Of The Year Awards

Marlin ISD

Marlin ISD Superintendent Dr. Darryl J. Henson was nominated by the Marlin ISD Board of Managers and selected from a slate of candidates by a committee of Region 12 area school board members. 

Henson has served as superintendent of Marlin ISD since 2020 and has served as an educator for a total of 18 years. Prior to joining Marlin ISD, Henson served as the Assistant Superintendent of School Leadership at Cedar Hill ISD. Henson has also worked for Houston ISD, Ysleta ISD, Lockhart ISD, Pflugerville ISD and Austin ISD. 

Henson’s strengths as a superintendent lie in his persistence to achieve goals. He has worked to improve the district's image with his dependability, fairness and honesty. He never gives up and is willing to do whatever it takes to ensure all Marlin ISD students have the opportunity and resources to succeed.

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Temple ISD

JoMeka Gray has taught kindergarten at Kennedy-Powell Elementary since 2018. She has been in education for over 12 years, previously teaching kindergarten in Killeen ISD and kindergarten and first grade at other Temple ISD campuses. 

Gray currently teaches English, Math, Science and Social Studies to her kindergarten students at Kennedy-Powell STEM Academy. Previously, she taught at campuses serving various populations and needs, including military families, high-poverty communities and English language learners. Through her experience, Gray has become an educator who challenges her students academically, nurtures community connections and advocates for students and teachers.

Gray is an advocate at various levels for students, teachers and education. At the school level, she started a committee called Stars Helping Stars after learning one of her students was homeless. Gray’s students collected donations to provide gift cards to families in need by repurposing recycled materials and selling them at the school. This initiative has created a culture of taking care of others, and Gray sees it expanding in years to come through partnerships with local businesses.

On a state level, she advocates for increased teacher pay and research-driven instruction by giving public testimonies to the Texas legislature. She also pushes for new teachers to have access to additional hands-on training and support when entering the classroom through the Teach Plus Advocacy Group.

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Academy ISD

Arlene Sefcik has taught agricultural science at Academy High School since 2018 and serves as the school's Future Farmers of America Advisor. She has been in education for a total of 12 years, previously teaching agricultural science for five years in Magnolia ISD and one year in Bryan ISD. 

Sefcik works with 9th through 12th-grade students in agricultural pathways, including plant and animal sciences. Floral courses are where her true passion and expertise shine through. In these classes, Sefcik aims to encourage student growth by creating opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience, step out of their comfort zones and begin networking.

Outside of the opportunities she creates and her work within the agricultural sciences department, Sefcik is also a member of the Teacher Leadership Committee at Academy ISD. As a member of the committee, Sefcik works closely with the Academy High School administrative team and the district administrative team. Her position allows her to aid open communication in the district, discuss daily classroom challenges and advocate for her fellow teachers. In her role,  she has been able to help design the new Academy High School, offer insight on fall and spring semester finals schedules and mentor first-generation graduates. 

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Dr. Seth Brown, President
Leah Blackard, Vice President
Barbara Kelley, Secretary
Cathy Branch,
Jamie Roman,
Kamar Chambers,
Brad Farmer

Each is elected to at-large positions for three-year terms, representing the entire community. Every board member has a strong connection to the district – whether a graduate, parent of a current student or lifelong resident of the largest city in Navarro County.

Corsicana ISD is a 5A school district with approximately 6,000 students in grades Pre-K through 12 and has 842 employees. The district has one high school, a middle school, an intermediate school and five elementary schools. 

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Teague ISD

Skinner has served as superintendent of Teague ISD since 2017 and previously as a principal and director of facilities and transportation over the last 13 years. Teague ISD has three campuses and is home to 1,215 students in Freestone County. Before joining TISD, Skinner worked in Dew ISD, for the Texas Correctional Industries, and at Sam Houston State University. The longtime Teague Lion and his parents are also graduates of Teague High School.

