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It is Teacher Appreciation Week in Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD! From May 4-8, the district is recognizing the educators who make a lasting impact on students each day.

Across EMS ISD, teachers create engaging learning environments, build meaningful relationships and support students as they grow academically and personally. Their dedication reaches far beyond the classroom, shaping confidence, curiosity and a love of learning.

Families and students are encouraged to join in celebrating the difference teachers make.

How to Show Your Appreciation:
Whether your child wants to write a personal message, draw a special picture or share a favorite memory, a downloadable appreciation card is available to make it easy. The card can be accessed through the hyperlink or by clicking the graphic included in this story.

Want to send your gratitude directly to your campus? Use our Let’s Talk tool to shout out a teacher. Simply click the "My School is Great Because..." button under the General Topics section, and your message will be sent straight to your campus principal.

 

Teacher Appreciation Week is a time to recognize the commitment and care educators bring to their work, as well as the positive impact they have on the EMS ISD community throughout the year.

Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD was proud to celebrate the 2025-2026 Employees of the Year at a districtwide ceremony and brunch on Tuesday, April 28 at the Dr. Jim F. Chadwell Administration Building.

All employee of the year winners from EMS ISD schools and buildings were invited to the event, where they were recognized, before the District level winners were announced. 

Congratulations to all of these amazing employees who make Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD a great school district.

2025-2026 Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD Employees of the Year

Secondary Teacher of the Year

Lakeita Richardson
PATHS/Girls Athletics
Ed Willkie Middle School

 

Elementary Teacher of the Year

Arnelys Melon
First Grade Bilingual
Gililland Elementary School

 

Professional Employee of the Year

Danielle Serrano
Assistant Principal
Willow Creek Elementary School

 

Paraprofessional Employee of the Year

Barbara Weiler
Instructional Aide
Parkview Elementary School

 

Auxiliary Employee of the Year

Elena Sanchez
Lead Custodian
Prairie Vista Middle School

 

2025-2026 Elementary School Employees of the Year

Bryson Elementary School: 
Teacher of the Year - Patricia Miller 
Professional of the Year – Caitlin Moore 
Paraprofessional of the Year - Elaine Moreno 
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Maria Garcia Ornelas 

Chisholm Ridge Elementary School: 
Teacher of the Year - Lara Newton
Professional of the Year – Amanda Bruner
Paraprofessional of the Year - Danika Olson
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Veronica Flores

Comanche Springs Elementary School: 
Teacher of the Year - Samantha Anthony
Professional of the Year – Chelsea Whitt
Paraprofessional of the Year - Caitlynn King
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Maria Rodriguez

Copper Creek Elementary School: 
Teacher of the Year - JoAnne Miller 
Professional of the Year – Kristen Davis
Paraprofessional of the Year - Mary Molano
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Samantha Reeves

Dozier Elementary School: 
Teacher of the Year - Tracy Lang
Professional of the Year – Priscilla Chazarreta 
Paraprofessional of the Year - Anna Nance
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Cecilia Yaw

Eagle Mountain Elementary School: 
Teacher of the Year - Jennifer DeCorte
Professional of the Year – Randi Garcia 
Paraprofessional of the Year - Becky Hogue
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Maria Garcia

Elkins Elementary School: 
Teacher of the Year - Stefanie Cortez 
Professional of the Year – Joni Lindbloom 
Paraprofessional of the Year - Kaycee Newsom 
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Mallory Barnes

Gililland Elementary School: 
Teacher of the Year - Arnelys Melon
Professional of the Year – Christine Lewis
Paraprofessional of the Year - Jasmine Zaldana
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Javier Carranza

Greenfield Elementary School: 
Teacher of the Year - Jeannie Cook
Professional of the Year – Shelbie Parsons
Paraprofessional of the Year - Katie Cortier
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Martha Beltran Quintana

Hafley Development Center: 
Teacher of the Year - Eliazabeth Ayala
Professional of the Year – Stacey DeHoyos
Paraprofessional of the Year - Vanessa Flores
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Lorenza Romero

Hatley Elementary School: 
Teacher of the Year - Ashton Spillers
Professional of the Year – Tara Mancino
Paraprofessional of the Year - Amber Crozier
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Nicole Lutula

High Country Elementary School: 
Teacher of the Year - Laura Musgrove
Professional of the Year – Robin Hess
Paraprofessional of the Year - Susan Ballantyne
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Olga Hinojosa

Lake Country Elementary School: 
Teacher of the Year - Traci Pockrus
Professional of the Year – Kimberli Fournier
Paraprofessional of the Year - Lindsey Autrey
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Elva Rodriguez Campa

