San Elizario educator named Texas’ Elementary Teacher of the Year

A teacher from the San Elizario Independent School District has been named the Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year.

Irene Salom is a special-education teacher at Josefa L. Sambrano Elementary School.

The state’s elementary and secondary Texas Teacher of the Year were announced today at a special ceremony and luncheon at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin.

The other elementary education finalists were Ronelle Howell, an art teacher at Cathelene Thomas Elementary School in the Slaton Independent School District; Jami Lupold, a music teacher at Pearl Hall Elementary School in the Pasadena Independent School District.

The secondary education finalists are Cody Hayes, a culinary arts teacher at Rockwall High School in the Rockwall Independent School District; Theresa Heim, a reading teacher at Connally Middle School in San Antonio’s Northside Independent School District; and Jeremy Wagner, a science teacher at Heritage Middle School in Lubbock’s Frenship Independent School District.