Southeast Texas P-16 Council

Jane Dunn, a chemistry teacher at Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School in the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Consolidated ISD is one of six outstanding Texas educators chosen as finalists in the Texas Teacher of the Year program.

The six finalists who have a combined 127 years of teaching experience – three elementary and three secondary school educators – were selected from the 40 regional Teachers of the Year from each of the state’s 20 education service center areas. The finalists will now contend for the honor of being named Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year and Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year award from the TEA.

The winners will be announced at an Oct. 15 luncheon at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center at 1900 MLK Blvd. on the University of Texas-Austin campus.

The top two teachers will receive a $5,000 cash prize, a technology package valued at more than $16,500, a computer, a trophy, a travel allowance and other mementos. A $500 cash prize is awarded to the remaining 38 regional Teachers of the Year.

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Teachers who collaborate with media specialist to promote learning and increase student achievement are eligible for this year’s Gale/Library Media Connection TEAMS Award. The awards are given every two years.

Three winners will receive: $2,500 (U.S.) cash award; Gale products (approximate value $500 U.S.); a one-year subscription to Library Media Connection; and Educator’s Professional Bookshelf (approximate value $500 U.S.) from Linworth Publishing.

A panel comprised of education industry professionals and Gale staff will evaluate the nomination based on:

• Demonstrated collaboration between media specialists and teachers during a school year. Entrants may select which one of the two school years they would like to submit.
• Effective techniques that positively impact student learning and achievement
• Support received from school leadership
• Ability for others to replicate this best practice

All K-12 public and private schools in the United States and Canada are eligible to enter.

Examples of the types of collaboration that will be considered:

• Using large-print books to improve student reading scores
• Increasing literacy among struggling readers
• Improving information literacy: open Web vs. subscription resources
• Using nonfiction materials in classroom libraries to support reading
• Integrating electronic and print reference resources into classroom learning

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