BISD names teachers of the year

Meagan Smith
Ebonique Veal

Beaumont ISD named Meagan Smith, of Sallie Curtis Elementary School, as the elementary division and Ebonique Veal, of Taylor Career Center, as the secondary division Teachers of the Year at the 2021-22 Teacher of the Year Celebration of Excellence Gala.

Smith has spent 12 years of her teaching career sharing the love of learning with BISD elementary students, specializing in English, language arts and reading. In addition, Smith has served BISD as a curriculum writer, mentor teacher, workshop facilitator and more. She is a graduate of Lamar University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies.

For four and a half years, Veal has been dedicated to teaching BISD secondary students English and reading. She holds a Bachelor’s of General Studies and a Master of Education in Administration from Lamar University.

The committee is composed of business partners, parents, students and community stakeholders. After reviewing applications, the selection committee interviewed the top five elementary and top five secondary campus teachers of the year. The committee included Chair Margaret Swope, Lamar University; Co-chair Alena Savoie, ExxonMobil; John Williams, Beaumont Retired Area Retired Teachers; Fannie Brown, Beaumont Public Schools Foundation; Caleb Wilson, West Brook High School; Kadence Garlington, Beaumont United High School; Greg Sholl, Beaumont Teachers Association; and Bill Allen, Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce.

Smith and Veal will go on to represent BISD at the regional level. If successful, they will compete for State Texas Teacher of the Year. This program is facilitated by the Texas Association of School Administrators, who claim the Texas Teacher of the Year is the highest honor that the State of Texas can bestow upon a teacher.

BISD would like to thank the following sponsors for their partnership:

Star Sponsor - ExxonMobil

Silver Sponsor - Regina Rogers, Legacy Community Health, Lamar Institute of Technology, Magnolia Missionary Baptist Church

Bronze Sponsors - Blackboard, CenterPoint Energy, Lamar University Community Relations, Lamar University Office of the President, CommonCents Credit Union, D.A.D.S., MAYA Counseling, Roy West Team Home Loans/Guild Mortgage

The campus nominees for Teacher of the Year, in alphabetical order by school, are:

Amelia Elementary: Tabitha Walton

Beaumont United High School: Darrell Wiggins

Bingman Head Start: Terri Flowers

Blanchette Elementary: Patricia Blueford

Caldwood Elementary: Kate Grant

Charlton-Pollard Elementary: Cynthia Gibson

Curtis Elementary: Meagan Smith

Dishman Elementary: Audrey Logan

Early College High School: Delcie Thomas

Fehl-Price Classical Academy: Marida Chaisson-Joubert

Fletcher Elementary: Celene Mayo