Katy ISD Honors 2026 ‘Of the Year’ Awards
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KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
April 21, 2026
By Natalie Cook Clark
Katy ISD honored the teachers and staff that make it the successful District that it is during an evening dedicated to excellence.
In an event themed “The Blueprint of Katy,” Katy ISD recognized educators, campus leaders, support staff, safety professionals and operations teams who exceed expectations in serving more than 95,000 students, and their families, across the community.
“This evening is about recognizing those who consistently go above and beyond in their roles,” says Board President Lance Redmon. “These individuals exemplify what it means to serve with heart and integrity, and they show up each day for our students and staff across Katy ISD.”
The celebration also recognized the District’s top educators, including its Rookie Teachers of the Year and Teachers of the Year, who will serve as ambassadors for Katy ISD in the year ahead.
The 2026 ‘Of the Year’ honorees include:
District Elementary Rookie
Teacher of the Year
Porchea Butler- Faldyn Elementary
Victoria Stornello- Griffin Elementary
District Secondary Rookie
Teacher of the Year
Blake Kane- Freeman High School
District Elementary
Teacher of the Year
Quarde D. Alfred- Leonard Elementary
District Secondary
Teacher of the Year
Jessica Melancon- Katy Junior High
District Elementary Principal of the Year
Kara Fox- Schmalz Elementary
District Secondary Principal of the Year
Dr. Rick Hull- Katy Junior High
Elementary Assistant Principal of the Year
Kaleena Roman- McElwain Elementary
Secondary Assistant Principal of the Year
Lauren White- Paetow High School
Maintenance & Operations
Employee of the Year
Martin Courville
Maintenance & Operations
Student Program Support
Employee of the the Year
Matthew Patman
Nutrition & Food Services
Employee of the Year
Margie Fagan- Jordan High School
Transportation Employee of the Year
Brandon Sykes- East Transportation Center
Elementary Security Officer of the Year
Juliana Rivas- Morton Ranch Elementary
Secondary Security Officer of the Year
Ruth Wilson- Tompkins High School
Police & Emergency Management
Employee of the Year
Heidy Macias- Law Enforcement Center
Police Officer of the Year
Ana Wilkinson- West Memorial Junior High
Elementary Library Media Specialist of the Year
Traci Trykoski- Shafer Elementary
Secondary Library Media Specialist of the Year
Rebecca Gruen- Morton Ranch High School
Elementary Counselor of the Year
Morgan Ditchman- Creech Elementary
Secondary Counselor of the Year
Meghan McCarthy- Woodcreek Junior High
Campus Student Support
Personnel of the Year
Sonya- Rebec-Dobbs- Mayde Creek High School
Elementary Nurse of the Year
Loretta Tourish- Boudny Elementary
Secondary Nurse of the Year
Kasey Nelson- Tompkins High School
School Psychologist of the Year
Sara Blakley-Cosser- Seven Lakes High School
Speech-Language Pathologist of the Year
Karen Hong- Stephens Elementary
Diagnostician of the Year
Tiffanye Dorsey- WoodCreek Junior High
ARD Facilitator of the Year
Carol Ann Hoevelman- Cimarron Elementary
Elementary Administration
Paraprofessional of the Year
Eleanny Bracho Gonzalez- West Memorial Elementary
Secondary Administrative Paraprofessional of the Year
Jill Baros- Memorial Parkway Junior High
Secondary Instructional Paraprofessional of the Year
Anna Mansfield- Morton Ranch High School
Substitute of the Year
Swapna Shivananda- Districtwide
ESC Administrative Paraprofessional of the Year
Melody Ellis- Education Support Complex
Elementary Instructional Coach of the Year
Jaclyn O’Connell- Shafer Elementary
Secondary Instructional Coach of the Year
Fabia Mendez- Beckendorff Junior High
“Earning an ‘Of the Year’ honor in a premier District like Katy ISD reflects excellence, character and meaningful impact,” says Katy ISD Superintendent Ken Gregorski. “The strength of our District comes from the people we honor tonight – individuals who lead, serve and inspire in every role across Katy ISD.”
From Katy Magazine, congratulations to these incredible individuals!
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