Lake Pointe Elementary School: 
Teacher of the Year - Autumn Wood
Professional of the Year – Brent Caldwell
Paraprofessional of the Year - Megan Reyes
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Robin Brummett

Northbrook Elementary School: 
Teacher of the Year - Jennifer Le Guen
Professional of the Year – Elissa Villarreal
Paraprofessional of the Year - Erin Wilson
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Baltasar Garcia

Parkview Elementary School: 
Teacher of the Year - Tisha Orth
Professional of the Year – Kisha Hill
Paraprofessional of the Year - Barbara Weiler
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Leticia De La Hoya

Remington Point Elementary School: 
Teacher of the Year - Carly Lambert
Professional of the Year – Vatana Alcantar
Paraprofessional of the Year - Yovana Moreno
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Cynthia Gomez

Saginaw Elementary School: 
Teacher of the Year - Corey Steinberg
Professional of the Year – Molly Cox
Paraprofessional of the Year - Sanela O'Sullivan
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Cecilia Guerrero

Willow Creek Elementary School: 
Teacher of the Year - Shelby Densmore
Professional of the Year – Danielle Serrano
Paraprofessional of the Year - Kassandra Contreras
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Cinthia Rosas

2025-2026 Middle School Employees of the Year

Creekview Middle School: 
Teacher of the Year - Amber Weaver
Professional of the Year – Ashley Cole
Paraprofessional of the Year - Beverly Lehman
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Juan De La Hoya

Ed Willkie Middle School: 
Teacher of the Year - Lakeita Richardson
Professional of the Year – Cindy Moilan
Paraprofessional of the Year - Grace Palos
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Norma Lopez

Highland Middle School: 
Teacher of the Year - Rashan Blakley
Professional of the Year – Cree Magill
Paraprofessional of the Year - Sarah Clower
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Sheila Henson

Marine Creek Middle School: 
Teacher of the Year - Emily Kasper
Professional of the Year – Andrea smith
Paraprofessional of the Year - Erica Briones
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Cecilia Minero-Moscote

Prairie Vista Middle School: 
Teacher of the Year - Abby LaSalle
Professional of the Year – Denise Ingram
Paraprofessional of the Year - Sherry Rota
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Elena Sanchez

Wayside Middle School: 
Teacher of the Year - Misty Cheslock
Professional of the Year – Cristian Espinal
Paraprofessional of the Year - Leticia Pina
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Hope Vallejo

2025-2026 High School Employees of the Year

Boswell High School: 
Teacher of the Year - Shannon Conners-Casillo
Professional of the Year – Staci Wilson
Paraprofessional of the Year - Mary Santiago
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Valentin Valdez

Chisholm Trail High School: 
Teacher of the Year - Jonah Hanft
Professional of the Year – Jennifer Sanchez
Paraprofessional of the Year - Violet Benge
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Jesus Ramirez-Macias

Eagle Mountain High School: 
Teacher of the Year - Scott Tilley
Professional of the Year – Renata Schlotzhauer
Paraprofessional of the Year - Maribel Miller
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Maria Salazar Reyna

Saginaw High School: 
Teacher of the Year - Courtney Parker
Professional of the Year – Jennifer Thomas
Paraprofessional of the Year - Blair Wilson
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Silvia Rodriguez

Watson High School and ADC: 
Teacher of the Year - Corey Brown
Professional of the Year – Katie Munk
Paraprofessional of the Year - Yara Nava
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Maria Rivas Garcia

Hollenstein Career & Technology Center: 
Teacher of the Year - Rick Griffith
Paraprofessional of the Year - Hannah Puzyr
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Sou Souvannalath

 

Maintenance Department: 
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Richard Wiese
Professional of the Year – Jared Bryant
Paraprofessional of the Year - Theresa Vondra

Central Administration:
Professional of the Year – Allena Waters
Paraprofessional of the Year - Tracy Hathaway
Auxiliary Employee of the Year - Zenaida Martinez

 

We want to extend a special thank you to EECU, represented by Maydaly Junez, for joining the celebration and presenting a monetary award to all of the winners.

We also couldn't have done this without the EMS ISD PTO. The provided a wonderful brunch and decorations to make all of the honored employees feel special. Learn more about the EMS ISD PTO and join here.

Click here to look at all the pictures of the winners from each school/building.

Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD students earned top honors at the Texas PTA Reflections state level, highlighting a strong year of creativity and artistic expression across the district. In total, EMS ISD students earned 17 state-level awards, recognizing their work across multiple artistic categories. Among the honorees, Comanche Springs Elementary student Erik Alexander Sprinkle-Salas, who is often called Alex by teachers and classmates, received an Overall Award of Excellence and will advance to the national level of competition.

