Awards Gala

Ms. Walker will study at Mexico’s El Eden Biological Preserve, where she will gain field research skills and gather baseline data on the biodiversity of the area. Work will be conducted with a team of teacher researchers to learn field method protocols and tools ... more »

Dr. Van Evera will lead a collegial reading group focused on building a sense of community among staff members and understanding how data analysis techniques can be used to guide continuous school improvement. Group readings will focus on school environment as an ... more »

Ms. White and Ms. Hilker will lead a study group focusing on the use of differentiation through the discussion of proactive, purposeful, responsive, and learner centered instruction. The group will target specific concepts and strategies related to differentiation ... more »

Dr. Eckhoff will guide a teacher learning community of recent graduates as they navigate their first teaching year in a primary grades classroom. Acting as a participant observer, Dr. Eckhoff will facilitate face-to-face and virtual meetings, collect group ... more »

Lincoln County School District will partner with the Oregon Coast Aquarium, Westwind Stewardship Group, and Willamette University to facilitate a two day science workshop for district educators. Participants will engage in field studies of unique biological ... more »

Through a partnership with the Cincinnati Zoo, Miami University, and Project Dragonfly, Mrs. Randolph will travel to Belize to take part in Earth Expeditions. Mrs. Randolph will participate in investigations to monitor manatee population dynamics, human influence on ... more »

Mrs. Bowman will participate in Earth Expeditions, a global conservation and education program that promotes inquiry based learning and experiences for students. Mrs. Bowman will learn in the field with other educators and conservationists from around the world. Upon ... more »

Ms. Dempsey Moore will participate in the “Maximizing Leadership Potential” workshop at the Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, North Carolina. Through the workshop, Ms. Dempsey Moore will prepare to become an effective teacher leader through ... more »

Mrs. Maholchic will attend the AP Annual Conference, where she will present the seminar “Teaching Timed Writing: A Gradual Release Model.”  During the session, she will share strategies that she has developed in her classroom to improve student writing ... more »

Ms. Zschack and a colleague will travel to Thailand to volunteer at an orphanage that was created amid the destruction of the 2004 tsunami. Through this immersive cultural experience, Ms. Zschack will gain knowledge in the fields of special education, history, and ... more »

Ms. Wormann will complete the initial “Level of Musicianship and Leadership” program through Music For People, in which she will seek to promote a humanistic approach to the way music is taught, performed, and appreciated. The program will allow Ms. Wormann ... more »

To prepare students for the competitive 21st century economy, Ms. Vine will attend the National Science Teachers Association STEM Forum and Expo, at which she will present a hands-on workshop about successful informal initiatives and community programs. The conference ... more »

Mr. Ollmann will embark on an immersive cultural and Spanish language study in Guatemala and Mexico. Through the University of Mexico, Mr. Ollmann will take part in an intensive study of the Spanish language as well as take elective courses in Mexican history, ... more »

Ms. Kelly will collaborate with Arpita Chatterjee, a licensed music educator in India, for a musical exchange that will inform both educators of the technical and cultural methods used in various forms of music.  Ms. Kelly and Ms. Chatterjee will develop a pilot ... more »

To improve communications with students and parents from the growing Somali community in Minneapolis, Ms. Bouche and Ms. Koskela will study the Somali language. Through the language study, Ms. Bouche and Ms. Koskela will better bridge the current language gap ... more »

A team of mathematics educators will conduct lesson study to develop instructional practices across middle and high school grades that support students' engagement in a Mathematical Practice Standard from the Common Core State Standards. The cohort will collaborate to ... more »

Mrs. Bowling will present two workshops at the National Science Teachers Association’s Regional Conference. In the first workshop, Mrs. Bowling will teach colleagues how to incorporate social networks in science classes; in the second workshop, she will discuss ... more »

Mrs. Masih will travel to Finland to study a school for the visually impaired and discuss with educators instructional strategies for working with visually impaired students. During her travels Mrs. Masih will blog about her learning so her middle school world ... more »

Ms. McMullen will travel to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to attend the annual Arthur and Rochelle Belfer National Conference for Educators. Museum educators and scholars will share rationales, strategies, and approaches for presenting the complex subject ... more »

To aid students who have failed state reading tests, Mrs. Brazell-Smith will attend a dyslexia screening seminar. After completing the seminar, Mrs. Brazell-Smith will equip educators at Lake Weir High School with effective strategies to identify dyslexic students, ... more »

