Sheng Thao, Band Director & Yearbook

“Sheng Thao brings positivity, energy, and passion to everything that she touches. Students are magnetized to her classes. She selflessly sacrifices her own time to help students in other teacher’s programs. For example, she teaches a student after school every Friday so she can be in choir and orchestra. She comes early in the morning to teach an 8th grader who is currently not enrolled in band. When Sheng saw the orchestra program in trouble, she rose to the occasion by searching for resources, contacting other colleagues, teaching the class, and even mentoring the guest educator. In her own words, ‘Even if the bar is set low, that doesn’t mean that we only rise above that. We can completely raise the bar itself.’ She assists in department meetings by recording all the information while simultaneously contributing ideas and solutions. In addition, she steps up in the ground works VLC by creating PBIS slides to educate the entire school. She is a team player in every sense of the word whose main thought at all times is ‘what is best for the child.’ Every life that she positively affects and every child whose life trajectory will forever be altered owes her gratitude.” – Kathy Cawthron, CD Fulkes Middle School Principal

Jami Kobren, 7th Grade Science Teacher

“Jami Kobren engages her students with fun lessons and brings forth so much positivity to her students and fellow staff members. She is deeply committed and invested in her students and doing whatever it takes to help them succeed. Students love her, parents love her, and her colleagues love and adore her. She truly is a gift to education and we’re so happy she has chosen Canyon Vista.” – Nicole Hagerty, Canyon Vista Middle School Principal

Angela Seto, 7th Grade Math Teacher

“Her ability to do anything to help kids succeed is truly inspiring! She has a special way of inspiring and encouraging students and staff to do and be their best. She always has students’ best interests in mind, and building relationships with them is her top priority. She advocates for students and goes the extra mile to ensure their success. She makes many sacrifices, including changes in teaching assignments, for the greater good and what is best for kids. Kids of all ages need to put their hands on math and not be afraid to make mistakes; she lives this! She takes math planning seriously and finds child-centered, engaging activities that promote learning.” – Cedar Valley Middle School colleagues

“She is really nice and cares about everyone. She makes sure that we feel that school is a safe place to be. I have learned so much from her, and she is always very sweet and kind to us. She always gives me extra chances, and she is very flexible with tutorial times. If we don’t understand something, she will find a way to explain it so that we learn. She is an amazing teacher and makes learning math fun!” – Cedar Valley Middle School students

Kirby Williams, 8th Grade English Language Arts

“Great relationship with the students, excellent with the content. Very good person. Kirby works so hard to make sure all of her students have what they need to be successful in her class and out of her class! She makes learning fun and engaging. She is an absolutely wonderful teacher. She is engaged with students and extremely knowledgeable. Not only is she a great instructor but she also has an incredibly kind and welcoming presence. She is always upbeat and accommodating. Goes above and beyond the call of duty for students. Kirby also works hard to get her students where they need to be with their academics. Outside of the classroom, she is a cheer coach as well holding students accountable for representing our school.” – Chisholm Trail Middle School colleagues
“We love her. Always finding ways for students to love reading books. Making sure that they are heading the right direction. She makes learning fun and relevant. Caring, funny, hard working.” – Chisholm Trail Middle School students

Mari Jones, 6th & 7th Grade ELA Teacher

“The energy MJ brings to this school is so infectious. She is constantly cheering on our students, our faculty and creates an unbelievable culture in her classroom. Ms. Jones’ passion for our students and campus are evident in her willingness to go above and beyond on a regular basis. She has also formed strong relationships with many students. Ms. Jones always and continuously goes above and beyond for all of our students, teachers, administrators, and staff at Deerpark. She makes herself available to us for anything and everything we may need. She shows great leadership skills and is one of the best teachers I’ve ever met. Ms. Jones is a dedicated and caring teacher who consistently teaches and serves in other roles on our campus with enthusiasm and joy. How often these days, do you see a teacher scream their calling to this profession from the rooftops? Less and less often. Ms. Jones dives head first into education as others are running away. A lot of students say she their favorite, her love allows her to pay close attention, and acceptance to all students. She is amazing!” – John Manning, Deerpark Middle School Principal

Ryan Browning, German Teacher

“Not only has Ryan been a phenomenal teacher, he has led his department with a servant leadership style. While one of our teachers has been out on leave this year, Ryan has basically been working two jobs…taking care of two classrooms…lesson planning, online lessons & notifications, and grading. Ryan also supports his club and pushes his German students to participate in various contests. Ryan is a tremendous asset at Grisham Middle School.” – Kyla Mills, Grisham Middle School Principal

