Hightower Elementary School 2026

Jenna Nance

Hightower Elementary School - 4th Grade, Reading, Language Arts & Social Studies Teacher
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Teaching Philosophy

I am honored to be named Hightower's Teacher of the Year. My personal beliefs and feelings about teaching have evolved throughout my career, yet my passion remains as strong as ever. This is my nineteenth year at Hightower Elementary. My philosophy is that we are developing the whole child to become the best version of themselves. I incorporate "Would You Rather Wednesday," "Character Strong," "Daily Mantra," and "Quote of the Day" to start our day strong. Although I have served in many roles and held many titles, teaching has always been at the heart of who I am.

I began my career fresh out of college in a second-grade classroom, learning from seasoned teachers as I navigated my first challenging year. I spent the next ten years in first grade and truly fell in love with phonics. During this time, I was also an online tutor for students in China learning English. It was during those years that my passion for phonics truly grew. There is nothing more rewarding than witnessing the moment reading finally "clicks" for a child.

Later, I was named the team leader of a new team and grade level. At that time, I had eleven years of experience—more than the other four teachers on my team combined. I was teaching seven-year-olds while also guiding teachers to set high expectations and maintain rigor. After five years as a team leader, teaching began to feel like a chore. I was on the brink of burnout and felt as though I had lost my spark while putting pressure on myself to keep an entire grade level on track. However, the professional growth I experienced during this time taught me how to positively communicate with colleagues and build team morale. Learning is sometimes a struggle, but it is through these challenges that we develop perseverance and learn not to give up

My journey toward teaching began long before my career. At Plano Senior High School, I was a cheerleader and often helped at cheer clinics with young children. I frequently received compliments about how well I worked with kids and was told many times that I should become a teacher. However, growing up and watching my mother and brother struggle with dyslexia made me doubt my ability to truly make a difference. After my first year at Collin County Community College, I planned to pursue journalism because I loved writing. When I was accepted into the University of Oklahoma, I shared the news with my English professor at Collin County. Her genuine excitement and encouragement left a lasting impression on me. That moment inspired me to pursue a degree in education. If a college professor could make me believe in myself, I wanted to give that same feeling to students who struggled in school like my family members. Through this experience, I came to understand the power of teaching and the lasting impact educators have on students every day.

Years later, a challenging student from my very first year of teaching reached out to me as she was graduating from college. She shared that I was the reason she chose to pursue elementary education. Over time, I have realized how true it is that people may forget your words, but they will never forget how you make them feel.

Two summers ago, my former principal, Jigi Sethi, encouraged me to apply for a curriculum summer position working under Dr. Beachy on foundational skills. I quickly fell in love with curriculum writing. The following summer, I continued writing curriculum and later helped create Big Picture Plans for second-grade literacy. While I considered pursuing a full-time curriculum position, the opportunity to return to the classroom presented itself once again. A colleague once described me as a "lifer," and I couldn't agree more.

Three years ago, I was asked to become an ESL coach. I welcomed the opportunity because I loved working with second language learners. I enjoyed modeling and coaching new teachers in the classroom. During my two years in that role, I realized how much I missed the classroom—the daily interactions and connections with students. When the opportunity to return to the classroom arose, I jumped at the chance. As an ESL coach, I had the privilege of visiting many classrooms and feeling the passion of teachers in each one. I knew that when I returned, I wanted my classroom to be a place where community was immediately felt.

That vision became reality during MAP testing this past December. An ESL student with very little English showed a 31-point gain on his language assessment. I gasped when I saw his score and proudly showed him how much he had improved since the beginning of the year. When other students overheard, they began clapping for him—completely unprompted. Their genuine happiness for their classmate confirmed that I had succeeded in creating the loving, supportive environment I hoped for when returning to the classroom. Hearing students cheer one another on filled my heart completely. When people ask how it feels to be back in the classroom after being a specialist, I can confidently say that this is exactly where I am meant to be.

