English teacher Kim Pearce has been named the 2024-25 Coppell High School Teacher of the Year. The announcement was made by CHS Principal Laura Springer at Thursday’s staff meeting.
Eight nominees for Teacher of the Year were also announced on Thursday, including partner PE teacher and assistant coach Brandi Cantrell, CTE teacher and DECA adviser Richard Chamberlain, Spanish and French teacher Michael Egan, art teacher Michelle Hauske, physics teacher Stephanie Sloane, Algebra II teacher Hanna Treece, social studies teacher Dan Gillette and Pearce.
For Pearce, receiving this award was an unanticipated honor.
“It was totally unexpected,” Pearce said. “I’ve been here a long time and have seen other teachers receive awards and hear about the amazing things they do with kids. I love my job and what I do—that’s my expectation and what I’m supposed to be doing. To be recognized by my peers and know that my work has been noticed is very humbling. I’m grateful for the nomination and hope to make them proud.”
After accepting her award, Pearce reflected on her journey at CHS, where she has been teaching since 1984.
“This is an amazing school and district to work for,” Pearce said. “It has its ups and downs, but at the same time, this is a place where you want to come to work. I have 44 years of teaching experience and it is a long time, but it is a commitment, and a commitment from the heart. I love what I do, and I try to do that every single day.”
English teacher Matthew Bowden, who has known Pearce since 1998, spoke on her behalf during the meeting.
“She is very clear about her standards with her students and firm about expecting that from them,” Bowden said. “A lot of kids say her class is tough, but a lot of kids also come back and thank her for preparing them for college and realize how much it has helped them as a person.”
Bowden appreciates the guidance she provides to the English department.
“I feel like I am the professional I am today in large part because of her advice and tutelage,” Bowden said. “She is sort of our elder mother and the matriarch in the English department. She has a wealth of knowledge after 44 years that she imparts on teachers like me who have not done it for quite as long. She’s very well-read, knows her content in and out, and is like a walking library.”
Senior Alisha Kumar values her committed teaching style, as it sets her apart from other teachers.
“I am very happy she won Teacher of the Year,” Kumar said. “She is a passionate teacher who goes beyond just teaching the lesson. Her sense of humor makes the class engaging and all of her assignments interactive and fun. I don’t think many teachers these days are able to do both at once.”
Pearce said that she has no plans to retire anytime soon, as her passion for her work continues to drive her.
“I don’t have an expiration date,” Pearce said. “It’s about the people I work with and the kids I get to see. It is the fact now that I actually have kids of students that I have in the past, and it is a full circle moment. I get up in the morning and look forward to coming to work, and that’s important because if you don’t love what you do, it’s not a job. This is my passion, my chosen career.”
Webmaster/interactives editor Manasa Borra contributed to this report.
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