Positively the PCEA!

At a time when teachers are belittled, disrespected and constantly attacked in the media, we need to stand proud as members of the PCEA by recognizing the hard work we ALL do every day.

The PCEA is proudly compiling a monthly list highlighting a few of the amazing teachers here in Plymouth-Canton, with the intention to share these stories with our local media channels. It’s time to positively recognize and support our peers who have a positive influence on the educational community.

Below is the list of people recognized by their peers through January 12th.

Rob McLaren
Discovery Middle School
7th Grade English Language Arts

I would like to acknowledge the tremendous efforts of Rob McLaren, 7th grade ELA teacher and Discovery Student Council sponsor.  Rob has empowered students to truly work for the greater good of our entire community.  Students actively organize multiple charitable fundraising events to benefit both Discovery and families in need.

Beth Savalox and Becky Kraft
Plymouth High School
12th grade - National Honor Society

With her guidance and inspiration, the NHS executive board has written a grant proposal and received $3000 from Bosch to use in establishing and improving recycling programs at the park. The organization intends to have full-scale plastic recycling by the end of the 2011-2012 school year. They have been instrumental in teaching leadership skills to our students who have the potential to change the world.

Gwenn Marchesano
Pioneer Middle School
Media Specialist

I believe that Gwenn should be recognized for all her hard work and dedication to our building. She is always making extra effort to help out students in their learning.  In addition to that, she helps our staff tremendously.  For example, giving us new ideas to use in our classroom and helping us to accomplish these new ideas. She is very efficient with her time and I believe we are all grateful for having Gwenn here at Pioneer!

Kathy Stark
Canton High School
AP Psychology (11th and 12th grade)

One of her students from last year stopped by to thank her. The former student is dual enrolled (as a senior) at UM-Dearborn. According to the student, she has the highest grade in her abnormal psych class because of Kathy Stark's class last year!

Mindy Eichenberg
Second Grade Teacher/GOTR Coach
Hoben Elementary School

Mindy is an exemplary example of dedicated teachers who go above and beyond in their chosen profession.  Not only is she a colleague who sneaks in thoughtful and uplifting surprises, but she also "adopts" families who need a little extra assistance with the language and customs of our culture.  We treasure her role as head coach of our school's Girls on the Run program, a self-esteem/running club for girls in grades 3-5.  She recruits girls who would benefit from this experience and plans and implements our group's lessons and organizes the 5K run to make it a positive and rewarding accomplishment for the girls. This is her third year and 5th season (fall and spring) running this program.  Mindy gives up countless hours of her "free" time to make a difference to others. 

Kathy Stone
Special Ed
East Middle School

Kathy has been working extremely hard with a few special students who have worn most of us down. She has taken them under her wing and is really working hard to make personal connections with them. GO KATHY!!

Debbie Erickson
Hoben Elementary
1st Grade

Positive Influence: Debbie welcomes all children into her classroom with her whole heart. She is kind and compassionate and is always thinking of every single student every single second of the day. On top of that she has created workshops at our building after school to talk about teaching and learning. She is inspirational on all levels.  Thank You, Debbie.

Keri Mueller
Workman Elementary
Music Teacher

Keri is a phenomenal music teacher. Besides the fact kids love going to music, she goes above and beyond the job title she holds. She has organized a school choir in which the kids perform in the Plymouth Canton community outside the school day. Keri spends a great deal of time putting together at least three or more performances at school each year at Workman. She leads our students in a holiday sing along as well as assists parents with the musical part of a school wide diversity night activity. She leads a spring student talent show and is a wonderful role model for our students as she herself is a performer outside of her day job. Each year, my students love going to music class. They are eager to see her, and anxious to learn new music. She is positive, encouraging and knows each child (800 at Workman) by name. I am proud to have her as a colleague.

Teachers of Farrand Elementary
Grades K-5

I just want to take a minute to praise my co-workers for the amount of empathy and compassion they have for all the students in our building, especially during the holiday season.  They go above and beyond to make sure our neediest students are taken care of.  They open their hearts and pocketbooks to make sure no child is without.  We pay water bills, buy diapers, groceries, clothing and so much more.  The amount of generosity is mind blowing, and I'm so proud to call of these teachers my colleagues.

Marc Whitlock
Discovery Middle School
Band Director

-Adjudicated multiple state marching band championships and the Grand National Championships.
-Articles published in various music education publications.
-Received grant from Excellence in Education Foundation to implement SmartMusic into classrooms.
-Commissioned major band work for Discovery MS entitled, "The Temple of the Murals"by composer Brian Balmages.

