ROCKWALL, TX (March 27, 2014) Rockwall ISD middle school principal Jason Johnston has been named as a state finalist for a 2014 H-E-B Excellence in Education Award. Dr. Johnston is the principal at Cain Middle School and was chosen as one of five state finalists out of 900 applicants in the secondary principal award category.
At a surprise assembly on Wednesday, March 26, representatives from H-E-B presented Dr. Johnston with a $1,000 check for him personally and a $2,500 check for Cain Middle School. He will travel to Houston on May 2 as part of the statewide competition.
H-E-B’s Excellence in Education is the largest monetary awards program for educators in Texas, and among the largest in the nation. The honor was kept a surprise from Dr. Johnston, who learned he was a finalist when he was called down to the Cain gym and greeted by the entire staff and student body, representatives from Central Office, members of his family, and the H-E-B prize patrol. In addition to the monetary awards, the H-E-B representatives presented him with balloons, a gift basket, and a cake.
Each year, H-E-B asks customers, employees and community members to nominate teachers, principals, districts, early childhood facilities and school boards in Texas for the Excellence in Education Awards. Each nominee is sent an invitation to compete through an online application process. Nominees are asked about their professional experiences, educational philosophies and achievements both in and out of the classroom.
A team of judges review the applications, narrowing the field to semi-finalists. From that pool, five regional judging panels comprised of former winners, administrators, and university and community leaders select the state finalists in each category. State finalists are personally interviewed by a panel of judges. The winner of each category will be announced at an awards gala hosted by H-E-B. The winner of the secondary principal category will receive $10,000 in cash for themselves and a $25,000 grant for their school.
H-E-B operates more than 350 stores in Texas and Mexico. Districts, teachers, and principals are eligible to enter the Excellence in Education Awards if the district they represent is within 60 miles of an H-E-B or Central Market facility. This is the second year in a row that Rockwall ISD has had a secondary principal named as a state finalist. In 2013, Carri Eddy—who was principal of Utley Middle School—was named a finalist and competed at the state level.
Submitted by James VanDyke, Rockwall ISD.
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