Rockwall ISD Announces 26 Nominees for 2026 Teacher of the Year

Twenty-six teachers, one representing each Rockwall ISD campus, were named Feb. 12, 2026, as nominees for the district’s 2026 Teacher of the Year; the district elementary and district secondary winners will be selected from this group and announced in May at the Rockwall ISD Teacher of the Year Banquet. Rockwall ISD described the list as a cross-section of classroom educators and specialists and said the district winners will go on to represent the district in the Region 10 competition.

The district’s announcement said the nominees were “selected by their peers and colleagues for the honor,” and it noted that “Members from the Rockwall Breakfast Rotary as well as previous Rockwall ISD Teachers of the Year serve on the District selection committee.” Those committee members will convene between now and May to choose one elementary and one secondary district Teacher of the Year from the 26 nominees.

Rockwall ISD published the following campus-to-nominee list: Amanda Rochell Elementary, Catrina Bessard; Amy Parks-Heath Elementary, Lauren Gaspard; Billie Stevenson Elementary, Stacey Kimmel; Celia Hays Elementary, Kimberly Williams; Doris Cullins-Lake Pointe Elementary, Bailey Schoeck; Dorothy Smith Pullen Elementary, Janelle Ohr; Dorris A. Jones Elementary, Jeanette Allison; Grace Hartman Elementary, Rachel Torriero; Howard Dobbs Elementary, Vilma Nieto; Linda Lyon Elementary, Brad Seed; Lupe Garcia Elementary, Rise Suazo; Nebbie Williams Elementary, Kiyomi Norris; Sherry & Paul Hamm Elementary, Megan Parson; Ouida Springer Elementary, Dawn Goar; Sharon Shannon Elementary, Kayse Williams; Virginia Reinhardt Elementary, Allison Blair; Herman E. Utley Middle School, Ginger Drain; J.W. Williams Middle School, Racheal Waller; Maurine Cain Middle School, Leila Gibson; Ursula Rakow Middle School, Billy Garrett; Rockwall High School, Nichelle Wallace; Rockwall High School Ninth Grade Campus, Geraldine Robertson; Rockwall-Heath High School, Christopher Bell; Rockwall-Heath High School Ninth Grade Campus, Drew Austin; Dr. Gene Burton College & Career Academy, Misty Rayson; Quest Academy, Michelle Mullins.

Rockwall ISD’s news page also displayed related district recognitions: Dr. Gene Burton College & Career Academy educator Robin Peterson was named TAFE Area 11 Teacher Leader of the Year; Rockwall High School senior and student council president Max Watson completed the NASC Distinguished Student Leader Program and earned national recognition; Rockwall High School student council advisor Tim Watson was named TASC District 3 Advisor of the Year; and the site highlighted that Feb. 10 will mark the first-ever statewide Crossing Guard Appreciation Day, credited to elementary student Charlotte F.

Public-facing copies of the district’s web announcement contained template artifacts in raw fragments and showed duplicated lines for some entries; those raw fragments duplicated Amy Parks-Heath Elementary / Lauren Gaspard and Maurine Cain Middle School / Leila Gibson, while the district’s published rollup presents a de-duplicated set of 26 campus nominees. The district’s site carries its mission statement that “Rockwall ISD empowers learners to embody independence, value relationships and achieve excellence as thriving members of a dynamic global community.” The next concrete milestone is the May Teacher of the Year Banquet, when district elementary and secondary winners will be announced and later enter the Region 10 competition.