News

Actions

CTX teachers win Teacher of the Year awards

Posted at 3:18 PM, Jul 18, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-18 17:49:09-04

Two teachers are receiving Teacher of the Year awards from Region 12. 

Deborah DeGraff of Bell’s Hill Elementary in Waco Independent School District is the Elementary Teacher of the Year. Craig Sullivan of Belton High School in Belton Independent School District is the Secondary Teacher of the Year.

DeGraff has taught for eight years and serves as the Science Lab Teacher for 800 Pre-K through 5th graders at Bell’s Hill. She chose to enter the teaching field after her husband’s career in the United States Air Force took her around the world while raising her three children. Her teaching style focuses on innovative, hands-on lessons to make science relevant and meaningful to her students.

Sullivan has taught for 31 years and serves as a Construction Science Teacher at Belton High School in Belton ISD. He graduated from Belton High School as the senior class president in 1982 and returned to teach there after pursuing his degree and teacher’s certification. His teaching focus is on training students to meet the labor skill gap by learning hands-on construction skills for projects in the school and around the community.

The Texas Association of School Administrators facilitates the state-level selection process for the Texas Teacher of the Year finalists. A panel of judges will review the applications of the 40 regional semi-finalists and select three finalists for Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year and Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year.

The panel chooses the two state winners and designates one to represent Texas in the National Teacher of the Year program. The winners are announced at the Texas Teacher of the Year Awards Ceremony in September.

Copyright 2017 KXXV. All rights reserved.