Leadership, management, and school climate significantly impact the success of staff and students in Teague ISD. Skinner's philosophy is to set high expectations and goals for the district and to match those with timely support and guidance. While his title is superintendent, he works as a true instructional and servant leader across all school operations and often alongside staff in the trenches. The leader of the Teague Lions is known for working hard and making tough decisions that focus on doing what is best for students and Teague ISD. Skinner is always planning for the future and working on ways to ensure the growth and success of each leader, teacher and student. He believes in consistent coaching and support to grow and make a difference in each life.

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Robinson ISD

April Eide has been teaching for 16 years in Texas public schools, spending the last five years teaching first grade at Robinson Primary School in Robinson ISD. She previously taught second and third grade at Grand Prairie ISD and second and fifth grade at Red Oak ISD.

Eide’s sincerest passion and heart’s desire is to pour into the lives of children. She always felt unconditionally welcomed in school as a child, and her hope as an educator has been to create that same environment in her own classroom. She strives to ensure that every one of her students is not only prepared academically but also acquires the confidence and skills needed to be successful in every area of life. She works to accomplish this by cultivating a safe environment in which students are surrounded by her love and the love and encouragement of their classmates. Her passion and enthusiasm for enriching students' lives has only increased over her sixteen years of teaching.

“April Eide represents the very best of what a teacher should be,” said Michael Hope, Ed.D, superintendent of Robinson ISD schools. “Each day, her mission is to help her students grow in knowledge, skills and, most importantly, caring for others. April is a blessing to our students, staff and this great profession. We are excited to see her recognized and celebrated as the Region 12 Elementary Teacher of the Year.”

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Belton ISD

Katelin Kelly has taught for five years, teaching literature and creative writing at Lake Belton High School in Belton ISD for the last two years. She previously taught social studies and language arts for three years at Little Wound Middle School in Kyle, South Dakota, until 2014. Kelly took a break from teaching to continue her education from 2014 to 2016 and then worked as the Managing Editor at the Bat City Review before returning to teaching in 2021.

While teaching at Little Wound Middle School and the Pine Ridge Reservation, Kelly learned the importance of centering student voice and creative teaching as a pathway to creative classroom spaces that celebrate and uplift every student. She sees reading and writing as essential tools for creating connections and helping students discover their authentic voices. She works to give her students opportunities to read and write stories that build communities and affirm experiences.

"We are incredibly proud to have Ms. Kelly honored as the Region 12 Teacher of the Year. Ms. Kelly is an exceptional teacher that is well respected by the students, staff, and families of Lake Belton High School. We are thankful for her amazing work and are excited to join ESC Region 12 in recognizing her today," said Matthew Smith, Ed.D, Superintendent of Belton ISD.

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Temple ISD

The Central Texas native has served as superintendent of Temple ISD since 2018 and as an educator for 24 years, demonstrating leadership in military, rural, urban, suburban and fast-growth districts. His previous positions include assistant and deputy superintendent in Temple, Copperas Cove and Killeen ISDs. He also served as an executive leader for both the Texas Education Agency and University of Texas.

Under Ott's leadership and support, the district has seen gains in closing student achievement gaps. The performance gap for kindergarten to 1st-grade Hispanic and 1st- to 2nd-grade African American students has decreased by 50% due to a continued focus on screening and intervention. The latest data also shows academic growth in reading in several student groups, including those receiving special education services and English-learning students.

Ott is well known for being intentional about connecting with all groups and being collaborative. He works closely with the school's board of directors, named the 2019-2020 Region 12 and Honor Board of the Year (a top five state finalist). Board members say the energetic leader is candid and timely with communications and committed to working cohesively as a team. In addition to regular board work and relations, Ott often provides an in-depth analysis of district functions, such as school finance, enrollment growth and state accountability. The board credits his leadership style and interactive communications with helping them to work as a high-functioning team making decisions in the best interest of those they serve.

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Lorenz Villa has been teaching for 28 years, with the last seven in La Vega ISD, serving as a 4th-grade dual-language teacher and previously as a reading, English as a Second Language (ESL) and math teacher for the district. Villa has also served as a math, reading and social studies teacher in Waco and McAllen ISDs. Before becoming a teacher, Villa spent nine years working as a missionary in Mexico and is also a United States Air Force veteran.