Marc Whitlock exemplifies the notion that students rise to your expectations. Not only do his students play extremely well, but they are courteous, hard working and respectful. In addition to excellence in the classroom, Marc provides opportunities for his more advanced students to assist beginners and struggling students through a peer mentoring program. In addition to all this, he continues to be active in the greater band world as judge and clinician to band organizations across the country. It's great to have such an inspiring colleague.

Sheila Weber and Christina Berggren
East Middle School
All- School Counselors

Sheila and Christina are the hardest working counselors around. These two ladies spend their days putting out middle school fires left and right. They help with scheduling, student issues, teacher issues, parents’ issues... the list is endless. Sheila and Christina take time each week to hold special groups to support our neediest students in friendship, academics, divorce, time management, etc. They never stop, 50 words is not enough to describe how much they mean to our school environment.

Shelley Rebecca
Fiegel Elementary
EI teacher

Shelley Rebecca goes above and beyond for her students and others.  I have watched her work "magic" with EI students to get their behaviors under control so they can work on their academics.  She is often called to consult with teachers who have behavior problems but are not labeled EI.  She is always willing to help and assist in any capacity needed.  She co-teaches daily with teachers as well as working through most of her lunch to make sure lunch is a positive and safe place for all students.  Shelley is such a valuable asset to our staff and we are lucky to have her program in our building!

Liz Niessen
Hulsing Elementary
Interventionist

Liz is a humble teacher who does a lot of work behind the scenes for students and staff.  She researches materials, products, assessments, techniques, and strategies that work best for students in our school and is always willing to share them with others.  She plans, organizes, and educates parents of at risk children on how they can support their child at home.  Liz is a motivated team player so that our students will make progress in reading!

Jeff Blakeslee
Canton H.S. English Teacher

Jeff is an amazing motivator, male role model, and creative genius. He never fails to mix things up in the classroom, think outside the box, and integrate technology in ways that engage the students. A self-proclaimed "nerd", Jeff can relate to many of the boys and Sci-Fi geeks in ways that make an impact on those students for years to come. His classroom is a welcoming place of solace, camaraderie, and true learning. In addition, Jeff continues to put himself out there to present to fellow teachers via professional development in our district and in conferences throughout the state. He is an asset to the Plymouth-Canton community.

Renee Nowaske
East Middle School
6th Grade

Renee is an amazing science teacher. She works hard to make connections with her students in order for them to be successful. More than that, Renee takes time to meet and mentor students who are struggling with other middle school issues such as peer relations and organization. She works so well with these students! Renee is constantly giving up her lunch hour to meet with students and offer re-takes on tests, etc.  She will read the tests aloud to students who need those accommodations and works to be sure that they all understand material before moving on.  Renee also is a strong presence in our building.  She is positive, and organized, which helps us keep up morale.  GO RENEE!

Dayna Lang
Canton High School
9-12 Grades

Dayna won an award for her use of technology in the classroom from MACUL since she truly teaches in the 21st Century. By encouraging her students to properly use modern tech like cell phones and wikis, her students feel a true connection to what they are learning. In a time when student apathy seems to be at its highest, Dayna is able to motivate her students by using the tech that is relevant to them.

Tracy Tashman
Discovery Middle School
6th Grade Math

Tracy Tashman is a wonderfully caring and compassionate teacher for our 6th grade students.  She helped coordinate our school's WEB program and dedicated tons of extra time and energy into this awesome program.  Tracy is knowledgeable about content and cares for each student in her classes and beyond.  I am proud to be at a school where there are teachers who have content knowledge, but also go above and beyond by the personal attention that they give to each student.  Tracy is one of those teachers, and it is an honor to work with her!  Thank you Tracy for the wonderful job you do each and every day.

Cherise Rose
Language Arts
Central Middle School

While I was away, due to an unexpected illness, Cherise spent a lot of her free time gathering up lessons for my students.  Being in a different building than me did not stop her from caring about the success of my students.  All of the lessons were aligned right along with what the students needed to be right on schedule.  Without Cherise, I don't know what I would have done and more importantly, what my students would have learned.

Michelle Sykora (West)
Bentley Elementary
5th Grade

Michelle was the earliest adapter in using the new UDL system in our building and has led training sessions and given individual help to many staff members struggling with this new technology.  Her class is also responsible for collecting all paper for recycling, while she collects and recycles all the water bottles in our building.

