Four Young Women's Leadership Academy Teachers Earn FWISD Chair for Teaching Excellence
November 14,2018
Sixteen Fort Worth ISD teachers have been chosen as the 2018-2019 Academic Chairs for Teaching Excellence. Four of those receipients are teachers at Downtown's own Young Women's Leadership Academy.
The Chairs for Teaching Excellence program was established in the Fort Worth ISD in 1994. It is modeled after the university-level Chair program and is designed to recognize and reward exemplary teachers. This program is unique because of its role in a public K-12 setting and for its rigorous selection process.
Parents, principals and colleagues may nominate teachers, or they may self-nominate. Candidates undergo a rigorous three-part evaluation process based on a written application and narrative, an interview session with a distinguished panel of judges, and an authentic teaching demonstration. There are separate selection committees for each Chair.
The selected teachers will be conferred with the title of Chair for Teaching Excellence for one year and receive a $5,000 honorarium. The campus of the winner will also receive a banner to be displayed in a prominent location. In addition, a photograph of each winner will be on display at the FWISD Professional Development Center for one year.
This year, Fort Worth ISD received a record number of applications, including representation from all areas of the District. Central Market is supporting the 2018-2019 Acquisition of Language Chair with a first-time sponsorship, and Lockheed Martin added a third sponsorship for 2018-2019, now supporting Elementary Math & Science, Middle School STEM and High School STEM.
The sponsors, honorees and their citations are:
Central Market Chair for Teaching Excellence in Acquisition of Language
Maria Ortiz-Garcia, Young Women’s Leadership Academy
Crescent Real Estate Chair for Teaching Excellence in Career & Technical Education
Colby Allen, Young Women’s Leadership Academy
Lockheed Martin Chair for Teaching Excellence in High School STEM
Sergio Flores, Young Women’s Leadership Academy
Sewell Lexus & Infiniti of Fort Worth Chair for Teaching Excellence in Humanities
Samantha Keaton, Young Women’s Leadership Academy
Angela D. Paulos Chair for Teaching Excellence in Visual Arts
Rachel Varney, Western Hills Primary
Bayard H. Friedman Chair for Teaching Excellence in Performing Arts
Brandi Waller-Pace, Bruce Shulkey Elementary School
Blue Zones Project Chair for Teaching Excellence in Health & Physical Education
Jeff Peters, Rosemont 6th Grade
Broadway at the Bass Chair for Teaching Excellence in Dance & Theater
Julia Worthington, Western Hills High School
Chase Chair for Teaching Excellence in Secondary English
Leo Vaughns, Jr., Kirkpatrick Middle School
Atmos Energy Chair for Teaching Excellence in Secondary Science
Jodi Sarber, International Newcomer Academy
Kroger Chair for Teaching Excellence in Special Education
Lori Cerja, Springdale Elementary School
Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP Chair for Teaching Excellence in Elementary Reading
Elizabeth Foreman, South Hills Elementary School
Lockheed Martin Chair for Teaching Excellence in Elementary Math & Science
Ashlie Duncan, Sam Rosen Elementary School
Lockheed Martin Chair for Teaching Excellence in Middle School STEM
Bradley Leake, McLean Middle School
TTI, Inc. Chair for Teaching Excellence in Secondary Math
Chris Workman, Arlington Heights High School
XTO Energy Chair for Teaching Excellence in Early Childhood Education
Randi Higgins, Alice Carlson Applied Learning Academy