COPPERAS COVE – Friday, Copperas Cove ISD surprised 54 educators with Teacher Incentive Allotment designations as high-performing teachers in the state.
These educators received applause and a visit from CCISD administrators to congratulate them on placing among the best teachers in the state and will receive state-funded pay increases set by the State, totaling more than $345,000.
There are three designation levels, starting at Recognized, then Exemplary and finally, Master Teacher, each of which is valid for five years. A teacher can move up from Recognized or Exemplary any year, until they reach a Master Teacher designation, at which point their five years restarts.
“The greatest asset our district has is the incredible teachers standing in front of the almost 8,000 students in Copperas Cove ISD,” said Superintendent Dr. Brent Hawkins. “We have so many great teachers in CCISD and are grateful to be able to share these awards with them. Keeping high-quality, effective educators in Copperas Cove is the most important aspect to the success of our schools moving forward, and this goes a long way in doing that.”
This is the second year CCISD has been part of the Teacher Incentive Allotment program, with 92 teachers earning designations in 2024, totaling more than $1.1 million. With this year’s designations, almost 25% of CCISD teachers hold an active TIA designation.
Of the 53 designations this year, 11 of those are teachers moving up in designation level.
Teacher Incentive Allotment was created through House Bill 3 during the 2019 state legislative session, designed to incentivize and reward effective, high-performing teachers, in an effort to keep those teachers in the classroom.
Below is a list of educators awarded this year:
Clements/Parsons Elementary School
Lynn Justice, Recognized
Michelle Ortiz, Recognized
Heather Gutierrez, Exemplary
Copperas Cove High School
Michael Holladay, Recognized
Jenny Sanchez, Recognized
Dawn Varra, Recognized
Vanessa Wheat, Recognized
Lorraine Melgoza-Pearson, Exemplary
Kathryn Taylor, Master (Previously Exemplary)
Copperas Cove Jr. High School
Lauren Dunn, Recognized
Lori Erickson Recognized
Anita Hacker, Recognized
Ashley Johns, Recognized
Jerrold Lyles, Recognized
Dinorah Melendez Valle, Recognized
Lorraine Thomas, Recognized
Fairview/Miss Jewell Elementary School
Lauren Buckram, Exemplary
Shelley Hirschmann, Exemplary
Todd Hine, Master
Michiko Jones, Master
Jamie King, Master
Courtney Liverpool, Master (Previously Exemplary)
Julie Odum, Master (Previously Exemplary)
Astrid Salveson, Master (Previously Exemplary)
Michael Supinski, Master (Previously Recognized)
Hettie Halstead Elementary School
Heidi Herrera, Recognized
Jennifer Knox, Recognized
Wendola Brixius, Exemplary
Miranda DeLeon, Exemplary
House Creek Elementary School
Matthew Savoie, Exemplary
Adeline Hurley, Exemplary
Kandis Elkins, Master
Mae Stevens Early Learning Academy
Krystal Johnson, Recognized
Julie Reynolds, Recognized
Bertha Aponte, Exemplary
Pamela Collier, Exemplary
Mandy Hunt, Exemplary
Vongphachan McElroy, Exemplary (Previously Recognized)
Kamika Deal, Master (Previously Exemplary)
Samantha Peck, Master
Robyn Petet, Master (Previously Exemplary)
Kristina Straley, Master (Previously Exemplary)
Nancy Zimmer-Clark, Master
Martin Walker Elementary School
Ann Guidici-Akui, Recognized
Kathrin Parker, Recognized
Shawna Smith, Recognized
Terri Smith, Recognized
Amy Tiscareno, Recognized
Brittnee Bostian, Exemplary
Dianna Pellegrino, Exemplary
Kathryn Smith, Master (Previously Recognized)
S.C. Lee Jr. High School
Kerry Cryer, Master (Previously Recognized)
Williams/Ledger Elementary School
Jessica Lones, Recognized
Brian Hogue, Exemplary
More photos from the awards can be found on the CCISD Flickr page.