February 20, 2024 - This year’s KENS 5 EXCEL winner from Comal ISD was surprised when an all-campus assembly in the Spring Branch Middle School gym was an awards presentation for her.
Traci Collie, a pre-AP algebra I and eighth-grade math teacher, was sitting in the front row when KENS 5 news anchor Sarah Forgany explained to the crowd why she was there.
“There are a lot of teachers who do a great job and who are deserving of this award,” says Collie, who has been teaching for 21 years. “I love teaching and will continue to teach as long as I can. I just care that my students are learning and that what I’m teaching them will help them in high school.”
Students are eager to talk about the impact Collie has had on them both in and out of the classroom. As the coordinator of the campus’ Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and the UIL coach for mathematics and calculator, she gets to know students in all grade levels.
However, it’s her teaching style that truly gets everyone’s attention. From dressing up in a T-rex costume to explain triangles to using Cheez-It snacks to further reinforce a lesson, Collie does whatever she can to help students understand a math concept.
“I used to struggle in math until about the 10th grade,” Collie says, “when my teacher took time out of her day to tutor and help me. Her patience, kindness and willingness to see value in me changed my perception of teachers.
“My passion for teaching is helping students really understand the concepts of math and showing them that there are different ways to solve the same problem.”
Her message is getting through. Two of her current eighth-grade students Carolyn Falk and Isaiah Regge explain how she makes the most difficult math concepts easy to understand.
“She goes more into detail,” Regge says, “and she takes the time to help you.”
Falk agrees. “She is just an awesome teacher.”
As the Comal ISD KENS 5 EXCEL award winner, Collie receives a $1,000 from Credit Human and is featured on the newscast. See the entire segment here.
Congratulations!
-Spring Branch Middle School teacher Traci Collie was presented with the Comal ISD KENS 5 EXCEL Award in a surprise assembly.
-Spring Branch Middle School teacher Traci Collie was presented the KENS 5 EXCEL Award for Comal ISD by news anchor Sarah Forgany.
-Spring Branch Middle School teacher Traci Collie was presented the KENS 5 EXCEL Award for Comal ISD in a surprise assembly. She is pictured here with her family, campus administrators and district leaders. From left is Comal ISD Board Trustee Jason York, Comal ISD Board Trustee Michelle Ross, Marielle Collie, Traci Collie, Ethan Collie, Jay Collie, SBMS Principal Sally Bratton, KENS 5 news anchor Sarah Forgany, Credit Human Director Emeritus Ramon Abarca and Comal ISD Executive Director of School Leadership Julie Cronkhite.