Fort Bend ISD Names 2018 District Teachers of the Year
(L-R): Board Trustee Dave Rosenthal, Board Trustee Jim Rice, Board President Kristin Tassin, Elementary Teacher of the Year Leigha Bishop, Secondary Teacher of the Year Shaughn Thomas, Board Vice President Jason Burdine, Board Trustee KP George, FBISD Superintendent Dr. Charles Dupre.
Awards Dinner And Program Held April 19
Fort Bend ISD announced the names of the 2018 District Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year at its annual Teacher of the Year awards dinner and program, held April 19 at Safari Texas Ranch. Leigha Bishop of Lakeview Elementary is the 2018 District Elementary Teacher of the Year, and Shaughn Thomas of Lake Olympia Middle School is the 2018 District Secondary Teacher of the Year.
”It is truly a humbling experience to be among so many talented, committed and dedicated educators – I know they represent our entire corps of teachers,” said Dr. Charles Dupre, superintendent of schools. “We are proud and appreciative of their efforts, and it is an honor to recognize them for their leadership in the classroom.”
A Pre-kindergarten teacher at Lakeview Elementary, Bishop has seven years of teaching experience. Early in her career, she realized teaching is more than reading, writing and math. She earned a masters degree in school counseling and clinical mental health counseling to equip herself with the skills and knowledge to better assist her students.
Thomas is an AVID teacher at Lake Olympia Middle School, and has taught for four years. He believes educators should be innovative and evolve to meet their students’ needs. He wants his students to be excited every day when they enter his classroom, so he continues to adopt non-traditional learning techniques.
As FBISD’s 2018 Teachers of the Year, Bishop and Thomas each received a commissioned piece of art, a monetary gift, a Chrome Book from the Fort Bend Education Foundation and a special Teacher of the Year ring, courtesy of the Balfour Company. Thanks to a new partnership with the District, Sewell Automotive Company will provide Bishop and Thomas with an Audi to enjoy over the summer and a Perry’s Steakhouse gift certificate.
The two honorees will advance to the regional Teacher of the Year competition, with a chance of advancing to the Texas Teacher of the Year Program.
FBISD also honored its 11 Teacher of the Year finalists and six District Rookies of the Year. Among the finalists were Elementary level: Gigi Shadid (Colony Meadows Elementary), Alicia Garcia (Cornerstone Elementary), Leigha Bishop (Lakeview Elementary), Abraham Martinez (Meadows Elementary), Laura Hicks (Patterson Elementary) and Michele Janke (Sienna Crossing Elementary); and Secondary level: Jeremiah Pojah (Crockett Middle School), Shaughn Thomas (Lake Olympia Middle School), Hannah Enad (Elkins High School), Edwina Breaux (Hightower High School) and Katie Anselmo (Kempner High School).
The 2018 District Rookies of the Year included Lexi Watts (Madden Elementary), Cielo Sanchez (Oyster Creek Elementary), Courtney McKeever (Sullivan Elementary), Ashley Shamburger (Sugar Land Middle School), Joseph Chen (Elkins High School) and Ruthelen Robinson (Willowridge High School).
(L-R): FBISD’s Secondary Teacher of the Year Shaughn Thomas and Elementary Teacher of the Year Leigha Bishop.
(L-R): FBISD Superintendent Dr. Charles Dupre with the Rookies of the Year: Courtney McKeever, Sullivan Elementary; Cielo Sanchez, Oyster Creek Elementary; Ashley Shamburger, Sugar Land Middle; Joseph Chen, Elkins High; and Ruthelen Robinson, Willowridge High.
(L-R): Secondary Teacher of the Year Finalists: Katie Anselmo, Kempner High; Edwina Breaux, Hightower High; Hannah Enad, Elkins High; Shaughn Thomas, Lake Olympia Middle; and Jeremiah Pojah, Crockett Middle.
(L-R): Elementary Teacher of the Year Finalists: Alicia Garcia, Cornerstone; Michele Janke, Sienna Crossing; Leigha Bishop, Lakeview; Gigi Shadid, Colony Meadows; Abraham Martinez, Meadows; and Laura Hicks, Patterson.
