Tyler ISD Salutes Top Teachers At The Teacher Of The Year Banquet
GENTRY
By MEGAN MIDDLETON
Staff Writer
Tyler ISD celebrated its top teachers Tuesday night at the annual Teacher of the Year banquet, naming Heather Gentry and Julie Haley as the elementary and secondary teachers of the year.
Staff Writer
Tyler ISD celebrated its top teachers Tuesday night at the annual Teacher of the Year banquet, naming Heather Gentry and Julie Haley as the elementary and secondary teachers of the year.
Both teachers said they were surprised and honored to be chosen out of the 28 campus teachers of the year who were also recognized during the banquet at Harvey Convention Center.
Ms. Gentry, an art teacher at Bonner Elementary and Ms. Haley, a seventh-grade read-ing/language arts teacher at Hubbard Middle School, each received a standing ovation from the crowd of about 500 people who attended.
"This feels like a dream," Ms. Gentry told the crowd.
She thanked family, friends and her coworkers at Bonner, who she said would, "climb mountains, swim oceans to make sure our kids are successful.
"They do an amazing job every day," she said.
She also recognized her husband, who she said once helped her cut out 100 laminated bees - and didn't complain - as well as thanked her parents and others.
She also recognized her husband, who she said once helped her cut out 100 laminated bees - and didn't complain - as well as thanked her parents and others.
Ms. Gentry also recognized her students, for whom she said she goes to work every day to "see the wonder in their eyes."
Ms. Haley also thanked her fellow Hubbard teachers.
HALEY
"They're all truly deserving of this as are all the teachers in TISD," Ms. Haley said.
She stressed that they're all there for the kids.
"That's why we're all teachers ... They're what make the job worthwhile," she said. "They're what make it exciting. We are here for the kids."
She said after the banquet that she is humbled and proud to represent first her campus and now TISD.
When asked what her students will say of this on Wednesday, she said they would be excited.
"They'll share in the win," she said. "They all today were (saying) 'Good luck, Ms. Haley.' They were part of it all the way. I think they'll be just thrilled."
Ms. Gentry said after the banquet that she is excited to share the recognition with the people she works with.
"Nobody works by themselves," she said. "We're all part of the team."
As far as her students, she hopes they will be excited, too.
"They make me feel special, and I hope they feel special because of this," she said.
Each of the 28 campus teachers of the year was recognized through a video presentation in which each spoke about their love for teaching while images of them and their students in the classroom was shown.
Each was also honored on stage and given a gift bag of items including a gift card and trophy.
Ms. Gentry and Ms. Haley were also given gifts including a color laser printer, a $250 stipend - and for elementary, a digital camera and for secondary, a flat screen monitor.
Criteria for selection of both the campus teachers of the year and district teachers of the year included playing an active and useful role in their community, commitment to the teaching profession through continuous improvement and lessons that creatively engage and inspire students to achieve high academic standards, according to TISD.
Each campus selects a nominee. Then each nominee completes a two-stage judging process, which results in the selection of an elementary and secondary teacher of the year to represent Tyler ISD on the state level.
The Teacher of the Year banquet is presented by TISD and the Tyler ISD Foundation.
TISD Superintendent Dr. Randy Reid said before the banquet that events such as this are important because, "We have a lot of outstanding teachers in the district and this is just one, good symbolic way to honor some of the outstanding work that's being done across the district."
"These are some of the best of the best," Reid said. "We like to be able to tell them what a great job they're doing."
This year's campus teachers of the year include:
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