Brownwood ISD has been selected as a finalist in the 2014 H-E-B Excellence in Education awards. This is the second consecutive year Brownwood ISD has been selected as a finalist for the coveted award.
H-E-B announced Monday that seven school districts, five early childhood facilities and five public school boards have been selected as finalists for the retailer’s 2014 Excellence in Education Awards program.
Brownwood ISD Superintendent Dr. Reece Blincoe stated he was excited to learn that Brownwood is in the running again this year as a finalist for the small district award.
“We found out Friday that BISD was again selected as a finalist for the H-E-B Excellence in Education Award. We’re very excited about that, having been named two years in a row.”
BISD is up against Kipp Academy, which was also a finalist for the award last year.
Blincoe stated that representatives from H-E-B will visit Brownwood ISD and have lunch at Brownwood High School and have lunch with representatives of the school as well as leaders from the community. He also stated that the group will eat a lunch prepared by Southwest Food Service Excellence, the newly hired food service provider for Brownwood ISD.
For the first time this year, H-E-B added a category for public school boards in order to recognize the importance of strong leadership at the board level.
Together, the 17 finalists will receive more than $80,000 and go on to compete for even greater cash prizes and the statewide title. Each regional finalist in the large district, early childhood and school board categories will receive $5,000; the two finalists in the small district category will receive $2,500.
To determine overall statewide winners, a panel of judges visits each district, early childhood facility and school board, tours campuses and talks with administration, staff and parents.
Winners will be announced at the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards ceremony on May 3, 2014 at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Houston. The winning large district will receive $100,000; the winning small district $50,000. The winning public school board (if selected) and early childhood facility will each receive $25,000.
Forty teacher and principal finalists will be announced in late February and March during a series of surprise visits to schools and classrooms across Texas.
The 2014 school district, public school board and early childhood finalists are:
LARGE SCHOOL DISTRICTS
- Dripping Springs ISD — Dripping Springs, Texas
- Edinburg CISD — Edinburg, Texas
- Alamo Heights ISD — San Antonio, Texas
- East Central ISD — San Antonio, Texas
- Clear Creek ISD — League City, Texas
SMALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS
- KIPP Houston — Houston
- Brownwood Independent School District — Brownwood
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION FACILITIES
- Del Valle ISD Child Development Center— Del Valle, Texas
- Mainspring Schools — Austin, Texas
- Ridgemont Early Childhood Center — Houston, Texas
- Language Development Center — Eagle Pass, Texas
- Child Care Group Bock Early Childhood Center — Dallas, Texas
PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARDS
- Temple ISD— Temple, Texas
- Edinburg CISD — Edinburg, Texas
- Aldine ISD — Houston, Texas
- Northside ISD — San Antonio, Texas
- North East ISD — San Antonio, Texas
About the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards:
H-E-B launched the Excellence in Education Awards program in cooperation with the Texas Association of School Administrators in 2002 as a positive way to support public education in Texas. It has become the largest monetary program for educators in the state, spotlighting best practices and celebrating the passion and creativity of Texas educators.
H-E-B asks customers, Partners (employees) and community members to nominate teachers, principals, districts, early childhood facilities and school boards in Texas. Each nominee is sent an invitation to complete an application online and is asked about their professional experiences, educational philosophies and achievements both in and out of the classroom.
A team of judges reviews the applications, narrowing the field to semi-finalists. From that pool, five regional judging panels comprised of former winners, administrators, and university and community leaders select 40 teacher and principal finalists. Finalists and their schools receive a cash prize of $1,000 to $2,500, depending on category.
Three separate panels select up to 18 school districts, public school boards and early childhood facilities as finalists, awarding $2,500 to $5,000 in cash prizes. Site visits are conducted to determine winners.
Teacher and principal finalists are invited to Houston May 2-3 to compete on a statewide level for larger cash prizes totaling more than $400,000. A statewide panel of judges conducts a personal interview with each finalist to select winners.
Eight winners — two principals and six teachers — will be announced along with two school districts, one large and one small, a public school board (if selected) and an early childhood facility, at a celebratory dinner on May 3.
Each winning principal—one elementary school and one high school—will each receive $10,000 in cash for themselves and a $25,000 grant for their schools. The winning large school district will receive a $100,000 cash prize and the winning small school district will receive $50,000. The winning early childhood facility will receive $25,000 and a school board (if selected) will be awarded with $25,000.
The six winning teachers will include one elementary and one secondary teacher in each of three categories:
Rising Star Award — Honors exceptionally promising teachers with less than 10 years of experience. Winners will each receive a $5,000 check for themselves and a $5,000 grant for their schools.
Leadership Award — Honors teachers with 10 to 20 years in the classroom. Winners will each receive a $10,000 check for themselves and a $10,000 grant for their schools.
Lifetime Achievement Award — Salutes teachers with more than 20 years of experience. Winners will each receive $25,000 in cash for themselves and a $25,000 grant for their schools.
About H-E-B
H-E-B, with sales of more than $20 billion, operates more than 350 stores in Texas and Mexico. Known for its innovation and community service, H-E-B celebrated its 105th anniversary in 2010. Recognized for its fresh food, quality products, convenient services, and a commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability, H-E-B strives to provide the best customer experience at everyday low prices. Based in San Antonio, H-E-B employs more than 80,000 Partners and serves millions of customers in more than 150 communities. For more information, visit www.heb.com.
