Rockwall ISD celebrates 2016 Teachers of the Year at annual awards banquet

(ROCKWALL, TX – May 10, 2016) The Rockwall Independent School District honored the Teachers of the Year from its 19 campuses, and named the elementary and secondary district teachers of the year, during the 2016 Teachers of the Year Awards Banquet at the Hilton on Friday, May 6.

Earning the 2016 elementary and secondary district teacher honors were Dobbs Elementary teacher Brenda Sandoval-Jones and Utley Middle School teacher Justin Newberry, who each received a $2,500 vacation package, in addition to the other prizes awarded to each campus teacher of the year: a $100 Visa gift card and “swag bag” containing a plaque and other goodies from each of the event’s sponsors.

“I walked in three years ago to Rockwall ISD never truly understanding the change the district was going to make in my life, and how important family and community are, and that is what I live for every single day,” Sandoval-Jones said. “It’s an honor to represent Rockwall ISD.”

“I don’t know that I’m truly the Teacher of the Year, but I promise you this: I will try to make good the demands of my profession, of myself, of my students and of this wonderful community,” Newberry said. “I hope that we all are always striving towards the goals that we can only dimly perceive.”

As the Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year, Sandoval-Jones and Newberry will represent the district for the regional Teacher of the Year competition administered by the Texas Association of School Administrators.

The 19 Campus Teachers of the Year for Rockwall ISD are as follows:

Melissa Tilson – Amanda Rochell Elementary School
Natalie Kirkley – Amy Parks-Heath Elementary School
Venus Britton – Billie Stevenson Elementary School
Melissa Ferguson – Celia Hays Elementary School
Kirsten Golden – Doris Cullins-Lake Pointe Elementary School
Courtenay Bridges – Dorothy Smith Pullen Elementary School
Mynda Rivera-Ruiz – Dorris A. Jones Elementary School
Kristina Bell– Grace Hartman Elementary School
Brenda Sandoval-Jones – Howard Dobbs Elementary School
Holly Sanford – Nebbie Williams Elementary School
Melissa Tyner – Ouida Springer Elementary School
Jami Nelson – Sharon Shannon Elementary School
Brenna LeCroy – Virginia Reinhardt Elementary School
Justin Newberry – Herman E. Utley Middle School
Maria Shah – J.W.Williams Middle School
Brandy Clifton – Maurine Cain Middle School
Charlsie Griffiths – Rockwall High School
Leslie Reese – Rockwall-Heath High School
Heather Graham – Rockwall Quest Academy

Patsy Stodghill and family presented the Sheri Stodghill Fowler Beginning Teacher of the Year Award to Hartman Elementary fourth grade teacher Grace Jones. The award marks a new tradition for Rockwall ISD and is given in memory of Sheri Stodghill Fowler, who was the Chief Communications Officer for the school district for nine years before her passing last January after a lengthy battle with cancer. The award recognizes teachers in their first year who exhibit outstanding dedication, development and personal growth in their profession.

Hartman Elementary teacher Grace Jones (second from right) receives the Sheri Stodghill Fowler Beginning Teacher of the Year award from the Stodghill family.

Patsy, who worked for over 33 years as an educator in the Dallas and Rockwall school districts, spoke of the remarkable dedication and can-do attitude exhibited by her daughter Sheri ias the district’s director of communications, and how all the 2016 teachers of the year echoed Sheri’s strive for excellence.

“We do anything that needs to be done to make everything a success for our students,” she said. “You’re the teachers being honored because you get the job done. You do all the great and the glorious things, all the petty and mundane things. Great teachers don’t happen by accident.”

Toyota of Rockwall presented 2015 Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year Edna Solis (left) and Candy Holland with special plaques during the 2016 Rockwall ISD Teachers of the Year Awards Banquet.

In his last year as Superintendent of Rockwall ISD, Jeff Bailey thanked all the hard-working staff of the school district and showed his appreciation for the positive impact the district’s teachers make on the lives of their students.

“When you hear about the teachers and the impact that they have on children in our classrooms, you can’t help but believe that our children are in the best hands of any place that they could be with the teachers that we have,” Bailey said. “They are the difference makers. Teachers are the ones who have the biggest impact on our children, and that’s the reason why we celebrate this every year.”

The Rockwall ISD Teacher of the Year Selection Committee responsible for selecting this year’s Elementary and Secondary District Teachers of the Year included the following members:

Rhonda Wasson – Secondary English/Language Arts Coordinator
Renae Murphy – Chief Communications Officer
Edna Solis – 2015 Elementary Teacher of the Year
Candy Holland – Secondary Teacher of the Year
Katie Braden – Elementary Science Coordinator
Trenton Cornehl – Rockwall Breakfast Rotary Community Representative

Sponsors of the banquet this year included:

Law Firm Abernathy, Roeder, Boyd & Joplin
Durham School Services
Huckabee
Attorneys Linebarger, Goggin, Blair & Sampson, LLP
Northstar Builders Group
Perkins + Will
Rockwall ISD Education Foundation, Inc.
Rockwall Breakfast Rotary
SSC Service Solutions
Stantec
Toyota of Rockwall
VLK Architects

Story and photos by Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News editor.