United ISD
2023-2024 Teachers Of The Year Program

We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023-2024 Teacher of the Year awards at United ISD. These educators have been recognized for their exceptional dedication to the field of education. Each campus within United ISD conducted a selection process to choose a campus winner, who will now undergo a thorough evaluation to be considered for the district's Teacher of the Year award at the Elementary and Secondary levels. These outstanding teachers exemplify the highest standards of our district, and we commend each of them for their hard work and commitment. We are proud to be part of the United ISD community.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Clark Elementary School

Sara Byrd

Sara Byrd is currently a 1st grade teacher at Clark Elementary School. She has 23 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Col Santos Benavides Elementary School

Cynthia Valenciano

Cynthia Valenciano is currently a Kinder teacher at Colonel Santos Benavides Elementary School. She has 20 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Malakoff Elementary School

Leslie Lacour

Leslie Lacour is currently a Reading Intervention teacher at Malakoff Elementary School. She has 20 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Kennedy-Zapata Elementary School

Laura Arellano

Laura Arellano is currently a 2nd grade teacher at Kennedy-Zapata Elementary School. She has 5 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Newman Elementary School

Olga Anderson

Olga Anderson is currently a Pre-Kindergarten teacher at Newman Elementary School. She has 15 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Killam Elementary School

Olivia Maldonado

Olivia Maldonado is currently a Kindergarten teacher at Killam Elementary School. She has 42 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Ruiz Elementary School

Gabriela Maldonado

Gabriela Maldonado is currently a 3rd grade teacher at Ruiz Elementary School. She has 16 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Gutierrez Elementary School

Barbara Morales

Barbara Morales is currently a self contained 2nd grade teacher at Amparo Gutierrez Elementary School. She has 32 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Trautmann Elementary School

Maritza Lopez

Maritza Lopez is currently an SLC unit teacher at Trautmann Elementary School. She has 11 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Prada Elementary School

Norma Ortiz

Norma Ortiz is currently a 1st grade teacher at Prada Elementary School. She has 26 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Centeno Elementary School

Jessica Galindo

Jessica Galindo is currently a 2nd grade teacher at Centeno Elementary School. She has 8 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Freedom Elementary School

Elizabeth Duron

Elizabeth Duron is currently a 4th grade teacher at Freedom Elementary School. She has 5 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Santos Elementary School

Seema Hernandez

Seema Hernandez is currently a 5th grade teacher at Roberto Santos Elementary School. She has 19 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Finley Elementary School

Roberta Ramos

Roberta Ramos is currently a 2nd grade teacher at Finley Elementary School. She has 31 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Salinas Elementary School

Wendy Sosa

Wendy Sosa is currently a 4th grade teacher at Salinas Elementary School. She has 8 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Cuellar Elementary School

Dr. Janette Balderas

Dr. Janette Balderas is currently a 3rd grade teacher at Cuellar Elementary School. She has 11 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Veterans Memorial Elementary School

Veronica Elizondo

Veronica Elizondo is currently a Self contained teacher at Veterans Elementary School. She has 5 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Zaffirini Elementary School

Janelle Peña

Janelle Peña is currently a Reading Interventionist teacher at Zaffirini Elementary School. She has 25 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Arndt Elementary School

Elsa Trejo

Elsa Trejo is currently a Pre-Kindergarten teacher at Arndt Elementary School. She has 26 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Nye Elementary School

Maria Morales

Maria Morales is currently a Pre-Kindergarten teacher at Nye Elementary School. She has 40 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Matias De Llano Elementary School

Silvia Martinez

Silvia Martinez is currently a 2nd grade teacher at Matias De Llano Elementary School. She has 25 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
San Isidro Elementary School

Nora Sifuentes

Nora Sifuentes is currently a 3rd grade teacher at San Isidro Elementary School. She has 11 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Perez Elementary School

Noemi Ramirez

Noemi Ramirez is currently a 5th grade teacher at Perez Elementary School. She has 20 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Kazen Elementary School

Rachel Briones

Rachel Briones is currently a 1st grade teacher at Kazen Elementary School. She has 34 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Juarez-Lincoln Elementary School

Delfina De la Cruz

Delfina De la Cruz is currently a 1st grade teacher at Juarez Elementary School. She has 26 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Bonnie Garcia Elementary School

Elizabeth Esparza

Elizabeth Esparza is currently a Kindergarten teacher at Bonnie Garcia Elementary School. She has 17 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Borchers Elementary School

Claudia Guevara

Claudia Guevara is currently a 3rd grade teacher at Borchers Elementary School. She has 14 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Roosevelt Elementary School

Carla Solis

Carla Solis is currently a 4th grade teacher at Roosevelt Elementary School. She has 19 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Fasken Elementary School

Yajaira Saenz

Yajaira Saenz is currently a 4th grade teacher at Fasken Elementary School. She has 18 years of teaching experience.

