May 10, 2023
Congratulations to the Aledo ISD Summer 2023 Circle of Greatness Special Honorees! We are excited to recognize these employees for embodying what it means to be #growinggreatness and to be #allinaledo for our students!
Professional category: Jennifer Shaw, Aledo High School special education teacher
One of her nominations read, "Mrs. Shaw is doing great things for students in special education. Students have gone from washing door knobs and shredding paper to a program implemented by Mrs. Shaw where they have debit cards, keep up with their accounts, purchase etc. They have made flower arrangements for the retirement facility next door, and they hosted and served lunch for parents. She is growing greatness."
Another nominator said, "Mrs. Shaw has brought so much creativity and expertise to the classroom! Our daughter has been involved in many great hands-on activities this year-she loves that and learns much better this way!!! Mrs. Shaw makes learning fun and relatable! She also wrote goals that were so appropriate for our daughter. She took the time to talk with both of us to really discuss what would help her. Her communication is amazing-so important to us. Mrs. Shaw is amazing!"
Auxiliary category: Kema Hinson, Aledo ISD Child Development Center teacher
Kema's nominator said, "Mrs. Kema is truly a gifted educator and has made such a profound impact on our son. Being our first ever pre-school experience, every day at drop off was challenging. Now, our son comes home sharing all he has learned and is eager to go back the next day. When anything exciting happens at home the first person he wants to tell is "Mrs. Kema." We are so grateful for her dedication and hard work. She is kind, compassionate and goes above and beyond every day to make our son feel comfortable and empowered to learn. We are consistently impressed by her dedication and ability to connect with her students. We love Mrs. Kema!"
Paraprofessional category: Jil Beal, AISD Early Childhood Academy secretary
Jil's nominator said, "Jil is the glue that keeps our campus together. As a secretary, Jil wears many hats, including PEIMS duties. She is always patient, kind, knowledgeable and helpful, volunteering to go the extra mile for anyone. I’m unsure how she does so much with such accuracy and in a timely manner. She is a wonderful asset to the district."
Substitute/Campus Guest Teacher category: Nissa Flores, Aledo High School
One of Nissa's nominators said, "Nissa is an exceptional teacher who has shown unwavering dedication and genuine care for her students' academic and personal growth. She started the year as a co-teacher and was later asked to take on the role of the teacher of record for statistics and on-ramps college algebra. Despite the challenges of teaching new material, Nissa's efforts to learn and teach it with innovative pedagogy are truly commendable. She consistently seeks ways to enhance her teaching approach, making lessons more relevant and enjoyable for her students.
Nissa's commitment to her students goes beyond her time in the classroom. For example, she took the time to create personalized miniature stockings for each of them for Christmas. Additionally, she is an active participant in the school's extracurricular activities and attends as many sporting events as possible. She also serves as a UIL mathematics coach, helping Aledo students achieve success. Her dedication to her job and her students is immeasurable, and she is a true asset to the Aledo teaching community.
I wholeheartedly recommend Nissa Flores, her passion for teaching and students make her a shining example of Growing Greatness."
