BOERNE, Texas – H-E-B announced the winners for its statewide Excellence in Education Awards and Boerne Independent School District took home top honors for best small school district in Texas.
Boerne ISD will receive a $50,000 cash prize from H-E-B. Other finalists in the small school district category were Fabens ISD and George West ISD.
Campus chickens combat crickets at Boerne elementary school
“We are humbled and honored to be named the Best Small School District in Texas,” said Superintendent Thomas Price.
Boerne ISD grows by about 500 students every year, according to Price. “That’s about half an elementary school." The district serves over 9,600 students on 12 campuses in all of Kendall County and a part of Bexar County, and employs over 1,000 staff members, according to a news release.
Judges from H-E-B visited Boerne campuses throughout the year-long competition in addition to an “in-depth” application submitted by the district, according to a news release.
H-E-B’s Excellence in Education Awards program was launched in 2002 as a way to help support public education in Texas.
The program is now the largest monetary program for educators in the state of Texas.
H-E-B hack gets you free warm tortillas
“To earn an award of this magnitude is a team and community effort,” Price said. “We are grateful to our Board of Trustees, principals, teachers, staff, students, parents, business partners and the community. We couldn’t have done this without each and every one of you."
One San Antonio teacher was recognized in the rising star category. Gerardo Villegas Juarez, who teaches at Charles Graebner Elementary School in the San Antonio Independent School District will receive a $5,000 check for himself and a $5,000 grant for his school. The rising star award “honors exceptionally promising teachers with less than 10 years of experience,” according to H-E-B. View full list of winners here.
H-E-B operates more than 400 stores in Texas and Mexico with sales around $28 billion, according to the release. This year will mark the San Antonio-based grocers’ 115th anniversary.