Archives > Plano Star-courier > News
Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
RSS
Share
High-tech teachers win high-tech awards
By Zach Markovic, zmarkovic@acnpapers.com
If parents are frustrated because their kids can set the time on the DVD recorder and they can’t, they can blame these teachers.
Plano Senior High School’s Karen Shepherd, science department chair, and Janet Greene, Frankford Middle School eighth-grade math teacher, captured the 2010 Texas Instruments Foundation Innovations in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Teaching Awards. Shepherd and Greene were among six Plano ISD teachers honored for superior teaching by the TI Foundation and the Plano ISD Education Foundation.
“The high caliber of teacher nominees was amazing and reaffirms that Plano ISD teachers are among the most talented professionals in the country,” said Dr. Jim Wussow, executive director for secondary academic services. Wussow, along with Torrence Robinson, director of public affairs for TI, and Beth Webb, Plano ISD Education Foundation president, presented the teachers with the awards.
Her investment comes in the form of her sponsorship of science clubs at Plano Senior High School and Vines High School since 1985. Shepherd also works on the district’s science leadership team through the team leader academy mentoring other teachers.
Frankford Middle School’s Greene said she approaches each student as a valuable member of the classroom with unique talents and gifts to share. The energy and enthusiasm for learning is contagious in her classroom as she shares her love of mathematics. She not only provides her students with real-life applications for problem solving in her classroom, she works with the district curriculum team to improve the middle school curriculum.
The Texas Instruments Foundation’s Innovations in STEM Teaching Awards recognize innovative teaching and open new avenues for these teachers to expand their experiences.
“These honorees are very hardworking teachers whose students are energized and successful in the classroom,” Wussow said. “These are teachers who demonstrate outstanding teaching skills each day in the classroom.”
Webb said that the foundation board embraced the district’s efforts to improve the instruction of mathematics and science instruction in PISD middle schools through senior high schools.
“All students’ successful completion of advanced science, technology and mathematics courses is critical to their future,” she said. “It is also important to Plano’s corporate and business community, as we are so fortunate to have numerous high-tech corporations based in our area.”
She also explained that the foundation created a vehicle for community support called STEM Partners, recently completing a gift of $300,000 over the past three years for PISD to assist in the transition of Algebra I instruction to middle school.
“In 2010-2011 we will kick off our second phase of STEM Partners with a Science Improvement Initiative which will focus on middle school science and high school chemistry. The foundation has pledged an additional $300,000 over the next four years for this effort.”
Also supporting the improvement of STEM education, the Texas Instruments Foundation offered PISD’s foundation the opportunity to recognize outstanding teachers of secondary STEM courses, making an $80,000, four-year pledge in creation of the TI Foundation Innovations in STEM Teaching Awards.
This marks the fourth year of the execution of the STEM teaching award program, with six finalists and two recipients named on April 6.
“We are most appreciative of the Texas Instruments Foundation’s leadership in making these awards possible to Plano ISD teachers and in helping us raise funds in support of both programs as a Plano ISD STEM Partner,” Webb said.
Robinson said, “We know that these teachers will inspire others to foster enthusiasm and generate excitement about science, technology and mathematics as they work with their students and among their colleagues.”
Each of the two selected 2010 winners received $10,000 in awards, including a $5,000 cash award and $5,000 for classroom technology and professional development opportunities. The Plano ISD Education Foundation further recognized these outstanding teachers by presenting to each a $500 monetary award.
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
You must register with a valid email to post comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here:
Become a Registered User
- Return to: News «
- Home «
- Top of Page ^
