Comal ISD held its 6th Annual Night of Stars awards banquet at the Village Venue at Creekside on Feb. 26.
There, the district recognized grade level teams for achievement in attaining student growth, teachers of the year, as well as additional awards categories.
While the state measures Comal ISD on its passing scores, the district observes continued student progress year after year. The progress Comal ISD makes in student growth informs district administrators and teachers what strategies are working, as well as where improvements can be made. Achieving significant progress each year is one of Comal ISD’s priorities, and celebrating teachers for their work growing students is important to maintaining success.
Each year, Comal ISD examines student progress across the district, specifically in the areas of reading and math. Using data from the previous two years administration of the STAAR and End of Course exams, the district determines which teaching teams for grades 4 through 10 showed the most progress from 2017 to 2018, based on available data in the subjects of Math and English. Teaching teams included:
4th grade Math
- Hoffmann Lane Elementary, and teachers Amy Morgan and Kristal Dewitt; and principal Leslie Durst.
5th grade Math
- Johnson Ranch Elementary, and teacher Kimberly Slater; and principal Suzanne Seabolt.
6th grade Math
- Smithson Valley Middle School, and teachers Alissa Lebahn, Julie Mergele, and Elizabeth Terry; and principal Michael Keranen.
7th grade Math
- Spring Branch Middle School, and teachers Natalie Vogel, Mary Webb, and Jaycee Gavlick; and principal Chris Smith.
8th grade Math
- Mountain Valley Middle School, and teachers James Patton, Jennifer Vinson, and Jessica Bush; and principal Dustin Davisson.
8th grade Algebra I
- Church Hill Middle and teachers Teresa Leal and Toni Rowe; and principal Jaime Alvarez-Calderon.
9th grade Algebra I
- Canyon High School and teachers Laura Hahn, Stacy Morris, Melissa Parma, Angela Alexander; and principal Casey Whittle.
4th grade English/Language Arts
- Hoffmann Lane Elementary, and teachers Kelly Gallaher and Jackie Glassey; and principal Leslie Durst.
5th grade English/Language Arts
- Arlon Seay Elementary, and teachers Allison Gagliardi, Allison Bryant, Naomi White, and Darleen Achee; and principal Carla Carter
6th grade English/Language Arts
- Church Hill Middle, and teachers Tobie Cattarin and Donna Ritter; and principal Jaime Alvarez-Calderon.
7th grade English/Language Arts
- Spring Branch Middle School, and teachers Katie Hannas, Paul Bueno, and Meghan East, and principal Chris Smith.
8th grade English/Language Arts
- Mountain Valley Middle School, and teachers Jill Coffee, Colleen Sturm, and Erika Kaufman; and principal Dustin Davisson.
10th grade English/Language Arts II
- Memorial Early College High School and teacher Jennifer Fey; and principal Meredith Pappas.
Based on the same measures, one elementary, middle, and high school received recognition for having the best overall student progress compared to other campuses in the district. This year, Hoffmann Lane Elementary, Mountain Valley Middle, and Canyon High School were awarded Overall Best Student Progress.
In addition, Comal ISD recognized two high school campuses for the most growth on the PSAT, and the highest percentage of students that met criteria on the AP exam. These awards went to Memorial Early College High School for showing the most student growth on the PSAT, and Smithson Valley High School for having the highest percentage of students receive a 3,4, or 5 on their AP exams.
Additional award recipients for the evening included the following:
Comal ISD’s 2018-19 Campus Teachers of the Year
- Kristen Cox, Arlon Seay Elementary
- Virginia Proctor, Bill Brown Elementary
- Heather Shikoski, Clear Spring Elementary
- Keilly Schrey, Freiheit Elementary
- Jennifer Martinez, Goodwin Frazier Elementary
- Kathryn Evans, Garden Ridge Elementary
- Rishanne Frech, Hoffmann Lane Elementary
- Tina Flores, Indian Springs Elementary
- Cathy Lilly, Johnson Ranch Elementary
- Veronica Castillo, Kinder Ranch Elementary
- Alexandra Dawson, Morningside Elementary
- Matthew Herzog, Mountain Valley Elementary
- Kody Rheam, Oak Creek Elementary
- Sarah Sims, Rahe Bulverde Elementary
- Jenny May Stewart, Rebecca Creek Elementary
- Cassie Dixon, M.H. Specht Elementary
- Kristy Woods, Startzville Elementary
- Alexandrea Ledford, Timberwood Park Elementary
- Denise Baughman, Canyon Middle School
- Ashley Guenthner, Church Hill Middle School
- Monika Arnold, Danville Middle School
- Erika Kaufman, Mountain Valley Middle School
- A’ndrea Fisher, Pieper Ranch Middle School
- Tyler Clements, Spring Branch Middle School
- Denise Brown, Smithson Valley Middle School
- Mary Coronado, Canyon High School
- Therese Pilzner, Canyon Lake High School
- Luz Antolinez, Memorial Early College High School
- Keven Harshbarger, Smithson Valley High School
- Wendy Inman, Comal Discipline Center
District Elementary & Secondary Teachers of the Year
- Rishanne Frech, Hoffmann Lane Elementary
- Tyler Clements, Spring Branch Middle School
Rookie Teacher of the Year
- Shelby Schlinke, Indian Springs Elementary
Assistant Principal of the Year
- Mary Stults, Timberwood Park Elementary
Educator of the Year
- Shayla Womble, Spring Branch Middle School
Professional Support Staff Person of the Year
- Stephanie Kirkpatrick, Smithson Valley High School
Mentor of the Year
- Frank Kirby, Kinder Ranch Elementary
Watch D.O.G.S. of the Year
- Jose Segovia, Smithson Valley Feeder Pattern
- Gary Kasch, Canyon Lake Feeder Pattern
- Robert Pine, Canyon Feeder Pattern
In Photos:
District Elementary Teacher of the Year Rishanne French, Hoffmann Lane Elementary
District Secondary Teacher of the Year Tyler Clements, Spring Branch Middle School
Spring Branch Middle School 7th Grade Reading/English Language Arts Team (L-R) Principal Chris Smith, Katie Hannas, Meghan East, and Paul Bueno.