Region 9 honors two GISD teachers

Two Graham ISD teachers have been honored by the Region 9 Education Service Center. Graham High School science teacher Michelle Lowrey was named the 2018 Region 9 Secondary Teacher of the Year and Breann Spivey, an elementary teacher at Graham Elementary, was named the 2018 Region 9 Elementary Teacher of the Year. The announcements were made at the Regional Awards Luncheon at Region 9 ESC on Tuesday, Aug. 2, during which all the nominees from the Region 9 districts were honored.  Both winners have been submitted to the state for the semifinalists judging. The regional winners will be honored at an awards ceremony and luncheon scheduled for Friday, Sept. 15, in Austin.  Two panels of judges – one for elementary and another for secondary will meet in Austin to review the written applications of the semifinalists and select three finalists for Elementary Teacher of the Year and three for Secondary Teacher of the Year.  Finalists’ superintendents and the Education Service Centers will be notified, and the Texas Association of School Administrators will distribute a news release announcing the finalists the week of Aug. 7.  The final judging is scheduled for Sept. 13. The six finalists will be invited to Austin to be interviewed by a panel of judges composed of representatives of educational administrator associations, a member of the State Board of Education and previous Texas Teachers of the Year. The panel will choose the two state winners and designate one to represent Texas in the National Teacher of the Year Contest. The six finalists’ superintendents will be notified of the outcome and TASA will distribute a news release announcing the winners the week following the interviews. The Region 9 Education Service Center, in Wichita Falls, provides consulting services to North Texas area school districts to help improve student performance and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of local school operations. They also assist in implementing initiatives assigned by the legislature or the Commissioner of Education. Region 9 includes 37 school districts in 12 counties: Young, Jack, Throckmorton, Knox, Foard, Hardeman, Wilbarger, Wichita, Baylor, Archer, Clay and Montague.