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(THOMAS WALLNER | THE GRAHAM LEADER) The Graham ISD Board of Trustees recognized its teachers of the year during their meeting Wednesday, May 14. The teachers were Lisa Lester, Kalin Westerman, Kandice Craig, Jennifer Patrick and Paige Reese.
Two Graham ISD teachers will be recognized by the Region 9 Education Service Center next week as local Teacher of the Year nominees and considered as region nominees for Texas Teacher of the Year.
Pioneer Elementary School teacher Lisa Torres-Lester and Graham Junior High School teacher Jennifer Patrick will take part in a ceremony at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 30 in Wichita Falls to recognize their local selections.
The two will be among 31 other Teacher of the Year nominees from 16 districts who will be considered for the Elementary Teacher of the Year and the Secondary Teacher of the Year for Region 9. The announcement for the selections for Region 9 will be made during the ceremony.
The two Region 9 nominees are submitted to the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) for consideration in the 2026 Texas Teacher of the Year program. A total of 40 regional Teachers of the Year will be considered and the state winners will be announced Friday, Oct. 17.
Facilitated by TASA since 2011, the Texas Teacher of the Year designation is the highest honor the state bestows on a teacher. The program recognizes teachers who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and excellence in teaching.
Following the announcement in October, the Texas Teacher of the Year nominee is submitted to the National Teacher of the Year program. One teacher of the two chosen for Texas Elementary and Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year is selected as the official Texas Teacher of the Year nominee for the nation program conducted by the council of Chief State School Officers.
The GISD Board of Trustees recognized the Teachers of the Year from each campus Wednesday, May 14.
The Teachers of the Year were Lester – Pioneer Elementary School, Kalin Westerman – Crestview Elementary School, Kandice Craig – Woodland Elementary School, Patrick – Graham Junior High School and Paige Reese – Graham High School.
Lester and Patrick were named the GISD Elementary Teacher of the Year and GISD Secondary Teacher of the Year, respectively. Classroom teachers, school librarians and counselors who teach students at least four hours per day are eligible for the local honor.
More information on the Texas Teacher of the Year designation can be found at tasanet.org/awards/texas-teacher-of-the-year/.
