Megan Jimenez honored by Abilene ISD

Albany High School graduate Megan Anderson Jimenez was recently honored as the Edwin and Agnes Jennings Teaching Excellence TLC Elementary Teacher of the Year for Abilene Independent School District. 

Jimenez, who currently teaches kindergarten at Johnston Elementary School, is a 2004 graduate of Albany High School. She graduated from McMurry University in 2008 and is in her 13th year of teaching with Abilene ISD. 

During the 2020 COVID closure, Jimenez created video lessons on YouTube for her students, according to administrators. Knowing some parents or guardians might not know how to access online content, she also created video instructions specifically for adults. Her videos were shared by other teachers at Johnston Elementary and throughout AISD.

In December of 2020, Jimenez taught a unit to her students titled “Christmas Around the World.” The children were given pretend passports, boarded a make-believe plane and took flights all over the world learning about various cultures and Christmas traditions. 

Passports were stamped, and the students had to write one fact they learned at each new destination, then write about their experiences both independently and in small groups. 

Jimenez will now represent Abilene ISD in the Texas Teacher of the Year competition, with the first step being a win at the Region 14 Teacher of the Year competition in both the elementary and secondary levels. A Region 14 win would send Jimenez to the statewide competition. 

Jimenez is the daughter of Donnie and Terri Anderson of Albany.