KATY [May 8, 2020] – It’s an annual event educators at Katy Independent School District look forward to every year, prior to wrapping up the final semester. This year Katy ISD was committed to recognizing its District-wide Teachers of the Year along with its District-wide Rookie Teachers of the Year, regardless of the Coronavirus pandemic. District officials came up with clever ways to surprise these talented teachers’ just steps from their homes, while practicing social distancing. The surprise included a personalized banner, colorful signs and many virtual hugs as part of the official announcement.
Congratulations to these educators!
District-wide Elementary Campus Teacher of the Year:
Kimberly Peterson – Hayes Elementary PreK – Fifth Grade Music Specialist/Fifth Grade Choir Director
Mrs. Peterson began her music career at Hal Leonard Corporation in 1997 after obtaining her Bachelor of Music degree. There she learned to input musical transcriptions using a score-writer computer program, updated the engraving department resource library, edited music projects, and tested new music notation software. In 2000, Mrs. Peterson left the corporate world to be a stay at home mom. During this time, she was self-employed as a private piano and voice teacher. She instructed students in piano technique, vocal technique, musicianship skills and performance skills. Come 2007, she became the Director of Choirs at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. Her love of working with children motivated her to implement and direct musical theatre productions. At the same time, she was volunteering in the Sun Prairie Area School District in Wisconsin. After moving to Texas, she earned her alternative teacher’s certification. For Mrs. Peterson, music has been a life-long journey and a passion. In 2013, she began her teaching career in public education at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. A year later, Kimberly accepted her current teaching position at Jeanette Hayes Elementary in Katy ISD. She is an innovative educator that inspires students to become respectful, responsible learners that are actively engaged in the process of making music. As an educator, she strives to create high quality music experiences for her students in order to carry on the legacy that began with Katy ISD’s first elementary music teacher, Jeanette Hayes.
District-wide Secondary Campus Teacher of the Year
Kara Lowery – Stockdick Junior High Special Education Teacher
Ms. Lowery has been an educator for 12 years. Her path in education began in Katy ISD as a paraprofessional in autism units. Her empathetic nature and desire for all students to experience compassion and empowerment drove her to complete her bachelor’s degree and obtain her teacher’s certification. Ms. Lowery’s desire for an ontological understanding of behaviors led her to obtain a Master of Science in Special Education and she is currently working to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Passion, commitment, and dedication are terms that epitomize Ms. Lowery. Her pedagogy stems from the belief that all students can, and will succeed. Student outcomes are at the heart of Ms. Lowery’s daily decisions. She strives to ensure that her students acquire the necessary skills to engage and participate in the world beyond school and home. Her goal for her students: a full and happy life whereby they are productive, accepted members of society. Ms. Lowery wants to ensure that her students can find success in the world and that the world is equipped to help them. She is currently a Special Education Teacher at Stockdick Junior High in the Autism Support and Intervention Program (ASIP).
District-wide Elementary Rookie Teacher of the Year:
Oleksandr Hirka – Stephens Elementary Physical Education Coach
Even though it is Mr. Hirka’s first year as a teacher, you would not think so because he goes above and beyond his normal responsibilities, impacting both our students and staff members. His main goal is to provide the best possible education for his student and to be a great role model for them. Currently he is employed at Stephens Elementary as the Physical Education (PE) Coach – a position he has held since February 2019. Before becoming a teacher, Coach O (his nickname) worked at Wolfe Elementary as a PE paraprofessional from September 2016 to February 2019. There, he learned about the physical education curriculum and how it was taught. He also fulfilled his goal of being a mentor and learning about different after school programs. Between 2011 and 2016, he worked in various capacities at the Houston YMCA. This included employment as a childcare coordinator for the Katy YMCA, which involved visits to many Katy ISD elementary schools from Fall 2015 to Spring 2016. Additionally, he ran summer camps for inner-city children in the summers during 2015 and 2016 in Richmond and Kendleton. He also served as the Fort Bend YMCA in Missouri City as an intern and then Sports Director from spring 2015 to summer 2016. It was during the summer of 2010 that Mr. Hirka started working with children at the Katy YMCA in childwatch and then he moved to assisting with the opening and managing the YMCA pool in Sealy between 2012-2013. Mr. Hirka was a graduate from Katy ISD.
District-wide Secondary Rookie Teacher of the Year:
Alexa Stewart – Mayde Creek High School Geography Teacher
Alexa is an exemplary teacher who demonstrates a passion for teaching geography and a love for helping students. She started her teaching career in August 2018 aiming to be that teacher who goes above what is expected to prepare her students for success in their personal development and goals, in addition to their academic achievements. One of the ways she tries to prepare her students academically is to engage them in ways that interest them. She has utilized various apps and educational websites to integrate technology into her lessons. Prior to joining Mayde Creek High School, Ms. Stewart was collaborating with other educators at the University Prep for Science and Math Middle School in Detroit, MI and Godwin Heights High School in Grand Rapids, MI where she taught self-made lessons through a variety of strategies. Ms. Stewart joined the Katy ISD Family in August 2019 as a ninth-grade World Geography Teacher for on-level and Katy Advanced Placement classes.
