SEATTLE — A high school librarian from Vancouver, Wash., who is known for inspiring students and teachers to find new ways to include technology in learning, is Washington state’s 2012 teacher of the year, state officials announced Monday.
Mark Ray is a librarian, technology coach and education cheerleader at Skyview High School in Vancouver. For most of his nearly 20 years as a teacher librarian, Ray has worked in the same school district where his father taught and his mother served lunch.
His supervisors praise Ray for his creativity and leadership, saying he ignited enthusiasm for student research and for creative uses of technology among both students and staff.
“He is a passionate innovator,” said Skyview Principal Kym Tyelyn-Carlson. She noted that not only did Ray change the way her school works with technology but he reinvented himself and his job at the same time.
Unlike other school districts across the nation that are laying off their librarians in answer to budget cuts, the Vancouver School District has kept its teacher librarians and Ray is one of the people credited with helping them transition into school technology leaders.
Lisa Greseth, manager of information and instructional technology for the district, said technology is part of the district’s 21st Century learning priorities, but she says Ray makes those priorities into more than just words.
“He truly inspires and challenges teachers to think differently,” Greseth said.
For example, Ray has led his school in piloting an initiative called BYOD or “bring your own device,” which helps students and teachers make educational use of any kind of gadget they bring from home, including cellphones and game systems. He also coaches tennis and brings pop culture ideas like vampires into his lesson plans.
Ray said it’s critical for teachers to look into the future and help students find their path, but there’s still more to do.
“We’re here well into the 21st Century and there is a lot we’re not doing to help students,” he said, adding that his goals are to save jobs, reimagine programs and help kids learn.
In accepting his award, Ray expressed his appreciation for his fellow teachers of the year finalists — eight people representing the other Washington education regions — and gave a cheer for his own school district, which he said is doing “amazing things for kids.”
The other finalists were John Hagney of Lewis & Clark High School in Spokane; Beth Mahugh of John Campbell Elementary in the Selah School District; Lynne Olmos of Mossyrock Junior High and High School; Mindy Eisele of Olympic High School in the Central Kitsap School District; Julie Trout of Gatewood Elementary in Seattle; Jaime Silva of Longfellow Elementary in Pasco; Brad Soliday of Manson High School in Manson; and Tammy Buss Alejandre of Eagleridge Elementary in the Ferndale School District.
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