Spring Branch ISD Featured News

Memorial High School’s Holly Hartman heads to state-level competition next!

Memorial High School journalism instructor Holly Hartman was named Secondary Teacher of the Year last evening during the Region 4 Education Service Center Teacher of the Year Dinner and Awards Ceremony. Joining her as Region 4 Elementary Teacher of the Year is Jeanna Pena of Cypress-Fairbanks ISD.

Earlier, Hartman and Frostwood Elementary School librarian Heather Bothe were named as Region 4 Teacher of the Year finalists, placing among the area’s top 10 teachers. Region 4 serves a seven-county area that includes 50 public school districts.

Hartman oversees both the student newspaper and yearbook at Memorial High, where she has taught many years. The newspaper and yearbook have won numerous local, state and national awards during her tenure, and she also teaches regular journalism classes. 

Although not present for the Aug. 1 awards ceremony due to a planned vacation, Hartman congratulated Region 4 teachers chosen as their district’s best. In all, 90 Region 4 teachers competed in this year’s competition.

“I was somewhat shocked but very appreciative. I received an excited phone call from my mom immediately, and then from family and friends, so that was fun,” Hartman said. “The other regional finalists are exceptional teachers, and I’m honored to be selected among them. I am committed to proudly representing all the outstanding teachers in Region 4 over the next year.”

District Superintendent Scott R. Muri, Ed.D., praised the Memorial High educator for her dedication to students and instructional excellence.

“Holly has inspired the minds and shaped the lives of thousands of students, and we are so proud of her myriad accomplishments both in and out of the classroom. We congratulate and applaud her for being named the Region 4 Secondary Teacher of the Year,” Dr. Muri said.

Region 4’s annual recognition of educators is sponsored through the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA).

A 23-year Texas educator, Hartman has also been a journalism instructor and English teacher at Spring Branch Middle School, and she taught early in her career in Hayes and Burnet Consolidated ISDs. She also served as the Holocaust Museum Houston education director for one year.

She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin, holds certification in elementary education and language arts, English as a Second Language (ESL), and in her teaching field of journalism.

As a teacher and chaperone, she has traveled in the summer with the National Geographic Student Photography program to destinations worldwide, from snowy Iceland to the warm beaches of Fiji, and many passport destinations in between.

Bothe and Hartman were named as district Teachers of the Year this past April during the annual SBISD Service Awards recognition event held at Minute Made Park.

Hartman and CyFair’s Pena will now represent secondary and elementary teachers from the Region 4 area at the upcoming Texas Teacher of the Year Awards Ceremony, which will be held in Austin. If successful there, they will then compete at the national level.

SBISD has eight previous Region 4 Teacher of the Year winners. They include Lorraine Maneen, Secondary (2001); Catherine Robinson, Elementary (2000); Patty Oliver, Elementary (1995); Debra Sue Sonner, Elementary (1992); Joyce Roberta Miller-Alper, Secondary (1989); James Eugene Stones Jr., Secondary (1987); Melanie Wells Christie, Secondary (1985); and Patricia C. Taylor, Secondary (1983).

Five of our Region 4 Teachers of the Year were later named Texas Teacher of the Year. They include Lorraine Maneen, Joyce Roberta Miller-Alper, James Eugene Stones Jr., Melanie Wells Christie and Patricia C. Taylor.