Teacher of the Year Finalists Announced

 The Spring Branch ISD Teacher of the Year Committee is pleased to announce that eight educators have been named as 2015 SBISD Teacher of the Year finalists.

After upcoming committee interviews, one finalist will be named district Elementary Teacher of the Year, and another will be named the new Secondary Teacher of the Year.

Winners will be announced at the district’s upcoming Service Awards Celebration, which will be held on May 6. The new district Teachers of the Year will go on to compete in the annual Region IV Teacher of the Year competition and the 2015 Houston West Chamber of Commerce competition.

This year’s Elementary Teacher of the Year finalists are:

• Patricia “Trish” Jenkins of Bunker Hill Elementary, a fourth-grade language arts and social studies teacher;
• Patricia Kassir of The Bendwood School, a Gifted & Talented natural sciences teacher;
• Anne Smalling of Memorial Drive Elementary, a fourth-grade instructor; and
• Lou Ann Timmreck of Rummel Creek Elementary, a kindergarten teacher

This year’s Secondary Teacher of the Year finalists are:

• Maggie Fuchs of Spring Woods High School, a physical education and health teacher;
• Leslie Iler of Memorial High School, a 10th-grade language arts and Pre-AP instructor;
• Rony Reyes-Torres of the Academy of Choice, who is a biology, environmental systems, anatomy and physiology teacher; and
• Jaime Trigo of Landrum Middle School, a choir instructor and director

Recently named as this year’s Principals of the Year are Robye Snyder of Hunters Creek Elementary and Randolph Adami of Northbrook High School. They are chosen by their peers.

Read more about Principals of the Year >>

A new nominating process for Teacher of the Year resulted in hundreds of nominations from district students, parents and teachers, submitted via an online nomination site. At each campus, teachers voted anonymously on nominees who qualified and met district priority goals.

View complete listing of campus Teachers of the Year >>

The SBISD Teacher of the Year Committee spends countless hours each year reading and reviewing applications submitted by each campus-nominated Teacher of the Year candidate. The committee is continually impressed by these applications and the unique perspectives of the district’s amazing educators.

After upcoming personal interviews soon, the committee will vote on the eight finalist candidates. Superintendent of Schools Duncan F. Klusmann, Ed.D., will announce the committee’s final top two candidates at the Service Awards Celebration.

The Elementary and Secondary Teacher of the Year will each receive a new $1,000 cash award thanks to the generosity of district partners CenterPoint Energy and First Community Credit Union. They will also receive a $2,000 professional growth stipend, as well as the acclaim and recognition of their peers.

The SBISD Teacher of the Year (TOY) Award recognizes and honors qualifying educators who meet the district’s priority goals. Nominees must:

• Support the district’s T-2-4 Goal for graduates to pursue military training, technical certification, or two- or four-year degrees, and also demonstrate commitment to SBISD’s beliefs and values
• Be a dedicated, knowledgeable, effective and skilled teacher
• Inspire students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn/have a growth mindset
• Have the respect and admiration of students, parents and colleagues
• Play an active role in both the school and wider community
• Demonstrate outstanding leadership and excellence in teaching
• Teach at least 4 hours a day if a librarian or counselor
• Plan to return to their campus or to SBISD next year