Neal Elementary School fifth-grade dual language educator Alba Avila has been named the 2020 Bilingual Teacher of the Year by Education Service Center, Region 20 (ESC-20). 

“On behalf of ESC-20, we applaud Ms. Avila for serving the students of SAISD with great passion and commitment,” said Dr. Jeff Goldhorn, ESC-20 executive director. “While working with her bilingual communities, she has found opportunities to make meaningful connections, while removing barriers and clearing the path toward student success.”

 
Avila was selected for the bilingual teacher award for her outstanding teaching. She shares her experience growing up as a bilingual student with her students, which leads her to be purposeful about teaching and has shaped how she approaches connecting students with their community. Avila wants to ensure her classes are helpful experiences where students are unafraid of being wrong or asking for help. 

 
Additionally, Avila previously began an ethnomathematics club when her previous campus in the District partnered with UTSA. She continues to incorporate these lessons at Neal to encourage students toward academic success and to give them a sense of belonging for their language, culture, and customs. 

 
“This award gives me the confidence to know that teaching through a culturally responsive lens is valuable to the education community,” Avila said. “It should give confidence to those educators in Texas that teach beyond math, science, social studies, and literacy, and dig deeper to connect lessons to the interests and knowledge of students and their communities – they are on the right path.”

 
Both Avila and former Brackenridge High School Principal and newly appointed Assistant Superintendent Yesenia Cordova, who was named the World Languages Administrator of the Year in October, will be recognized further during the 2020 ESC-20 World Language Virtual Conference on Dec. 5.