The Plano ISD Proud recognition program is designed to honor and celebrate the exceptional employees of Plano ISD who embody the district’s vision statement: “Committed to Excellence, Dedicated to Caring, Powered by Learning, Plano ISD Proud.” Aligned with the district’s vision and leadership profile, the program recognizes and appreciates employees’ hard work, dedication and outstanding contributions.
Jennifer Silva
Career and Technical Education Center
Secretary
Nominated by Assistant Principal Casie Gall, Jennifer Silva’s connection to Plano ISD started as a student, where she attended Hedgecoxe Elementary, Hendrick Middle School, Clark High School and Plano East Senior High School. Her children currently attend Plano ISD schools.
At the new CTE Center, Jennifer is one of the first people visitors meet, and she makes them feel welcome. As the team prepared to open the campus, Jennifer learned new systems, worked through challenges with her colleagues and assisted where she was needed, always asking how she can help.
KaTrina Clark
Hendrick Middle School
Substitute Professional
KaTrina Clark takes time to learn what motivates each student in her structured behavior classroom. Nominated by Principal Kassandra Duncan, she works closely with families and helps students build academic, behavioral and social skills.
Katrina calls them “her kids,” and treats them with care, encouragement and clear expectations. She reminds each student that today is a fresh start no matter what happened yesterday. She continues to believe in them and help them recognize their own progress.
Nancy Vergel
Plano East Senior High School
Secretary and Attendance Clerk
Nominated by Plano East Principal David Jones, Nancy Vergel has been a trusted and invaluable resource for students, families and staff for the last four years at Plano East, and for many years before that at Williams High School.
As the lead Attendance Clerk for the district’s largest campus, Nancy manages an enormous responsibility with attention to detail, professionalism and positivity. Her leadership was especially evident this year during the first-day attendance process, when Plano East had practically no records requiring correction. That is a remarkable accomplishment for a campus of more than 2,700 students. Nancy’s dedication, passion and care make a tremendous difference every day.
Hannah Massie
Wells Elementary
ESL Teacher
Nominated by Wells Principal Sara Meyer, Hannah Massie embodies Plano ISD’s vision through her leadership, innovation and commitment to emergent bilingual students and their families. She works alongside teachers to strengthen instruction while creating meaningful opportunities for parents to learn how they can support their children’s language development at home.
Hannah has also helped create innovative programs that make learning engaging for both students and staff—from Super Scientists and TELPAS & TEA Sessions for families, to creative professional learning experiences that encourage teachers to put effective instructional strategies into practice. Most importantly, her work is making a measurable difference. Wells Elementary has seen impressive year-over-year growth for emergent bilingual students, reflecting the impact of Hannah’s collaboration with students, families and staff. Her leadership, creativity and heart for students are making a lasting difference at Wells and throughout Plano ISD.
Ken Nicholson
Plano ISD Career and Technical Education
Agriculture Project Center Specialist
Nominated by CTE Director Karen Buechman, Ken is described as the backbone of Plano ISD’s Agricultural Science program. He brings together technical expertise, careful attention to safety, and most importantly, a genuine heart for students and staff.
Every day, Ken supports our ag teachers as a mentor, advocate and trusted resource, while providing students with hands-on guidance that builds not only their skills, but also their confidence, responsibility, and grit. Whether he is helping with livestock care, troubleshooting a late-night challenge or simply lending a listening ear, Ken creates a safe and welcoming environment where students and staff can thrive.
His thoughtful planning and behind-the-scenes dedication also help our students succeed in competitions at the local, state, and national levels—and develop the leadership skills that will serve them well beyond high school. His servant leadership, compassion and commitment to excellence represent the very best of Team Plano ISD.
