Spring Branch ISD Featured News

The Spring Branch ISD Teacher of the Year Committee has announced its finalists for 2020 Teacher of the Year.

Committee interviews will soon be held with the six finalist candidates. The district will then announce the Elementary and Secondary Teacher of the Year decisions after the upcoming candidate interviews. A special recognition for the two Teachers of the Year is being planned at this time.

District winners of this highly regarded award receive a trophy-style Golden Apple Award, plus related awards and recognitions that include a $1,000 cash award, plus a $2,000 professional growth stipend.

Elementary Teacher of the Year Finalists

• Kathryn McCracken, Meadow Wood Elementary. Kathryn is the school librarian.
• Claire Rottino, Woodview Elementary. Claire is a math and science teacher.
• Andrea Gilmore, Memorial Drive Elementary. Andrea is an English Language Arts (ELA) teacher.

Secondary Teacher of the Year Finalists

• Crystal Fain, Stratford High. Crystal is a math teacher and tennis coach.
• Kate Waldorf, Spring Branch Middle. Kate is a math teacher.
• Yolanda Matthews-Porter, The Guthrie Center. Yolanda is a cosmetology teacher.

Campus Teacher of the Year candidates are first nominated by the district’s own teachers, parents, students and interested community members. This year, 1,837 individual nominations were received; in all, 851 teachers, counselors and librarians were nominated.

Members of the SBISD Teacher of the Year Committee read and reviewed campus Teacher of the Year applications, including videos submitted by candidates. These applications detail the unique perspectives and the rich, varied backgrounds of our outstanding educators.

When announced, the SBISD Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year will go on to compete in the Region IV Teacher of the Year competition. If they are successful, they will then move forward to the annual Texas Teacher of the Year competition.

SBISD’s two new Teachers of the Year are also entered into the annual Houston West Chamber of Commerce teacher recognition event.

During its history, SBISD has had several teachers named as regional and Texas Teachers of the Year. Many district educators have been recognized as regional-level finalists, too, or they have won separate awards and honors.

View the full list of campus Teachers of the Year here.

Spotlights: Teacher of the Year Finalists

 

 

Kathryn McCracken

Meadow Wood Elementary
Librarian

Education: Bachelors in Interdisciplinary Studies, Texas A&M University; currently pursuing a Masters of Library Science from Texas A&M-Commerce University

“As the librarian on my campus, I have the privilege to collaborate with my community teachers, students and parents on a daily basis. It is through these dynamic and critical interactions that I am able to provide a safe space for everyone to learn, grow, become strong citizens, and contribute to the community. Importantly, my role provides me with the opportunity to champion the benefits and enjoyment of continuous learning.”

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Andrea Gilmore

Memorial Drive Elementary
5^th Grade, English Language Arts/Social Studies

Education: Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

“There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ in education, and my passion is building relationships with my students to find out how I can best teach them. I love teaching reading and writing because through learning to do those well, my students can engage with the world and influence it for the better.”

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Claire Rottino

Woodview Elementary
3^rd Grade, Math and Science Teacher

Education: Bachelor of Science in Applied Learning and Development, Early Childhood-Grade 6, University of Texas at Austin

“The kids in my classroom motivate me every day. There is nothing better than leaving school each day knowing that you taught someone something new and made a difference in their life.”

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Crystal Fain

Stratford High
Math and Tennis

Education: Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, Washington and Lee University

“I love high school students. I love math and tennis. I love bringing joy anywhere I go. Teaching combines [many] of the things I love the most into one incredibly rewarding job, allowing me to live my best life. My goal teaching math is for every kid to realize how fun it can be! When kids laugh and smile in my class, they’ve discovered the impossible: That they’re having fun in a math classroom. These ‘math smiles’ motivate me. On the tennis court, my goal is to build a community where kids feel like they belong and have fun being active. Tennis is one of the few sports in high school that kids can continue long term. My goal is to get them in the healthy habit of daily exercise, and to help them see that it is rewarding and fun.”

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Kate Waldorf

Spring Branch Middle
6^th Grade Academic and Pre-Advanced Placement(AP)/Gifted & Talented(GT) Math

Education: Bachelors in Mathematics Education, University of Houston, Summa Cum Laude

“I am an energetic, passionate, and kind educator who is driven by my students and the subject I teach. My passion for math, as well as knowing what all students deserve, motivates me to tailor instruction and learning experiences to meet all of my students at their current levels of proficiency and take them on a journey to deeper levels of understanding. These learning experiences spark the desire needed for students to want to learn more. Although I am just a piece of each of my student’s educational journeys, the role I have as a teacher can have a huge influence on their lives, and I certainly do not take that for granted.”

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Yolanda Matthews-Porter

The Guthrie Center
11^th and 12^th Grade, Cosmetology

Education: Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Cosmetology and Cosmetology Instructor, Lone Star College and Houston Community College

“My teaching inspiration and motivation came from taking cosmetology in high school. I had a very good teacher who was great teaching the curriculum, but I always felt there were pieces missing within the class like confidence building, life skills and sound conversations that help build healthy relationships with students. Cosmetology allows me to incorporate all three within my classroom and lab, which gives me a chance to give hope and encouragement to all of my students.”