Teacher Dance-Off Impresses School District at Annual Appreciation Celebration

Garfield Elementary delivered the largest dance group of the evening, celebrating their last year together as an elementary school campus, with Gabriela Calderon as their campus Teacher of the Year

Hundreds of teachers took center stage at the San Felipe Del Rio Consolidated Independent School District (SFDR-CISD) Teacher Appreciation Celebration, with a night full of high-energy performances and heartfelt assemblies. Educators from across the district celebrated together, putting on extraordinary performances with full garb and choreography. In a great show of strength and unity, teachers demonstrated their commitment to their profession and to one another. All 16 campuses competed in a dance-off, each set starred their respective campus Teacher of the Year.

Thursday night May 8, 2025, the Civic Center grand ballroom was completely sold out for the annual appreciation event. Teachers outdid themselves this year. At 100% occupancy, every seat in the house was full. The night was especially memorable, as it was the last large gathering of teachers prior to the 2025-2026 campus reconfiguration. Some cohorts were celebrating their last year working together.

Seeing these teachers show up steadfast to support their peers, witnessing their strong bond, was inspiring. They volunteered their time, designed matching outfits, and delivered jaw dropping talent beyond expectations. The celebration was hosted by the district, but the teachers themselves made it spectacular. SFDR-CISD might have some funding shortages, like most districts across the state, but there is no shortage of school spirit.

Amongst the cheers, there were also some tears. Garfield Elementary and Del Rio Middle School staff were particularly emotional, as their campuses are most impacted by the upcoming reconfiguration. The most significant change on the horizon is the expanded middle school system.

Del Rio Middle School Teachers held up a banner saying, "On to the next chapter… from one to three”

Starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, the district will transition from a single middle school to three separate campuses, each serving 6th, 7th, and 8th graders respectively. This upcoming change was playfully referenced by the middle school teachers during their dance performance. They locked arms and held up a banner that read, "On to the next chapter… from one to three”

Another announcement was made during Appreciation Night. Mr. Raymond P. Meza, SFDR-CISD Board President announced, “this will be my last year.” Meza is a former SFDR-CISD educator with more than 40 years of service and experience. Meza left the audience with a final piece of advice: the importance of appreciation. Meza reflected on his longstanding practice of writing handwritten thank you notes. He noted the importance of taking time to individually appreciate school staff. Meza said, “for the many years that I’ve served, thank you notes have meant so much.”

Dr. Carlos Rios, SFDR-CISD Superintendent, thanked teachers for their hard work

Dr. Carlos Rios, SFDR-CISD Superintendent, helped to set the tone of the night, repeatedly thanking the teachers. He said: “Y’all came together to do something special for each other as a group… that makes the school better, it makes the experience for the students better, and it makes our overall community better, so thank you for putting all that energy into getting ready for today.”

Dance performances were kicked off with a proclamation from Dr. Rios: “This is by far the most fun event, I know some of you are going to get crazy, we have already asked for a couple volunteers to help sweep up every three presentations, so the next one doesn’t slip. That’s alright, we want you to just have fun, let your hair down, celebrate your teacher of the year, celebrate yourselves.”

SFDR-CISD Teacher Appreciation Night traditions have evolved throughout the years, into a full-blown teachers-only talent-show musical theater dinner dance party. The performances reflect the personality of each campus. This year, Kendrick Lamar’s song, “They Not Like Us” played 3 times, each rendition was unique. SFDR-CISD teachers raised the bar. Confetti and beach balls were flying in the air for nearly an hour as the 16 campuses paraded across the dance floor.

Once performances wrapped, the big “District Teacher of the Year” announcements were made. Janna Montoya, of Lamar Elementary, won District Elementary Teacher of the Year. Analisa Sulaica, of Del Rio High School, won District Secondary School Teacher of the Year.

Janna Montoya, of Lamar Elementary, won District Elementary Teacher of the Year.

Analisa Sulaica, of Del Rio High School, won District Secondary School Teacher of the Year.

Congratulations to ALL 16 Campus Teachers of the Year! This year’s many winners included Carolina Gallardo, Idalia Rodriguez, Harmandina Dominguez, Gabriela Calderon, Jose Limon, Janna Montoya, Adrian Ochoa, Vanessa Sanders, Vanessa Luna, Samantha Valdes De Leon, Mariana Gilliam, Kayla Thomas, Eloisa Valdez, Courtney Capitan, Christy Sanchez, and Analisa Sulaica.

The “Teacher of the Year” voting process is conducted blind, to reduce chance of bias. Teachers self-submit for the award with an extensive application; they write multiple essays about community impact and inspiration. Any personal identifying information, such as the teacher’s name, is redacted from all application files provided to the jury. The jury is a neutral group of community members, not employed by the district or school board.

Winners receive gift cards, gift baskets, an engraved award, flowers, and the chance to compete for Texas State Teacher of the Year. But for these teachers, the award is not about money or prestige. One of last year’s SFDR-CISD award recipients, Cindy Johnson of Ceniza Hills Elementary, went on to win “Region Teacher of the Year” and participated in a ceremony in San Angelo in 2024. Johnson said, “it opened my eyes to what I am capable of, the difference I am making, the impact I can have on others.”

Thank you, Teachers!