2. And the Nominees are…

4. Mrs. Whiteside is positive, patient, creative, and genuinely cares about all of her students. Students in her class are always happy and excited about what they are learning. She looks at each child as an individual and loves them regardless of how difficult they might be to teach. She has a great sense of humor, is at ease with parents and staff, but also shows that she is knowledgeable about children and education.

5. Amy D'Eloia has an evident, profound passion for teaching children. She has stated more than once, "I would teach for free." She connects and instills a love for learning in her students. Amy is a wonderful role model not only for her students but also to other teachers in the school. Amy is a fabulous teacher! She always has great ideas, and brings such a unique and fun way of doing things to the first grade team.

6. Andrea Smith is a humble, dedicated professional who often goes above and beyond to meet the needs of her diverse students. She easily adapts and modifies curriculum in fun and innovative ways to capture students interests and has excellent communication skills with both students and parents. She not only puts in endless hours planning and preparing outside of school but she often works through her lunch in order to do what's best for her students. Andrea oozes passion and an enjoyment for teaching and no matter how off the wall or socially inappropriate one of her students is acting, she can deal with him/her in a calm and caring manner. I feel that there is no one more deserving for Teacher of the Year than Andrea Smith!

7. Becky offers a very structured, but caring environment for her students. Also, her leadership effectively guides and supports the whole fifth grade team. Becky is kind-hearted too which makes her a perfect role model for both students and teachers alike. You will see Becky conferencing with students, one on one, to help them develop their papers/projects. This individual attention is important especially for students who really struggle with organizing their thoughts and ideas. You may also see Becky allowing her students to work in small groups where they share their ideas and colaborate towards common goals.

8. Claire is a great teacher! She models, differentiates, guides, and encourages all of her students. She reaches out to help other teachers, and she is respectful to all. When you visit her class you will see students engaged in meaningful work, her working with students, and lots of evidence (sample charts) of modeled mini lessons.

9. Courtney, even though she is still considered a baby teacher, performs as though she has been teaching for a lifetime. She is fearless in her teaching. She is never afraid to try something new and innovative. She is also never too busy to help out a less patient colleague. Courtney has a true gift for teaching. Her ideas and teaching models are appealing to the children she teaches and very effective in providing many avenues of inspiration and love for learning. She's a team player and is always willing to help out other staff members. She has great energy and knows how to light the spark in her students.

10. Ms. Drew is the best art teacher that I have ever met! She also spends some of her time each day helping out students with reading. Drew Brown is a dedicated teacher who is able to make artists of all the students she works with. Drew's involvement in the community is evident by her fabulous Award Winning floats in the Roswell Youth Day Parade; her Art Night involvement at Sweet Apple where each student has their own personal artwork framed and displayed; Drew has also been instrumental at getting student artwork displayed at local businesses throughout the year. Drew does so much to develop our student's interest in art. She is always professional and works very hard. She is such an asset to Sweet Apple!

11. Heather continues her passion of integrating technology in the classroom by now spending her Thursdays in others' classrooms doing the same thing. She is an inspiration with her passion for everything teaching. "Lots of creative teacher pay teacher interactive bulletin boards. Heather attempts to integrate technology into every lesson, even if it's something low tech"

12. J essica is a great teacher! She models, differentiates, guides, and encourages all of her students. Jessica is very sweet and loving toward her students. She always has unique and interesting work displayed outside of her classroom… She actively leads her team, and is respectful to all. She works very hard to make sure that all kids love school and succeed. Jessica makes sure that the needs of all of her students are met. She differentiates and tries new ideas and strategies when necessary. She is also willing to work with other teachers and share her ideas and experiences to help all students succeed.

13. This teacher is an awesome person. Everything she does in her teaching is a direct reflection of the kind of person she is. She is very understanding, fair, sweet, has a lot of patience, is very educated in her studies. Katia cares deeply for her students and is a hard worker. She brings the best out of her students, and treats them with respect while showing them that they are winners. Katia also uses positive reinforcements to get them to do their best. Lastly, Katia is friendly to co-workers, and is always willing to share what she knows teaching wise with others. She is a one of kind teacher that shows what teaching is supposed to be like and is a role model for teachers and students alike.

14. Pam's qualities are many. She is kind, understanding, patient, firm, humorous and helpful. The children in her class love her. They all feel special and cared for. Pam is also a very dedicated teacher. She arrives early most days and works late often. Because of the makeup of her class (4 grade levels), Pam has to come up with 4 lesson plans a week for herself and me! She also implements special accommodations for 2 of her students making sure that they can be successful. Pam is always searching for fun, new ideas to engage her students and SAE is very fortunate to have her as a teacher. What an awesome teacher Pam is!