Back in person
Banquet season for the Arlington ISD has officially begun, and Tuesday night was a big one.
The district returned to an in-person Teacher of the Year banquet for the first time in two years to honor the 77 teachers recognized by the campuses.
The theme of the night was superheroes.
It made sense given everything teachers have endured since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Because you’re a teacher of the year during this time, it makes you even more special to all our Arlington ISD family,” Arlington ISD superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos said. “It makes you more special to us, to me. If you’re teacher of the year, that means you poured yourself, like you always do, to serve our students. You’ve done it with joy and hope and as an example. You’re an example for our thousands of teachers.”
Each Arlington ISD campus selects a teacher of the year. They were then invited to the banquet that featured dinner, a photo booth and a candy station. School principals, Arlington ISD Board of Trustees and district senior staff also attended the event.
But the stars were the teachers.
“You’re an example for the little ones and young adults who will someday go into the teaching profession because they look to you and your perseverance because they’re inspired,” Cavazos said. “You’re a mark of excellence in our district.”
Kiwanis Teachers of the Year
The district’s teacher of the year banquet came on the heels of the Kiwanis Woodrow Counts Teacher of the Year Celebration.
During the luncheon, Martin High School science teacher Laura Ebanks was named the senior high teacher of the year for the district. Michelle Leverette, who teaches science at Bailey Junior High, was honored as the junior high teacher of the year. And Lindsey Henderson from Little Elementary was selected as the elementary teacher of the year.
The Kiwanis also honored several teachers with special recognition. They included Devon Campbell (Bowie High School), Saroeurn Soeun (Lamar High School), Laquisha Whitfield (Barnett Junior High), Kelly Hunt (Boles Junior High), Chris Gonzalez (Atherton Elementary), Dennille Ferguson (Corey Academy), Julie Morris (Duff Elementary), Tracie Schmidt (Pearcy STEM Academy) and Maria Ghearing (Remynse Elementary).
Join our teachers
If teaching is your calling like our teachers of the year, then come join us Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the teacher job fair at the Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center. We have openings at all grade levels. Register here.