The PTA Reflections program invites students to explore their creativity through a variety of artistic categories, including dance choreography, visual arts, photography, literature, music composition and film production. This year’s theme, “I Belong,” resonated across campuses and is reflected in the powerful, personal expressions created by students throughout the district.

More than 870 student entries advanced to state-level judging across Texas this year, with only Overall Award of Excellence winners eligible to move on to the national level.

“I feel like Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD’s fine arts programs are top notch,” said Meg Farley, EMS Council of PTAs Reflections chair. “Each campus has people who support the program, and students are encouraged to share their creativity in ways that are meaningful to them.”

Farley noted that the variety of categories allows students to explore different forms of expression and find the best way to communicate their ideas.

“There are so many different ways for students to participate,” she said. “They can choose the path that fits them and share their passions.”

Erik’s award-winning dance choreography stood out for both its creativity and connection to the theme. He created his routine at home, building it around movement he enjoys most.

“I like doing flips and cartwheels, and I made up my dance as I went,” Erik said. “I was excited.”

After learning he would advance beyond the state level, Erik celebrated in his own way.

“I did flipping and cartwheels and more flips,” he said.

His principal, Dr. Lorene Johnson, said Erik’s achievement reflects both his creativity and his character.

“He is such a good friend and always super positive,” Johnson said. “He works really hard and is very creative. We are excited to see him represent Comanche Springs Elementary at the national level.”

Farley said Erik’s advancement is especially meaningful.

“We’ve never had a student move on to nationals during my time coordinating,” she said. “His work was recognized at the state level by judges outside of our district, which speaks to how well he communicated the theme.”

The Texas PTA Reflections state-level ceremony will be held in Austin on May 16.

The following Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD students earned state-level recognition in the Texas PTA Reflections program:

EMS ISD State Reflections Honorees

Overall Award of Excellence

• Erik Alexander Sprinkle-Salas, Comanche Springs Elementary, Accessible Arts Dance Choreography (Advancing to Nationals)

Award of Excellence

• Ileana Lozano, Dozier Elementary, Primary Dance Choreography
• Lennox Mueller, Eagle Mountain Elementary, Intermediate Visual Arts

Award of Merit

• Jacob Stigger, Copper Creek Elementary, Primary Literature
• Rachel Reyes, Lake Pointe Elementary, Intermediate Film Production
• Emery Metz, Lake Pointe Elementary, Intermediate Dance Choreography

Honorable Mention

• Jacob Grams, Dozier Elementary, Intermediate Music Composition
• Adelyn Stevens, Dozier Elementary, Primary Music Composition
• Amelia Blinn, Greenfield Elementary, Intermediate Literature
• Everleigh Pearson, Hatley Elementary, Primary Film Production
• Niko’lai Quiroz, Hatley Elementary, Primary Photography
• Ella Vierkant, Lake Country Elementary, Intermediate Photography

Participation

• Charlotte Paine, Chisholm Ridge Elementary, Primary Visual Arts

With 17 state-level honors and one student advancing to nationals, this year’s Reflections program highlights the strength of fine arts and student voice across Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD.

Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD continues to prioritize student feedback through its Student Voice Committee, a group of 66 student leaders representing all district campuses for the 2025–2026 school year.

Established in 2019, the committee has become an important avenue for gathering authentic student feedback and aligning it with district goals. Committee members are selected by campus principals and remain part of the group through graduation, which allows students to develop their leadership skills and deepen their impact over time.

Serving as representatives of their peers, Student Voice Committee members engage in meaningful discussions focused on learning, engagement, and student needs. Their input directly supports the district’s Balanced Scorecard by helping guide decisions that enhance the student experience.

The committee typically meets three times each year; however, this year members met twice, continuing their important work of providing insight and perspective. During their first meeting in September, students shared back to school ideas and discussed ways to improve the opening weeks of school. These conversations aligned with the district’s Plan, Do, Study, Act framework for continuous improvement and focused on strengthening both the learning environment and campus safety.

In previous years, committee members have explored topics such as identifying personal leadership styles, strengthening communication skills, fostering collaboration, and encouraging inquiry-based thinking. These experiences help students grow as leaders while contributing meaningful ideas to the district. In the past, high school members were invited to attend a Fort Worth City Council meeting, highlighting the importance of student leadership and civic engagement.

To close out the 2025–2026 school year, students were recognized for their contributions. All participants received certificates, and the six graduating seniors were honored with an embossed EMS ISD leather portfolio and pen to recognize their leadership and service.

Through the Student Voice Committee, EMS ISD continues to be a Great Choice as it prioritizes student perspectives, ensuring that decisions are informed by those who experience learning firsthand every day.