Spring ISD announces Teachers of the Year awards

Kristin Falcon and Jamaur Barnes were named 2012 Spring ISD Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year at an employee recognition banquet on May 22.

Kristin Falcon is a fifth-grade teacher at Northgate Crossing Elementary School and also serves as a certified instructor for the Great Expectations program and a campus representative on the Spring ISD Gifted and Talented Committee.

“I’ve learned that children are like snowflakes; no two are exactly the same,” she said in the press release. “These differences make it impossible to define success for each student in the same terms. While acing a test might be a worthy accomplishment for one child, another may feel successful when he learns to play on a team at recess or speak to a classmate in English about his favorite movie.”

Falcon is a graduate of Spring High School. She received a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Texas A&M University and a master's degree in administration from Sam Houston State University.

“Kristin is an amazing teacher who sets kids up for success,” said Debbie McKiver, Northgate Crossing Elementary School principal, in the press release. “They walk out of her room feeling successful because she makes sure they are successful by figuring out ways to meet their unique needs.”

Barnes is an eighth-grade teacher at Edwin Wells Middle School. He also serves as co-sponsor of the Wells Step Team and is a member of the Wells Mentorship Program.

Barnes did not initially choose to become a educator; he made the decision after substitute teaching at Wells and felt a calling.

“I knew in my heart that Wells was where I belonged,” he said in the press release. “Every day since, I have made it my goal to significantly impact my students.”

Barnes earned a bachelor's degree in communication with a focus in journalism and a minor in behavioral and political sciences from Prairie View A&M.

“Jamaur is an outstanding classroom instructor who maintains a high degree of engagement and sets high standards for his students both behaviorally and academically,” said Lenny Hardoin, Wells Middle School principal, in the press release. “Through long-term mentorships, he has demonstrated his commitment to helping both current and former students achieve academic and personal success.”