Do you know a local teacher who rocks? Sure you do — someone whose students don’t want to leave when the day or class period is up, who makes colleagues smile with a joke or encouraging words, someone who wears costumes, brings lessons to life or just connects with students on a level that will forever stay with them.

Here, Waco Today spotlights 12 Teachers who rock from area public school districts, nominated by their supervisors and peers, based on their extraordinary spirit, caring, enthusiasm and patience.

Sandy Atkins

Pre-kindergarten/ kindergarten/ first-grade bilingual teacher

Viking Hills Elementary, Waco ISD

WHY SHE ROCKS

Sandy “loops” with her kids, meaning she stays with the same group of children for three years and then starts back at pre-kindergarten with a new class. Sandy, her students and their families bond during that time. They have dealt with losses together and, at one point, half the class was expecting baby siblings together. Her connection with her students is so deep, Sandy can’t even talk about having to say goodbye to them at the end of this year.

Nominated by Viking Hills principal Pam Harrison

Marti Koch

Music teacher

Midway Intermediate School

WHY SHE ROCKS

Marti’s entire classes rock, literally. She spends a whole unit on guitar, and by the end of the six weeks each child can play a recognizable melody. She also organizes performances — her motto is “everyone who wants a part, gets a part” — giving each student the opportunity to be a star. And her peers say Marti is just as supportive and morale-boosting with her colleagues as she is with her students.

Nominated by Midway school district officials

Bill and Rosa Swearingen

Spanish teachers

La Vega High School

WHY THEY ROCK

This married duo of Spanish teachers has school pride that puts even their students to shame. It can be seen in their actions, such as Bill rapping at a pep rally or the two of them helping create the best prom ever through their work as senior class sponsors. They also wear their spirit on their sleeves, quite literally, coming to most La Vega High School Pirate games dressed as pirates.

Nominated by La Vega school district officials

Mary Helen Battles

Fifth-grade social studies and science teacher

Hillcrest Professional Development School, Waco ISD

WHY SHE ROCKS

Name any lesson, Mary Helen is likely to have a science experiment for it. She’s been known to make use of every moment, even doing experiments with her kids on the last day of school. Because Mary Helen also teaches in the after-school program, a number of her students have opted to stay late just to keep working with her. Mary Helen says her kids respond to her expectations and her devotion. “They know I’ll help them as long as they make the effort.”

Nominated by Hillcrest principal Lorraine Randazzo

John Simpson

Applied math

Robinson High School

WHY HE ROCKS

Positivity seems to be John’s trademark when it comes to his students and his colleagues. When working with students, either individually or in a class, he says it’s important to connect with them, build a relationship and gain their trust. He does this by getting to know each youngster’s story, how each one is unique. John brings the same thoughtfulness to the faculty lounge, playing friendly jokes and making an effort to keep the mood light and his colleagues laughing.

Nominated by Robinson High School principal Jeannie Johnson

Tammy Huggins

Diversified career preparations (work study)

Waco High School

WHY SHE ROCKS

Tammy’s peers say she gives 100 percent of herself to her students and to Waco High. She’s been known to talk to a student’s employer if the student is having trouble at work, and she helps her kids master the most necessary skills, such as balancing a checkbook and reading a pay stub. And when Waco High needs her, Tammy is always there to be a volunteer, sponsor, chaperone or whatever is needed. Tammy said that she simply believes in modeling character-building behavior for her students.

Nominated by Waco High assistant principal Lisa Saxenian

Kevin McMahan

History and geography teacher

Rapoport Academy’s Meyer High School

WHY HE ROCKS

Kevin sets himself apart at first glance with his trademark suspenders and golf club — his “club of knowledge” — that he uses as a pointer. His lessons are just as original, having students dress like Renaissance characters such as Michelangelo and Da Vinci for a “meeting of the minds.” The last two summers, Kevin has spent several weeks teaching in Africa and brought those experiences back to his students at Rapoport. One student paid him a high compliment recently when the class was assigned to dress as historical figures. The student dressed like Kevin, complete with suspenders and golf club.

Nominated by Rapoport Academy administrators

Lisa Jackson

Insights reading

Midway Middle School

WHY SHE ROCKS

Encouraging is a good word to describe Lisa. She can be found encouraging the students in her class to stretch their reading skills or giving high-fives to students in the hallway and encouraging them to make it to class on time. Lisa has voluntarily started a “homework club” for all Insights reading students, but it’s on opposite days from the school’s regular homework club. This way, students can have some assistance four days a week. Lisa’s peers call her spirit infectious, and she was elected by her colleagues as one of two Teachers of the Year for the middle school.

Nominated by Midway school district officials

Cassie Burke

Fifth-grade science and math/science instructional coach

Brook Avenue Elementary, Waco ISD

WHY SHE ROCKS

Cassie’s degree may be in biblical studies, but her peers say she has a natural talent for teaching. Cassie came to the classroom via alternative certification, and she has exhibited exceptional skill — especially at getting students engrossed in science experiments. She’s been known to get second-graders to learn measurements by making cookies and she’s gotten fifth-graders hooked on science with a light bulb, battery and wire. Brook Avenue colleagues say students are always excited on their way to a science lab with Cassie.

Nominated by reading coach Tracey Carter

Jennifer Miller

Second-grade teacher

Castleman Creek Elementary, Midway ISD

WHY SHE ROCKS

Jennifer has a huge heart for her students, colleagues say. She puts her heart into the daily things, like the songs she and her students sing to greet each other every morning. And she throws her heart into larger issues, like a project she championed to raise money for a student whose mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Jennifer organized a schoolwide drive to fill a bookcase with books. The bookcase was painted by her second-grade students, filled with the books and donated to a silent auction to support the family.

Nominated by Midway school district officials

Arash Abnous

Third- and fourth-grade math

Rapoport Academy Elementary School

WHY HE ROCKS

“Mr. A,” as the kids call him, could be Captain Hook or Zorro on any given day. In a cape and hat, he’ll use a big “Z” to teach angles. On another day, he’ll don a sash, hat and tinfoil hook and use his pirate ship to teach trapezoids and parallel and perpendicular lines. Peers say Arash keeps his class high-energy, and his students have been known to ask if he can go with them to middle school as they matriculate. Arash also established the elementary school’s first soccer team last year and continues to volunteer as coach.

Nominated by Rapoport Academy administrators