Mission, Texas- Mission Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) has announced the names of its Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year. The announcement was made during a special luncheon today, honoring the Teachers of the Year for each of the district’s schools.
The Mission CISD Elementary Teacher of the Year is Julia Otken from Mims Elementary School. Otken has been teaching for 12 years and has been in her present position teaching English Language Arts for five years. She is currently teaching fourth grade.
The Mission CISD Secondary Teacher of the Year is Jennifer Rodriguez from Alton Memorial Jr. High School. Rodriguez is a Science teacher with 11 years dedicated to the teaching profession; all of them with Mission CISD. She is currently teaching seventh grade.
These two teachers were selected by a panel of judges consisting of a cross-section of the Mission area communities. Otken and Rodriguez 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, including: professional background, educational history, and several questions that delve into their teaching approaches, and thoughts on issues impacting the teaching profession.
The other teachers honored for being selected as their campus Teachers of the Year were: Esmeralda Santos, Alton Elementary School; Aurora B. Estrada, Bryan Elementary School; Priscilla M. Ramos, Cantu Elementary School; Sherilyn E. Estacio, Castro Elementary School; Nancy Ramirez, Cavazos Elementary School; Yolanda Gonzalez, Escobar/Rios Elementary School; Deborah J. Leal, Leal Elementary School; Maria Guadalupe Dominguez, Marcell Elementary School; Gloria C. Padron, Midkiff Elementary School; Maria M. Cantu, O’Grady Elementary School; Rita P. Perez, Pearson Elementary School; Maritza Mendoza, Salinas Elementary School; Tara de la Vega, Waitz Elementary School; Monica Serrano, K. White Jr. High School; Mike Saenz, Mission Jr. High School; Mayte Flores, R. Cantu Jr. High School; Shirla Kaye Blackwell, Mission High School; Judy Denise Rodriguez, Veterans Memorial High School; Dalila Araceli Chapa-Leija, Mission Collegiate High School; Jaime De La Garza, Mission Options Academy; Garrett L. Mason, Roosevelt Alternative School.
Pictured are the Mission CISD District Teachers of the Year (left to right): Julia Otken, District Elementary Teacher of the Year; Jennifer Rodriguez, District Secondary Teacher of the Year.
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