New Horizons Teacher Named One of State's Best
October 8, 2009

	Courtesy Photo

A Greenville ISD secondary teacher is among those from 80 North Texas school districts who are being honored this year as the state's outstanding educators.

Kay Loehr, who teaches Computer Applications at the New Horizons Learning Center, attended the 2010 Texas Regional Teacher of the Year Luncheon and Awards Gala in August.  The luncheon serves as the regional component of the Texas Teacher of the Year competition.

Loehr was earlier named the district's Secondary Teacher of the Year.

Loehr was named from a group of secondary Teacher of the Year winners that included Troiana Hoffman (Greenville Sixth Grade Center), Laurie King (Greenville Middle School) and Darla Abrego (Greenville High School).

These teachers are set to be honored at a future Greenville ISD Board of Trustees meeting.

Since 1969, the Texas State Teacher of the Year Program has honored excellence in classroom education and provided a forum to showcase outstanding educators whose efforts and example have inspired students, their colleagues and the communities they serve.  The program recognizes a State Elementary Teacher of the Year and a State Secondary Teacher of the Year, in addition to 38 Regional Teachers of the Year.

Each fall, the Texas State Teacher of the Year program honors two State Teachers of the Year -- one in elementary education and one in secondary education -- and Regional Teachers of the Year from each of the 20 Education Service Center regions.

"My goal is to enrich students' lives by providing opportunities to learn life skills as well as academic skills.  These opportunities include the development of a positive image of themselves, communicating appropriately in written and verbal form, making and keeping successful relationships, managing personal and job resources, obtaining and retaining successful careers, supporting themselves and their family adequately and becoming contributing citizens of the community," said Loehr.  "Every student has the ability to learn, deserves respect, has individual abilities and handicaps and comes from situations outside of school that impact learning in both positive and negative ways."

Loehr, who earned degrees from East Texas State University and also attended Texas Tech University and Southwest Texas Junior College, has been at New Horizons since 1997.  She previously worked in Bland ISD and Fiona ISD.

"As a teacher, my job is to consider each student's unique situation while having high expectations for each student, provide each student with the best opportunity to learn, encourage each student to want to learn, make available the situation to learn and help students define their goals for the future.  Students need experiences in life skills that will help them become the best citizen they can be," said Loehr.  "At-risk students and dropouts often need a nontraditional setting to learn, such as a self-paced, open entry/open exit school.  Each student comes with different educational abilities, needs and desires.  Every day, I try to see the individual needs of my students, provide learning experiences that fit their situations and expect their best."

The state program is affiliated with the National Teacher of the Year Program, the oldest and most prestigious awards program to focus public attention on excellence in teaching.  The program's mission is to select outstanding classroom teachers who are also able to speak for, motivate and exemplify the contributions of all teachers.