Cypress School District honors 2023–24 teachers and classified employees of the year

The Cypress School District Board of Trustees on March 14 recognized the district’s 2023–24 teachers and classified employees of the year, presenting certificates, plaques and community honors to nominees from multiple school sites.

The recognition portion of the meeting featured presentations by district staff and by Association of Cypress Teachers representatives. Christina Smith, a full‑time speech‑language pathologist at Arnold Elementary, was introduced as a teacher‑of‑the‑year nominee and praised for her work with students with autism and other communication needs. Other school nominees included Tina Quayre (King School), Drina Spain (Landell), Rachel England (Luther), Tracy Holbert (Morris) and Gina Martinez (Vessels). Classified honorees included Brianna Harrison (paraeducator, Luther) and Barbara Romero (Child Nutrition Services senior), who received a special recognition from the City of Cypress and a plaque from the local Rotary Club.

“Christina’s enthusiasm, compassion, and desire to make speech therapy fun and functional helps students meet their individual goals,” a staff member said during the presentation. Community representatives — including a city official and a Rotary Club member — presented additional certificates and a plaque to Gina Martinez and Barbara Romero.

Following the presentations the board recessed briefly for photos and to mingle with honorees. The recognition segment concluded before the board moved to routine reports and action items.