CCISD's 2026 elementary teacher of the year shares how she gets her classroom ready for back to school"I'm excited to make those parent phone calls so that we can make that positive interaction with the parents before school starts so that they know that we are a team," Caldera said. The first day of school can bring a wave of emotions, and not just for students. The corner has become such a fixture in her classroom that her students have even encouraged her to use it. She was born in the U.S. but attended school in Mexico before her family moved back to the U.S. in time for her to start middle school. Caldera was named Corpus Christi ISD's 2026 District Elementary Teacher of the Year in recognition of her dedication to her students and the classroom.