Shepard is currently a second grade English, Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) teacher at Bowie Elementary. She joined the Lamar CISD family in 2016 and has been a gamechanger in the classroom ever since.

After graduating from Sam Houston State University, Shepard put her passion and expertise to work at an equine reproduction facility in Wheeloch, TX. She quickly realized that one of her favorite aspects of the job was sharing her knowledge of science and passion for learning with educational groups touring the facility. The lifelong learner yearned for more opportunities to share her love of education with others. Soon, this passion transcended her initial career path and led her to pursue the field of education.

Shepard embeds her love of science into her instructional process to create and foster lifelong learners who overcome challenges and use their curiosity to independently seek out knowledge. She has a strong belief that students should not be limited on the text they read due to their perceived reading levels. Shephard encourages her students to seek out materials and topics that interest them, despite the reading level.

When students bring in content that is seemingly above their reading level, they are required to use context clues and their “toolbox of reading skills” to understand the text. Through this, Shepard shows her students that no topic is “too big” for them to understand and by working through challenges together, her students often see enormous academic growth, especially in their reading abilities.

Shepard prioritizes individuality and confidence in her classroom. She aims to inspire each student to develop a love for learning and hopes through having fun with the subject matter, they will become immersed in the material. Through constant creative initiatives in her classroom, Shepard displays her commitment to education and every one of her students. Her passion for education is evident from the moment you step foot in her classroom and our District is better for it.

Congratulations to Lamar CISD’s 2021 Elementary Teacher of the Year, Kelly Shepard! Shepard will advance to represent Lamar CISD at the regional level. The Region 4 Elementary Teacher of the Year will be announced later this summer.