Desoto independent school district

Earlier this semester, each campus selected one outstanding teacher to represent their campus as Teacher of the Year based on their high performance, leadership, innovation, and engagement within their school community. Following the campus acknowledgments, the campus teachers of the year were allowed to participate in the district-level selection process for the Elementary and Secondary Teacher of the Year.

 

DeSoto ISD announced the selection of these top two teachers at the annual end-of-year employee recognition event, the Cadence of Celebration in May. The two top teachers can advance to the regional teacher award nomination this summer.

 

DeSoto ISD commends and celebrates its top district and campus teachers and their commitment to the district’s vision and mission.

 

• Elementary Teacher of the Year: Lauren Stewart - Frank Moates Elementary
• Secondary Teacher of the Year.: Lakesha Jackson - Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy

 

The district-level winners are participating in the Regional Teacher of the Year contest this summer.

Lauren Stewart is the Special Education Inclusion teacher on her campus and has 12 years of academic instructional experience with seven of those years in DeSoto ISD. For the last three years, she has been at the Frank Moates campus and still enjoys the challenge of customizing her teaching approach to meet the unique needs of each learner. The relationships she builds with her students, their families, and peers are the foundation of her deep passion for teaching and, throughout the year, she collaborates with colleagues to create an inclusive and engaging learning environment and contribute to the betterment of our campus community. Her inspiration is rooted in her deep-seated aspiration to witness every student in her care flourish, just as she envisions for her child.  As an educator, she is moved by the tremendous promise each student possesses, and mindful that, she possesses the power to mold their destiny and unleash their true potential. Hearing the praises of my students while walking through the halls fills her with joy and reinforces the importance of her daily work.

Lakesha Jackson has five years of experience and is primarily focused on creating a positive and inclusive learning environment, where every student feels valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential. She is known for her innovative teaching methods, integrating technology and real-world applications into her lessons to engage students, ignite their curiosity and critical thinking skills, and enhance their overall learning outcomes. Some of her strategies include research activities, collaborative discussions with guided questions, novel studies, and cross-curricular projects. Jackson’s ultimate goal is to empower her students to reach their full potential and inspire a love for learning that lasts a lifetime. Her dedication to students and her profession make her an invaluable asset to the educational community. Receiving the campus teacher of the year award felt very rewarding to Jackson who is grateful to be recognized for the work that she has done and will continue to do.

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Celebrating the 2024 Campus Teachers of the Year and District Finalists

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Tiffany Moline is in her third year as an early childhood general education teacher but has more than 20 years of instructional experience. She has been a part of the DeSoto ISD family for three years and loves the opportunity to inspire and empower the minds of our future leaders. Moline is inspired by her excited, inquisitive pre-kindergarteners who motivate her to provide a positive and unforgettable first-year experience. Part of her teaching inspiration hails from her mother who loves to learn, stressed the importance of receiving an education, and made sure that her children were well educated. For Moline, the rewards of teaching come when a student who is struggling in any area shows growth and gains confidence. She loves the "Ah Ha" moment. Moline believes bringing real-life experiences to the classroom increases instruction effectiveness and allows students to make connections with their everyday experiences. In turn, this helps with comprehension and retention. In reflection, of her selection as campus teacher of the year, Molines was humbled that her colleagues recognized her genuine passion and dedication to students. Also, she is more motivated to keep striving for excellence and making a positive impact in the lives of students and their families. When she felt like she wasn't doing enough, being recognized as Teacher of the Year confirmed that she is walking in her purpose, and gave her a sense of pride and renewed confidence in her ability to effectively educate our future leaders. View Video

Janice Washington is a veteran educational professional with over 30 years of experience. Her love for teaching stems from her passion for children and her ability to help students develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence to reach their highest potential. She was ecstatic and speechless to be considered for the campus's annual teaching award. View Video

Monay Freeman is a first-grade teacher with 12 years of teaching experience, nine of them in DeSoto ISD. For the last three years, she has been at her current campus and is continually inspired by her desire to make an academic impact on youth to assist in fighting the battle of illiteracy in the minority community. Freeman believes that an excellent reader is a great predictor of future success! Therefore, she is extremely intentional in making sure her students reach their highest level by constantly researching and studying various ways she can assist her students in learning to read. She gets joy out of seeing her former students in the community and is extremely excited when they begin to share their success stories. In reflection of the experience of being a campus teacher of the year, Freeman was more than honored and encouraged to see that the work she has done has not been in vain! “I will continue to strive to be nothing but the best and make sure I am being a role model for my students and colleagues! View Video

Irene Chaney-Babino is an English Language Arts Intervention teacher and is in her fourteenth year of education and has spent them all in DeSoto ISD. She loves finding new and creative ways to deliver instruction so that it’s more interesting and engaging for my students and inspired to teach by the little things and moments. Specifically, the feeling of mutual joy when a student grasps a concept and the memorable of only having 5 students out of her fifth-grade class who had to retake the state assessment the second round. Daily, she seeks to ensure that learning is relevant to their everyday lives. Chaney-Babino believes that students need to see a connection between what is being taught and happening in the world and enjoys helping students incorporate the trends into the learning experience. This recognition encourages her to continue educating students for years to come. View Video

Ashley Simpson is a 7th grade Math teacher with five years of educational instructional experience, all at the same campus. Simpson feels blessed with the gift of teaching and a passion for mathematics and truly teaches from the heart. She aims to instill a love for math in her students and wants to bridge the gap with students and make math less intimidating. Simpson believes learning math is important and is a great way to exercise your brain. One of her favorite moments is to watch the "light bulb go off" when students grasp concepts. Subsequently, she deeply enjoys rewarding her hard-working students. She desires that her students become problem solvers and able to thrive with confidence and without boundaries. Simpson believes that when a student tackles a challenging problem, their confidence to complete other tasks will increase. She receives this recognition as confirmation that she is on the right path and as encouragement to continue serving with a strong work ethic in the steps of her grandmother whom she remembers as a committed servant of her community. View Video

Nikena Madison is the Career and Technical Education (Culinary Arts) Instructor with 19 years of experience in education,11 of those years spent at her campus. Ms. Madison loves the fulfillment that comes from working in a rewarding profession and does not see herself in any other career field. The success stories of her former students serve as continual inspiration to continue pouring into my current and future students.

She believes that one can learn from failures and has come to appreciate these lessons most when educating her students because it allows her to show students what went wrong. Learning from mistakes can help one be successful. She ensures that she communicates clear learning goals and expectations for students and also provides constructive feedback and support for each student's individual needs, and creates a supportive and inclusive learning environment that encourages student participation and engagement.

 

As one who enjoys being in the background and often shy away from attention playing the spotlight consistently on her students Madison was surprised that she was on the ballot and that her peers thought to select her for this honor. This award infuses her to continue to improve her craft and strive for excellence as she explores new ways to help students achieve their full potential and be active participants in their learning journey. View Video

Brent Taylor is the English Language Arts and Social Studies educator at the Athletes for Change campus, DeSoto ISD Alternative Education program. Taylor has nine years of instructional experience with 5 years spent in DeSoto ISD. Helping students make personal or big-picture connections are teaching moments that make Mr. Taylor feel overjoyed and effective. One of those moments was when a student learned about some mistakes America had made in the past and then told Mr. Taylor how he would do better. Taylor desires that each of his students reach their full potential. To aid in this effort of helping students achieve their goals, he holds them to high standards even for the small details, and does not accept less than their best. His selection for this was a total surprise but is something that will serve as fuel to continue to push for the needs of students to be met so they can succeed. View Video