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Renton Teachers Receive Ahead of the Class
Awards
Ceremony set for Tuesday,
May 3, 7 p.m. at the Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center at
Renton High School
Six individuals and one team of
outstanding Renton teachers will be recognized as the winners
of the Greater Renton Chamber of Commerce Ahead of the Class,
Excellence In Education Awards at a ceremony Tuesday, May 3
from 7:00 - 9:00 pm at the Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center
and Renton High School Commons, located at 400 S 2nd in Renton.
The
winners are:
Each individual or team of teachers,
who demonstrate high standards of professionalism in education,
will receive a $500 cash award at the award ceremony that
is free and open to the public.
A selection committee chose
the finalists from a pool of nominees who submitted an application,
and a team of judges conducted interviews to choose the winners.
Over 40 teachers from throughout the Renton area were nominated
as individuals or as part of a team. The selection criteria
for naming the award winners are based on national standards
for teaching.
The "Ahead of the Class" award
program is a partnership between the Greater Renton Chamber
of Commerce, Renton public and private schools, and businesses.
It is part of the Chamber's effort to provide individuals,
businesses, and organizations the opportunity to invest in
a brighter and better tomorrow for our young people. The program's
aim is to enhance community awareness of the excellence of
education in Renton.
The program also provides an opportunity
for community partners to show their support for education
and our valuable teachers. The Award ceremony is free to the
public thanks to this year's "Ahead
of the Class" sponsors.
Presenting Sponsor: Foresters
Corporate
Sponsors: The Lakeshore Retirement Community, Marcie Maxwell
Windermere Realtor, McLendon Hardware, Renton Technical College,
Wizards of the Coast; Reception Sponsors: King & Bunny's
Appliances, Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits, US Healthworks;
Entertainment
Sponsors: City Kids Child Care,
SECO Development and special thanks to the Renton School District.
2005 Ahead of the Class Award Winners
Information
Julia Buller:
4th grade, Maplewood Heights Elementary
First time winner of
both individual and team Ahead of the Class Awards!
Pioneered a creative "favorite author" unit in her classroom, in
which students learned the structure of Native American folktales and how to
write their own. Of this, she says, "The success of this activity was
that it allowed each student the opportunity to learn about a famous author
while being exposed to Native American history and culture all within the context
of folktales".
Chris Burcham: 5th grade, Sierra
Heights Elementary
As a firm believer in giving students opportunities to learn
using multiple modes of intelligence, Burcham is passionate
about her Mayflower project in which students build a miniature
ship to carry them across the ocean. This hands-on project
helps students who may not have strong reading and writing
skills succeed in their education through tactile tasks.
Jim
Magnuson: 6th - 8th grade Physical Education, McKnight Middle
School
Works with developmentally disabled and autistic 6th through
8th grade students to get them active, develop hand-eye coordination,
follow directions and work cooperatively with others. One
favorite activity with his students is the Hokey Pokey, which
is not only fun and familiar, but requires them to remember
hand and foot movement, singing and clapping, and their right
from left sides.
Sandy Sanford: 6th grade Science,
McKnight Middle School
Lead her students in a lesson called "Giving Bacteria the Brush-off",
where students investigated the bacteria in their mouths before and after brushing
their teeth. After analyzing data, students found that the amount of bacteria
related to how long they brushed their teeth and if they rinsed afterwards.
This valuable lesson not only taught science in a fun way, but also changed
dental habits!
Rebecca Shepherd: 9th - 12th grade
US History and Debate, Renton High School
Coaches Renton High's WA state champion speech and debate team.
Also teaches project-based History classes in which students
are allowed to choose topics of interest within set parameters,
allowing them to find a subject that they relate to and which
they are interested in pursuing. "I felt that if they
could learn a little about themselves, while learning history, they would be
more motivated to succeed in the course in the future."
Lance Winmill:
9th and 12th grade biology, Renton High School
Has written numerous grants, providing over $10,000, eight computers, a digital
camcorder and an LCD projector to Renton High School. Students are able
to use this technology to perform advanced experiments, collect and analyze
data and interpret results. Currently working on a DNA investigation in
which students will extract, copy and analyze their own DNA and compare with
other students.
Julia Buller,
Linda DeCample, Heidi McNamee, and Todd Snyder: 4th grade team,
Maplewood Heights This team of 4th grade teachers recognizes
their diversity as a team, and says, "We acknowledge
our commonalities, and our differences become important elements
in how we model team work, respect, professionalism, a cooperative
spirit, and community for our students." As a team they
provide opportunities for their students to act as the "teacher" in
buddy and mentor relationships with primary grades, and focus
on current events across the globe, with lessons and activities
on US troops in Iraq, the seismic activity of Mt. St. Helens,
the Presidential elections, and a 4th grade class in Mexico. |
