NYC dance teacher Sherry Fass garners 2023 Big Apple Award

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Middle school dance teacher Sherry Fass has garnered a 2023 Big Apple Award from New York City Public Schools. Photo Credit: Sherry Fass

There are many fine educators working in public schools in New York City. One of these, Sherry Fass, a middle school dance instructor, has garnered a 2023 Big Apple Award for her work in the classroom.

Sherry teaches at Louis Armstrong Middle School (IS 227), where she has taught dance for the past three years. In her classroom, she creates an environment where her students are independent learners and work well together. She prioritizes building student confidence, especially during the practice of the dances they are learning.

In addition to her work in the school, this honored educator works closely with the Dept. of Education (DOE) as a Big Apple Fellow, an Arts Liaison for the Queens DOE Dance Educators organization, a mentor to DOE Dance Educators in the Curriculum Development and Support Program, and an adjudicator for the Queens Borough Arts Festival. Through her extensive work in the DOE, Sherry has built partnerships with the Paul Taylor Dance Company, the Amy Marshall Dance Company, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ballet Hispanico, and several artists from Symphony Space. She is also an Adjunct Instructor at Hofstra University in the Dance Education Department. And for nine years, from 2013 to 2022, she worked part-time at the Rosalind Academy of Dance in Oakdale. As a performer, Sherry has danced in competition settings, university theatres, private venues, and most recently, Radio City Music Hall.

Sherry has also contributed to her community. She developed, organized, and hosted a fundraiser for students enrolled in the Young Autism Program at Developmental Disabilities Institute at Skydive Long Island in 2008 and again in 2009. Through this effort, she raised $4,500 in 2008 and $5,500 in 2009 to benefit the Young Autism Program Charitable Foundation.

Sherry earned her  first Bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology with an emphasis in Behavior Analysis from St. Joseph’s College, New York, in 2009. She earned a second Bachelor’s degree in Dance Education from Hofstra University in 2018. She earned her Master’s degree in Dance Education from New York University in 2021.

Here are some funny April Fool’s Day pranks to play on your students

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Looking for some funny pranks to play on your students on April Fool’s Day? Something new that you haven’t done before? Your students will enjoy a harmless April Fool’s prank because they provide a break from their normal, more serious routine. A funny prank signals that the teacher loves to put some humor into the serious business of learning. Get in on the fun on April 1 with one (or more!) of these good-natured pranks.

Humorous Announcements:

Make humorous announcements every hour on the hour. These could be fictionalized scenarios or jokes. For example, “I’ve just received word that everything for lunch will be pickle-themed. Banana pudding, banana smoothies, and meatloaf with banana.” If your students ask why the day is banana-themed, you could answer,  “Because students find bananas very a-peeling!”

The Old Lollipop Switcher

For this April Fools’ prank, simply unwrap a spherical-shaped lollipop such as (Dum-Dums), replace the candy inside with a Brussels sprout, and then re-wrap the treat to present to your unsuspecting students. After you have all had a good laugh, celebrate with real lolliepops.

The Old Fake Foot Exam Gambit:

For your elementary school students, tell your class you are having a visit from the school nurse, who will conduct a foot exam. By now, students have participated in numerous health exams, such as hearing tests or eye exams. Today, they will have a “foot exam.” For this drill, tell the students to take off their shoes and socks, roll up their pants, and sit on top of their desks. Then they have to clean their feet in a very specific manner. Make it as silly as you dare. They can spend several minutes  on their desks, while you compliment their feet, before you tell them “April Fools!”

Want more suggestions?

Want some more suggestions? Click on this link to 17 humorous pranks published by We Are Teachers.

 

 

Elizabeth Curtis named a 2024 inductee into the University of Alabama Hall of Fame

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Retired elementary school teacher and principal Elizabeth Curtis of Alabama has been named a 2024 inductee into the University of Alabama Hall of Fame. Photo Credit: University of Alabama

Many exceptional educators have made the teaching profession their life’s work. Elizabeth Curtis, an elementary school teacher from Alabama, is one of these. For her dedication, she has just named as a 2024 inductee into the University of Alabama Hall of Fame.

In a career career that spanned more than 50 years, Elizabeth has taught multiple age levels, including preschool, elementary school, and community college. She inaugurated her career a an educator when she accepted a position as a first-grade teacher at Central Elementary School in Tuscaloosa. She also taught for a short time in Phenix City, Alabama, and in New Orleans. But in 1986, she returned to where her heart lay, in Tuscaloosa City Schools. She worked for a time as a second-grade teacher at Verner Elementary, but by 1990, she was the school’s Assistant Principal. Two years later, she was promoted to the position of  Principal. Under her leadership, Verner Elementary became the highest-performing school within the Tuscaloosa City Schools (TCS) system and the state. As a result, Elizabeth was recognized as the PTA Principal of the Year.

In 1998, the governor of Alabama selected Elizabeth’s school as one of several pilot schools for a new program called the Alabama Reading Initiative. The pilot program proved so successful that it was expanded gradually throughout the state. Today, the program is still ranked as the No. 1 reading program in the nation.

After serving 28 years at Verner Elementary, Elizabeth retired in 2019. But did she stop working to improve education? No! She went on to become the Director of the TCS Future Leaders Instructional Academy. Today, she continues to serve as a substitute for Tuscaloosa City principals, and she conducts exit interviews for TCS Human Resources. In 2021, Verner Elementary named its library in honor of the accomplished educator, recognizing her legacy as a teacher, a principal, and a beloved instructional leader.

Elizabeth earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Alabama in 1970. She earned her Master’s degree from the same institution. She has also been inducted into both Kappa Delta Pi International Honorary and Kappa Delta Epsilon.

To read more about Elizabeth Curtis, click on this link to the University of Alabama.

 

NV teacher Yamilet Lopez garners prestigious 2024 Milken Educator Award

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Nevada teacher Yamilet Lopez has garnered a prestigious 2024 Milken Educator Award. Photo Credit: Milken

Teachers all over the country are getting excited to learn that the winners of the prestigious 2024 Milken Awards are being announced. Today, I am excited to share the news that one of the recipients is Yamilet Lopez, an elementary school teacher from Nevada.

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.

Yamilet teaches kindergartners at Alice Maxwell School in Reno. There she develops hands-on, enriching instruction that not only prepares her students for the transition to first grade, but also equips them with language and vocabulary skills that surpass typical kindergarten standards. And the progress her students make is measurable. For example, by the end of the school year, her young students have mastered the entire alphabet, along with each letter’s sound, and they demonstrate the ability to compose short paragraphs. Always seeking new, exciting instructional strategies, Yamilet has developed a method called “spicy writing” to teach students how to add details to their narrative writing.

Yamilet also contributes to professional development. She has participated in the Department Chair Cohort through the Regional Professional Development Program (RPDP), where she plays a pivotal role in creating resources and webinars for teachers and promotes positive teacher and parent relationships within the district. Additionally, her involvement as a panelist for the school’s kindergarten town hall shows her dedication to connecting families to the program and ensuring sustained educational success for each child.

Yamilet earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Nevada, Reno, in 2012. She says she will use her prize money to finance a Master’s degree.