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Site News: Catalina Foothills School District Foundation Honors 2010 Teachers of the Year
The Catalina Foothills School District Foundation (CFSD) has named elementary school educator, Susie Speelman and high school American Literature teacher, Joe Day as the 2010 Teachers of the Year.
Speelman and Day will receive their prestigious awards as part of the Love our Schools event February 5 at Skyline Country Club. Recognition for their achievement includes a cash award, special presentation at the Gala, a display plaque, and a banner kept at the school site for the rest of the year as well as their photos and names on a billboard in the Tucson metropolitan area. La Encantada Shopping Center is the corporate sponsor of this year’s Teacher of the Year Award and had a representative at the surprise presentations in the individual teachers’ classrooms during the Wednesday class schedule.
Speelman has been with Sunrise Drive Elementary for 16 years and is an Inclusion Support teacher. She provides students with varying (dis) abilities the encouragement to be successful in a general education classroom and creates ways for students to make personal connections that give opportunities to form friendships and become part of the larger school community. She provides guidance for other teachers and designs effective instruction and Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for use in meetings with parents and other staff. Julie Sherrill, the Principal at Sunrise Drive, says of Speelman: “She walks the talk of peace and respect…a role model for children and adults on a daily basis.
Joe Day teaches American Literature and Speech to 11th grade students at Catalina Foothills High School, and has been in the district since 2005.
While he challenges his students to a higher level of learning, the students trust him and quickly understand their own role in their educational future and self exploration. Day has a desire for them to gain knowledge and understanding from the subject matter and often picks up his guitar to sing about the current topic as a way to inspire creative learning. As one parent described, “He glows with his love of teaching and the students reflect that. His smile and enthusiasm light up a room. They strive to be in his class and to do better.”
Teachers are nominated by students, parents, co-workers, and administrators, or may self- nominate. The nominated teacher submits an application packet that is reviewed by the selection committee consisting of parents, educators and business and community leaders. Finalists are then selected from the written applications and proceed to an interview by community members. The combined scores from the written application and interview determine the final selection of the CFSD Foundation Teachers of the Year.
Posted by Kris Tvedt on Feb 1st 2010 - 11:16pm
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