As a brand new red Ford Escape – courtesy of Randall Reed’s Planet Ford – sat outside the Hilton Houston North on Tuesday evening, hundreds of Spring ISD employees and their guests gathered in the ballroom inside the hotel for the district’s annual Employee Recognition Banquet, postponed from earlier in the month after severe weather caused the delay.
The annual event is held to recognize retirees, top teachers and principals, and employees who have reached milestones in their years of service with Spring ISD.
‘Spring ISD has a long history of excellence when it comes to our educators and staff, and this celebration is proof that the tradition continues,” Superintendent Lupita Hinojosa said. “Everyone in this room gives me a reason to applaud, to celebrate, and to recognize their efforts and talent – and all that they do for the students of Spring ISD, every single day.”
A highlight of each year’s event is the naming of the top two finalists for Teacher of the Year. Every year, each campus names a Teacher of the Year. Those teachers are then eligible to submit an application for the Spring ISD Teacher of the Year. Thanks to a now decade-plus partnership with Randall Reed’s Planet Ford dealership, the finalist receives a new car.
This year, the new Ford Escape went to John Maldonado, the band director at Claughton Middle School.
“I wake up every day, and I just teach the kids to the very best of my ability,” Maldonado said. “I take that step to make sure that they feel like they can make one step forward every day. I want them to leave my classroom happy, they leave motivated, and they leave one day better. I think that’s the goal for everyone here tonight.”
Each year, Planet Ford also donates a $2,500 prize, this year won by Marshall Elementary teacher Tristan Thomas. For the pre-K teacher, the recognition is just another sign that her classroom strategies are paying off.
“I want them to leave my classroom knowing that there’s someone out there who genuinely cares and is concerned about them and their growth,” she said. “I want them to learn that, ‘Hey, I can do anything. If I put my mind to it, I can achieve it.’ That’s what I want them to leave my classroom learning from me.”
In addition to Teacher of the Year recognitions, the Spring ISD Board of Trustees was on hand to recognize the 2023-24 winners of the Employee Excellence Awards. They also named an overall winner – this year going to Burchett Elementary math and science teacher Cabreatha Thomas.
“The Employee Excellence Award is designed to allow anyone – parents, community members, principals, staff members – to nominate employees who have brought the Spring ISD mission to life and help the district reach each and every Spring ISD student,” Board President Justine Durant said. “There’s long been a saying that ‘it takes a village,’ and here in Spring ISD we know that it takes all five thousand employees to make our students successful.”
The Employee Recognition Banquet also recognized several other employees of the district, listed below. The event is one that, as Dr. Hinojosa said, is designed to show all employees of Spring ISD that their work towards student success is valued.
“This annual event is just one small way of showing our appreciation for the best and the brightest of our Spring ISD family,” Dr. Hinojosa said. “It’s always such a thrill to get to celebrate every year.”
Recognitions presented were as follows:
Retirees
- Pastora Alvarenga, Child Nutrition
- Craig Archie, Transportation
- Vickie Bacon, Burchett Elementary
- Joe Belin, Operations
- Shelly Bowen, Smith Elementary
- Denise Brashear, Hoyland Elementary
- Laura Brown, Smith Elementary
- Nicolas Campuzano, Ponderosa Elementary
- Antonio Cerdas, Building Operations
- Tyria Chase, Dueitt Middle School
- Paulette Cobb, Winship Elementary
- Shelly Copeland, Child Nutrition
- Linda Davidson, Transportation
- Ana De Lopez, Child Nutrition
- Roberto Dimaliwat. Westfield High School
- Kathy Dorsey, Transportation
- Lisa Evans, Wunsche High School
