Tag Archives: Elementary Teachers

CA teacher Alex Friedrichs publishes award-winning children’s book

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Elementary school teacher Alex Friedrichs of California has written a children’s book that has garnered a Parents’ Pick Award. Photo credit: Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

Many outstanding classroom teachers achieve success as authors. One of these is Alex Friedrichs, an elementary school teacher from Menifee, California. He has written and published a children’s book that has garnered a Parents’ Pick Award!

Alex’s book, entitled Sweet Rescue, is a story about a caterpillar named Hungry Joe. When the caterpillar falls into a pie, his sister, Becky Butterfly, spearheads a major rescue effort. Once he is safe, Hungry Joe declares that he’s still hungry. The tale was was inspired by Alex’s experience competing with his former students on the game show Play-Doh Squished. A former instructional aide at the school, Kayne Carter, illustrated the volume. Sweet Rescue, recommended for children between the ages of 3 and 6, can be purchased on amazon.com.

Sweet Rescue earned the Parents’ Pick Award for 2025 because of its high entertainment value and its universal themes about teamwork and sibling love. The Parents’ Picks Award is the leading national program recognizing products approved by parents.

Alex teaches third graders at Callie Kirkpatrick Elementary School. He has worked as an educator for the past 31 years. He is unusual among elementary school teachers: he is a man. In fact, in 2025, CareerExplorer reported that only 13% of elementary school teachers nationwide are male. Alex also uses unconventional instructional strategies. “My classroom is very unique,” he asserts. “It is extremely competitive, and we have competitive games going on throughout the day to keep the kids’ interest and attention,” he continues. “I tell parents every year that I have to compete with You Tube and Tic Tok, so my classroom is extremely interactive.”

Alex, now age 55, was raised in Riverside, California, where he attended schools in the Alford Unified School District. He earned his degrees from California Baptist University, a private school which he attended on a baseball scholarship.

 

WI Special Education teacher Lisa Van Hefty earns state honors

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Special Education teacher Lisa Van Hefty of Mishicot, Wisconsin, is one of five educators who have been named a 2026 State Teacher the Year. Photo credit: O. H. Elementary School

Lisa Van Hefty, an elementary Special Education teacher from Michicot, Wisconsin, is one of five educators throughout her state who have been named a 2026 Wisconsin State Teacher of the Year!

Lisa teaches at O. H. Elementary School in the School District of Mishicot. She has worked at the school for the entire length of her 27-year career. Throughout those years, Lisa has been a Chalkboard Champion for inclusive education and student advocacy, building strong, meaningful connections with her students, families, and colleagues. Among her co-workers, Lisa has earned a reputation for creating nurturing, student-centered learning environments that foster growth, independence, and confidence.

Lisa declares that her mission has always been simple: make every student feel valued. “Just include them. They are people just like us,” she asserts. “They want to be seen, they want to be heard, they want to be treated like everyone else. It’s our responsibility as citizens and community members to do that for them,” she continues.

Her colleagues say that Lisa goes to great lengths to provide a stable, encouraging learning environment for her students, ensuring they all receive appropriate and equitable lessons. She creates a sense of trust with the kids in her care and with their families to achieve educational goals that help them learn and thrive outside of the classroom. In addition, she mentors new teachers and helps them develop the necessary skills needed to become successful in their classrooms.

The Wisconsin Teacher of the Year awards are presented annually to five elementary, middle school, high school, and special services teachers who go above and beyond in their profession. The recognition comes with a $3,000 award.

Teacher Margaret Hale: She taught on the banks of the Ohio River

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There are many outstanding educators who have taught in public schools in the United States. One of them was Margaret Hale, an elementary school teacher who taught in a one-room schoolhouse on the banks of the Ohio River, says History Avenue.

Margaret was a widow when she opened her school in the 1830’s, in an area and in a time when many people believed that education was wasted on the poor children of loggers, farmers, and ferrymen. Every morning, she rang the iron bell that signaled the start of the school day, and barefoot boys and girls arrived with their well-worn slates and books.

Margaret taught her lessons by firelight in the winter and by lamplight in the spring. She taught them not only reading and arithmetic, but also dignity—reminding every one of her students that they carried the same worth as the son of the richest person in the village.
In 1833, cholera swept through the region, so Margaret converted her schoolhouse into an infirmary, nursing both students and their families with herbal remedies and boundless energy.

Though she never married again, Margaret always said her students filled her life. Many grew up to be doctors, lawyers, ministers, and even politicians. They all credited Miss Hale with inspiring them to go on to distinguished careers.

Long after Margaret Hale passed away, the little schoolhouse remained, its bell preserved as a reminder of the woman who believed knowledge was freedom.

Source: The History Avenue, https://the-history-avenue.eu/

NYC elem teacher Valerie Facciola garners 2025 Big Apple Award

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New York City elementary school teacher Valerie Facciola has garnered a 2025 Big Apple Award. Photo credit: Linked In

I always enjoy sharing the story of an outstanding educator who has earned recognition for their work with students in public schools. Today, I shine a spotlight on Valerie Facciola, an elementary school teacher from New York City. She has garnered a 2025 Big Apple Award from the New York City Department of Eduction.

Valerie has worked as a professional educator for 18 the past years. Currently she teaches at PS 21, Margaret Emery School in Elm Park. In her classroom, Valerie places emphasis on developing engaging curriculum, celebrating diversity, and having fun while learning.

On her campus, Valerie helped launch a Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education (CR-SE) book club at her school. In this book club, she and her colleagues studied Cultivating Genius by Dr. Gholdy Muhammad. After studying the book, Valerie developed lesson plans, led professional development workshops for fellow educators, and presented virtually at a citywide professional development session hosted by Dr. Muhammad herself.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Valerie has contributed to her school’s overall growth through her leadership on several teams, including the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT), the Assessment Team, the CR-SE team, and the campus Professional Learning Community. In addition, she recently completed the coursework for the School Building and District Leadership program.

Valerie earned her Bachelor’s degree in French and Business Administration from St. John’s University in New York in 2001. She earned a Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Brooklyn College in 2007, and she earned a Master’s degree in Educational Administration and Leadership from the College of Saint Rose in Albany in 2023.

The Big Apple awards recognize the exemplary performance of public school teachers throughout New York City who inspire students, model great teaching, and enrich school communities. Nominees are nominated by district leaders and principals.

The very plucky Chalkboard Champion of Arizona, Eulalia Bourne

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I love to share stories about plucky teachers, and in the short You Tube video below I share some information about a really plucky teacher from the American Southwest: Eulalia Bourne. I wrote about her in my first book, Chalkboard Champions.

This daring educator, whose career spanned more than four decades, taught elementary school in rural areas, mining camps, and Indian reservations throughout Arizona during some of our country’s most challenging periods: World War I, the Depression, and World War II. This women’s libber was ahead of her time, becoming one of the very few women in her day to own and run her own cattle ranch.

Watch the video below to learn more about this amazing Chalkboard Champion.