Eusebia Vasquez, Special Education/Focus Teacher

“Eusebia Vasquez is phenomenal when it comes to building student relationships. She deeply cares about the personal well being of all students on campus, not just those on her roster. She makes it a point to get to know them, know their story, acknowledge them in a positive manner, ask them about their day, advocate for them. She teaches them to advocate for themselves, to take responsibility for their actions and holds them accountable with a little tough love when needed. She is always involved in campus activities and ready to jump in and support admin where ever needed throughout the day, counseling students through difficult moments, offers her knowledge and life experiences to support our students and sometimes staff to. Eusebia makes it a priority to put the needs of our students and our campus at the forefront. She does it all; from Focus Teacher and Sped Chair to Coaching, Crisis Team and Leadership Team, Grad Student and Teacher. Eusebia is extremely hardworking, stepping into any role in which she is needed. She serves as department chair for Special Education, leads the Focus classes where she has made amazing progress with some of our most challenging students, and is currently an AP intern. There is almost nothing Eusebia will not do and is always there to help. She is more than worthy of this honor.”  – Dr. Patricia Ephlin, Hernandez Middle School Principal

Allison DeSantis, 7th Grade ELA Teacher

“Allison has gone above and beyond to onboard two new staff members in her department. Her class sizes have swelled in numbers but she shows up with a positive attitude for students everyday. She finds ways to make reading fun and engaging for her kiddos. Her students adore her and appreciate her caring and nurturing demeanor. She has taken part in Holdsworth where she has learned new and innovative techniques to foster student development and learning. She has recently taken on positions of leadership and works towards helping her peers see the value in building relationships with students, staff, and parents. She has an innate ability to focus on what is important, both academically and social/emotionally. She genuinely enjoys working with students and helping them see their value and believe in themselves. We are fortunate to have Allison at Hopewell.” – Lynda Garinger, Hopewell Middle School Principal

Melissa Janischeck, FAC Teacher

“Ms. Janischeck is a truly unique educator! She works so hard to meet each of her students where they are at and to bring them to new levels. Students make huge gains with her and she is beloved by her parents. She cooks with her students and advocates for an inclusive model. She has brought the Unified Club to Pearson Ranch and was a ‘model lab’ classroom for SeeSaw to visit to improve their platform. She is sought out by the District Special Education department to lead PD. She negotiates safe transport of her students who need accessibility aides. She helps her Educational Assistants grow as professionals by mentoring them. Ms. Janisheck is usually one of the first teachers to arrive at work and the last to leave. She volunteers at our dances to make sure her students have the opportunity to attend since they need specialized supervision. This year has been especially challenging as the FAC classroom at Deerpark was closed and Ms. Janisheck welcomed four new students, which is a gain of 50 percent. She is truly deserving of this honor and would represent our District well!”  – Monica Collins, Pearson Ranch Middle School Principal

Rebecca Harding, Theatre Teacher

“Becky is a rock star teacher. She puts her whole being into helping the students reach their full potential. She knows her subject, and she knows her students. Becky also knows her colleagues. She is a mentor to new teachers, and a friend to seasoned teachers. It is a joy to work with her. Becky’s commitment to her students is incredibly impressive. Her high standard for excellence is inspiring and makes me want to be a better teacher. I have learned so much from her over the years and am grateful she is a part of this Fine Arts team.” – Marisa Ramirez, Ridgeview Middle School Principal

Lori Keese, Special Education Teacher

“Lori Keese – deserves teacher of the year because of her dedication to her students. She goes above and beyond to make her lessons engaging and fun for her students. She has the patience of a saint, and she gives 110 percent in everything she does. She wears different hats as not only an educator but also a mentor. She shares her knowledge with everyone!”  – Rudy Reyes, Walsh Middle School Principal

Natalie Moeckel, CTE Department Chair

“Natalie Moeckel is the definition of a leader. She leads the CTE department, as well as our campus New Teacher Onboarding program. This fall we had a computer science teacher leave in September, as opposed to us having to scramble to find coverage, she stepped up provided lessons, assessments and support to the long-term substitute. Natalie has worked with administration as we refocus and emphasize the need for every student to be CCMR when they graduate. She is a champion of public education, because she loves kids. She accomplishes what all educators seek, IMPACT! I strongly recommend Natalie Moeckel to be a candidate for the Round Rock ISD Teacher of the Year.” – Jonathan Smith, Cedar Ridge High School Principal

Julian Jones, 9th Grade World Geography and AVID

“Mr. Jones is a hard-working and dedicated teacher. He consistently creates innovative ways for his students to learn and collaborates with his peers to ensure that all students get what they need to be successful. Mr. Jones promotes student agency and advocates for equity of all.” – Dr. Elizabeth Wilson, Early College High School Principal

Brit Budd, Deaf Education Teacher

“Mrs. Brit Budd is an energetic, independent yet collaborative, self-motivated leader and is enthusiastic about learning and teaching. She has an easily discernible passion for educating others. Mrs. Budd is desirous of positively impacting her students and colleagues, and seems to naturally build the appropriate rapport and relationships upon meeting them. She certainly plays a vital role in establishing and maintaining a culture of excellence, and is exceptional in teaching, collaborating, advising, and leading students to success. Mrs. Budd is undeniably student-centered; the impact she makes consistently proves to be significant. Mrs. Brit Budd’s character and work-ethic are to be admired and emulated. She is dedicated, honest, respectful, and integrous; she’s a servant. Mrs. Budd is consistently guilty of serving teachers, students, and anyone else who is in need; she sacrifices her convenience to provide for others. Her consistent commitment to excellence and loyalty to assignments are beyond the average standard. Mrs. Brit Budd includes all, invests in growth, and inspires action while empowering students to realize and actualize their dreams.” – Dr. Mack Eagleton, McNeil High School Principal

