2023 Elementary Teachers and Paraprofessionals of the Year

“She is always willing to help, has a positive attitude, and is dedicated to the students and the school. She has stepped up and out of her comfort zone to help our school family in many ways. She has a growth mindset and is eager to learn and grow as an educator. She is always willing to do whatever it takes to help meet the needs of our students and their families. She has stepped up more than once to take over a class and has done an amazing job! She is such a team player and always puts children first. On more than one occasion, Blanca has demonstrated her great potential to be flexible, patient, caring, and supportive. We are so blessed to have such a hard-working and dedicated person on our staff! She deserves it! She is positive and helpful to everyone on campus! Ms. Tavarez is a wonderful teacher and an asset to our campus. She is kind and friendly. Blanca has filled many roles this year and has done a great job supporting our students and staff. She goes above and beyond to ensure the success of our students.” – April Nilson, Berkman Elementary Arts Integration Academy Principal

“Colleagues nominated and voted on Deyanira Castillo to be our campus POY because she is calm and patient at all times and is knowledgeable of classroom subjects. When staffing/support changes need to be made, she is always focused on what is in the best interest of the students. When covering a classroom, she often serves as an extension of teachers, and she navigates the complex tasks of supporting students in taking over writing lessons, meeting with students in small groups and maintaining that safe environment.” – Sam Soto, Bluebonnet Elementary Principal

“Ms. Kipperman is a powerhouse! She is the hardest worker and always goes above and beyond. Every time anyone walks in her door, she greets them with a smile and asks how she can help. Dena has taken on a huge new role this year and has done great. We love how she helps everyone. She is the glue that holds Cactus Ranch together. Dena always knows what to do and how to help us. Without her, CRE wouldn’t run as smoothly as it does. Thank you for all you do, Dena!” – Vicki Crain, Cactus Ranch Elementary Principal

“Ms. Heaps is such an advocate for students! She looks for any opportunity to work with our students and make the lives of the staff easier. She always has a pleasant greeting for anyone she passes. Ms. Heaps welcomes every student and is available each time they walk into the library with a request or an idea for a book they might find interesting. She may be covered in books that need to be shelved, but she doesn’t complain, and she doesn’t allow the responsibilities of her job to detract from her commitment to the students and the staff.

“Mrs. Park is the glue that holds our campus together. She takes up any extra role or duty to make sure that students get the support they need. She is always cheerful and supportive. She thinks of kids and their needs. She looks at struggling students and thinks of what she would want as a parent if it were her child. Her easy-going and student-focused drive make her an asset to the whole campus.” – Larissa Ortiz, Caraway Principal

“Mrs. Tran is an absolute STAR! She is so incredibly kind, even when students do not always treat her with kindness. She does a job not many people have the patience to do and does it well. She is so friendly to both students and staff and will always ask how everyone is doing.” – Larissa Ortiz, Caraway Elementary Principal

“Mrs. Pannell has shown an unbelievable positive attitude, flexibility, and willingness to step in ANYWHERE students or staff need her! She has covered classrooms, SPED schedules, intervention groups, lunch duties…you name it, she has done it!! She demonstrates heart, passion, and commitment to our Dinos EVERY DAY!! She never complains, and she’s a great collaborator. She works hard to reach the needs of all students that she works with! This educator brings her classroom experience and love of teaching to her team, which enhances the level of services for our students. She is great at building relationships with them and assessing what instruction they need the most to help them grow in reading and math skills. Her friendly, helpful attitude makes her a great addition to our staff and a pleasure to work with! Mrs. Pannell is kind and considerate of all students and staff. She has an amazing way of making students feel comfortable and grow as learners. Mrs. Pannell is a great example of an education professional who puts the students first and always strives to help them grow, whether academically, socially, or emotionally.” – Reba Mussey, Deep Wood Elementary Principal

“Ms. Naomi Royall works directly with our emergent bilingual students in grades K-5. Naomi can be found working alongside students in their classes or small groups to help them understand the content and learn English throughout the day. Mrs. Royall starts with the heart by reassuring and encouraging students with her smiles and hugs. Ms. Royall empathizes with the challenges that students new to American schools can face. Naomi goes the extra mile for our students. For example, Naomi translated a student’s essay from Japanese to English to better understand how to help her. Ms. Royall runs 100 mph all day – teaching, providing classroom teachers with resources for their emergent bilingual students, and assisting with school-wide duties. She is kind and patient with everyone she meets. Ms. Royall is a valued and beloved member of our Elsa England Elementary team, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to honor her.” – Jana Stowe, England Elementary Principal

“Emily has worked tirelessly this year in helping staff overcome challenges of all kinds. She has become a master at finding guest educators to cover positions. She works to make our guest educators happy and want to return to Forest Creek. Regardless of the circumstances or time, Emily finds a creative way to get a teacher’s vacancy covered and does it with a smile. Emily is new to being an administrative assistant, yet our staff overwhelmingly recognized her as outstanding at her job. She greets everyone with a smile. She pitches in to cover duty spots and even unfilled teacher absences when necessary. She is very well known for saying, ‘I can do that for you.’ Everyone is comfortable approaching Emily with needs because they are always met with kindness and great skill. Emily has quickly become my right hand. She often knows what I need before I even ask. She is always thinking ahead and getting details covered for upcoming events. She helps me stay on top of things and is a valuable asset to our entire campus. I am proud to bring forth Emily Krawitz to represent Forest Creek Elementary as an outstanding paraprofessional for 2023.” – Denise Sharp, Forest Creek Elementary Principal

