MISD Celebrates Campus Teachers of the Year, Names Tiffany Scott and Joe Tomkins Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year
McKinney, Texas – McKinney ISD Superintendent Dr. Rick McDaniel paused slightly, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as a weighty silence settled over the audience at Eldorado Country Club last Thursday night.
More than three hundred had gathered for the annual Teacher of the Year Dinner—administrators, Board members, teachers, family and community leaders, including Mayor George Fuller—to honor the district’s top educators, chosen by their colleagues and then considered by a panel of judges through an interview and portfolio process as candidates for selection as the MISD Elementary or Secondary Teacher of the Year.
Earlier in the evening, MISD Board of Trustees President Curtis Rippee had addressed the assembled educators. “To be honored by your peers as the Teacher of the Year at your campus is an incredible honor,” he said. “I’m not sure you can have a higher honor in the area of teaching—or really any career— [than having your peers say], ‘You are the best.’ And, so you should be very proud.”
McDaniel and Rippee honored each of the Campus Teachers of the Year and four District Runners-Up onstage with an award presentation and feature video. Now, the moment had come to announce the two teachers who would go on to represent MISD at Region 10 as the MISD Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year.
“The 2018 McKinney ISD Elementary Teacher of the Year…from Reuben Johnson Elementary—Tiffany Scott!” McDaniel announced, breaking into a broad smile.
Johnson Elementary — Tiffany Scott (MISD Elementary Teacher of the Year)
A cheer erupted from the Reuben Johnson contingent, and the room rose collectively to its feet with heartfelt applause for Scott, a special education teacher of four years.
After an emotional embrace from her mother, Scott made her way through the crowd to the stage where McDaniel and MISD Board of Trustees President Curtis Rippee congratulated her and invited her to take the microphone.
Her words were powerful.
Wow. If you will allow me just a second to breathe in the moment. I don’t want this moment to slip through my fingers half-lived. It is incredibly overwhelming. But, I am immensely grateful. Nights like this really put the crescendo on our careers as public servants. There are moments where I look at my students, and I wonder what life was like for families—years back in this society—when students weren’t allowed to go to school because they had special needs.
And, I look into the eyes of my students, and that’s hard for me to comprehend because they bring so much magic, so much warmth, so much love to our classrooms. And, then I think about McKinney ISD, and I think about the culture that you set, Dr. McDaniel… And, I think [of] a quote that I live by—‘We did then what we knew how to do.’ Dr. Maya Angelou. ‘But, now that we know better, we do better.’
The McKinney Independent School District is proof that we are doing better… Mama, you taught us that the path to greatness is servanthood.
Who among you wants to be great? … We are servants of all because we’re McKinney, and in McKinney we believe all people have inherent value and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. This award is a celebration of students who were not always included, but they’re included tonight. So, let the celebration continue. Thank you, McKinney.
A moment later, McDaniel was back at the podium to announce the Secondary Teacher of the Year, “…from McKinney Boyd High School—Joe Tomkins!”
McKinney Boyd High School — Joe Tomkins (MISD Secondary Teacher of the Year)
Again, the announcement was met with boisterous congratulations and hugs, and Tomkins took a deep breath, shaking his head in humble surprise as he approached the podium.
I know it’s cliche to say, ‘I wasn’t expecting this…,’ but no kidding. It was the furthest thing from my mind today when I woke up. I’m so honored to be recognized with such wonderful—I really mean that, genuinely—such wonderful talent in this district. Sometimes we get made fun of for saying, ‘Oh, it’s special in McKinney. It’s special in McKinney.’ But, I’ve been on a lot of campuses, and it’s true. What we have is very special.
The administration at my school is unbelievable. I started off with this guy right here [gesturing toward McDaniel] as my principal. And, Dr. Peirson and her team, they’re just unbelievable. The encouragement they give me to be myself and to do what I need to do to be the best teacher that I can be is the reason I’m here today. So, I just encourage all of us in this room to go back to our campuses, to take this positivity, this energy, that we feel tonight and share it with those that need that in their life. I don’t need any more recognition. This is wonderful, so let’s take that, and let’s give it to those that could use it. This just means the world. Mom and Dad would be very proud tonight. Thank you very much.
Scott and Tomkins will go on to compete in the Region 10 Teacher of the Year competition where MISD has a history of great success. In the past 13 years, the district has seen six Region 10 Teachers of the Year (Janice Skiles-2005, Anne Presley-2007, Tanya Thornburg-2009, Karen Morman-2011, Sara Kingsolver-2014 and Whitney Sellars-2017) a Region 10 Teacher of the Year Finalist (Allen Parr-2015) and the Texas Teacher of the Year (Karen Morman-2012) — in a region made up of more than 50,000 teachers.
“Well I think it’s safe to say that once again McKinney ISD is going to be well represented at the regional level,” said McDaniel after the flood of applause had abated. “Either of these two winners tonight could easily represent us at the state level. Do you agree? Let’s give them one more round of applause.”
And they did. Long, loud applause.
The 31 Teachers of the Year honored last week represent the best of McKinney ISD, chosen by their colleagues—who are themselves among the finest in the profession.
Well done.
The 2018 McKinney ISD Elementary Teacher of the Year Runners-Up:
Minshew Elementary — Meagan Wendt (Elementary First Runner-Up)
Walker Elementary — Robert McFail (Elementary Second Runner-Up)
The 2018 McKinney ISD Secondary Teacher of the Year Runners-Up:
Evans Middle School — Jeni Eberhard (Secondary First Runner-Up)
McKinney High School — Alyssa Boehringer (Secondary Second Runner-Up)
The 2018 McKinney ISD Campus Teachers of the Year:
Bennett Elementary — Christie Abraham
Burks Elementary — Vanessa Chavez
Caldwell Elementary — Matt Bado
Eddins Elementary — Katie Beavers
Finch Elementary — Leticia Lazo
Glen Oaks Elementary — Denise Bolsinger
Johnson Elementary — Tiffany Scott (MISD Elementary Teacher of the Year)
Lawson Early Childhood School — Tyler Jones
Malvern Elementary — Monica Landeros
McClure Elementary — Theresa Turner
McGowen Elementary — Maria Elwood
McNeil Elementary — Lori Stine
Minshew Elementary — Meagan Wendt (Elementary First Runner-Up)
Press Elementary — Kim Matthews
Slaughter Elementary — Nathalie Sowe
Valley Creek Elementary — Sarah Dahlman
Vega Elementary — Michelle Coulter
Walker Elementary — Robert McFail (Elementary Second Runner-Up)
Webb Elementary — Eddie Wood
Wilmeth Elementary — Jennifer Wilson
Wolford Elementary — Melinda Miller
Cockrill Middle School — Lisa Cook
Dowell Middle School — Jamie Morris
Evans Middle School — Jeni Eberhard (Secondary First Runner-Up)
Faubion Middle School — Brittany Neal
Johnson Middle School — Miranda Maher
McKinney Boyd High School — Joe Tomkins (MISD Secondary Teacher of the Year)
McKinney High School — Alyssa Boehringer (Secondary Second Runner-Up)
McKinney North High School — Ty Muennink
CRC — David Hoke
DAEP — Dr. Adam Washburn
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