Olaf Growald
Kenneth Amos, teacher at Polytechnic High School, AVID, English, and Yoga.
Like a great book or an earwormy song, the lessons of an exceptional teacher tend to stick with you — even if they drive you a little mad at times. And you can rest assured these 10 outstanding educators (photographed here alongside their favorite inspirational quotes) will forever be a bug in the ear of many young Fort Worthians — in the best way possible, of course. Covering the gamut of grades, subjects, and school types — public, private, and charter — these Top Teachers, nominated by students, parents, and fellow faculty members, have made lasting impressions that will echo beyond the classroom for years to come.
Aneesha Lee
Olaf Growald
Rivertree Academy, Kindergarten
Few teachers get to experience what Aneesha Lee just experienced . Throughout her 20 years as an educator, Lee had always taught Pre-K and landed at Rivertree Academy five years ago teaching Pre-K 3. After three years, Lee moved up to Pre-K 4, following the same students she had the previous year. The next year, she graduated to kindergarten. “So, I had [the same students] for three years,” Lee says. “And this is my last year teaching them because I’ll be staying at the kindergarten level. Despite the difficulty saying goodbye, she’s still very much looking forward to a new crop of kiddos. “I’m excited for the next group to come in and see what I can do to further their education.”
Jeff Capaldo
Olaf Growald
Fort Worth Country Day, Third Grade
This marks Jeff Capaldo’s first year at Fort Worth Country Day, having spent his previous nine years teaching in Keller ISD, and he jokingly attributes his Top Teacher honor to getting lucky with his first group of students and parents. But speaking with Capaldo, one quickly picks up on his self-deprecating humor. “Maybe I’ve gotten lucky 10 times,” Capaldo says, referring to the number of years he’s been behind the teacher’s desk. “And this year, I’m going to be found out that I don’t know what I’m doing.” One couldn’t possibly be so fortunate, Mr. Capaldo. You’re doing something very, very right.
Krista Richard
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Godley Middle School, Art (Previously Arlington Heights)
Krista Richard is changing schools to be closer to her home in Granbury, venturing about 30 minutes from her previous stomping grounds at Arlington Heights. She will be teaching at Godley Middle School next year. Richard’s first Fort Worth teaching job was at Kirkpatrick Middle School, where she taught for 13 years and built the art program up before heading Arlington Heights. A big believer in her students tackling community projects, you can see her students’ artwork all over town. According to Richard, “I take advantage of every opportunity to get a kid to learn outside the classroom.”
Kenneth Amos
Olaf Growald
Polytechnic High School, AVID, English, and Yoga
Through AVID, Kenneth Amos isn’t just running through curriculum within a set syllabus; he’s teaching students how to tackle life. “[AVID] is a program that offers strategies and techniques for organization and articulation, community-based learning, teamwork, and individual determination.” Amos says one can tell when a student is in AVID, which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. “[You can see them using] all the different strategies they’ll take with them after graduating.” Thoughtful, intuitive, and open-minded, Amos also teaches English and yoga. Yes, yoga — because he wants to expose students to helpful disciplines outside the realm of their everyday lives.
Zachary Lycans
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Great Hearts Lakeside, Seventh Grade History
As a history teacher, Zachary Lycans tells stories. And much like a good novel, main characters have full-blown arcs with highs and lows. Except in Lycans’ stories, the characters and events actually existed and occurred. “And I warn them,” Lycans says, “don’t start falling in love with the characters. I’m like, ‘Guys, there are maybe five people we’re going to cover this whole year that come out looking good.’” And like any great story, Lycans brings it back to the bigger picture. “I tell students, ‘There are going to be people in your life that make poor decisions. How does that affect how you view them? What does that look like in the context of everything else about them? What about you?’ It helps to give a rounded view of humanity.”
Heather Minton
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Jane Justin School, Fourth Grade Special Education
The quote from B.F. Skinner, a revolutionary psychologist, isn’t just Heather Minton’s favorite quote, she actively tries to live it every day of her life. “Everything I do and everything I say has an impact on me. It shapes me, who I am, and those around me,” Minton says. At the Jane Justin School, a special education school at Cook Children’s Hospital, Minton works with children who have developmental and learning disabilities with the goal to make each child the best scholar, citizen, and loyal friend they can be. “Teaching them to be kind, respectful, patient, and forgiving,” she says. “I try to teach them and show them that their action makes a difference, and they can make a positive difference.”
Lisa Robinson
Olaf Growald
Southwest Christian School, Seventh Grade Spanish and Leadership
Teaching a course that tackles leadership the first half of a semester and Spanish the second half, the curriculum made Lisa Robinson realize she was right where she needed to be. The dual course had long been a requirement at Southwest Christian School, and having grown up in Mexico, Robinson says it was tailor-made for her. Though Robinson is obviously a dang good educator, she’s not resting on her laurels. She’s currently pursuing her master’s degree with a principal certificate. “I love the variety of [being a principal],” Robinson says. “And I really love encouraging people — students, parents, and teachers — to do their best.”
Ron Clark
Olaf Growald
Cassata Catholic High School, Math
Ron Clark grew up in Haltom City before moving to the West Side. He then went to TCC before attending TCU and then ultimately graduating from Texas Wesleyan. So, Clark’s experienced about every nook and cranny the city has to offer. But, he’s found his home at the Near Southside’s Cassata Catholic High School, where he’s been teaching math for 18 years. And what does he love so much about it? Well, it’s the feeling that he’s making a positive difference. “I’m recounting the number of times that I’ve been asked by a student to introduce them at graduation as either the valedictorian or the salutatorian, and it tends to make you think you’ve made a difference in their lives.”
Amanda Patyk
Olaf Growald
All Saints’ Episcopal School, Bridge
One of the notable, unique offerings at All Saints’ Episcopal School is Bridge, a stepping stone for youngsters between Pre-K and kindergarten. “We’re the only big private school in Fort Worth that has [Bridge],” Patyk says of the program, which is designed for children who aren’t quite ready for the demands of kindergarten. “We do a mesh between Pre-K and kinder, so it’s wherever they are [in their educational journey]; that’s where we meet them. If they’re ready to read, we start teaching them how to read. If they’re not there yet, we do letter sounds and whatever they need [to advance to the next step].”
Rogelio Alfaro
Olaf Growald
Trimble Technical High School, Collision Repair
Rogelio Alfaro’s quote is from the man who previously had Alfaro’s job at Trimble Tech. Alfaro was his student, and, in classic takes-one-to-know-one style, he could sniff out a future collision repair teacher. And, yes, the course is exactly what it sounds like — these kids learn the ins and outs of repairing cars after collisions. Alfaro started teaching at 24 and has now been at Trimble Tech for 35 years. And his experience shows. Alfaro’s students regularly bring home victory hardware from SkillsUSA competitions. “You’ll see all my state plaques in my office,” Alfaro says. “At least the ones since 2014. There’d be more, but that’s when I started putting the plaques up.”
