Tag Archives: Elementary Teachers

ALonna Soward-Puryear garners honors as Maryland’s 2026 Teacher of the Year

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Elementary school educator ALonna Soward-Puryear has been named the 2026 Teacher of the Year for the state of Maryland. Photo credit: CCSSO NTOY

I am always excited to shine a spotlight on an exceptional educator who has garnered accolades for their work in the classroom. Today, I shine the spotlight on ALonna Soward-Puryear, an elementary school teacher from Maryland. She has been named her state’s 2026 Teacher of the Year.

ALonna teaches math and reading to first, third, and fourth graders at Monocacy Elementary School in Frederick, Maryland. There she works as a targeted interventionist. She has taught at the school since 2019.

In her classroom, ALonna employs culturally responsive teaching in her instructional design, recognizing and leveraging students’ diverse cultural backgrounds as assets to learning and ensuring that all students see themselves in the curriculum and feel empowered to engage.

“My students are hands-down my favorite part of teaching. They’re the reason I do what I do,” declares ALonna. “I love their energy, their curiosity, their notes and drawings, and the inside jokes we build as a class,” she continued. “There’s nothing better than seeing how much they grow, not just academically, but as people throughout the year,” she concluded.

In addition to her work with young students, ALonna serves on the school’s School Improvement Team and the Systemic Team for Blueprint Implementation. She actively fosters instructional excellence and promotes a community of academic growth through initiatives such as the Ready for Pre-K/K and the ELEVATE summer programs. And as if all that were not enough, she mentors beginning teachers.

“Be a lifelong learner,” ALonna advises those she mentors. “One of the most important things you can do as an educator is to stay curious and reflective. During your internships, don’t be afraid to take risk, try new strategies and experiment with different tools or lesson formats. Then take time to reflect on what worked, what didn’t and how you can grow from it,” she says.

ALonna earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary/Special Education and her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership in 2024, both from Hood College in Frederick, Maryland.

Sp Ed educator Tiffani Jaseph named Arizona’s 2026 State Teacher of the Year

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Special Education teacher Tiffani Jaseph has been named Arizona’s 2025 State Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Arizona Educational Foundation

It is always my pleasure to share the story of an outstanding educator who has earned accolades for their work in American public schools. Today I share the story of Tiffani Jaseph, an elementary teacher from Arizona. She has been named her state’s 2026 Teacher of the Year.

Tiffani currently teaches Special Education to students in grades K-5 at Copper View Elementary School located in Sahuarita, Arizona. There she develops accommodations for students with higher support needs. She is committed to ensuring that her classroom is accessible for both academic and social-emotional development. To achieve this, Tiffani emphasizes inclusive, strengths-based instruction tailored to meet diverse learning styles.Prior to working at Copper View, Tiffani taught In Yuma, Arizona. There she provided Special Education interventions for students from kindergarten through sixth grade. She also worked in the Sunnyside Unified School District, where she taught in an extended-day Special Education program for fourth and fifth graders. In that position, she provided specially-designed instruction while supporting students’ needs in the general education environment. In all, Tiffani’s career as an educator spans 15 years.

In addition to her work as a teacher, Tiffani has helped her school develop a partnership with the University of Arizona Adaptive Sports program. Through this partnership, students can participate in a weeklong physical education clinic. Through this program, students can become engaged in adaptive sports, including wheelchair basketball. Tiffani has also established a Running Club on her campus.

Her designation as Arizona’s State Teacher of the Year is not the only honor Tiffani has earned. She was named Teacher of the Year in both the Yuma and Sahuarita districts, and she was a finalist for Sahuarita District Teacher of the Year.

Tiffani earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 2005 and her Master’s degree in Special Education in 2009, both from the University of Arizona.

 

Texas educator Mabel Grizzard: One of the founders of DKG

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Elementary school teacher Mabel Grizzard of Texas was one of the original founders of DKG. (Photo credit: DKG)

In 1929, a group of accomplished women educators founded an organization to advance the interests of women teachers. These women, who came from all over the state of Texas, formed the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International (DKG). The goals of the organization were to advance professional preparation, to recognize women’s work in the teaching profession, and to provide scholarships for those needing help to advance their professional expertise. One of these esteemed founders was Mabel Grizzard of Ellis County.

Mable was born in Waxahachie, Ellis County, on April 2, 1884, the daughter of Henry and Hattie (Youree) Grizzard. As a child, Mabel attended private schools before graduating with honors from Waxahachie public schools. After high school, Mabel earned a degree from the North Texas State Normal School in Denton, where she was a student of Dr. Annie Webb Blanton. Dr. Blanton was later elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and she was the first woman in Texas to be elected to a statewide office. In her later years, Mabel attended Peabody College in Nashville, Tennessee, and the University of Denver.

