Bringing the music anywhere he goes, Hopewell Middle School Choir Director Jerry Gee Cordova was named as the District’s 2020 Secondary Teacher of the Year during the District’s annual banquet Monday evening, sponsored by the Round Rock ISD Partners in Education (PIE) Foundation and A+ Federal Credit Union.
Cordova was named the Teacher of the Year at Hopewell and was selected among 20 secondary educators to represent the District at the region competition. He has been an educator for 13 years, four of which have been serving Hopewell as its choir director.
“The core of my teaching philosophy is to help students reach their aspirations and holding students to high expectations to allow them to have ownership of their education,” Cordova said. “I regularly seek out opportunities to create an inclusive learning environment for my students. I am passionate about creating a space where students embrace differences in backgrounds and identities which reflects the diversity of our community.”
Cordova believes that music is an art form that connects us to people from the past and across the world. Turning that belief into action, he helped Hopewell begin its venture into musical productions, which the campus had never done before, by securing the funds, the rights for music, and working to introduce the concept of holding a musical production at the campus.
Since starting musical productions at Hopewell, the program has grown to the point where he was able to create an elective course to allow students to express themselves creatively and learn about the backstage technical elements it takes to put on a production.
Cordova will continue to the 2020 Region 13 Secondary Teacher of the Year competition where he will represent Round Rock ISD in hopes of becoming the 2020 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year.
“Jerry Cordova’s passion for music and work at Hopewell have opened up the doors to countless opportunities for our students,” Superintendent Steve Flores, Ph.D. said. “Opportunities that have allowed students to explore their creativity and develop a passion for musical theatre. We are honored to have this outstanding educator in our District and have him represent Round Rock ISD as our Secondary Teacher of the Year.”
