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Las Cruces Public Schools Names Teacher Of The Year

 

 

  LAS CRUCES----Cheryl Carreon, a preschool teacher for developmentally delayed children at East Picacho Elementary School, has been selected as the 2017 Las Cruces Public Schools (LCPS) Teacher of the Year.  The announcement was made last night (April 18) during the annual "Celebration of Excellence Awards Dinner" sponsored by the LCPS Foundation, Century Bank, and the school district.

Carreon has been a special education or primary grade level teacher for the past 26 years.She was selected from among 52 LCPS teachers nominated for this year's prestigious award, said Jane Gurnea, an LCPS professional development specialist who was on the selection committee.

Superintendent Stan Rounds also announced the four finalists for the top teacher award: 1st runner-up - Melody Hagaman, science and computer programming teacher at Centennial High School; 2nd runner-up - Tamara Miller-Dwake, science teacher at Arrowhead Park Early College High School; 3rd runner-up - Tiffany Valles, Language Arts and social studies teacher at Sierra Middle School; and 4th runner-up - Debra Vance, science teacher at Picacho Middle School.

“This is one of the most enjoyable parts of my job,” Rounds told a large crowd of educators, family members, business sponsors and students. “We are so proud of the teachers, and our students, being recognized tonight.”

In her winning application, Carreon stated “how amazing it is to have a career where every day I have the opportunity to make a day happier, create learning opportunities, foster respect and help change the world.”She is now eligible to compete for the state Teacher of the Year award.

 

 

Also recognized was Nina Nuñez, this year's recipient of the Dr. Sandra K. Nakamura Professional Development Award.  Nuñez is a math and engineering teacher at Arrowhead Park Early College High School.  In addition, two teachers were honored for earning their National Board Certification: Terri Stockberger, a dual-language teacher at Valley View Elementary, and Rubie Valdez, a 5th-grade teacher at Conlee Elementary.

During the two-hour ceremony, student awards were given to fourNational Merit Scholarship finalists: Helen Cai, Eric Leung and Jonah Ng from Las Cruces High School; and Andrew Phillips from Centennial High.

Six other students were recognized for being named as National Hispanic Scholars. They are Brandon Bicknell and Pachely Mendivil of Las Cruces High School; and Sarah Dysinger, Luis Gomez, Analyssa Martinez and Arianna Martinez of Centennial High School.

The LCPS Foundation also paid tribute to three members from its Board of Directors who are retiring from the Board after many years' of service.  Honored were President Sherley O'Brien; Treasurer Gary Lenzo; and Past-President Len Hampton.

"Our Foundation is an amazing group of community leaders who honestly care about out students," Rounds said.

All of the teachers will again be recognized today (April 19) by the Las Cruces Board of Education during its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. They will be presented with monetary awards from the following community sponsors: FirstLight Federal Credit Union; Jerome Hanway of Horace Mann; NEA-Las Cruces; 2001 NM Teacher of the Year Tommy Esparza; Bill Byford from Carter Bain; the Asombro Institute for Science Education, and an anonymous donor.