Jason Slaughter
7th Grade Social Studies
Pioneer Middle School

Jason puts more time in than any teacher I have ever seen.  His lessons are creative and keep students engaged in very non-traditional ways.  For example, while studying desertification, he turned his classroom into a rainforest and then slowly took pieces away to represent this process.  When looking at landforms in the desert, he created a video to make travel through these landforms into a game for his students.  He is revolutionary in the classroom and his methods should be studied!

Brian Creque
Starkweather
10, 11 and 12 Grades

Brian offers his time to her students, before school, during lunch and after school when possible. He is very open and honest with the students and has managed to develop a good working relationship with his students as well as the other students that attend Starkweather. He also makes all students and staff fell welcome and offers his assistance whenever and wherever it is needed.

Sharon Caldwell
Salem High School
Biology Teacher

Sharon offers study sessions with honor students. She adds that by far the majority of teachers on our floor offer students time after school and lunch to get extra help.  The difference is great students are willing to give up their free time to forge ahead.

Catie Sterlitz
Pioneer Middle School
6th Grade Science and Study Skills

Catie goes above and beyond her duties on a daily basis. She teaches her science students to reason by giving an argument for their answers.  She gives up her lunch time to help her students study and organize their binders.  She helps her Study Skills students by making sure they turn in all assignments so that they have no missing work.  She helps students study for upcoming quizzes and tests and teaches them study techniques that they will be able to use across all subject areas.  Catie recognizes a "star of the week" in each of her classes every Friday to honor students who are setting a positive example and making improvements.  She is a team-player and works very well with her colleagues.

Jamie Wells
Central Middle School
6th Grade

Jamie Wells helped organize a Positive Behavior Support (PBS) program in our school to change behavior and improve relations.  She spent countless hours over the summer, leading a committee that found ways to make this program easy to implement for all staff.  She helped develop a school currency, "Charger Bucks", that kids earn by modeling good behaviors.  Our students are so excited to earn Charger Bucks and use them to buy things at our school store.  It has brought unity to the staff and helps kids see the value in doing the right thing.  Jamie's work with PBS has changed student behavior, improved attitudes, increased learning, and made Central Middle School an exciting place to work.

Sheri Bowler
Bentley Elementary
2nd Grade

Second grade teacher at Bentley, Sheri Bowler purchased a tree (with her own money!) for second graders to decorate in Kellogg Park, downtown Plymouth. This is part of a "community project" which is part of our social studies curriculum. Each class has made ornaments to add to this tree. Many of us are meeting this Saturday, November 19th at 1:00 pm (on our own time!) to have a family tree decorating.  I think this is one way that teachers give up their own time (and money) to bring together our families.

Tameka Medley
Discovery Middle School
6/7 Social Studies

Tameka is a true chief learner in her classroom.  She looks for opportunities to learn from her students and colleagues alike.  She reflects on ways to improve as a professional.  Consequently, her teaching is thoughtful, relevant and well executed.  Tameka is an excellent example for us all to follow.

Jayne Burnstein
Bird Elementary
1st Grade

I believe that Jayne Burnstein, 1st grade teacher at Bird Elementary, is an excellent example of a hard, working, dedicated teacher. Jayne Burnstein puts in many extra hours to do so many things that make a difference for her young students.  One of the most impressive things is that she makes it a practice to respond, in writing, to each student’s daily writing each day!

Anne Alatalo
Media Specialist
Bentley Elementary

Anne not only works tirelessly as our media specialist, she gives up half of her lunch hour nearly daily to read with a small group of struggling readers in our upper grades!  She also volunteers at the Humane Society walking dogs and fund raising at our school, helping our students understand compassion and empathy for others.  She is a shining example of a teacher who not only works hard, but also goes above and beyond her duties to help others who struggle.

Jolie Valentine and Holly Patterson
Hoben Elementary
Media Specialist and 3rd grade teacher

These 2 wonderful professionals are running our iPad lab pilot program and helping all Hoben staff teach their students with technology.  They have spent endless hours at home on their own time researching and downloading educational apps and running teacher training to help all of us do our job with a little more excitement through iPads! This is something that I think deserves recognition!

Leola Gee
Plymouth High School
10-12 Advanced Journalism

Leola has led students in reimagining our park newspaper "The Perspective". Papers are more interesting and professional looking, they are being distributed monthly, students are taking more ownership for the final product, and students have solicited more community support. When the first paper was released, students in my classroom could be heard saying, "It looks like a real newspaper!"

