Elementary Technology Teacher of the Year

The 2005-2006 Elementary Technology Teacher of the Year is Michele Renee Galvan, a first grade Reading Recovery teacher from Roosevelt Elementary. Mrs. Galvan has been teaching for 12 years. She has created the Reading Planet website. The Reading Planet website contains resources such as:

• letter learning.
• phonics.
• short stories.
• interactive reading games with student created drawings.
• reading resources for parents and teachers.

Several classes at Roosevelt Elementary utilize thereadingplanet.com website. She has received the Sallie Mae First Class Teacher award, published articles in educational magazines, received the Roosevelt Teacher of the Year in 2003, and has been featured in the MISD Instructional Technology Newsletter for her accom- plishments in utilizing eChalk. Mrs. Galvan titled her application “Technology Dreams” because she makes the dreams of success her students and parents have a reality.

Secondary Technology Teacher of the Year

The 2005-2006 Secondary Technology Teacher of the Year is Miroslava Garcia, a Career and Technology teacher at McAllen High School. Mrs. Garcia teaches the Telecommunications and Networking class in which students learn to build, fix, and network computers. Students in this class complete an A+ Certification exam that certifies them as computer technicians, the passing rate for her students is 90% compared to 75% for the industry.

Mrs. Garcia was instrumental in providing this course for McAllen ISD students; she shared the idea with colleagues, arranged for staff development, and then helped write the curriculum. She has taken her efforts one step further and offers a condensed version of this class to teachers. Students in her Business Technology Co-Op class learn technology skills and then work part-time in office settings. Mrs. Garcia has conducted technology training sessions at McHi for teachers and secretarial staff, she has presented at TechPREP, and she is an advisor for the Business Professionals of America. Her students have placed at regional and state competitions every year for the past ten years and have made it to nationals five of the ten years. Mrs. Garcia believes that all students should know more than just how to turn on a computer, they should be able to repair, maintain, and effectively utilize software and hardware.