Ms. Hennessey will attend the Columbia University Teacher’s College writing institute to gain a stronger understanding of research based strategies that will improve writing curriculums and strengthen students’ writing abilities. Ms. Hennessey will use ... more »

To deepen her understanding of assessment based literacy instruction that supports emerging readers who are English language learners, Ms. Martinez will attend the Reading Institute hosted by Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University. Upon ... more »

Ms. Halpern will attend the Summer Literacy Institute at Lesley University to create reading and writing workshops, focusing on improving student achievement in both reading comprehension and writing nonfiction text. After the institute, Ms. Halpern and colleagues will ... more »

Ms. Dodson will lead a professional learning community at Ponderosa Elementary School in implementing the “Reader’s Workshop.” Colleagues will collaboratively develop an implementation plan for an improved school wide language arts program. Support ... more »

To provide hospitalized students with engaging and imaginative curriculums, Ms. Ho will attend the Oxbridge Academic Teacher's Seminar on Literature and the Fantastic. The seminar will focus on classic fantasy novels and the influence of Oxford on their authors.  ... more »

To help novice teachers become more effective classroom practitioners, Athens State University will partner with surrounding school districts to implement the “Tying Excellence with Accountability Mentorship” program. The program will provide recent graduates ... more »

Ms. Kluetzman and Ms. Funk will integrate iPod Touches in their classrooms to support and enhance student vocabulary development and reading comprehension. Students will use the tablets to participate in white board activities, listen to stories and songs in support ... more »

Students will increase literacy skills through the strategic use of technology and digital media to produce a school wide news program. The program will present students with life and career skills including self direction, flexibility, adaptability, productivity, ... more »

To understand the importance of Seattle’s International District in the displacement of Japanese Americans during World War II, Mrs. Woodward and Mr. Lovre will lead a school wide common book project. Garfield High School students and faculty will read the novel ... more »

Mrs. Nemeth and Mrs. Boutin will introduce a “grow lab” in their kindergarten and 1st grade classrooms. Students will study and monitor the evolution of various plants by planting, cultivating, and harvesting multiple species. Throughout the project, ... more »

Using tablets equipped with reading, writing, and behavior documentation applications, W. Charles Akins High School Social Behavioral Skills (SSBS) students will improve their reading and writing achievement, behavioral choices, and social skills in academic settings. ... more »

Siegel High School agriculture students will gain experience in water conservation techniques by designing and planting a riparian buffer along a local creek. Students will assess the need for reducing runoff and increasing infiltration for a limestone dominated ... more »

Organic chemistry students at Northgate High School will enhance laboratory learning through the incorporation of iPads in the lab setting. Tablet simulations will portray volatile chemical reactions and molecular interactivity and allow students to visualize molecules ... more »

Mr. McKenry will implement an “Adopt-a-Stream” classroom project in order to improve student achievement in genetic and ecology lessons and foster a conservation ethic in students. Students will take care of and monitor a local stream in order to determine ... more »

To assist students in fully developing the cultural literacy necessary to excel in AP English, Mr. Koons will introduce Kindle Fires in the classroom. The tablets will provide students with dictionary search functions that will enable them to annotate unfamiliar ... more »

Hilltonia Middle School educators and students will participate in the “Indoor Gardens” project as the initial step in creating a foundation for improving student literacy and achievement. The educators will integrate learning through the use of hydroponic ... more »

Mr. Steinbower will attend the National Council for Teachers of English Assembly on Literature for Adolescents Conference to learn methods in which to incorporate popular young adult literature into classroom lessons. Upon completing the conference, Mr. Steinbower and ... more »

To learn about the benefits of community service and personal health, Ms. Gottlieb and Mr. Audiino will lead a group of students in becoming certified personal fitness trainers. Participating students will visit other schools and design lessons to teach fellow students ... more »

Dr. Morreale will present “Community Resources,” a multidisciplinary service learning course that will engage students in their living and learning communities. Through critical reflection, students will be provided with international, national, and local ... more »

Ms. Tubridy will introduce “Poets for Change,” a personal inquiry and poetry project that will use poetry and research as a vehicle from promoting change in students’ lives. Senior ELA students will study the form and craft of poetry and learn ... more »

Ms. Butler will implement a digitized interactive curriculum to deliver personalized lesson plans and homework assignments to students. The system will manage all elements of teaching, learning, and assessment while allowing Ms. Butler to remain at the center of ... more »

“Community Wellness through Digital Art” will expand Lebanon High School’s art offerings to include the use of digital tools. Ms. Clary and her colleagues will expand students’ technology resources and provide a diverse group of student artists a ... more »