Paris ISD Names Teachers Of The Year

Patricia Baroody was named Secondary Teacher of the Year and Rachel Henson was named Elementary Teacher of the Year for the Paris Independent School District at the staff recognition reception, an annual event recognizing teaching excellence as well as honoring employees for their years of service. Both will represent Paris ISD in the 2017 Region VIII Education Service Center Teacher of the Year competition.

Baroody holds a Bachelor in Spanish Education at Southern Oklahoma State University (SOSU), a Master in Elementary Counseling at SOSU, and a Master in Spanish Literature at Texas A&M-Commerce. In her 28-year teaching experience, she has taught Spanish at Paris High School for two years. Prior to that she taught in Valliant, OK, and Hugo, OK.

Having come from Medellin, Colombia, Patricia brings to her classroom a view of another culture. Empathy for her students allows her  to discover ways to make learning less frustrating. Patricia states, “Through me, they can see possibilities they never considered before. My goal is to mold my students into better citizens by increasing their sensitivity to other cultures.”

Henson is a graduate of Texas A&M-Commerce with a Bachelor degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. She is pursuing a Master in Educational Administration. She taught fourth grade for one year at Justiss Elementary and has taught a first grade self-contained classroom there since 2013.

William James wrote that “The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.” This quote has been a constant in Rachel’s mind throughout her adult life. She sees each day as a gift and a new opportunity to be a part of something that will outlast her life and make a difference in this world. Rachel states, “For me, teaching is just that, the greatest use of my life.”