DSISD ANNOUNCES DISTRICT TEACHERS OF THE YEAR

School board meeting highlights staff, student accomplishments

Teachers Jena Bernhard and Nick Overmyer were recognized as the 2024-25 District Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year, respectively, at the DSISD Board of Trustees meeting on Monday. Bernhard and Overmyer were chosen by a volunteer committee, and will now represent DSISD in the Region 13 Teacher of the Year selection process this summer.

Bernhard is a Special Education teacher (Pre-K Inclusion) at Sycamore Springs Elementary. She has been a teacher for 15 years in DSISD and has 22 years of total teaching experience. Overmyer is a U.S. and World History teacher at Dripping Springs High School (DSHS). He has been a teacher for seven years, and has spent his entire career in Dripping Springs.

In March, Bernhard and Overmyer were two of the eight educators named Campus Teachers of the Year. Other campus winners were Molly McFee (Cypress Springs Elementary), Lisa O’Banan (Dripping Springs Elementary), Sarah Apple (Rooster Springs Elementary), Stephanie Hendricks (Walnut Springs Elementary), Katy Marble (Dripping Springs Middle School) and Candace Torres (Sycamore Springs Middle School).

The school board meeting was standing room only thanks to all the student recognitions on the docket. From DSHS, the FIRST robotics team The Spring Konstant was honored for its achievements, as were the two dance teams, the Hi-Steppers and the Dazzlers. The FFA grand champions and the VASE state qualifiers were also recognized.

Two state history fair winners, the National Merit Finalists and the Top Ten graduating students (see related story in this issue) were announced as well.

Finally, a group of students from Rooster Springs Elementary, along with their principal, Melissa Oliver, gave a presentation to the board highlighting some of their STEM activities. They talked about projects like building gingerbread houses, participating in an egg drop and dissecting owl pellets.

“I think this is the first time that we’ve had pre-K through 5th grade present all at the same time, and that was amazing,” board member Rob McClellan said. “This is the journey of elementary school, and how we are integrating STEM at every level of what we’re doing for handson learning.”

Then the students had a chance to ask questions of the board members. One fifth grade student asked what had been the most challenging decision that a board member had to make. Dr. Mary Jane Hetrick, Board Vice President, fielded that question.

“I don’t know if it's the most challenging, but the most recent is attendance rezoning,” Hetrick said. “I was reminded, listening to y’all, of the process that we used - asking questions, defining problems, analyzing the data - we had to do all that.”

Even then, Hetrick said some parents and students were disappointed.

“But I know that every school is amazing,” Hetrick said. “And y’all are so sweet, and I know you’re going to make your new friends who are new to your school next year feel very welcome.”