Donna Gatzke
Plymouth High School
English Instructor

In the midst of all the extra forms, goals, evaluation preparations, Class A requirements, Professional Development etc. Donna Gatske wanted to do more to connect with her students and parents. In the pouring rain and lightning storm yesterday, she came over to see me after school for some tips on communication with parents. She learned how to email all of her students and parents at once to alert them of exams and other important information. She also jotted down information about using the "visits" tab on Zangle. Donna sees the benefit of teachers sharing interventions, comments and outcomes with each other in order to make positive impacts on the successes of students. All of this Donna does, with her 5 year old waiting at home while she is so often here at work until 6 :00 p.m. hats off to her and her desire to do what is best for kids!

Lisa Hastings
Discovery Middle School
Media Specialist

I would like to acknowledge the tremendous efforts of Lisa Hastings, Media Specialist at Discovery.  Lisa is constantly introducing new technology applications for both students and teachers.  She works with teachers to integrate presentation tools into student projects that serve to increase motivation and learning.

Melanie Gray
Workman
5th grade

Melanie, along with Kristi Berry, Emily Verbeke and Aimee Bell
 have created Tech Tuesdays. This has been an invitation to teachers to be trained in a variety of technology opportunities to incorporate into our classrooms. Each month, Tech Tuesday will offer something different. So far, people coming to the training have learned how to blog, interactive whiteboards, pinterest, google forms, apps for the Ipad and twitter. Melanie has a tech masters and a passion to share with other teachers across the curriculum. She is not earning any credit or salary for sponsoring Tech Tuesdays; she is doing this on her own merit, strictly based on her individual passion to incorporate technology into the hands of children. Watch for the next email/invitation to Tech Tuesday in December where people attending will do a share out.

Joan Pence
Salem High School
Science

Joan offered study sessions with honor students. Besides work with the AP kids she also teaches an Honors Zoology course that does lots of cool stuff like raising $1700 with only change canisters and a bunch of really determined kids for the United Nations Nothing but Nets Campaign!  Sheri and her students have done this each year for the last five years.  Look into the "Nets" thing on line for more info - its really worthwhile and the students do an amazing job!

Nicole McLeod
Pioneer Middle School
Special Education Teacher

I want to recognize Nicole McLeod.  She is the hardest working Special Education teacher that I have every met.  She takes a personal interest in each and every child on her caseload and works very hard to help them succeed.  She spends countless hours outside of school modifying assignments and assessments.  She has come up with innovative ways to help students with non-academic issues so that they can succeed.  An example of this is a student who asked a thousand questions a day and melted down frequently.  This was a student who we felt should go to Algebra 1 as an 8th grader.  Nicole came up with a method that allowed this student to focus questions and almost totally eliminated meltdowns.  The end result is that this child is currently in Algebra 1 and very successful.  I would love to see some recognition for this kind of dedication.

Rania Hammoud
Discovery Middle School
6th Grade Social Studies

I can't think of anyone who deserves it more.  I would bet money she spends more of her personal time in workshops than any other teacher in the district, she is consistently willing to work on several committees at one time, she is sought out by administration at the building and district levels because she is a diligent, trustworthy and respected employee and, most of all, she is an amazing teacher with only the best in mind and practice for her students. Her students adore her and it's because they are learning from her. They learn Geography and more because she is a holistic educator who truly cares about every child in her care. She has pioneered the Diversity Council at Discovery with more members than any other activity in the building.  Her colleagues admire and trust her, AND seek her out for guidance. I'm sure there are things I've left out, but it's a start. When I grow up, I want to be just like her!

Sara Wisniewski
Canton High School
10th Grade

Sara is incredibly dedicated to her students. She spends her passing time helping with past and current students. Many of her students come back and see her from prior years because she has built such a strong relationship with them. She is constantly trying new ways to make the material more fun or engaging for her students. She encourages her students to use their higher thinking skills to approach many problems.

Cara Wegrzyn
Bird Elementary
Grade 5

Cara is a proactive teacher who looks out for the individual needs of ALL students.  She extends diversity past just race, but values the individualism of all her students. Students competed in the Lego Robotics competition under the guidance of Mrs. Wegrzyn.  She met with the group on Tuesdays for three hours, Thursdays for two hours AND ON WEEKENDS - Saturdays AND Sundays!!!  She started meetings with the group during summer vacation before school even started.  The competition was this past weekend, so she has devoted this time for three months.  She has children of her own, works full time and I thought she went way above and beyond.