guerra – Twin Creeks Middle
• Kimberly Kennard – Wells Middle

2020-21 Elementary School Rookie Teachers of the Year

• Sarah Salinas – Anderson 
• Ashlee Nash – Bammel 
• Rafina Bomar – Booker 
• Tuyen Ho – Burchett 
• Ashley Williams – Clark Intermediate
• Michelle Hughes – Clark Primary
• Ashley Ellis – Cooper 
• Susan Griffin – Eickenroht 
• Angie Duque – Heritage 
• Sandra Pogue-Martin – Hirsch 
• Joshua Chavira – Hoyland 
• Marie Davidson – Lewis 
• Cedric Clark – Major 
• Megan Turner – Marshall 
• Sydnie Boyd – McNabb 
• Ammaar Jamal – Meyer 
• Lander Smith – Northgate Crossing 
• Sandy Chavez – Ponderosa 
• Kayla Jefferson – Reynolds 
• Hanaiya Thomas – Salyers 
• Ollie Holley – Smith
• Logan Yosko – Thompson
• Mekell Fausnaught – Winship

2020-21 Employee Excellence Award Winners

• Alex Sanchez – Administration 
• Marilyn Ocker – Spring High School
• Jessica Cunningham – Dekaney High School
• Darilyn Daniels – Cooper Elementary School 
• Belinda Howell – Twin Creeks Middle School
• James Gilbert – Lewis Elementary 
• Laura Goodwin – Spring High School

Spring ISD Retirees

• Maria Alabarce-Calatayud
• Beatriz Ambrosi
• Willie Amendola
• Kimberly Arnold
• Ronny Bennett
• Linda Bonton
• James Boyer
• Rhonda Calhoun
• Carmen Compuzano
• Rachel Carranza
• Alice Clark
• Wanda Concha
• Victor Delgado
• Terry Dulworth
• Robert Easten
• Karen Garrison
• Gene Gealow
• Angela Gentry
• Cathy Gokey
• Bridget Green
• Jessi Green
• Ingrid Hagan
• Robert Hanchett
• Rosa Harriman
• Maria Harris
• Debra Harshamn
• Lori Hawkins
• Christine Hess
• Marta Huerta
• Judith Johnson
• Ana Rosa Karydas
• Carolyn Kessnet
• Thomas Kocurek
• Alma Lara
• Annemarie Little
• Francisco Martinez
• Holly Ocanas
• Johanna Ramos-Rodriguez
• Anna Robelia
• Audrey Scott
• Patricia Shaw
• Vickie Shorter
• Toni Smith
• Sonia Spencer
• Judith Stadler
• Jocelyn Stokes
• Lorie Stubbs
• Brenda Veda-Ayala
• Tammie Wade
• Betty Warren
• Mary Welch
• Leslie White
• Matthew Wilson
• Cherry Zieschang
• Denise Zimmermann

This press release was produced by Spring Independent School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.