Educator Profile    Educators

Diana Lopez (TX '22)

Humanities Subject Expert Teacher

BASIS San Antonio Primary Medical Center Campus
San Antonio, TX

Subject(s) taught: Humanities
Grade(s): 3

At the time of the Award, Diana Lopez was:

Teacher
BASIS San Antonio Primary Medical Center Campus
San Antonio, TX

Subject(s) taught: English/Language Arts, Social Studies
Grade(s): 3


Biographical Information

Thanks to Diana Lopez’s creativity and innovative instructional strategies, third graders arrive at Texas’ BASIS San Antonio Primary Medical Center excited about the day’s events. Lopez inspires her students to achieve greatness, instilling a strong work ethic, holding them to the highest expectations and never letting them settle for mediocrity. Her classroom is full of laughter as students sample new stories and check items out from the class library at “book tastings.” Lopez and her students dress in costumes representing abstract language concepts like idioms, metaphors and hyperbole. The school has a large contingent of English learners whom Lopez supports with interventions, weekly student hours and frequent communication. Her methods deliver—last year, 97% of her students passed the state’s STAAR reading assessment, meeting or exceeding the state’s standards for the assessment.

Lopez leads the school’s third grade team of ELA teachers and mentors the humanities and English teachers on campus. She developed curriculum now used by 30 schools in the BASIS Charter network. During the pandemic, Lopez created presentations, worksheets, videos and more for colleagues as they transitioned to online instruction. She is a valued resource for new teachers on campus, helping them understand curriculum, develop classroom management skills and fit into the school culture.

Lopez goes to great lengths to familiarize herself with her students, knowing those relationships will make it easier to reach and help them. Alongside academics, Lopez talks about inclusivity and compassion and actively works to meet the individual needs of each student. She explains that each problem is unique, and students learn in a variety of ways and need different supports.

Lopez is a graduate of St. John’s University. She holds a bachelor’s in English and philosophy (2005) and a master’s in childhood education (2011).

Press release: San Antonio Teacher Surprised with $25,000 Milken Educator Award


Related Connections

Article: Spotlight: Diana Lopez (TX '22)

Educator Quote:

"This is the kind of thing that keeps teachers in the..." (read more)


Diana Lopez In The News

St. John's Alumna Wins Prestigious Milken Educator Award
St. John's University  |  Mar 02, 2023  |  Queens, NY

North San Antonio Teacher Given $25K Milken Educator Award
Community Impact  |  Feb 10, 2023  |  San Antonio, TX

San Antonio Teacher Surprised with $25,000 Check
San Antonio Express-News  |  Feb 10, 2023  |  San Antonio, TX

WATCH --> San Antonio Teacher Surprised with the Award of a Lifetime
KENS-TV  |  CBS  |  Feb 10, 2023  |  San Antonio, TX

WATCH --> San Antonio Teacher Receives Milken Educator Award
KSAT-TV  |  ABC  |  Feb 10, 2023  |  San Antonio, TX

WATCH --> ¡Sorpresa! Maestra de Tercer Grado Recibe $25,000 Por Su Buen Trabajo Con Los Alumnos
KDVA-TV  |  Telemundo  |  Feb 10, 2023  |  San Antonio, TX

Additional Information

Degrees/Certifications

2010 Childhood Education, St. John's University

2005 B.S., Philosophy, St. John's University

2005 B.S., English, St. John's University


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