September 4, 2024 — Amarillo ISD’s Humphrey’s Highland fifth-grade science and English/language arts teacher Kristi Leff is a finalist for Texas Teacher of the Year, the Texas Association of School Administrators announced.
Leff is one of six finalists, three elementary and three secondary, for the state title. She has taught at Humphrey’s Highland since 2015 and has previously taught at schools in Florida, Calallen and Mathis ISD in her 21-year career. She has been named Campus Teacher of the Year several times, including at Magee Intermediate in Calallen in 2009, at Springhead Elementary in Plant City, Florida, in 2014, and this year at Humphrey's Highland.
“I’ve said this before and I wholeheartedly believe it to be true that outside of graduation, honoring teachers is the most important thing we do every year,” Superintendent Doug Loomis said. “Teachers are such special individuals and really have the power to change our world.”
Leff says she works to develop strong connections with her students that last even after they leave her classroom.
“I assure my students I will always be there to support them. Throughout my 21 years of teaching, I have had numerous students reach out to me after leaving elementary school, seeking assistance with various challenges, whether it be help with a middle school assignment, a referral for a veterinary internship, or guidance on difficult life topics,” she said.
In August, a panel of judges composed of representatives of Texas teacher associations and last year’s Texas Teacher of the Year finalists selected the finalists from the 40 Texas Regional Teachers of the Year — one elementary and one secondary teacher from each of the 20 Texas Education Service Center regions, according to TASA. The panel will select two state-level winners — Elementary Teacher of the Year and Secondary Teacher of the Year — and designate one to represent Texas in the National Teacher of the Year program. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on October 25 at Kalahari Resort & Convention Center in Round Rock, Texas, where the 40 Regional Teachers of the Year will also be recognized.
The Texas Teacher of the Year program has honored excellence in classroom education since 1969. AISD has been home to three former Texas Teachers of the Year: Mary McFarland (1992), Cindy Lewis (2006), and Shanna Peeples (2015), who went on to earn the title of National Teacher of the Year.
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