If it’s possible to be born and raised a teacher, then that description applies to Trimmier Elementary School teacher Caitlin Dunnells.
On Tuesday, Killeen ISD Superintendent Jo Ann Fey, with a whole crowd of district and campus leaders, shocked Dunnells during class, honoring her as this year’s district Elementary Teacher of the Year.
The first-grade teacher attended Cedar Valley Elementary School and Union Grove Middle School and graduated in the top 10 from Ellison High School.
Her dad, Niles Dunnells is a math teacher and soccer coach at Ellison High School finishing his 30th year in education. Her mom, Laura Dunnells is a counselor at Nolan Middle School and scheduled to retire after 36 years.
Living her life with teachers, Caitlin Dunnells learned early the power and purpose of education, and today she’s known for building strong and long-lasting relationships with her students that continue far beyond the first grade.
“I saw a lot of the background about teaching and building relationships. I remember putting stickers on my dad’s papers,” she said.
“It was really cool to get to represent the district where I grew up. I’ve been able to grow in KISD,” she said.
“It’s been a lot of growth,” she said, recalling her first year teaching in the pandemic hybrid model. “Learning classroom management, having a relationship while getting work done has been important.”
Dunnells has found it takes a team to succeed in teaching. She has also found that relationship building is critical and, for her, that includes going to her children’s events outside school. She’s also learned the importance of learning from mistakes.
“My favorite part is getting to see the growth,” she said, explaining the massive transition first-graders make.
“My teaching philosophy centers on building long-lasting, meaningful relationships with every student I encounter,” she said in her philosophy of teaching.
She believes collaboration and mutual understanding are at the heart of learning.
“Through these relationships, I believe students are empowered to take risks, explore new ideas, and develop a lifelong love of learning. My relationship with students does not stop when they leave my classroom...Once they’re my student, they’re always my student,” she said.
“It’s amazing. I feel really honored to represent KISD. I have a loss of words. It’s big. I’m proud.”
After surprising Dunnells, the same crew made their way to Nolan Middle School to present science teacher Karen Pierce as the KISD secondary teacher of the year. Both teachers of the year received $5,000.
They will be KISD’s entries into the teacher of the year process for the Region 12 Education Service Center, a qualifier for the state teacher of the year.
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