Villa's military and work experiences have translated well to a successful teaching career, tying lessons to career experiences and using hands-on activities to demonstrate concepts and guide students to solve problems and explore topics more deeply. Through his experience teaching multiple subjects to English-speaking and English learners, he sees the impact active learning in topics like science has on reading and writing skills. He sees growth in students' skills when they work together in groups to investigate and solve problems, support and respect their peers, and be comfortable with taking risks and making mistakes. He has committed his career to working with students from a low socioeconomic background with a focus on mathematics since it is a key to a career in the growing fields of technology, engineering and science.

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Chilton ISD

Dr. Brandon Hubbard has served as superintendent of Chilton ISD since 2016 and as an educator for 17 years. His previous positions include principal, assistant principal and teacher in Chilton and Waco ISD. 

Under Hubbard's leadership, Chilton ISD has a culture of continuous improvement, creativity and innovation. He challenges every staff member to "Go Beyond" demographic and statistical limits in pursuit of excellence. The CISD leader uses student data to develop staff and student support. During the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 academic years, psychometric analyses predicted that Chilton ISD would perform at the 'D' level based upon student demographics. Hubbard used this prediction as a rallying cry for the staff and students. In each of those academic years, the school reached a 'B' rating. Hubbard and his team are confident that they will achieve an 'A' rating through systematic instructional practices.

Hubbard leads with the philosophy that "Challenge + Support = Growth." He believes that challenging students and faculty without relational support is futile and leads to irreparable frustration. Likewise, too much support without meaningful challenge leads to stifled growth and prevents organizational accountability. Therefore, he strives for a balance between a culture of high expectations and support structures for all to be successful.

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Killeen ISD
 
James Cook has been teaching for six years—all in Killeen ISD, serving as a fifth-grade math teacher at Cedar Valley Elementary for the last five and previously as a Title I teaching aide. Before becoming a teacher, he served 22 years in the United States Army with his last position as Senior Instructor/Platoon SGT/Operations Sergeant. 

Cook believes in building relationships that foster trust - allowing students to become free-thinking individuals capable of researching facts and making informed decisions while finding their purpose. He vows each day to make a positive impact on someone. 

After teaching all core subjects, Cook saw a growing need for delivering math content that students can use outside the classroom. In addition to traditional lessons, he developed and uses a system that teaches financial literacy, budgeting, borrowing, and contract litigation. Knowing the lifelong value that financial literacy provides, Cook's program pays students for attendance, good citizenship, peer tutoring and leadership or volunteer tasks. The students pay rent for school supplies, internet access and hardware. His students can use their savings to purchase specialty items like supplies and healthy snacks; however, they have to pay fines for misbehavior, being late, or not returning items by deadlines. The students learn how to manage a balanced budget and consequences like bank fines for mismanaging money or unpaid bills. His students quickly learn how their earning potential goes far beyond a salary. 

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Midway ISD

Krystle Moos has been teaching for 12 years, currently serving as a chemistry teacher at Midway High School. She also serves as a professional learning community leader and as a science fair & science UIL coach. Before joining the Midway Panthers in 2012, she was a teacher for Waco ISD.

The daughter of a science educator, Moos began her life with a passion for uncovering the science in the world around her. She brings this passion into the classroom through hands-on lab experiments and lessons while building students' confidence in working through complex concepts. Inspired by her growth mindset, Moos emphasizes learning as a life-long process to master the most difficult topics. The high school teacher encourages student growth through productive struggle and uses this principle to guide her chemistry lessons. She creates and uses a positive environment to build relationships with students, help them celebrate small successes, and feel the support necessary to work through assignments. Knowing that students have different learning styles, she provides multiple opportunities to demonstrate learning, emphasizing understanding processes rather than only having correct answers.   

Through these instruction practices, she sees students gain a deeper understanding of the content, motivation increase to solve problems--driving an increase in assessment scores, student engagement, and excitement. Much to the credit of Moos, enrollment in AP Chemistry has tripled over four years, with ongoing student-to-student mentorship that extends after high school. AP chemistry is now more diverse than ever before while maintaining AP exam scores above the global and Texas average. 

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