David Wirtz and Sally Mooter, beginning and experienced teachers of the year at Boggess.

By Jamie Engle

 

David Wirtz and Sally Mooter have been nominated for Plano ISD beginning and experienced teachers of the year for Boggess Elementary School. Each year PISD nominates teachers from every campus, culminating in the selection of one district beginning and experienced Teacher of the Year.

Beginning Teacher of the Year David Wirtz teaches third grade at Boggess. He graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in December 2008. He came to PISD to do his student teaching, spending eight weeks each at Rice Middle School and Mathews Elementary School.

“Both experiences were invaluable, and many of my teaching techniques were ‘borrowed’ from my supervising teachers!” Wirtz said. He taught with Mary Ellen Sablick at Rice and Melanie Willett at Mathews.

When it came time to choose his career, Wirtz knew he wanted to be in a service profession and that he didn’t want to sit in a cubicle or work in an office. 

“I’ve always enjoyed working with children, so teaching was a natural fit,” Wirtz explained. “It also helped that my mother was a teacher, so I grew up immersed in an educational environment. I was attracted to teaching because I knew that I would be making a difference and giving back to my community.”

Wirtz enjoys seeing his students meet their goals.

“My favorite part of teaching is sharing the thrill with a student when they reach a major milestone that they’ve been working toward for a long time, even if it’s as simple as getting their assignment done on time for the first time or getting their first perfect score on a spelling test,” he said. “A close second is when a student accidentally calls me ‘Dad,’ which I view as the highest compliment they could give me.”

Learning balance has been key to Wirtz’s success as a teacher.

“This first year is much more challenging and time consuming than I expected,” he said. “I knew this first year was going to be difficult since I was a long-term sub in eighth-grade math last spring at Rice Middle School, but elementary is an entirely different world! I’ve discovered how important it is to make a little time for myself and do things I enjoy, even if I still feel like I have tons to do.  Otherwise I start to get burned out, and then both my students and I suffer!”
 

Wirtz was originally slated to teach fifth grade, but when there wasn’t enough enrollment for his class, he took a position on the third-grade team. 

“I admit that it was a bit of an adjustment at first, but I have grown to love third grade! The students I get to work with are wonderful, and I have a great team of teachers surrounding and supporting me!” Wirtz said. “I’m still not sure what grade I want to teach next year – I love third grade, but I do miss the more challenging content and science emphasis of fifth grade.”

For the immediate future, Wirtz plans on staying in the Plano/Murphy area and teaching. 

“I truly enjoy teaching here in Murphy! Being from a small farming community in Iowa, I love the small-town feeling that permeates Murphy. It is also refreshing to have the opportunity to drive past open fields every day on my way to work,” he said.

Wirtz said he would like to get a master’s degree in education and possibly become a principal and perhaps teach at the college level. 

Wirtz is on the on the Integrated Vertical Team and is a member of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. He loves to spend time outdoors, including hiking, biking and kayaking. He also enjoys reading, playing ping-pong, and spending time with my family and friends.
 

Now in her 18th year of teaching, Experienced Teacher of the Year Sally Mooter teaches fourth grade at Boggess and is a fourth-grade level gifted and talented teacher. 
 

Mooter started her teaching career in PISD at Barron Elementary in 1992. In 1999, she transferred to Miller Elementary to be closer to her home and two children.

“I began teaching fourth grade and fell in love with the students and curriculum.  In 2002, I jumped at the chance to open a new school. That is when I began teaching fourth grade at Boggess,” she said.

Mooter said “teaching runs through her veins,” and she knew she wanted to be a teacher from a very young age.

“My mother was a teacher, and there were many elementary school teachers that had a positive influence on me.  As a little girl I would hold class in my room teaching my cat Oscar the day’s lessons. I am proud to say he did very well on TAKS,” she said.

After graduating from Texas Tech University in Lubbock in 1992, Mooter completed student teaching at McWhorter Elementary in Lubbock. She has a degree in elementary education with a specialization in mathematics. 

“I always felt like I had the ability to make a difference in the lives of children by increasing their desire to learn,” Mooter said. “One of the most important gifts I can give is to nurture my students’ minds and help young children build a strong love for learning so that they have the confidence in themselves to chase their dreams for the rest of their lives.”

The pride and joy of watching her students learn is her favorite part of teaching.

“I want every student to leave my class at the end of the year with the desire to be lifelong learners. I continually push my students to go beyond their comfort zone and discover that taking risks, failing and learning from their mistakes can make them more successful,” Mooter said. “I want my students to build their self- esteem, learn to believe in themselves and be empowered to reach their full potential. It is incredibly rewarding to see the sparkle in children’s eyes the first time they realize that they have accomplished a goal they thought was unattainable and begin to believe that they CAN DO IT! Teaching is my passion, and I aspire to make a difference in the lives of every child I teach.”  

Mooter is the Writing Vertical Team Leader at Boggess and serves on the Site Based Improvement Committee and the Campus Emergency Response Team. Prior to this year, she was the school liaison for Scout Pack 1776.

“Boggess Elementary is an excellent school,” Moot said. “The caring, positive environment created by so many talented teachers makes it a wonderful place to work each day.  I am honored to represent the school and be a part of the Boggess family.”

Mooter and her family love going surfing with friends, camping at one of Texas’ many state parks or just spending time at home working in the yard. She would love to write and illustrate educational children’s books someday.  

Every year, the experienced teacher candidates for Plano ISD’s Teacher of the Year are nominated and elected by their peers at their schools. The Beginning Teachers of the Year are also nominated by their peers; however, they are not eligible for the Plano ISD Teacher of the Year. 

Each teacher nominee has completed an essay question and was interviewed by a selection panel comprising administrators, teachers, parents and business and civic leaders, who made the final selections for Plano ISD’s Elementary Teacher of the Year and Secondary Teacher of the Year. The winning candidates are recommended for participation in the Texas Teacher of the Year competition.

Another panel of experts reviewed the written essays for the beginning teachers of the year and made recommendations for the elementary and secondary beginning teachers of the year.

Plano ISD’s Teacher of the Year nominees will be honored at the school district’s annual Teacher of the Year Gala, usually held in May. Nearly 1,400 educators, PTA leaders, school and city dignitaries and corporate sponsors attend to celebrate teaching excellence.

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