2008 Plano ISD Teachers of the Year!

Congratulations to Janet Napoli and Amber Evans, Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year, awarded at Plano ISD's Teacher of the Year Gala held on May 8 at Plano Centre and co-sponsored by Plano ISD and the law firm of Gay, McCall, Isaacks, Gordon & Roberts, P.C. Nearly 1,400 educators, sponsors, PTA leaders, elected officials and other dignitaries attended the event.

Janet Napoli
Elementary Teacher of the Year
Skaggs Elementary School

Skaggs Elementary School Literacy Specialist Janet Napoli is known to students as "The Tool Lady." She says, "I use technology, hands-on activities and visual symbolic 'tools' to help students internalize concepts as I move from classroom to classroom modeling lessons that get students involved as my 'tool apprentices'...Students don't even realize they are learning since they are involved with interactive tasks. Learning is alive, energized and vibrant!"

Amber Evans
Secondary Teacher of the Year
Williams High School

Williams High School's Amber Evans started her career teaching math to at-risk students at a county juvenile facility. "The three-year period that I spent teaching these students was the best thing that ever happened to me as a person and as a teacher," said Ms. Evans. "It forever changed my idea of what makes for great teaching. What I discovered by hands-on experience was the time-tested value of the Socratic method: inquisitive, question-directed learning."

Excellence in Teaching Award Winners

In addition to Ms. Napoli and Ms. Evans, the following nominees were selected by a panel of educators and community leaders as "Excellence in Teaching" award winners.

Elementary		Secondary
Kendall Allen, Jr. Schell Elementary School Music Specialist Louann Dunkle Haun Elementary School Fourth Grade Team Leader Donna Lam Chinese Bilingual Pre-K Team Leader - Harrington Elementary Martha Preston Forman Elementary School Math Curriculum Specialist		Derrick D. Brookins Plano Senior High School Director of Choral Activities Elizabeth Cunningham Renner Middle School Special Education Team Leader Debra Nockels Jasper High School English Department Head Nicole Vickerman Clark High School World Geography Team Leader

2008 Beginning Teachers of the Year

Elementary and Secondary Beginning Teachers of the Year were also judged by a panel of educators and community leaders and announced at the May 8 gala.

Elementary		Secondary
Alisa Williams Saigling Elementary School Third Grade Teacher		Mark Rudd Vines High School Special Education Teacher

"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." ~Henry Adams

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