As a general education teacher, I believe my role extends beyond teaching curriculum—I am helping to shape the next generation. In the end, we are teaching children to become good human beings, not just students. When asked if I enjoy being back in the classroom, my answer is simple: I can't imagine being anywhere else.

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Principal's Recommendation

To the Teacher of the Year Selection Committee:

I am writing with great pride to nominate Ms. Jenna Nance for Teacher of the Year in Plano ISD. As a graduate of our district—having attended Aldridge Elementary, Wilson Middle School, and Plano Senior High—Ms. Nance is a perfect example of what makes our public schools great. Her journey from being a student here in Plano ISD to becoming a respected leader at Hightower Elementary shows just how much she cares about our community.

Ms. Nance is what we call a "lifer" at Hightower Elementary. She has been with us for nearly 20 years, serving as a first-grade teacher, a second-grade team leader, an ESL coach, and now a fourth-grade teacher. Her colleagues describe her as the "true definition of hard work and passion," and it is common to hear people say she "teaches her heart out" every single day of the week. In her current role as a fourth grade teacher, Ms. Nance has brought all of her experience as a primary teacher and a campus leader back into the classroom. She sets the bar high for her students because she truly believes they can reach it, but she also makes sure they have the help and encouragement they need to get there. She creates a space where kids feel safe to try new things and keep going even when the work gets tough. Ms. Nance cares for all of her students. She finds a way for them even when they may feel they cannot do it, and through it all, there is laughter, there are smiles, and there is success. It is this "exceptionally huge heart" for the students who find school a bit more difficult that makes Ms. Nance stand out.

Beyond her own classroom, Ms. Nance is the friend other teachers turn to for help. She is a true expert, and her impact is felt not only at Hightower, but also across Plano ISD. This year, her work as a District Curriculum Writer gave other teachers the opportunity to benefit from her experience and knowledge of the content and skills in the area of literacy. In addition, she took advantage of her knowledge of the curriculum she herself wrote and planned with our teachers to help them start their year.

Ms. Nance has also been a mentor and coach for new teachers for the past several years. In this role, she not only meets with teachers to guide them and help them with their work, she also goes into their classrooms as they are teaching and actively teaches alongside them, models lessons for them, or observes them and gives them feedback. Ms. Nance has also collaborated with other mentors and coaches in the district to go to other campuses for observation opportunities with new teachers. New teachers that work with Ms. Nance often share they feel "cared for" by Ms. Nance and "excited" to have an opportunity to learn from her.

As a leader at Hightower and in Plano ISD, Ms. Nance plays a key role in collaborating with me as the principal and other leaders on campus, as well as with district leaders. Ms. Nance does not hesitate to share ideas, reflections, or feedback that lies in the best interest of students or staff. She is often seen as the voice of her peers, as she has such a deep working knowledge of many content areas, campus systems, and district priorities. As a principal, I appreciate her perspective and feedback, and know that her insight is valuable to the team.

Ms. Nance is also involved in almost every activity at Hightower. She is an active Hightower PTA Member, where she serves as the Hightower PTA Spirit Wear Chair. This position has not only provided her with a key role in working with parents at Hightower over the past few years, it has also solidified the fact that Ms. Nance is a trusted member of the Hightower Community whom parents want in a leadership position of the PTA. In addition to PTA, Ms. Nance has been our Hightower Spelling Bee Coordinator, and she even coaches Plano Sports Authority Soccer on the weekends. Her love of children, community involvement, and educational success is unmatched as a leader at Hightower and in Plano ISD.

Ms. Nance is a wonderful teacher and a role model for everyone at our school. It is evident how much she loves her students the moment one enters her classroom. Ms. Nance builds real, lasting bonds with her students and their families that go well beyond the walls of Hightower each day. It is her dedication to the students and her willingness to help her fellow teachers make Ms. Nance the perfect choice for Teacher of the Year in Plano ISD. Our staff, students, the Hightower Community, and I are all honored to support Ms. Nance's nomination for this prestigious award.

Sincerely,

Catherine Kelly
Principal
Hightower Elementary School