Nancy Arredondo, History and Graphic Design

“Round Rock High School’s Teacher of the Year, Nancy Arredondo, is an exceptional educator who has been teaching for over 21 years. Nancy joined the Round Rock High School faculty one and a half years ago, and in that short amount of time, she has established wonderful relationships with her students and colleagues. Her dedication and passion for teaching are evident in the way she connects with her students and creates a positive learning environment. Nancy teaches two subjects at Round Rock High School, World History and Digital Media. Her diverse skillset allows her to teach all grade levels. She even holds seven certifications in Social Studies, English, ESL, and Technology Applications. Her extensive knowledge in these areas enables her to provide a well-rounded education to her students, covering multiple subjects that will prepare them for their future endeavors. One of Nancy’s greatest strengths is her ability to incorporate technology into her teaching. As the Digital Media teacher, she uses her expertise in technology to help her students develop valuable digital skills. Her students learn to use a variety of digital tools to create marketing and advertisement content such as digital logos and branding. Nancy’s approach to teaching Digital Media goes beyond simply teaching her students how to use software; she instills in them a sense of digital responsibility and teaches them how to use technology in a positive and productive way.” – Matt Groff, Round Rock High School principal

Amy Dieta, CTE – Agriculture Food & Natural Resources

“Mrs. Dieta is always involved at Stony Point High School. She supports our students and campus through the classroom, assemblies and more! She volunteers to assist wherever she is needed. She takes pride in teaching her FFA students honesty, integrity, hard work, and it shows in the love everyone showers her back with. She is involved in this community. She is highly respected among her peers and students. She is an amazing advocate for her students and Stony Point. She has a tremendous Tiger spirit. She has co-led our annual Meet the Tiger with another teacher for many years and they do a phenomenal job. She has led many pep rallies and her energy is infectious, our students love her! She is a true Tiger at heart. Mrs. Dieta is always asking how she can help and offers solutions to make our campus better. She builds positive relationships with her students and peers. She truly loves what she does and her interaction with our students, staff and the community is one to admire. Mrs. Dieta is an asset to this campus and to the Stony Point community.” – Anthony Watson, Stony Point High School Principal

Adrian Singh, English Teacher

“Adrian is an excellent teacher who is willing to do whatever it takes to help students academically and emotionally. She forms strong bonds with her students and they trust her and want to do well as a result. She makes every effort to differentiate so that they can be successful by creating numerous off line assignments that meet the needs of her kids. She works tirelessly on behalf of her students and is an advocate for them when needed. She is also a supportive colleague and the first one to volunteer to help anyone in need.”  – Jerrod Gertsema, Success High School Principal

Eric Scheiber, Science Teacher

“Mr. Scheiber goes above and beyond in so many areas. He teaches Human Body Systems and IB Biology, and started a new course in Round Rock ISD this year: IB Exercise & Sports Science. His students love his depth of knowledge, passion for science, organization, and engaging instruction. He is the type of educator who is always looking to improve his craft and most recently has begun to integrate proficiency scales in his classroom. He serves as our Lead Teacher-Coach and coordinates the mentorship of our new to profession teachers and their Teacher-Coaches. Through this role, he also runs monthly meetings to support new teachers and give them a safe environment to learn and ask questions. As a leader in the IB program, Mr. Scheiber stepped up last year to serve as our lead IB test coordinator while our IB coordinator was on maternity leave. He dedicated countless hours to ensuring our students’ testing experiences ran smoothly and that we were in compliance with IB requirements. He has volunteered to assist with this again this year. Our students and faculty are better because Mr. Scheiber is a part of our school.” – Erin Campbell, Westwood High School Principal

Jennie Merla, Special Education Teacher

“Ms. Merla has been such a tremendous new addition to our campus. She is kind, considerate and gets on with everyone. Her understanding of how a person with autism might perceive a situation and how to help a student see the situation more robustly is helpful to not only our students but our staff as well. Every student who interacts with Ms. Merla leaves that moment with hope and something to contemplate.” – Jackie Hartle, GOALS Learning Center Principal

Mark Maynard, Math Teacher

“Mr. Mark Maynard is one of a few teachers this year who has taken on teaching all of the high school math levels due to staff vacancies. He has displayed hard work, passion, perseverance, and sacrifice to ensure that all students no matter the grade or level received a welcoming mathematical challenging environment. With all that responsibility, he still finds time to lead a department, be the chair for the campus Community Engagement Team, serve as a voice on the District’s Advisory Council (DAC), and assist any staff in need of technology assistance. He has truly been a foundational support system for our campus this school year and was voted by his peers as Teacher of the Year.” – Donald Bosier, Round Rock Opportunity Center Principal