2010-11 ATPE education award recepients

2010-11 Educator of the Year Award Recipients

Linda Henrie, superintendent
Mesquite ISD

Henrie believes that administrators must both ensure success for an organization and cultivate a high-performing, loyal team of professionals, and that, as leaders, administrators must have a vision for their campuses and districts to which all employees can aspire. "While leadership suggests responsibility and goal setting, the outstanding administrator must also be able to empower others and gain confidence from relationships," she says. "No one is successful on his or her own; it takes a team to achieve success."

Finalist: Cheri Dixon, Galena Park ISD
 

Carolyn Williams, secretary
Deer Creek Elementary School, Crowley ISD

Williams thinks that the commitment of an associate educator to students and parents as well as a willingness to serve their needs is what makes that educator outstanding; she wants her school community to take ownership and feel good about it. "I grew up in a small school, and it was my safe haven," she says. "I have very fond memories of my school years and want that for these kids."

Finalists: Kim Washington, Denton ISD
 

Veronica Stapper, third-grade teacher
Clark Elementary School, Gregory-Portland ISD

According to Stapper, great teachers need a variety of skills?they need to be prepared, have a love of working with children, know how to use positive reinforcement with discipline, be experts in their respective fields, and be fair and just. "Great teachers instill in their students values, knowledge, hopes and dreams," she says. "A good teacher can be anyone, but a great teacher can take students beyond their own expectations."

Finalists: Myra Cantu, Corpus Christi ISD, and Debra Stolpa, Alief ISD
 

Scott Sherman, ninth-grade world geography teacher, Hanna High School
Brownsville ISD

One of Sherman's main goals as a teacher is to create an ideal learning environment through the facilitation of critical thinking and creation of authentic learning. He also believes that teachers need to create true learning communities in their classrooms and respect the learning style of each individual student. "Teachers need to relate to their students' worlds at every opportunity available," he says. "When kids make that positive connection to what is being taught and their experiences outside of the classroom, the outcome will be authentic."

Judith Gonzales, Boerne ISD, and Linda Nash Pearce, Ennis ISD
 

Donny Hearn, behavior specialist
Andrews Middle School, Andrews ISD

Hearn knows the value of being a high-energy teacher with high expectations and believes that the motivation of a teacher is what makes lasting, positive changes in students' lives. He also knows that flexibility and compromise are essential classroom tools. "It is necessary to not only get to know your students but [also] to have a working knowledge of their interests and ambitions," he says. "This, in turn, creates a cohesive bond between teacher and student."

Finalists: Carmela Garcia, Galena Park ISD, and Rose Perez, Corpus Christi ISD