School Winners
Published 2:50 pm Sunday, July 19, 2015
Teachers honored for summer reading camp
Lori Johnson and Kathy Salmi, teachers at Frank Wagner Elementary School, were honored in June with the Monroe School District’s 2015 Student Achievement Award for their creation and implementation of the Frank Wagner Summer School program, a camp that aims to prevent the loss of reading skills over the summer.
“Of the kids who came on a regular basis, 81 percent of those kids maintained or increased their scores,” Principal Vicki Berard said.
Granite Falls District honors top staff
Kim Krom, a retiring Granite Falls School District custodian, was named the Classified Employee of the Year for 2014-15. Krom was with the district for 23 years and started volunteering at the school even before that.
“Kim’s positive attitude makes everyone around her feel good. She is an extremely hard worker and always goes the extra mile,” Superintendent Linda Hall said.
Olga Litz, a Mountain Way Elementary kindergarten teacher, was named the Certificated Employee of the Year.
“Students in Middle School and High School still claim Ms. Litz as their favorite teacher,” Hall said. “The Fiesta, at the end of the year, is an event where graduating seniors come back and talk about their future. She instills hope.”
Brier teacher earns national honor
Gail Yampol, a veteran kindergarten teacher from Brier Elementary School, has been recognized with the 2016 National Education Association Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence.
As an award winner, Yampol will have the opportunity to participate in the NEA Foundation’s Global Learning Fellowship, which will culminate in a 10-day field study in Peru in mid-June of 2016.
Brier Elementary will receive $650 from the NEA Foundation.
A ceremony is planned for February in Washington D.C.
Sky Valley wins awards
Sky Valley Education Center drew several awards at a recent Model United Nations contest, including Outstanding Delegation.
Emily Parry and Connor Cheney each won both Distinguished Delegate and Outstanding Position Paper awards. Also winning Outstanding Position Paper honors were Lauren Miller, Aidan Emmons, Nora Cyra and Olivia Stratton. Other members of the Model UN team were Sydni Anderson, Alexandra Ash, Samantha Hastings, Emily Martin, Natalie Parry and Frances Scott-Weis.
Mukilteo honors staff with Lighthouse awards
Kamiak High School’s Bill Costello, an English teacher, and Lou Farthing, the accounting technician, were honored as recipients of the second semester Lighthouse Award, the highest honor that can be bestowed on a Mukilteo School District employee.
Band teacher honored by festival group
Chris Angelos, band and orchestra teacher at Mariner High School, was honored as outstanding music educator by the WorldStrides Heritage Performance Program. His students have won multiple gold and silver awards at the organization’s music festivals over the past 10 years, performed last year at Carnegie Hall in New York City, and won both gold and silver awards earlier this year when the concert band, jazz band and orchestra participated in the Anaheim Heritage Festival.
ELL teacher honored by Rotary Club
Marsha Scott, a Mountlake Terrace Elementary School teacher, was named the Rotary Club of Alderwood-Terrace Educator of the Month for May. Scott, who also works at Brier Elementary and Madrona School, is an English language learners instructor. “She drives her students toward success in the most gentle and supportive way — it’s art in action,” Principal Doug Johnson wrote in a nomination letter.
Everett PTSA Council names 4 winners
The 2015 Everett PTSA Council award winners are Marion Gillins (Golden Acorn), Joseph Jackson (Outstanding Student Advocate), Lynn Lahey (Outstanding Educator), and Sgt. Tim Reeves (Outstanding Advocate).
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