Mrs. Bishop Named Teacher of the Year
This year’s Denton ISD Jostens Elementary Teacher of the Year is Heather Bishop, a special education teacher at Eugenia Porter Rayzor Elementary in Lantana. Mrs. Bishop was selected from a pool of 26 elementary campus nominees.
Mrs. Bishop has spent the past four years at E.P. Rayzor and is finishing her 17th year in education. Her approach to teaching centers around the belief that each student deserves a voice and to be heard.
She is constantly striving to meet students where they are while always advocating for and supporting them.
“The beauty of special education is that progress goes far beyond academics. Special education teachers focus on function: what is it that my student needs to be more independent and successful throughout their day? Individual goals may focus on attention to tasks, independence or improvement in an academic area or even handwashing skills,” Mrs. Bishop said.
“Special education has always taught me the value of a team. I work with and support general education teachers, other special education teachers, therapists, and administrators. It truly takes a village, and I am so grateful to be part of the village that is special education.“
“This means everything to me,” Mrs. Bishop said. “I never would have imagined that I was the E.P. Rayzor Teacher of the Year, yet alone the District Teacher of the Year. I love teaching and my students so, so much.”
“You get to make a difference every single day! It’s not always easy, and honestly sometimes it’s really hard, but there are more moments that make you feel incredibly proud. You’ll get to help others learn, grow, and gain confidence and even sometimes in ways they’ll never forget.”
Mrs. Bishop lives in Argyle with her husband Eric, daughter Charlee, and a sweet pup named Dale. She loves to travel, play golf, and “doing all the crafts,” she said.
The event’s main sponsor, Jostens, presented each campus winner with a custom ring. District-winning elementary and secondary teachers of the year are awarded $2,500 – $1,500 from James Wood AutoPark, $500 from the Denton Public School Foundation and $500 from Denton ISD.