- Charlayne Fenley, Marshall Elementary
- Kimberly Fonteno, School Leadership
- Edna Fuller, Transportation
- Martina Garcia, Child Nutrition
- Valentine Garcia Baez, Booker Elementary
- Sheilah Hames, Virtual Academy
- Janis Harkins, Burchett Elementary
- Jennifer Hart, Eickenroht Elementary
- Shernell Haywood, Child Nutrition
- Lafeta Henson, Special Education
- Corena Hollins, Dekaney High School
- Christian Igwe, Westfield High School
- Armando Jacinto, Athletics
- Tangela Jones, Westfield High School
- James Jones, Maintenance
- Tamika Julien, Dueitt Middle School
- Leenette Jupiter, Special Education
- Mary Paige Kapp, Virtual Academy
- Sandra Kind, Salyers Elementary
- Lenida Lee, Twin Creeks Middle School
- Laura Mancinas, Child Nutrition
- Traci Mann, Reynolds Elementary
- Lloyd McDaniel, Maintenance
- Carol Meshack, Wells Middle School
- Gladys Milian, Booker Elementary
- Lynn Moneypenny, Smith Elementary
- Catherine Moss, Hoyland Elementary
- Alice Musella, Smith Elementary
- Dawn Oliver, Innovation & Equity
- Martha Ortega, Building Operations
- Shakuntalaben Patel, Child Nutrition
- Patricia Phythian, Twin Creeks Middle School
- Margaret Ploch Fritz, Special Education
- Gail Podaridis, Innovation & Equity
- Patricia Rios, Superintendent Office
- Yoalmo Rubio, Maintenance
- Yvonne Sanders, Smith Elementary
- Charles Scott, Transportation
- Virginia Shoulders, Special Education
- Sara Silva, Thompson Elementary
- Frankie Skipper, Child Nutrition
- Jewruther Smith, Building Operations
- Maria Stefas, Dueitt Middle School
- William Thompson, Transportation
- Andrea Townsend, Transportation
- Veronica Trevino, Operations
- Kathy Tyllick, Transportation
- Khuong Vu, Building Operations
- Robert Wawarosky, Maintenance
- Jane Wilkins, Transportation
- Ester Williams, Winship Elementary
- Rodney Young, Dekaney High School
- Margaret Zirkle, Bailey Middle School
20 Years of Service
- Maria Aguilar-Gutierrez, Claughton Middle School
- Esmeralda Aleman, Transportation
- Jason Boyer, Technology
- Kirsten Brokken, Reynolds Elementary
- Laura Brown, Smith Elementary
- Olga Cardenas, Hoyland Elementary
- Maria Cardona, Child Nutrition
- Ty Chau, Building Operations
- Yohely Cintron Santiago, Jenkins Elementary
- Farrah Cooper, Westfield High School
- Javier Dominguez, Anderson Elementary
- Haydee Dominguez, Meyer Elementary
- Sarah Ford, Jenkins Elementary
- David Fuente, Police
- Karen Gallaway, Special Education
- Greg Guidry, Wunsche High School
- Latracy Harris, School Leadership
- Veronica Hernandez, Springwoods Village Middle School
- Megan Jones, Special Education
- Allison Kiker, Link Elementary
- Gilma Manchester, Burchett Elementary
- Leigh Mccurdy-Prieto, Finance
- Rhonda Montgomery, Human Resource Services
- Patricia Murray, Beneke Elementary
- Melva Nash, Booker Elementary
- Maria Neal, Bailey Middle School
- Dorset Neeley, Tax Office
- Karen Nolasco, Link Elementary
- Portia Oliphant, Westfield High School
- Tamika Richardson-Jackson, Meyer Elementary
- Deysy Rodriguez, Building Operations
- Edith Rodriguez, Lewis Elementary
- America Rogel, Building Operations
- Mark Salva, Westfield High School
- Celeste Scott, Special Education
- Virginia Shoulders, Special Education
- Tasha Simon, Spring High School
- Jerrard Stanley, Smith Elementary
- Cynthia Starling, Bammel Elementary
- Roquel Thomas, Child Nutrition
- David Tijerina-Landgrebe, Performing And Visual Arts
- Alejandra Trevino, Smith Elementary
- Hai Trinh, Building Operations
- Donna Turner, Westfield High School
- Maria Vasquez, Building Operations
- Katrina Williams, Special Education
- Nora Zarzour, Westfield High School
25 Years of Service
- Darlene Abuelaileh, Transportation
- Jacob Aviles, Technology
- Denise Brashear, Hoyland Elementary
- Jeffery Brossett, Technology
- Mary Chapman, Dueitt Middle School
- Jennifer Crawford, Jenkins Elementary
- Amparo Gomez De Silva, Special Education
- Miriam Gonzalez, Special Education
- Amanda Hanna, Beneke Elementary
- Houston Ho, Grounds
- Cynthia Hollis, Child Nutrition
