Mission, Texas- A Mission Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) teacher has been named a Teacher of the Year by the Region One Education Service Center (ESC). During a special banquet honoring 41 teachers of the year from throughout the Region One area, officials announced Maria Mascorro-Dominguez as this year’s Region One Elementary Teacher of the Year.
Mascorro-Dominguez is currently a first grade bilingual teacher at Marcell Elementary School and has been teaching for 15 years; all of which have been at Marcell Elementary School. During those years, Mascorro-Dominguez has not only been making a difference in the lives of her students, but she has been serving as a role model for students and fellow educators. She has recently transitioned into a literacy interventionist position where she will have the opportunity to contribute to student and campus success. She has also served as a peer coach. Mascorro-Dominguez believes that building relationships with parents and students to better understand their academic and cultural backgrounds is essential to providing instruction that is relevant to students’ lives.
Mascorro-Dominguez will now represent all of Region One in the Texas Teacher of the Year competition. Each of the state’s 20 regional education service centers submit their regional elementary and secondary teachers of the year for the Texas Teacher of the Year award. Semi-finalist judging will take place at the Texas Association of School Administrators headquarters in Austin, Texas to determine the six Texas Teacher of the Year finalists. The Texas Elementary and Texas Secondary Teachers of the Year will be announced in the fall.
The quality of Mission CISD teachers and their applications have caught the eye of the Region One Teacher of the Year judges many times over the years. Previous Region One Teachers of the Year from Mission CISD have included: Rhonda Peña, Bryan Elementary School, 2018 (Peña went on to earn the State Elementary Teacher of the Year honor), Julia Otken, Mims Elementary School, 2017; Jesus Razo, Mission Jr. High School, 2014; Rosbel Pena, Alton Memorial Jr. High School, 2013; Yvette Nevarez, Alton Memorial Jr. High School, 2012; Dolores Reyna, Alton Elementary School, 2010; Iris Hines, Roosevelt Alternative School, 2008 (state finalist).
Teacher of the Year nominees submitted an application consisting of essay questions asking nominees to describe a lesson or unit that defines them as a teacher, describe a project or initiative that has contributed to the improvement of overall school culture, an explanation of how they ensure that education transcends the classroom, what they consider to be a major public education issue, and finally, as a spokesperson for the profession what their message would be to teachers, students and to the public.
Pictured from left to right are: Dr. Manuel Gomez, Jr., Region One ESC Board of Directors Chairperson; Maria Mascorro-Dominguez, Region One Elementary Teacher of the Year from Marcell Elementary School; Dr. Daniel P. King, Region One ESC Executive Director.
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