PHARR‑SAN JUAN‑ALAMO ISD honors 2025–26 Teachers of the Year; district highlights Teacher Incentive Allotment designations

PHARR‑SAN JUAN‑ALAMO ISD honored campus and district Teachers of the Year in a ceremony that brought together school board members, district leadership and dozens of educators.

Claudia Lemus Campos, the district’s executive director for communications and marketing, opened the event on behalf of the PSJ family and introduced district leaders and board members, including Board Vice President Yolanda Castillo and Superintendent Dr. Alejandro Elias. "You are doing God's work," Castillo said in remarks that celebrated teachers' daily impact on students.

The central awards recognized campus honorees across elementary, middle and high school levels and named district-level winners. Rachel Alvarez, a third-grade teacher at Carmen Elementary, was announced as the district elementary Teacher of the Year; Martin Robles of Isagibe Middle School was named the district secondary Teacher of the Year. Presenters described Alvarez's nearly 30 years in education, her curriculum contributions and sponsorship of extracurricular programs. Robles, a PSJ graduate who recounted returning to the district as a teacher, thanked the community and reflected on his path into education.

Why it matters: Superintendent Dr. Alejandro Elias used the ceremony to note the district’s performance under the state’s Teacher Incentive Allotment program, saying the district counts 27 teachers at the "master" designation, seven at "exemplary" and two at "recognized." He framed those numbers as evidence of PSJ ISD educators' statewide standing and the result of nominations, campus selection and peers' votes.

At the ceremony, executive officers from the district read dozens of campus-level honorees and thanked principals for their role in nominating teachers. Speakers repeatedly emphasized that the awards reflect sustained classroom practice rather than administrative designation: "You earn those designations. They're not given to you," Dr. Elias said.

Winners' remarks: Martin Robles, the district secondary honoree, said he arrived at teaching after other career steps and credited mentors and early experiences in PSJ for guiding his return to education: "I love what I do," Robles said. Rachel Alvarez, named district elementary Teacher of the Year, thanked colleagues, recounted a long career at Carmen Elementary and said the recognition is a meaningful milestone.

Event logistics and acknowledgments: Organizers thanked the communications team, facilities and executive officers who allocated budget for the event. The program concluded with photos of honorees, board members and district leadership.

The district did not announce any policy changes or formal actions during the event. The ceremony focused on recognition, with presenters and winners highlighting teaching experience, instruction and community ties.