- Shirlessa Jack, Claughton Middle School
- Jacquelyn Lancaster, Special Education
- Jason Meade, Winship Elementary
- Ana Munoz, Special Education
- Claudia Ortiz, Booker Elementary
- Darlene Vonseggern, Northgate Crossing Elementary
30 Years of Service
- Crystal Carrier, Burchett Elementary
- Susan Davis, Westfield High School
- Pamela Eleby, Building Operations
- Traci Mann, Reynolds Elementary
- Hector Manon, Maintenance
- Linda Walker, Beneke Elementary
35 Years of Service
- Barbara Breaux, Building Operations
- Janette Hudspeth, Jenkins Elementary
- Cindy Kercheval, Procurement
- Sandra Mcguire, Technology
- Carol Meshack, Wells Middle School
- Barbara Smith, Reynolds Elementary
45 Years of Service
- Renee Jones, Salyers Elementary
Employee Excellence Award Winners
- Officer Jose Argueta, Spring ISD Police Department
- Rosendo Chavez Torres, Distribution Center
- Diana DelaFuente, Marshall Elementary
- Cabreatha Thomas, Burchett Elementary
- Connie Goins, Special Education
- Teresa Davis, Wells Middle School
- Juan Carlos Rios, McNabb Elementary
- Colby Davis, Springwoods Village Middle School
- Sonia Rodriguez, Westfield High School
Elementary Principal of the Year
- Cecily Parker, Jenkins Elementary
Secondary Principal of the Year
- Cecelia Brumsey, Roberson Middle School
Rookie Teachers of the Year
- Darrylvoceya Campbell, Wells Middle School
- Liliana Chavez Wright, Reynolds Elementary
- Mounik Congram, Burchett Elementary
- Janelle Cross, Hirsch Elementary
- Stacy Day, Claughton Middle School
- Patrick Fairbanks, Westfield High School
- Stephanie Ferreyra, Eickenroht Elementary
- Nicholas Free, Roberson Middle School
- Hannah Greer, Meyer Elementary
- Connor Hash, Springwoods Village Middle School
- Ashli Joseph, Major Elementary
- Rebecca Krejci, Dekaney High School
- Chrystal Luna, Twin Creeks Middle School
- Courtney Malecek, Wunsche High School
- Rachelle McCoy, Spring Leadership Academy
- Victoria Quiroz, Dueitt Middle School
- Daniel Rivas, Lewis Elementary
- Alexandria Rivera, Jenkins Elementary
- Brandon Robb, Cooper Elementary
- Vanessa Ruiz, Northgate Crossing Elementary
- Mario Segura, Ponderosa Elementary
- Brelyn Senegal, Booker Elementary
- Dylanlea Shaftner, Anderson Elementary
- Cam Simpson, Bailey Middle School
- Victoria Vargas, Heritage Elementary
- Chareese Williams, Thompson Elementary
Elementary Teachers of the Year
- Nayeli Aguilar, Beneke Elementary
- Eduardo Aponte, Booker Elementary
- Rosa Batista, Anderson Elementary
- Deandria Bluiett, Ponderosa Elementary
- Sherine Brown, Meyer Elementary
- Kristal Buckles, Smith Elementary
- Tavis Dangerfield, Hoyland Elementary
- Everett Daniels, Thompson Elementary
- Natalie Gordon, Jenkins Elementary
- Patrina Johnson, Heritage Elementary
- Akayla Joseph, Winship Elementary
- Ronelle Kello, Northgate Crossing Elementary
- Brooke Koop, Eickenroht Elementary
- Micayla Mason, Salyers Elementary
- Veneranda Mederes Puentes, Link Elementary
- Ishrika Miller, Major Elementary
- Karla Morales, Lewis Elementary
- Delphine Patterson, Bammel Elementary
- Kathy Spencer, McNabb Elementary
- Cabreatha Thomas, Burchett Elementary
- Tristan Thomas, Marshall Elementary
- Grace Torres, Hirsch Elementary
- Jolie Trove, Cooper Elementary
- Amanda Volney, Reynolds Elementary
- Orland Watson-Cato, Clark Elementary
Middle School Teachers of the Year
- Hope Denmon, Wells Middle School
- Dawson Ferguson, Roberson Middle School
- Dewayne Harrold, Bailey Middle School
- Melissa Lugo, Spring Leadership Academy
- John Maldonado, Claughton Middle School
- Crystal Manual-Hall, Dueitt Middle School
- Curtis Mickens, Twin Creeks Middle School
- Taneisha Riles, Springwoods Village Middle School
- Carol Wyatt, School For International Studies at Bammel
High School Teachers of the Year
- Aaron Boudreaux, Momentum High School
- Jason Smith, Dekaney High School
- Rogelio Solis Avila, Wunsche High School
- Lakeisha Taylor, Spring High School
- Tami Velez, Westfield High School
- Renisha Wiley, Spring Early College Academy