“Mrs. Printers is such a hard worker that has a great rapport with students and staff. She has helped in every way possible this year, and she deserves to be recognized for her team spirit and excellent work ethic. She ABSOLUTELY deserves it. She helped us out tremendously last year, serving in multiple capacities, including being a virtual teacher. She is flexible, resourceful, and responsible. One knows you can depend on her. This year she has also been invaluable. She is patient, kind, a hard worker, and willing to help always. I have seen her take on tasks that are asked of her with an amazing attitude and I’ve seen her speaking to students with calmness, clarity, and care. Victoria, you definitely earned this honor and more!” – Cynthia Griggs, Gattis Elementary Principal

“Julie Knouse is enthusiastic, positive, knowledgeable, and has a heart for teaching kids. She always comes to classes with a positive attitude and is willing to jump in and help in any way needed. She is a team player, easy to work with, takes directions well, and comes with helpful ideas in all situations. The intervention team does not know what they would do without her; she not only pulls small groups but also helps out in the cafeteria, in the classrooms, and works one-on-one with students. Julie has built strong relationships with her students, families, and staff and is a real asset to our campus.” – Julie Nelson, Herrington Elementary Principal

“Cindy is not only amazing at her job of immersion and support for our English language learners, but also the job of everything else that is requested from her. She always has a smile and a positive attitude no matter what she is doing. She is a huge part of helping Jollyville be so successful!” – Scott Morgan, Jollyville Elementary Principal

“Alec is a talented interpreter, but he goes far above and beyond what is expected of an interpreter. He builds relationships with faculty, staff, and students (not just the hearing impaired). He assists with numerous projects and takes the lead on several. He has been instrumental in the success of our dismissal plan! He works with the equity committee to provide information and learning to staff to make our campus a more equitable place.” – Brian Braudrick, Live Oak Elementary Principal

“Judy Long is dedicated to the PSE community. She is efficient at her job even with all the constant changes that have been required of her. She can perform her regular duties while juggling all these changes with expertise and professionalism. She goes beyond what is expected to assist our parents and community, always making them feel welcome and appreciated. Judy is an important part of our school as she works to make sure our students are enrolled and in classes. The last two years have required constant flexibility with many changes. The need to constantly change schedules and adjust attendance is challenging, and all the procedures and protocols that must be followed create a constant need for Judy’s expertise and consistency. Judy can complete these demands successfully as she presents a welcoming, knowledgeable presence in the office. She has rocked the Comeback Tour by being a constant presence in our office, never shying away from our kids or parents, eager to be present each day to set a good example, and encouraging our parents and students to be present as we provide them with the reassuring safety measures we have available. ” – Brooke Elarms, Pond Springs Elementary Principal

“Flor Brown always has a ready smile for students and staff! She is upbeat and so positive! She is always willing to lend a hand to whoever needs it, and her love for the students is evident.” – Kimberly Connelly, Redbud Elementary Principal

“Leslie Gebert is an educator with heart, passion, professionalism, and a drive to see all succeed. When she supports your classroom, you see how much she cares about the well-being and education of all students. Even when you see her every day around our building, you only see a small fraction of what she does for Sommer Elementary. Leslie’s work and her dedication do not stop at the classroom door. She spends hours collaborating with coworkers, communicating with parents, preparing documentation, and attending District meetings. She is a lifelong learner not only to improve her skills but to support the learning and work of others. Have a question? Ask Leslie, and if she doesn’t know, she will go out of her way and exhaust all resources to help you. Personally and professionally, I think the most important characteristic of outstanding teachers is that their focus is always on the students. Leslie’s daily and unwavering focus IS always on all of the students of our school. Leslie Gebert is an outstanding teacher! She truly exemplifies all characteristics of Teacher of the Year.” – Nancy Varljen, Sommer Elementary Principal

“They say that you can tell the climate of a campus from the first minute that you step into the school’s office. Lia Milost is the catalyst for communicating the positive atmosphere that is Patsy Sommer Elementary. She is quick to welcome visitors to the office and greet them with a smile. She is always helpfully, efficiently, and graciously serving the needs of students, parents, teachers, and staff. Together with her partner, Roxy, Lia keeps our campus running. From answering the phones and greeting visitors, to actively problem solving and creating schedules, Lia ensures that all classes are covered, activities scheduled, and processes run smoothly. As she has kindergarten classes for lunch, she has built positive relationships with students. Students, staff, and parents love Lia as she covers classes and completes tasks. Lia’s fun attitude, sense of humor, and positive manner make Patsy Sommer an amazing place to be!” – Nancy Varljen, Sommer Elementary Principal

“Derrick works in a special education classroom with students with challenging behaviors. He is patient and flexible in every circumstance. He wants the very best for our students and always looks for ways to help. His calm demeanor helps the children and the adults that work with our students.” – Michael Wakefield, Teravista Elementary Principal

“Ms. Rich is an amazing addition or our Voigt Staff. She has such an amazing way with students. She is very calm with all students. This year, she is new to us and has already formed relationships with staff, parents, and students. Words can’t say enough of how much we love and appreciate Ms. Rich.” – Cheryl Hester, Voigt Elementary Arts Integration Academy Principal