Texas Border Business
Mission, Texas – Mission Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) officials had to get a little creative this year to announce the selections for District Teachers of the Year. Traditionally, the announcement is made during Teacher Appreciation Week, at special luncheon for all the campus teachers of the year. With restriction in place due to COVID-19, district officials decided to surprise the two teachers; one with a virtual prize patrol and the other in-person at their campus.
The Mission CISD Elementary Teacher of the Year is Michelle Salazar from Cavazos Elementary School. She is currently a Special Education teacher bringing 15 years of experience to her classroom.
The Mission CISD Secondary Teacher of the Year is Cynthia E. Lopez. She teaches Math at Mission Collegiate High School. She has been in her current position for four years, but brings 10 years of experience into her classroom.
These two teachers were selected by a panel of judges consisting of a cross-section of the Mission CISD area communities. Salazar and Lopez will now represent Mission CISD as Teachers of the year during the next school year. They will also be entered into the Region One Teacher of the Year contest, which is affiliated with the state and national programs. The applications used by Mission CISD are the same ones used in those programs. They include information on the teachers, like: professional background, educational history, and several questions that delve into their teaching approaches, and thoughts on issues impacting the teaching profession.
The other teachers selected by their schools as Campus Teachers of the Year are: Gryzell Cantu, Alton Elementary School; Raquel Tanguma, Bryan Elementary School; Laura Adams, Cantu Elementary School; Janeth Marquez, Capt. J. Castro Elementary School; Monica Cardona, Escobar/Rios Elementary School; Elizabeth Gay Adkins, Leal Elementary School; Maria M. Garcia, Marcell Elementary School; Deborah Medina, Mims Elementary School; Illiana Gomez, Midkiff Elementary School; Glorica Villarreal, O’Grady Elementary School; Rene Garza, Pearson Elementary School; Perla Ybarra Salinas Elementary School; Blanca Garcia, Waitz Elementary School; Laura Garza, Alton Memorial Jr. High School; Enidia Quintero, K. White Jr. High School; Katella Anderson, Mission Jr. High School; Amy Newport, R. Cantu Jr. High School; Samuel Hjort, Mission High School; Maricela Cruz, Veterans Memorial High School; Kahlil Kalifa, Roosevelt Alternative School; David Martinez, Mission Options Academy.
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