For our 2023 Appreciated Teacher Awards, we received hundreds of nominations from over 45 different school districts across the state of Texas. Among all the nominations Mrs. Perry made it to the top five, ultimately winning her the title of GCEFCU’s Appreciated Teacher of the Year, with a total of 898 votes!
I started my teaching career during my high school years back in Ohio, where I grew up.
My university, Bowling Green State University, partnered with Aline ISD to bring student teachers down to the Houston area. When I joined this program, I knew I wanted to help change the lives of students in the Greater Houston area. Once I graduated, I interviewed for a Special Education position with Pasadena ISD and fell in love with the students of this district. This is currently my fifth-year teaching Elementary Special Education students for Pasadena ISD in grades Pre-K through fourth grade. During this school year, I had to step into multiple teacher roles and help students from all of the different Special Education programs. This role was not easy, but it was rewarding to know that each action I made was going to help change a students’ day.
In my third year of teaching, I was given the leadership role of Team Leader for our Special Education Department. As a team leader it is my responsibility to hold my peers accountable for the legal paperwork we have to complete to ensure all of our student’s needs are being met from their Individualized Educational Plans. This school year, I was nominated by my campus peers and administrators and was awarded the Teacher of the Year for Red Bluff Elementary. I was also nominated for the H-E-B Excellence in Education Award. I had the honor to be one of the two co-sponsors to create a Student Council at Red Bluff. This has been an honor to bring back an active, community-based volunteer program to our school. I am serving my second year as my campus representative for our district Teacher Incentive Allotment Committee. I have been a helping hand by attending and helping plan fun and educational activities for our third and fourth grade students for our after school and Saturday tutorials. I not only work diligently hard as an educator, but I also volunteer countless hours for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. This allows me the opportunity to interact with individuals across the Houston area and out of town to let them know how amazing Houston is.
It gives me great joy to know that each and every day that I come to school that my students and other students around the school wait for a good morning wave or hello. The students at Red Bluff Elementary are truly one of a kind. Knowing that I can make a difference in my students’ lives and other lives is the best reward I can receive as an educator.