Both are 2021 Teachers of the Year in the Killeen Independent School District.
The Elementary Teacher of the Year is James Cook, a fifth-grade teacher at Cedar Valley Elementary School. The Secondary Teacher of the Year winner is Tracy King, a special education teacher at Manor Middle School.
In a livestreamed event on KISD-TV Tuesday, two groups of district representatives surprised the elementary and secondary teacher of the year in back-to-back presentations at the teachersâ homes.
Responding to the award, both teachers expressed humble gratitude, pointing out that this year above any other, all teachers have labored tirelessly to re-learn how to teach in multiple formats and meet the unique needs of students and parents during the uncertainties of COVID-19.