As the 2023-24 school year winds down, members of the Spring ISD Board of Trustees paid surprise visits this week to several schools to present Spring ISD Employee Excellence Awards. Winners were selected by the trustees for embodying the qualities in the district’s Leadership Definition.
Board President Justine Durant, Secretary Kelly P. Hodges, Assistant Secretary Rhonda Newhouse, and Trustees Dr. Deborah Jensen and Natasha McDaniel were accompanied by Superintendent Dr. Lupita Hinojosa and other administrators to deliver the news to the winning staff members.
January
January’s award went to Central Office staff member Connie Goins, who serves as a homebound teacher under the Special Services department.
Goins was nominated by a coordinator in the Special Education department who says that both parents and staff members have complimented Goins for her service to those who are often overlooked.
Recognized for her exceptional teaching skills and going above and beyond for all student populations, Goins was also referred to as a brave and compassionate individual who selflessly assists students who are unable to leave their homes due to medical reasons.
“My job does come with its own challenges, but to see the smiles on parents’ faces and their children’s accomplishments in spite of their disabilities and challenges is such a great feeling,” Goins told the group present for her recognition.
In addition, Goins was credited for helping students after hours and on weekends, and for taking training courses to better support those in need.
February
The February award went to Wells Middle School teacher Teresa Davis, who works as a special education CASE teacher at the campus.
“I’m speechless, and I usually have things to say,” Davis said. “I just want to be a good role model to my students.”
Davis was nominated by multiple parents for the award, a distinction the superintendent was quick to point out.
“For multiple parents to submit a nomination, that says a lot,” Hinojosa told Davis during the award presentation. “And these parents wanted to make sure that our board knew that you were an extra-special teacher for our kids.”
One of the parents to nominate Davis has a daughter with autism, and said that Davis encouraged her daughter to write and publish a book. Nominations mentioned that Davis empowers her students each and every day that they enter her classroom, and that she also keeps parents informed, updated and empowered to be active contributors to their children’s education.
March
Juan Carlos Rios, a bilingual 5th grade teacher at McNabb Elementary, was the March winner. He was recognized for his committed, results-driven approach to teaching, which has resulted in some of the highest test scores in the entire district.
Rios is also known for being Service Oriented – a part of the Leadership Definition – supporting his fellow teachers and sharing strategies with them to help students improve. He is also known for embodying integrity as a teacher and a person.
When presented with the monetary prize that accompanies the award, Rios was characteristically thinking about students first.
“I’m going to use this for my classroom,” he said.
Nominated by a fellow teacher, Rios was praised for his embodiment of the Spring ISD mission to reach every student. He was nominated for his belief in every student, no matter their academic record up to that point. He uses real-life, hands-on experiences to help students grasp concepts, from helping students raise caterpillars into butterflies, to hosting live ecosystems in the classroom, to creating electrical circuits.
“This actually means a lot to me,” Rios said. “I truly love teaching. I don’t do this for the awards or anything. I do it all for the students.”
April
The winner of the award for the month of April is Colby Davis. This language and literature teacher at Springwoods Village Middle School may be new to Spring ISD, but she is an 18-year veteran in the classroom.
She has been selected by the Texas Education Agency to provide feedback on the development of state STAAR tests, and has been called a huge asset to not only the campus but the district as a whole. Called a “true leader,” Davis was also recognized for creating meaningful relationships with her students beyond the classroom. After one of her students wrote in an assignment about the impact that their church had on their life, Davis took time on the weekend to visit the student and their family at their church – just one example of the heart she has for students and the surrounding community.
This is the first year Davis has taught in Spring ISD, after years of a friend encouraging her to join the district’s team.
“I’ve been in education for 18 years, and I’m so glad to be here now,” she said. “I appreciate all the systems that we have in place in the district, the support and the resources available for not just students but also the teachers. I’ve been so impressed with all of that, and knew that Spring ISD was where I needed to be.”
May
The final Employee Excellence Award for the 2023-24 school year went to Sonia Rodriguez, a Child Nutrition Manager based out of the Westfield High School Ninth-Grade Center. Rodriguez was nominated by a Child Nutrition Specialist, who says that as a manager, Rodriguez is admirable and easy to get along with.
The award nomination also highlighted Rodriguez for her excellence as a trainer to new employees and for being helpful to anyone who approaches her. Behind the scenes, Rodriguez recently went through an administrative review from the Texas Department of Agriculture and received an “Excellent” rating, according to Spring ISD Director Of Child Nutrition Shelly Copeland.
After being surprised by her Child Nutrition colleagues, district trustees and the superintendent, Rodriguez said the recognition truly means a lot.
“I’ve been here for 18 years and it makes me feel proud of myself,” Rodriguez said. “I do what I do because I love what I do, and I love my job.”
Trustees presented each award recipient with a framed certificate and a special Spring ISD recognition pin. Each Employee Excellence Award winner also receives a check, made possible by the support of the Spring ISD Education Foundation.
Nominations for the award can be made by any employee, parent, or community member. To learn more, or to nominate a Spring ISD employee, visit www.springisd.org/employee-recognition.