Author Archives: Terry Lee Marzell

About Terry Lee Marzell

Terry Lee Marzell holds a bachelor's degree in English from Cal State Fullerton and a master's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Cal State San Bernardino. She also holds a certificate for Interior Design Level 1 from Mt. San Antonio College. She has been an educator in the Corona Norco Unified School District for more than 30 years.

PE teacher Sheila Peterson named 2024 North Dakota Teacher of the Year

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Middle school physical education teacher and athletics coach Sheila Peterson has been named North Dakota’s 2024 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Bismarck Public Schools

It is always my pleasure to share the story of an exceptional educator who has earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is Sheila Peterson, a physical education teacher from North Dakota. She has been named her state’s 2024 Teacher of the Year.

Sheila teaches physical education, English, and reading strategies at Wachter Middle School in Bismarck, North Dakota. She also serves as an athletics coach for the school’s basketball, volleyball, and track teams. She has worked at Wachter since 2010.

The honored educator has also served as a professional development trainer for teachers across the state. And she has been a part of the North Dakota Society of Health and Physical Educators Board for the past two years. Her career as an educator spans 22 years.

Sheila urges her fellow educators to have high expectations for all of their students. “Give them opportunity, even when you know they might let you down sometimes,” she counseled. “Think about how you can impact their lives and empower them to believe in the beauty of their dreams,” she continued. “Make sure every student has a person who believes in them without doubt, and cares enough top hold them to high expectations,” she concluded.

Her honor as the North Dakota Teacher of the Year is not the only recognition Sheila has earned. She was named Wachter Middle School Teacher of the Year in 2013, and the North Dakota Middle School Physical Educator of the Year in both 2017 and 2018.

Sheila earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education at the Dakota State University, Madison, in 2000. She earned her Master’s degree in Technology Education and Training from the University of South Dakota in 2006.

Teacher Justin Moreschi garners 2023 Teacher Achievement Award

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Elementary teacher Justin Moreschi has garnered a 2023 Teacher Achievement Award from the Kentucky State Department of Education. Photo credit: Klondike Elementary School

It is always my pleasure to share the story of an exceptional educator who has earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is Justin Moreschi, an elementary school teacher from Jefferson County, Kentucky. He has garnered a 2023 Teacher Achievement Award from the Kentucky State Department of Education.

Justin teaches science to students in grades four and five at Klondike Lane Elementary in Louisville. He also serves his school by advising Klondike’s Bluegrass Music Club and coaching the archery team. In a career that spans 16 years, he has been teaching at Klondike since 2007.

Justin chose science as his emphasis because, he says, he was exposed to the excitement of the subject as a child through his dad’s profession. “When I was a child, my father was an elephant trainer at the Louisville Zoo,” the honored educator reveals. “He instilled in me a love for animals at a very young age.” Once he graduated from college, he took a job at the same zoo where his father worked. Today, he shares his love for science by exposing his students to different animal species. “It is incredibly important for children to develop a nurturing sense of appreciation for animals to ensure their continued existence,” he asserts.

Now as an educator leader, Justin encourages his colleagues to hold on to what inspires them to teach. “The inspiration to teach has come to all of us in countless ways, events, and processes,” he declares. “Seizing this opportunity of teaching will change your life in ways you could never imagine,” he says.

Justin earned his Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Behavior Disorders from Bellarmine University. He earned his Master’s degree in Education from Indiana University Southeast. He completed the requirements for his Specialist in Education degree, Gifted Education and Talent Development, from Western Kentucky University.

 

NH educator Catherine Fiske advanced the cause of education for girls in early 19th-century America

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Catherine Fiske, an innovative educator from New England, advanced the cause of education for girls during the early 19th century. Photo credit: Public Domain

There are many outstanding educators who advanced the cause of education for girls in the early years of our nation’s history. One of these was Catherine Fiske, an innovative teacher from New England who taught in New Hampshire during the early 19th century.

Catherine was born on July 30, 1784, in Worcester, Massachusetts. Even at a young age, she was a voracious reader. She attended public schools in her home village, until her family relocated to Vermont when she was 12 years old.

Catherine inaugurated her career as a teacher when she was only 15 years old. She taught in public or district schools throughout Vermont, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. As a teacher, Catherine was well-liked in her schools for her integrity and dignity, but she was also stern and reserved, and she commanded respect. After demonstrating her exceptional skills with classroom management, she became a permanent teacher in Keene, New Hampshire.

In May, 1814, after a career as a teacher that had already spanned 15 years, Catherine purchased a building on a large farm in Keene, New Hampshire. There she established Miss Catherine Fiske’s Young Ladies Seminary. The school was the first of its kind in the state, and only the second like it in the country.

At her school, Catherine enrolled both day students and boarding scholars. At one time, she even opened a class of boys as day students. One year, between 80 and 100 students were enrolled. It has been estimated that more than 2,500 young people became her students over the 38 years the school was open.

With an enrollment so large, Catherine employed and supervised a staff of highly-qualified teachers to help her with instruction. She also ran the household and managed the farm, overseeing every detail. She did this even though her health was frail, and she was in pain much of the time.

Catherine was well-known for her acute business acumen. She charged $50 per term for each student. For younger students, this fee included instruction in reading, writing, English grammar, arithmetic, history, geography., and needle work. For older students, she included courses in politics, rhetoric, philosophy, theology, chemistry, botany, algebra, geometry, and Latin. For an additional fee, students could receive instruction in music, drawing, and painting.

Catherine Fiske passed away in 1837. She was only 53 years old. Following her death, a monument was erected to her memory in Keene.

 

AR teacher Ashley Anderson garners coveted Milken Educator Award

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Arkansas middle school teacher Ashley Anderson has garnered a coveted 2023 Milken Educator Award. Photo credit: Milken Educator Awards

Many outstanding teachers who work in our nation’s public schools deserve recognition. One of them is Ashley Anderson, a middle school teacher from Greenbriar, Arkansas. She has garnered a prestigious 2023 Milken Educator Award.

Teacher Magazine has described the Milken Educator Awards as the “Oscars of Teaching.” In addition to a $25,000 cash prize and public recognition, the honor includes membership in the National Milken Educator Network, a group of more than 3,000 exemplary teachers, principals, and specialists from all over the country who work together to strengthen best practices in education. To learn more, click on Milken Educator Awards.

Ashley teaches English to six graders at Greenbriar Middle School. A creative and innovative educator, she designed a unique sixth-grade course based on the RISE model (Resilient in Schools and Educators). Her curriculum resulted in amazing growth in her students on classroom assessments. Furthermore, Ashley works collaboratively with Special Education teachers on her campus to ensure the curriculum is accessible and challenging for all her learners. Her inclusive strategies are used throughout Greenbrier Middle School. And just to give her students an extra layer of support, she volunteers many unpaid hours in her school’s after school tutoring program.

Student success is the driving factor of much of Ashley’s energy. Each year, she assists in the coordination of the Greenbrier Games, an Olympic-style event that gets students excited about upcoming testing. She also decorates floats for family and community night, and sends encouraging pre-testing videos to staff, students, and families. She organizes “Walk in My Shoes” nights, during which fifth graders come to the school to meet teachers, tour the school, and learn more about their upcoming middle school transition.

In addition to her work with youngsters, Ashley mentors first-year teachers, and she is an active member of the district’s leadership team, curriculum committee, and literacy Professional Learning Community (PLC).

Ashley earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Arkansas Tech University in 2018.