Teacher of the Year
Janet Boehme

Reading Specialist

First Year Teacher of the Year
Michelle Burell

Second Grade

Making the transition from classroom teacher to curriculum specialist is not easy, but Mrs. Boehme exemplifies what it means to be a good reading specialist. After obtaining her Bachelor of Arts Degree, Mrs. Boehme entered the profession as a classroom teacher, but her passion for reading accompanied by her desire to effect students of multiple grade levels prompted her to return to school and get her Master of Arts Degree in Reading . Mrs. Boehme has spent the last three years designing and implementing a reading and language arts program that is intended to meet the needs of the youngest struggling readers as well as those of the intermediate TAKS failures she services. Her work with the At Risk population has helped to close the achievement gap within multiple targeted subgroups. Mrs. Boehme mentors teachers both new to the profession as well as to the district. A fellow colleague states, "She took me under her wing and taught me by example, word and deed how to assess and target instruction at a beginning reading level." Mrs. Boehme has conducted multiple staff developments in which staff members are coached on new and innovative ways to teach reading and writing skills to a diverse group of learners.

Mrs. Boehme is an active member of the Association of Texas Professional Educators as well as the International Reading Association. She actively participates in district reading meetings and events and is well respected amongst her fellow reading specialists in the district.

Committed, compassionate, and knowledgeable are often the adjectives used by fellow colleagues and staff members who work with Mrs. Boehme. She views her job as so much more than helping struggling readers; she is dedicated, and strives to instill the love and value of reading back into the students she teaches. A first grade teacher comments, "She places student needs first by using her extra time to find books of interest, books on tape, or student level material which will not only improve the students' technical abilities, but more importantly engage the student in meaningful learning opportunities." The campus benefits from her knowledge and expertise by her use of "real reading" of quality trade books to excite students who are frustrated with the decoding process. A fourth grade teacher said, "Each and every day, Janet gets students excited about topics that link ideas to text and make reading personally enjoyable."

Mrs. Boehme truly believes in child centered, valuable activities and will go out of her way to ensure teachers on the campus know how to deliver this type of instruction to their students. Another peer states, "Her patience in training teachers is truly genuine. She has a heart felt way of working with all teachers, especially new teachers."

Mrs. Boehme's generosity extends far beyond her campus and district positions. She recently helped organize a special family adoption program in which a struggling family was adopted by a group of teachers who provided clothes, books, toys and food for them during the holiday season. As an avid runner, she can often be found participating in marathons in and around the San Antonio area, including events for breast cancer and diabetes awareness.

Michelle Burell exhibits excellent teaching practices which are evident in the amount of hours she spends creating and developing lessons that not only cover the academic standards, but that excite her students and create an environment in which children strive to know more. She consistently displays a positive attitude and is always eager to implement new learning ideas and techniques in her classroom. Visiting Ms. Burell's classroom is an absolute pleasure. Students are consistently engaged in cooperative learning activities in which they are encouraged to discover their own individual understanding through interaction and discussion with peers and varied manipulatives.

Ms. Burell makes the effort to build relationships with every student who enters her classroom. She has the unique ability to give each child the individual time and attention required to give students the sense of security they need to be able to take risks in the classroom and express their ideas and questions. Ms. Burell respects her students and makes them feel as if they are a valued commodity in the classroom. This level of respect transcends beyond her relationship with them and extends to the relationships they create and maintain with the other children in her classroom. Students are often heard "phoning a friend" to ask for assistance with a lesson concept. This climate of learning together and from each other was established with the guidance and example set forth by Ms. Burell.

Ms. Burell has a magnetic personality, which in turn makes her easy to talk to. She communicates with parents weekly through her newsletter which she posts online and distributes to students. Parents can read about the lessons that are being covered that week in all subject areas and special requests and events that are coming up are also posted on this weekly bulletin. Ms. Burell effectively communicates with her team as well as other faculty and staff members on campus. Her mentor comments, "Michelle is often the one at team meetings who brings up creative lesson ideas and suggestions for technology implementation in the classroom. We turn to her for help with our technology projects!" Ms. Burell makes it a point to promote ongoing communication with faculty, parents, and most importantly students. She is more than willing to meet with any and all stakeholders at times which extend beyond the school day and will often rearrange her schedule to meet the needs of those who need to talk with her.

Like most effective educators, first year or otherwise, Ms. Burell exhibits a passion and love of the teaching profession. At such an early stage in her career however, Michelle has mastered the concept of building relationships with her students and understands better than most how effective this technique can be when trying to teach children. The bond she creates with each of her students is based on the pure desire to make a difference in the lives of kids. In this under appreciated profession, Ms. Burell should be recognized for teaching her students not only what is presented in the district curriculum, but also life lessons which reflect an understanding of their unique place in this world.