Elementary Teacher Of The Year
for
Muller Elementary School

Jose Larranga

Jose Larranga is currently a Music teacher at Muller Elementary School. He has 5 years of teaching experience.

Middle School Teacher Of The Year
for
Washington Middle School

Omar Canizalez

Omar Canizalez is currently a Health and P.E. teacher at Washington Middle School. He has 16 years of teaching experience.

Middle School Teacher Of The Year
for
United South Middle School

Ana Mata

Ana Mata is currently a Social Studies teacher at United South Middle School. She has 11 years of teaching experience.

Middle School Teacher Of The Year
for
Herrera Middle School

Dalia Salas

Dalia Salas is currently a Math teacher at Elias Herrera Middle School. She has 17 years of teaching experience.

Middle School Teacher Of The Year
for
Raul Perales Middle School

Daniel Ray Casanova

Daniel Ray Casanova is currently a Reading teacher at Raul Perales Middle School. He has 12 years of teaching experience.

Middle School Teacher Of The Year
for
Gonzalez Middle School

Jose Adame

Jose Adame is currently a Science teacher at Antonio Gonzalez Middle School. He has 19 years of teaching experience.

Middle School Teacher Of The Year
for
Los Obispos Middle School

Priscila Nuñez

Priscila Nuñez is currently a Social Studies teacher at Los Obispos Middle School. She has 10 years of teaching experience.

Middle School Teacher Of The Year
for
United Middle School

Marissa Guevara

Marissa Guevara is currently a Math teacher at United Middle School. She has 14 years of teaching experience.

Middle School Teacher Of The Year
for
United Middle School 6th Grade

Richard Ornelas

Richard Ornelas is currently an Assistant Band Director at United Middle School 6th. He has 4 years of teaching experience.

Middle School Teacher Of The Year
for
Salvador Garcia Middle School

Cynthia Leyendecker

Cynthia Leyendecker is currently a Social Studies teacher at Salvador Garcia Middle School. She has 15 years of teaching experience.

Middle School Teacher Of The Year
for
Trautmann Middle School

Jamaica Garcia

Jamaica Garcia is currently a Reading teacher at Trautmann Middle School. She has 17 years of teaching experience.

Middle School Teacher Of The Year
for
Lamar Bruni Vergara Middle School

Araceli Jacobson

Araceli Jacobson is currently a CTE teacher at Lamar Bruni Vergara Middle School. She has 5 years of teaching experience.

Middle School Teacher Of The Year
for
Ricardo Molina Middle School

Valerie Martinez

Valerie Martinez is currently a Self Contained teacher at Molina Middle School. She has 12 years of teaching experience.

Middle School Teacher Of The Year
for
Clark Middle School

Laura Gonzalez

Laura Gonzalez is currently a Math teacher at Clark Middle School. She has 22 years of teaching experience.

High School Teacher Of The Year
for
Alexander High School

Juan Medina

Juan Medina is currently a CTE teacher at Alexander High School. He has 7 years of teaching experience.

High School Teacher Of The Year
for
Alexander 9th Grade High School

Elizabeth Peña

Elizabeth Peña is currently a Science teacher at Alexander High School 9th Grade. She has 28 years of teaching experience.

High School School Teacher Of The Year
for
United High School

Elizabeth Vega

Elizabeth Vega is currently a Science teacher at United High School. She has 18 years of teaching experience.

High School Teacher Of The Year
for
United High School 9th Grade

Alejandra Diaz-Lightner

Alejandra Diaz-Lightner is currently an English teacher at United High School 9th. She has 22 years of teaching experience.

High School School Teacher Of The Year
for
Johnson High School

Diana Velasquez

Diana Velasquez is currently a CTE teacher at Johnson High School. She has 22 years of teaching experience.

High School Teacher Of The Year
for
Johnson High School 9th Grade

Oscar Rodriguez

Oscar Rodriguez is currently a Resource teacher at Johnson High School 9th Grade. He has 20 years of teaching experience.

High School Teacher Of The Year
for
United South High School

Kristen Ovalle

Kristen Ovalle is currently a Science teacher at United South High School. She has 9 years of teaching experience.

High School Teacher Of The Year
for
United South High School 9th Grade

Rosario Lazcano

Rosario Lazcano is currently a BIM teacher at United South High School 9th. She has 15 years of teaching experience.

High School Teacher Of The Year
for
STEP Academy

Reynaldo Guerrero

Reynaldo Guerrero is currently a Math teacher at STEP Academy. He has 25 years of teaching experience.

High School Teacher Of The Year
for
Cherish Center

Jose Leija

Jose Leija is currently a Self Contained teacher at Cherish Center. He has 15 years of teaching experience.

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