School district selects teachers of the year

Following the conclusion of the 2022–2023 school year, Dripping Springs ISD recognized two of its district-wide teaching staff for their annual Teacher of the Year awards.

At the DSISD Board of Trustees meeting on May 23, the district announced Jennifer Mc-Ginnis and Dan Shane as the District Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year, respectively. McGinnis and Shane were chosen following an interview with a selection committee and will now represent DSISD in the Region 13 Teacher of the Year selection process this summer.

A third-grade teacher at Walnut Springs Elementary, McGinnis is in her fourth year teaching for DSISD. Prior to arriving in Dripping Springs, she spent 18 years teaching in Illinois where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Elmhurst College.

Shane is in his seventh year teaching at DSISD where he currently teaches speech and debate at Sycamore Springs Middle School. He is in his 20th year in education, spending six years with Austin ISD and seven years with the New York City Department of Education. Shane received a Bachelor of Arts in History from American University and earned a Master of Science in Middle School Education/ Special Education from Touro College.

McGinnis and Shane were selected as District Teachers of the Year after each was named a Campus Teacher of the Year at their respective campuses in March. Other Campus Teachers of the Year were Katie Anderson (Dripping Springs Elementary, Music), Jennifer Blackmon (Sycamore Springs Elementary, 3rd Grade), Chrissy Hinkle (Dripping Springs High School, English Language Arts), Jennifer Morris (Dripping Springs Middle School, World Cultures), Stephanie Stamps (Cypress Springs Elementary, Special Education) and Kathryn Wilson (Rooster Springs Elementary, 4th Grade).