School Level Teachers of the Year Announced for 2009

Superintendent David Miller and some of his staff had the pleasure of announcing the school-level 2009 Teachers of the Year on December 8.  Surprising the teachers with flowers, candy, and balloons, Superintendent Miller received enthusiastic responses from students as he entered each classroom to present the honor to their teacher.

The eight Teachers of the Year for 2009 are:  Ann Loyed, Crawfordville Elementary; Michele Lawhon, Medart Elementary; Carol Broome, Riversink Elementary; Amy Seidler, Shadeville Elementary; Bill Taylor, Riversprings Middle; Angie Gentry, Wakulla Middle; Nancy Floyd Richardson, Wakulla High; and Sharon Scherbarth, representing teachers who serve the whole district (pictured above with Superintendent of Schools David Miller and Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Beth O'Donnell).

Nominations from each school’s faculty began the process in November, and then nominees submitted professional and biographical information forms for their faculties to read. Faculties then voted for their school’s Teacher of the Year. Selected teachers’ names were concealed until Superintendent Miller visited each school on December 8.

Ann Loyed of Crawfordville Elementary School has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education.  She currently teaches second grade and has taught for 35 years.

She believes that an effective teacher provides a learning atmosphere which includes “structure, routine, variety, creation of a desire to learn and season this with humor.  My desire is for the students to want to return to school each day!”
Loyed has accepted many leadership roles in her career, such as Grade Level Chairman, Intern Sponsor, Math Committee Co-Chair, Textbook Review Committee member, and Curriculum Revision Committee member.  She stays involved with new and veteran teachers through mentoring and brainstorming.

Michele Lawhon of  Medart Elementary is a graduate of Wakulla High School and  has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education.  She has been teaching for 14 years and currently is working with second graders. 

She believes in “that old adage, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ An effective teacher must collaborate with parents, a student’s previous teachers, and colleagues.  A teacher’s success comes from tying into the whole educational system. ”

Lawhon is a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, an international women educators’ honor society.  She has served in many leadership positions such as Grade Level Chairman, Mentor Teacher, Teacher of the Month, Back to School Supplies Coordinator, and District Reading Committee member.  She is also very involved in her church and has used her teaching expertise to work with youth programs there.

Electing their first Teacher of the Year, new Riversink Elementary chose fifth grade teacher Carol Broome. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Child Development, then went on to become certified in Elementary Education.  In her fourth year of teaching elementary students, she also has extensive experience with pre-kindergarten children.

Broome states, “To me, the greatest reward is finding a way to meet the needs of each of the students in my class.  If it requires working after school with that student – I am there.  If it means creating three different tests for the same chapter, I will be typing them up.  I simply make it my goal to try to find a way for all of my students, at one time or another, to have a victory.”

Shadeville Elementary voted for first grade teacher Amy Seidler to represent their school.  She has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and has been teaching for 12 years.

Seidler believes, “Motivating my students to reach a little further to attain their personal best is important to me because I not only see them as eager first graders but as successful lifelong learners.  Teaching includes understanding, instructing, and reflecting, not just ourselves and content, but mostly those we teach.”

Leadership positions include serving as School Advisory Council Chairman for the fourth year, Mentor, Reading Leadership Team member and Project Learning Tree committee member.   She is also a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and the Wakulla County Teachers Association.

Another Wakulla High School graduate, Bill Taylor is the representative for Riversprings Middle School.  With a dual major in History and Social Studies Education, he also has certification in the Middle Grades Integrated curriculum.  In the ninth year of his career, he is a National Board Certified teacher currently instructing seventh graders.

Taylor notes, “The effective teacher must love his subject, his students, and his job.  If you don’t know it, you can’t teach it.  If you don’t care if the students learn, they won’t.  If you don’t love your job, you will be bad at it.  An effective teacher must understand that every moment a student is under their care is an opportunity to help them change their lives in a positive way forever.”

 He is a member of the National Council for the Social Studies, a Mentor teacher, the RMS Brain Bowl coach, and has coached football and basketball.  He also is the History Fair coordinator and creator of the Living History Memorial that lines the RMS hallways with photos.

At Wakulla Middle School, sixth grade teacher Angie Gentry represents her faculty.  She has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and certification in the Middle Grades Integrated curriculum.  Also a National Board certified teacher, she has taught for 21 years.

Gentry believes, “Creating a climate of respect and community gives students the courage to learn new things, make mistakes, and permission to not always have to ‘be perfect’.  I also believe that knowing your students is paramount to effectively teaching them.  I use my students’ strengths to build on their weaknesses. There is no greater joy than feeling that you have helped a child master skills needed to be successful in life.” 

She is a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and the WMS Reading Leadership committee, plus is a Mentor to new teachers, School Advisory Council Chairman, and sponsor of the WMS school newspaper. She is also a graduate of Wakulla High School.

Wakulla High School’s Teacher of the Year is Nancy Floyd Richardson, also a Wakulla High graduate.  With  a Bachelor’s degree in  English Literature, she has her teaching certificate in English and Journalism.  She has been teaching tenth and eleventh grade English for four years.

Floyd Richardson observes, “It is not our job to tell students what to think.  Instead, our goals should be to teach them how to think for themselves and learn to make their own responsible choices.  Compelling teachers quickly adapt to changing situations, implement new ideas and techniques, utilize technology, and allow students to explore learning within a controlled parameter.”

Leadership positions include Junior Class Chairperson, WHS Reading Leadership Team, and Co-sponsor of the Honors/Advanced Placement fieldtrips to the University of West Florida and to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. She also sponsors the VFW Voice of Democracy speech competition and is a member of both the national and Florida Councils for Teachers of English.

Sharon Scherbarth represents teachers who serve all of the schools in the district.  With 13 years experience teaching Exceptional Student Education, she teaches visually impaired students in grade three through twelve.  Her degree is in Visual Disabilities, and she is also a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist.

She explains, “I try to help my students understand that having every answer is not as important as knowing how and where to get help and find answers.  The ESE students with whom I work need to be encouraged to believe in their own abilities.  I believe that as a teacher I must show them that I have faith in them so they’ll want to learn more and become more independent.”

Leadership positions include Special Olympics coordinator, coach, volunteer and chaperone; Local Assistive Technology Specialist, ESE team Leader, Alpha Delta Kappa member, and Council for Exceptional Children member. 

These eight are now in the running for Wakulla County’s 2009 Teacher of the Year, which will be announced at the end of January.  A qualified panel of judges from outside of Wakulla County will rate a written packet and an interview from each teacher. The 2009 Wakulla County Teacher of the Year will then compete with the other 66 districts’ Teachers of the Year for the Florida Teacher of the Year award in the spring.

All photos courtesy of Rhonda Stevens.

This article originally published on December 8, 2008.

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mkwestmark

 

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