Beaumont ISD announces Teachers of the Year

Beaumont ISD named Cheryl Spangler of Dishman Elementary as the elementary division and Bettina Evans of the Career and Technical Education Center as the secondary division Teachers of the Year at the 2023-24 Teacher of the Year Celebration of Excellence Gala held on May 5, 2023, at the Beaumont Civic Center.

Spangler began her teaching career in 2000 and has spent 23 years at Dishman Elementary, most recently dedicated to fifth-graders. She is a graduate of Lamar University and received her certifications in Elementary Reading (Grades 1-8) and Elementary Self Contained (Grades 1-8), as well as Master Math Teacher (EC-4). Evans began teaching for BISD in 1987 and has 23 years with the District; 32 years total in her field. She received her Bachelors of Science in Secondary Education from Lamar University.

 Evans began her career teaching social studies (Grades 6-8), then served as a Dyslexia Specialist/Interventionist and currently teaches Practicum Culinary Arts as a 12th Grade Adjunct Instructor with Lamar Institute of Technology.

The 2023-24 Teacher of the Year Selection Committee was composed of business partners, community stakeholders and students. They reviewed applications and interviewed the top five scoring elementary and secondary campus teachers of the year. The committee included Chair Aaron More, ExxonMobil Beaumont; Co-chair Kathryn Barboza, Early College High School; Fannie Brown, Beaumont Public Schools Foundation; Shirlene Cook, Beaumont Area Retired Teachers; Kevin Jackson, Beaumont Teachers Association, Joshua Mendoza, Beaumont United High School, Dr. Freddie Titus, Lamar University, Cayman Walton, West Brook High School; and Kristie Young, Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce.

All campus Teachers of the Year received gifts valued at $150, along with a $250 stipend. In addition, Spangler and Evans received a $1,500 stipend and additional gifts valued at $1000.

Spangler and Evans will go on to represent BISD at the regional level. If successful, they will compete for the State of Texas Teacher of the Year. This program is facilitated by the Texas Association of School Administrators, who claim the Texas Teacher of the Year is the highest honor that the State of Texas can bestow upon a teacher.

Partnering sponsors of the event included Star Sponsor - ExxonMobil Beaumont; Silver Sponsor - Amerigroup, Gulf Credit Union, H-E-B, and Regina Rogers; and Bronze Sponsors - Centerpoint Energy, Edgenuity/ Imagine Learning, Fisher Firm, Guild Mortgage-Roy West, Lamar Institute of Technology, Lamar University College of Education and Human Development, Legacy Community Health and Raising Cane’s USA, L.L.C.