Mabel inaugurated her career as an educator in Bristol School in Ellis County. She also taught in the State Orphans Home in Corsicana, and at a large elementary school in Waxahachie. There she served for 40 years, first as a teacher and then as a principal. During that 40-year period, Mabel took a two-year leave of absence to serve as the elementary supervisor of rural schools in Texas. In the summers, Mabel served as an assistant to State Superintendent Dr. Blanton. She also spent many summers engaged in research and study.

In addition to her classroom and administrative responsibilities, Mabel took an active part in several educational organizations. She served on the Executive Board of the North Texas Division of Elementary Principals. Also, she was president of the Ellis County unit of Texas State Teachers Association. She was active with National Principals of the NEA and the National Society for the Study of Education. As recognition for her hard work, the PTA of her elementary school gifted Mabel with a life membership in the National Congress of Parents and Teachers.

At Dr. Blanton’s invitation, Mabel attended the initial meeting of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society in 1929 in Austin, Texas. She became one of the organization’s founders, and was also instrumental in founding the Alpha Alpha Chapter of DKG located in Ellis County in 1931.

Mabel passed away on July 14, 1968, at the age of 84. She was interred in Hillcrest Burial Park in Waxahachie.

To read more about this amazing chalkboard champion, click on this link DKG Founders.

 

 

Kim Broomer selected Washington state’s 2025 Teacher of the Year

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Kindergarten teacher Kim Broomer has been named the 2025 Teacher of the Year for Washington State. Photo credit: Washington Education Association.

It is always my pleasure to share the story of an outstanding educator who has earned accolades for their work in one of our country’s public schools. today I share the story of Kim Broomer, a kindergarten teacher from Washington. She has been named her state’s 2025 Teacher of the Year.

Kim teaches at Ruby Bridges Elementary School in the Northshore School District in Woodinville. She says her primary goal is to build connections and nurture relationships. But above all, inclusivity is at the heart of everything she does in her classroom.  “I view my role as a community builder,” she asserts. “Creating safe spaces in which students are seen, heard and that they matter.” She credits this emphasis to her own diagnosis of ADHD. “Knowing that I have ADHD, there is a beautiful fit and connection between my students and me,” she says, “making my classroom a safe space in which we can all belong, learn, love, and grow together, just as we are.”

Her career as an educator spans 23 years, but Kim’s decision to become a teacher can be traced back to her mother, who ran a small in-home day care center, she reveals.

Her selection as Teacher of the Year is not the only recognition Kim has earned. She was named Ahead of the Class by the Renton Chamber of Commerce, an Innovative Teacher of the Year by the Northshore School Foundation, and one of the Heroes in the Classroom by the Seattle Seahawks.  And the State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction has selected her to work towards improving inclusionary practices statewide. In addition, Kim has received numerous grants for innovation, leadership, and community outreach.

Kim earned her Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences from the University of Washington. She earned her Master’s degree in Teaching from the same institution. In 2010, she earned her National Board Certification.

To read more about Kim Broomer, click on this link to a story about her published by the Washington Dept. of Supt. of Public Instruction.

 

NYC PE teacher Reyes Andon garners a 2025 Golden Apple Award

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Elementary school teacher Reyes Andon has garnered a 2025 Golden Apple Award from the New York City Department of Education. Photo credit: Reyes Andon

There are many excellent teachers who work in New York City schools. One of them is Reyes Andon, a physical education teacher who has earned a Golden Apple Award from the New York City Department of Education.

Reyes teaches students up to grade 5 at PS 376, an elementary public school located in Brooklyn. There he uses sports as a vehicle to inspire learning, leadership, and community. Reyes strives to make his classroom instruction inclusive and culturally responsive. But the key to his success as an educator, says Reyes, is that he promotes peer leadership by promoting student agency and responsibility through meaningful roles the coach, assistant coach, and equipment manager.

“Beyond the classroom, I serve as a national trainer with the US Soccer Foundation, facilitating programs like Soccer for Success, the Coach-Mentor Blueprint, and Just Ball to help educators and youth leaders across the country harness sport for positive development,” says Reyes. “I also collaborate with NYCFC City in the Community, leading initiatives that engage families and expand opportunities for underserved youth,” he continued. In addition, Reyes has organized several community partnerships and after-school and weekend programs that address access gaps in physical activity and organized sports for families facing economic barriers.

Reyes is one of ten New York City teachers who garnered a Big Apple Award this year. The honor recognizes teachers who demonstrate excellence across four key areas: inspiring students to reach their full potential, modeling equitable learning with high expectations, affirming students’ unique identities and gifts, and enriching school communities through meaningful partnerships with families and community organizations. In addition to his Big Apple, which came with a $25,000 check for Reyes to use to enhance the physical education program at his school, the Chalkboard Champion was featured on an episode of the NBC Today Show.