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September 3, 2008
Dear Plano ISD eNews Subscriber: Texas Commissioner of Education Robert Scott announced today (September 3) that Janet Napoli, Skaggs Elementary School literacy specialist and Plano ISD and Region 10 Elementary Teacher of the Year, has been selected as one of six state finalists for the Texas Teacher of the Year title.
Janet Napoli describes her motivation this way: “Creating a community of learners who are empowered to seek out the best for themselves is what drives the things I do in the classroom. Students are sponges. It is my job to help them absorb the most powerful ‘tools’ that help them reach their learning potential.”
Read about Ms. Napoli on Plano ISD’s Web site by following these links:
Janet Napoli Philosophy of Education & Biography: http://www.pisd.edu/about.us/awards.ratings/janet.napoli.shtml
Plano ISD Teacher of the Year Gala Photo Gallery:
http://www.pisd.edu/news/archive/2007-08/photo.gallery.toty.shtml
Region 10 Teacher of the Year Announcement: http://www.pisd.edu/news/archive/2008.09/regional.toty.shtml
Video of Ms. Napoli’s acceptance remarks at Plano ISD Teacher of the Year Gala: http://stream.pisd.edu/tvstudio/gala.asf
According to Commissioner Scott, the six top educators who are finalists for Texas Teacher of the Year have a combined 125 years of teaching experience. The teachers were selected from among 40 regional Teachers of the Year. The finalists will now vie for the honor of being named Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year and the Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year.
The elementary finalists are: - Janet Napoli, Plano ISD literacy teacher for kindergarten through fifth-grade students at Skaggs Elementary School in Plano ISD; - Beth Dennis, a fifth-grade teacher at Thomas Justiss Elementary in Paris ISD; and - Dora Alicia Newell, a third-grade teacher at Thigpen-Zavala Elementary School in McAllen ISD.
The secondary finalists are: - Christine Gleason, an English teacher at Fabens High School in the Fabens Independent School District, which is near El Paso; - Iris Hines, an English teacher at the Roosevelt Alternative School in the Mission Consolidated ISD; and - Debbie Perry, who at the time she was named a regional Teacher of the Year, was a mathematics teacher at Travis Junior High in Paris ISD. This fall, Perry began teaching geometry at Midway High School in Waco’s Midway ISD.
Commissioner Scott said today, “I congratulate these six outstanding teachers who have made a difference in the lives of thousands of students. They are representative of the many dedicated teachers who staff Texas classrooms.
This program, through the support of our generous sponsors, provides a way to publicly recognize and thank these dedicated, creative individuals.” These six finalists were selected by a panel of judges who represent the state’s four teacher organizations. The judges were Brian Baker of the Texas AFT; Jerry Bonham of the Association of Texas Professional Educators; Jan Pate of the Texas Classroom Teachers Association; and Stephen Smallwood of the Texas State Teachers Association.
The finalists will now be invited to Austin for interviews before a larger judging panel, which will determine the top elementary and secondary teacher. One of the top winners will also be selected to go forward to be considered for National Teacher of the Year honors.
The national program is sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers. The Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year, the Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year, the remaining four finalists and the other regional Teachers of the Year will be honored at a luncheon to be held on November 22 at the Connally Banquet Hall in the University of Texas’ Etter-Harbin Alumni Center.
The Texas Education Agency has sponsored the Texas Teacher of the Year program since 1969. During the luncheon, each of the regional winners will receive a $500 check and a trophy. The top two teachers will receive a $5,000 cash prize, a technology package valued at more than $15,000 and a trophy.
The Teacher of the Year program is supported by its generous donors who include AT&T, H-E-B, the SMARTer Kids Foundation, Dell and the state’s major education associations. Thank you for subscribing to eNews.
Your colleagues, friends and neighbors may sign up for eNews at: http://elist.pisd.edu. Archived messages may be found online at: http://www.pisd.edu/news/enews.
Best regards,
Doug Otto, Superintendent of Schools
Karla Oliver, Executive Director for Government and Community Relations
Mary Gorden, Public Information Officer / eNews Editor
“Plano ISD will provide an excellent education for all students.”
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