Nebraska’s Diane Biere earns Staples “Thank a Teacher” Award

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Middle School teacher Diane Biere of Hastings, Nebraska, was one of 20 educators nationally who earned a Staples Thank a Teacher Award.  (Photo credit: Hastings Public Schools)

Here is an outstanding educator from the state of Nebraska: Diane Biere, an English teacher who works at Hastings Middle School in Hastings, Nebraska. Diane was one of 20 educators nationwide to receive a Staples Thank a Teacher Award. Each of the 20 winning teachers received a $5,000 gift card to purchase supplies for their classroom.

Diane has a reputation for ensuring her students feel empowered, for bringing out the best in others, and for helping them be the best version of themselves. She served as the advisor for the school’s Poetry Club, organizing poetry readings outside of school hours, all of this for no additional pay.

Not only does she pour her energy into her students, but she also contributes to her community. When Covid-19 closed down the school last spring, Diane provided meals for students and their families. She also delivered gifts to her students at the end of the school year. She also donated many volunteer hours at the middle school garden. Over the summer, she spent a great deal of her time creating lesson plans and teaching migrant students in her district.

A native cornhusker, Diane graduated from Hebron High School. After her high school graduation, she attended the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, from 1962 to 1964, and University of California at Berkeley from 1964 to 1967.

To read more about Diane and the other national winners, see this link to the Staples Connect website.

 

The extraordinary Sybil Plumlee: Teacher, police officer, and author

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Former teacher and Portland, Oregon, pioneering police officer and author Sybil Plumlee (Photo Credit: Betty Barker of Hearst Publications)

Many fine educators also pursue careers outside of the classroom. One of these was Sybil Plumlee, an Oregon teacher who also earned acclaim as a police officer specializing in the Portland Women’s Protective Division.

Sybil was born April 29, 1911, in Seattle, Washington. When she was a young girl, her family moved to Portland, Oregon. There she attended from Jefferson High School. After her graduation from high school in 1930, she earned her Bachelor’s degree from Oregon Normal School, now known as Western Oregon University. Once she earned her degree, Sybil accepted a position as a school teacher in a one-room schoolhouse located in Clarno, Oregon. Later, during world War II, she worked as an educator with the Ellis Mining Company in Bourne, Oregon.

In 1946, the former school teacher competed against 300 applicants to fill one vacant position on the local police force, an organization predominantly male-oriented. In fact, Sybil is recognized as a pioneer in the law enforcement field. She served in the unit known as the women’s Protective Division, and worked on cases involving child abuse, rape, and domestic violence. Her service on that unit spanned from 1947 to 1967.

In addition to her careers as an educator and a police office, Sybil was a published author. When she was 96 years of age, she published a collection of family stories and history entitled Stories of Hester Ann Bolin Harvey and Her Family. She also wrote Badge 357, an unpublished memoir of her career on the police force.

This amazing educator passed away on January 6, 2012. She was 100 years old. To read more about Sybil Plumlee, see her obituary published by The Oregonian.

 

Maryland teacher Barbara Kreamer served in House of Delegates

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Maryland English and Creative Writing teacher Barbara Kreamer also served in her state’s House of Delegates.

Often exceptional educators become hardworking politicians. One of these is Barbara Kreamer, a Maryland English teacher who also served in her state’s House of Delegates.

Barbara was born on December 8, 1948. As a young woman, she earned her Bachelor’s degree from Washington College in 1970. She earned her Master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1975.

After earning her college degrees, Barbara accepted a position as a teacher of English and Creative Writing at Bel Air High School, a public school located in Bel Air, Maryland. She taught there from 1971 to 1976.

After leaving the classroom, Barbara enrolled at the University of Maryland School of Law, where she earned her Juris Doctorate in 1989. Then she practiced law for 14 years. In 1981, Barbara was elected on the Democratic ticket to the Maryland House of Delegates, where she served from 1982 to 1990. She also served on the Harford County Council from 1978 to 1982. While on the County Council, she persuaded her fellow elected leaders to increase funding for public education. Next, the former teacher was elected to two terms of the Maryland General Assembly, representing District 34, Harford County. She served there from 1983 until 1991. While in this office, she sponsored legislation to support education and employment.

In addition to her responsibilities in office, Barbara served on the Maryland Commission for Women and Maryland Women’s Political Caucus. She also served as the President of the Maryland Association of Elected Women in 1985. In addition, Barbara garnered awards from both the Maryland Psychologists Association and the Maryland Jousting Association.

Currently, Barbara Kreamer is retired from the classroom and from politics. She resides in Aberdeen, Maryland. To read more about this Chalkboard Champion, see this interview published by the Baltimore Sun.