Celebrating Excellence in Education!
CONTINUED - 2018 TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS
Rachel Ricker, 2nd Grade Teacher, Verde Elementary School
As an educator, Ms. Ricker’s mindset is that it is up to the teacher and teacher
leadership to help students succeed. She has led Verde Elementary School through
a few pedagogical shifts that have led to a more concise and transparent instruction
not only in her classroom, but across the school as well. Her role as a leader has
influenced an increase in amount of students meeting or exceeding standards in
literacy as measured by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. She holds an
expectation that all of her students will attend college, and any one of her students
will be able to inform you on the University they would like to attend!
Elizabeth Sanders, High School Teacher, De Anza High School
Ms. Sanders classroom routines are not just ways to simply manage her class; they are
opportunities for her students to share personal talents, or to contribute something
meaningful to the class community. As an educator she holds herself accountable
to many responsibilities: she leads professional development for new and veteran
teachers, and supports and leads the leadership team of the school alongside the
principal. She also serves as an instructional leader on campus, by inspiring other
teachers to speak a certain enthusiasm for the profession to their own students. This
has and continues to contribute to creating a culture of success.
Jessie Welcomer, 5th Grade Teacher, Montalvin Manor Elementary School
Ms. Welcomer is incredibly patient and kind hearted with her students who
show a variety of learning needs and traumatic backgrounds. She is an expert
at using data to drive instruction, and has had students lead conferences this
past year as she is starting to release more responsibilities of education onto her
developing students. She also connects the bridge between school and home
by communicating learning to parents and families. This is essential as student’s
progress to high school as well as college.
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